Chapter 1626: Stealing a Chicken Only to Lose the Rice

After this incident, Qiao Yichen was already doubting life, doubting himself.

He hadn't expected Ye Xiaolang to be such a calculating, scheming person. She was playing her little tricks in front of a group of people who had seen it all.

He knew that everyone hadn't said anything to her face only out of consideration for his feelings. Otherwise, Simei could have made Ye Xiaolang doubt life on the spot. Not to mention the sheer presence of Wang Yan...

But just as he had said, they were already married, and it had only been a little over a month; the cost of this marriage had already reached this point. Although Ye Xiaolang was quite excessive, they could still muddle through for now.

Life is always full of compromises.

Just as back when they weren't yet married, Ye Xiaolang had stolen Qiao Yichen's manuscript; Qiao Yichen had already had a feeling back then. But in the end, the good outweighed the bad, he couldn't bear to let go, so he continued on.

Everything was built on a mistake, so naturally, it was hard to last...

Ye Xiaolang understood Qiao Yichen's compromise, but she didn't understand his persistence. However, it seemed that seeing Qiao Yichen's reaction, Ye Xiaolang didn't stir up any more trouble; she also felt a bit of regret.

Because the development of events was different from what she had imagined. She thought that once she expressed her demands, the old Qiao family, including Wang Yan, would show her more goodwill and let her enjoy better conditions.

But the result was that it triggered Qiao Yichen's defiance, to the point that Qiao Yichen wouldn't even come home for small gatherings, let alone bring her along. At the same time, after that, when she called Sanli and the others to go shopping or eat, she was also politely refused.

This made her realize that everything she did was counterproductive. Qiao Yichen's determination made her angry.

"Qiao Yichen, what do you mean? What does your family mean? It's like I'm only here for your family's money, but I only knew your family was rich after you told me the situation! What are you doing, guarding against me like a thief?"

In the apartment allocated by the TV station, Ye Xiaolang saw Qiao Yichen refuse a small gathering once again and finally couldn't hold back her outburst. She had wanted to pretend she didn't care, but obviously, she couldn't tolerate this exclusion any longer.

What Ye Xiaolang said was exactly one of the reasons Qiao Yichen persisted—the fact that Ye Xiaolang didn't know his family's good conditions beforehand made him believe that Ye Xiaolang didn't marry him for any material conditions.

However, he didn't think more carefully; even without the support of his family, his own conditions were quite high-quality for an out-of-town girl to marry...

"Ye Xiaolang, let me correct you on one point: our family has no money. If it's my dad's money, he gives it to us to spend, he supports us, that's no problem at all. But the ones with money are Erqiang and Simei; it's what they earned through hard work. Just like those who have split the family assets, no matter how much they earn, it's theirs, and it has nothing to do with me. I have no reason to enjoy the benefits they give with peace of mind."

"Going a step further, Erqiang and Simei don't have money either; the one with money is Wang Yan. It's Wang Yan who led Erqiang and Simei to earn that money."

Qiao Yichen waved his hand to interrupt Ye Xiaolang's sophistry, "Yes, Erqiang and Simei did help Wang Yan do things, but it wasn't that it had to be them, understand? Both of them are middle school graduates, they don't know anything, and they have no connections or channels. If it weren't for Wang Yan's quick mind and many ideas, what could they have accomplished?"

"It could be without Erqiang and Simei, but it cannot be without Wang Yan. I made it very clear to you before: our family changed because of Wang Yan. After so many years, we are indeed one family, but you know the saying, 'a married daughter is like spilled water.' Wang Yan's kindness to us cannot be taken for granted."

"Then do you think Wang Yan, who dared to break other people's bones when he was a teenager, would have a good temper?"

Ye Xiaolang stiffened her neck: "Didn't I just say a few words? What did I do? What does it have to do with whether he has a good temper? At least he calls you 'Big Brother' and me 'Sister-in-law'! Could he break my bones too? Qiao Yichen, let me tell you, I, Ye Xiaolang, have a clear conscience; you don't need to use Wang Yan to scare me!"

"I feel that life with you is very meaningless and boring, guarding against me like a thief. I just said a few words to you, wanting you brothers and sisters to get along more harmoniously and comfortably, without so many burdens. In the end, I'm the one working hard and getting no thanks, caught in the middle. Tell me, what am I after?"

In the original drama, Ye Xiaolang didn't usually invite people to eat at the old Qiao house, didn't talk about going out shopping or playing with anyone, and didn't think about making the brothers and sisters get along better.

"No one is guarding against you. It's just that after you made such a scene last time, everyone feels uncomfortable eating together, and sitting there is awkward. You also looked for Sanli and the others, but they all politely refused you. When you sit together, they just politely deal with you when you speak, or don't even deal with you, and no one takes the initiative to talk to you. You just sit there by yourself, so what are you going there for?"

"That's because you won't let them come out with me! I don't believe they can ignore me, their sister-in-law, like this!"

Ye Xiaolang's words were quite reasonable. In adult interpersonal relationships, generally, no one will bluntly say things to the end, leaving no room at all. Even if they dislike each other, they can still deal with each other when they are together.

It's like disharmonious relatives; even if they gossip about each other behind their backs, they always chat enthusiastically when they meet, and then gossip about right and wrong after they meet.

So even if the people in the old Qiao family don't like Ye Xiaolang, when they really sit together, they will politely deal with her.

But obviously, people can perceive whether it is sincere or not, unless they are truly stupid. Ye Xiaolang is clever, but not deep, and impatient, but her brain is fine. She was just arguing irrationally and looking for trouble.

Qiao Yichen looked at her with eyes full of exhaustion: "Xiaolang, stop making trouble."

"Trouble? You think I'm making trouble? Qiao Yichen, let me say it again, I'm doing this for your own good!"

"Stop talking, okay? Xiaolang, we both have jobs and earn quite a bit; we can live very well. No worries about food and clothing, this is much better than the days before; it's a good life I never dreamed of. Can't we just live steadily and peacefully?"

"Am I not steady? Am I not peaceful? Qiao Yichen, I just don't understand what you are being stubborn about."

"I'm stubborn?"

Qiao Yichen's face twisted, he rubbed his face hard with both hands, and then said, "Your parents and your younger brother have come, do you know that?"

"What? I don't know, what are they here for?" Ye Xiaolang widened her eyes, her mouth slightly open.

Seeing this, Qiao Yichen was sure that Ye Xiaolang really didn't know. He let out a long breath, took an IOU out of his bag, and slapped it on the table.

"When we got married, your dad gave me this IOU, saying your brother needed money to get married. I gave him two thousand. Now they say your brother has no future at home, farming is not promising, he has no good job, his diploma is not good either, and they want me, this brother-in-law, to arrange a job for him, one that pays well and allows him to manage people, saying they feel at ease using their own people in their own business."

Ye Xiaolang was stunned, looking at the expressionless Qiao Yichen, her lips trembling, unable to speak.

Of course, her relationship with her family wasn't harmonious; that was the place she wanted to escape from. She didn't expect that now that they knew she had married well, they would directly latch onto her. What she didn't expect even more was that her father could directly take her IOU to ask Qiao Yichen for money, and on the basis of having already given money, still not be satisfied and come looking for them.

Originally it was nothing; greedy and terrible parents can of course be understood, but what was she doing right now?

She was providing sufficient emotional justification for her previous recklessness, and arguing was the most important part of that. What couple doesn't argue?

But just as she was using this point to retreat bit by bit and ease the relationship, her father, mother, and brother came out to cause trouble, which pushed her down in one go.

She was wondering why Qiao Yichen's state today was different from the previous few arguments; it turned out the problem was here...

"They think very beautifully!"

Ye Xiaolang looked at her own immature handwriting on that piece of paper that had already turned a bit yellow.

"You too, Yichen, when they asked you for money, why didn't you tell me? I know you love me and take care of me, but you can't just give money so easily. Look at what's written on this, is there any father or mother like this?"

"Now that they see I've married well, they have the face to latch onto us to ask for money and take advantage, and they even want to get my useless brother a job here, one that pays well and makes him a leader? Bah! What kind of spring and autumn dream are they having? Yichen, where are they? I'll go find them right now and make it clear to them."

She knew Qiao Yichen valued family, so naturally, he hoped her family would be as good as possible, even if her parents and brother came over to take advantage at this time...

Sure enough, Qiao Yichen waved his hand: "If you go like that, won't you be arguing with them?"

"Then do you think people like them can be reasoned with?"

"Even if they can't be reasoned with, you have to try. After all, they are your parents. You stabilize your emotions first and think about how to persuade them to go back."

So it was as if they hadn't just argued, the two of them pondered how to send people away, but they only said a few words, and the topic was shifted by Ye Xiaolang to her past suffering at home, the difficulty of her studies, and how hard it was to be alone outside.

Qiao Yichen just listened...

The development of things is always unsatisfactory. Ye Xiaolang thought she could send her parents and brother away without too much effort, but the result was a further intensification of the conflict.

In the original drama, Qiao Yichen was just a normal wage earner. Although his income was higher than that of a farming rural family, it hadn't reached the level of wealth. Even so, he was exhausted by Ye Xiaolang's parents, let alone now that the old Qiao family could be called wealthy.

Correspondingly, their appetite naturally grew...

"You guys didn't see it, Ye Xiaolang's parents and brother were crying and making a scene downstairs at our unit, saying Qiao Yichen is irresponsible, doesn't take care of his family, and looks down on rural people. They really made him look terrible."

Song Qingyuan laughed gloatingly, "I said he didn't understand enough, but he wouldn't listen. They haven't been married for half a year, and there's already a pile of things. First, she wanted to flip the table on you guys, then she argued with Qiao Yichen at home all day. Oh my, you guys don't know, Yichen went to work with fire in his belly. Now these parents of Ye Xiaolang have caused such a thing, tsk tsk..."

Qi Weimin looked at him with disgust: "Are you Yichen's good brother? How can you be so gloating?"

"The three of us didn't think highly of Ye Xiaolang at the beginning, but Yichen insisted on it himself. Tell me, who can you blame for that? Isn't it him looking for trouble himself? Wang Yan, I say you guys also have to be careful. Looking at the rogue appearance of Ye Xiaolang's parents, they might find your house to make a scene, or even go to the Zhiwei headquarters to make a scene."

Wang Yan was chewing peanuts one by one, the fragrance was stimulated and filled his mouth, mixed with the heat of the liquor he had just drunk, it was a different kind of taste.

"What can be done about making a scene? You already said they are rogues, what else can be done?"

Qi Weimin smiled: "Hey, you're being humble here."

Song Qingyuan also expressed considerable affirmation: "That's right, Wang Yan, isn't dealing with rogues a piece of cake for you?"

"I guess I have some experience. The only way to deal with rogues is to be more rogue than them. But then again, in the end, it depends on Big Brother Yichen's attitude."

Wang Yan ate the food in big mouthfuls; this was a new Lu cuisine restaurant Song Qingyuan had found, and the craftsmanship was also very good. For him, Qiao Yichen's affairs were his side dish for drinking.

Wang Mou has lived for more than a thousand years, and the thing he does most often is to change the conditions of the characters in the drama, thereby influencing people's choices. And this kind of unknown choice is exactly what he is happy to see.

It seems that for Qiao Yichen and Ye Xiaolang at this time, marriage is inevitable, but obviously, divorce is no longer inevitable. What hinders Qiao Yichen and Ye Xiaolang are material conditions and ideological concepts.

In the original drama, before it reached the point of ideological concepts, material conditions solved the problem first. Now that material conditions are satisfied, it's a big collision of ideological concepts...

However, overall, the opportunity was given to Ye Xiaolang, but she really couldn't grasp it...

Qi Weimin sighed: "Tell me, there's only one month left until the New Year, and they've caused so many things at this time. They are too impatient; they don't even want to wait for the New Year."

"Who would dislike having a good life for too long? Ye Xiaolang's parents are in their hometown; thinking of Ye Xiaolang enjoying happiness here all day, they can't sit still. 'People die for wealth, birds die for food,' this old saying is really true. I think they won't last many more days."

Song Qingyuan shook his legs, hating that iron wouldn't become steel, "Let's all keep an eye on it later and introduce some people to Yichen. Hey, I should have dragged him out to play with me. Who would have thought that he would be taken down as soon as he saw a woman? Look at this mess."

Qi Weimin clicked his tongue: "Being like you isn't good either. Seeing too many women makes your eyes dazzled, and then you're like you, not thinking about marriage, only thinking about debauchery all day."

"That's because you guys haven't found the fun." Song Qingyuan leered and raised his eyebrows.

"Stop talking, you always talk about the lower three paths; you've brought both of us down."

"That's right, I am loyal to Sanli and have a special affection for her."

Before Song Qingyuan could giggle and express his misunderstanding, the big brother phone on the table rang.

After Wang Yan connected, he heard Sanli's voice.

"Wang Yan, Big Brother wants to divorce Ye Xiaolang, you should go home and take a look."

?? Daily thanks to the good brothers who reward, vote for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and silently read the book! ===== CHAPTER 1627 =====