He Tiantian, multi-tasking at its best, was simultaneously communicating deep within her sea of consciousness with Student Xiao D while continuing to unapologetically accuse the Qiao Family members.
"With this attitude, you still have the nerve to say we’re all one family?"
"And you, Mom, you always say that you treat me like your own daughter and ask me to treat you like my real mother."
"Well, let me tell you, back at my parents’ house, I did nothing. If food wasn’t ready at mealtime, my real mother would bring the food to my bed!"
"Mom, I’m not asking you to serve me food, but you couldn’t even check if I was passed out in my room, how could I consider you my real mother?"
He Tiantian, with a defiant look in her eyes, was as obstinate as could be.
"I, I am just too nice, and that’s why your whole family bullies me!"
With no restrictions on her task, He Tiantian was free to act as she wished, thus she truly felt no psychological burden this time.
She could do whatever she wanted to do, say whatever she wanted to say, and what’s more wonderful, this behavior actually aligned more with the original character setup.
He Tiantian struck a pose as if she were settling scores, bringing up old grudges as well as new.
She first pointed at Qiao Zhenbang, "Mr. Qiao, you big liar!"
"You had me smitten with you, promising me a good life. It was your sweet talk that foolishly led me to marry you!"
"I asked for neither a dowry nor a new house, and even the wedding banquet was haphazardly done!"
Hearing this tirade from He Tiantian, Qiao Zhenbang suddenly snapped to attention, glaring at He Tiantian and opening his mouth, wanting to say, "Nonsense, you agreed to marry me for my grandmother’s Embroidery!"
But, as the words reached his lips, Qiao Zhenbang swallowed them back down.
It was still a sensitive period, after all. Anything to do with Embroidery could easily attract accusations.
If labels like remnants of feudalism were attached to them, the Qiao Family, already discriminated against due to their background, could face even worse consequences. How could they survive such a scandal?
He can’t speak, absolutely can’t speak!
Qiao Zhenbang’s hesitancy, witnessed by the Qiao Family, seemed to them like an "admission."
Mrs. Qiao couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty, knowing that marrying a daughter-in-law without spending money was indeed the most brag-worthy thing her family had done.
But if the daughter-in-law broadcasted how her son had tricked her, Zhenbang, already known as a local rogue, getting another label for fooling women, well, that—
The reputation of Zhenbang was not good, but Mr. Qiao and Mrs. Qiao were known in the village as honest folks.
And Qiao Second Brother and Little Sister Qiao were both smart and studious.
Excluding their poor social status and having a troublesome eldest son, the rest of the Qiao Family was quite presentable.
And Mrs. Qiao, throughout this year, had not been shy to boast in public about her rogue son’s capabilities, how he managed to marry a Golden Phoenix, a woman who loved his house, taking good care of his family members.
Mrs. Qiao received lots of envy from others.
Especially Jiao Jiao’s mother, once so smug, now had to appease Mrs. Qiao for her daughter’s sake.
Hearing Mrs. Qiao brag about her son, praising her daughter-in-law as "virtuous," Jiao Jiao’s mother felt a piercing pain but still had to keep up a smiling face.
That painful look, Mrs. Qiao couldn’t help feeling a bit of sympathy.
The fact was, her son had not hooked Jiao Jiao due to his charm, but through deceit and false promises—
Mrs. Qiao couldn’t even imagine, if the daughter-in-law made a fuss, how the villagers would see her, how they would laugh at the Qiao Family!
"You said you knew people in the city, could get money and papers, could provide meat and new clothes, that’s why I married you!"
"You also said, if things went well, you could work in the city, getting official food supply!
"It’s been almost two years now, how much money have you earned? What new clothes have you bought me? Where is your proper job?!"
"Qiao Zhenbang, you’re just a shameless big liar!"
"I’m telling you, from today, I won’t be fooled by you anymore!" Read complete version only at novel•fire.net
"And, the dowry you didn’t give before, the house you didn’t build, you have to make up for all of it!"
"Oh right, and my dowry! Gosh, I really don’t know how you Qiao Family people have the nerve to spend the money and items I brought from my parents’ house!"
"...I’m not an unreasonable person, let’s do everything by the book. The dowry, one hundred yuan. Two new houses, must be completed by the end of the year, and my dowry, I don’t demand you return it exactly, just convert it all into money, and directly give me one hundred yuan."
He Tiantian was like a vulgar, mercenary shrew, shamelessly demanding money.