Chapter 191: The Child Must Be Born

Chapter 191: Chapter 191: The Child Must Be Born

"Moli said the apartment belongs to Xiao Lu’s work unit, so you can’t stay there. And the Jiang family won’t cover a single cent of the debt you and Jia Ming owe."

Hearing this, Jiang Qing laughed mockingly. "So all your desperate attempts to talk me out of this divorce are because you’re afraid I’ll become a burden to you if I come back home?"

Li Hongying was stunned speechless with anger. "What kind of thing is that to say? Would I ever do anything to hurt you?"

"You know perfectly well my life with the Zhang family is a living hell. If you truly cared whether I lived or died, you’d support me, understand me, and help me escape this nightmare!"

Tears streamed down Li Hongying’s face out of anger.

’She really was afraid of being dragged down. If she had just left her daughter with her in-laws and remarried back then, she and Jiang Dahai might have had a child of their own.’

Jiang Qing had no idea how deeply her words had wounded her mother. Seeing Li Hongying’s red-rimmed eyes and her silence, she assumed she’d hit the nail on the head.

’So this is my own mother,’ she sneered inwardly.

"Mom, don’t worry. I won’t be a burden. My housing, a job, the debts—I’ll handle it all myself. If you still consider me your daughter, then help me one last time."

Li Hongying finally burst into tears. "Xiao Qing, what on earth are you trying to do? You and Jia Ming were so in love, and now you have a baby on the way. Can’t you just live your lives in peace?"

"As long as I’m a daughter-in-law of the Zhang family, I will never know a single day of peace!"

...

As Li Hongying stepped out of the room carrying her things, her eyes met Jin Yulan’s stare, and she immediately felt her confidence wither.

"I... I’m just taking Xiao Qing back to my family’s home for a visit..."

Jiang Qing followed her out, a similar bundle slung over her shoulder.

Without a single glance at Jin Yulan, she walked straight for the main gate.

Jin Yulan threw down what she was working on with a CLATTER and blocked her path. "What do you think you’re doing? Trying to run away again?"

Jiang Qing retorted coldly, "I’m not a slave to the Zhang family. It’s my freedom to go where I please. You have no right to question me!"

Jin Yulan gasped for breath, furious. "You’re my daughter-in-law, and that makes me your mother! You will listen to what I say. Get back inside!"

"I want a divorce! I’m done being the Zhang family’s daughter-in-law!"

"You think you can just say ’divorce’ and it’s done? If you’re leaving, you’re leaving my grandson behind!"

"The baby is in my body. I’ll give birth if I want to, and I won’t if I don’t!"

Jin Yulan was incandescent with rage. "You dare! If anything happens to my grandson, I’ll haunt you to your grave!"

"Have you ever let me be? I’ll remember how you’ve tormented me these past weeks for the rest of my life! You, you vicious mother-in-law, you’re the one who pushed me to this!"

With that, Jiang Qing shoved Jin Yulan aside and stormed away.

Caught off guard, Jin Yulan staggered back. Li Hongying had to catch her to keep her from falling.

"You stop right there! If you dare to walk out that door today, then don’t you ever come back!!"

Seeing Jiang Qing walk out the door without a backward glance, Jin Yulan frantically chased after her.

Li Hongying also hurried out after them, carrying the bundle.

Jin Yulan seized Jiang Qing’s arm. "You’re not going anywhere! Come back with me!"

"Let go! I told you, I want a divorce! I’m not staying with Zhang Jia Ming!"

"Fine, get a divorce! Who needs you? But you’re not leaving until you’ve given birth to my grandchild!"

The argument between the two women drew a crowd of curious villagers.

"What are they fighting about this time?"

"Jia Ming’s wife wants a divorce."

"The Zhang family has the worst luck, getting saddled with a troublemaker like her. She’s stirring up drama every other day. She’s going to tear that perfectly good family apart."

...

"Tiesheng, you’d better get home quick! Your daughter-in-law and your wife are going at it!"

Hearing the villager, Zhang Tiesheng threw down his hoe and ran for home.

In his haste and with his poor vision, he only made it a few steps before tumbling into a ditch.

The other villagers working nearby burst out laughing.

"What the hell are you laughing at?!"

Zhang Jiaquan roared, then went to help Zhang Tiesheng to his feet.

By the time the father and son got back, the two women were red in the face from shouting. A thick crowd of gawking villagers had surrounded the Zhang house.

"Tiesheng’s back!"

Someone in the crowd shouted.

Jin Yulan turned to see her husband and erupted in a fury. "I told you not to let her out, you good-for-nothing! Now look! She’s running off again, and she wants to abort Jia Ming’s baby! That poisonous woman, she’s trying to cut off our family line!"

Hearing this, Zhang Tiesheng grew anxious as well.

He strode over to Jiang Qing in a few large steps. "Xiao Qing, you can’t throw the baby’s life away just because you’re angry."

Jiang Qing turned her head, avoiding the sight of Zhang Tiesheng’s disfigured face, afraid she would lose her resolve.

"I’m not being rash. The entire village witnessed how your family beat and abused me! I suppose I deserve this for marrying down, asking for nothing in return, only to end up here. But now my eyes are open. I’m getting this divorce, and I’m not having this baby."

"You dare!"

Jin Yulan was so enraged she lunged to slap her, but Zhang Tiesheng held her back.

He tried to placate Jiang Qing gently. "Xiao Qing, I know you’re upset and just saying things in anger. Why don’t you go stay with your mother for a few days? Clear your head. Come back when you’re feeling better, all right?"

With Zhang Tiesheng’s permission, Jiang Qing was finally able to leave.

Watching her retreating figure, Jin Yulan frantically pounded on Zhang Tiesheng’s chest. "You just let her go? What if she never comes back?"

Zhang Tiesheng snapped, "People aren’t made of stone! You do nothing but beat and curse her all day. Even the best daughter-in-law in the world would run away from that!"

"And that’s my fault? What family has a daughter-in-law like her? She’s the reason your eyes are blind! She’s the one who saddled this family with so much debt that Jiaquan can’t even find a wife..."

"That’s enough! Be quiet. Aren’t you afraid of being the village laughingstock?"

"What is there to be afraid of? She’s already dragged our family’s name completely through the mud! Waaaah..."

Seeing her crying so brokenly, Zhang Tiesheng felt a pang of bitterness himself.

’It would be a lie to say he didn’t resent Jiang Qing at all. But his son had finally managed to start a family, with a child on the way. He had to think of his son, had to hold this family together for him.’

...

Glancing back at the shrinking silhouette of the Zhang family home, Li Hongying asked worriedly, "Where will you live once you get to the city?"

"I have my own plans. I won’t be a burden to you."

"I’m just worried about you."

Jiang Qing scoffed. "Just focus on your own life. You don’t need to worry your head about my business anymore."

Before Li Hongying could respond, she added, "I need to leave my things at your place for a while."

Li Hongying said nothing.

’Moli had only said that her daughter couldn’t move into the military family compound. Besides, Jiang Qing didn’t have many things; they wouldn’t take up much space.’

True to her word, Jiang Qing put down her bags and prepared to leave without even staying for a meal.

Li Hongying pressed five yuan into her hand, and she didn’t refuse it.

...

Seeing Yang Dong walking back toward the family residential area, Jiang Qing stepped forward to greet him. "Mr. Yang."

Yang Dong looked a little surprised. He and Jiang Dahai worked at the same factory, but they were little more than acquaintances.

"Jiang Qing. Are you here visiting the residential area?"

A small smile touched Jiang Qing’s lips. "I was actually looking for you. Can we talk somewhere else?"

After a moment’s hesitation, Yang Dong agreed.