Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“So, does it even matter if he comes back now?”

My best friend’s words pulled me back to reality.

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Right now, all his attention is on that woman. This is the perfect time for me to set the stage.”

“Good.”

My friend finally breathed a sigh of relief. “You’ve finally come to your senses.”

Just as she finished speaking, the door to the treatment room opened.

My mother-in-law was wheeled out.

The moment she spotted the bag in my hand, she snatched it back violently.

“Do you have any common sense? Can seafood and mangoes be eaten together? Are you trying to kill me?!”

Her roar caused everyone in the emergency room to look over.

The doctor walked over to give the post-treatment instructions, explaining that New Year’s Eve meals often involve a mix of ingredients. For the elderly, whose digestive systems are fragile, food incompatibilities are very common.

She needed to be hospitalized for three days of observation. For the time being, her diet had to be light-ideally, nothing but plain congee.

I nodded submissively as I listened.

Drinking congee?

What a pleasant surprise.

After all the commotion, dawn was beginning to break.

Having stayed up all night, I was exhausted, but the old lady clearly had no intention of letting me off easy.

She kept her eyelids heavy and said, “Go home and cook some millet congee for me, then bring a few changes of clothes. Keep it quiet; don’t wake the others.”

I nodded. “Alright. Should I give Zhou Chen a call? If he’s back, he could take over for me.”

Her eyes widened instantly. “Do you have a conscience? He’s been driving all night; can’t you let him rest? He’s out there working himself to death to support you and your daughter!”

The next second, the ward door was pushed open.

A clean-cut young man walked in. “Hello, did someone here ask for a caregiver?”

I raised an eyebrow.

Finally, he was here.

This was the second of the only two useful things I had accomplished earlier.

“What caregiver? No, I don’t want one!” My mother-in-law immediately waved him away.

I stood up and tucked in the corner of her blanket that had slipped. “Mom, the money’s already paid, and it’s hard to get a refund during the New Year. It’s just for three days. You’ve worked hard your whole life; it’s time you enjoyed yourself a bit.”

Before she could launch into a long-winded lecture, I turned and left.

My schedule was tight; I didn’t have time to listen to those clichés.

Since I knew her payment password, I naturally had to make the most of it.

Father Zhou was a total drunkard, and the word ‘considerate’ didn’t exist in the dictionary of men from his generation.

Expecting emotional support from him? A pipe dream.

In that case, what was wrong with me hiring a professional, attentive caregiver for my mother-in-law to let her experience a ‘second spring’ in her later years?

I rushed home as fast as I could.

As I pushed the door open, a pungent, decaying smell of vomit hit me.

The living room was a disaster zone.

My father-in-law was passed out drunk on the sofa, his chest covered in filth.

My sister-in-law? She was long gone.

I stepped aside and beckoned to the young woman following behind me.

“From now on, you’ll stay here. You’ll be responsible for cleaning and cooking. The monthly salary is ten thousand yuan. My old man isn’t short on cash; he just needs things clean and comfortable.”

The girl scanned the mess, struggling to suppress her nausea. “Sister… this… this is going to cost extra.”

I patted her shoulder and agreed readily. “Fair enough. I’ll add another two thousand a month. If you take good care of him, there will be bonuses.”

A smile instantly broke out on her face, and she briskly rolled up her sleeves to start cleaning.

Seeing that both sides were settled, I finally felt at peace.

Why did Zhou Chen work so hard to earn money? Wasn’t it so the whole family could live a good life?

What kind of logic would it be if only he and his mistress were comfortable?

Last night, I had taken the opportunity to place the household registration book on the bedside table for my sister-in-law and her ‘partner.’

I wanted them to know that everyone is free.

They could combine their lives however they pleased.

They needed to broaden their horizons.

Rather than having an illegitimate child in the shadows, why not just have one themselves, openly and legally?

Honestly, I was looking forward to it.

My best friend was right about one thing: “A businessman’s betrayal is a dimensional strike against his wife.”

But he forgot that creating internal family conflict is my home court.

Zhou Chen has done everything he can do.

And for me, things are just beginning.