"Good! Good for you, Jiang Cheng, you were just pretending before, weren't you?"
Mrs. Lin's face was flushed with anger, breathing heavily.
Jiang Cheng got right in her face, spraying spit all over Mrs. Lin.
"Pretending? Fine, why don't you try pretending for three years, working non-stop from four in the morning to ten at night!"
"You've taken all the benefits and now want to blame me. Truly like throwing away a bowl after eating, with no shame whatsoever!"
"Lin Chengyuan is getting married, and you claim you don't know about such a big thing?"
"You knew and yet you still bound me to the Lin Family in the name of a daughter-in-law, making me work for you. Even landlords in rich families aren't as disgusting as your Lin Family!"
Jiang Cheng paused for a moment, seemingly trying to calm down, then continued: "Return my compensation money and I'll leave the Lin Family immediately. Otherwise, I'll report your capitalist, robber behavior!"
As soon as these words were out, the faces of all the Lin Family members changed, their brows twitching.
They were already caught off guard by Jiang Cheng's forged diary.
But returning the money was more painful than cutting flesh.
Seeing the Lin Family silent, Jiang Cheng directly looked at He Dan.
"This sister here, the Lin Family is reluctant to let me go. Who would have thought that in the new society, I'd still see concubinage."
Jiang Cheng bit hard on the word "concubinage."
He Dan's complexion changed abruptly and she forcefully pushed Lin Chengyuan.
Lin Chengyuan's brow twitched again and again.
"Jiang Cheng, don't talk nonsense! He Dan and I are revolutionary comrades with common goals."
Jiang Cheng snorted coldly and spread out her palm.
"Then stop preaching righteousness while acting like a villain. Return the money!"
Lin Chengyuan knew the importance of this matter well, as his job transfer had not yet been settled.
But Jiang Cheng? Fine, she just had to make things ugly.
If she liked him so much, why couldn't she consider things for him?
Lin Chengyuan gave Jiang Cheng a deep look, which sent a chill through Jiang Cheng.
He's quite ill, and even with his conceit at full capacity, it can't be suppressed.
Lin Chengyuan withdrew his gaze and looked at Mr. and Mrs. Lin.
"Mom, Dad, return the money to her!"
Mr. and Mrs. Lin knew that things had come to this point, and they had to fork out the money.
But...
"Chengyuan, you deal with it."
Lin Chengyuan uncertainly walked over, and the three of them whispered together for quite a while.
"You all!"
Lin Chengyuan cared about his reputation too, his face flushed with anger, he stomped his feet heavily and walked back, pulling He Dan aside for another whisper session.
At last, the high-and-mighty He Dan showed some expression and gave Jiang Cheng a vicious glare.
Jiang Cheng thought: These two couples really are a perfect match! Locked tight! Locked as tight as can be!
He Dan was coaxed and dragged around by Lin Chengyuan. What could she do when things had reached this point?
Fortunately, Lin Chengyuan still had a good job, and she finally nodded her head.
When the two returned, Lin Chengyuan took out a brown paper bag from He Dan's luggage.
"Six hundred, count it carefully."
"Jiang Cheng, think it over clearly. Once you take the money, you have nothing to do with the Lin Family?"
Jiang Cheng didn't even look at Lin Chengyuan, not feigning politeness anymore, she snorted: "Nonsense!"
Lin Chengyuan clenched his fist, snorting coldly.
Good for you, Jiang Cheng. Even if you beg him in the future, he wouldn't spare her a glance!
Jiang Cheng didn't take the money directly but went to Uncle Sun, who managed the courtyard.
"Uncle Sun, may I trouble you to be a witness, to help count the money and make a note of it?"
Uncle Sun was a smart man and didn't approve of the Lin Family's actions. As the manager of the courtyard, he naturally agreed.
As per Jiang Cheng's request, the prerequisites were clearly written, the money was counted face to face, with both parties signing and thumbprinting.
Jiang Cheng kept it safe.
The original character and Lin Chengyuan had no wedding, no marriage certificate, and couldn't transfer her household registration to the city.
She had always stayed at the Lin Family in the name of visiting relatives, her household registration and food relations were still in the village.
Back then, when the Lin Family went to discuss the marriage, the old Jiang family house was pressing the original character to hand over the compensation money.
This was also why the original character trusted the Lin Family wholeheartedly.
"Looks like someone will have to sleep on the streets!"
Lin Jiaojiao's face was uncharacteristically mean for her age, gloating as she hugged He Dan's arm.
"Sister He Dan, you are really beautiful, much prettier than Jiang Cheng. My brother is really lucky, unlike Jiang Cheng, who is gloomy and annoying every day!"
He Dan smiled gently, holding Lin Jiaojiao's hand and said, "Jiaojiao is also beautiful, if you don't like her, just don't mention her. She's not important."
"Mm mm mm! Sister-in-law is right!"
The two of them sang in harmony, trying to annoy Jiang Cheng.
Who was Jiang Cheng?
She was unbeatable with her sharp tongue in the welfare institution. If it weren't for getting the money, she'd have already made them question life.
Her tutor suspected she learned five languages just to argue with people abroad.
There wasn't enough room for her to perform in the country!
Jiang Cheng straightened her back, and with her hands behind her, her scrutinizing gaze fell on Lin Jiaojiao's face, making Lin Jiaojiao frown.
"Lin Jiaojiao, you only have one face. Throw it away sparingly! You're so young yet you have your grandma's meanness. Whoever marries you will have a grand time with an old wife as soon as they marry!"
"And this person who likes picking up men, could you please watch your step? You and I are standing on the same ground, who are you trying to look noble for? Or are you looking down on my peasant class?"
He Dan was stumped, not daring to reply, who dared to say they looked down on the peasant class?
With Jiang Cheng's retort, the eyes watching the spectacle widened.
Was this the Jiang Cheng who couldn't be stirred by a stick?
This sharp tongue felt like it was being wasted without doing something.
But, it served the Lin Family right.
Lin Jiaojiao wanted to retort but was interrupted by Lin Chengyuan's shout with a blue complexion.
"Enough!"
"Jiang Cheng, take the money and leave."
Jiang Cheng stood on her tiptoes, sarcastically saying:
"Since when did the public area of the courtyard become under Lin Family's control?"
Lin Chengyuan glared at Jiang Cheng, gritting his teeth: "We're going inside."
The faces of the Lin Family members looked terrible as they turned and entered their small three-room west wing.
Mrs. Lin and Grandma Lin were also angry, but they still harbored hope.
They simultaneously thought that today must have been too stimulating with Lin Chengyuan suddenly returning.
In a few days, they thought, they could coax Jiang Cheng back.
In their eyes, Jiang Cheng's harsh words were all because she held resentment towards Lin Chengyuan.
Without love, where would the resentment come from?
"Cheng Cheng, after all, we are one family, don't be estranged."
Old Mrs. Lin wiped her eyes, trying to ease the situation.
Jiang Cheng pouted, truly the old are brainlessly naive.
"Buried in the same grave is truly family; don't find the wrong direction or there'll be no chance to find one's way back!"
Old Mrs. Lin's face instantly became extremely unpleasant.
The older one is, the more they fear these topics.
"Fine, fine, I'd like to see you live on your own!"
Jiang Cheng stood straight, speaking slowly: "That may be tough, I'm young, you really might not see it."
"Jiang Cheng, don't go too far!" Lin Chengyuan glared at Jiang Cheng aggressively.
Jiang Cheng had really disappointed him!
Fortunately, he married Dandan. This kind of Jiang Cheng wasn't fit for a respectable setting.
Jiang Cheng looked modest, smiling and saying: "Against a scoundrel, even excessive deeds are charitable. I'm just performing at an average level."
"What, planning to hit me?"
Jiang Cheng patted her forehead with one hand, full of provocation.
"Come on, hit here; I'll fall, and unless there's a thousand or eight hundred, no one is getting out unscathed!"
"I wonder if there's enough in your wife's bag to manage."
Both Lin Chengyuan's and He Dan's faces turned even more unsightly.
Mr. Lin pulled at Lin Chengyuan, staring at Jiang Cheng: "We've underestimated you."
"No! You looked down on others with dog eyes."
The Lin Family was so enraged their eyes bulged, but Jiang Cheng's little mouth didn't utter a foul word.
Why did it sound so satisfying?
Several young people nearby wished to take notes, more attentive than in school.
With a "bang," the Lin Family slammed the door in anger.
Jiang Cheng shrugged her shoulders, just this?
Sister was just getting warmed up.
Seeing the main targets of insult retreat, the people in the crowded courtyard pretended to comfort Jiang Cheng for a few moments and then dispersed.
However, tonight's chat topics were more than sufficient!
In the crowd, a pregnant woman with a Liuhulan hairstyle secretly cast a glance at Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng nodded slightly, following the pregnant woman out of the crowded courtyard.