Father-in-Law 011

"You... why couldn't we discuss this at home behind closed doors? Why must you hurt Yunyun like this?" Chen Cai suppressed his anger and questioned Fang Zhiyi.

Fang Zhiyi sneered, "We've had enough of those 'behind closed doors' talks. You all get to keep your pristine images, while I'm labeled an ungrateful wretch, a freeloader, and a little beast... I have no intention of being the perpetual scapegoat."

"What did you say?" Chen Cai was provoked again, his emotions flaring as he stepped forward.

Unexpectedly, several young people from nearby tables of relatives immediately sprang up and quickly positioned themselves in front of Fang Zhiyi.

"You think you can do whatever you want and no one can talk about it? Try taking another step!"

"I've seen those paintings of yours that Uncle took pictures of. I could train my dog for two days and it'd do better than that."

'Artist'? You really know how to glorify yourself."

Chen Cai felt a sharp pain in his chest, almost choking on his breath. Especially when he saw Fang Zhiyi standing behind the young men, making faces at him, his blood pressure soared, his temples throbbed, his vision suddenly went dark, and his wife's panicked cries rang in his ears before he lost consciousness.

When Chen Cai woke up again, he was in the hospital. A teary-eyed Fang Yunyun was keeping watch by his side. Seeing him awake, she threw herself onto him in excitement, nearly sending him off again.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch!"

Fang Yunyun quickly let go.

"Old... where's Fang Zhiyi?"

Fang Yunyun lowered her head. "Gone. They've all left." She gritted her teeth. How could they be so heartless!

"And our son?"

Fang Yunyun shook her head. "Playing outside. He can't sit still."

Chen Cai felt a pang of disappointment but still managed a weak smile. "Don't be afraid. Even though he showed no consideration today, you are still his daughter. It'll be alright."

Fang Yunyun was deeply moved that her husband, in such a state, was still comforting her.

"Mhm!"

However, when they returned home, they found all their belongings had been cleared out and piled up like a small mountain at the entrance of the residential complex.

Fang Yunyun panicked. "What's going on?"

No one in the complex was willing to talk to them. Finally, a security guard spoke up: "The homeowner said you have no relation to him, so he left your stuff here. Hurry up and move it! Don't block the way!"

Fang Yunyun couldn't believe her father would be so ruthless.

But the security guards that day were very dutiful, perhaps out of sympathy for the "old man who was bled dry and mistreated by his daughter and son-in-law." They absolutely refused to let the family of three enter and even threatened to call the police.

With no other choice, Chen Cai could only turn to his so-called friends for help. But upon hearing about his situation, the person on the other end of the line just laughed, offering no assistance whatsoever.

"He's blocked all of us," Fang Yunyun said, staring blankly at her phone.

Fortunately, she still had some money on her. They could only rent a place temporarily. Since Chen Cai couldn't possibly do manual labor, they had to spend more money hiring people to move their things. Only after settling in did they start planning how to get back into their own home.

But, likely having received some benefit, the security guards wouldn't let them in whenever they were spotted. An increasingly irritable Chen Cai even got into several conflicts with the guards and took a punch.

Staking out Fang Zhiyi yielded no results either. It wasn't until a neighbor who couldn't bear to watch anymore mentioned that Fang Zhiyi seemed to have gone on a long trip that they gave up.

Life had to go on, but it was worse than before. At least they used to have a place to live without worrying about rent, utilities, property fees, or cleaning. Now, all these expenses came out of their own pockets, and on top of that, Fang Yunyun had lost her job.

Neither of them knew how to cook, so they relied on takeout—another expense. Even more absurdly, Chen Xiaoqun often caused trouble outside, leading to constant complaints from others knocking on their door, which drove them crazy.

Without Fang Zhiyi's contributions, the conflicts within their family of three gradually began to surface.

Fang Yunyun failed another job interview. The reason was that her story had spread everywhere. Someone, likely a relative, had filmed their family's disgraceful scene that day and shared it, dealing her a heavy blow. After searching for days, she could only find a few manual labor jobs, which plunged her mood to new lows.

To make matters worse, Chen Cai called asking her for money, saying he needed to create. Gritting her teeth, Fang Yunyun withdrew her last bit of savings.

Of course, it was money down the drain.

To survive, Fang Yunyun took up jobs she used to look down on the most, her heart still filled with resentment towards Fang Zhiyi. She even began to fantasize about Fang Zhiyi begging for her forgiveness and her reluctantly agreeing to return home.

Lost in these thoughts one day, she broke her employer's vase. Not only did she not get paid, but she was also demanded to pay compensation.

Returning home to see her son scribbling all over the walls, Chen Cai dead drunk, and the table laden with lavish takeout containers, she finally snapped.

"You're supposed to be a man! If you're a man, go out and find a job too!"

Hearing these words come from her mouth startled even the drunk Chen Cai.

After a moment, he shook his head and waved his hand. "I'm not arguing with you. You don't understand. I'm waiting for my big break."

"Your break?" Fang Yunyun looked at the disheveled man before her, for the first time beginning to wonder if she had been wrong. "How many years have you been waiting for that break? Huh? How many years! You were waiting for it since my university days, and you're still waiting!"

After shouting, she felt a surge of relief. She suddenly rushed into the room, threw out all of Chen Cai's artworks, and yelled, "It's all junk! Junk!"

"That's enough!" Chen Cai roared, standing up. He wouldn't allow this woman to doubt him too!

"They were right. You're just a useless freeloader!" Fang Yunyun enunciated each word clearly. Hearing this, Chen Cai roared and lunged at her. Fang Yunyun, already full of pent-up grievances, fought back just as fiercely. The two wrestled with each other, while Chen Xiaoqun, watching the scene, actually clapped and cheered.

"Mom, pull his hair!"

"Dad! Punch his stomach!"

After this incident, their family could no longer maintain its facade. Fang Yunyun stated it simply: if you want to eat, go earn it yourself. As for Chen Xiaoqun, she found a nearby school and dumped him there.

Chen Cai refused to accept this. He believed Fang Yunyun had changed, that she no longer understood him.

However, Fang Yunyun, who had been the first to be hit hard by reality, sneered, "It's time for you to wake up."

Chen Cai tried contacting his friends again, only to find that since his standard of living had declined, these fair-weather friends had also cut ties with him, even mocking his "artwork" over the phone.

This infuriated Chen Cai to the core. So, he decided to set up a street stall, convinced that someone would recognize his talent!

The ideal was beautiful, the reality harsh. He didn't earn a single cent. And as their rent came due, they had to move again, this time to a dilapidated place. Although the environment was poor, the rent was cheap.

Fang Yunyun dreamed every night of the time when she and Chen Cai were in love. But every time she woke up and saw the man lying beside her, she felt an urge to stab herself with scissors.

Could it be... that her father had been right all along?