Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Lin Xiangsong patted Lin Tianxiong on the shoulder and whispered, "Put in more effort, get her to lower her guard. That way, even if she really finds a problem with the accounts, she'll come to us first."

"Dad, I know." Lin Tianxiong looked pensive, then suddenly asked, "Dad, do you know what kind of family Gao Mingzhu's parents are from?"

Lin Xiangsong paused, then caught on to his son's plan: "You're thinking…?"

Lin Tianxiong didn't hide it, a scheming smile spreading across his face. "I really like the way she looks. And since her man is already useless, he probably can't satisfy her. If her family has some influence…" He glanced at his father, his smile turning cunning. "Wouldn't that be like adding wings to a tiger for me in the future?"

"Hahahaha!" Lin Xiangsong couldn't help but laugh loudly at that, slapping his son's shoulder forcefully. "Attaboy, thinking ahead! Definitely my son!"

Lin Tianxiong lowered his head and smiled, saying nothing.

"But." Lin Xiangsong hesitated a little. "I don't know much about Gao Mingzhu's background either. That info is usually held by the commune."

Lin Tianxiong felt a bit disappointed at that, but quickly brushed it off. "It doesn't matter. Even if I don't know for sure, judging from the way she carries herself, she definitely didn't come from a modest background. At the very least, if she has no background, with that face and figure, I still come out ahead."

Thinking of Gao Mingzhu's fair, flawless skin, delicate and beautiful features, and well-proportioned figure, a glint appeared in his eyes behind his glasses.

How could Lin Xiangsong not know what his son was thinking? But he didn't care.

Men, after all, what man doesn't like a pretty face? Especially someone as stunning as Gao Mingzhu!

If she hadn't ended up in their rural area, they would probably never have seen such a beauty in their whole lives.

As for the fact that she had been married before… that small flaw didn't matter.

As long as she didn't bring Huo Huaichuan's child into the Lin family!

…

Gao Mingzhu stood by the window of the office on the second floor, coldly watching the Lin father and son walk away, her gaze dark.

She had, of course, noticed the way Lin Tianxiong looked at her.

No matter how gentle, refined, deeply affectionate, and timid he pretended to be, it only made her feel like she was looking at maggots in a cesspit—disgusting and gave her goosebumps.

Right now, she just hoped the commune would hurry up with their investigation. Otherwise, she was afraid she might not be able to stop herself from having Tiewei rough up Lin Tianxiong just to let off steam!

…

As for Lin Meilan, she had originally been furious at Gao Mingzhu because of the family division.

But then the accountant issue suddenly came up.

At first, when she heard her father Lin Xiangsong say they wanted Gao Mingzhu to give up the accountant spot to Lin Tianxiong, she went crying back to her parents' home after Gao Mingzhu rejected her, feeling humiliated.

But Lin Xiangsong chewed her out and warned her that if Gao Mingzhu didn't give up the accountant spot, their family would be finished. That scared her into not making a fuss anymore.

Although her father didn't say it explicitly, the accountant position handled money, and the fact that it could ruin their whole family… she had an inkling.

So in the past couple of days, when she saw Gao Mingzhu, she not only dared not provoke her but also had to force a sycophantic grin.

Mother Huo blatantly picked all the good vegetables from their family's private plot and gave them to Gao Mingzhu, leaving only withered leaves for the old house. Lin Meilan bottled up her anger and kept it inside.

Unexpectedly, yesterday, when Huo Weicheng came back, he said that Gao Mingzhu didn't know how to keep accounts at all!

To be safe, she intentionally ran back to her parents' house early this morning to double-check, confirming that Gao Mingzhu really knew nothing. That meant she couldn't find any issues with the account books, so Lin Meilan didn't need to be afraid of Gao Mingzhu anymore!

She became arrogant again instantly.

All day, she joined the village women in cursing Gao Mingzhu for being incompetent and putting on airs.

When she got home that evening, she found that the vegetables she had specially picked at noon and left in the kitchen had disappeared again.

She instinctively knew that Mother Huo must have taken them to the backyard to give to Gao Mingzhu again!

She immediately hit the roof.

In fact, Mother Huo had indeed taken the vegetables to the backyard to give to Gao Mingzhu, and Gao Mingzhu had thanked her for it.

Grinning from ear to ear, Mother Huo came back. As soon as she entered the door, she ran into Lin Meilan.

The moment Lin Meilan saw Mother Huo, she exploded: "You old witch! Did you steal the vegetables and give them to Gao Mingzhu again?"

Mother Huo was no longer afraid of Lin Meilan. Upon hearing this, she put her hands on her hips and shot back: "So what if I took the vegetables? I gave them to Mingzhu, so what? I grew those vegetables; I can give them to whoever I want!"

The private plot was gold for every household, because the crops grown there belonged to the family. What family didn't take good care of it?

But Lin Meilan and her family rarely tended it. After finishing their work points every day, they came home exhausted. They relied on the fact that even if they didn't go, Mother Huo would. They were happy to slack off.

Lin Meilan obviously had her own logic: "What do you mean I never go? Even though you take care of the private plot, we haven't split the family yet. What's yours is mine!"

"We haven't split the family yet, so what's mine is yours? Then why don't you give me your money? Come on, hand over your money, and then my vegetables will be yours!" Mother Huo started being unreasonable too.

Lin Meilan was floored by Mother Huo's audacity for the first time. She was about to lose it: "That's not the same thing!"

"How is it different? I grew the things; I'll give them to whoever I like. If you didn't put in the work, don't complain. Besides, even though Mingzhu didn't tend the plot, she used to contribute to the household expenses. Why shouldn't she get a share?"

Lin Meilan was about to jump up and down: "Even if she deserves a share, you shouldn't give her all the good ones and leave the withered ones for us to eat! You're ridiculously biased!"

"So what if I'm biased? Mingzhu is my real daughter-in-law. What's wrong with being partial to her?" Mother Huo was now at the point of not caring anymore. Since everyone said she wasn't close to them, she would just prove it.

Lin Meilan was so angry she couldn't speak. She yelled: "I think we need to split up the family too, otherwise I'm afraid you'll give all the grain in the house to Gao Mingzhu one day and leave us to starve!"

She tried to scare Mother Huo with the threat of splitting the family.

Little did she know, that was exactly what Mother Huo was waiting for!

"Split, then! As if I'm scared to split!" Mother Huo shouted back immediately.

She was not afraid of splitting the family.

If it came down to it, even though she was older, she could still work just fine. Earning eight or nine work points a day was common for her.

Living with the eldest son's family and the second son's family, she worked herself to the bone, didn't get any money, and ended up supporting them instead!

Old Man Huo was willing to support them, but she was no longer willing.

Split the family? That suited her just fine!

The others in the house overheard Mother Huo's words. The crowd, who had been watching their usual fight with indifference, was stunned. Mother Huo wanted to split the family?

Lin Meilan was even more incredulous: "What did you say? You want to split the family?"

This old hag actually dares to split the family? Wasn't she scared of outsiders saying that a stepmother mistreated her stepchildren?

"What's wrong with splitting the family? I'm just afraid you won't do it!" Mother Huo said, not backing down at all.

But as soon as she finished speaking, before Lin Meilan could respond, Old Man Huo, who had been sitting on the doorstep smoking silently, suddenly stood up and kicked over a wooden bucket sitting nearby!

With a loud crash, the bucket rolled far away.

Old Man Huo's face was terrifyingly dark. Jabbing his pipe at Mother Huo furiously, he yelled, "What do you think you're doing, huh? You old hag! Who gave you permission to talk about splitting the family? Did you ask me? Who runs this house, you or me? Have you been led astray by that brat Gao Mingzhu? Huh? Are you not satisfied until you tear my family apart? Let me tell you: splitting? No way! If you want to split, then get out yourself! I'm never splitting this family!"

He cursed with spittle flying everywhere, his face twisted with rage.

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