"You can certainly stay here, not just for a few days, but for the rest of your life if you wish. The problem is, I don't think your husband, Zhou Junyu, will compromise easily."
If it were possible, Huang Pinjuan certainly didn't want to see her daughter get a divorce. After all, a divorce and remarriage wouldn't sound good, no matter what. Gossip would inevitably follow.
Therefore, her main concerns now were whether Zhou Junyu would compromise and whether her daughter would be disappointed. Besides that, she worried that her daughter might compromise first, making her position in the family even lower, thus leading to a more difficult life.
"Whether he compromises or not is up to him. My demands aren't high. From now on, we'll share household chores. For example, he can't cook for now because he doesn't know how, but washing dishes and mopping the floor have no technical difficulty, right? Washing clothes only requires operating a washing machine, and hanging them up is also straightforward. He can keep some of his salary for personal expenses, but most of it should be given to me. After all, I'm the one covering household expenses and daily living costs. Apart from ordering takeout and topping up game accounts, he has no other spending. Even video memberships for watching TV at home and gift money for social occasions are paid for by me. If he can't agree to these things, what's the point of marrying him? Am I just his nanny? Wouldn't it be more comfortable, easier, and more freeing to live alone? I wouldn't have to cook so much food, or wash so many clothes!"
"Mom, I know what you're worried about. You're afraid I'll compromise again. But don't worry, I won't compromise this time. If Zhou Junyu contacts you later, just tell him exactly what I've said. Also, his verbal agreement is useless. I'll install a camera at home, and I'll continue to stay here until after I give birth. If he behaves himself during this time, fulfills his promises, cleans his own room, and does daily chores, and submits his salary on time, then I'll go back. Otherwise, his empty promises are meaningless. When I urged him to clean up at home, he always said he'd do it 'soon,' but his 'soon' is never imminent."
Ding Yun knew that the original owner had thrown tantrums once or twice before, but in the end, she always compromised. Even her parents found it difficult to help her, fearing they'd be embarrassed. Just as they insisted on certain conditions, their daughter would eagerly go back. How could they demand anything further? It was like soldiers ready to fight, but the emperor surrendered first – if the core capitulated, what could they do?
However, Ding Yun was not the original owner, so she had the confidence to guarantee that she would absolutely not compromise prematurely, to reassure her parents.
Seeing her daughter's determined expression, Huang Pinjuan, while not fully convinced, didn't want to discourage her at this point. She could only reluctantly agree, saying, "Alright, we'll help."
They then discussed a few more details before finalizing their plan. When her father, Liu Zeguo, returned, they also informed him of the specific plan and requirements, hoping he would cooperate. Ding Yun repeatedly emphasized that if the other party agreed to her demands and fulfilled them, she would return; otherwise, it would be a divorce, with no third option. Afterwards, they tidied up and retired to their respective rooms.
Back in her room, Ding Yun began to explore her golden finger, the basic herb creation furnace. Her parents, in their bedroom, started murmuring softly.
"Raising a daughter is such a worry. Before marriage, we feared she'd find a scumbag and be taken advantage of. After marriage, it's still not peaceful, with mother-in-law troubles and marital conflicts. Oh, it's just..."
Liu Zeguo was truly vexed, complaining with a touch of disbelief as he asked his wife, "Do you think she's really decided this time?"
Huang Pinjuan, at this moment, wasn't entirely convinced either. "How would I know if she's telling the truth or not? Which time has she not promised before, only to go back on her word and compromise herself? It's like she's under a spell. I used to think my daughter was never a cause for worry, saving us so much effort with her studies. I never expected the worries to come later! My biggest fear now is that Zhou Junyu won't compromise. What will happen if she really divorces with a child? But then again, if she compromises and becomes a dutiful wife, having a second or third child, no career, no insurance, no pension, and having to beg for a few hundred or a thousand yuan for living expenses each month, as seen in some videos, and gets scolded for spending so much... Oh heavens, I can't even imagine it. Oh my, thinking about it like this... maybe divorce and raising the child alone is better!"
"You're thinking too far ahead. The key issue now isn't what you're imagining. The key is whether our daughter has truly decided to make a complete break. If she compromises and goes back within a few days, we'll be caught in the middle." Liu Zeguo continued to mutter, his brow furrowed with worry.
"How would I know? I'm not inside her head..." Huang Pinjuan also couldn't make any guarantees at this point.
"Forget it, let's see how it unfolds. We can only take it one step at a time. We still have some savings, and we'll have pensions after retirement, so we don't have to worry about running out of money or someone not taking care of us. If she ultimately compromises, then it's her own choice. If she's not clear-headed and we help too much, it'll be useless. So, then we'll use our savings to buy her retirement insurance. If she doesn't compromise, whether Zhou Junyu compromises or they divorce, we'll help our daughter more. At least she shouldn't become a full-time housewife. If necessary, we'll pay for someone to help take care of the child. It'll only be for two or three years. After two or three years, we'll be retired and have the energy to help."
After much deliberation, Liu Zeguo finally formulated a contingency plan for the two possible outcomes. If his daughter compromised, they would try to prepare a fallback for their less astute and less resolute daughter, at least ensuring she had a pension. If the other party compromised or they divorced, they would ensure their daughter continued to work normally and did not become a housewife. This was because, often, contributions to the family were not recognized by others. When every penny had to be asked for, one would inevitably be in a subordinate position in many aspects.
"You're still thinking things through so thoroughly..."