Divorce Part 3

The next day, Lin Chengshan took Lin Qingqing to buy a house. He quickly purchased a house, spending most of the money he had, leaving just over a hundred yuan. The house was an old-style two-story building, not a small villa, and was relatively inexpensive. It even had a small yard.

The furniture inside was left as it was, but Lin Chengshan needed to buy things like bedding. These were easy to handle. Once the house was bought, the rest would be much simpler.

Lin Chengshan, who had lived in Rongcheng City in his previous life, was aware of the price levels at that time and even negotiated the price of the house.

Most of the residents nearby were teachers and staff, and the area was quite a distance from the city center, as the school was located in the suburbs. What seemed far from the city center now would eventually become part of the city as it expanded.

Lin Chengshan thought that if he made more money, he might buy a few more houses. Stocks weren’t fully open for trading yet, and there were no exchanges. Otherwise, Lin Chengshan would have considered buying stocks.

“This will be our home,” Lin Chengshan said as he brought Lin Qingqing inside. The furniture was ordinary, not high-end sofas or lamps.

It was an average house, and Lin Chengshan thought it was much worse compared to his previous home.

“The kindergarten is right next door. It takes less than ten minutes to walk there,” Lin Chengshan said. If he walked by himself, it would take only five or six minutes.

Father Xiao had said he would help arrange for Lin Qingqing’s schooling, and Lin Chengshan hoped Father Xiao would keep his promise. If Father. Xiao couldn’t do it, Lin Chengshan would find a way.

“When you start kindergarten, Daddy will pick you up and drop you off,” Lin Chengshan thought. He didn’t know what the teachers would be like if the child stayed at the kindergarten during lunchtime.

Lin Chengshan knew that in the 80s and 90s, some teachers would often pull children’s ears or scold them. At that time, many parents would say it was okay for teachers to discipline their children. But later, parents changed their minds and didn’t want their children to be punished or have their hands slapped. Teachers who physically punished students could face consequences from the education bureau.

In his previous life, Lin Chengshan hadn’t raised a child and didn’t know much about it. In this life, he didn’t want his child to suffer where he couldn’t see. He could only manage what he could.

It was only mid-July, and the kindergarten hadn’t started yet. Lin Chengshan planned to set up a stall to sell goods during this period. Rongcheng University was less crowded during the summer, and there were fewer pedestrians. Setting up a stall there might not yield much profit.

Lin Chengshan planned to sell food at markets where the government allowed stalls. If he went elsewhere, the urban management officers might cause trouble. Lin Chengshan also needed to take his child with him. He couldn’t keep running around every time. He didn’t plan to leave his child alone at home. She was too young, and something could go wrong if he wasn’t careful.

“We live on the second floor,” Lin Chengshan said. “The second floor isn’t as damp.”

“Mm-mm,” Lin Qingqing initially wondered if her father didn’t want her anymore. She didn’t expect they would be able to move here. It seemed her father really wanted her to go to kindergarten.

Lin Qingqing was excited and wanted to look around and see more.

Seeing his daughter so happy, Lin Chengshan naturally didn’t stop her. “This is our home. If you want to look around, go ahead.”

“Daddy.” Lin Qingqing ran towards Lin Chengshan.

“Slow down,” Lin Chengshan said. “Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the mall and buy you a few more outfits.”

As promised, Father Xiao did indeed arrange for someone to help. This person said that Lin Qingqing could go directly to register at the start of the school year. Mother Xiao was not very pleased when she learned that Father Xiao had quickly taken care of the matter.

In the living room, Mother Xiao saw Father Xiao return. Hearing that he had sorted out the child’s schooling, she felt unsettled.

“‘I asked you to arrange something for your grandson, but you didn’t even say a word. Yet, when it came to the child of the man who harmed your daughter, you went immediately.” The more Mother Xiao thought about it, the angrier she became. She wished Lin Chengshan would take his child and go back to the countryside.

“That’s not the point,” Father Xiao said.

“When we were on the farm, we lived such a hard life,” Mother Xiao said. “These people aren’t good people. They only know how to bully others. Our daughter was forced to marry him. Otherwise, would she have become a stepmother to someone else’s child?”

Father Xiao knew his wife had suffered greatly on the farm, but that suffering was not directly caused by Lin Chengshan. Yes, Xiao Man had repeatedly emphasized that Lin Chengshan forced her to marry him, but the truth of that matter was clear to Xiao Man herself.

For their daughter’s sake, Father Xiao accepted Xiao Man’s version of events and acknowledged that their daughter could not endure the poverty of the countryside. Since their daughter had already been admitted to college, it was not surprising for her to remarry.

“It’s just a child,” Father Xiao said. “That child is still our granddaughter.”

“No, she isn’t. She’s not our granddaughter,” Mother Xiao said. “I don’t recognize her, and our daughter has never given birth to this child. Remember, we don’t have such a granddaughter. We didn’t have one before, don’t have one now, and won’t have one in the future. Our daughter is starting a new life. You cannot hold her back now.”

“The child is going to school here. Even if we don’t find someone, won’t Lin Chengshan?” Father Xiao said.

“Let him find out that this city isn’t where he can stay!” Mother Xiao said. “He’s just a scoundrel. He doesn’t deserve to stay here.”

“There’s no need for that,” Father Xiao said. “He and our daughter are already divorced. They are no longer together.”

“But he’s still in this city, which means they might run into each other in the future,” Mother Xiao emphasized.

“People in different circles don’t run into each other easily. If they do meet, they will be strangers,” Father Xiao said. “If we force Lin Chengshan out, what will others think of us? Our daughter is getting married. If people think we are so cruel, what will they say?”

“You shouldn’t support them,” Mother Xiao said. “Even if they stay here, they should face difficulties. Let them know this city isn’t their domain. If we want, we can easily make things difficult for them.”

Mother Xiao was very angry and did not consider how the little girl, Lin Qingqing, would fare. She just wanted Lin Chengshan and his daughter to leave far away and never appear in front of the Xiao family again.