The Yu familyâs eldest daughter-in-law, Wu Fangfang, glanced at her mother-in-lawâs room: "You heard it right, do you think Aunt Lyu is asking for the two hundred bucks of the bride price back?"
The Yu familyâs second daughter-in-law, Wan Rongjuan, was a bit flustered: "Looking at Aunt Lyu like this, itâs quite possible. Xinyan is out to ruin us, sheâs truly an ungrateful wretch."
The two sisters-in-law exchanged glances and quietly huddled outside their mother-in-lawâs window, hoping to eavesdrop on the conversation inside.
They happened to hear Granny Lyuâs words: "This canât just be overlooked. It was agreed back then that the two hundred bucks wouldnât have to be returned, it was considered as your familyâs bride price. If the divorce is real, that bride price must be returned."
Yuâs mother was dumbfounded: "We havenât received any letter. Xinyan, that girl, grew up under your watch; she wouldnât dare do it. This must be some kind of misunderstanding."
Granny Lyu knew exactly what Yuâs mother was thinking: "My son wouldnât joke about this, and besides, it doesnât cost anything to make a call, saying it lightly."
Yuâs mother saw that Granny Lyu wouldnât listen to reason and got angry: "We havenât gotten any news; it canât just be whatever you say it is. This matter must be clarified face-to-face. I know Xinyanâs temperament better than you."
The two started bickering in the room.
In the end, after a few days of fussing, the two families decided to go to the Mechanical Factory in person.
Initially, Yuâs mother was reluctant to spend money on the train fare, but after Granny Lyu whispered a few words to her, she changed her mind.
So, Yuâs father and Yuâs mother boarded the train to Sanyuan City with the Lyu Family.
*
He Jinxuan had already returned to work, and it was not until noon that Yu Xinyan found out: "Director He, I will move out as soon as possible."
Thinking about the three monthsâ wages she had received, but only worked for less than two months: "There are three days left to complete two months. Iâll just finish the two months, complete your clothes, and return the wages for the remaining month to you."
He Jinxuan initially wanted to say something to make her stay, but seeing Yu Xinyan already busy with her work, coupled with the fear of startling the fair lady, he couldnât utter a single word.
Yu Xinyan, not hearing him speak, assumed unilaterally that He Jinxuan had agreed.
In the afternoon, Yu Xinyan borrowed scissors from the Cheng Familyâs Sister-in-law and deftly finished cutting two childrenâs clothes.
As she stepped out to call Ye Silai and Ye Siyan to drink water, she didnât see them in the courtyard and panicked.
She had repeatedly warned them not to leave the courtyard without permission these days, and without thinking about anything else, she rushed to the gate to find them.
Seeing a few children playing at the street corner, she quickly ran over: "Have you seen Sili and Siyan?"
One little girl looked at Yu Xinyan: "Sis, I saw them go that way with Niqiu."
As she spoke, she pointed in a direction.
That direction was towards the back mountain of the Mechanical Factory, where there was a small gate at the back for convenient access to the mountain.
Yu Xinyanâs head buzzed.
She didnât even bother locking the house and happened to see Lin Aifeng coming out of the Zhang Family, grabbed her hand directly: "Aifeng, do me a favor, go to the Security Division and tell them Sili and Siyan are missing.
Some kids in the courtyard saw them heading with Niqiu towards the back mountain. Ask them to quickly take people up the mountain to search, itâs urgent, Iâm counting on you."
After saying this, she ran towards the back.
Lin Aifeng thought: Most of the kids in the courtyard have been to the back mountain, whatâs the rush, but seeing Yu Xinyanâs expression and her quickly disappearing figure, she was a bit confused.