Chapter 143: The Power of the Protagonist

The elderly couple was engaged in a heated discussion, and it seemed Father Tang had completely forgotten that his own daughter was named Tang Xin.

Mother Tang stood up for her daughter, saying, "You didn't even prepare a dowry for Xin'er when she got married."

In response, she was met with a roll of Father Tang’s eyes. He retorted that he had already lent her one hundred, as if that weren't enough. He grumbled and complained, claiming his daughter had changed significantly since marrying, insisting she must have been corrupted by the country folk.

Mother Tang was heartbroken, so this time, she made no attempt to sugarcoat the situation. In her letter, she finally couldn't help but speak ill of Father Tang. Though her tone in the letter was far more subtle and reserved, Tang Xin had already grasped the essence of it.

Tang Xin knew that in Father Tang’s heart, Lu Liqin was the ideal son-in-law. Yet, the person who ended up marrying him was Meng Jia. The book had also established that Father Tang needed the help of Lu Liqin’s father to advance his career. Consequently, in the original story, once he learned Meng Jia had married into the Lu family, he simply disowned his own daughter and treated Meng Jia even better, perhaps hoping to find a shortcut to build a connection with the Lu family.

Since Tang Xin had arrived, many plot points in the book had changed. However, the influence of the main characters remained immense; after many twists and turns, Lu Liqin and Meng Jia still married, staying true to the original narrative. Tang Xin was now worried whether the fates of the Tang family and Mother Tang would also follow the trajectory laid out in the book.

Mother Tang could barely stand to stay in that house any longer. Since Tang Xin had arrived and taken over the original owner's fate, she naturally felt obligated to fulfill the filial duties in her stead. Father Tang was a lost cause, but Tang Xin was deeply concerned for her mother.

A sudden sense of powerlessness washed over her. In truth, having come to this world, she was merely a supporting character—she possessed none of the protagonist’s omnipotence. Had it not been for the support of her spatial farm, would she have dared to be so bold as to propose to Li Sheng and insist on marrying him?

The Li family members were all kind, but they were also a heavy burden on Li Sheng’s shoulders. Marrying him meant she had to help bear all of that. The spatial farm had provided her with much help, but it was not a panacea; at the very least, it couldn't solve the problem with Mother Tang.

For the first time since arriving here, Tang Xin felt truly helpless. She realized she was not all-powerful, and that the plot could indeed force her into a corner where she was powerless to act.

When Li Sheng returned, he learned of the situation. That evening, while taking his wife for a walk, he comforted her and told her not to overthink things.

He could sense her low spirits, so he offered rare, gentle comfort: "From now on, you have me. My parents are your parents, and my siblings are your siblings. Rest assured, you still have a home."

He used to work just to go through the motions, but from now on, he would strive even harder to find ways to ensure his family lived well. At the very least, because Tang Xin had fallen out with her father to marry him, he owed it to her to treat her even better. He would ensure she lived just as she had back in the city—well-fed, well-clothed, and living in comfort!

Tang Xin offered a bitter smile, saying, "Actually, I’ve long since seen it for what it is. For years, he has treated Meng Jia and her mother better than he has treated my mother and me. I’m just worried about my mother being bullied while she’s there alone."

Because she had only given birth to a daughter, Mother Tang had never been able to hold her head high in the Tang household and possessed little status.

The heavens seemed to respond to Tang Xin’s mood; there was neither moon nor stars tonight, and the village path was lit only by the occasional glow from other people's homes. Fearing she might struggle with the path, Li Sheng kept a firm hold on his wife’s small hand.

Hearing Tang Xin’s words, Li Sheng stopped and turned to look at her earnestly. In the pitch-black night, all he could see was the starlight in her eyes: "I have to head out for a trip in a few days. Why don't you come home with me to visit?"

After some consideration, Li Sheng added, "As a son-in-law, it is my duty to pay my respects to your parents."

This was his responsibility as a man, yet he could not simply show up uninvited, so he had to ask for Tang Xin’s opinion first.

Tang Xin hesitated. She understood Li Sheng’s intent; it was like the old saying about the awkward daughter-in-law finally meeting her in-laws—she should bring her new husband home for her parents to see. But Father Tang had made his "disdain" plain as day. If she brought Brother Li Sheng back, wouldn't she just be inviting humiliation?

No, she didn't want her husband to suffer such insults at her parents' home. Furthermore, her true purpose in returning would be to support Mother Tang in divorcing and leaving that household. Could Li Sheng accept such an idea?

When Tang Xin’s hesitation fell into Li Sheng’s eyes, his mood darkened. It seemed she didn't want to bring him home to meet her parents; and he was right, he had nothing of status to show for himself right now.

"It’s alright if it's not for a while; I’m often out on the road anyway," Li Sheng said, his voice remaining very gentle.

In front of his wife, he lacked any of the toughness he displayed to the outside world.

After a moment of thought, Tang Xin felt she should be a bit more transparent with her husband: "Some things are not as simple as they appear. I definitely intend to bring you back with me, just not right now."

At the very least, she needed to make more preparations; she would not fight a battle she wasn't ready for.

Hearing her say this, the slight gloom that had gathered in Li Sheng’s heart vanished with the wind. Looking at his wife’s face, as smooth and radiant as white jade under the veil of night, Li Sheng couldn't help himself and leaned down to kiss her.

Tang Xin did not refuse, but due to the height difference and the vast disparity in their stamina, she soon felt her legs go weak and her breath hitch. In the end, there was no more walking; Li Sheng simply scooped Tang Xin up into his arms and carried her back.

He even thoughtfully made an excuse for her: "The light is poor tonight, and the road is hard to walk on." He spoke with a straight face, looking entirely serious.

However, the arms that held Tang Xin were gently gathered around her, and his entire demeanor was one of immense ease, revealing his excellent mood.

Because Li Sheng had finally returned home, everyone understood the eagerness of the young couple, so no one disturbed them that night. They enjoyed a pleasant world of just the two of them. The next day, there was something that made Tang Xin even happier.

Since Li Sheng was back, he had naturally brought home a large piece of meat to improve the family's meals. His capable mother-in-law had successfully made the small crispy pork bites that her daughter-in-law had been mentioning for days.

Of course, the small crispy pork Tang Xin had eaten in her previous life was made with chicken breast bought from the supermarket. Here, especially in the countryside, people kept free-range chickens and didn't specifically separate the legs, wings, and breasts to sell. If sold separately, they might even be more expensive than pork.

Fang had used lean pork, combined with water starch, eggs, and the seasonings her daughter-in-law had mentioned, following the steps she had provided to make the dish. It was, of course, delicious. The children praised it endlessly; after all, being able to eat meat to their hearts' content was a great happiness for every one of them.