Chapter 2 — My Mother-in-Law Tore Up My Application

You also know that touching it is forbidden?

He shrugged: Naturally I know. I am not stupid.

Very good. This sentence was clearly captured by the camera. Before standing up to return to my room, I deliberately glanced at the cabinet. Sure enough, Jade Fortune was staring straight at me. I said slowly: Tomorrow I go to work. No one is allowed to touch the things inside the cabinet.

Her face darkened: Rest assured, I do not care for them!

I closed the bedroom door. On my phone, the surveillance monitor was glowing brightly. I knew very well that she cared for them immensely. At ten o'clock the next morning, through the camera, Jade Fortune opened the cabinet door. At first, she pretended to wipe the surface of the cabinet. Then she took out that kraft paper bag, turning it over to examine it. Because I had placed it with the front side facing down, she could only see the sealed opening. She muttered to herself: Not allowed to touch, indeed. I will look at it anyway, let us see what you can do.

She picked up a pair of scissors and cut straight across the red sealing strip of the file bag. Jade Fortune did not rush to inspect the contents. First, she took a picture of the torn opening with her phone and sent it to the family group chat.

Oh, mother originally only wanted to help Clean Harmony tidy up the cabinet and accidentally caused it to come undone. You children should hurry back and persuade her; this child has a fiery temper, do not let her do anything drastic like seeking death.

Sitting at my workplace, I looked at that message and almost laughed out loud. A cat crying over a dead mouse, figning compassion to the bitter end. Very quickly, Yan's phone call came through.

Clean Harmony, do not get agitated. Just now, mother was tidying things up and accidentally opened that bag of yours. She is already afraid that she ruined it, so when you get back, do not scold her.

He sighed, his tone resembling someone coaxing an unreasonable child. I said nothing. Assuming I was furious to the point of speechlessness, he continued to advise me: If it really was affected, it is not as though there is no other way. At worst, you can retake the exam next year; you are still young.

At the same time, Tree Family also appeared in the group chat.

Sister-in-law, let it go. Mother did not mean it. It is just a bag, do not make a huge uproar at home.

Jade Fortune sent another voice message, her crying modulated with practiced precision.

Clean Harmony, mother truly did not mean it. I am uncultured and did not know that your sealing strips were so precious. Should I kneel before you? Please do not blame me.

She wept miserably and with great emotion. Had I not already died once in a past life, I might almost have been moved by her act. I requested leave and returned home. As soon as I stepped through the door, the living room was fully occupied and sitting in grim silence. Jade Fortune's eyes were red and swollen, a tissue clutched in her hand. Yan stood beside her like a bodyguard protecting some rare treasure. Tree Family had also returned, lounging against the sofa with an expression that clearly said, sister-in-law, do not fail to appreciate favors. On the coffee table, the mouth of the bag had been torn open. The documents had not yet been completely pulled out. Upon seeing me enter, Jade Fortune immediately stood up.

Clean Harmony, I am sorry. I truly did not expect things to turn out like this.

With that, she made as if to buckle at the knees. Yan hurriedly supported her, turning around to glare at me: You see that mother is already like this, what more do you want?

Tree Family also sighed: Sister-in-law, the road of life is still long. If this year does not work out, you can try again next year. Do not drive mother to fall ill just because of an exam.

Looking at them, I suddenly found the scene quite amusing. In my past life, I had knelt and begged them not to utter such sarcastic remarks. No one listened. This time, the person kneeling had changed to Jade Fortune. Unfortunately, she had knelt before the wrong person. Calmly, I walked over to the coffee table and picked up the opened bag. Jade Fortune was still clutching her chest and acting out her performance: Clean Harmony, I truly did not know...

I smiled, slowly turned the bag over, and pulled out the document bearing a name on the inside: What is everyone talking about? My documents were already sent away.

This is Tree Family's dossier.

Jade Fortune's crying stuck in her throat, sounding precisely like a chicken suddenly grabbed by the neck. Tree Family lunged forward and snatched the bag away, his hands trembling. Mother! Why did you open my things?

Jade Fortune's face turned pale as chalk, though she stubbornly tried to defend herself: I... I did not know it was yours! I thought it belonged to her!

As soon as those words left her mouth, Yan's expression shifted as well. I raised an eyebrow: So if you thought it belonged to me, you were free to open it?

Jade Fortune opened her mouth, unable to utter a single syllable for a long time. Tree Family had no leisure to care about such details; he pulled the documents out and flipped through them with mounting panic. When he reached a certain sheet of paper, his fingers visibly froze. With my sharp eyes, I caught sight of the words printed at the top. A statement regarding disciplinary actions at school. So that was how it was. No wonder he had been so enthusiastic about mocking me in our past life. It turned out his own tail was hardly clean either. Yan lowered his voice: Tree Family, what is wrong?

Tree Family tucked that sheet of paper behind the others. It is nothing.

Yet the sweat beading on his face completely betrayed him. Jade Fortune finally recovered her wits and began crying all over again. Tree Family, mother did not mean it, mother truly did not mean it! If I had known it was yours, I would not have touched it even if it meant being beaten to death!

I smiled. Mother, look at that, it is not as though you do not understand completely after all.

She glared at me viciously: Promise Clean Harmony, you caused this! You knew clearly that this belonged to Tree Family, and you said nothing!

Why should I have spoken?

I seated myself on the sofa, my voice entirely composed.