Chapter 464: Never internalizing one's own stress

Lu Lu Qiao glanced outside the door, then suddenly lowered her voice and said, "Mrs. Cheng, I won't tell anyone else what you're about to say to me. So, you didn't actually fall in by accident, did you? You didn't want to live anymore?"

"I didn't, I didn't, I... how could I think like that? You... you little girl, don't talk nonsense." The pale-faced Mrs. Cheng hurriedly explained.

Lu Lu Qiao pressed down on the back of her hand: "You're still on an IV drip, don't move around."

"I won't beat around the bush with you either. I received news that Qu Qu Caifeng took three hundred yuan from you, not all at once, but in three installments—twice before the New Year and once during the Lantern Festival. Is she coming to ask for money again this time? After all, your daughter-in-law Lin Wang Xiaomin's royalties are over a thousand yuan; pretty much everyone in the family quarters knows about it now."

Nowadays, royalties sent by mail aren't deposited directly into bank cards or passbooks, but are remitted through the post office.

The recipient must take an introduction letter, proof of identity, and a seal to the post office to collect the money.

Generally, large remittances simply cannot be kept secret.

Just as Lu Lu Qiao expected, Mrs. Cheng's complexion turned even paler.

Lu Lu Qiao continued, lowering her voice further: "Mrs. Cheng, do you want to be threatened by her for the rest of your life? If you trust me, tell me what leverage she has on you."

"I don't know what the reason is, but I don't want the person doing the threatening to live happily in this world while the one being threatened ends up dying in misery. That isn't fair."

Mrs. Cheng stared blankly at Lu Lu Qiao. Although this girl was even younger than her daughter-in-law, she inexplicably gave off a sense of calm and composure, as if everything were under her control.

She grabbed Lu Lu Qiao's hand, tears streaming down her face: "It's all my fault, I brought this on myself. I'm too stupid. I regret it so much now, and I don't know what to do. That woman Qu Qu Caifeng... that woman is threatening me, and I have no way out. I could only... only think of dying. Let's see who she can threaten then!"

"Then you're wrong. If she really has leverage on you, it's useless even if you die. Can't she just go and threaten your son or your daughter-in-law?"

"You have to know that dead men tell no tales; right and wrong would be entirely up to her to decide. Not to mention your daughter-in-law, your son would surely be the first one she threatens, right?"

Mrs. Cheng widened her eyes, staring blankly at Lu Lu Qiao.

That's right, why hadn't she thought of that?

Even if she died, could that Qu Qu Caifeng really just let things rest?

No!

She would definitely take the agreement the two of them wrote and continue to threaten Cheng Wen.

The old lady already knew that her son didn't have much ability or ambition, and his personality wasn't the type to be decisive or ruthless.

It's very likely that for his own sake and the face of the Cheng family, he would really be threatened by this woman for a lifetime.

At the thought of this, Mrs. Cheng's eyes were filled with hatred.

She muttered to herself: "That's right, I'm just a fool. How could I think of dying myself? If I die, that woman will only become more arrogant. Only if she dies will it truly be over once and for all."

Lu Lu Qiao curled the corners of her mouth nonchalantly and said, "If you tell me now, perhaps everything can still be mended."

This time, Mrs. Cheng did not hesitate and straightforwardly told Lu Lu Qiao about the agreement.

Seeing Lu Lu Qiao's seemingly shocked expression, she then explained the ins and outs of the matter.

Lu Lu Qiao frowned and said bluntly: "You, you're just bored. Cheng Wen and Lin Wang Xiaomin know how to arrange their own lives; why are you meddling blindly, and using such messy methods at that?"

"You want to hold a grandson and granddaughter, and that seems important to you, but do you know what Cheng Wen and Lin Wang Xiaomin think is most important?"

"Look, you don't even know or understand, you just follow your own preferences. In the future, don't meddle blindly, do you hear me?"

"I won't, I won't, just this once, I regret it so much." Afterward, she asked Lu Lu Qiao worriedly: "Little Factory Manager Lu, I've told you everything, but I... I'm also in the wrong. If Qu Qu Caifeng really takes out this agreement, how can our family stay in this residential compound?"

Lu Lu Qiao sneered inwardly.

Now she knows there's no face left to stay in the compound.

When she wanted Qu Qu Caifeng to bear a child and she would take care of it, why didn't she think about whether it would be shameful if the matter came to light?

If it weren't for the fact that the old Mrs. Cheng looked down on Qu Qu Caifeng to some extent, she wouldn't have been held in the palm of Qu Qu Caifeng's hand.

Lu Lu Qiao comforted her nonchalantly: "Just focus on recovering; our neighborhood office will definitely handle this matter."

She then gave the old lady some peace of mind: "Don't worry, it won't become common knowledge."

The old Mrs. Cheng nodded, half-believing, though she knew in her heart that even if everyone found out, there was nothing to be done about it.

She couldn't bear Qu Qu Caifeng's repeated threats and extortion.

Her son and daughter-in-law couldn't either.

The old lady closed her eyes. Little Factory Manager Lu was right; she really had nothing better to do and was just bored.

If she hadn't meddled, how happy the three of them would be right now.

After that incident, she and Wang Xiaomin could never return to their previous state of getting along.

Sometimes, looking at Wang Xiaomin's cold gaze, she felt both annoyed and troubled, but mostly regretful.

After leaving the ward, Lu Lu Qiao said to Lin Wang Xiaomin and Cheng Wen: "I have things to do back at the neighborhood office. You two stay at the hospital today to take care of your mother."

Cheng Wen didn't understand why Lu Lu Qiao gave such instructions.

Lin Wang Xiaomin, however, pinched Cheng Wen's arm and nodded vigorously at Lu Lu Qiao: "Little Factory Manager Lu, don't worry, we will definitely stay here tonight to take care of my mother-in-law."

When she walked out to see Lu Lu Qiao off, she even said to her: "Lu Qiao, don't worry, even if I publish some comic books, I won't look down on Cheng Wen or my mother-in-law."

Lu Lu Qiao knew she had misunderstood, but she didn't tell her the truth.

Let's talk after things are handled.

Lu Lu Qiao felt that Qu Qu Caifeng was mentally unstable.

Little Little Cangcang said that the little girl was often beaten.

Now that it was almost time to get off work, the little girl still had to stand on a stool to cook for Qu Qu Caifeng.

This child was eight years old and in the first grade of primary school; the little boy was six.

Qu Qu Caifeng barely cared for them; it was always the little girl who took care of her younger brother's daily needs.

Most of the chores in Qu Qu Caifeng's home were done by the little girl.

But the little boy still had a conscience; when his sister was beaten, he would pounce on her to protect her, even kneeling and begging his mother not to be angry.

Lu Lu Qiao's car was parked on the side of the road, quietly waiting for Qu Qu Caifeng to get off work.

It was time to get off work.

Sure enough, she saw Qu Qu Caifeng, who was in no hurry at all, walking slowly with her bag into the second unit where she lived.

This was because there was someone at home to cook, so she wasn't in a hurry.

Lu Lu Qiao knocked on her door.

Before Qu Qu Caifeng could say anything, Lu Lu Qiao pushed her into the room and turned to close the door.

The eight-year-old girl was quite capable; the room and the outside were kept very clean.

At this moment, she was kneeling on the floor in terror; perhaps she had just walked in and didn't know why she had displeased Qu Qu Caifeng.

So, vicious people never internalize their own stress, because they consume others instead. ===== CHAPTER 465 =====