"That's natural, just graduated I introduced her to you, she was a model student in school, never been in a relationship, very clean." The man was clearly satisfied and signaled to his parents.
"Well then, it's settled, we won't look elsewhere, we'll choose your high-achieving daughter." The man's parents were generous, directly taking out two stacks of money and placing them on the coffee table: "This is the deposit, we've agreed on it."
Zhao Guilan's face blossomed with joy, congratulating the in-laws repeatedly, praising their good judgment.
The other party had other matters to attend to, and left hastily with their son, waiting to discuss the detailed wedding date another day.
Zhao Guilan watched them leave, returned to the living room, and picked up the deposit on the coffee table, smiling broadly.
After weighing it, there was a full two thousand yuan!
Bang---
The bedroom door was pushed open, and Lin Mian walked out with a dark expression, snatching the money from Zhao Guilan's hand.
"Mom, I'm not getting married, give the money back, don't waste your effort!"
"What did you say?" Zhao Guilan's expression changed immediately.
"I said I'm not getting married!"
Zhao Guilan angrily clutched her chest, cursing softly.
"Lin Mian, don't be stubborn with me. I've provided for you, fed you, clothed you, sent you to school, all for this day, right? He's a civil servant, with a secure position and money, how can he not be good enough for you? Did you go out to study for two years and become stupid?"
"Furthermore, there are so many expenses at home that need money. If you don't get married, your brother still has to marry a wife. Where will you get the money from? Can you come up with five hundred thousand?"
Lin Mian bit her lip, fingers tightly clenched in her palm.
The stack of money in her hand was ruthlessly snatched away by Zhao Guilan.
"You can't help with anything, always talking back. I warn you, don't even think about any sly schemes, your household registration book is still in my hands, you better obediently listen to me!"
Mentioning the household registration book, Lin Mian took a deep breath, softened her voice and pleaded.
"Mom, please, I will definitely earn a lot of money in the future, I will definitely send money back home, I am really having a hard time right now, can you please wait a bit longer for me?"
"Smack!"
Zhao Guilan directly slapped her.
Lin Mian was hit to the side, half of her face burning with pain, a ringing in her ears, she couldn't come to her senses for a long time.
Zhao Guilan's hand was always heavy, and she was used to it.
But even so, her eyes still uncontrollably reddened.
Lin Mian swallowed a mouthful of saliva, turned her head with tears, and pleaded to her brother Lin Zheng beside her.
"Brother, can you help me, I have just graduated, I really can't get married. Can't you be responsible for marrying a wife yourself? I'm almost being dragged into the abyss by you. Do you really want to ruin my whole life?"
Lin Zheng hesitated for a long time, feeling a bit unable to bear it.
"Mom, why don't we just forget about it then."
"What's there to calculate? Don't you know what era we're living in now? There are hardly any girls in the whole village. Whoever has a daughter now is getting rich, especially those with high education. If you don't marry and settle down soon, do you want to remain single forever?" Lin Zheng fell silent. He simply couldn't afford to risk it. In their hometown, it was shameful for an older man to remain unmarried, and it would only get more difficult to find a wife as time passed. He resented Lin Mian. He had harbored this resentment for over a decade. His family was poor, living on a tight budget. If it weren't for buying Lin Mian a popsicle that day, Lin Ping'an wouldn't have had that car accident, wouldn't have ended up paralyzed in bed, and their family wouldn't have had to endure such hardship. And yet, the entire family still supported her through college. These were things she should repay. She owed it to them. With a sigh, he turned and went back to the bedroom, closing the door with a loud bang. Lin Mian didn't expect him to still be so weak, to still be so inclined to avoid confrontation. In this household, whether they sucked her blood openly or silently, it made no difference. She closed her eyes, feeling deeply disappointed.
Turning around, Lin Mian dragged her suitcase and started to pack her things, rummaging through the house to find what she needed. "Stop it, what are you doing?" scolded Zhao Guilan abruptly. Lin Mian spoke in a cold tone, "I'm looking for my household registration documents." "You're out of your mind. Do you really think you can snatch your household registration documents in front of me? You little wench, how dare you rummage through my things. I'll teach you a lesson!" Zhao Guilan swung her arm and slapped Lin Mian across the face. The fiery pain once again surged through her, but Lin Mian managed to endure the blow while continuing to search through the cabinets. "Stop it, do you hear me?" Zhao Guilan grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back, causing a sharp pain in Lin Mian's scalp. However, she stubbornly held onto the cabinet handle. "I want my household registration documents." "Dream on! Even if I die today, I won't give you the household registration documents unless I'm dead!" Zhao Guilan continued to pull Lin Mian's head, trying to force her face onto the cabinet. Lin Mian clenched her teeth, refusing to let go. As a result, something warm trickled down her forehead, dripping onto her hand, leaving a stark red mark. It was blood. Warm blood.
Her vision went black for a moment, feeling her stomach convulsing. In her mind, distant images resurfaced of her childhood, being grabbed by her mother, Zhao Guilan, and slammed into the cabinet, again and again.
"Sob... Mom, please don't hit me, I won't do it again, please don't hit me, sob... my head hurts..."
"You little bitch, dare to steal your brother's sausage, do you deserve to eat that stuff? I'll beat you to death!"
"You still dare to resist? I'll see if I don't break your head, move again and try!"
Thud, thud, thud...
One hit after another.
It felt like something ruthlessly pounding on her soul, causing pain, dizziness, numbness.
The dull ache of pain in an endless cycle, Lin Mian felt her head buzzing, unable to distinguish between memory and reality.
In her ears were sharp, piercing insults, like a sharp whistle piercing her eardrums, flooding her mind, impossible to shake off.
Lin Mian's hand firmly gripped the cabinet door, the other hand struggling to pull out her phone, fumbling, she dialed three numbers: 110.
"Hello... in the Lin Family Village, House 251, Autumn Water Town, someone is going to kill..."
There was a moment of silence at the other end, then a familiar, cold voice spoke.
"Lin Mian?"