Reborn as a Rich Woman in the Eighties
Chapter 97 - 96: Taking a Tumble

Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Taking a Tumble

Qian Chunli patted her pockets where she kept her large bills; if she pulled them out, her son would surely ask for some.

So, she took off her shoes and climbed onto the kang bed to open the drawer of the kang cabinet and fetch some change.

As she unlocked it, she felt something was amiss. When she opened the drawer and looked, the household register was gone.

Qian Chunli’s expression tensed as she turned to ask Lin Qiang, "Qiangzi, you haven’t touched the stuff in here, have you?"

Lin Qiang immediately cried out with innocence, "Mom, what are you talking about? If I had touched it, why would I still be asking you for money?"

"Just asking! No other meaning!" Qian Chunli rummaged through the drawer. The grain ration and change were all there, only the household register was missing. Connecting this with what she had heard, she smirked.

It seemed that those few kids had come back and stolen the household register!

Qian Chunli gave Lin Qiang a coin then asked, "Qiangzi, do you know where those guys are staying?"

Lin Qiang, pocketing the money and grinning triumphantly, replied, "Mom! I was just about to tell you, I found out where they’re staying, right near the cinema; once Dad comes back, I’ll take him to find them and let him give them a good beating, skin them alive!"

Qian Chunli hurriedly said, "Ah, Qiangzi! That won’t do!"

"What’s up, Mom?" Lin Qiang was puzzled, sensing something odd about his mother’s reaction.

Qian Chunli decided it was best to reveal some of the matter to her son now, else he wouldn’t know anything and might spoil things.

"Qiangzi, actually there’s something I haven’t told you—your dad is planning to get you a job at the timber mill! There might even be a chance for you to take over in the future!"

"Really?" Lin Qiang’s eyes gleamed.

Although he often loafed around, he was willing to work as a laborer. Laborers earn more, and it would give him prestige too.

"You mustn’t talk about this with anyone for now. But there’s one thing―when your dad comes back and asks you where those kids are living, you must say you don’t know. You can’t let it slip, understand?

If your dad finds those kids and brings them back, your chance to succeed him might be jeopardized!"

Lin Qiang nodded vigorously, "Mom! I get it! Don’t worry, I won’t say a word! If he asks, I’ll play dumb!

Mom! If I really become a worker, I’ll be the first one in my maternal family to do so!"

Qian Chunli, pleased, patted his shoulder, "Exactly! So Qiangzi, keep out of trouble and keep away from those guys for now!"

She thought, once Lin Chun truly leaves, Lin Xia will definitely push Lin Dong to continue his studies. If not her son, then who else we would Lin Aiguo put in charge?

...

Lin Xia had only been at her job for two days when it came to October 1, a national holiday, giving her a day off just as Lin Dong’s school was also closed.

Most people would use this day to prepare their autumn vegetables or pickle cabbage and such.

Lin Dong came home early from school that day, and Lin Xia also returned on time, so they had dinner quite early. The siblings gathered together, eating hazelnuts and chatting.

At first, the conversation was lively, then Lin Chun suddenly mentioned, "Dad must be home by now, right? Seeing that I’m not there, he must be fuming!"

Lin Xia and the others fell silent. In fact, everyone had thought of it, but nobody wanted to bring it up.

Lin Xia swallowed the hazelnut in her mouth, "Let him be mad. Doesn’t he consider how he’s treated us all these years? Why should we let him keep abusing and manipulating us like fools? The situation we’re in now, it’s all his doing...

Big brother! Don’t think about anything else, forget everyone else. Just think about yourself...

Living life, sometimes you have to be a bit selfish. Being too soft-hearted, always considering others, what’s the use?

In the end, such people often end up hurt and at a loss, and those who take advantage of them won’t appreciate it. They’ll still call you a fool behind your back."

That was quite a heartfelt speech from Lin Xia, the heaviest words she had ever spoken.

"I know! But I’ve told you, even if I change, it’s not possible to change overnight... but don’t worry, as the eldest brother, I will definitely not let you down again!" Lin Chun continued to help them pick hazelnuts.

He understood everything his older sister had said, but sometimes, talking and doing were two different things.

He knew what kind of person he was deep down, and becoming cold-hearted and ruthless all of a sudden was simply not possible.

But for the sake of his younger brothers and sisters, he also had to try to change, to no longer cause them anger and pain, or even become a burden to them.

Lin Xia clapped her hands with a smile, "Good! Big brother! We are all watching you! You have to be a good role model for us!"

Lin Qiu and Lin Dong also joined in the teasing, and Lin Chun laughed naively...

On the other side of the Lin Family, there was no such joyful atmosphere; it was dinner time, yet there was no intention of eating at all.

Lin Aiguo sat with a stern face on the edge of the Kang, puffing away at his large tobacco pipe.

Qian Chunli sat at the edge of the Kang, fiddling with the front of her dress, with a distance between them.

Lin Yu and Lin Qiang sat on the edge of the north Kang, discreetly squinting, with no one speaking.

Lin Aiguo opened his mouth with a tone of reproach, "Lin Chun had left the day I left, why didn’t you get someone to send me a message?"

Otherwise, would they have been able to swagger around outside for so many days?

He didn’t learn that Lin Chun had also run away from home until he returned from the mountain.

In his eyes, no matter how he beat Lin Chun, his eldest son wouldn’t want to leave home.

Because Lin Chun was surely relying on taking over his role in the future, and if Lin Chun really wanted to leave, he would have left long ago!

But he never expected that Lin Chun, who never smoked or indulged, would dare to run away from home.

And, apparently, he had packed his things and left the day he returned to the mountain.

Qian Chunli’s face was full of grievance, she wiped her eyes, "Aiguo! What could I do? Being a stepmother, I have to be extra careful with what I say and do!

If they knew I was passing messages to you, wouldn’t they take revenge on us even more in the future?

You saw what they did to Xiaoyu’s and Qiangzi’s clothes!

The situation is already like this, and I’m really not feeling good about it... You beating him like that, it’s only normal that he ran away..."

No matter what she thought inside, she still had to act appropriately and say what needed to be said when it came to the surface.

Lin Aiguo’s eyelids drooped, "Fine! Then let’s consider this matter over! We won’t mention it again!"

He knew he couldn’t blame Qian Chunli, being a stepmother was not easy, especially since he only came home once every fortnight.

He looked at Lin Qiang, "Lin Qiang! I told you to follow Lin Dong, have you found out where they are staying yet?"

Lin Qiang deliberately made a sulky face, helplessly saying, "Dad! How could I not have followed? I kept up with him after you returned to the mountain, but Lin Dong is too cunning, I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of him!

I thought I’d go to Lin Chun’s workplace instead, but when I asked around, he wasn’t at work..."

"What? He wasn’t at work?" Lin Aiguo suddenly stood up, nearly falling backward in shock, he had thought of catching him at his workplace after the holiday was over.

So many days not at work, how much work delayed, how much salary lost?

Lin Qiang nodded: "He wasn’t!"

"These little brats, wait until I catch them, I’ll beat them one by one..." Lin Aiguo ranted furiously, Qian Chunli and her children all lowered their heads as they listened, each with different expressions in their eyes...