When Mother Qiao saw Han Xuehan, not only did she feel guilty, but she even glared at her and spoke in a commanding tone. "What are you looking at like a dumb bitch? Go ahead and bring some snacks for Xiao Ai." A few days ago, Mother Qiao was indeed worried about Han Xuehan’s father coming to see her, but then she was brainwashed by her daughter, who told her that a married daughter was like spilt water. If Han Xuehan’s father cared for her, then why would he wait for so many years to contact her? She told her that there was nothing to worry about.

At most, Han Xuehan’s father would admonish them a little. Other than that, there was nothing he could do. It wasn’t as if he would take his married daughter away.

Mother Qiao also agreed with her daughter. Indeed, what could Father Han do? Han Xuehan was her daughter-in-law, so what if she was not treated well? After a woman got married, her life and death were decided by her in-laws. Even if she killed Han Xuehan, there was nothing that Han Yichen could say to her. After all, Han Xuehan was not a good wife. Look at her; it had been so many years, and yet this woman couldn’t give birth to one child.

Mother Qiao worked together with her son; the two of them were used to trafficking women and children; thus, her mentality had long been distorted. Even though she was no longer living in the feudal era, her thinking was still the same. Not only she, but the entire Qiao family was also the same. Even Qiao Tingyan, Han Xuehan’s husband, did not think that there was anything wrong with what his mother was doing to Han Xuehan. In fact, he believed that compared to those women who were sold off, Han Xuehan was living a much better life.

Qiao Tingyan glanced at Han Xuehan; however, he did not say anything, nor did he look guilty of bringing Xiao Ai into his house. In his mind, Xiao Ai was the wife of his neighbour, and they hadn’t done anything that made him lower his head in front of Han Xuehan. So, he calmly took a sip of his tea and frowned. He then said to Han Xuehan, "Boil the tea again; this one doesn’t taste good." As he finished speaking, he placed the tea cup on the stone table so harshly that it made a little cracking sound.

Han Xuehan looked at the sloshing tea in the cup and clenched her fists. She was furious, but she did not lose her temper; she understood one thing very well. No one would accommodate her bad temper even if she were to lose control. Her mother-in-law was selfish and self-centred. Her husband was the same; he had learnt all the bad habits that his mother had ingrained in his mind and acted like a little king in his house, even though all his fortune comprised nothing but a few plots of barren land.

Inhaling sharply, Han Xuehan walked to the kitchen and then started to boil the tea again. Just as she was about to pour the tea that had finished boiling, she heard Xiao Ai’s voice. "Sister, can you please boil some tea for me as well? The snacks are too dry, and I cannot eat them without something to moisten my throat." Though she spoke in a considerate voice, if one were to look into her eyes, then they would be able to see the calculating sneer.

The woman was actually filled with a grim satisfaction when she thought about how Han Xuehan, the legal wife, had to bow her head in front of her. Unlike Qiao Tingyan, who had no idea what was going on in his mother’s mind, Xiao Ai knew very well what that woman was thinking. After all, a woman understood a woman best. Xiao Ai naturally agreed with the old woman; after all, she was more or less like a widow.

Before getting married, she relied on her parents, and after getting married, she relied on her husband. But once her husband was sent to prison, Xiao Ai had no support system. Even though Qiao Tingyan was poor and had little to no money, he was still someone with a roof above his head. And as long as she gave birth to a big, fat son for him, she could always have meat to eat.

As for Han Xuehan, she did not take her seriously. The old woman from the Qiao family had told her overtly and covetly that Han Xuehan was more like a servant than a wife. Because of this very reason, Xiao Ai was even more confident. So what if the woman was the legal wife? As long as she was not taken seriously by her own mother-in-law and husband, she was nothing.

In her eyes, Han Xuehan was just a little servant; at most, she would just give the water after washing the pot once she became a member of the Qiao family. Anyway, Han Xuehan could blame no one but herself. Who asked her family to be so careless?

After hearing Xiao Ai’s request, not only did Old Madam Qiao not blame her, but she also turned and glared at the kitchen with a hint of anger in her eyes. "What kind of snacks do you buy? Bring out something nice for Xiao Ai."

Han Xuehan placed her hands on the countertop of the kitchen and took several breaths before calming herself down. She was disgusted by the Qiao family, and now Xiao Ai came to disgust her even more. However, Han Xuehan was still worried about the beatings that she had received from her husband and did not want to get involved in another beating.

So she quickly washed another cup and then poured the tea into the tea cup before serving it to Xiao Ai along with the snacks. Just a bit more; she needed to just wait a bit more; her father promised her that he would come to see her very soon. As long as she waited long enough, her father would definitely help her.

Maybe her thoughts were visible on her face, because Old Madam Qiao suddenly turned dissatisfied and threw the tea in her cup on her face.