Yan Jianjun was absolutely determined to move out, and no opposition from Old General Yan and Yan Jian Country could change his mind. Cai Baoqin achieved what she had wished for and finally took a huge sigh of relief. However, before she could fully relax, Cai Gen Sheng and Cai Zhaodi, along with Cai Jinbao, showed up at her doorstep.
It had been two days since they moved out of the Yan Family ho when they suddenly received a call from the old house, informing them that her relatives from the countryside had co looking for her.
Upon hearing the news, Cai Baoqin’s first reaction was disbelief. Her parents were uneducated and illiterate, how could they possibly travel all the way from the village to find her? Besides, how could they bear to leave their land back ho? And how did they even find out her address?
However, when her sister-in-law Yan Juan spoke with a tone that seed to relish the drama, saying the man’s na was Cai Gen Sheng and the woman’s was Cai Zhaodi, Cai Baoqin had to believe it. She hurried back to the Yan Family’s old house before Yan Jianjun could finish his workday.
Seeing the three shabbily dressed people and the greedy looks of fascination on their faces, Cai Baoqin’s heart skipped a beat.
"Dad, Mom, how did you co to the capital?"
Upon hearing her daughter’s voice, Cai Zhaodi suddenly turned her head and then burst into tears of joy: "Juhua, oh my dear, I’ve finally found you. If we couldn’t find you, your father, your brother, and I would have had to sleep on the streets."
Hearing Cai Zhaodi call her by her forr na, Cai Baoqin subconsciously looked at Yan Juan and, as expected, saw a mocking expression: "Oh, so our sister-in-law used to be called Juhua, huh? How co none of us knew about that?"
Cai Baoqin was both annoyed by Yan Juan’s mockery and upset that her mother had so carelessly blurted out her forr na, causing her complexion to turn ashen: "Mom, I’ve told you before, my na is now Cai Baoqin, I don’t go by that old na anymore."
"Isn’t it just a na? What’s wrong with Juhua? Didn’t you use it for over twenty years too? How co..." Cai Zhaodi’s voice trailed off as she saw the dangerous look in Cai Baoqin’s eyes, gradually growing softer and then becoming noticeably uneasy.
"This must be the respected elder sister of the in-laws, hello, hello, I am Baoqin’s dad, thank you for letting us in today," Cai Gen Sheng said as he approached Yan Juan with his wrinkled face, attempting to shake hands.
Yan Juan glanced disdainfully and did not reach out her hand. Instead, she spoke in a sowhat condescending manner: "Sister-in-law, won’t you offer Uncle and Auntie a seat? And while at it, explain properly why the newspaper’s people are saying Uncle was in bad shape when he’s evidently fine? It made people think that the Yan Family is cold-hearted, not allowing their daughter-in-law to go ho to report a death!"
"What death to report? Older sister, I know you don’t like , but there’s no need to curse my family!" Cai Baoqin retorted instinctively upon hearing Yan Juan’s words, not worrying about offending her since there were no other family mbers present.
"It’s not what I said; that’s what the newspapers reported," Yan Juan replied, tossing a daily newspaper in Cai Baoqin’s face with a sneer. "You’d better think about how to explain this to Dad and your younger brother. Otherwise, you’ll be the one tarnishing the Yan Family’s reputation."
Seeing Yan Juan’s attitude, Cai Baoqin imdiately realized sothing was amiss and began to read the newspaper with a darkened expression.
After reading it, she took a deep breath and, with a look of disbelief, turned to her parents: "Dad, you’re clearly well, so why did you say you’re almost gone? And that you wanted to see one last ti?"
Her gaze was so piercing that Cai Zhaodi, who usually did not take this daughter seriously, felt a wave of fear and stamred: "Isn’t it just because we were afraid we wouldn’t attract enough attention? The capital is so big, and we’ve run out of money. How could we manage if we didn’t find you quickly? Do you really want your father and brother to sleep on the streets? It’s your fault for not giving your address when you called."
Cai Baoqin was furious but had no reply. Grinding her teeth, she asked: "How did you find out my husband’s surna is Yan? And that he works for the governnt?"
"The whole village is already talking about it, and yet you, this worthless girl, dared to keep it a secret from us." Cai Zhaodi felt that Cai Baoqin did sothing wrong, hence she felt emboldened again, "Thinking of abandoning your own family now that you’ve climbed up the social ladder? No way, it’s a good thing your dad made a decisive move, otherwise, we wouldn’t have known you’re living in such a luxurious house."
Cai Zhaodi greedily took in the spacious and elegant house, ecstatic at the thought of moving into this beautiful big house soon.
"Hurry up and take us to your room to put down our luggage, and while at it, let , your dad, and your little brother take a bath. Can you believe the lodge we stayed at actually charged extra for a bath? Including travel ti, we haven’t bathed in almost a month; we’re itching all over."
"A month without a bath?" Yan Juan, who had been eavesdropping carefully, cried out in astonishnt, then quickly stepped back several paces, covering her nose, and with an expression full of disgust, said, "I knew there was a strong odor, co on sister-in-law, hurry up and take your parents for a bath. Oh, and after you’re done, make sure to clean the bathroom thoroughly, don’t trouble Mrs. Liu."
"You... Second sister, these are my parents!" Cai Baoqin said sternly, feeling like she had lost all face today.
"I know they’re Uncle and Auntie, do you really want them to et dad looking like this? I can’t help if you don’t mind." Yan Juan spread her hands, looking indifferent and ready to watch the drama unfold.
Cai Baoqin was furious but had no retort; she had worked so hard to establish a good impression in front of Old General Yan and Jianjun, and she couldn’t allow it to be ruined just like that.
"Dad, Mom, little brother, co with ," she said, face ashen.
"Is this your elder sister-in-law?" Cai Zhaodi asked as they walked, talking to Cai Baoqin.
"Hmm." Cai Baoqin replied impatiently.
"Why does she live with her parents?"
"Her husband passed away, and she didn’t remarry."
"She looks sharp-tongued and not easy to get along with; no wonder she’s full of resentnt being a widow like that!" Cai Zhaodi said contemptuously. Just an old girl without a husband and yet she dares to give attitude. Once my daughter takes charge of the household, I must make sure she kicks this relative out.
"Is this your room?" Cai Baoqin and Cai Jinbao rummaged around, "Why is there almost nothing here?"
"It’s where I used to live; Jianjun and I moved out a few days ago." Cai Baoqin, increasingly impatient and a little panicked, took out a few simple and elegant clothes from the wardrobe she had never moved.
She knew her family; once they saw the affluence of her life, they would never go back to the small mountain village. But those vulgar habits of theirs were hard to change, weren’t they just making trouble for herself?
Would Jianjun accept her uneducated, ignorant family with a myriad of bad habits?
"Moved out? Are you stupid?" Cai Zhaodi questioned, "Such a good house and you moved out? If you don’t give a proper reason, I won’t let this go easily."
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