Chapter 36: A Family Scandal Exposed

"What, then, would qualify as a happy life?" Chen Jianghai asked, pursuing the matter.

Lin Wanqing thought for a moment and said, "By this time next year, my sister should not have to work at the factory anymore, you should move into a larger house, and you should have over ten thousand in savings."

Technically, those were three conditions. Chen Jianghai laughed when he heard them. Each condition seemed more difficult than the last, almost as if she were intentionally setting him up for failure. But that was only true for others. For Chen Jianghai, achieving these three conditions was not difficult at all.

Seeing the smile on Chen Jianghai's face, Lin Wanqing frowned. "What's so funny? Can you actually do it?"

Chen Jianghai looked at Lin Wanqing and replied without hesitation, "No problem. I agree."

With that, Chen Jianghai turned to walk inside, but halfway there, he stopped. He could feel how much Lin Wanqing cared for her sister, so he decided to return the favor and help her out. Seeing him turn around, Lin Wanqing thought he was about to back out.

"The business your husband is doing, it's likely not entirely above board, is it?" Chen Jianghai said abruptly.

Lin Wanqing's expression shifted, though she quickly regained her composure and asked coldly, "What do you mean by that?"

"By the end of the year, there will be a large-scale crackdown in your area. You’d all better keep a low profile so you don't end up being made an example of." Having said that, Chen Jianghai turned and walked away.

Lin Wanqing watched his retreating figure, her face filled with astonishment. She hadn't even told her own family what her husband did for a living, telling them only that he was doing business away from home. How could Chen Jianghai know? And was the information he just gave her reliable? She hurried after him, wanting to ask for clarification, but as soon as she entered the house and saw the family's eyes fixed on her, she had to swallow her questions for the moment.

"Well, girl, what did he say?" Xue Chunli asked impatiently as soon as she saw Lin Wanqing arrive.

Lin Wanqing forced a smile. "Mom, Chen Jianghai has already promised me: if he can't give my sister a good life within a year, he will initiate the divorce himself."

Chen Jianghai hadn't actually said that, but he hadn't objected either, so it counted as a tacit agreement. Being able to keep his mother-in-law from obsessing over the matter for now and letting time prove everything was, perhaps, a good choice.

"How can that be?" Xue Chunli was clearly dissatisfied with this outcome, her brow furrowed deep.

Lin Wanchiu quickly added, "Mom, I told you Jianghai would treat me well. Please don't worry."

"Mom, just listen to my sister this time. Since she has set her heart on this man, he needs to show what he’s capable of. If he can't achieve this in a year, I'll bring people over and take my sister back," Lin Wanqing said, looking deeply at Chen Jianghai with great intensity.

Seeing both her daughters speak this way, Xue Chunli could only sigh helplessly and say nothing more.

"Old Lin! Old Lin!" A voice called out from outside.

Hearing this, Xue Chunli said with annoyance, "Stop shouting! Are you calling for ghosts?"

Lin Jianguo asked, "What is it?"

Before the words were out, three people walked in, one of whom was their neighbor, Lin Jihua.

"Oh, Old Lin, eating?" Lin Jihua asked with a smile.

Xue Chunli replied tartly, "What else would we be doing at this hour?"

Lin Jihua gestured cheerfully behind him. "Well, my daughter and her husband are back, and since your eldest daughter is here too, I thought they could catch up, since they grew up together."

Seeing the visitors, Lin Wanqing stood up with a smile and greeted them. "Meifeng, it's been a few years, hasn't it?"

"Yes, Wanqing, it’s been years since you left," replied Lin Meifeng, who sported a wavy perm.

"Meifeng, you’re as beautiful as ever," Lin Wanqing said. It had to be said that the small Lin Family Village produced quite a few beauties. The Lin sisters and Lin Meifeng were all exceptionally striking.

Chen Jianghai glanced over casually and noticed a familiar face among them. Boss Jin never imagined he would see Chen Jianghai here. Given the circumstances, the two simply exchanged a slight nod. Since everyone else’s eyes were on Lin Wanqing and Lin Meifeng, the subtle interaction went unnoticed.

Hearing Lin Jihua, Xue Chunli immediately realized that the man had come just to show off.

"Your daughter married a local, unlike my daughter, who married into a big city. She barely comes back once a year, and as a mother, I truly miss her!" Xue Chunli sounded like she was complaining, but everyone present caught the note of bragging in her tone. *Your daughter married a local man with some money; my daughter married a wealthy man in a big city.* The comparison made the difference in stature immediately clear.

Lin Jihua’s expression darkened, but he feigned a sigh. "Oh, my son-in-law just runs a small gold shop in Linghai. It’s nothing, really, and certainly can't compare to a businessman in a big city."

Hearing this, it was Xue Chunli’s turn to grind her teeth. In this day and age, anyone who could run a gold shop was no ordinary person. This guy, Lin Jihua, had truly hit the jackpot.

"By the way, I heard your second girl didn't marry too badly either!" Lin Jihua suddenly shifted the focus.

Chen Jianghai never imagined the fire would suddenly burn in his direction. Boss Jin also looked on with a grin, clearly enjoying the drama as he watched Chen Jianghai.

Mentioning Chen Jianghai was like stepping on Xue Chunli’s tail. She immediately retorted, "Not 'too bad'? My daughter is about to divorce him!"

Once those words were out, the room fell silent, and everyone’s expressions shifted. Boss Jin was utterly stunned; he never expected to run into a scene like this at his father-in-law’s house, especially involving Chen Jianghai. The young man had great skills and was pleasant to be around—how could his wife be the one filing for divorce?

Lin Wanchiu was completely mortified. She never expected her mother to say such a thing in front of outsiders. What had started as a friendly catch-up had turned into this; the smiles on the faces of Lin Wanqing and Lin Meifeng turned awkward. After all, divorce was not exactly something to be proud of in those days.

Lin Jihua was also bewildered. He had only come to show off and find some satisfaction; he hadn't expected Xue Chunli to drop such a bombshell herself. Xue Chunli realized she had spoken in haste and blundered, standing there with sweat on her brow, at a loss for words.

Chen Jianghai, the person at the center of it all, remained calm and composed, looking as though they were talking about someone else entirely.