A sleepless night.

I stayed up all night and made a list of my personal belongings and dowry, then handed it to my maid, Qingluan.

"Madam, have you made up your mind?"

Qingluan asked with a worried frown.

"Yes, I have. The five guards at the outer gate are also our people, all of them highly skilled in martial arts. Take them with you to the storeroom and move everything. If anyone dares to stop you, you can use force."

Before I could finish, the old maid in Gu's mother's room aggressively knocked on my door.

"Madam, why are you so lazy today? The old lady is still waiting for you to attend to her illness..."

I sneered.

My mother-in-law, who comes from a noble family and has an empty head, usually enjoys oppressing her daughters-in-law. She even requires her daughters-in-law to feed her meals and medicine by hand. She particularly dislikes me, a lowly merchant's daughter.

Even with the gratitude for saving her from drowning before, her attitude towards me has only improved slightly.

Why is that?

Of course, she fears that I will become arrogant and take advantage of her kindness.

But now that I'm leaving, why bother with her?

I leisurely drank a bowl of bird's nest porridge and changed into my favorite red dress before strolling towards my mother-in-law's courtyard.

When I pushed open the door, I saw that my mother-in-law's face was as black as charcoal, and my second sister-in-law standing beside her cast me a pleading look.

"A Yue, do you still remember your mother-in-law? It's already this late, and I haven't taken my morning medicine yet!"

"Ah?"

I raised an eyebrow, looking surprised.

"Mother, your daughter-in-law is frightened. May I ask, am I your spoon or your mouth? Is it because your daughter-in-law is absent that you can't swallow your medicine?"

"You, you, you... have really become clever!"

Perhaps she didn't expect me to counterattack like this. My mother-in-law's face turned red and then purple as she said angrily.

"I know you feel uncomfortable with the person Alin brought back, but our Gu family cannot end here! Whether you want to keep this woman or not, she must stay!"

I chuckled lightly and shrugged indifferently.

"Mother-in-law, rest assured, I have already handed the divorce letter to Gu Lin. I have also settled my personal belongings. In two days, your daughter-in-law will move out, so please cooperate."

"Cooperate? Cooperate with what?"

"Specifically, your daughter-in-law will take away all her things. Now, please take off the outer skirt you're wearing."

That skirt was made from the shimmering brocade in my dowry when I first got married. It took me over two months to make, all just to see my mother-in-law smile. But all I got in return was her sarcastic remark of "The merchant's daughter is skilled at crafts."

Now it's time to take it back.

"This is outrageous! Someone, call, call Lin'er back and tell call Lin'er back and tell him that his good wife is about to be angered to death by his mother-in-law!"

My mother-in-law was so angry that she couldn't speak properly, although I didn't know why.

"Mother-in-law, it's useless to call anyone. If you don't return my things, I will go to the yamen tomorrow and beat the drum of injustice, accusing Gu Lin of favoring his concubine and mistreating his wife. I will also expose his affair with a woman from the Flower Pavilion who is now pregnant. Not only is he withholding his wife's personal belongings, but he even wants to withhold a piece of clothing. The reputation of the Gu family will be completely ruined..."

Thus, amid a chorus of crying and cursing, I successfully obtained the clothes from Gu's mother and tore them to shreds right in front of her.

After releasing most of my pent-up frustration, I leisurely returned home. However, halfway there, someone grabbed my wrist.

I turned my head and was surprised to see it was my usually quiet and obedient second sister-in-law, Xu Qingwan.

"Sister-in-law,"

She leaned closer tome, her voice barely audible.

"Please take me with you."

I was taken aback by her sudden request. Xu Qingwan had always been timid and submissive, never standing up for herself. She was often overshadowed by her domineering mother and her scheming elder sister-in-law. I had never expected her to make such a bold move.

"Qingwan, why do you want to come with me?" I asked, genuinely curious.

She took a deep breath and looked up at me with determination in her eyes.

"Sister-in-law, I've watched how you handle yourself in this household. You're strong, independent, and unyielding. I want to learn from you, to be free from the oppression and control of my family. Please, take me away from here."

Her plea touched my heart. I knew all too well the feeling of being trapped and suffocated in this household.

"Qingwan, I can't promise you an easy life outside. It will be challenging, and we may face hardships. Are you prepared for that?"

She nodded, her eyes filled with determination.

"I understand, sister-in-law. I'd rather face difficulties and uncertainty than continue living in this suffocating environment. I want to see the world and find my own path."

I smiled at her, feeling a sense of camaraderie.

"Very well, Qingwan. If you're determined, I won't stop you. Pack your things and meet me at the back gate tonight. We'll leave together."

Her face lit up with gratitude and relief.

"Thank you, sister-in-law. I won't let you down."

We parted ways, each of us preparing for our escape from the confines of the Gu household.

That night, under the cover of darkness, Qingwan and I slipped out of the back gate, leaving behind a life of oppression and misery.

As we walked away, I couldn't help but feel a surge of exhilaration and hope. We were stepping into the unknown, but we were free to shape our own destinies.

The road ahead would be challenging, but together, we would face whatever came our way.