Chapter 26: Tian Yulan in a Fit of Rage

During the meal, Tian Yulan wore a dark expression the entire time, not uttering a single word, while everyone else chatted and laughed.

Nan Jianlong was genuinely happy today. It had been many years since he had enjoyed such a peaceful family dinner. Although it was not perfect due to Tian Yulan’s silence, it was more than enough for him. Under the table, Zhou Chen nudged Nan Li and gave her a thumbs-up; Nan Li responded with a smug smile. Today’s battle could be described as a complete victory. In their previous clashes, she had never been at a disadvantage, but a victory as resounding as today’s was unprecedented. Because of this, Nan Li was in an exceptionally good mood. She didn’t even mind seeing Cai Juying wearing the qipao her mother used to own; instead, she gave Cai Juying a smile, which left the older woman beaming with delight.

Watching everyone else laughing and eating, Tian Yulan felt even more bitter, especially seeing Yan Peng repeatedly clinking glasses with Zhou Chen. It made her furious. "Your wife is being bullied, and you’re still there happily drinking..." The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

After the meal, because Huanhuan had a tutor, Zhou Chen’s family did not stay long and left immediately. While their family returned in high spirits, the same could not be said for Tian Yulan’s family. After settling their son, Tian Yulan dragged Yan Peng, who was in the middle of a video game, into their room.

"What’s wrong, honey? I’m in the middle of a game." Yan Peng had drunk a little and was in a good mood playing with his friends. He was clearly annoyed by being dragged away.

"Games, games, all you ever care about is games! Your wife has been bullied to death, and you’re still playing!" Expecting comfort but receiving talk of his game instead, Tian Yulan snapped. She shouted at the top of her lungs, tears streaming down her face.

Yan Peng was startled and hurriedly tried to soothe her. "What’s wrong? Who bullied you? I’ll go deal with them."

"You?" Tian Yulan sobbed. "Nan Li bullied me. Do you dare to deal with her?"

Yan Peng fell silent. He knew exactly what she meant, but he really couldn't say anything. The two sisters had fought so many times, and Xia Junshan had never said a word; how could he possibly help Tian Yulan attack Nan Li? "Honey, there’s no need for this. Really, there isn't. So what if Zhong Yi is a fellow alumnus of Xia Junshan? We didn't know before, but it's not too late now. Besides, having this connection could lead Xia Junshan to ask Zhong Yi to take better care of Ziyou. This is a good thing."

"You... you... you’re going to be the death of me!" Seeing Yan Peng twist the situation into a positive one, Tian Yulan was on the verge of exploding.

"Can’t you hear the sarcasm in Nan Li’s voice? She offers a ten-thousand-yuan tutor just like that, saying she doesn't care if it's a loss because they earned the money themselves. Listen to that! What does she mean? Her money is earned by herself; is our money not earned by us? Or does she think that because they earn more, they are a cut above us?"

Listening to her, Yan Peng felt his head ache, but he patiently explained, "Honey, she definitely didn't mean it that way. Don't let your imagination run wild. So what if they earn more? Do we earn little? We aren't living any worse than them."

He shouldn't have said that. It only made Tian Yulan angrier, and she vented all her frustration on him. "You still have the nerve to say that? It’s all because of you! If you could earn more, would Nan Li still have the face to act so superior? If you had any ambition, would I have been left speechless by her today?"

"What does this have to do with me? Why are you dragging me into this? How do I lack ambition? Yes, my salary is low, but my parents give us plenty every month. How does that make me unambitious?"

"I can't believe you’re saying that! You’re nearly forty years old, and you’re still asking your parents for money. How are you not ashamed?"

"Honey, that’s going too far. I’m my parents' only son, isn't their money my money? Why should I be ashamed? It’s only you who keeps obsessing over this and that. We’re all family, why be so picky?"

Usually, Yan Peng wouldn't argue with her, but he had been drinking, his game had been abandoned because of her, and now he was being incessantly nagged. Even a clay figurine has a temper, so his tone hardened, and he began to reproach her in return.

Tian Yulan exploded on the spot. "Family? Yan Peng, it’s easy for you to say, but how do your parents treat me? You’ve seen how they act, so high and mighty every time they give us money. What does that mean? Are they handing out charity? Do you know how I feel every time I use their money? I feel like my dignity is being trampled upon. I don't want their money; I want their respect. But have they ever given me that?"

The more she spoke, the louder she cried. Whenever she thought of her in-laws' faces, she felt humiliated, which was why she had insisted on moving out of that villa to be independent. It had to be said that Tian Yulan’s upbringing had left her with a perspective quite different from others—she spent her in-laws' money while complaining that they gave her no dignity. If she truly wanted dignity, she could simply refuse their money, sparing herself from having to endure their attitude. Furthermore, when she decided to marry Yan Peng, she must have understood him thoroughly. Since she had no regrets then, what right did she have to complain now?

Seeing her cry so heartbrokenly, what else could Yan Peng do but coax her? "Honey, alright, it’s my fault. Next time my parents act like that, I’ll talk to them. Don’t be angry."

Under normal circumstances, these few words would have calmed her down, but she was too deeply stung today. She couldn't be appeased and just kept on crying. Seeing her continue to wail, Yan Peng began to panic. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.

"Honey, my salary might not be high, but I have my own ways of making money. Do you know how much I’ve made these past few days? Sixty thousand! In just over a month, I’ve made sixty thousand yuan."

Hearing this, Tian Yulan’s sobbing stopped instantly. She wiped away her tears and asked in shock, "Sixty thousand in a month? You didn't take that money from your parents to lie to me, did you?"

Yan Peng was instantly offended. "What are you saying? Do you think I’m that kind of person?"

Tian Yulan didn't say a word, but her expression made her thoughts perfectly clear.

"Fine." Yan Peng didn't argue. He took out his phone, tapped a few times, and held it out to her. "See this? It’s called Bitcoin, a virtual currency similar to stocks. I bought fifty thousand worth at the end of March, and now it’s up to one hundred and ten thousand. In just over a month, it has more than doubled. That’s a net profit of sixty thousand."

Tian Yulan grabbed the phone, followed his instructions, and checked it. When she realized he was telling the truth, she was stunned. "Husband, you’re amazing! How are you so smart? Mwah! Mwah!"

When it came to changing one's face, Tian Yulan was truly an actress. One moment she was weeping like a willow in the rain, and the next, her face was beaming with joy.

Yan Peng, dizzied by her kisses, boasted shamelessly, "Honey, I'm not just bragging. This is only the beginning. It's just that I didn't have enough capital on hand. If I had, it wouldn't just be sixty thousand; it would be six hundred thousand or six million."

The boaster spoke without thinking, but the listener took it to heart. "Husband, are you sure you can make money?"

"Absolutely! Do you think I’m just blowing smoke?"

"Since it’s a guaranteed profit, let’s take all our savings and invest them."

"Huh?" Yan Peng panicked immediately, realizing he had boasted too far.

"What do you mean 'huh'? It’s a sure thing. We don't have much in savings, so why don't we borrow some from your parents? We can pay them back once we’ve made our profit."

"Huh?"