Bullying The Sister-In-Law - Chapter 42

Meng Zhengyue’s stepdaughter was well-behaved and cute. She was holding an exquisitely packaged gift box and stood awkwardly by her side. Meng Zhengyue quietly reminded her in her ear, “You should call her Sister-in-law too.”

The young girl lifted her clear eyes and timidly followed with a soft “Sister-in-law.”

Su Zhiluo suppressed the strange feeling in her heart, composed herself slightly, and turned sideways to welcome the two into the house. She said gently, “You are too kind. It’s enough for you to just show up; you don’t need to bring these.”

Meng Zhengyue briefly introduced Yun Zhixue, clarifying that she was her ex-wife’s daughter, not her stepdaughter. She then said, “Sister-in-law, you’ve worked hard, making so many dishes.”

Liu Chengxu felt for her sister-in-law and said, “She really did work hard. We got up at six.”

Yun Zhixue said, “Then you two must come to my house for a meal sometime.”

Liu Chengxu asked, “Your big villa?”

Yun Zhixue nodded.

Liu Chengxu, wanting her sister-in-law to experience it, readily agreed. Su Zhiluo said, “No need, it’s too much trouble. Just come here for a meal.”

At the table, fearing they might be cold, Su Zhiluo brought out the small space heater. Then she took out the chicken legs from the clay pot, giving one to Yun Zhixue and then one to Meng Zhengyue. Meng Zhengyue declined, insisting they eat it, but Su Zhiluo said, “Don’t be polite. I made four, so everyone has one.”

“Thank you, Sister-in-law.”

Su Zhiluo went back to the bedroom and retrieved a red envelope for Yun Zhixue. Liu Chengxu hadn’t known her sister-in-law had prepared one and exclaimed in surprise, “What about mine?”

Su Zhiluo smiled and pulled a red envelope out of her pocket, handing one to her.

Su Zhiluo gave another to Meng Zhengyue, who was too embarrassed to take it and refused. Su Zhiluo said, “Take it. It’s the New Year, and you’re a child too.”

Meng Zhengyue suddenly understood why Liu Chengxu loved her sister-in-law so much; those years without love were always a living hell.

Yun Zhixue poked her arm and handed the red envelope to her. “You can hold onto this for me.”

Meng Zhengyue tucked the red envelope into her pocket, noticing Liu Chengxu staring blankly at the red envelope in her hand. Meng Zhengyue guessed she wasn’t in a good state and gently patted her arm under the table.

Liu Chengxu was thinking of the first time she and Su Zhiluo spent the New Year together. Su Zhiluo had stewed half a chicken and stir-fried a plate of vegetables.

Then Su Zhiluo gave her the New Year’s money, and she almost couldn’t stop herself from crying. She vowed then that even if her parents beat her to death, she would ensure her sister-in-law had a good life with her.

She still remembered the exact amount: 52 yuan.

At the time, she told Su Zhiluo she wouldn’t spend it foolishly and would use it to buy stationery. Su Zhiluo replied, “Buy whatever you want. I’ll give you money for stationery when school starts.”

Liu Chengxu snapped back to reality and shoved the red envelope into her pocket.

Yun Zhixue complimented, “The fish is delicious.”

“Chengxu made it,” Su Zhiluo said, placing the fish closer to Yun Zhixue. “Eat more if you like it.”

After dinner, Su Zhiluo started clearing the table. Yun Zhixue rolled up her sleeves, took the empty bowls to the kitchen, and even put on gloves, offering to help with the dishes. She looked delicate and fair, clearly raised in affluence, and Su Zhiluo couldn’t bear to let her do it, so she tried to dissuade her a couple of times.

Yun Zhixue said, “I want to learn from Sister-in-law so I can take good care of Mommy in the future.”

Su Zhiluo heard the word “Mommy” and felt a sting, finding it especially similar to how Liu Chengxu called her “Sister-in-law” in bed—very immoral. She asked, “Do you know how to cook?”

Yun Zhixue replied, “I don’t.”

Su Zhiluo breathed a small sigh of relief. Liu Chengxu’s most direct expression of her later affection was tirelessly doing chores around the house. She had boundless energy for it and still hasn’t changed, just switching from below the covers to on top of them.

Yun Zhixue then added, “But I’m very good at washing dishes.”

“My Mommy is an excellent cook. She makes me write down the dishes I want to eat and stick the list on the kitchen wall, and she cooks for me one day a week.”

Su Zhiluo was utterly surprised. She said, “Mom… no, um…” She temporarily forgot Meng Zhengyue’s real name. After thinking for a while, she said, “Chengxu, you, you take that… her Mommy, and take her out. You come and help me with the dishes.”

Liu Chengxu and Meng Zhengyue were in the bedroom. Liu Chengxu was showing her the Gundam model she and Su Zhiluo had recently finished assembling. Meng Zhengyue commented, “I just realized your place is quite small.”

Liu Chengxu scolded her, “A woman who forgets her roots after latching onto a rich woman.”

She added, “I mean the rich woman who is your stepdaughter, not your ex-wife.”

Liu Chengxu still remembered her shock back then. One moment she was transferring a wedding gift and offering congratulations, and the next she received a message that her wife had died.

This stepdaughter was a real surprise; who knew she was so old.

Liu Chengxu walked over and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Su Zhiluo said, “How can we let a guest wash dish? Come here quickly.”

Yun Zhixue was persistent, saying, “It’s just washing dishes.”

Meng Zhengyue stood by the bedroom door and beckoned Yun Zhixue with a finger. Only then did Yun Zhixue take off the gloves and go over. Meng Zhengyue said, “Be a good guest, alright?”

Yun Zhixue said, “I feel awkward.”

Meng Zhengyue said, “My friends are your friends, don’t overthink it.”

Yun Zhixue curved her lips and nodded, as if she had been waiting for that exact sentence.

Su Zhiluo noticed Meng Zhengyue’s indulgence and doting toward Yun Zhixue, which reminded her of how she used to treat Liu Chengxu. She hadn’t realized it then, but seeing it now in Meng Zhengyue made her understand that maybe there was love involved after all.

Putting aside those stray thoughts, she genuinely liked Yun Zhixue. The child was well-behaved and sensible, always offering to help her when she was busy.

In the afternoon, she was teaching Yun Zhixue how to crochet gloves, while Liu Chengxu and Meng Zhengyue chatted outside.

Meng Zhengyue asked, “Why are you so tired?”

Liu Chengxu cursed indignantly, “I don’t know which jerk was setting off firecrackers near my house in the middle of the night. I couldn’t sleep all night.”

Meng Zhengyue gave her a deep, meaningful look, seeming to want to say something, but remained silent in the end.

A few minutes later, she asked, “How are things between you and your sister-in-law?”

Liu Chengxu’s eyes sparkled with a happy smile. She said, “I can feel the love. What about you?”

Meng Zhengyue replied, “Too much love.”

Different people, different fates. Liu Chengxu said, “I feel like you’re showing off.”

The two of them chatted as if they didn’t know the soundproofing was poor. Meng Zhengyue mentioned giving Liu Chengxu her investments and dividends so she could buy a new house. Su Zhiluo was terrified that Liu Chengxu might bring up the bedroom activities from the previous day and was constantly listening. Later, she heard them mention smoking. Liu Chengxu had smoked a few times due to stress after leaving, and now she claimed she didn’t smoke anymore because her sister-in-law was strict.

Yun Zhixue whispered, “Sister Chengxu really likes you, you know.”

Being pointed out by a child made Su Zhiluo’s face flush. Yun Zhixue slowly added, “I really like my Mommy too.”

“…” Su Zhiluo was quite startled.

A while later, Liu Chengxu entered. The moment she opened the door, a crocheted glove from Su Zhiluo hit her face. Liu Chengxu instantly knew what was going on and felt extremely guilty. While making dinner, Su Zhiluo warned her that if she dared to smoke again, she would slap her mouth until it was raw.

Liu Chengxu didn’t dare to utter a word until Yun Zhixue and Meng Zhengyue left that evening.

Su Zhiluo was flipping through her bag and wardrobe. Liu Chengxu watched with a racing heart, then went up and wrapped her arms around her sister-in-law’s waist. She said, “That’s not the main point. I’ll tell you a secret, but you have to promise not to tell anyone else.”

Su Zhiluo vaguely guessed what it was, and she felt anxious. She said, “If it’s highly confidential, you’d better not tell me. It’s someone else’s secret, after all.”

Liu Chengxu said, “I’ll feel uncomfortable holding it in. I’m telling you, they are actually dating—secretly. Don’t tell anyone, and definitely don’t say it in front of Meng Zhengyue.”

Su Zhiluo was shocked, “But Meng Zhengyue and her mom are married…”

“That’s why you… you shouldn’t tell anyone.”

“You shouldn’t have told me!” Su Zhiluo’s face was full of shock, her mouth opening and closing. Liu Chengxu said seriously, “You’re not going to discriminate against them, are you?”

“I… I, I just didn’t expect them to be even more explosive.”

“They’re not related by blood. Love is…” Liu Chengxu took a deep breath. “Actually, I also think they’re explosive, but love is something you can’t control. Thinking about it this way, don’t we count as normal people?”

“Don’t you have a good friend, the one who’s so normal? Why don’t you try to be like her?”

“Her, normal? You don’t know what she watches all day. She’s always shooting the Animal World version of deformed romance.”

“That’s quite normal in the animal kingdom.” Su Zhiluo could understand this. Sometimes when she read novels, she liked reading about animals falling in love.

“Fine, since it’s come to this, I can only tell you the truth. Actually, Zha Baomei and her sister have a thing going on. I noticed it in college. Her sister definitely likes her. That look in her eyes is more passionate than the way I look at you.”

Su Zhiluo was so frightened she covered Liu Chengxu’s mouth. “Are you talking nonsense? I remember you said they were blood-related sisters?”

Liu Chengxu felt no guilt about talking nonsense. Based on her understanding of her friends, they couldn’t resist; none of them would escape.

She nodded. “Just don’t say it outside.”

Su Zhiluo was speechless. Who was she supposed to tell?

Liu Chengxu said, “See? Thinking about it this way, we’re quite normal.”

Su Zhiluo wanted to argue, but couldn’t find the words for a moment, and she also forgot to check if Liu Chengxu had hidden any cigarettes on her.

After that incident passed, they planned to go to Chang Ruyin’s house for dinner. However, Chang Ruyin was busy meeting Yang Jie’s relatives. From what she heard, it sounded like Yang Jie’s family was planning to host a wedding for them.

Su Zhiluo was happy for her, but at the same time, she felt a pang of envy. She didn’t dare to delve deeper, unsure if she should have the same.

The Spring Festival holiday was ending. Liu Chengxu had to return to her company, and Su Zhiluo had to go back to Guangzhou. She needed to personally handle several large orders at the factory.

The two of them had to be temporarily separated. Liu Chengxu was reluctant. For the previous few nights, Liu Chengxu had clung to her sister-in-law, causing all sorts of commotion. Once she burrowed under the blanket, she didn’t come out. This made Su Zhiluo’s kidneys ache. Every time, she quietly told her to tone down the intense exercises when she went back to S City, which only made Liu Chengxu more excited.

This month, they checked the result: they didn’t win the car license plate lottery.

Su Zhiluo also participated in the lottery in Guangzhou, planning to buy a car wherever she won the right.

Then, there was news of demolition.

Su Zhiluo listened to the call, stunned for a long time. The person on the other end thought she was too happy and offered a few words of congratulations.

A few strands of hair were obstructing her view. Su Zhiluo tucked her hair back a few times and replied that she understood.

A long time ago, someone told her this area would be demolished, and she believed it. But after living there for a while, she stopped believing it and put it out of her mind.

She didn’t know why.

It felt like a gentle pat on the shoulder: See? I told you it would be demolished. Things will get better.