Chapter 87

Chapter 87

When Lin Jiasi learned that her father-in-law was causing trouble again and even wanted to divorce her mother, she booked the earliest flight home. She arrived at the Lin family villa around three in the morning and sat on the living room couch until daybreak.

"Jiasi," Bai Yaxin said, surprised, seeing her after stepping out of the elevator. "You're back! Why didn't you let Rusong or me know? Your room's been ready for ages—why didn't you go upstairs and rest?"

Bai Yaxin scolded herself for being inattentive, while also feeling a pang of heartache for Lin Jiasi.

Her stream of questions warmed Lin Jiasi's heart. She hugged Bai Yaxin and said, "Sister-in-law, I'm not tired. Besides, I wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway. Sitting in the living room helped me sort things out."

Bai Yaxin took Lin Jiasi's hand and asked, "So what did you figure out?"

Lin Jiasi lowered her eyes. "To be brutally honest, I've wanted my mom to divorce him for a long time. I've told her many times, but she always says they're just going through the motions—that after all these years, even if there's no love, there's still family affection. I couldn't persuade her. But this time…"

Bai Yaxin continued, "This time, I think Auntie’s had her heart broken."

"Maybe that's for the best. Only then can my mom see the reality and stop waiting on that old man."

Despite her words, Lin Jiasi had always been all bark and no bite. Hearing about her mother's distress, she was already heading upstairs.

"I'll go check on her."

Bai Yaxin said, "I'll come with you."

"Okay, thank you, sister-in-law."

"Come on, we're family—no need for formalities. You've been so good to Tingyue and Xiawan, sending us gifts nonstop. I should be thanking you."

The two smiled as they stepped into the elevator.

Xu Yinan's room was next to Bai Yaxin and Lin Rusong's. Bai Yaxin knocked on the door.

Xu Yinan opened it and did a double-take seeing Lin Jiasi. Her eyes immediately reddened. She patted Lin Jiasi's shoulder as if brushing off the travel weariness. "Why did you come back in such a hurry?"

Lin Jiasi snapped, "You're being bullied—of course I'd come back!"

"Your dad isn't…"

"Stop, stop. I didn't fly all the way back to hear this," Lin Jiasi said seriously. "Mom, what are you really thinking?"

Xu Yinan froze. Her gaze turned distant as she mumbled softly, "What else can I think?"

Lin Jiasi pulled Xu Yinan into the room, with Bai Yaxin following. "Mom, let me break this down for you. You have two options: first, divorce Dad. I have enough money to support your retirement and even take you traveling around the world. Second, apologize to Dad. You might reconcile temporarily, but he'll definitely keep nitpicking at you."

"I..."

Even after laying out the pros and cons so clearly, her mother was still hesitating. Lin Jiasi was getting frustrated. "You and Dad have argued so many times this year, haven't you? Mom, my dear mom, aren't you tired?"

Of course Xu Yinan was tired.

From the moment she married Lin Hong, there hadn't been a single day when she wasn't exhausted.

She had become a stepmother. Although the children were grown and didn't need her care, Xu Yinan still lived in constant fear of making mistakes.

Finally, when the children married and had their own families, her youngest daughter refused to get married, constantly clashing with her father.

Worse still, her husband had a terrible temper. The slightest dissatisfaction would set him raging, and he'd take his anger out on her. After their daughter left, he only got worse, constantly criticizing her for how she raised the child.

She had lived this kind of life for decades—how could she suddenly grow tired of it? How could there suddenly be other options? Xu Yinan couldn’t quite wrap her head around it.

Meeting her daughter’s gaze, she saw exasperation in her eyes—the kind that comes when you wish someone would stand up for themselves.

Her own daughter was frustrated with her.

Xu Yinan’s spirits sank even further. She truly didn’t know what to do.

Both Xu Yinan and Lin Jiasi were too close to the situation to see clearly. Only Bai Yaxin, the clear-eyed observer, kept her head. Bai Yaxin said, “Jiasi, give Auntie some time to think. When someone has lived a certain way for so long, it takes courage to choose another path.”

She then turned to Xu Yinan. “Auntie, there aren’t just the two options Jiasi mentioned. There are more possibilities—if you’re willing to consider them.”

Giving Xu Yinan’s back a reassuring pat, Bai Yaxin added, “No matter what you decide, Jiasi and all of us will support you.”

Lin Jiasi realized she had been too impatient. Seeing her mother in tears, her heart ached even more. She threw her arms around Xu Yinan, pressing her cheek to her mother’s. “That’s right, Mom. I’ll always support you. Even if you choose to go back to Dad, I’ll respect your decision. But Mom, please respect yourself too, okay?”

Xu Yinan gave a dazed nod.

Leaving the mother and daughter to talk in the room, Bai Yaxin stepped out and bumped into Lin Rusong in the hallway. He was cleaning his glasses and asked upon seeing her, “Jiasi’s back?”

“Yes, she’s talking with her mom. I asked Zhang Ma to bring their breakfast to the room.”

“I appreciate you taking care of that.”

“Please, this isn’t about the Lin family—it’s for Jiasi and Auntie.”

Lin Rusong chuckled, slipped his glasses back on, and went downstairs with Bai Yaxin.

Lin Tingyue, Lin Xiawan, and Lin Yuhuan, who had just woken up, were sitting in a row at the dining table, chewing in perfect, robotic unison.

Bai Yaxin thought—when had she somehow produced three robots?

Especially Lin Tingyue, who seemed completely spaced out, like she was in another dimension.

Bai Yaxin walked over and asked gently, “Tingyue, didn’t you sleep well last night?”

Lin Tingyue replied seriously, “No, I just got up way too early.”

Bai Yaxin couldn’t help but pinch her cheek. “Then why not sleep a little longer?”

“I really wanted to know whether Grandma would divorce Grandpa or not.”

“If she doesn’t, it’ll drive me crazy. If she does, I worry Grandma won’t handle it well.”

“This is so messed up!”

At her words, Lin Xiawan and Lin Yuhuan also turned to look at Bai Yaxin.

Lin Xiawan asked, “Mom, will they get divorced?”

Lin Xiawan hadn’t been part of the Lin family for long and had only met Xu Yinan just a few times.

But she thought Lin Hong was awful.

Coincidentally, they’d been working on an art exhibition themed around divorce recently.

Maybe it could give Xu Yinan some ideas?

“That’s very considerate of you, Xiawan,” Bai Yaxin said, pausing before continuing, “They’ve been together for so many years. Divorce would be a huge step for Grandma.”

Lin Xiawan and Lin Tingyue nodded together.

"Alright, Xiawan, Yuhuan, hurry up and eat. You've got work after this."

"Me too! Me too!" Lin Tingyue raised her hand while chewing on toast. "I want to go to the company with big bro."

Lin Rusong looked at Lin Yuhuan in surprise, suspecting another hostile takeover attempt.

But he remembered that the newly hired secretary had gone through multiple rounds of vetting. How could there still be issues???

Lin Yuhuan sighed helplessly, "I just found out Tingyue's coming to the company too."

Lin Tingyue said shyly, "I just made the decision."

"I want to have big ambitions!!! Just like what Sister Hezhu said."

Lin Yuhuan: "..."

What the hell did Song Hezhu tell her?

Lin Yuhuan's mind flashed with Song Hezhu's mysterious and beautiful eyes. Instantly switching to boss-mode face, he said sternly, "Then eat quickly. Late arrivals get pay cuts."

Lin Tingyue: "???"

"Is this really my big brother?"

"...I was joking."

Everyone fell silent without exception.

"Now the air's even thicker."

The troublemaker sipped his milk coolly, but his clenched fists gave away he was barely holding it together.

After breakfast, Lin Tingyue and Lin Xiawan both piled into Lin Yuhuan's car.

Lin Yuhuan first dropped Lin Xiawan off at her studio.

In the car, Lin Tingyue spotted something weird. "Why doesn't big bro have a driver?"

"I thought tycoons always had drivers—especially during *those* moments, when the driver would awkwardly pretend they didn't exist."

Lin Yuhuan: "...?"

What the hell has my sister been watching every day?

Of course you wouldn’t want a driver during *those* moments—otherwise, Lin Yuhuan would rather die on the spot... Wait, that’s not the point!!!

At the company, in Lin Yuhuan’s office, Lin Tingyue met his new secretary.

The new secretary was a stark contrast to the previous one—she exuded the calmness of someone who had worked since the Ming dynasty.

Back when Lin Tingyue was a corporate drone, she had been just as composed.

Only later did she realize—that was just the stench of overwork seeping into your soul!

The secretary set down milk and snacks in front of Lin Tingyue. Seeing her like this, Lin Tingyue felt instant kinship and said, "Thank you."

Secretary Fang Jingling paused. Why did the CEO’s little sis give off wage-slave vibes? Pfft, must be seeing things from lack of sleep.

She smiled and said, "You're welcome, Miss Lin."

After a while, Fang Jingling noticed that Lin Tingyue was watching her closely.

There were rumors that the previous secretary had been fired because Lin Tingyue figured her out. But she wasn’t trying to steal any confidential information! She was innocent!

At the same time, Lin Yuhuan frowned slightly.

Could it be that this new secretary also had some issues?

How terrifying that rival company must be. If they had spent all that effort on stealing secrets on something else instead, they might’ve focused on other things.

They probably would’ve been successful by now.

"Ughhhhh, how could such people exist?"

Fang Jingling's smile froze, wait—was that about her?

"A best friend who’s been told to break up a hundred times still insists on marrying that scumbag!"

Huh?

Fang Jingling did indeed have such a best friend, but there was no way that could be true—

"With a sigh, Secretary Fang is really having a hard time."

Alright, now even this mysterious voice was calling her by name.

Fang Jingling stepped out of the office, pulled out her phone, and opened the pinned conversation. What greeted her were two red marriage certificates.

…Fang Jingling thought she must definitely still be dreaming.