The next morning, after a warm bath, I stepped out of the bathroom and froze. Someone was rummaging through my stuffs, moving like a stealthy cat. When I looked closer, I realized it was Han Sheng's sister, Han Jiang.
Han Sheng's sister and mother had never liked Su Yan. They treated her like a maid, piling chores on her and demanding everything she had. Even though she owned very little, anything remotely nice immediately caught Hu Jiang's attention.
She will take whatever she wanted, and if Su Yan refused, they will threaten her. "If you don't give it to your sister-in-law, I'll tell Han Sheng to divorce you," Han Sheng's mother will say. Fearing the worst, Su Yan always gave in.
But one memory haunted me most. Han Jiang once demanded Su Yan's jade pendant—the only keepsake she had from her late mother. "I can give you anything, but not this," she pleaded, clutching it tightly. "This is my mother's relic; it's all I have left of her."
But Han Jiang wouldn't stop, and her mother joined in, threatening Su Yan as usual. While they argued, Han Sheng walked in. "What's going on here?" he asked, frowning. Han Jiang ran to him, playing the victim. "Brother, your wife won't give me the jade pendant I want!" she complained.
Su Yan begged Han Sheng, tears streaming down her face. "Please, not this. It's all I have of my mother. I'll do anything else, but don't take it." But Han Sheng didn't listen. He snatched the pendant from her hands and handed it to his sister saying," I will buy you a good one later. So, give it to my sister". Both mother and daughter left the room with the biggest smirk.
While Su Yan crumpled to the floor, heartbroken, clutching the emptiness where her mother's last memory used to be.
After those memories faded, a fire ignited in me. I had to do something for Su Yan, for all the times she had suffered. Without thinking, I grabbed the broom from my room, something hard, catching my eyes, and clenched it tightly. Closing my eyes, I swung it with all my might, striking Han Jiang.
She screamed, "Stop! Stop!" over and over, but I didn't care. I kept going, releasing all the anger and frustration that had been bottled up for so long. Her cries echoed the house.
Suddenly, her mother burst into the room, drawn by the commotion. She stood frozen for a moment, then bellowed, "What are you doing?!" But even her presence couldn't stop me. I was done letting them trample over Su Yan.
After beating her as much as I could, I suddenly stopped, panting heavily. Then it hit me. "Oh my god! Han Jiang, it's you?" I exclaimed, pretending shock. "I…. I thought it was a thief who came into my room. I am so sorry!" I added, putting on my best guilty, sad expression.
Han Jiang looked at me in disbelief, clutching her bruised arm. "Are you serious? You are apologizing like that after beating me like this?" she yelled.
I held my face in my hands, acting horrified. "Oh my god, how could I have done this? How could I beat you like that? I…. I didn't know!" I stammered, trying to sound convincing as I could. Inside, though, I felt a small sense of satisfaction.
Her mother started shouting too, and the chaos filled the room. I took a deep breath, then turned to them. "You're in my room. What do you want?" I asked, trying to sound calm, but inside I was bracing myself.
Han Jiang spoke up, her voice dripping with expectation. "I know my brother bought you that necklace. Just give it to me." Her demand was clear, and I didn't miss the greedy look in her eyes.
I didn't hesitate. I opened the drawer, pulled out the box, and held it up for them to see. The moment their eyes landed on the diamond jewellery, their expressions lit up with hunger. They wanted it—badly. But I quickly swung the box away from their reach, keeping it just out of their grasp.
Han Jiang's voice rose in frustration. "Give it to me! Give it to me now!" she shouted.
I stood my ground. "Why should I give you this?" I asked, my voice steady.
Her mother, already angry, sneered, "Your sister-in-law is asking you nicely. Why are you refusing? If you don't give it to her, I'll tell Han Sheng to divorce you."
Her words were meant to intimidate, but I didn't flinch. Just then, Han Sheng walked into the room, looking around with confusion. "What's going on here? Why are you all shouting? Why all the screaming?" he asked, his voice sharp, demanding answers as he entered.
As usual, Han Jiang immediately went to her brother, her eyes fixed on the necklace in my hand. "I want that necklace," she said, her tone full of entitlement.
Han Sheng just sighed, rubbing his temples. "Okay, okay, wait," he said, looking at me, his voice resigned. Then, he stared at me, his gaze heavy with unspoken tension.
Before he could say anything else, I locked eyes with him, my gaze furious and anxious, confronting him without words. He could read the anger in my eyes, the frustration—and he understood what I was trying to communicate.
He hesitated, then backed away, remembering the promise he had made me. He couldn't bring himself to challenge me, not now, not after what he had promised.
As the commotion continued, Han Jiang shouted, "Brother, what are you doing? I want that!"
Amid all this, I finally said, "Fine, I can give it to you," and tossed the necklace into her hand. Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh my God, it's so beautiful," she thought to herself.
While she was admiring the necklace, I quickly reached up and grabbed the pendant hanging around her neck. She immediately shouted, "What are you doing? Give that back!"
I smirked and replied, "It's just exchanging goods for goods, you know, like a barter system. Didn't you learn this basic thing at school? Instead of grabbing other people's things, you should have focused on your studies"
As the argument escalated, Han Sheng's mother chimed in, "Look at what your wife is doing! You should divorce her."
Then, I added casually, "Oh, did your good little son mention anything about getting a divorce after Grandpa's birthday party?"
Han Sheng's mother froze. "What? Really, Han Sheng? What is she saying?"
I shot her a knowing look and said, "If you want to know more, just ask your baby son." With that, I shoved them out of my room and slammed the door shut.
I stood there, smiling to myself. "Finally, I got your pendant," I whispered, pleased with how things had turned out.