Chapter 71: I Want a Divorce

“Lin Xiangxi, you little rascal! You didn’t come back for lunch, and you’re coming back so late at night!” Hu Meili scolded, “Tell me, is this proper behavior?”

She had guessed that he went to Lin Xiangnan’s place for lunch because he didn’t come back.

But Lin Xiangxi hadn’t told the family beforehand, so Hu Meili was still a little uneasy.

Lin Xiangxi looked around, not seeing his brother nearby, he nervously swallowed and told Hu Meili, “Mom, I went to the restaurant today, and Sis let me take over her job. I’m not going to school anymore, I’m going to work starting tomorrow.”

“What did you say?” Hu Meili didn’t quite understand, “Say it again?”

“I said I took over my sister’s shift.”

“Say it again!”

Lin Xiangxi obediently said it again, “I took over my sister’s shift.”

“You two little rascals! You two did something so big, and you did it secretly behind my back?” Hu Meili was so angry that her face contorted, and she immediately twisted Lin Xiangxi’s arm.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch. Mom, I’m wrong, go easy on me.” Lin Xiangxi begged pitifully.

“Go easy on you? You dare ask me to go easy on you?” Hu Meili scolded, “I want to strangle you, you little dog.”

Seeing Hu Meili lose her temper, Lin Xiangnan silently took a step back.

She couldn’t be hit after her younger brother was hit.

Lin Xiangnan was used to being scolded, and so was Lin Xiangxi. Even getting beaten was commonplace.

Their defenses were about the same, Lin Xiangnan hid behind her younger brother’s shield, and she felt no guilt at all.

But how could Hu Meili forget about her?

“Lin Xiangnan! How did I tell you before? Is this how you do things?”

Lin Xiangnan pretended to be clueless, “Isn’t it just that I take the job first and give it up at the critical moment? Didn’t I give it up? Mom, I didn’t take advantage of you.”

“Who told you to give it up now.” Hu Meili was angry, “Your younger brother’s tuition for this term has been paid. It’s more than four yuan, wasted! You’re doing this, you’re making me retire early, and our family will lose over two hundred yuan a year.”

“Over two hundred yuan! It’s like ripping out my heart, what’s the difference?”

She had a long service record and a high salary. Whoever took over her shift would earn 20 yuan less a month. The earlier she retired, the more the family would lose.

But this was unavoidable for the sake of her children not going to the countryside.

“This year, our family’s life has finally gotten a little better. You two are already having other thoughts, I really want to beat you to death.”

They didn’t ask Hu Meili’s opinion about the job, and it was indeed Lin Xiangnan and her brother who were at fault. They didn’t argue back when they were scolded, they just listened obediently.

After all, what was done was done, no matter how Hu Meili scolded them, it wouldn’t change the facts.

Hu Meili also knew why Lin Xiangxi was in such a hurry, but it was precisely because of this that she was angry.

“Your brother was still telling me today that he would go back to the team in a couple of days and let Xiaoxi take over the job at the restaurant. Your brother knows how to be considerate, but you turn around and stab him in the back? Are you two siblings like this?”

“If it weren’t for Xiangdong, your elder brother, being considerate, would you two be able to stay in the city and live a good life? Now you’re trying to drive him back to the countryside?”

This was simply unreasonable.

Lin Xiangnan couldn’t help but retort, “That’s going too far. Who wants to drive Big Brother back to the countryside? You can let Big Brother take over your shift.”

“He can take over my shift. But that’s what you’re thinking.”

Because Lin Xiangnan spoke up, Hu Meili turned her guns on her, “Don’t you think, if it weren’t for Xiangdong being an educated youth in the countryside, you wouldn’t even have a chance to stay in the city, you would have to go to the countryside after graduating.”

Lin Xiangnan wouldn’t take the blame, she directly retorted, “Without me, there wouldn’t be a second job in the family. Wait until next year, Big Brother’s child will be born, and you won’t have to bother him to return to the city.”

The two of them started arguing.

Both of them had a point, and neither of them was weak.

Lin Xiangxi didn’t forget what he said before, and he quickly stepped in to block Hu Meili’s barrage.

“Mom, it’s not Sis’s fault, I begged her to let me take over the job. I was just scared, you see.”

Most of the money for buying the job was given to the family by Lin Xiangnan, so Hu Meili wasn’t really tough with her.

So Hu Meili bullied the weak and feared the strong, and she turned her anger towards Lin Xiangxi.

“You’re scared! You’re scared of nothing. I’m your own mother, I wouldn’t harm you.”

“How did I give birth to such an ungrateful thing.”

Hu Meili was so angry that she didn’t hold back when she scolded him.

Sun Xiaod ie also heard this in the room. She turned to Lin Xiangdong and asked, “Are jobs in the city really that hard to find?”

“It’s really hard to find. So my current situation isn’t suitable for staying in the city.” Lin Xiangdong said, “We’ll go back after the visiting leave is over. Don’t worry, I won’t abandon you.”

Hu Meili had a salary working in the city, and her youngest son was with her, so Lin Xiangdong wasn’t worried.

“But I heard that other families also have rural wives like me. Some can even help solve the problem of work.” Sun Xiaod ie was a little unwilling, she wanted to continue fighting for herself.

“But our family doesn’t have the conditions. Most ordinary families in the city don’t have the conditions. Basically, every family has children working as educated youths in the countryside.”

Sun Xiaod ie was dissatisfied, “Your family has three children, why should you be the one to suffer? You know best how hard life is in the countryside.”

Going to the countryside as an educated youth was due to government policy, Lin Xiangdong didn’t have anything to complain about.

“Actually, I’ve gotten used to it in the countryside all these years. When my family had the chance to return to the city, they immediately wrote me a letter, they didn’t mistreat me.” Lin Xiangdong said, “Are you still feeling unwell? I’ll take you to the hospital again tomorrow.”

“No. Tomorrow I want to go to the park, and I want to watch a movie. Is there still a recreation room in the steel factory? Take me to play table tennis.”

“Okay.”

Hu Meili was still scolding, but Lin Xiangdong didn’t try to persuade her.

This matter was related to him, and he was wrong no matter which side he stood on.

If he tried to persuade Hu Meili, she would feel even more sorry for him.

But he didn’t have the right to educate his siblings. It was because he got married in the countryside that made things difficult and made his siblings feel insecure.

When he returned to the countryside, these troubles would naturally subside.

Lin Xiangdong had a special care certificate issued by the street, so he could stay at home for a long time, but Sun Xiaod ie couldn’t. Her visiting leave would soon be over.

Lin Xiangdong wanted to go back with Sun Xiaod ie, but Hu Meili was unwilling. They hadn’t seen each other for so long, and they finally had a chance to stay together for a longer time, Hu Meili was reluctant to let him go and wanted him to stay for a while longer.

Seeing this, Sun Xiaod ie didn’t say anything more, she simply packed her bags and left alone. Before leaving, she left a letter for the family.

Hu Meili took the letter and asked Lin Xiangdong stammeringly, “She wants you to get a divorce…”