Chapter 12: The Awkward Father

Lu Dingyuan remained noncommittal.

He knew Xie Qingxiao liked Lin Xiangyi, and he also knew that Xie Qingxiao’s way of attracting Lin Xiangyi’s attention was inappropriate, making her dislike him.

On top of that, Xie Qingxiao didn’t like him, and Lin Xiangyi, out of loyalty, disliked Xie Qingxiao the most.

Now, Lin Xiangyi was going to marry Xie Qingxiao. He wouldn’t believe it if she said it wasn’t because of him.

Because he was going to marry Lin Huihui, she was thinking of marrying Xie Qingxiao to get back at him!

A cold smile appeared on Lu Dingyuan’s lips. Lin Xiangyi was thinking of getting back at him, but how could she know that he had already stopped liking her?

He wouldn’t care who she married.

Marrying a useless good-for-nothing like Xie Qingxiao would only make him look down on her.

Of course, Lin Xiangyi wouldn’t be any better.

The two of them getting together would be a match made in hell.

The next day, Lin Xiangyi woke up early, a rare occurrence.

Lin Shan, Chen Fengmei, and Lin Huihui were sitting in the main room, having breakfast.

After Lin Shan stormed out yesterday, he didn’t return until very late, and even then, he didn’t go back to the main room to rest, but slept in the utility room for the night.

Chen Fengmei was furious, and Lin Huihui naturally noticed something was wrong. She went to ask Chen Fengmei and learned about the dowry.

She was also furious.

The mother and daughter together cursed Lin Shan and Lin Xiangyi.

However, both mother and daughter knew that Lin Shan was the one who held the purse strings in the family and wouldn’t foolishly turn against him.

So, early this morning, Chen Fengmei got up and washed everyone’s clothes, prepared the clothes Lin Shan needed to wear for work, and cleaned the house inside and out, preparing breakfast.

When Lin Shan woke up and saw the clean house, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.

Lin Huihui also woke up, calling Lin Shan “Dad” in a pitiful and aggrieved tone, explaining that she didn’t put the medicine in, and that she would find Lin Xiangyi later and talk things out, clearing up the misunderstanding.

Seeing Lin Huihui, who was reasonable and understanding, and Chen Fengmei, who was virtuous and hardworking, Lin Shan didn’t have any anger left. His expression softened. When Lin Xiangyi got up, he and Chen Fengmei were already chatting and laughing, getting along very well.

“Good morning. What’s so happy about?” Lin Xiangyi’s voice, tinged with a hint of sarcasm, interrupted the happy family.

Lin Shan’s gaze fell on Lin Xiangyi’s expressionless face, and he inexplicably felt a twinge of guilt. The smile on his face faded slightly.

Seeing this, Chen Fengmei and Lin Huihui were secretly annoyed.

Chen Fengmei squeezed out a smile, “Xiangyi, you’re up? Come sit down, I’ve saved you some breakfast. I’ll go get you a bowl.”

As she spoke, she was about to go to the kitchen.

Usually, when Lin Shan saw Chen Fengmei busy, and Lin Xiangyi wasn’t doing anything, he would scowl and scold Lin Xiangyi.

Let alone letting Chen Fengmei get Lin Xiangyi a bowl, did Lin Xiangyi not have hands or feet or something?

Chen Fengmei was counting on this, but before she even got out the door, she didn’t hear Lin Shan’s voice. Instead, Lin Xiangyi’s impolite voice came, “Then thank you, Aunt Chen.”

Chen Fengmei could only grit her teeth and go.

“Sister,” Lin Huihui picked up a bun and wanted to hand it to Lin Xiangyi, her expression with a hint of flattery, she said softly, “Those things really weren’t done by me, let’s find a place to sit down and talk properly later, okay…”

“No!” Lin Xiangyi dodged her bun, her expression showing undisguised disgust, “Who’s your sister? My mom only gave birth to me, even if my dad married your mom, you’re not my dad’s child, please don’t call me that!”

“This…” Lin Huihui gritted her teeth, looking at Lin Shan aggrievedly.

Lin Shan’s face flashed a hint of anger, Lin Xiangyi glanced at him coldly, and Lin Shan forcibly swallowed the scolding he was about to utter.

He turned his head and took the bun from Lin Huihui’s hand, took a big bite, hummed with a weak voice, and comforted Lin Huihui, “She won’t eat it, I will!”

Lin Huihui: “…”

“Are you going out with that boy from the Xie family to buy things today?” After a while, Lin Shan asked Lin Xiangyi casually.

“Yeah,” Lin Xiangyi replied, Chen Fengmei came over with the bowl, she scooped a bowl of porridge, took a small sip, then picked up a bun and started eating.

Lin Shan glanced at her belly. Yesterday, he originally planned to ask her if she was really pregnant after the Xie family went back.

Later, because of the argument with Chen Fengmei, he went out and didn’t get to ask.

Now, with Chen Fengmei and Lin Huihui here, it wasn’t a good time to ask. He just said, “Then be careful, don’t tire yourself out. Does that boy from the Xie family have a bicycle? Let him take you, let him carry the heavy things…”

“I know, you’re so nagging,” Lin Xiangyi said impatiently.

Lin Shan endured it, thinking to himself that she was in a special period now, he wouldn’t argue with her. Wait until later, if she dared to be so disrespectful, he would beat her to death.

Thinking this, Lin Shan reached into his pocket, took out a wad of money and tickets, threw them in front of Lin Xiangyi, and said gruffly, “Although they’re generous, you don’t need their money before marriage.”

Lin Xiangyi picked up the money on the table, estimating that it should be about two hundred yuan. She immediately smiled brightly, “Thanks, Dad!”

Lin Shan thought she would argue with him and not take the money.

He didn’t expect her to take the money so readily, and her attitude even did a 180-degree turn.

He was a little happy, but still said with a look of disdain, “Money-grubbing!”

Lin Xiangyi was indeed money-grubbing.

If she wasn’t greedy for her father’s money, would she have to be like before, letting Chen Fengmei and Lin Huihui take advantage of her?

Chen Fengmei and Lin Huihui watched Lin Shan and his daughter bickering, their tempers flared. Lin Shan, who was usually quick to anger, not only didn’t get angry, but also gave money to Lin Xiangyi.

Was this still the Lin Shan they knew?

Lin Huihui was already a little unable to eat. This morning, she originally wanted to coax Lin Shan to return the three turns and one ring to her, but she didn’t succeed. Now, Lin Shan actually gave money to Lin Xiangyi to buy a dowry.

She bought her own dowry with her own money, and Lin Shan didn’t even give her any money!

Chen Fengmei was also unbalanced, she laughed and said, “Yes, although those things are daily necessities, they are all going to be taken to her husband’s house, so they are considered dowry. You can’t let the man pay for them. Before, when Huihui went out with Dingyuan, it was her own money. Dingyuan wanted to help her pay, but she didn’t take it.”

This was a hint that Lin Huihui paid for it herself.

Lin Shan just nodded in agreement, and then there was nothing more.

Chen Fengmei and Lin Huihui felt like they were punching cotton, feeling suffocated.