The television LCD screen had completely shattered beyond repair.

The adults from both families arrived late to the scene. First, they scolded their kids, then they turned and apologized to Lionel. At first glance, their manners seemed polite enough. However, after listening closely, their words sounded off-putting.

“Lionel, we’re really sorry, but you’re a rich man now. A TV isn’t that expensive, right? It shouldn’t be too big of a deal.”

“Kids will always be kids. They’re always breaking and dropping things. Surely you wouldn’t take it seriously with a couple of young kids, would you?”

“That’s right!”

Lionel didn’t know how to respond. In the end, he could only let it go. It wasn’t as if he could really ask them to pay for the damage.

But still… his heart ached when he looked at the ruined television. It was brand new and cost over ten thousand dollars.

“Alright, alright. Everyone, let’s go to bed,” he said.

The next morning, Miranda was jolted awake by the sound of the television. She grabbed her phone to check the time. It wasn’t even 6:00 am.

The next second, something clicked in her mind. She sat up and rushed out of the room. Sure enough, the sound was coming from downstairs. But wasn’t the television ruined?

Miranda went downstairs and saw the middle-aged women sitting on the couch, their eyes glued to the miniseries that were playing on each of their phones. Their volumes were cranked up, one louder than the next.

She opened her mouth to ask them to lower the volume. After all, it was Mindy’s designated working time in the morning, and her study was on the first floor. There was no way she could concentrate on her writing with all that noise.

At that moment, Mindy burst out from her study before Miranda could say anything. The mother and daughter bumped into each other.

Mindy’s expression of anger froze the moment she saw Miranda, and it slowly faded away.

“Did the noise wake you?” Mindy stroked Miranda’s cheek, feeling sorry for her.

Miranda shook her head weakly. “It’s fine. I’ll go out to buy breakfast.”

It was too noisy indoors. She wanted to go out to get some peace and quiet.

Mindy nodded, “Go ahead.” She sighed softly as she watched Miranda leave.

She turned and saw the messy living room, a stark contrast to its usual tidy state. Mindy decided to retreat to her study. Out of sight, out of mind.

Soon after that, Penelope came over to her with a smile. “Mindy, it’s already 7:00 am. Have you not made breakfast yet? We village folk generally have our meals early.”

Mindy explained patiently, “Mimi has gone to buy breakfast. She will be back soon.”

“Buy?” Penelope drew out the word, her tone full of disbelief.

Mindy nodded. “It’s hard to cook now that we are so crowded in the house. There’s a row of shops selling breakfast just outside the neighborhood. They sell everything you could want. It’s very convenient.”

“Where’s the crowd? We have even more people at our place during harvest time, and my daughter-in-law cooks by herself for everyone. If she can do it, why can’t you? Doesn’t it cost money to buy food outside?! I think you just don’t want to cook for us because we’re from the countryside!”

Penelope had heard enough complaints about Mindy from Anna over the years. Lionel even dared to defy his own mother back then when he refused to marry the factory manager’s daughter and insisted on marrying Mindy.

Penelope thought that Lionel would be marrying a perfect wife, but it turned out that she was nothing but a lazy bum! Mindy didn’t clean the kitchen and couldn’t even make breakfast. She claimed to be working and locked herself up in the room, but no one really knew what she was up to in there.

What kind of woman would behave like this?

A woman’s job was to take care of her man. If every woman acted like her, the world would be turned upside down!

Mindy felt a headache coming on. She reminded herself that Penelope was over 70 years old, so she held back her temper and tried to explain calmly.

However, Penelope had no intention of listening. Instead, she grew even more upset. “Back when you married Lionel, I even gave you eggs as a gift! Now look at how you’ve turned out!”