Chapter 87: Going Out to Visit the Aunt Who Married Far Away

Lin Jianyang and his wife never imagined that Lin Haocheng's car was actually rented; it not only wasted their happiness but also made them lose face before the whole village.

For a moment, both felt their faces burning painfully, as if they had been slapped in public.

Seeing everyone looking at her with mocking eyes, Wang Fang knew staying longer would make her a laughingstock; she gave Lin Haocheng a dark glare, then grabbed her son and hurried away.

As she passed Lin Meng, Wang Fang shot her a poisonous glare, her teeth grinding together with a creaking sound, as if she wanted to chew Lin Meng up and swallow her.

Lin Meng gave her a white-eye, completely disregarding her threat.

Lin Haocheng swollen his face to pretend he was fat; renting a car to pose as his own was merely an appetizer, and while he claimed he would start a business in Jing Shi, he ended up being someone's lackey.

If Lin Jianyang and his wife learned the truth, who knows how big a blow they would suffer.

Lin Meng soon felt another hidden hostile gaze—it was Lin Jianyang sitting in the back seat.

She was just as fearless, returned the glare, then looked at Lin Haocheng and said bluntly:

"Still not embarrassed enough? Do you want to keep being a joke here?"

As Lin Meng finished speaking, Lin Haocheng, furious, spat out a harsh remark, gritted his teeth, and drove off.

Wang Fang practically dragged her son home by pulling and tugging, but the clueless kid didn't understand what had just happened and kept begging to ride in the car.

"Mom, I want to ride in my brother's luxury car, and I also want to pee and draw on Lin Meng's car."

The latter part hit Wang Fang right in the heart, but thinking of her brainless eldest son making her lose face, she was so angry she had nowhere to vent, so she stopped and gave her son's bottom a few hard smacks.

"Sit, sit, sit—what sitting! From now on, you're not allowed to mention that car!"

Lin Haoxuan, used to being treated like a little emperor, couldn't bear this injustice and burst into tears on the spot.

Lin Haocheng wasn't doing any better either.

His father glared at the back of his head from behind, and even through the rearview mirror he could see those narrow, man-eating eyes.

Guilty, Lin Haocheng could only utter a lie:

"Dad, I didn't think this through, but I had no choice—my car is in the shop, and seeing Lin Meng that little bitch bought a new car, I had to rent one to keep up appearances for you; who knew that bitch's eyes were so sharp."

Lin Jianyang naturally believed his son, but his expression remained unchanged after hearing it.

"Was Lin Meng's car bought in Jing Shi? She surely couldn't have earned that much on her own; there must be something fishy behind it. When you return to Jing Shi, you must find a way to investigate her."

"By the way, since your sister also went to Jing Shi, your mother and I plan to sell those few houses in town to help you and your sibling buy a place in Jing Shi's urban area."

Upon hearing his father would buy him a house, the lingering guilt in Lin Haocheng's heart vanished completely…

With no more obstacles, Lin Meng soon drove off amid the villagers' envious gazes.

After resting a day in Qing Tang Town, Lin Meng bought some gifts for visiting and booked a ticket to Li Shi.

The Li Shi where her aunt married is separated from their hometown by three large provinces, and it's been over twenty years since she left.

Lin Meng basically has no impression of that aunt; the only time she heard about her was when her grandfather appeared in a dream and mentioned her.

It turned out the aunt wasn't close with any of her brothers or sisters, only keeping in telephone contact with Lin Meng's father.

However, Lin Meng never saw her parents interacting with the aunt, because back then their family wasn't well-off, they had to support her schooling and help grandfather repay debts, leaving no time to attend to the distant-married aunt.

According to grandfather, when the aunt married she brought only a few quilts and added a refrigerator as dowry; the rest was withheld by her uncles—the eldest, second, and fourth.

They all believed a married daughter was like spilled water—giving her more dowry only benefited the husband's family; it was better to keep the money at home for her nieces and nephews.

The aunt disliked competition and truly couldn't match her sisters-in-law, so she could only swallow her anger.

The grandfather's heartache lay here; he felt he had owed his little daughter.

Lin Meng had wanted to comfort grandfather, blaming it all on those unfilial sons who were too greedy, even coveting the little sister's dowry, but after thinking she remained silent.

She didn't know why, while grandfather was alive, he couldn't suppress his uncles, but grandfather, widowed in middle age and never remarrying, struggling alone to raise such a large family, must have been exhausted, inevitably with oversights and limitations…

After the plane landed, Lin Meng pulled her suitcase for show; in fact, most of her luggage was stored in the third space.

Since opening that third space, Lin Meng has been able to put some change of clothes and personal items inside for emergencies.

This third space isn't shared with others, offering greater privacy; it's really not bad.

Coincidentally, Ye Heng gave her another five crystal stones, some of which could be used to upgrade the third space.

Just then, the aunt's phone call came.

"Hello? Xiao Meng, Auntie's shop is swamped; I've had your brother come pick you up—I'll send you his photo, just wait at the arrival gate."

"A shop? So the aunt actually runs a store?"

"Auntie, you're busy, don't worry about me; I'll meet up with my cousin and then come find you."

The aunt seemed uneasy and felt guilty; she ought to have come herself, but since the shop was hectic, she gave a few more reminders before hanging up.

Soon, the cousin's photo arrived.

Lin Meng enlarged the photo and was surprised to see the cousin was a handsome young man.

Looking at his handsome face and clear eyes, he was instantly more likable than the eldest uncle's family, and Lin Meng felt an immediate affinity.

Lin Meng sat on her suitcase, gazing ahead, when a familiar figure suddenly caught her peripheral vision.

Wasn't that Xiao Chen, Ye Chenjing's lifestyle assistant? What was he doing here?

With the lifestyle assistant present, did that mean Ye Chenjing was also here?

She had barely thought that when she heard Xiao Chen call out to someone not far away:

"General Manager Ye, the car has arrived—sorry for my work negligence making you wait so long."

Xiao Chen looked tense; it must have been a work mistake.

Lin Meng curiously looked in the direction Xiao Chen was facing, and indeed saw Ye Chenjing appear in casual business attire, his handsome face showing a hint of displeasure.

"Pay attention next time."

His low voice seemed magical, making Lin Meng's ears feel hot as she listened.

She unconsciously touched her earlobe, thinking, This man is too perfect—even his voice is outstanding; does he have any flaws at all?

Ye Chenjing was busy rushing and, being some distance from Lin Meng, didn't notice her.

Lin Meng had no intention of private contact beyond business, so she naturally wouldn't go out of her way to bother him; she just watched him leave, longing, then continued waiting for her cousin to appear.

Inside the luxurious business car, Ye Chenjing slightly curled her index finger, tapped the tea table in front of her, and slowly spoke.

"Li Shi's annual Stone Gambling Convention, our group's share isn't large; have the experts we invited arrived?"

"This time, Xiao Chen is not only a living assistant, but also works part-time as an administrative assistant."

He hurriedly gave a thorough report.

"General Manager, the three experts have already arrived in Li Shi; Special Assistant Sun has already made arrangements in advance."

"Furthermore, the team heard that not long ago, a Stone Gambling Expert appeared in Yun Cheng, reportedly able to spot treasure with 100% accuracy, causing prices to soar almost every time, but the news seems to have been deliberately blocked, and the investigation will still take some time."

"If we could bring in such talent, their chances would be even better."

Ye Chenjing shook her head upon hearing that.

"Don't take folk legends seriously; if such talent really existed, the Stone Gambling world would have been overturned long ago."