Chapter 1676 - 1096: A Hundred Faces
The second watch of the night.
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"What?" Liu Meiqing grabbed her husband’s sleeve, "You said you want to take Shuanshuan to Lin Chuyue’s place? No way!"
"Why not?" Lin Chudong looked indifferently at the woman acting like a madwoman, "You’re Shuanshuan’s biological mother, and you can actually be so cruel to the child, do you even have the right to say no to me?"
"You... what are you talking about?" Liu Meiqing glanced at her husband with flickering eyes, "What did I do to Shuanshuan? You heartless man, you slander me just to enjoy yourself, do you have a conscience?"
You know very well that my parents didn’t approve of you at first, thinking you were too naive and had no prospects, but I thought a naive man would be good to his wife, and I forced my parents to agree to the marriage.
If I had known you would abandon me like this for a good life, there’s no way I would’ve married you, you heartless..."
She wailed for half a day, yet not a single tear fell, and Lin Chudong shook his head speechlessly. How did he once see her as kind-hearted?
If there were such a thing as a regret medicine in the world, he would definitely take a handful, preferring to be single for life than marry a woman like her. However, without her, there would be no Shuanshuan...
Despite her laziness, she did give birth to Shuanshuan for him, so Lin Chudong sighed conflictedly: "I’ll give you three yuan from my monthly salary. You just need to manage your own meals and living at home, no need for anything else."
"Really?" Liu Meiqing stopped wailing, "Three yuan is not enough; I want five. Otherwise, you can’t go. Who knows if you’ll find a sweetheart once you have money?"
"If I give you five yuan, what about Shuanshuan?" Lin Chudong helplessly looked at his wife, "Chuyue only symbolically asks for two yuan, but I can’t be that self-conscious. Shuanshuan is eating more now; how can we let others raise our child for free?"
I earn a total of twelve yuan a month: three for Chuyue, three for you, three for my parents, leaving three for my own expenses. If I give you five, what will I eat, air?"
"Just twelve yuan without food and housing?" Liu Meiqing looked at her husband skeptically, "I heard that many factories provide food and housing."
Lin Chudong said, "The factory only provides housing, not food." He had to lie, well aware of his wife’s nature. Otherwise, she would squeeze every cent out of him.
However, it wasn’t a complete lie; even though his sister only asked for two yuan, they had agreed he would really give five if Shuanshuan stayed with her. The remaining six yuan would be divided as three for Liu Meiqing, three for his parents, leaving Lin Chudong with just one yuan.
Luckily, the factory provided food and housing, so he wouldn’t spend that one yuan and could save it for emergencies.
"I wouldn’t go to the factory if I wasn’t trying to improve our finances. Do you think I enjoy spending fixed hours there every day?
As for taking Shuanshuan, you know why. He is not just my son but yours too. Raising him well means it’s not just me he will repay with filial piety in the future.
If you understand anything at all, you won’t stop me. In any case, I’ve said everything I needed to say. If you keep nagging, this is over. Just make sure you aren’t jealous watching others spend money." Knowing his wife’s personality, Lin Chudong added fuel to the fire.
After hesitating for a while, Liu Meiqing looked at her husband, "Have you spoken to your parents?"
"Not yet, that’s why I came to discuss it with you first..." Lin Chudong frowned at her, "No matter how unreasonable you are, we are a couple. If you disagree, would I still go?"
A smile appeared on Liu Meiqing’s face: "Are you serious?"
"Don’t believe it? Then forget it!"
"I believe, of course, I believe..." Liu Meiqing scooted closer to her husband, "Then promise me, when you go to the factory, you must not get too close to any young women there.
And after you start working, I will come to check. If I find anything suspicious, don’t blame me for embarrassing you. You know my character well enough, and if things get awkward, you can’t blame others."
"Do you think it’s like going to a market? Can anyone go if they want? Chuyue said that, except for those working inside, no one else is allowed to enter. Even family members meet and talk at the reception outside the factory."
"I’ve never heard of any other factory like that."
"Does any other factory produce cottonseed oil?"
"What does that have to do with producing cottonseed oil?"
"If everyone secretly took containers of it out, do you think it matters?"
"I wouldn’t do such a thing, and with your character, neither would you. Their restrictions simply underestimate people..."
Lin Chudong interrupted his wife: "Anyway, that’s the regulation, the same for everyone. If you don’t believe me, you can find out yourself, but don’t regret it if I lose my job and you have no money."
This line was taught to Lin Chudong by Lin Chuyue. It sounds full of loopholes, but since Liu Meiqing has never traveled farther than the town and her personality is unlikable, with the village women not willing to associate with her, she really believed it when she was bluffed.
Struggling over the three dollars she could get, Liu Meiqing finally nodded.
As for Lin Baojiang and Zheng Sanqiao, it was even easier to negotiate.
Their son wasn’t eating at home and they would still get an extra three dollars—a windfall like this, why wouldn’t they take it? Though they were upset about their daughter being back but not coming home.
"That ungrateful girl, raising her was a waste of time, a thankless wretch who doesn’t think of her parents. How can her heart be so hard? People say daughters are soft-hearted, but hers is harder than anyone’s..."
"Well, she takes after you, doesn’t she?"
"How does she take after me? If anything, she takes after you!"
"..."
Lin Chudong interrupted the couple: "Dad, Mom, you know why Chuyue isn’t coming back. She’s at Second Uncle’s place now; if you think you’re in the right, go find her yourselves."
Hearing this from their son, the couple fell silent. How could they forget what they did to their daughter back then? How could they face her now to settle accounts?
"Really believed?" Chuxia looked at Lin Chudong in disbelief, "Did Sister Chuyue really teach you that line, and Sister-in-law didn’t doubt it at all?"
"She might have some doubts, but once I bluff her, she won’t doubt it at all."
"What if she finds someone to verify it?"
"With her reputation in the village, who would want to pay attention to her who understands these things?"
Thinking about it, Chuxia realized it was indeed the case, and she humorously said: "So, Sister-in-law’s bad personality isn’t completely without benefit..." Looking at Shuanshuan playing happily with Nannan and Beibei, she sighed inwardly; it wasn’t that she didn’t want to help Lin Chudong, but there was really no justifiable reason. Plus, if she did step in, Zheng Sanqiao and Lin Baojiang could certainly be reckless.
After all, Lin Chuyue is their daughter, and thinking about past wrongs, they would still care about their dignity. So, having Lin Chuyue help Lin Chudong was the best choice.
"Summer..." Lin Chudong paused, looking seriously at Chuxia, "Big Brother knows, if not for some concerns, you’d help me right away.
But even if you really want to help, Big Brother would never accept it. This isn’t about other things, no one knows better than me how much this family has burdened you.
So, don’t blame yourself for this. Big Brother knows this isn’t sentimentality. When you found out Shuanshuan was being abused by your sister-in-law, you wanted to help me, right?"
"Right." Chuxia nodded honestly. "I was really torn then, seeing Big Brother struggle so much, I wanted to help but didn’t want good intentions to turn bad. Fortunately, when in difficulty, Sister Chuyue returned.
Seeing the good relationship between Big Brother and Sister Chuyue makes me genuinely happy. I hope Big Brother and Sister Chuyue remember to come to me if there’s something difficult in the future.
As long as it doesn’t involve other people in this family, I’ll definitely help with whatever Big Brother and Sister Chuyue need. I can’t help it; I’m just a narrow-minded person who holds grudges, hehe..."
How is she narrow-minded? This is clearly generosity, right?
Lin Chuyue was somewhat moved and held Chuxia’s arm: "Summer, Big Sis used to blame you for being immature, but now it seems you’re the most sensible and generous in this family. I used to think Second Uncle and Aunt spoiled you and it harmed you, but now I see I was wrong. You’re worth being spoiled by them."
Well, actually what you said was right... Chuxia muttered silently, then gave Lin Chuyue a cheeky smile: "Thank you for the praise, Big Sis. I’m really glad to have your recognition."
Meanwhile, Lin Chuchun was at home being cornered by Old Master Lin, Old Lady Lin, and Lin Baohai, while Yang Aihua remained silent, indifferent, not saying a word.
After listening to the complaints for a long time, Lin Chuchun looked up and examined them, showing a mocking smile: "Even if Chuxia wanted to help you, would you have the nerve to accept it?
Think about how you treated their family back then. Now that they’re doing well, you just want to benefit from it. People shouldn’t act like this, right? Anyway, if you don’t like me, I’ll leave."
"Where are you going?" Yang Aihua was shocked and grabbed her son, "Chuqiu has already abandoned us, and now you want to abandon us too?"
Lin Chuchun looked at her coolly: "I’m just going out for a walk and to see off Uncle and Aunt’s family. They’re leaving for City A today, and I want to see them off. Is that not okay?"
(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)