From Broken Family to Life Winner: A Reborn Mother's Journey

Mrs. Tang hadn’t changed one bit.

In fact, because her daughter-in-law, Su Li, had escaped her control, she had grown even worse.

Every day in the village, she heard people talking about how much money Su Li’s clothing factory was making. She listened to their envious remarks about her family’s wealth, a chorus of jealousy and admiration.

People would flatter her, and one by one, they’d persistently approach her, hoping to get some work to earn money or a job at the factory.

In that short time, she’d heard more compliments than she had in her entire life. But besides that, she’d also heard every kind of sour, nasty comment imaginable.

Because she had no say and couldn’t help, the villagers would say nice things to her face but badmouth the Tang Family behind her back.

They called them ungrateful for not looking after their fellow villagers, saying they should be kicked out of Xinghua Village. They gossiped that Mrs. Tang was useless, that she couldn’t even control her own daughter-in-law. The clothing factory was so profitable, yet she was still living the same miserable life as before, unwilling to even buy herself a new outfit.

”So what if they’re rich? With an unfilial son and an unfilial daughter-in-law, it’s all for nothing. They’re worse off than we are, aren’t they?”

”Exactly. Who knows if anyone will even take care of them when they’re old and can’t walk? They’ll probably die without anyone to even carry their coffins.”

”And what kind of person is Su Li? Do you think she’ll stay content with the Tang Family? Her heart’s probably already run wild.”

”She’s a college student, you know, with a black and vicious heart. God knows how many times she’s already cuckolded her husband.”

Mrs. Tang had heard more than enough of these vicious, shameless rumors.

Before, she could at least go into the factory and manage people. Even though she didn’t get a single penny, it was still different.

’I’m a boss too. I can manage people. I’m useful, not like what the villagers are saying.’

Mrs. Tang’s arrogance didn’t last long before she was knocked back down to reality, getting the same treatment as Miao Fenghua and Su Dan, whom she looked down on.

How could Mrs. Tang accept such a reality?

But no matter how she threatened or what she said, she still couldn’t get into the factory.

After that, the villagers didn’t just talk behind her back; they started saying things right to her face.

Mrs. Tang was in agony.

She was all alone in the empty house. Day and night, she obsessed over what everyone was saying and over Su Li’s attitude. It gnawed at her, and she couldn’t sleep night after night.

When she did fall asleep, she had nightmares about Su Li being indecent with some man again, or about Su Li seizing the clothing factory for herself.

Mrs. Tang endured it for as long as she could, but finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. On impulse, she packed a bag and came.

The farthest she had ever traveled was to Fengcheng County; she hadn’t left its borders for most of her life. Taking such a long trip so suddenly—and by train, no less—left her completely drained.

She had come to call Su Li to account and keep an eye on her, so she never imagined her nightmare would actually come true. How could she not be angry and shocked?

”Su Li, you’re yelling at me again!” Mrs. Tang pounded her chest, trying to keep herself from fainting.

”Do you still see me as your mother-in-law? And you say ’that’s enough’? I’ve only said a few words, and you...”

”Oh, what a sin! Tangyuan, how can you let your wife act like this? Just look at her! Saying the clothing factory is hers and has nothing to do with the Tang Family!”

”Her wings have grown strong, and now she wants to fly away! I saw it last night. She was smiling at some man, and she even wanted to stay out all night! What sin did the Tang Family commit to deserve this...”

Su Li, who had slowly been regaining the youthful sparkle in her eyes after leaving Xinghua Village and Mrs. Tang, watched her mother-in-law, and her gaze grew increasingly silent and dark.

That little bit of vibrancy, the kind a nineteen-year-old should have, which she had fought so hard to regain, was now slowly draining away from her.

Su Li felt like a kite that had been set free. She had soared in the sky for a few circles and was just about to fly higher when someone yanked her violently back down.

Yanked back to the ground, back to reality.

’The idea of setting everything aside and focusing only on Tang Yuanxiao as a person... it was just a fantasy.’

Su Li found a gap in Mrs. Tang’s tirade and interjected.

”I’m leaving.”

Su Li slung her bag over her shoulder and was about to leave, but Mrs. Tang grabbed her hand in a death grip.

”Where do you think you’re going? Su Li, weren’t you listening to me? Are you just pretending I don’t exist?”

Mrs. Tang pointed a trembling finger at herself. ”No matter what, I am still your mother-in-law! Su Li, I don’t care how capable you are, how big your factory is, or whether you’re a college student or not, I am still your mother-in-law!”

”I’m not asking you to be exceedingly filial, but how can you not even show me the most basic respect? You can’t even ’respect your elders and care for the young’? You’re not going to listen to a single word I say, are you?”

Mrs. Tang’s voice trembled. ”Su Li, I used to be so good to you. I cherished you like my own daughter. But look at you now... All that affection was wasted on you!”

Su Li’s hand suddenly clenched as she whispered, ”I didn’t need it.”

’She would rather Mrs. Tang had never been kind to her, had never been that ”good mother-in-law.” It was because Mrs. Tang had once doted on her in her past life that her sudden, terrifying transformation into a cruel stranger had been all the more painful and hateful.’

’To think how moved she had been when she first married into the family, how she had treated her with the same filial piety as her own mother. And what was the result? It would have been better if she had simply been a wicked mother-in-law from the beginning.’

”Let go.” Su Li’s hand ached from the grip of Mrs. Tang’s hard, dry fingers.

She spoke again in a low voice. When it came to Mrs. Tang, she was past the point of disappointment. Nothing she did would surprise her anymore.

”I won’t let go! Su Li, you can’t leave! I absolutely will not let you leave today! You can’t do this to me! If you walk out of here like this, I’ll go to your university’s leaders tomorrow and have them judge this! I want to see how they educate their students! If this is what they’re teaching you, then you might as well not go at all!”

Mrs. Tang’s face was red with anger and exertion, her eyes bulging slightly as she held onto Su Li, refusing to let go.

’How can I let go? My nightmares are coming true.’

’As her mother-in-law, I’m about to lose all control over Su Li. Everything is spiraling out of control. How can I rest easy? How can I let go?’

”You’re not going anywhere today.”

Su Li looked at Mrs. Tang’s somewhat distorted face, feeling terrifyingly calm inside. She reached out and forcefully pri