After my husband died, his twin brother's personality suddenly changed drastically. The originally silent and steady man suddenly became sunny and loved joking. He used to treat his beautiful sister-in-law like an old married couple, but recently swept away his reserve, lights in her room staying on all night. During the day, he shamelessly held hands and hugged her waist in front of people. Until that night, he groggily entered the wrong room after using the bathroom and climbed into my bed. Suddenly approached by a familiar body, I finally saw through him. I knelt and begged him to come home, but he protected the charming sister-in-law, flinging me away coldly: "Sister-in-law, the dead cannot come back to life, stop being crazy!" Afraid I would make a scene, he pushed me into the icy river to freeze to death, and my five-year-old daughter was chained to a dog house and starved to death. Opening my eyes again, I returned to the day of his "funeral." This time, I didn't expose him. I cried and cooperated, "It's hot, cremate him quickly, don't delay." While he was busy destroying the evidence, I went straight to the police station and completely canceled the identity of "Luke"! Holding the urn, I went to collect the huge pension with a smile. Chapter 1 "Sister-in-law, my condolences... the dead cannot come back to life..." My husband Luke, with red eyes, looked at me with a face full of grief, mimicking his older brother's tone. Looking at the man's corpse covered by a white cloth, I cooperated with a scream, threw myself on it, and cried hoarsely: "How could you leave like this!" My mother-in-law Brenda walked over, pulled me, and muttered: "Lily, stop crying. Luke is gone, but Liam is back. Our family still has a backbone." I acted as if I had a "sudden realization," wiped my tears, and choked: "Brother, from now on, this family depends on you." Luke looked at me with complex eyes, "Sister-in-law, don't worry. With me here, I won't let you and your daughter suffer." As he spoke, his eyes involuntarily glanced at the door of the inner room. There, my sister-in-law Scarlett was leaning against the door frame, wearing a fashionable red dress that set off her fair skin and beauty, her figure bursting out. She looked at Luke with hooks in her eyes, a faint smile of triumph on her lips. In the 80s, the tycoon Liam was a legend in the area, and his beautiful wife Scarlett was the dream of men in the dead of night. Luke had been drooling over her for a long time. I cried for a while, wiped my dry tears, and said to Luke: "It's hot, the body can't be kept for long. You hurry to contact the crematorium, let him go with dignity, don't delay." Hearing this, Luke looked relieved, nodding immediately: "Sister-in-law is right! I'll do it right away!" Luke couldn't wait to send that corpse to the van. He was more anxious than anyone to destroy the evidence. In my past life, my husband Luke swapped identities, using his brother Liam's corpse to fake his death, and openly got together with Scarlett. My mother-in-law also called me a jinx who killed her son and made me serve Scarlett during her postpartum confinement. Their family conspired to make me work like a horse. But I realized he wasn't dead, knelt and cried begging him to come home, asking why he impersonated his brother. He protected the charming Scarlett, said I was crazy and talking nonsense, and pushed me, who couldn't swim, into the icy river. My five-year-old daughter cried asking why daddy didn't want her, but was chained to a dog house and starved for seven days and nights. Our orphan and widow duo, one froze to death, one starved to death. Reborn, I would rather be a widow than want this dog of a man. I thought coldly: Luke, since you want to be Liam so much, want to fly with Scarlett so much, fine, I'll fulfill your wish. You just be Liam for the rest of your life! Luke moved fast, coming back with an urn in less than half a day. A simple mourning hall had been set up at home according to custom. On the black and white photo was Luke's smiling face. Heh, Luke is really something, burying "himself" personally. Neighbors came to offer condolences, sighing that a glorious tycoon turned into a pile of ash just like that. I looked pale and haggard, having lost a lot of weight. In the eyes of outsiders, I really looked like a widow who lost her husband and was heartbroken. Luke, no, should call him "Liam" now. He put his arm around Scarlett's waist, walked up to me, and said in the tone of an older brother-in-law: "Sister-in-law, Scarlett is weak, can't stand the smell of incense, and is afraid of bad luck. She doesn't need to keep vigil." He helped Scarlett sit on a chair nearby, his face full of feigned grief and unconcealable tenderness. I was too lazy to look at their disgusting faces, but Scarlett took the initiative to speak. Her seductive peach blossom eyes glanced at me sideways, tone full of charity: "Lily, now that Luke is gone, you a woman with a sick child, will have many places to beg our Liam in the future. You can't take advantage for free, right?" Her greed was undisguised. "Liam" immediately echoed: "Yes, Sister-in-law, I remember Luke said before that you have a thousand dollars of private money given by your family? Why not take it out first to buy a VCD player for Scarlett to relieve her boredom at home." "You are a sister-in-law, and a widow with an orphan, what do you need so much money for? If Scarlett is in a good mood, she can take care of you two in the future." I looked up sharply, bloodshot eyes staring dead at him. A thousand dollars! That was the last bit of savings my mom desperately saved for me before she died, and it was the life-saving money I prepared to take Lola to the city to treat her asthma! How dare he! "Liam" felt a bit guilty under my gaze, but still stiffened his neck and said righteously: "What are you looking at? This is what Luke promised me before he died, saying he would pool money to buy me a motorcycle. Now that he's gone, you have to take this money out, right? Besides, Scarlett suffered so much with my brother, now that my brother is gone, I as a younger brother can't compensate my sister-in-law for him?" In his panic, he even forgot his current identity, sometimes Liam, sometimes Luke. The neighbors were confused, but all felt it was unseemly for an older brother-in-law to ask a newly widowed sister-in-law for money. I was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly covered my face and wailed. "No money! Not a penny left! Luke's money was long spent by himself on eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling! Even my dowry was secretly pawned by him! I don't even have money to buy medicine for Lola now!" "Liam" was anxious and blurted out: "Impossible! You clearly still have a thousand! That passbook is in..." He stopped abruptly halfway, his face turning extremely ugly. I seized this slip of the tongue, crying even harder, pointing at him and accusing: "Brother-in-law! My husband just died, his bones are not yet cold, and instead of guarding the mourning hall, you run to force a widow for her private money! Are you trying to drive us mother and daughter to death?!" This was naturally false. Although Luke was a jerk, he hadn't reached the point of whoring and gambling. But now, dead men tell no tales, he couldn't refute at all. The neighbors looked at me with sympathy and began to persuade "Liam" to be more tolerant as a man. "Liam, your sister-in-law isn't having it easy." "Yeah, she'll need your care in the future." "You are a tycoon, what do you need that $1000 for!" "Liam's" face turned green and white, too angry to speak. Chapter 2 I sneered, turned and rushed into the room, carried out all of Luke's things—his work clothes, our wedding photos... all of them. "Luke left these useless things! I'll burn them for him in front of everyone now, saving some people from thinking about them!" I dragged over the fire basin for burning paper money, threw them in without looking! Flames whoosh shot up. "Lily, what are you doing!" "Liam" subconsciously wanted to rush over to stop me, but stopped abruptly after taking a step, face black as a pot bottom. He is "Liam" now, what right does he have to stop a "sister-in-law" from burning her "late husband's" belongings? I picked up our wedding photo. In the photo, he smiled brightly, and I was full of happiness. I stared at the photo for a few seconds, then decisively threw it into the fire basin. The glass of the frame cracked in the heat, making a "crackling" sound. "Liam" finally couldn't hold back, he rushed over, voice trembling: "Sister-in-law! These are the memories Luke left for you! What do you mean by burning them all?" I raised my tearful eyes, voice choking and shrill: "The person is gone, what's the use of keeping these dead things?!" "Moreover, you all force me! My man just left, and you come to ask for money! You can't wait to skin us orphans and widows!" I cried bitterly, heartbroken. Everyone around was moved, looking at "Liam" and Scarlett differently. "Liam's" face was iron green, fists clenched, but could only watch helplessly as I burned every trace of his existence in this world, bit by bit, into ashes. Back in the room, my daughter Lola pulled my clothes, looking up with a pale little face, asking me puzzledly: "Mommy, that man outside is clearly Daddy, why does everyone say he is Uncle?" My heart hurt sharply. Yes, even a five-year-old child can recognize him, but he can be cruel enough to ignore his own daughter. I hugged Lola tightly, trying not to let tears fall. "Lola be good, that's not Daddy. Daddy... Daddy has gone to a very far place." The next day, I entrusted Lola to a trustworthy neighbor and took the bus to the county town myself. I went to the textile factory where "Liam" worked before he died and went straight to the factory director's office. The director, Mr. Wang, was a kind-looking middle-aged man. Seeing me, he sighed: "Comrade Lily, we heard about Comrade Luke. It's really a pity, he was the youngest workshop director in our factory." I lowered my head, shoulders trembling slightly, acting grief-stricken. Director Wang comforted: "Luke passed away on the way to transport raw materials. If you have any difficulties, just mention them, the factory will try its best to solve them." This was exactly what I was waiting for. I raised my head without hesitation and said my plan. "Director Wang, I want to request to cancel Luke's household registration from the factory, settle the pension in one lump sum according to the regulations for death on duty, and convert the unassigned house into money for me." Director Wang was a bit surprised: "Cancel registration? Comrade Lily, according to regulations, you can take over Luke's position and work in the factory. This is an iron rice bowl. And the pension can be collected monthly, so you and your son have a guarantee for life." This was exactly what I wanted to avoid. Taking over the position meant I would still be involved with this factory and the Li family. I shook my head, tears flowing again: "Director, I don't want to stay in this sad place. Lola has asthma, I want to take her to the big city for treatment. Staying here, seeing the factory, I think of Luke... I really can't hold on." "So I want to collect the pension in one lump sum, then leave here with the child and start over." My reason was reasonable. A heartbroken widow wanting to stay away from a sad place, no one could say anything. Director Wang pondered for a moment and nodded: "I understand your feelings. Okay, I'll report to the superiors. Don't worry, Comrade Luke had an accident while pulling raw materials for the factory, definitely counts as sacrifice on duty, the pension will be generous." Chapter 3 The process went faster than I imagined. Three days later, I not only got Luke's official death certificate and household registration cancellation documents but also received a pension of up to $3,000 and a $50,000 housing subsidy. This was a huge sum in 1988. I held the money and documents tightly in my arms and returned to that disgusting home. Entering the yard, I saw my mother-in-law Brenda sitting in the yard cracking melon seeds. Seeing me come in, she spat the shells at my feet and spoke sarcastically: "Yo, jinx is back? Running out all day after husband died, don't know which wild man you hooked up with outside! My son was really unlucky to marry a bad luck star like you!" In the corner of the yard, five-year-old Lola was squatting on the ground, struggling to scrub a large basin of clothes, her small hands red from cold and covered with foam. My anger shot to the top of my head, immediately rushing over to pick up my daughter. "Lola is only five! Can't you see her hands are soaked white!" Brenda glared, hands on hips cursing: "You two live in my Li house, eat my Li food, don't work and want to be offered as ancestors?" I sneered: "Fine, since you say so, we'll leave! Anyway, my man is dead, I'm an outsider here, won't take advantage of your Li family!" Saying that, I turned to leave holding Lola. Brenda panicked hearing this, rushed over to block me: "Want to leave? Not so easy! Scarlett is about to give birth, who will serve her if you leave? Eating and drinking for free in my house for so many years, want to leave just like that, dream on!" Under the window of the inner room, Scarlett was touching her belly that didn't show at all, looking at me triumphantly. "Sister-in-law, not that I want to scold you, but your own belly didn't live up to expectations. What I'm carrying is Liam's only root, the only eldest grandson of the Li family, you have to serve well with all your heart." Luke walked out from behind her, holding her waist with one hand, ordering me: "Lily, Mom is old, Scarlett needs someone to take care of her now. Don't throw a tantrum." I laughed in anger. When I was pregnant with Lola, where was he as a husband? When my water broke, I ran to the town health center alone, pain almost killing me. Brenda treated me coldly because the ultrasound showed a girl, didn't give me a sip of hot soup during confinement. Luke was nowhere to be seen, using busy work as an excuse, never visited the hospital once. Now, why do they want me to serve this usurper woman like a slave? I gritted my teeth, holding Lola back to our small dark room, closed the door, carefully dried her small hands, and applied my homemade clam oil. Outside the door, came the lowered voices of "Liam" and Scarlett. "Look at Lily's dead look. If you weren't smart and replaced the identity, the child and I would have been bullied to death by her." Scarlett's voice was coquettish. "Liam's" voice was gentle enough to drip water: "Don't worry Scarlett, for you and our child, I'm willing to do anything. I will protect you for a lifetime." "Mom is also on your side, otherwise how could she agree to let me impersonate big brother. That old lady only recognizes money and grandson." My palm was pierced by nails, lips almost bitten to bleed. So the child in Scarlett's belly is Luke's! So they hooked up long ago! So from beginning to end, mother-in-law Brenda knew everything! Their family, gang up to treat me as a fool, a tool to be sacrificed and manipulated at will! I looked at Lola's quiet sleeping face, took a deep breath, constantly telling myself: Lily, soon, soon can take the child away from this hell. Sure enough, two days later, Director Wang sent a message to me, saying a state-run guesthouse in the city needed an accountant, he had contacted for me, ready to report anytime. I immediately packed our few belongings, took all my belongings and documents, ready to leave at dawn. But unexpectedly, holding Lola and pushing open the door, I met "Liam's" iron-green face. His gaze fell deadly on the bulging cloth bag in my hand, tone icy cold. "Lily, carrying a bag, where are you taking Lola?" Chapter 4 I subconsciously tightened the strap of the cloth bag, hiding Lola behind me. "Where I go is none of your business. You are now my older brother-in-law, my whereabouts as a sister-in-law are not your turn to manage, Liam." I deliberately emphasized "Older Brother-in-law" and "Liam." "Liam's" face stiffened, then switched to a high-sounding rhetoric: "Scarlett is about to give birth, the family is short of hands. You just manage housework and take care of Lola like before, the family won't be short of a meal for you two." I looked at him coldly: "My man Luke is dead. What is it for a widow like me to stay in your house? Doesn't sound good if spread out." "We orphans and widows can't help much. Scarlett is your wife, it's more appropriate for you, the husband, to take care of her personally." With that, I was about to lead Lola around him. "Liam" suddenly took a step forward, catching me off guard, snatching the long-distance bus ticket to the city I was clutching tightly! He glanced at the destination on the ticket, eyes instantly turned sinister, tearing the ticket to shreds in two or three moves! Paper scraps fell at our feet like snowflakes. "Lily..." He said unquestionably, "I'm doing this for your own good. A widow with a sick child, how will you live away from the Li family? Better stay home honestly, at least won't starve." Looking at the paper scraps on the ground, I trembled with rage. I pushed him hard: "What are you blocking me for now? Luke, don't go too far!" In panic, I shouted his real name. His face changed drastically, but soon returned to that lofty look, expression impatient. "Don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! I said stay, what more do you want?" I only felt absurd and ridiculous. In previous life, I knelt begging him to save our daughter, he let Brenda kick us out, leaving us to die. Now, I want to leave voluntarily, they jump out one by one to stop. Just want to keep me as a free nanny, serving their family. "You are my brother-in-law, not my husband! I leave if I want, what right do you have to stop me!" I shouted sternly. He frowned, seemingly making a major decision, compromising: "Lily, are you this heartless? Luke's bones aren't cold yet, you can't wait to leave?" He paused, lowering his voice: "Then I'll take both wives okay? Don't you just lack a man? I give you a title, odd days I sleep with Scarlett, even days with you..." Before he finished, I used all my strength and slapped him hard on the face! Slap! Crisp sound echoed in the morning yard. Luke was beaten to turn his head, half face swelling red visibly. He seemed to not expect me to dare hit him at all. Stunned for seconds, face suddenly gloomy enough to drip water. "Don't be ungrateful!" He grabbed my wrist, force strong enough to crush my bones, "Dare walk out this gate, try it!" He dragged me into the house. I pressed my feet against the ground, struggling desperately. Just as we were tearing and entangled, noise came from outside the yard gate. Then, my yard gate was pushed open with a creak. Seeing the visitor, the ferocity and anger on Luke's face froze instantly.
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