That night, Qin Na stayed in Xiao Shi’s small room, so Xiao Shi came over to share a room with Qin Jiao. Downstairs, before Qin Zhonghui and his wife went to sleep, they turned off the lights and chatted.

Qin Zhonghui was a bit worried. "Supporting Xiao Na’s divorce like this... I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do."

"Either way, she’s the one who wants the divorce," Su Yun said. "It’s just that without anyone’s support, she doesn’t know what path to take."

"But Mom and Dad probably won’t be happy. They’ll think we put her up to it."

Su Yun sneered. "Of course they wouldn’t want Xiao Na to divorce. They think it’s a huge embarrassment. The fact that Xiao Na can’t have children is already a disgrace to them. The two villages are so close, they don’t even like her coming home to visit. If she actually gets divorced now, I can just imagine the look on your dad’s face."

Qin Zhonghui let out a helpless sigh.

"Don’t be upset that I’m putting it this way," Su Yun said. "But forget everything else, just the fact that Xiao Na’s husband hits her—as her brother, aren’t you worried? This time it’s a bruised and swollen face. What if he pulls a knife next time? What if something serious happens? I think Xiao Jiao is right: when a man hits his wife, it’s either zero times or countless times."

"Yeah, I know. That’s why I support her divorce, too."

"Then that settles it. Don’t worry about what your parents think. They only care about their own pride."

And so, Qin Na settled in at her second brother’s home. Though she had a soft personality, she was also diligent. When she got up in the morning and saw her second brother and sister-in-law busy making steamed buns, she joined in to help. However, because of the injuries on her face, she couldn’t go out and help them sell for the time being.

"Xiao Na, after your divorce, why don’t you stay with us for a while and help us sell breakfast?" Su Yun suggested. "Some of our regulars have been asking for Yangzi cakes and tofu pudding, so this is a good chance to add more variety. We could also sell some savory pies and fried dough sticks."

Qin Na was now filled with hope for her new life. She nodded emphatically. "Okay. I’ll get the divorce sorted out. But I still want to go to that night school Xiao Jiao mentioned. I want to learn something." She gave a shy smile.

"Learning something is a great idea!" Su Yun said. "If you don’t have the money for tuition, I’ll lend it to you!"

"Thank you, Second Sister-in-law!"

In truth, of her three sisters-in-law, Qin Na liked this second one the best. She was warm, efficient, and incredibly kindhearted.

She was usually able to speak more freely with her second sister-in-law and didn’t have to be on guard.

Her eldest sister-in-law wasn’t a bad person, but Qin Na always felt that she looked down on their family, creating a sense of distance. In her eldest sister-in-law’s presence, Qin Na didn’t dare say a single unnecessary word.

Qin Na was even a little afraid of her eldest sister-in-law. Around her, she felt deeply insecure.

As for her third sister-in-law, it was best not to even mention her. That woman’s sharp tongue never yielded, even when she was in the right. Qin Na had suffered at her hands more than a few times.

Then she remembered—her current husband was supposedly a relative of her third sister-in-law’s family.

The day before yesterday, she had gone back to her hometown to tell her parents about the divorce. Before they could even say a word, her third sister-in-law had jumped in, scolding Qin Na for not appreciating her good life. "He doesn’t even mind that you can’t have children," she’d said, "and you still have the nerve to ask for a divorce?"

In any case, the things she said were all very harsh.

Meanwhile, Qin Zhonghui and Su Yun finished packing the breakfast cart and headed out. Since it was Sunday, Qin Jiao had the day off. She thought for a moment, then said to her aunt, "Auntie, Eldest Uncle’s family is coming for dinner tonight. When they’re here, make yourself look as miserable as possible. Tell them how that man usually hits you. Oh, and pinch yourself to create a few more bruises."

Qin Na was bewildered. "Huh? I should pinch myself?"