Chen Lishu: "Based on your description of that woman, I've come up with two ways to deal with her. The first is to stay calm. That woman is skilled at playing the victim and has a two-faced nature. Regardless of whether my second brother is interested in her or not, whenever you encounter her again, you must handle it calmly and not get angry or lash out. Otherwise, you'll fall right into her trap."
Liu Yuemin said anxiously, "Third sister-in-law, you don't know how that vixen acts so flirtatiously. I want to scratch her face off when I see her. How can I possibly remain calm?"
Chen Lishu: "Even if you can't remain calm, you must. Haven't you suffered enough? My second brother never laid a hand on you before, right? But what about now?"
Liu Yuemin fell silent.
"The second point is to fight fire with fire, to walk her path and leave her with no path to tread."
"Third sister-in-law, please explain more clearly. What exactly do you mean? Are you suggesting I should imitate that woman? You have no idea, that woman's voice is like she has chicken feathers stuck in her throat. She can't even lift a fruit crate, and she's always dressed up to the nines. Why didn't I see what kind of person she was before? Otherwise, I would have stayed far away from her long ago."
Seeing her drifting further off topic, Chen Lishu quickly interrupted her.
"Most men like gentle and understanding women. Even if you can't stand her, the fact is that my second brother really falls for that act, doesn't he?"
Liu Yuemin fell silent again and began to ponder Chen Lishu's words carefully.
When Gu Xingmin arrived, Liu Yuemin and Chen Lishu were still talking in the room. Li Xiulan and Gu Xingdong had already told him everything outside.
Gu Xingmin merely nodded, saying he understood. As for how much he truly absorbed, perhaps only he knew.
The two women in the bedroom heard the noise. Chen Lishu said a few words to Liu Yuemin and then got up to go out.
Seeing Gu Xingmin standing in the living room, she smiled and greeted him, "Second brother, you're here?"
Gu Xingmin replied, "Yes. Um, third sister-in-law, is your second sister-in-law in the room? Could you go and call her out? It's so late, and the three children at home are crying for their mother."
Chen Lishu: "Second brother, you didn't say you'd come earlier. Second sister-in-law has already gone to bed. Linlin and the others aren't little children anymore. Why don't you take care of the three children for the night, second brother? It's not good if second sister-in-law catches a cold from going out after being woken up."
Gu Xingmin seemed stunned by her words. He turned to look at his third brother, Gu Xingdong, but he was focused on his own business, and his mother, Li Xiulan, didn't speak up to help him. After hesitating, he said, "Alright then. I'll be going back. Third sister-in-law, don't forget to remind your second sister-in-law that the shop can't do without her and she needs to go in early tomorrow."
After watching Gu Xingmin leave, Chen Lishu and Gu Xingdong, after bidding farewell to Li Xiulan, went upstairs together.
"How was it, Advisor Chen? Did you finish your strategizing? Can this marriage defense battle be won?" As soon as they entered the bedroom, Gu Xingdong put his arm around her shoulder and teased.
"What defense battle? This is a demolition war. We resolutely crack down on any third party who dares to interfere in someone else's family and has no moral bottom line. Whichever foot she dares to extend, I'll chop off that leg."
Gu Xingdong, seeing her indignant expression, couldn't help but say, "It's not me who made a mistake, so why do you seem more angry than second sister-in-law?"
Chen Lishu turned her head and gave him a meaningful look.
Gu Xingdong felt a prickle on his scalp, "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Chen Lishu snorted, "I'm not second sister-in-law. I'm very generous. If you really do anything that makes me unhappy, I'll just grant you your wish. The moment you get together with that woman, I'll find someone younger and more handsome, and let your children call someone else 'father'."
Gu Xingdong's eyes widened, "You dare!"
"What don't I dare? There are thousands of men in the world. If it doesn't work out, we can switch."
Seeing his increasingly dark expression, Chen Lishu raised her hands, cupped his cheeks, and said with a coaxing smile, "Don't be anxious. I'm saying all this with a premise."
Gu Xingdong suddenly lowered his head and pecked her cheek, "That premise will never happen."
...
The next day, Liu Yuemin had breakfast at home before heading to the department store.
When she arrived, the shop was open. Gu Xingye was sitting by the cash register, chatting and laughing with someone next to him.
"It was my fault yesterday for upsetting sister-in-law again, but I didn't expect her to not even come home last night. This is lunch I brought from home. You should eat it first. Not eating breakfast can easily lead to stomach problems."
Gu Xingmin looked at the lunchbox pushed in front of him, feeling a bit embarrassed. "The children and I had a simple breakfast. Besides, if you give me the food, what will you eat for lunch?"
"It's okay for me. Breakfast is the most important. Quickly open it and taste my cooking. It's probably no match for sister-in-law's."
Liu Yuemin looked at the woman's cutesy demeanor and wanted to pounce on her and scratch her face. But remembering Chen Lishu's instructions, she could only try to suppress the anger within her.
"Xingmin." Liu Yuemin, imitating the woman's style, quickly forced a smile onto her face, pretending as if she had just seen her. "Yang Mei is here too? I was in a bad mood yesterday, so I argued with you. You won't blame me, will you?"
Yang Mei looked at Liu Yuemin, who seemed completely unfazed. The words she should have said were spoken by the other woman, leaving her momentarily unsure of what to say.
"Sister-in-law, I was wrong yesterday too."
Liu Yuemin opened her eyes curiously, "Oh? Then tell me, what exactly were you wrong about?"
The woman was speechless.
Liu Yuemin placed the lunchbox she was carrying in front of Gu Xingmin. "Mom made dumplings this morning. I figured you wouldn't have eaten properly while taking care of the three children alone, so I specifically asked Mom to bring a box for you too, fearing your stomach."
Gu Xingmin, upon hearing it was dumplings, quickly took it and opened the lid. "Wife, you really understand me. I knew you knew I loved dumplings."
Liu Yuemin smiled, "We've been married for so long, how could I not know what you like to eat? It's celery and pork. Eat it while it's hot."
Watching the couple chatting happily, completely ignoring her, Yang Mei gritted her teeth in anger.
But not wanting to show anything, she silently picked up her own lunchbox and said with a dejected look, "Brother Gu, Sister-in-law, I'll be going back now."
Seeing her frustrated, Liu Yuemin was overjoyed, thinking how prescient Chen Lishu was to have guessed that this woman might try to be attentive. It was simply incredible.
Watching Yang Mei's retreating back, Liu Yuemin quickly chased after her. Her voice, neither too loud nor too soft, but just loud enough for the surrounding shops to hear, said, "Yang Mei, thank you this time. Knowing I wasn't home, you still thought of bringing food for my Xingmin."
People in the surrounding shops immediately cast strange glances at the woman.