After returning home, Lin Ning pondered her next steps. If she used the recording device’s evidence to arrest Ma Wenbiao now, his brother-in-law might bail him out, and Morita would be tipped off and flee. It was better to wait and catch them in the act.

While she was strategizing, the “bomb” Ma Wenbiao had planted for her went off first.

Early the next morning, Lin Ning heard loud banging at her door.

“Who’s there?”

“Lin Ning, it’s your mother! Open the door!”

Lin Ning opened the door, and her parents barged in. Once inside, they began roaming around the courtyard, exclaiming in awe.

“This courtyard is great-so big and spacious! Way better than our apartment,” Lin’s father said.

“The house is a bit old, though. Once it’s renovated with red brick, it’ll look so grand,” Lin’s mother added.

“Stop wandering around! This is my house. What are you doing here?” Lin Ning demanded.

Lin’s mother approached her with a big, fake smile, grabbing her hand affectionately. “Lin Ning, we know everything now. This house is yours, isn’t it? It’s under your name. You should’ve told us about such a big decision! We could’ve helped you plan better.”

Lin Ning frowned. “How did you find out?”

“Someone told us, of course! You little liar. You’ve been making a fortune selling bath scrubbers, yet you told us you weren’t making any money! We know everything now—that bath-scrubber design was your invention, and the garment factory pays you a commission every week!”

Lin Ning’s heart sank. Someone must’ve leaked the information about her. It had to be Ma Wenbiao. He had been targeting her from the start, and now he had exposed the contract details to make her a target.

The day before, Lin’s parents had found a letter at their door. It stated that Lin Ning had invented the bath scrubber, made a lot of money, and even bought a courtyard house.

Unbelieving, they had gone to the Land Resources Bureau that morning with their household registration book to check. Sure enough, the house was listed under Lin Ning’s name. The letter was true!

Delighted, Lin’s parents immediately thought: Our family has a house now! Lin Yong won’t have to live with the Fan family anymore; he can move in here instead!

Lin’s father declared, “Lin Ning, pack up your things and come home with us.

This house is for your brother.”

“Why should I?”

“Because I’m your father! You have to listen to me! Besides, you’re a girl. Why do you need a house? When you get married, you’ll have a place to live with your husband.”

Lin’s mother chimed in, “Lin Ning, this house belongs to the Lin family. You can’t take it with you when you get married. Listen to your mother-change the name on the deed to your brother’s and move back home.”

Lin Ning sneered. “What nonsense! This is my house, under my name. I’m not giving it to anyone!”

Her father flew into a rage, pointing at her and shouting, “Your house? While your parents are alive, everything you earn belongs to us! Every penny you make is ours!”

Lin Ning was so furious she laughed.

“What nonsense! There’s no such rule in the law! Lin Yong and Lin Qiao keep their money for themselves, and so do I. It has nothing to do with you!”

“You-you rebellious girl! I’ll beat you to death!”

“Go ahead and try! I’ll rebel all I want. Let’s see what you can do about it!”

Lin’s father picked up a brick, ready to strike her, but Lin’s mother quickly pulled him back. “Old Lin, calm down. Let’s talk to her nicely.”

She smiled sweetly at Lin Ning and said, “Lin Ning, fine, if you don’t want to give the house to your brother, then at least give us some money. You make over 2,000 yuan a week-just give me 4,000. That’s enough for us to buy Lin Yong another house.”

Lin Ning laughed coldly. “I used up all my money buying this house. Didn’t the person who told you about it mention that? The garment factory hasn’t paid me for weeks, and they won’t even let me through the door!”

“What? They’re not paying you anymore?”

“It’s true. If you don’t believe me, go and ask them yourselves.”

Skeptical, Lin’s parents went to the garment factory to investigate. Sure enough, as soon as the gatekeeper heard they were Lin Ning’s parents, he kicked them out, sending them flying ten meters.

Furious, Lin’s father shouted, “They’re breaking their promise! Not paying what they owe is outright robbery!”

Lin Ning said, “Here’s an idea: go make a scene at the factory. If you get my money back, I’ll buy Lin Yong a house.”

“Deal!”

Lin’s parents, confident in their decades of experience with causing trouble, believed they could get the money.

Lin’s mother took the lead. She waited until the factory’s closing time, then stormed to the entrance with a loudspeaker, shouting, “The garment factory is heartless! They owe my daughter money and refuse to pay! They’re trying to force our family to ruin!”

The workers stopped in their tracks, listening as Lin’s mother continued her sob story. “My daughter invented the bath scrubber that made this factory rich, but they’re withholding her commission and haven’t paid her a single penny!”

The crowd murmured in shock. The bath scrubber had been selling like hotcakes, making the factory a lot of money, but no one had known who invented them.

With her loudspeaker, Lin’s mother continued to rally the crowd. More and more people gathered, including some disgruntled former employees who had been wronged by Ma Wenbiao. They joined in, and soon the scene turned into a full-blown protest against him.

Someone in the crowd rushed to the factory director’s office. “Director! There’s trouble at the gate!”

“Who’s causing trouble?”

“Lin Ning’s mother. She’s shouting with a loudspeaker, and some old-timers are joining in. You’d better take a look!”

Ma Wenbiao stood up, took two steps, and sat back down. “I know what they want-money. But they’re not getting any. If I go out there, it’ll only get worse. Go find Haozi (Mouse) and have him handle it.”

“Yes, sir.”

The employee rushed off to find Haozi, the local thug leader.

Ma Wenbiao slammed a file onto his desk. “Damn it! I told the Lin family to deal with Lin Ning, not to cause trouble for me! Lin Ning, just you wait!”

Haozi arrived quickly with a few lackeys. They pushed through the crowd to Lin’s mother.

“Auntie, how did you escape from the hospital again? Come on, let’s get you back to take your medicine.”

“Who are you?”

Haozi grabbed her arm. “The doctor’s been looking for you all day. Turns out you came here to cause trouble. Let’s go-back to the hospital.”

He and another thug dragged Lin’s mother away as she struggled. “Let go of me! I don’t know you!”

Haozi covered her mouth. “Of course you don’t recognize me-you’re mentally ill. Let’s get you back to take your meds.”

As they dragged her off, Haozi shouted to the crowd, “Move along, everyone. This woman’s insane. Everything she said was nonsense.”

The crowd dispersed quickly. Only a few people who knew the truth remained, but they kept quiet, afraid Haozi would target them.

Haozi dragged Lin’s mother into a small alley and whispered, “Your son is Lin Yong, right?”

Lin’s mother’s eyes widened in terror. “Mmph!”

“His leg’s still healing, isn’t it? If you come back here to cause trouble, I’ll break his other leg and leave him crippled.”

Lin’s mother shook her head frantically. “I won’t come back! I promise!”

Haozi threw her to the ground. “Scram!”

Lin’s mother scrambled away. When she emerged from the alley, Lin’s father was waiting nearby. The two huddled together and headed off to confront Lin Ning again.