Chapter 97

Chapter 97

In the middle of the wedding ceremony, when the butler announced that the police had arrived, the groom flew into a furious rage, his venomous gaze sweeping over every guest in attendance.

To him, these were no longer well-wishers celebrating his big day, but enemies trying to steal the bride from him.

"Who? Who was it?" the groom shouted in rage. "Who called the police?"

The guests burst into chatter.

It dawned on some of them—yes, they could have called the police. Why hadn’t they thought of that before?

A voice rang out from the crowd—

"It was me."

Lin Tingyue stood up and locked eyes with the groom.

She was beautiful but far from delicate—in fact, she was resolute.

The groom looked as if he wanted to rip Lin Tingyue to pieces, his killing intent burning in his glare.

Bai Yaxin stepped in front of Lin Tingyue, Fan Qing clenched her fists, and Feng Shuiyun took hold of Lin Tingyue’s hand.

Bai Yaxin turned back and said gently, "Don’t be afraid, Tingyue. Mom will protect you."

Then she faced the groom. "After what you’ve done, what’s wrong with calling the police?"

"Exactly," Fan Qing added forcefully. "Enjoy your prison time!"

The groom clutched the bride’s hand tightly, as if by doing so, she would never leave him.

He wouldn’t let anyone take his treasure away!

Looking at their faces, he suddenly laughed. "You really think calling the police will—"

As a model citizen raised under the Party’s banner, Lin Tingyue felt an eye twitch. "Watch what you say next."

"What? You actually think the police can do anything to me?"

Lin Tingyue stood tall with pride. "Of course."

"Because this is a novel that follows socialist values."

Suddenly, all the guests felt a wave of patriotic fervor wash over them.

Now free, Liu Xing gathered up the hem of her wedding dress and ran through the hall to the outside, flinging off her veil. Under the sunlight, she threw open her arms, lifted her face, and beamed.

The dress that should have been her prison now seemed like wings that would let her soar across the sky.

...

That weekend, Lin Tingyue saw Fan Qing and Feng Shuiyun to the airport.

Fan Qing hugged Lin Tingyue tightly, hesitant to release her. "Yue Yue, wahhh, I’ll come back for New Year’s, and we’ll light fireworks together!"

"Sounds good."

Lin Tingyue lightly brushed her cheek against Fan Qing’s, and Fan Qing deliberately cried out, “Yikes, freezing!”

Lin Tingyue took off her gloves and went to shove her hands down Fan Qing’s collar, sending Fan Qing scrambling backward as she clutched her neck protectively. “I was just teasing you,” she said.

Lin Tingyue batted her eyes. “Me too.”

Too quick for Fan Qing to stop her, Lin Tingyue’s hands still slipped into her collar.

“Ugh!” Fan Qing stomped. “Lin Tingyue, you’re the worst!”

“Bye, Qing Qing.”

“Bye, bye.”

Even with chilly hands and faces, Lin Tingyue and Fan Qing felt their hearts warming.

At the security checkpoint, Fan Qing suddenly turned and called out, “Yue Yue! Call me!”

Lin Tingyue’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Okay.”

Back home, Lin Tingyue was surprised to find Lin Hong perched rigidly on the couch, talking intently with Lin Rusong.

She walked over and greeted them. Lin Rusong said, “Your mom’s in the tea room.”

“Okay.”

Lin Tingyue went to the tea room to find Bai Yaxin, who poured her a cup of hot water. Holding the cup, Lin Tingyue asked, “Why’s Grandpa here?”

Bai Yaxin mirrored Lin Tingyue, taking a sip of water, then whispered, “Guess. Regrets.”

“Regrets divorcing Grandma?”

“More like regretting not having her wait on him anymore. After the divorce, he cycled through three maids, none of whom suited him. Now he’s unhappy with the latest one and came to ask your dad to find another.”

“It’s not that simple, is it?”

“Of course not. He’s been here an hour, chewing your dad out nonstop.”

Lin Tingyue grinned. “Mom, feeling sorry for him?”

“Looking for trouble, huh?” Bai Yaxin pinched Lin Tingyue’s cheek and snorted. “I’ve got zero sympathy for him. I could feel for him about anything—except this.”

Lin Rusong had it all together, except when it came to his father—he completely lost perspective.

Bai Yaxin had no patience left to spare him.

She’d sooner pour that energy into spoiling her girl.

“Qing Qing and Aunt Feng left?”

“Mhm.”

“Good.”

“Mom, if you want, we could do a girls’ trip sometime?”

“A mother-daughter thing—you, me, and your sis.”

Lin Tingyue smiled and said, "Alright."

Only when her cup was nearly empty did Lin Tingyue realize Bai Yaxin was deliberately imitating her.

The sight was striking.

Bai Yaxin wore a cheongsam with a fur shawl draped over her shoulders—elegant, beautiful, but now, while cute, she also seemed oddly sneaky.

Lin Tingyue was torn between laughing and crying. "Mom, why are you copying me?"

"You're cute! So slow and deliberate—like a zoo sloth."

Lin Tingyue: "..."

Was her mother complimenting her?

Why did that sound backhanded?

"Alright," Bai Yaxin mussed up Lin Tingyue’s hair. "What do you want to eat?"

"Anything is fine..."

Bai Yaxin plunked a cookbook into Lin Tingyue’s lap.

Lin Tingyue: *deer-in-headlights look*

"Is this how Mom sees me?"

A sloth?

A glutton?

Lin Tingyue wrinkled her nose but still happily flipped open the cookbook. She had barely read two pages when a shouting match broke out in the living room.

Lin Tingyue and Bai Yaxin hurried out—

"Don’t think I don’t know! Yinan left me because you and your wife put her up to it!"

"Enough," Lin Rusong snapped. "Dad, you can say whatever you want about me, but don’t you badmouth Yaxin."

"Oh, I can’t? Is Bai Yaxin some kind of priceless treasure?"

"Mom *is* a priceless treasure, so what?"

"I’ll buy Mom a whole room full of treasures someday!"

Despite being scolded, Bai Yaxin was fighting back a grin.

Seeing his wife cheered up by their daughter, Lin Rusong worried Lin Hong might say something else Bai Yaxin disliked and upset her. He simply said, "Let’s get you home."

"I never said I was leaving! You—you—Lin Rusong, you—!"

Lin Rusong pushed Lin Hong toward the door. The old man was thumping his cane in fury, but Lin Rusong didn’t stop.

"You—you ungrateful brats! I should’ve just raised *char siu* instead of you!"

"You can’t birth barbecue!"

The words slipped out before he could stop them. Lin Hong was so stunned he was speechless for a moment.

He kept grumbling the whole time as Lin Rusong pushed him into the car.

On the way, Lin Rusong received a call from Lin Jiaxin — she and Lin Ruqiao and Lin Ruzhi were already at the old house. They had originally come together to visit their father, but when they arrived, they discovered that the newly hired housekeeper had brought her husband and son with her.

Lin Rusong took Lin Hong back to the old house, and upon seeing the situation before him, immediately called the police.

When the officers arrived, the housekeeper’s son was still saying, “You have so many houses — can’t you spare one? Why not let us help you out?”

After checking his ID, one officer said, “It’s you again. How many times does this make this month?”

The son’s face fell immediately. Even as he was being cuffed, he kept yelling that he was innocent.

The officer warned, “This family are con artists. Every time the mother gets hired, the father steals from the employer’s home, and the son makes advances on the woman of the house. Be careful when hiring help.”

Lin Rusong nodded. “Got it. Thanks, officer.”

Lin Hong was fuming and went upstairs to rest.

The siblings sat downstairs talking.

Lin Jiaxin asked, “Should we ask around for a good housekeeper?”

Lin Ruzhi suggested, “If nothing else works, maybe Dad can sweet-talk Aunt Xu into coming back.”

Three pairs of eyes turned toward him. Among the four present, Lin Ruzhi was the youngest. Suddenly caught under his siblings’ collective gaze, he awkwardly rubbed his face. “What? I’m just being practical.”

“What kind of ‘practical’? Wasn’t it Dad who insisted on divorcing her? Now that he’s left with no one to take care of him, he wants her back? How does that make sense?”

Seeing that Lin Jiaxin was genuinely angry, Lin Ruzhi mumbled, “I was just saying.”

“Just saying? With your daughter-in-law entering the family soon, can’t you show some tact?”

“…Fine.”

Lin Ruqiao said, “Let’s do this: we’ll all ask around and see if we can find a reliable housekeeper.”

The other three nodded.

When Lin Rusong returned home, Bai Yaxin and Lin Tingyue were putting dishes on the table. Lin Rusong glanced around and asked, “Aren’t Xia Wan and Yuhuan coming back for dinner?”

“They’re almost here. Yuhuan went to pick up Xia Wan.”

A car pulled into the driveway. Bai Yaxin smiled. “Speak of the devil.”

“Should I wash up for dinner then?”

“Wash your hands and come help.”

“Alright, yes, ma’am.”

Bai Yaxin knew why Lin Rusong was acting like this — he was still trying to smooth over what the old man had said, afraid she might hold it against him.

“Enough, I’m not angry. You don’t have to keep walking on eggshells.”

“Really not angry?”

“Or are you just pretending not to be angry?”

Bai Yaxin gave Lin Rusong a light push. Lin Yuhuan and Xia Wan walked in, and Lin Yuhuan asked, “Who’s angry?”

Bai Yaxin said, "So lively—what a good sign!"

Lin Yuhuan turned and glanced at the lifeless yard. Where was the liveliness?

After sitting down, Lin Yuhuan remarked, "When I was driving back, it looked like someone had been thrown out of the house at the entrance."

Bai Yaxin hesitated. Her eldest son never used to gossip—why now...?

Lin Tingyue asked, "What happened?"

Her excitement was practically bursting out. Even Lin Xiawan’s eyes sparkled. Bai Yaxin finally understood—Lin Tingyue had rubbed off on the whole family.

"I don't know either," said Lin Yuhuan.

Lin Rusong thought for a moment. "That building near the gate... When I came back, that person was already outside, pounding on the door, but no one answered."

Was that all? No more tea?

Lin Tingyue wasn’t having it.

Now it was her turn.

"Ah, he was kicked out by his mom’s boyfriend."