Taking Advantage Part 1

“Then call him,” Xiao Man said.

“Call quickly,” Mother Xiao urged.

The Xiao family had a telephone at home, so there was no need to go outside to make the call. Mother Xiao watched as Xiao Man dialed.

In the village, someone answered the phone and, upon hearing that Xiao Man wanted to speak to Lin Chengshan, said directly, “Lin Chengshan is not in the village. He left with his child today. They say he must have gone to the city to find you.”

“He’s come to the city to find me?” Xiao Man gripped the phone tightly, clearly unhappy about Lin Chengshan coming to find her, especially with Lin Qingqing in tow.

“Yes, he’s going to find you,” the person on the other end confirmed.

Xiao Man dropped the phone receiver, and Mother Xiao quickly caught it.

“What’s going on?” Mother Xiao asked.

Mother Xiao placed the receiver back on the phone and looked at Xiao Man, who was stunned, “Lin Chengshan has come to the city with his daughter.”

“With the child?” Mother Xiao frowned.

“Yes, that’s what he said,” Xiao Man confirmed.

“He really… he just comes here,” Mother Xiao said. “Have him sign the divorce agreement and see if you can arrange to have the divorce certificate processed here. Even though it’s a different city, it should still be possible to make some arrangements.”

Mother Xiao didn’t want Xiao Man to go back to that remote village, fearing that the rough villagers might detain her, making it impossible for her to escape. Mother Xiao thought about how people from poor and rough areas could be tricky and felt that her daughter was indeed forced to marry Lin Chengshan.

When Xiao Man needed Lin Chengshan’s help, she went to him to make him responsible. Now that Xiao Man no longer needed him, she ignored his previous kindness and said it was Lin Chengshan who forced her.

“But he’s come with the child,” Xiao Man said anxiously. “I’m afraid he might use the child for something…”

“It’s just a child,” Mother Xiao said. “If he doesn’t want to raise the child, he can give her to someone else. If he can’t find a good family, we’ll help his daughter find a good home so she can go to school in the city and have a better future.”

Mother Xiao had no intention of raising Lin Qingqing, her granddaughter. She had her own grandchildren, so why should she take care of Lin Qingqing? Lin Qingqing’s presence was a reminder of what happened to Xiao Man in the countryside. If Xiao Man’s current partner saw Lin Qingqing staying with the Xiao family, what would he think?

Men are like that, they prefer to raise their own children but are reluctant to take in someone else’s.

Mother Xiao was worried that Xiao Man’s life after remarriage would be difficult, so they needed to be ruthless and ignore Lin Qingqing. In Mother Xiao’s heart, her daughter was closer than her granddaughter. A granddaughter was just a granddaughter, arranging for her was already a significant gesture.

“Don’t be afraid,” Mother Xiao said coldly. “If he really dares to cause a scene, we have ways to make him leave this city.”

“What if they make a big fuss…”

“It’s fine. We’ll have someone to keep an eye on at the station,” Mother Xiao said.

“But those people might not even recognize him,” Xiao Man said.

“What about his photo?” Mother Xiao asked.

“I didn’t bring it,” Xiao Man replied. When packing her things, seeing the photo made her uncomfortable. So Xiao Man found a brazier and burned the photos of herself with Lin Chengshan, as well as the photos of Lin Qingqing, as if burning them would erase her past.

“It’s fine if you didn’t bring it. You were going to get a divorce anyway, so it doesn’t matter if you bring his photo,” said Mother Xiao. “Don’t worry, we won’t let him cause any trouble.”

In his previous life, Lin Chengshan had faced pressure from the Xiao family and refused to get a divorce. Eventually, he did divorce, but it took time. He had remained quiet for several years, accumulated a lot of money, and gained some strength before he dealt with Xiao Man.

At the moment, Lin Chengshan was washing his daughter’s clothes. He hadn’t intentionally brought tattered clothes or intended to play the victim in front of the Xiao family. He hadn’t brought his daughter to the Xiao family before, and he wouldn’t do so in this life either.

Lin Chengshan knew that the Xiao family was cold-hearted. His daughter, Lin Qingqing, would only be met with disdain from them. Children are sensitive, and Lin Chengshan couldn’t bear to see his daughter treated poorly.

However, Lin Chengshan was still planning to go to Rongcheng City, the provincial capital. The educational conditions there were better, and the overall living conditions were good.

This time, Lin Chengshan would agree to Xiao Man’s request for a divorce. If the Xiao family offered money, he would take it. His current financial situation was tight, needing to buy a house and open a store, so any additional funds would be helpful. Even if he couldn’t open a store right away and had to start with a stall, he would need funds. If the Xiao family was willing to give money, he would accept it.

“Your hair is still wet,” Lin Chengshan said, drying his daughter’s hair with a towel. “If you don’t dry your hair before sleeping, you might catch a cold.”

Lin Chengshan was aware of the care required for children, and in his previous life, he often thought about how he could support his daughter if she were still alive.

Children’s hair is finer and not as dense, so drying it with a towel and letting it air out helps.

Lin Qingqing sat quietly, allowing her father to dry her hair.

“Do you want to eat a banana?” Lin Chengshan asked.

“No, no need,” Lin Qingqing replied, feeling she had already eaten enough. She glanced at the bananas nearby and swallowed, deciding it was better not to look too much.

“Have one,” Lin Chengshan said, peeling a banana for his daughter. “Bananas don’t last long and spoil easily. It’s better to eat them now so they don’t go to waste.”

“Okay, I’ll eat one,” Lin Qingqing said, taking the banana. She liked the sweet aroma of bananas and preferred them over apples.

Yes, Lin Qingqing had eaten apples today, but she found bananas more delicious.

“In the future, we will live in the city,” Lin Chengshan said.

“Will it be a place like this?” Lin Qingqing asked curiously.

“We’ll live in our own home,” Lin Chengshan said. He had already decided where to buy a house.