Sigma Saga

"No marriage, no children? Independent and single?" Mu Yaojia was stunned, taking a long moment to recover before turning to look at her daughter. Mu Yuting met her gaze without flinching, her eyes resolute. "Tingting, are you serious? A woman's life isn't complete without marriage and children." Mu Yaojia's mindset was still steeped in the traditional and conservative views of the older generation, always believing that a woman must follow the conventional path of marriage and childbirth to be considered normal. "Is there a standard measure for a woman's life? Must we live a certain way?" Mu Yuting countered calmly. "If we don't live like that, is life incomplete?" "Then who sets these standards? And why should we follow them?" Mu Yaojia couldn't answer a single one of these questions. After thinking for a while, she said, "These are life experiences. Having them makes our time on earth worthwhile." Mu...

 "It's about the car," Old Man Yu paused. "The car's brakes were faulty..." Mu Yuting looked up abruptly. Since they knew it was the car's issue, why hadn't they investigated thoroughly? Those involved may not be confused; it's the onlookers who think they see clearly. Old Man Yu's expression was pained as he tightened his grip on the glass of soy milk, as if drawing the last bit of warmth from the hot drink. He had asked his wife to take the child out to play. Only after watching the child leave and the door close did he speak: "We looked into it carefully. There's no evidence to prove it was him." Of course they would investigate—this was his only daughter. After her unexpected death, he would have turned every stone. But with no evidence found, it could only be treated as an accident. As for custody and guardianship of the child, it wasn't that he didn't want to fight for it, but... he and his wife were too old. If th...

 Legal guardians can indeed be changed. Custody of a child can also be transferred. But Mu Yuting helps people only after clearly determining whether they truly deserve assistance. The fable of the farmer and the snake is not just a joke. Teacher Wang understood her concerns and spoke up proactively: "The Yu family lives in the same neighborhood as I do; we're practically neighbors. I'm aware of everything regarding their daughter." Old Mr. Yu sighed deeply and took over the conversation: "Let's eat first. I'll tell the story myself after the meal." The food was soon served—a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, all quite delicious. No one drank alcohol; instead, a pitcher of freshly ground soy milk was provided, making for a very healthy meal. After dinner, the warm soy milk helped soften the chilling story, comforting everyone’s stomachs. In his youth, Old Mr. Yu had suffered an accidental injury that affected his fertility, making it difficult for...

There was no use reasoning with such a person. Mu Yuting took out her phone. "Wait a moment, I'll call Teacher Wang." Mr. Wu’s eyes darted nervously as he added, "I’m very busy. I’ll wait at most half an hour. I need my refund immediately!" He knew Teacher Wang was out and likely wouldn’t make it back in thirty minutes. He was just trying to pressure the new teacher into paying up. Ignoring him, Mu Yuting stepped aside and called Teacher Wang, briefly explaining the situation. "Wu Yin’s father is here again? Teacher Mu, keep him there. I’ll be back soon." Teacher Wang sounded calm and confident, not the least bit flustered. "Stay safe, don’t provoke him. And don’t let him take Wu Yin." "Understood," Mu Yuting replied firmly. This wasn’t something an ordinary employee like her could resolve anyway. Whether a tuition refund was granted depended on the boss. How to treat one’s child was up to the parents. All Mu Yuting could do was ens...

Mu Yuting gazed at her reflection in the mirror—her twenty-five-year-old self, with a new hairstyle and attire, a completely renewed version of herself. How wonderful it is to be young. How wonderful it is to be single. To be able to take control of her own destiny, do what she loves, and strive for her future—it truly felt great. Teacher Wang had gifted her a beautiful pair of tortoiseshell plectrums, seemingly reminiscing about something, and said slowly, "No matter when, remember your identity—not just as an ordinary guzheng teacher, but also as a bearer of aesthetics and art." "Maintaining a proper appearance and demeanor at all times is also the greatest respect for the art of the guzheng." "What our music school needs is a guzheng teacher, yet not just a guzheng teacher." Teacher Wang had said these words to every candidate, but only Mu Yuting took them to heart. Mu Yuting thought she would always remember this lesson, and she would remember this bea...

 "What? Mom wants a divorce?" Du Dawei and Du Xiaowei exclaimed in unison. "That bitch, how dare she ask for a divorce?" Du Daqiang's fists clenched, itching for action. The officer repeated the statement to ensure they understood before leaving. Du Daqiang refused to believe it, his eyes bulging as he glared at his sons. "Your mother is a second-hand woman, and I never even brought up divorce! How dare she?! She must be itching for a beating! Just wait till I get out—I'll beat her to death before I agree to a divorce!" Despite his words, Du Daqiang wouldn't actually kill his wife—at most, he'd beat her half to death, just enough to force her into submission, flattery, and servitude. Even he wasn't foolish enough to ignore the facts: though she wasn't a virgin and had been married before, his wife was still fairly attractive and had borne him two sons. If they stayed married, he could berate and hit her as he pleased and vent his an...

 Du Daqiang, restrained by two police officers for hitting his wife, could only crane his neck and shout, "What extortion? That was compensation you voluntarily gave us for calling off the engagement!" One of the officers asked, "Is that true?" "Yes, it was given voluntarily," Du Xiaowei chimed in, unable to stay silent when his own interests were at stake. "And how much compensation did you ask for?" Mu Yuting's tone was gentle. "400,000 yuan, or the marital home as collateral will do," Du Daqiang yelled loudly. Simple-minded, he interpreted her softened tone as timidity and thought the young woman was cowering. Du Dawei hurriedly tried to stop him, "Dad, don't say anymore." Arguing for such high compensation right in front of the police was practically admitting to extortion. Having already been burned by Mu Yuting, he no longer saw her as an obedient girl but rather a man-eating flower. Du Daqiang turned his head an...

 "You liar, you..." Du Xiaowei was so enraged he couldn't even form complete sentences. "I never said this was the original document, so where's the deception? If anything, your entire family are the real liars." Mu Yuting pointed at them one by one, listing their faults. "The crooked beam at the top sets the standard for those below. Let's start with you, the top beam—Du Daqiang. You were once a farmer who used connections to become a temporary security guard at a textile factory in the city. With your average looks, bad temper, and poverty, you couldn't find a wife even in your thirties, so you conspired with a matchmaker to trick someone into marriage." "The matchmaker helped you deceive Zheng Xiangmei from a poor mountain village in Y County. You lied to her, claiming you were a permanent urban worker with a city household registration, a house, and the ability to get her a cushy job at the factory. In reality, you were a temporary...

 All the chopsticks paused mid-air. It was as if everyone had been struck by a "pause button." "What extortion? You 'voluntarily' offered us compensation," Zheng Xiangmei was the first to snap back, her shrill voice grating on everyone's eardrums. Mu Yuting let out a cold, mocking laugh. So, in her past life, when Du Dawei had drained her mother-in-law’s million-yuan retirement fund and shamelessly refused to pay back a single cent, telling her, "You gave it to me willingly," it was all inherited from this shrewd mother of his. Everyone carries the imprint of their family of origin. Du Dawei’s personality—half violent, impulsive, and domineering from his father, and half selfish, cunning, and deceptive from his mother. This is why later generations concluded that before marriage, one should observe the man’s parents, understand his family background, and how his parents interact. That pattern is most likely how the man will treat his wife after...