Mrs. Xu stamred, "After you last went ho, your father was very unhappy. You didn’t co back for the Dragon Boat Festival, nor did you call. You wouldn’t even answer our calls... And now, the demolition compensation is about to be paid out..."
Xu Xiaoya still sounded indifferent. "I know. I’ve already contacted the demolition office. They’ll deposit the compensation directly into my account."
Mrs. Xu began to cry, "Xiaoya... this is why I’m here... Please don’t bla . I truly have no other choice. If there were any other way, I wouldn’t be doing this..."
Yan Xixi thought, So, it really is about the money.
"Mom, just say it. What is it you want?"
"Your sister-in-law is making a terrible scene, and the house is in an uproar. You rember your brother started that hot pot restaurant with so partners a while ago? Well, it closed down after only two or three months, and the entire 180,000 yuan investnt went down the drain. Your brother is idle now, just playing mahjong all day, and he recently lost tens of thousands of yuan again. So, your sister-in-law quarrels with your brother every day, and with your father and . She demands that all the demolition compensation money go to her. Otherwise, she’ll divorce your brother imdiately and take both sons with her..."
Yan Xixi burst out laughing. "Divorce? Simple. Let them get divorced! Thousands of people get divorced in our country every day. What’s the big deal?"
Mrs. Xu knew Yan Xixi’s personality. Although the words were harsh, she didn’t dare say anything. She only looked at Xu Xiaoya with pleading eyes and said, "Xiaoya, I know you feel wronged too. But please, for your father’s sake and mine... Sigh. What can we do? You’re a woman. Just let your brother have his way. Otherwise, are we supposed to just stand by and watch your brother’s family fall apart?"
Yan Xixi couldn’t stand it anymore. "Divorce! Let her do it imdiately! Mrs. Xu, go ho and tell your daughter-in-law to file for divorce right away and take both children. Let’s see what kind of good family a divorced woman with two sons can marry into then!"
"Xixi... that’s not how you should talk... It’s not your family, so of course, you don’t care..."
"Mrs. Xu, just tell the truth. Whether it’s Mr. Xu getting sick and being hospitalized, or your daughter-in-law threatening divorce... isn’t it all about that demolition compensation? If Xiaoya gives up that compensation, won’t your precious daughter-in-law stop making a fuss?"
Mrs. Xu smiled apologetically. "That’s just how it is. I really dislike my daughter-in-law, but I’m still counting on her and my son to take care of us in our old age, so I can’t afford to offend her..."
Xu Xiaoya’s sharp eyes noticed sothing. "Mom, what’s that on your arm? It’s a huge bruise."
Seeing she could no longer hide it, Mrs. Xu sighed deeply. "Your sister-in-law went to her parents’ house crying, claiming you were coming back to fight for a share of the family property. Her brothers then ca barging into our house, acting aggressively. They insisted that a married-out daughter has no right to the family property and demanded we give them an explanation. That’s what made your father so angry he ended up in the hospital..."
That’s how it is with demolitions. When profit is at stake, who knows how many people would crack their skulls just for a bit of money.
She had known all along that this compensation money wouldn’t co without a fight. What was fated to co had finally arrived.
Xu Xiaoya grew agitated. "Did my brother just hide and do nothing to stop his in-laws from causing such a scene?"
Yan Xixi remarked calmly, "Xu Xiaoya, are you that naive? It’s obvious your brother and his wife are colluding—putting on a ’good cop, bad cop’ act—to pressure your parents into handing over your share of the demolition compensation."
Looking at her mother’s expression, Xu Xiaoya knew it was true. Five hundred thousand yuan—it wasn’t a small sum. All ties of kinship had been utterly eroded.
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