Zhang Yuxi stopped Zhou Cuilan. "Mom, just keep wearing it. It looks really nice."

The sales assistant immediately caught on and said quickly, "Then I'll go issue the invoice."

Zhang Yuxi smiled. "I'll take the pair of earrings I chose earlier as well."

"Alright."

Zhang Yuxi then helped Zhou Cuilan put on the pearl earrings.

"This... tens of thousands gone just like that," Zhou Cuilan murmured. "You had to spend so much again..."

She truly felt the pinch, but it was also true that she loved the pearl necklace and earrings. Zhang Yuxi had brought her here and bustled about, picking things out just for her. This was all her daughter-in-law's kindness; how could she have the heart to refuse?

Zhang Yuxi, however, thought it was nothing. "Mom, Lin Feng and I live out of town, so we can't always be by your side. These are just material possessions. Money we spend can always be earned back."

She was lucky to have a mother-in-law like Zhou Cuilan, who treated her like her own daughter. With Lin Feng doting on her so much, it was only natural to love everything and everyone associated with him. Hearing this, Zhou Cuilan felt a mix of complicated emotions, but was mostly just deeply moved.

Seeing this, the Third Aunt was practically green with envy. They're both daughters-in-law, so why is the difference so vast? My own daughter-in-law? Forget about her buying me anything. I'm lucky if she doesn't ask *me* for money.

The Third Aunt had originally been distressed about the cost, but witnessing this scene, she gritted her teeth. Buy it! If no one is going to buy things for me, I'll just buy them for myself!

Zhou Cuilan walked over, asking with a triumphant expression, "So, how do I look?"

Everyone praised her, saying she looked beautiful.

Just then, Lin Jiajun called. He and Wang Lu were back from her parents' home. They had plans to have dinner with friends that evening, meaning Little Wen needed someone to look after him. To put it plainly, they were telling the Third Aunt to go home and babysit.

The Third Aunt's dissatisfaction instantly flared into anger. "I'm not free!" she snapped.

"What's wrong?" Lin Daan asked, looking at his wife.

The Third Aunt just pursed her lips. "Nothing."

They shopped for a little while longer. Though her sharp retort offered a moment of satisfaction, the Third Aunt was still fretting over her little grandson. "You all have fun," she said finally. "I'm heading back."

Lin Daan saw it was about time. "We'll head back first, then. Don't forget about the family reunion dinner tomorrow night."

Lin Dashan and the others nodded.

After the Third Aunt and her husband left, Lin Feng asked, "Should we eat out or go back home for dinner?"

Zhou Cuilan thought about all the money they had spent that day. A meal out would cost several hundred, wouldn't it?

She suggested, "Let's just eat at home. It's too crowded outside anyway."

And so, the group made their way home.

「On the other side」

The Third Aunt grew more and more upset as they walked, and she began to complain. "You tell me, they are both daughters-in-law, so why is the gap between them so huge? Forget about whether she has money or not. In all these years, has she ever bought anything for me, her mother-in-law? The last time she bought me anything was a single piece of clothing when Little Wen turned one. That was over a year ago! The gift itself is secondary; it's the thought that counts! All day long, she only thinks about her own parents. Where does that leave us? Am I not good enough to them? She's already two months pregnant, and all she does is run around all day. She doesn't come home, dumps the child on me, and now she says she's going out with friends? Does she even remember she's pregnant?"

Lin Daan frowned. "She certainly has her faults, but it's not that bad. You shouldn't compare."

His wife couldn't help but sneer. "Do you know how much Zhang Yuxi spent on her mother-in-law?" she challenged.

Lin Daan took the bait. "How much?"

"Three outfits came out to around fifty to sixty thousand. And that pearl necklace was twenty-five thousand, with the earrings another twelve thousand. That's almost a hundred thousand in total! And that's not even mentioning the two outfits she bought for Fourth Brother!" She sneered again. "See that? That's what other people's daughters-in-law are like! You told me not to compare? Fine... How much has *our* daughter-in-law spent on you, her father-in-law? Has she ever bought you a single thing?"

The question hit home. Lin Daan also felt a sour twist in his gut. Comparing Lin Feng and his wife to his own son and daughter-in-law... The frustration was suffocating.

When they got home, they received a call from Lin Dashan.

"Brother, are you home?"

"We just got back. You?"

"We've been home for a while. Lin Feng is cooking dinner right now."

Lin Daan's eyebrow shot up. "Lin Feng is cooking? That boy is a good kid!"

After hanging up, Lin Daan opened the door to see his son and daughter-in-law spring up from the sofa, looking impatient.

"Mom, Dad, what took you so long?" Lin Jiajun complained while urging his wife, "My friends have been waiting for almost half an hour. Let's go, let's go!"

Watching their son and daughter-in-law hurry away, the couple fell into a heavy silence. Look at the other family. Their son cooks. Their daughter-in-law is filial. Even with quadruplets, they don't ask for help; the young couple handles it all themselves. Not only do they raise their children, but they're also starting a business to earn money. And then look at us. We're retired, but we're still looking after our one grandson, even using our pensions to help with their expenses. Our son and daughter-in-law don't even come close. They're not just a few steps behind; they've been completely left in the dust.

Lin Daan sank onto the sofa and let out a long sigh. After a long moment, he finally made up his mind. "After the New Year, we're having them move out."

The Third Aunt was startled. "Move out? Where would they live?"

Lin Daan's face was stern. "They can live in the old family house."

The Third Aunt grew anxious. "But our daughter-in-law is pregnant!"

Lin Daan retorted, "They're managing four babies. Are you telling me our son and his wife can't handle two children?"

"This... How can you compare them?" the Third Aunt sputtered.

Lin Daan almost laughed out of sheer frustration. "Fine. You said it yourself. So from now on, don't you dare compare our family to Fourth Brother's family."

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