Chapter 80: The Mother-in-Law

The banks yielded nothing.

Qin Guan had called nearly every financial institution. Though this city was Xu Ruyi's hometown, she had worked in Shanghai after graduation and only returned after their engagement. She had quit her job during her second trimester, leaving her social circle far narrower than his. Qin Guan's connections spanned industries, including banking—he had contacts everywhere, easily accessing whatever information he needed.

But no. Xu Ruyi hadn't rented a safety deposit box at any bank recently.

Meaning the stockings and phone weren't stored there.

Not with friends, not at home, not in his office, not in a bank.

Only one place remained: her parents' house.

Specifically, the home of her deceased parents. Qin Guan had once pushed to sell it—its value had skyrocketed due to the school district, netting millions. But Xu Ruyi had refused. She wanted to preserve everything her parents left behind, yet couldn't bring herself to step inside.

He'd always assumed it was grief, an inability to face memories. Now, he doubted that. Why keep the house untouched yet unsold?

Perhaps she'd hidden critical evidence there.

Qin Guan needed to visit.

But he required a plausible excuse—and to avoid alerting Xu Ruyi or the police. Finding the items first was crucial before confronting her.

After tidying Auntie Feng and his daughter's chaotic rooms, he hid the iron hammer in his bedroom safe, embedded within a wall-sized wardrobe. The safe, originally password-protected by Xu Ruyi, now bore his own code. Only he could open it.

The safe itself was his mother-in-law's idea during their pre-wedding home renovations. His resentment toward her had begun there.

Before marriage, Qin Guan had genuinely revered his mother-in-law.

He'd respected, adored, and idolized her. To him, she embodied the perfect mother—cultured, refined, well-connected, with a respectable career as a mid-level executive. Her elegance made even simple clothes look luxurious. Compared to his deranged biological mother, who soiled herself and roamed like a wild animal, she was a goddess.

His childhood had been hellish, mocked relentlessly for his mother's insanity:

"Qin Guan, your mom ate chicken poop yesterday!"

"Qin Guan, your mom pissed her pants!"

"Qin Guan, your mom called me 'Daddy'! So I'm your grandpa now!"

The nightmare ended when his mother died in a ditch during one of her frenzied wanderings, just before he started middle school.

By high school, Qin Guan had reinvented himself. He'd earned a spot at the county's top school through stellar grades. Visitors now were dignified figures who bolstered his status—like his future in-laws, who first came to see him during those years.

Back then, he hadn't known the elegant woman would become his mother-in-law. He only saw her kindness: her soft voice, expensive clothes, gleaming jewelry. She brought him seasonal clothes, bedding, shoes, and living expenses, always slipping extra cash into his pockets. "Don't skimp on food," she'd say. "You're growing. Ask us if you need more."

Her warmth felt like spring sunshine. Even better were his classmates' envious whispers: "Are those your parents? They look so classy—like city folk!"

In his youth, Qin Guan had stratified people into tiers: mountain villagers envied town dwellers, townsfolk coveted county life, and county residents idolized city elites. Having "city relatives" filled him with pride. He vowed to honor his mother-in-law as his own.

After marrying Xu Ruyi, he did exactly that—revering her more than his birth mother.

But her actions chilled him.

Before the wedding, her parents bought their current Guanlan Court home. At the signing, the agent asked, "Whose name goes on the deed?"

Her father shrugged. "We're family. It doesn't matter."

Her mother smiled. "Exactly. Put Ruyi's name."

Qin Guan's smile froze. Why exclude me? he thought. Are they guarding against me?

True, the down payment came from her parents. He'd only worked a year, savings meager. But hadn't they seen his devotion to Xu Ruyi and them? He'd sworn to repay their kindness a hundredfold over his lifetime—and meant it.

Her distrust stabbed him. Can we truly be family like this?

Fortunately, her father intervened. "That's not right. Qin Guan's practically our son, even without marrying Ruyi."

His mother-in-law stayed silent, displeasure flickering in her eyes—a look Qin Guan caught but swallowed.

Little did he know, her schemes had only begun.