Chapter 116: 90: A Family by the Spring, Chapter 116: Buying a House, Do You Like My Younger Sister?

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"It's not too late to divorce now."

The female cousin was indignant: "Why stay with someone like this? Anyway, the son is born, and there's someone to care for them in old age. Just divorce and be done with it."

"Divorce still depends on personal wishes."

A clear official finds it hard to judge family matters; Director Du wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and dared not make a rash judgment.

"Divorce isn't good for Xiao Yi."

Aunt Da said with concern: "He's still a child; his parents divorcing isn't good for his growth. Nowadays, many people still have old-fashioned ideas, viewing others through tinted glasses. As soon as they hear it's a single-parent family, they feel contempt, pointing fingers behind their backs, gossiping, saying unpleasant things..."

"I'm not afraid."

Xu Yi pricked up his ears to listen to the adults talking. Hearing something related to himself, he immediately perked up: "Let them say whatever they want; I only care about my mom and my sister. As long as they're happy, I don't care what others say."

"Hah, this little one is something!"

Director Du was amused and gave a thumbs-up to express his praise: "He has the look of a little man."

"Hehe."

Xu Yi chuckled, tilted his head, and flashed a fawning smile at his sister, waiting for her praise.

At this moment, Lin Xiyu had already been healed by the two people holding her in the middle.

Standing in front, with his arm around her waist, was her well-behaved and cute younger brother.

Standing behind, pressed closely against her, was her gentle and considerate lover.

The warmth of being embraced front and back was like a gentle stream, flowing bit by bit through her whole body, warming her heart until she felt very comfortable.

"Xiao Yi is really good; Sister is fine now."

She wiped her tears dry with the back of her hand, going along with her younger brother's little thought, and affectionately rubbed his little head: "With these words from you, Sister would feel it was worth it even if she suffered more grievances."

"Sister, I want to live with you from now on."

Xu Yi was young but worldly-wise; hearing about renting a house, he also had the thought of escaping the clutches of his father and sister.

"Alright."

Guben answered for Lin Xiyu: "I asked your female cousin to rent two houses; one was originally for you three to live in. From now on, you're the only man in the house, you must shoulder the responsibility of guarding the home and protect Mom and Sister."

"How old is he?"

Lin Xiyu smiled and scolded: "Letting an eight-year-old child guard the house—I'm speechless."

"I can do it."

Xu Yi straightened his waist to make himself look taller: "Don't look down on me because I'm small; I'm smart. Dealing with a tall, burly adult is no problem."

"Hah, already boasting."

The female cousin laughed and huffed: "Just now, who was hiding behind Grandma, not daring to show their head? Relying on you to guard the house isn't as good as keeping a dog."

"Keeping a dog isn't impossible."

Xu Yi's eyes lit up, and he seized the opportunity: "I like German Shepherds; why not keep a German Shepherd?"

"Hmph."

The female cousin was amused and angry: "So he thinks I was praising him."

"Hahaha."

Director Du and the others were all amused by the female cousin's humorous tone; the atmosphere in the small courtyard instantly became lively, no longer so oppressive and dull.

"Xiao Bin, you young people go eat."

Grandma took the opportunity to make eyes at Guben: "We elders won't go join the fun."

"Alright."

Guben glanced at Chen Xiulan and instantly understood Grandma's meaning.

The few elders staying behind must be discussing the divorce; these juniors shouldn't meddle.

"Director Du, let's go, let's go to the hotel together."

He turned around and smiled, greeting the program group.

"Jing Daniang, we're leaving; until we meet again."

"See you again if fate allows!"

Director Du and the others were all shrewd people; they packed up and bade farewell to Grandma, each leaving faster than the other.

Li Liang pulled Wu Meng into the mix and incidentally dragged Wang Fan away.

The Wang Family and the Zhang Family, two families who originally wanted to join the fun, never expected this kind of thing to happen. Afraid of being disliked, they also sneaked back to their own rooms and closed the doors and windows.

The idle people in the small courtyard vanished in an instant, leaving only a family with heavy hearts.

"Xiulan, come in with me."

The smile on Grandma's face vanished instantly. She looked at her second daughter with a complex expression, lifted the curtain, and entered the room.

"Xiulan, go in quickly; don't make Mom angry."

Aunt Da sighed helplessly, grabbed her younger sister's arm, and pulled her in.

"Xiulan, what exactly are you thinking?"

"Tell Mom the truth: this marriage—are you divorcing or not?"

"If you're muddle-headed again this time, enduring humiliation for the sake of face, then don't ever come back. Mom will treat you as if you don't exist!"

Soon, Grandma's stern reprimand and Chen Xiulan's sorrowful crying came from the main room.

——

"Grandma is really angry this time."

The female cousin poked her head out, staring at the window: "Haven't seen Grandma lose her temper like this in ages; looks like that father and daughter really got to her."

"Will Mom get a divorce?"

Xu Yi pricked up his ears too.

"Probably?"

The female cousin muttered softly: "Being bullied like this, and still not divorcing—that's not silly, it's stupid."

"Is there a difference between silly and stupid?"

Xu Yi was left confused by her.

"Xiao Yi."

Lin Xiyu squatted down, looking seriously into his eyes: "Do you want Mom to get a divorce?"

"I don't care."

Xu Yi was still young; he didn't really understand the true meaning of divorce, he just wanted to get away from Xu Jie and stop being bullied by her.

"If they divorce, you won't have a complete home anymore."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to lie to him: "You can only choose Dad or Mom, one of them; if they remarry later, you'll become a stepchild like your sister, becoming the child disliked by the stepmother or stepfather—would you be okay with that? Could you bear it?"

"I want Mom."

Xu Yi understood, and in panic grabbed her arm: "I want to follow Mom, not Dad, no, absolutely not."

"As long as you don't want to, no one can force you."

Guben patted his little head soothingly.

"Sister, will Mom remarry?"

For all his cleverness, Xu Yi was still an eight-year-old child; the small hand gripping Lin Xiyu's arm trembled slightly, revealing his fear.

"I don't know either."

Lin Xiyu shook her head gently: "We're just juniors; we can't make decisions for her, nor can we decide for her."

Xu Yi's eyes dimmed, no longer fearless as before.

"Auntie won't remarry, right."

The female cousin couldn't bear it, comforting softly: "Marrying Xu Weiguo, she was just angry and wanted a son; now she has a son, what else is there to be upset about—must she look at other people's cold faces, raise someone's daughter, and be a nanny?"

"Matters of the heart, we can't meddle; let's go eat first, don't keep Director Du and them waiting."

Guben didn't want to eavesdrop, pulling the three siblings away; seeming indifferent, he had actually taken the divorce matter to heart.

Xu Yi was already eight; if they really divorced, Xu Weiguo wouldn't give up custody, and for the little one to live with his mother openly and aboveboard would probably not be easy.

——

"Sister Lei, you come."

Wang Fan's thoughts were also surging; he gave the female cousin a look.

"What's up?"

The female cousin thought there was company business and hurried over.

"Not eating lunch; come with me somewhere."

Wang Fan walked out the door, pointed at the motorcycle, and gestured for her to get on.

"Fine."

The female cousin hesitated, but since he was her boss, she didn't dare be negligent; without even frowning, she agreed.

Wang Fan took a helmet from the trunk and handed it to her, taking one himself.

"Riding your coattails; I get to ride a motorcycle and catch some wind."

The female cousin had never ridden a motorcycle; she clumsily climbed on, stepping on the pedals.

"Hold on tight."

Wang Fan stepped on the pedal, and the motorcycle roared away from the alley.

"Tsk, this guy."

Li Liang watched their backs, smiling as he jabbed: "Puts women before friends."

"Where are they going?"

Wu Meng heard the motorcycle noise and ran out from the yard.

"Forget about them."

Li Liang guessed Wang Fan was leaving now probably because of Lin Xiyu's family matters; he couldn't say it outright: "The hotel is at County West Lane; do we walk or ride?"

"You ride, I'll sit on your bike."

Wu Meng was wearing a skirt, so riding wasn't convenient.

"Fine."

Li Liang nodded resignedly, pushed out his bicycle, and casually waved at Xu Yi: "Xiao Yi, come here, Brother will take you, sit in front."

His bicycle was a 28-inch model that could seat three people.

"I want to ride Sister's vehicle."

Xu Yi looked longingly at Lin Xiyu.

"It's so close; no need to ride so many vehicles."

Li Liang grabbed his collar and dragged the clueless little light bulb onto the bike.

"Hey hey."

Xu Yi was unhappy with his domineering attitude and was about to struggle again, but saw his sister hugging Guben's waist, sitting on his back seat.

Xu Yi: 「........ 」

That hit home!

It felt like someone had taken my sister away.

——

Qinglong Back Street was one of the earliest developed areas in Jinan; after the low-rise single-story houses were demolished, high-rise buildings rose up from the ground.

Although only six stories high and without an elevator, in that era it was already considered a grand building.

Wang Fan brought his female cousin to a real estate development on Qinglong Back Street, went straight to the sales office and got straight to the point, finalizing two adjacent units in less than half an hour.

The two units were one above the other, three households per elevator.

One was slightly larger, a 67-square-meter three-bedroom on the first floor with a small courtyard, north-south ventilated, with two balconies, the living room in the middle, no windows, and a toilet so small it could only fit one person standing.

The other was on the fourth floor, 46 square meters, the middle unit of three households per elevator.

The two bedrooms faced south, the living room faced north, with only one balcony.

The kitchen window faced the stairwell; whenever each household cooked, the exhaust fan whirred as it spun, and the smells it expelled could be smelled by everyone in the building corridor—truly sour and refreshing.

Wang Fan was not too satisfied with the two-bedroom unit, but with the Old City District demolition, many people were buying houses recently, and the good floor plans had all been snapped up.

If they didn't choose these two units, finding another nearby would make a first-floor unit with a small courtyard hard to come by.

Moreover, he didn't want Lin Xiyu to know he was renting out his own house; putting on a full act, buying two different floor plans made it easier to bluff their way through.

「Wang Fan, how do I feel like you're acting a bit strange? 」

Having personally witnessed his extravagant act of throwing away 130,000, the female cousin couldn't help but wonder: 「Even if Guben asked you to rent a house, you're being too enthusiastic, aren't you? You're not...... 」

Wang Fan's heart thumped, and a bad premonition surged up.

He just couldn't stand Xu Weiguo and his daughter, wanted to help the Chen family out, and had no other hidden motives.

He absolutely must not let people misunderstand that he still liked Lin Xiyu.

He didn't dare to anger Guben, who was a black-bellied tyrannosaurus rex; push him too far and he really would bite.

「You wouldn't be... like him, would you? 」

Just as he was pondering, he heard his female cousin say something earth-shattering, almost making him spit out a mouthful of old blood.

「Li, like, who? 」

「Guben! 」

The female cousin's glance at him was full of unspeakable little ambiguity.

「Sister Lei, what are you thinking? 」

Wang Fan looked incredulous: 「I'm a straight-as-steel man, I change girlfriends every day, never repeating one in a month, how could I like him? 」

「If you don't like him, why are you so enthusiastic? 」

The female cousin didn't believe him, deliberately teasing him.

「I'm just doing it for...... 」

Wang Fan was in a hurry, almost blurting out what was in his heart.

The female cousin had a thieving smile on her face: 「For who? 」

「For...... 」

Wang Fan's handsome face turned red, and he stammered.

「Wang Fan...... 」

The female cousin narrowed her eyes, eyeing him suspiciously: 「You wouldn't also like my younger sister, would you? 」

「Cough cough. 」

Wang Fan didn't expect his female cousin's gossip ability to be so strong; she actually guessed the truth.

「Is that really so? 」

The female cousin was pleasantly surprised: 「No wonder you care so much about our family matters; it turns out you also have feelings for my younger sister. 」

「Sister Lei...... 」

Wang Fan's heart trembled, and he hurriedly interrupted her: 「You can't say such things carelessly; your younger sister and I are classmates, and classmates helping each other out isn't abnormal, is it? 」

「Classmates? 」

The female cousin raised an eyebrow, looking disbelieving: 「If you say you're taking care of my family for Guben's sake, I might believe a little, but just out of classmate affection, doing it to this extent—who would believe it if it got out? You're trying to fool ghosts, right? 」

「You insist on making me admit I like your younger sister, right? 」

Wang Fan laughed in anger: 「Making me go against Guben, getting messed up by him to the point of near death—what good does that do for you? 」

「Well...... 」

The female cousin held back a smile, deliberately stimulating him: 「Let me think; someone has a handle in my hands, doesn't want me to say it out, and must give some benefits, right. 」

「You haven't given any benefits? 」

Wang Fan was speechless with anger: 「You've gotten the most benefits; if it weren't for the Study Committee Member's sake, could I give you such a high salary—1000 base pay, plus extra commission, 2000 yuan a month; even high-level state-owned enterprise executives don't get that. 」

「So you're admitting you like my younger sister. 」

The female cousin deliberately made a fuss and teased him, finding it amusing.

「Fine, fine, fine, I'm not talking to you anymore. 」

Wang Fan was made unhappy by her, got on his motorcycle, and rode away like a gust of wind.

「Hey, this kid, so easily teased, really angry now...... 」

The female cousin stroked her chin thoughtfully: 「Being angry means it's real; he really likes Xiyu. Interesting—two childhood friends liking the same woman, such a melodramatic thing, and I actually encountered it; I just don't know what Xiyu thinks—one has money, one has talent, how will she choose? 」

—————

Donghua Street No. 9 Courtyard.

At 3 PM, the female cousin returned from outside, looking proper, holding two lease contracts.

"You've already rented a house so quickly?"

Aunt Da saw the contract, and her eyeballs nearly popped out.