"Jiang Cheng, I think you are ungrateful! If it weren't for the Lin Family taking you in, you'd have died outside a long time ago!"
Lin Jiaojiao suddenly stood forward, shouting with a face full of arrogance and aggression: "You've eaten and stayed with us for three years, didn't that cost money?"
"The Lin Family has never wronged you, my brother never liked you, my mom and grandma are kind, they want to help you, and still you don't appreciate it!"
Mrs. Lin tugged at Lin Jiaojiao.
"Jiaojiao, stop talking, we're all family, don't hurt the harmony."
Lin Jiaojiao shook off Mrs. Lin's hand and said: "Mom, you're too kind-hearted, why not speak up? The Lin Family did nothing wrong!"
"Exactly, freeloading off the Lin Family for three years."
"Are you stupid, six hundred yuan can't buy anything to eat!"
"Money doesn't necessarily buy food."
"Indeed, food is very precious!"
A gleam of smugness flashed in Lin Jiaojiao's eyes, with Jiang Cheng's foolishness, she could press her down with just a finger.
Jiang Cheng, having been berated by Lin Jiaojiao, trembled on her shoulders, unable to accept but trying to ask bravely:
"The Lin Family took me in?"
"Lin Jiaojiao, your family brought me in under the guise of being Lin Chengyuan's wife, how has that changed into taking me in?"
"Back then, when old Mrs. Lin was ill and Aunt Lin's back was injured, when I entered, I was carrying waste and urine, and you all took my parents' death compensation."
"After three years, I ate leftovers, drank dishwater, and couldn't have even a steamed bun in three days, and now you're telling me that these leftovers and dishwater cost me six hundred yuan?"
Jiang Cheng ripped away the Lin Family's long-hidden cover of shame.
Neighbors in the courtyard whispered to each other, looking mockingly at the Lin Family.
It was Jiang Cheng's reminder that made everyone recall that the Lin Family was eager to marry her in back then.
Thinking about it now, the Lin Family truly played a good game.
They calculated Jiang Cheng, an orphan girl holding compensation money, bringing her in under the guise of a fiancé to work for three years, and then try to bite her back.
"Enough! Stop talking."
The Lin Family patriarch, Lin Chengyuan's father Lin Dongsheng, stood forward with his hands behind his back.
Jiang Cheng: A typical shameless scoundrel!
"Jiang Cheng, let's not mention past events, the Lin Family protected you for three years, otherwise, how would you, an orphan, survive?"
Threats!
Bare threats!
But Jiang Cheng simply wouldn't buy it.
"Mr. Lin, you don't want to mention it because the Lin Family took advantage, I can't do that, I'm poor! I want to talk about those six hundred yuan, I have to!"
"That money was exchanged for my parents' lives, there's no reason for the husband's family to take the daughter-in-law's dowry, let alone you're not my husband's family."
"Or are you claiming to be my husband's family? Does Lin Chengyuan want to marry two wives?"
Lin Chengyuan's heart skipped a beat, such talk couldn't be said randomly.
However, he glanced subtly at Jiang Cheng, who happened to be looking at him.
Lin Chengyuan misunderstood.
She really didn't want to leave him.
Truly a toad wishing to eat swan meat, with Jiang Cheng's ugly looks, she still attempted to be his wife!
Dream on!
Jiang Cheng was indeed looking at Lin Chengyuan, observing how shameless this man could be.
It seemed exceedingly shameless.
Jiang Cheng shifted her gaze towards He Dan, who hadn't spoken throughout.
Indeed, not ugly, pretty and pleasing, but full of contempt and impatience, along with a sense of superiority.
An affair partner, yet acting uppity!
"Nonsense!"
"Shut up!"
Lin Chengyuan and Mr. Lin spoke in unison, Lin Chengyuan unwilling to argue, looked impatiently at Mr. Lin.
"Dad, give her back the money!"
Mr. Lin's palms clenched behind his back, he certainly didn't want to return it, especially since the money was spent, how would they return it?
His thoughts raced, he spoke with a face full of hurt:
"Jiang Cheng, how can you do this? I feel I've treated you well, that talk of dishwater and steamed buns is blatant lying."
As Mr. Lin spoke, Mrs. Lin quickly turned her thoughts and chimed in.
"Yes Cheng Cheng, don't pierce our hearts like this, wasn't every meal prioritized for you."
"Exactly! My mom treats you better than her own daughter, you get an egg every day, I can't even eat the eggshell, how can you lie like this?"
"Alas! I, an old woman, never lie, Cheng Cheng, you shouldn't do something without conscience!"
The Lin Family members each said a piece, declaring Jiang Cheng to be a liar and defamer.
The surrounding neighbors wavered, they didn't know what people ate behind closed doors.
After all, the Lin Family's food has indeed been good.
The Lin Family played on this idea, as long as they didn't admit, Jiang Cheng's words had little credibility.
"Well! Jiang Cheng, you actually lied!"
Lin Chengyuan angrily pointed at Jiang Cheng, his eyes full of disappointment.
Among the disappointment, there was a secret sense of triumph; she would do anything to marry him.
Jiang Cheng took two steps back in disgust, fearing his intelligence might be tainted by Lin Chengyuan's stupidity.
Jiang Cheng scoffed coldly, waiting for this moment!
She stomped into the room and quickly returned with a stack of newspapers in her arms.
Mrs. Lin: Where did these newspapers come from?
"What is she doing?"
"Reading newspapers?"
"Has she gone mad?"
Jiang Cheng ignored the gossiping voices; she pulled out a newspaper and began reading loudly.
"February 17th, Thursday, clear skies."
"I got up at four in the morning; mom said she wanted fried dough sticks from the government-run restaurant in the south of the city, Jiaojiao wanted soy milk from the north—so I had to buy them early."
"Today, three mustard leaf strands were left over, pretty good."
"They went to work, and grandma asked me to wash the quilts; my hands cracked, so I was slow."
"Dad said the floor should be scrubbed with knees for better cleanliness."
"Went a whole day without eating; the family said there's not much food, I should let them eat first."
"After preparing foot wash for everyone, grandma asked me to knead her shoulders, massage her legs, and give her a foot bath—Jiaojiao's underwear hasn't been washed yet—"
"Jiang Cheng!"
Lin Jiaojiao, face flushed with shame, snatched the newspaper from Jiang Cheng's hand and tore it to shreds.
Jiang Cheng unhurriedly pulled out another and continued reading.
"March 18th, Saturday, overcast."
"After making breakfast, I waited for everyone to finish; today, some chicken bones were left over, they were delicious with a meaty flavor."
"Jiaojiao took my money for making matchboxes again."
"Grandma said her legs hurt; asked me to clean her up."
"Enough reading!"
Mrs. Lin banged her cane on the ground, while Mr. Lin rushed forward to seize the newspaper.
Seeing this, Jiang Cheng scattered the papers in the air.
The flying newspapers were grabbed eagerly by the neighbors, who wasted no time in reading.
Oh my! These chicken-scratch handwriting!
"Everyone, take a look!"
"This is my life!"
Jiang Cheng's hunched back straightened for the first time, standing tall against the Lin Family.
Her eyes were full of bitterness.
"This is my diary; with no money for paper, I used charcoal to write on old newspapers."
"I can't read; I learned from the dictionary one character at a time—it looks ugly."
"Originally, I wished to learn the characters for writing letters, but never got to use it."
Jiang Cheng bowed her head.
It hasn't been easy!
Finally, she justified her literacy openly.
In that moment, Lin Chengyuan felt a pang of discomfort.
She learned to read just to write him letters?
Did she truly like him this much?
Lin Chengyuan looked at Jiang Cheng, but she was engrossed in her performance, too busy to pay him any heed.
"For three years, I dare say I, Jiang Cheng, do not owe the Lin Family a single penny."
Jiang Cheng's slender figure was fragile yet filled with strength.
To write this diary, her wrists nearly broke from exhaustion over a month!
Knowing the plot, how could she not be prepared?
"My God! This isn't the conduct of big landowners!"
"They really treated Jiang Cheng like a servant."
"No one expected such decent-looking people to do these things secretly."
Lin Family's faces turned increasingly sour; Lin Chengyuan's brief pity for Jiang Cheng quickly transformed into anger.
"Jiang Cheng, that's enough!"
Jiang Cheng looked at Lin Chengyuan.
"Lin Chengyuan, we have no relation; a person like you isn't fit to bark!"
"And as for your Lin Family, claiming you care about me, for my sake, but you took my compensation and then slandered me!"
"Your hypocrisy merely hides the fear of losing a worker; all the calculating minds are gathered in the Lin Family."
"I, Jiang Cheng, would rather starve begging outside than stay with the Lin Family!"
For the first time, Jiang Cheng spoke harshly, reaching out to Mrs. Lin.
"Pay back the money!!"