Chapter 28: The Jia Family Feud Escalates, Qin Huairu Plots a Devious Scheme

A week passed in the blink of an eye. The Jia family’s life had evolved from its original chaotic state into a form of silent torture.

Mrs. Jia’s insanity showed no signs of improvement; instead, it grew steadily worse. She began suffering from hallucinations, constantly complaining of an inescapable stench in the room and insisting that the food was contaminated. She refused to eat anything cooked by Qin Huairu, subsisting only on the corn buns that Banggen bought from outside. She also stopped sleeping in the bed, choosing instead to curl up in the corner of the room each night, pulling her quilt tightly over her head while muttering incessantly, "Don't come over" and "I was wrong."

Qin Huairu, exhausted and worn down by the torment, had grown alarmingly thin. With her eyes deeply sunken, she looked more like a ghost than Mrs. Jia did.

That evening, Qin Huairu dragged her weary body home from work. As she stepped through the door, she saw Mrs. Jia frantically hacking away at her clothes with a pair of scissors. It was her best shirt—a floral piece she had made for her wedding and had always been too precious to wear.

"Mom! What are you doing!" Qin Huairu screamed as she lunged forward.

"What am I doing? I'm cutting away this foul stench!" Mrs. Jia’s eyes were bloodshot, her expression manic. "It’s you! You reek! You’re trying to seduce someone! You’re just like that Chen Mo—a vixen!"

As she cursed, she swung the scissors, slashing at Qin Huairu. Qin Huairu retreated in terror, but the blade caught her arm, leaving a bloody gash that appeared instantly.

"Ah!" Qin Huairu cried out in pain, clutching her arm as tears welled up uncontrollably. Looking at her deranged mother-in-law and the ruined shell of a home, the grievances, rage, and despair that had been building up for days erupted like a volcano.

"Enough! Have you had enough!" Qin Huairu shrieked, her voice sharp and filled with endless resentment. "Do you think you’re the only one who’s suffered? What about me? Do I deserve this? I work myself to the bone to support this family, to support you, and to support your precious grandson! And what do I get in return? Your daily abuse?"

"I didn't force you to go to jail! Didn't you go crying and begging for your good grandson's sake? Now you’re taking all your anger out on me—do you have any conscience left?"

"The food you eat, the clothes you wear—don't they all come from my hard-earned money? Now you’ve cut my clothes and injured me. What is your motive? Are you trying to drive me to my grave so you can seize my wages, aren't you?"

Qin Huairu poured out all her pent-up bitterness in one breath, feeling as though she were suffocating. Mrs. Jia was stunned by this sudden outburst, standing frozen with the scissors in her hand. In the room, Xiaodang and Huanhua wailed in terror. Only Banggen stood coldly to the side, watching his mother and grandmother as if they were complete strangers.

After her outburst, Qin Huairu slumped to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. She felt as though her life had become a sick joke. She had sacrificed her youth and her dignity for this family, only to end up in such a state. She refused to accept it! She truly could not accept it!

As she wept, the calm and handsome face of Chen Mo suddenly appeared in her mind. She thought of his current life: living in a spacious, bright house, riding a brand-new bicycle, eating state-rationed grain, and being chauffeured by a car after work. The factory leaders respected him, and the neighbors in the compound feared him.

Why? Why should an orphan with no family ties lead such a good life, while she, a widow who had broken her back for her family, had to suffer so miserably? Jealousy gnawed at her heart like a viper. A crazy idea began to take shape in her mind. If the righteous path was closed to her, then she would take the crooked one. If soft tactics didn't work, she would use force.

Wasn't Chen Mo a doctor? Wasn't he capable? But no matter how capable he was, he was still a man. And every man had a weakness. Qin Huairu’s gaze fell upon her own figure—thin, yet still graceful—and her face, which, though haggard, still held a lingering charm.

She wiped away her tears and stood up. Her expression had changed. It was no longer the pathetic, pitiable look from before, nor the hysterical rage of moments ago. It was a look of desperate, sinister determination. She was going to gamble! She would use her last and only asset to bet on a chance to turn her life around.

She walked to the mirror and looked at herself—disheveled, with tear-streaked cheeks—and a strange, eerie smile curled across her lips.

*Chen Mo, just you wait.*

You destroyed everything I had, and I will take it back from you tenfold!

She began to carefully comb her hair and found a dress that, though patched, was at least clean. She even dug out a box of cheap, long-forgotten face cream from the bottom of a trunk, carefully applying it to her face and hands. Her actions left Mrs. Jia and Banggen staring in bewilderment.

"You... you vixen, who are you going to seduce now?" Mrs. Jia asked, her voice filled with suspicion.

Qin Huairu ignored her. Once she was dressed, she took a deep breath and walked out of the room. Her target was clear: Chen Mo’s house. This time, she wasn't going to deliver noodles, nor was she going to play the victim. She was going to... latch onto him!

She had already decided: once she entered his room, she would scream and shout, claiming that Chen Mo had bullied her and acted like a hooligan. By the time the neighbors arrived, Chen Mo would be unable to clear his name, no matter how much he tried to explain. He was a prominent figure in the factory now and valued his reputation above all else. To settle the matter, he would either have to pay her off or take responsibility for her! Either way, it was a win-win for Qin Huairu.

The plan was vicious, a "burn the bridge to kill the enemy" scheme that would cost her whatever little reputation she had left. But for Qin Huairu, who had reached a dead end, her reputation was already worthless. She just wanted to grab a straw to save her life, even if that straw were soaked in poison.

She arrived at Chen Mo's door—the very door that had caused her so much humiliation. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Success or failure depended on this one moment! She raised her hand, ready to push the door open.

However, just as her hand was about to touch the wood, the door opened from the inside on its own.

Chen Mo stood in the doorway, looking at her with a blank expression, as if he had known all along that she would come.