Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Aunt Liao Hong's home featured a traditional Chinese courtyard, with stone-paved paths lined by bamboo on both sides. The dancing bamboo shadows made the walk pleasantly cool. After passing through the moon gate, they arrived at the banquet hall where the dinner gathering would take place.

Bai Yaxin and Lin Rusong walked ahead, while Lin Tingyue and Lin Yuhuan followed behind them.

After the art exhibition, there was a debriefing session to attend. Lin Xiawan was still at the exhibition hall, while Lin Chengyan had received an urgent notice requiring him to step in for an emergency. He left in a frantic hurry, looking devastated, like he'd lost out on a million-dollar deal.

Lin Tingyue couldn’t understand it.

"Second Brother’s being ridiculous. Isn’t making money supposed to be a good thing?"

Lin Yuhuan glanced at Lin Tingyue beside him. He figured Lin Chengyan wasn’t upset about the money—it was more likely because he was missing out on the family drama at Aunt Liao’s house.

Lin Yuhuan’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out to find Lin Chengyan blowing up his phone.

The last message read: *I’m getting the tea today no matter what.*

It was followed by a gung-ho emoji.

Lin Yuhuan: "..."

Since when did Chengyan care this much?

"Yaxin, Rusong, didn’t I call you first thing this morning? Why are you only arriving now?"

Lin Yuhuan and Lin Tingyue looked up simultaneously—

The woman speaking wore an elegant purple qipao. She must have been Liao Hong. After speaking, she cozily hooked arms with Bai Yaxin.

"Cousin, it’s my fault. Something came up at work, so we were late," Lin Rusong explained.

"Oh, Rusong, why bring that up? A man's gotta focus on his career, right? Your Yuhuan and Chengyan are so capable."

As Liao Hong spoke, she suddenly noticed Lin Tingyue and said, "Oh, Tingyue is here too."

Her voice noticeably chilled.

Lin Tingyue: "?"

"Why does it feel like this aunt doesn’t like me much?"

Bai Yaxin subtly withdrew her hand and said calmly, "Tingyue has been busy too."

Liao Hong, momentarily stunned by the sudden voice in her head, pasted on a smile. "I was just saying. No need to get upset. With two daughters in your family, life must be so much easier."

"How is it easier? Whether it’s a son or a daughter, they’re both your flesh and blood. Daughters require just as much effort."

Worried that Lin Tingyue might misunderstand, Bai Yaxin took her hand and said, "I love all my kids the same."

"That’s right, cousin," Lin Rusong chimed in. "Every one of our kids is precious to us."

Liao Hong completely ignored Lin Rusong’s words and stared at Bai Yaxin. Was she trying to pick a fight?

Displeased, Liao Hong huffed, "What’s the big deal about girls—"

She was interrupted by Lin Jiaxin, who came rushing over. "Cousin, didn’t you call us here for a big announcement? Now that everyone’s here, what’s with the suspense?"

Liao Hong was quickly mollified by Lin Jiaxin’s flattery and smiled. "There is some exciting news, but Xingan and Xiaoqing haven’t returned yet. We’ll make the announcement once they’re back. Auntie Liu, bring out the tea."

The group had just settled into the banquet hall when Lin Tingyue’s inner thoughts were heard.

"I guess this can’t be mentioned now. Aunt Liao’s husband and her daughter-in-law are about to board a plane at this very moment."

Board a plane?

Liao Hong snapped her spoon in disbelief, her eyes briefly glazed over in confusion. Why on earth would her husband be boarding a plane with Shen Zirou?

"Poor Aunt Liao still has no idea. Whenever she and her son are away, her husband sneaks into the daughter-in-law's room. Sometimes, when Aunt Liao is out playing mahjong with friends all night, they even use her bed..."

"AHHHHH!!!"

Liao Hong shrieked and shot to her feet, her face ashen as she ordered Liu Ma to call her son right away.

"What’s wrong? What happened?"

Noticing the commotion, Bai Yaxin smoothly deflected: "This tea is scalding!"

"Wait, did Aunt Liao get burned?"

Assuming as much, Lin Tingyue took Bai Yaxin’s hand and carefully blew on it, frowning. "Mom, be careful!"

"Have mine instead."

Lin Yuhuan placed his own cup in front of Bai Yaxin and took hers in exchange.

Even though it was just a cover, Bai Yaxin felt warmth in her heart seeing Lin Tingyue and Lin Yuhuan act this way.

Liao Hong was frantic but now realized—she must have been hearing Lin Tingyue’s inner thoughts. If Lin Tingyue realized, she might stop speaking. Forcing a bitter smile, Liao Hong said, "Liu Ma, bring some juice instead."

"They should’ve served juice ages ago. Drinking hot tea in such sweltering weather isn’t ideal. Aunt Liao shouldn’t force herself to like things just to please her husband."

Tan Xing’an, like Lin Rusong, was a businessman—but he prided himself on being a refined scholar, unlike those money-obsessed merchants like Lin Rusong. He put on airs of being cultured.

And now this “noble” man was running off with his daughter-in-law...

Lin Rusong shook his head, thinking all that learning had gone to his head.

Liao Hong froze. Since when had she ever changed herself for Tan Xing’an? It was just that they had no taste for her fancy tea—especially Lin Tingyue, a mere kid daring to criticize her.

Right, Lin Tingyue was just a kid. Why should she believe her inner thoughts? Maybe her husband was still at work and hadn’t come home yet.

Comforted by this thought, Liao Hong steadied herself and turned to Liu Ma. "Where’s my son now?"

"He’s at the entrance. He mentioned bringing a friend."

"It’s only right to bring friends for such a joyous occasion." Liao Hong waved it off.

Liu Ma held her tongue—with everyone watching, saying more would humiliate the mistress.

"What friend? It’s Tan Qing’s new girlfriend."

"This family is a real piece of work—the husband runs off with the daughter-in-law, and the son finds a new lover. Unbelievable."

No, no, it can’t be true. Liao Hong clenched her fists.

When Tan Qing’s figure appeared on the stone path, Liao Hong rushed toward him like a lifeline. She quickly stood and hurried out of the banquet hall, prompting everyone else to follow.

Caught off guard by the sudden sight of Liao Hong and the crowd, Tan Qing instinctively let go of You Xin’s hand. Stumbling over his words, he asked, "M-Mom, why did you come out?"

Liao Hong didn’t even glance at her, her gaze fixed coldly on You Xin as she demanded, “Who is this?”

Was Lin Tingyue actually telling the truth?

Tan Qing hesitated, but You Xin nudged his arm and urged in a low voice, “Spit it out already.”

“There’s too big a crowd…”

And every single one of them was staring at him, making Tan Qing sink even lower in shame.

Deep down, he knew this wasn’t something to be proud of. If it were just Liao Hong, it might have been manageable—but with so many people around, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

You Xin said, “The more witnesses, the better.”

“But…”

“Tan Qing, what’s wrong with you? You were the one who said you didn’t love your wife at all—that it was me you loved. Now, with your family watching, you clam up?”

Tan Qing’s cowardice infuriated You Xin. She didn’t hold back and tore into him.

“Then why did you even bring me here? To be your side piece?”

She swept a disdainful glance across the courtyard and scoffed. “No wonder your parents set up the courtyard like this—one wife, one concubine. Is that enough?”

Shocked by his gentle girlfriend’s sudden viciousness, Tan Qing snapped, “You Xin, shut the hell up! My mom is right here!”

“Now you care about your mom being here? When you said you’d divorce your wife and bring me home to meet your parents, did it ever cross your mind that she’d be here?”

“Mom—”

Liao Hong’s eyes rolled back, her legs gave out, and she hit the floor.

It wasn’t her son’s infidelity that made her collapse—if he liked someone else, having a mistress wouldn’t have been the end of the world. But if he really brought a girlfriend home, didn’t that prove Lin Tingyue’s words were true?

Had Tan Xing’an really left with Shen Zirou?

In her shock, Liao Hong’s mind short-circuited, and she collapsed unconscious.

With trembling hands, Tan Qing called 120. After all, they were family—the Lins piled into cars for the hospital.

Liao Hong wasn’t in critical condition, just in shock, and needed to stay hospitalized for a few days.

“So what was Auntie planning to announce?”

“Well… she meant to announce her daughter-in-law’s pregnancy, but then the daughter-in-law up and…”

“Then whose child is it?”

“Case closed—Tan Qing’s shooting blanks. The baby is Tan Xing’an’s. Is that why Tan Qing stepped out?”

Once Liao Hong woke up, Bai Yaxin quickly pulled Lin Tingyue away, afraid that if they stayed any longer, they might send Liao Hong into another fit.

When the Lin family reached the hospital lobby, they found a commotion unfolding.

“You were the one who said you wanted to be child-free, and now you’re pregnant? If you didn’t cheat, what else could it be?” A man was yelling, totally unhinged.

“I got pregnant by accident, and you accuse me of cheating? What kind of man are you?”

“You’re the one who cheated, and now you’re questioning me? What self-respecting man puts up with a cheating wife?”

"Who's cheating? Can you prove I cheated? You're just making baseless accusations!"

"Coming through—OB-GYN here."

The Lins automatically moved aside as a doctor in a white coat walked past, accompanied by security.

The man repeated his earlier accusations to the doctor, ranting dramatically like he was about to kneel. But the doctor stayed completely unfazed.

She asked the man, "Have you had a vasectomy?"

The man froze. "What?"

Adjusting her glasses calmly, the doctor continued, "If you haven't had a vasectomy, how can you be certain you didn't impregnate your wife? You think willpower’s enough to avoid pregnancy every time?"

"Hah! Serves him right!"

"Plot twist: *he's* the cheater!"

Crowd: *Ooooh!*

Classic case of the pot calling the kettle black!