Born in the 1980s, she was remarried and became a stepmother; a cold, rough man doted on her, pinchi

Chapter 77 Can we please not make things difficult for her?
Lin Yanqing and Jiang He slowly walked out of the examination room with the flow of people, their faces showing similar fatigue and relief.

Lin Yanqing raised her head slightly, took a deep breath, as if she wanted to expel all the tension and pressure of the past year.

His gaze was somewhat vacant, as if he was still immersed in the exam that had just ended, his mind constantly replaying the densely packed test papers and questions.

"It's finally over."

Lin Yanqing said softly, her voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of ease.

Jiang He stood beside him, nodded slightly, and replied, "Mm."

Her eyes also reflected fatigue, but more than that, a complex emotion. For her, these three days of the college entrance examination were not only a contest of knowledge, but also a test of her spirit.

The two stood in the shade of a tree outside the examination hall for a while, surrounded by a bustling crowd of examinees and their parents, the noise filling the entire space.

Lin Yanqing broke the silence first: "I won't be home for dinner tonight, I have to go home."

His tone was calm, as if he were stating something perfectly ordinary.

Upon hearing these words, Jiang He's faint smile froze instantly, then slowly faded away.

The conflict between her and her in-laws was no secret; the trivial arguments and endless accusations cast a shadow over her life.

Lin Yanqing's proposal to return to her husband's family home is undoubtedly another blow to her recently relaxed state of mind.

"Oh."

Jiang He responded indifferently, then turned her head away from Lin Yanqing, her gaze fixed on the distant street.

She knew in her heart that it was Lin Yanqing's freedom to return to his in-laws' home, but she just couldn't suppress the disappointment and sadness in her heart.

Lin Yanqing seemed to sense Jiang He's emotional change. He opened his mouth, wanting to explain something, but felt that any words would be pale and powerless at this moment.

Since marrying Jiang He, he has been caught between his mother and his wife, not wanting to offend either side, which has only deepened the conflict between them.

"Then I'll go first."

Lin Yanqing finally said something in a low voice, then turned and walked towards the bus stop.

His steps were heavy, each one feeling as if he were stepping on his own heart.

He knew Jiang He was upset, but he couldn't ignore his mother's feelings.

He hasn't been home for several days since the college entrance exam started, and he's always a little worried about his mother being home alone.

Jiang He watched Lin Yanqing's departing figure until he disappeared into the crowd before slowly turning her gaze away. Her eyes were slightly red, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

She recalled the grievances she suffered in her husband's family, the harsh and sarcastic words, which seemed to still echo in her ears.

"Hmph, fine, I'll go back to my parents' home too."

Jiang He muttered to herself. She rallied her spirits and walked in another direction.

Her parents' home was the only place in the world where she could confide in and rely on them without any reservations.

Lin Yanqing sat on the bus, watching the street scenes rushing past the window, his mood growing heavier. He remembered the days before the college entrance examination, when Jiang He got up early and went to bed late every day to prepare delicious meals and silently took on all the housework so that he could focus on his studies.

And what did he do? He chose to go back to his husband's family home at this time, leaving Jiang He alone there.

"Was I too much?"

Lin Yanqing asked himself this question inwardly. He knew Jiang He's hardships and understood that the conflict between her and her in-laws could not be resolved overnight.

But he always clung to the hope that time would heal all wounds, never expecting things to get worse and worse.

The bus slowly pulled up to the station, and Lin Yanqing got off and walked towards home.

Along the way, he met several neighbors who greeted him warmly and asked about his college entrance examination.

Lin Yanqing gave a perfunctory response; he had no interest in chatting with anyone right now.

Finally, he arrived at his doorstep. Taking a deep breath, Lin Yanqing pushed open the door. His mother was sitting in the living room watching TV. Seeing him return, her face immediately lit up with a smile. "Son, you're finally back. How did the exam go?"

"I'm alright, Mom," her mother asked with concern. Lin Yanqing forced a smile. "How have you been feeling these past few days?"

His mother stood up, walked to his side, and looked him up and down: "I'm perfectly fine, I'm just worried about you. You must not have been eating or sleeping well these past few days. I made your favorite braised pork. Go wash your hands and get ready to eat."

Lin Yanqing felt a surge of emotion. He knew his mother loved him, but sometimes her methods were hard for him to accept. He went into the bathroom, washed his hands, and looked at himself in the mirror. His tired face made him look somewhat haggard.

At the dinner table, his mother kept putting food on his plate, urging him to eat more to nourish his body. Lin Yanqing ate his meal silently, his mind preoccupied with Jiang He. He wondered how Jiang He was doing at her parents' home, whether she was also confiding her grievances to her family.

"Mom, I want to talk to you about something."

Lin Yanqing put down her chopsticks and looked at her mother.

His mother looked up at him and asked, "What is it, son? Tell me."

Lin Yanqing hesitated for a moment, then said, "Mom, I know there are some conflicts between you and Jiang He, but I hope you can treat her better in the future. It hasn't been easy for her in our family either, and she has always tried her best to take care of me."

The mother's expression changed slightly: "How have I treated her badly? It's just that she's so immature and talks back to me all the time."

Lin Yanqing sighed helplessly: "Mom, there must be some misunderstanding. Jiang He isn't the kind of person who doesn't understand things. Please try to see things from her perspective. We're married now, and I hope our family can live in harmony."

The mother was silent for a moment, then said, "I won't deliberately make things difficult for her."

Lin Yanqing breathed a slight sigh of relief, knowing that this was already the biggest concession his mother had made.

He hoped Jiang He could understand his good intentions, and that their family could rediscover harmony and happiness. Meanwhile, Jiang He returned to her parents' home.

The atmosphere at her parents' home made her feel especially warm. Her parents greeted her immediately upon her return, asking with concern how her college entrance exam went. Jiang He suppressed her grievances and smiled, telling them she had done quite well. The dining table at her parents' home was laden with her favorite dishes. Her parents kept piling food onto her plate, urging her to eat more and get some rest.

Tears welled up in Jiang He's eyes. She felt that only at her parents' home was she truly loved. "Dad, Mom, I'm not having a good time at my in-laws' house."

Jiang He finally couldn't hold back her tears and told her parents everything she had suffered at her husband's family home.

Upon hearing this, the parents' expressions turned serious. The father comforted her, "Daughter, don't be afraid, we're here. If they treat you badly, come back and live with us; we can support you."

The mother nodded in agreement: "Yes, daughter. Don't wrong yourself; your happiness is the most important thing."