Yesterday, she lingered and dawdled, taking a whole afternoon to get to the Liao Family. Today, it took her less than two hours.
Before she even entered the house, she saw a crowd gathered at her doorstep, as if they were looking at some rare object.
She walked closer, puzzled.
A few of the onlookers to saw her and immediately greeted her with a smile, "Yo, Zhaoji is back! Come and take a look at the bicycle your brother bought."
"It really is beautiful."
"It’s a Flying Pigeon brand worth over a hundred and fifty. How can it not be beautiful?"
The people chattered around her, their tones filled with envy.
It’s already been bought?
Liao Zhaoji’s face turned pale; she pushed through the crowd and walked inside, and sure enough, she saw a bicycle parked in the family’s main room, with Liao Laifu standing proudly beside it, basking in everyone’s admiration.
"Sister, you’re here! Come and look at my bicycle, isn’t it nice?" As soon as Liao Laifu saw Liao Zhaoji, he quickly pulled her over to see the bicycle, his tone excited, "I had to pull a lot of strings to get this ticket."
Nowadays, not only did you need money to buy a bicycle, but getting that ticket was even harder.
He thought about his fiancee coming over the next day and imagined the joy in her eyes at seeing the bicycle; he felt he had grown taller and completely missed the displeasure etched on his sister’s face.
Li Family’s matriarch was tidying up in the kitchen and came out when she heard the noise. Seeing that Liao Zhaoji’s expression was off, she quickly figured it out and, with a smile, pulled her into the inner room.
"What’s wrong?" she asked.
Liao Zhaoji looked at her miserably, her voice tinged with a cry, "Mom, Ruan Jiandang wants to divorce me."
"What!" Mrs. Li involuntarily raised her voice, "Everything was fine, why does he want a divorce now?" Her eyebrows furrowed tightly, she gave Liao Zhaoji a penetrating look, "Is he messing around with some floozy outside?"
"Mom! He’s not that kind of person!" On this point, Liao Zhaoji was certain.
"Then what’s the problem? Why on earth would he want a divorce for no reason?"
Liao Zhaoji bit her lip, looked at Mrs. Li, and couldn’t help but voice her resentment, "He wants me to take back the money I gave you for the bicycle, otherwise he’ll divorce me."
When Mrs. Li heard this, she immediately let go of Liao Zhaoji’s hand, her brow furrowed in distress, "How can that work? The bicycle’s already been bought and the engagement’s set; where’s the money?"
"We could return the bicycle," suggested Liao Zhaoji.
"Not a chance!" Mrs. Li’s tone shifted immediately, and after a moment, perhaps realizing her attitude was inappropriate, softened her voice, "Zhaoji, you know what your brother is capable of."
"He’s definitely going to make something of himself in the future. Even though it’s tough right now, you, as his sister, helped him buy this bicycle; when he makes it big, won’t he remember your kindness?"
"Besides, a woman’s whole life can’t be spent without a man. If you don’t have your brother to stand up for you in your marital home, how can that be right?"
"But now, Ruan Jiandang wants to divorce me." That meant she might not even have a marital home anymore.
"You’re still naive," Mrs. Li brushed it off with a wave of her hand, "When men say things like that, they don’t really mean to get a divorce; they’re just trying to scare you. Just humor him, and once he’s pacified, everything will be fine. Besides, you’ve already given him three sons; among your sisters-in-law, none are as capable as you."
"They don’t care for sons..." Liao Zhaoji hesitated, her words trailing off, only to be interrupted by Mrs. Li.
"Don’t talk nonsense. Won’t they rely on their son, their grandson, in the future? Or are they going to depend on that worthless girl?"