Reborn as a Rich Woman in the Eighties
Chapter 322 - 321: How to Get Through

Chapter 322: Chapter 321: How to Get Through

At noon, Wu Zhengyang finished work and came home, probably having heard from his mother about Lin Chun’s return.

He came to meet Lin Chun, and after a brief chat, they got acquainted.

Lin Chun had a good first impression of him and invited him to stay for dinner.

With Lin Chun back, Lin Xia and the others couldn’t contain their excitement; how could they not have a few drinks?

So, after they finished eating, they all felt a bit tipsy.

Poor Wu Zhengyang was in a fix, for he still had to go back to work, though fortunately, it was close to the new year and there was less to do at the office.

Lin Xia took Lin Chun to visit the greenhouse and the cosmetics shop, walking around to take a look.

Seeing that both businesses were booming, Lin Chun really saw his big sister in a new light.

"Xiaoxia! Big brother never imagined you’d expand the business this big!" Before he’d left, he still remembered selling hair clasps with his sister at the factory gate, earning just a few cents each.

Who could have thought that in just over two years, his big sister would have bought a house and opened three shops?

"Honestly, I never thought I’d open several stores so quickly! At that time, I was just focused on earning more money!"

Lin Xia couldn’t forget when they barely had any money in their pockets and how they pooled their funds to get Xiaoqiu into the garment factory or when she repeatedly went into the mountains to collect hazelnuts and sold them in the provincial city to restock goods.

She especially couldn’t forget the stroke of luck when she found a few Lingzhi mushrooms and sold them to Shao Meifang, Lu Zheng’s aunt.

It all seemed like it happened only yesterday, yet the memories were still crystal clear.

She believed that she and her siblings would definitely continue to do better and better.

The next morning, Lin Aiguo rushed to the house; he had just finished a night shift and came straight to the city by bus.

When he arrived, Lin Xia and Lin Dong weren’t home as they were helping at the two shops, which were still swarmed with customers. Lin Chun was at home, getting ready to wash a quilt.

Lin Aiguo’s eyes moistened as he trembled and gripped Lin Chun’s arm, looking him up and down with excitement, "Lin Chun! You’re back!"

His son, after two years of growth, had changed so much!

There was no longer any trace of the timidness on Lin Chun; his posture was upright, his demeanor resolute, and his gaze steadfast, as if he were a completely different person.

Describing it as a complete transformation wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Lin Chun choked up, "Dad! I’m back!"

Meeting Lin Aiguo after two years apart stirred a torrent of emotions within him.

His father really had aged!

Compared to before he left two years ago, he seemed much older!

The man who had come to his workplace to curse at him, the one who had belted him fiercely, now had white hair and a face lined with wrinkles, his complexion waxen and jaundiced.

Indeed, a lot had happened in the past two years.

"Lin Chun, how long can you stay this time?" Lin Aiguo asked, scrutinizing his son closely. In his memory, Lin Chun had a gentle appearance with a touch of naivety.

Now, Lin Chun’s features seemed more matured from his time at home, his face rougher, his eyes more spirited.

"Including the travel time, twenty days off in total," Lin Chun answered. "Dad, how have you been?"

Lin Aiguo wiped the corner of his eye, "I’m okay! I work as a boiler operator at my job, not too tiring. How about you? How’s work?"

"It’s going pretty well!"

As father and son talked, there was a certain awkwardness after not seeing each other for two years.

After a while, Lin Aiguo finally spoke of the upcoming New Year. "Lin Chun, you’re back, how do you plan to spend this year’s holiday?"

"Why not go back to the ravine and see your grandma? The last two years, Lin Xia and the others didn’t go back either."

These children hadn’t visited the ravine for two years. Previously, because Yu Hongmei’s wedding was closer to his home, he didn’t insist on making them return for the wedding.

But the New Year was different; this was about returning to the ravine, and Qian Chunli wouldn’t be coming along.

Lin Chun didn’t directly agree. "I’ll ask Xiaoxia and the others what they think!"

He held no fond feelings for the people in the ravine.

Lin Aiguo was aware of their concerns and promised, "Just go without worry; none of them would dare to say anything in front of you. Just go for your grandma’s sake if nothing else.

After all, she’s getting on in years and may not have many left. Nowadays, with Qian Chunli half-paralyzed at home, Lin Qiang sentenced to prison, and Lin Yu gone off who knows where,

it’ll be just us few family members visiting your grandma in the ravine during the New Year. If you feel uncomfortable staying there, we can leave after the 30th and come back on the first day of the new year..."

Although Lin Aiguo said a lot, Lin Chun still didn’t rashly agree; he wanted to discuss it with Lin Xia and the others first.

Lin Aiguo also knew that it was impossible to get a definitive answer from him right now.

Now that Lin Xia was in charge of the family, convincing her was necessary.

Xiaoqiu went back to the house to cook at noon. As soon as she had finished cooking, Lin Xia and Lin Dong returned.

Seeing that Lin Aiguo was also there, Lin Xia didn’t say anything.

She couldn’t bring herself to forgive Lin Aiguo, but there was also no need to be at daggers drawn with him.

If Lin Aiguo truly had changed for the better and continued like this, she was willing to maintain a peaceful relationship with him for the sake of her brothers and sisters.

However, if he ever showed his true colors again, she would definitely not indulge him!

The few of them managed to eat a meal in quiet.

Lin Aiguo happily drank two glasses of white liquor, with Lin Chun drinking a little less to keep him company.

It was after Lin Aiguo had left following the meal that Lin Chun mentioned to Lin Xia what Lin Aiguo had talked to him about.

"Xiaoxia! How are we going to spend the New Year? He suggested we all go to the ravine to spend New Year’s Eve."

Lin Xia let out a cold laugh. "Why on earth would we go there to celebrate? This is our home."

What was there in the ravine worth going for? She had no desire to confront those people and spoil what should be a joyous New Year!

Xiaoqiu and Lin Dong echoed her sentiment, "Yeah! We didn’t go back for Sister Hongmei’s wedding because we didn’t want to see those people."

They didn’t want to spend the New Year in the ravine either; after all, Liu Shuqin would surely have something to say when she saw them, not to mention Lin Aiye and those opportunistic relatives. They had no good feelings toward them whatsoever.

In the end, they decided to spend the New Year at their own home. If Lin Aiguo wanted to join, he could come, but they wouldn’t follow him to the ravine to celebrate the holiday.

On the twenty-seventh of the twelfth lunar month, Xiaoqiu’s clothing store closed early and did not do business.

Lin Xia also didn’t set up her stall at the greenhouse; she gave Liu Caifeng and the others their New Year goods along with wage bonuses, with plans to resume business on the fifteenth, allowing them to have a good holiday too.

Only the cosmetics store was still doing well, so Lin Xia planned to stay open until the twenty-ninth and then close on the New Year’s Eve, reopening on the sixth day of the new year.

Seeing that Lin Xia was too tired, Xiaoqiu told her to rest at home while she went to help sell products and handle cash.

When Lin Xia woke up from her nap and opened the door, she saw Lin Dong and Lin Chun sitting on the living room sofa munching on frozen pears.

There was also an iron ladle on the coffee table, containing three or four black frozen pears.

"Xiaoxia! Want some?" Lin Chun pinched the stem of a frozen pear and asked her.