Zhou Huaian was worried that Fang Qin would always be under her mother's thumb. He was about to say something more.
He thought that as long as Fang Qin became independent first, they would have a way to save her.
But before he could finish speaking, Fang Qin wiped away her tears and suddenly used all her strength to shake off Old Lady Liu's hand.
"Mom, don't blame me for being unfilial. Since I got divorced and came back home, I've really seen your hypocritical faces clearly."
"When my in - laws' family was well - off before, it's okay that you came to ask for money again and again. But you even took advantage of your in - law status and went to the hospital where my mother - in - law worked, not paying for your medical treatment and having it charged to her."
"And you've borrowed so much money. Have you ever paid it back? You're an old woman, yet still lying. Is that interesting?"
"You... you... you good - for - nothing. You have no filter in your mouth. I'll beat you to death."
Before Fang Qin could finish speaking, Old Lady Liu immediately raised her hand and was about to slap Fang Qin.
Zhou Huaian was a soldier. With his height advantage, he quickly protected Fang Qin behind him and caught Old Lady Liu's wrist with his bare hand.
"Old lady, she's your own daughter, and she's pregnant."
Lin Wanning had been extremely nervous just now. She finally let out a sigh of relief when she saw Zhou Huaian grab Old Lady Liu's hand.
She also stepped forward and protected the pregnant Fang Qin behind her.
"You did those things yourself, and you don't even allow others to talk about it? If you want to cut ties with us, then pay back the money. Otherwise, I'll report you for colluding with us."
Anyway, Lin Wanning had nothing to lose now. She wasn't afraid of anyone.
Seeing that Lin Wanning was determined to drag her down, Old Lady Liu gritted her teeth in anger. Her venomous eyes were like a viper's, staring fixedly at Lin Wanning.
"Yes, what my sister - in - law said is right. If you want to cut ties with us, pay back the money you owe."
Fang Qin was completely disheartened by her mother. At first, both families had discussed it. Because her health was poor, the Lin family had to use the method of a fake divorce to send her back from the freezing Hei Province, for fear that her body wouldn't be able to bear it.
When the Lin family arranged for her to come back, they had emptied their remaining savings and even borrowed a lot of money from old friends, scraping together a full two thousand yuan for Fang Qin's mother, just hoping that she would take care of Fang Qin and the unborn child.
But she never expected that although her parents had readily agreed at that time and taken all the benefits, as soon as the money was in hand.
Her parents and younger brother immediately changed their attitudes and didn't even pretend for three days.
First, they ransacked all the valuable things on her. Then they made her, with a big belly, serve all of them every day.
Even the decent clothes she had brought back from her in - laws' family were all snatched away by her younger sister and brother.
She originally thought they were just a bit greedy and that she could just grit her teeth and wait until the baby was born.
But she never imagined that their desires were like a bottomless pit that could never be filled.
Even when she was pregnant, they didn't stop trying to marry her off again to get the betrothal money. How could such parents not break her heart?
She had always been deeply in love with Lin Zhiyuan in her heart. She wasn't sure if they would ever meet again in this lifetime. The only connection between them now was the child in her belly.
This was the crystallization of her love with Lin Zhiyuan. Even if everyone turned against her, she had to ensure the safety of the child.
Moreover, such parents were not worth her nostalgia.
Thinking of this, Fang Qin resolutely took this opportunity to draw a clear line from Old Lady Liu. "Mom, since you dislike my child as the offspring of a 'black - listed' family, I'll leave."
"But you must pay back half of the living expenses my in - laws sent before. Otherwise, I'll definitely report you to the Revolutionary Committee."
"You... you... you good - for - nothing. Why are you turning against me? Don't you know I'm your mother?"
"You crawled out of my womb. We're still connected by blood. You're clearly being unfilial."
Seeing that she couldn't get away with not paying back the money, Old Lady Liu simply started to throw a tantrum.
She plopped down on the ground, slapped her thighs, and cried with snot and tears. She only wiped the snot on her shoe when it was almost dripping into her mouth.
Everyone present was disgusted by her.
Fang Qin was already used to her tantrums. Fortunately, her heart was completely broken, so she felt nothing about her self - humiliating behavior.
"You did all this for your son. Can't I do something for my son? You know very well how much you've exploited me over the years."
When Fang Qin said these words with red eyes, she didn't shed a single tear. Maybe she had cried all her tears already.
All she could do now was quickly follow Lin Wanning and escape from this bottomless - pit of a natal family.
If she kept arguing with her mother here, she knew very well that according to her mother's character, they would never reach a clear conclusion.
"Wanning, let's go. Wherever you go, I'll go. I'll surely rely on myself for the future of me and the child."
"Just help me find the Revolutionary Committee this afternoon. Since they're heartless, I won't show any mercy either."
Lin Wanning looked at this sister - in - law in shock.
When she was at home before, she wasn't very close to this sister - in - law. She always thought this sister - in - law was silent and spent most of her time hiding in her own room.
It seemed that she couldn't get along well with anyone. In her previous life, being doted on by the whole family, she simply didn't understand the distress in this sister - in - law's heart.
Now, in this new life, she deeply understood why this sister - in - law was like this.
"Okay, I'll go and find them for you this afternoon. Let's go first. It's really impossible to sort things out here."
"Leave? Fang Qin, if you dare to leave, I'll break your legs. You were born by me. Why can't I decide your marriage?"
Old Lady Liu's words made not only Fang Qin but also Lin Wanning laugh out of anger.
Is giving birth to a child such a great gift? Giving birth but not raising, or ruthlessly exploiting. In such a situation, how could there be any affection between them?
When the child finally doesn't feel close to them, they scold and complain that the child is ungrateful. They even want to use the excuse of being good for the child to squeeze out the last bit of the child's value.
Lin Wanning stared at Old Lady Liu with hatred for evil. "Why don't you try hitting her?"
Old Lady Liu was so angry that her whole body trembled when she saw the "fat meat" in her mouth being ruined.
Just as Fang Qin and Lin Wanning were about to go out, she suddenly jumped up and tightly grabbed Fang Qin's arm.
"You good - for - nothing. I'm telling you, if you leave today, don't recognize me as your mother from now on."