Chapter 2226 - 717: Xue’s Home (4)

The happiness on their faces faded a little, turning into heavy helplessness.

Two years ago, when their son got married, they emptied their savings and sold their old home site to help buy a house.

After the wedding, they lived frugally and managed to save some money.

Not much, but about forty or fifty thousand yuan.

They originally thought that since Xue finally came back this time, they could give her this money in person to make up for the family’s shortcomings towards her.

But now it seems, if their daughter-in-law finds out, this family might be turned upside down.

The relationship between mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, and younger sister-in-law is an age-old and complicated one.

However, they indeed felt guilty towards Xue.

The family had two home sites in the village.

One was the old house where they had lived for half their lives, and the other was a former chicken coop, which had been left unused after it became unprofitable.

Xue, since she was a child, had a stubborn streak and was unwilling to suffer losses.

A few years ago, when the village was resolving property rights for the home sites, she was still in college but called home to explain everything clearly.

The empty chicken coop lot was hers, and the one they were living in now belonged to her brother.

At that time, she had planned it all out and talked excitedly on the phone.

When she made big money outside, she’d come back, tear down the old coop, and build a beautiful new house to move her parents in for a comfortable retirement.

Later, as the city’s house prices skyrocketed and Muchuan was in a rush to marry and buy a house,

there was no other way. The couple sold the home site promised to their daughter for ninety thousand yuan behind her back.

Even the money their daughter had saved and sent back home over the years to help was "borrowed" for their son.

These two amounts totaled a full 120,000 yuan.

Plus all of the family savings of 200,000 yuan.

This practically emptied their funds to help Lin Muchuan get married.

The daughter working outside effectively got nothing and sacrificed much of her efforts.

Back then, Wang Suxia and her husband always thought their daughter was a glamorous model in Yan City and must be doing well.

They even held onto a glimmer of hope, traveling to Yan City to ask if she could give more money to ease her brother’s down payment pressure.

Unexpectedly, Lin Muxue’s reaction was so intense.

Unexpectedly, Lin Muxue reacted so strongly that it broke the family apart.

In a moment of rage, Wang Suxia said many hurtful things.

From then on, the mother and daughter had no contact.

The daughter even blocked her WhatsApp and phone number.

It was also at that time they learned that Lin Muxue was not having an easy time in Yan City.

Originally wanting to be a flight attendant, but the airline required a "training fee" of over 100,000 yuan; knowing her family’s situation, she had no other option but to switch to modeling.

It appeared glamorous, but in reality, she was ordered around and worked over ten hours a day to earn just a few hundred yuan.

This heavy guilt weighed like a stone on their hearts.

Lin Muchuan anxiously ran his hand through his hair and said sullenly, "...I’m going out for a smoke."

After saying that, he opened the door and went out.

The wind in the corridor was chilly. He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, with a gaze full of indescribable complexity and fatigue.

After a while.

Pang Xiaomeng’s voice urged from inside the room: "It’s already past ten, hurry up and get ready! I’ve prepared a red envelope with 2,000 yuan. Isn’t that enough?"

"Oh, that’s more than enough, no need to give so much!" Wang Suxia’s voice came from inside.

"Giving more looks better on us! They can remember us kindly." Peng Xiaomeng’s voice carried a hint of smart cunning.

Lin Muchuan pressed his cigarette out hard against the wall, took a cold breath, and turned back into the room.

Of course, he knew why his wife urged so eagerly, in plain terms, trying to curry favor with Jiajia.

The small company he worked for was teetering on collapse and could close any day.

Xiaomeng had quit her job early due to severe pregnancy reactions, and now the baby still needed constant attention...

Jiajia’s fiancé’s family was influential, with the hope of gaining some benefit.

As soon as he returned to the living room, Peng Xiaomeng looked over with disdain.

"Smoking again! All you do still is smoke! Why not save that money to buy better formula for your son? And your hair looks like a bird’s nest. Go tidy up quickly!"

Lin Muchuan silently walked into the bathroom.

The whole family thus hurriedly prepared in the oppressive and chaotic atmosphere, finally managing to pack up the sleeping child and squeeze into an old Nissan Sylphy.