Lin Ning’s venture selling bath scrubber had not only caught the attention of Chen Caohua but also that of her family. Smelling the scent of money, the Lin family came knocking.

One day, outside the People’s Bathhouse, Lin Ning ran into her mother. Smiling sweetly, Lin’s mother said, “Lin Ning, you’re really selling bath scrubber? Someone said they saw you, but I didn’t believe it.”

Lin Ning had been away from home for quite some time, and her family had shown no concern for her well-being. Now they appeared, obviously not with good intentions.

“What are you here for?”

“Mom’s here to take you home. Come with me!”

“I’m not going back. I’m living just fine out here.”

Lin’s mother was just saying that; she had no intention of really taking Lin Ning home. She continued, “You must’ve made quite a bit of money selling those bath scrubber, right? Hand it over, and I’ll save it for you. When you get married, I’ll give it to you all at once.”

So this was her real purpose for coming, wasn’t it? Lin Ning chuckled coldly.
“I didn’t make much. After paying rent and buying food, there’s nothing left.”

Lin’s mother didn’t believe her. “You only made that little?”

“Yeah, I earn a penny per bath scrubber. Selling 100 pieces earns me just one yuan—not enough to get by. Since you’re here, why don’t you give me some money? I need to pay my rent.”

Lin’s mother immediately clutched her pocket tightly. “I don’t have money. Lin Yong’s wedding used up all the family’s savings.”

At this point, she remembered the main reason for her visit and pulled out a wedding invitation from her pocket.
“The day after tomorrow, your brother’s getting married. You have to come for the banquet.”

Wedding invitations at these time were rectangular red paper cards with the names of the groom and bride written in brush calligraphy. Lin Ning nodded. “Sure, I’ll definitely be there.”

Lin’s mother added, “Prepare a generous gift for your brother. At the banquet, make sure it’s impressive enough to outshine the Fan family.”

Lin Ning smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ll give him a big red packet.”

Seeing Lin Ning being so agreeable, Lin’s mother suddenly felt emotional, especially when comparing her to her rebellious son, Lin Yong. “You’re still the filial one. You don’t know how much it hurts me that your brother will move in with the Fan family after the wedding. Isn’t that just being a live-in son-in-law? It’s so humiliating for us!”

“That’s great! Saves you from taking care of them.”

“You don’t understand. We raise children to rely on them in old age and to ensure the family prospers. The Fan family is just scheming to take my son away.”

Lin’s mother wiped her tears and continued, “Now that we have an empty room at home, why don’t you move back? Since you left, the house has been a mess. After work, I’m too tired to cook and clean.”

As always, her reasons revolved around herself. Lin Ning was about to refuse but suddenly came up with an idea.
“I’ll come back, but only if you agree to one condition.”

“What condition?”

“You’ll give me the house in the future—not Lin Yong.”

That hit a nerve with Lin’s mother.
“No way! The house belongs to your brother. Neither you nor Lin Qiao should even think about it!”

“Then don’t bother me again. Don’t expect me to look after you. Just leave!”

Fearing Lin Ning would continue arguing about the house, Lin’s mother quickly turned and left.

Lin Ning snorted. She spoke so earnestly but ran away as soon as things got real.

She returned to the bathhouse. “Sister Hong, do you have one-fen bills here?”

“Plenty. What do you need them for?”

“Exchange fifty cents for me.”

Lin Ning swapped fifty cents for fifty one-fen bills. Stacked together, they formed a thick pile.

She then bought a strip of red paper from the supply cooperative and used it to wrap the money into a massive red envelope. Sealed with paste, the envelope looked huge and full from a distance.

When the wedding banquet came, presenting this red packet would undoubtedly make Lin Yong proud.

On the third day, Lin Ning returned to the Lin family. It had been a long time since she’d last visited, and the house looked very different. Many of the better furniture pieces were missing.

When she asked, she learned they had all been moved to the Fan family’s house to furnish Lin Yong’s new home.

Relatives whispered amongst themselves.
“This wedding hasn’t just taken the bride—it’s taken the son too. Even the furniture’s gone. From now on, his salary won’t come back either. This isn’t a marriage; it’s a raid!”

Lin’s parents looked embarrassed, blaming the Fan family for luring away their precious son.

The Lin family set up three banquet tables—two in the living room and one inside—hiring a master chef to prepare Dong’an County’s “Ten Dishes Banquet.” It was a gesture to give Lin Yong face.

Soon, the sound of firecrackers signaled the arrival of Lin Yong and Fan Xiaoe, accompanied by her parents.

Fan’s father beamed, grabbing Lin’s father’s hand.
“In-law, Lin Yong is such a wonderful boy. You’ve raised an amazing son!”

Lin’s father felt bitterness like swallowing yellow lotus, but he forced a smile to keep appearances.

When Lin Yong arrived, he inspected the banquet. Lin’s mother approached him.
“Son, I hired a master chef from the State-run Restaurant to prepare the Ten Dishes Banquet. Isn’t it impressive?”

Unexpectedly, Lin Yong frowned.
“What’s impressive about it? Don’t you know? The Fan family prepared eleven dishes and even bought canned yellow peaches. Their guests loved it.”

In Dong’an County, a banquet typically had ten dishes. Adding an extra dish symbolized blessings and longevity. The Fan family’s eleven dishes immediately outshone the Lin family’s ten.

Lin’s mother’s face darkened.
“Son, you took all the money from home. Your father and I saved up to pay for this banquet.”

But Lin Yong showed no gratitude.
“That’s because you don’t know how to manage money. A son’s wedding, and you couldn’t even afford a proper banquet. How embarrassing.”

With that, he stormed off, leaving Lin’s mother furious and dizzy.
“What kind of son did I raise?!”

When all the guests arrived, the banquet began. By the third dish, the bride and groom started going around with wine to toast the guests, followed by someone holding a tray for gift money.

The first to give was Fan’s father, who placed a crisp ten-yuan bill on the tray.
“Lin Yong, Xiaoe, live a good life together.”

The crowd gasped. Ten yuan—a huge amount!

Fan’s mother followed, adding another brand-new ten-yuan note. The guests exclaimed again, impressed by the Fan family’s generosity.

Fan Xiaoe was beaming with pride and nudged Lin Yong, who smiled nervously. He wondered how much his family would give.

When it was Lin Qiao’s turn, she gave five yuan. Lin Yong snorted, clearly dissatisfied.

Lin Qiao’s face darkened. She had planned to give only two yuan but increased it to five under their mother’s pressure. Seeing Lin Yong’s attitude, she regretted it.

Then came Lin Ning’s turn. She took out her enormous red packet and tossed it onto the tray with a loud thud. The thick stack inside clearly held a lot of money.

The Lin family’s expressions instantly brightened. This was a proud moment—Lin Ning had done well.