"Aihua, your father and I are unsophisticated country folks. Who do you think we’re doing this for? If we didn’t know your second brother and sister-in-law’s temperaments and had not figured out the old couple from the Zhang family, would we be doing this?
If we don’t make your second brother and sister-in-law feel indebted to us, sure, they might help Chuchun and Chuqiu. But how they’ll help and whether it will meet our expectations are another matter.
If it’s just about joining the army and getting discharged after a couple of years, we wouldn’t need their help. With the qualifications that Chuchun and Chuqiu have, they’re sure to be accepted as soldiers. What we want is for the two kids to never have to worry about food and clothing and not to have to work hard for their whole lives, right?
So we have to make your second brother and sister-in-law feel truly indebted to us. Even if they don’t feel that way, they should feel too embarrassed not to help us. Anyway, the bigger the fuss, the better. You don’t need to worry. You have me and your father here.
If our plan doesn’t work out, it won’t affect you and Baohai. Just pretend you don’t know anything. We’ll tell others that you didn’t know. Does that make you feel better?"
At this point, Yang Aihua stopped trying to persuade her. Actually, she knew she couldn’t change their minds. Getting the old couple to agree not to drag her and her husband into their schemes was already something.
"It’s time to eat." Seeing that her daughter-in-law was persuaded, Old Lady Lin commanded.
The dishes were served on the table, but they noticed Lin Chuchun was missing.
At this time, Lin Chuchun was on his way to Lin Baohe’s new home, walking with his head down, when he suddenly heard a rush of footsteps behind him and then his arm was grabbed. "Where are you off to?" Lin Chuqiu asked angrily.
"What’s it to you?" Lin Chuchun shot back, glancing at him. "The legs are mine. I’ll go wherever I want, and you mind your own business."
"You’re thinking of going to your second uncle’s house to tip them off?" Lin Chuqiu’s face twisted as he looked at him. "Even if you despise the idea of becoming a factory worker, don’t drag me down, okay?
In this freezing weather, why do you think I’m running outside again and again? You think I’ve got nothing better to do, that I like to fret needlessly? Chunni has already said that if I’m not a factory worker, she won’t marry me.
You know I’ve been smitten with her from the bottom of my heart. If she married another man, I could kill her. Do you believe that? If you don’t want me to become a murderer, don’t mess up my plans!"
"For the sake of Chunni, you’ll abandon your conscience?" Lin Chuchun sighed. "Ever since you opened up to Chunni, you’ve changed. I really think that woman is not right for you.
If she really cared for you, she wouldn’t have turned you into what you are now. Believe it or not, even if you become a factory worker, she’ll come up with other demands.
And even if she doesn’t demand more now, after you’re married, sooner or later, she’ll compare you with others and demand you fight to bring home everything she wants. If you can’t satisfy her, she’ll make trouble with you.
Think about it, can you live with a life like that? Let me put it this way: if it weren’t for Chuxia’s situation, would she have agreed to get together with you?"
"I don’t care, I want to marry her," Lin Chuqiu stubbornly stared at Lin Chuchun. "You decide whether you want your brother to live properly or turn into a murderer."
Lin Chuchun looked straight at his twin brother, sighed deeply after a long while, and said, "Let’s go back and eat."
"Brother..." Lin Chuqiu paused for a quite while, then said, "I appreciate your concerns."
"I just want to ask you one thing. Doing this, do you think it’s fair to your second uncle and aunt and to Chuxia?"
"Will you still help our grandparents with their schemes against them in the future, or not?"
In the darkness, Lin Chuchun sighed softly. "We were born only a few days apart from Chuxia. We’ve seen clearly how grandma and grandpa have treated her since we were kids.
In the past, I really didn’t like her because the second uncle and aunt were so fond of her when she was still naive. But after all, she is our cousin, our family. No matter how much I dislike her, I can’t scheme against her..."
Their voices grew fainter as they moved away. Luo Xiaoqiong emerged from around the corner, staring thoughtfully at where they had vanished, then turned and ran towards Chuxia’s new home. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to give recommended tickets and monthly votes on Qidian at (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)