Chapter 126: Stubborn Bone

Xie Yunxin didn't put the top official of Nanzhou in his eyes; that attitude, compared to the old master not putting Lin Zhenhua and Lin Yuzhi in his eyes, wasn't much different.

It wasn't that he, like a king, arrogantly wanted to ignore everything; it was that the other side was just too lame.

Xie Yunxin didn't even bother to marshal forces for this matter.

She said to Lin Dongfan, "The old master is getting older and longs for a four-generation-under-one-roof life. We plan to transfer you to work in Jingcheng, hoping you and Lingxi will stay."

Transfer to Jing?

Lin Dongfan's brain instantly blew up into a dazed state, with zero mental preparation; his family actually conspired to pull off such a crazy move.

From a life perspective, Nanzhou is the land where he was born and raised.

He's been rooted there for twenty-eight years.

All his familiar friends are in Nanzhou; he knows which commute routes aren't jammed, which eateries are good after work—everything is clear to him.

By contrast, in Jingcheng he's unfamiliar with people and places, and his social circle is reset to zero.

However…

Speaking of prospects, transferring to Jing is an opportunity countless people dream of.

Just look at the threshold for central government selected cadets—if you're not from a 985 or top-tier 211 university, you don't even qualify.

To say one isn't moved would be false.

But work can't be judged solely by prospects, can it?

One must talk about responsibility.

See things through from start to finish.

Currently the 9·28 Special Task Force hasn't closed the case, the truth of the Green Bamboo Ridge Forest Fire remains unclear, and Yang Shoushan's son Yang Tao is still missing.

Yin Qiuhong is on the run, and Xiao Yunce is just one step away from the mayor's position.

At this point to walk away would be to shirk responsibility.

That would be like tearing down the stage of his father-in-law Chu Jinsong and Leng Chuan.

Although the saying "people move upward, water flows downward" isn't a sin, forgetting righteousness for profit truly invites contempt.

After several rounds of weighing.

Lin Dongfan shook his head and rejected Xie Yunxin's intention: "Aunt, this proposal isn't very feasible. I suggest we shelve the dispute, jointly play dumb, and first have a good new year."

"You don't want to go to Jing?" Xie Yunxin couldn't hide his surprise.

Lin Dongfan glanced at the old master, who was reading the newspaper.

He put on a deep pose and threw out a line: "I've always dreamed of staying in Jingcheng to keep the old master company, but my son is developing in the womb, and I have to take responsibility for his… anal area……"

As expected.

Before he finished speaking, the explosive old master couldn't wait to snap: "What does that have to do with the kid's butt? You're talking nonsense."

"Of course it's related." Lin Dongfan replied confidently.

The old master glared with both eyes: "What relation? I think your butt's itchy! You've never been whipped by me all your life, and now you want to try something new."

Xie Yunxin laughed and cried, criticizing: "The old master is angry, telling you to spout nonsense……"

"I really wasn't spouting nonsense."

Saying this, Lin Dongfan turned his gaze to the old master sitting on the sofa.

He argued sophistically, full of confidence:

"When doing things, one should see them through from start to finish, right?

"Being human, one shouldn't forget righteousness for profit, right?

"Right now Nanzhou still has a mess waiting for me to clean up; if I retreat midway, they'll definitely curse behind my back that I gave birth to a son without an anus."

"Old master, that's your great-grandson."

"As the fourth generation of the Lin Family, how could he be born with a curse?"

"The child is innocent."

As for sophistry, Lin Dongfan has never lost; today was no exception—he left the old master speechless with just a few words, and the old master couldn't find a rebuttal after struggling for a while.

The old master glumly asked Xie Yunxin, "Can't the affairs of Nanzhou proceed without him? Did he create the earth?"

Before Xie Yunxin could interject.

Eldest Aunt Lin Yuzhi walked out of the room: "If you're going to ask that, then I have something to say. The earth wasn't created by you either; the Korean battlefield of yesteryear wasn't immobile without you, yet you still abandoned child and wife to rush to the front."

Beauty-loving Lin Yuzhi, wearing an exquisite silk pajama set, had a sea‑mud mask on her face.

But in the old master's eyes, Lin Yuzhi with the face mask was no different from a female ghost.

The old master glared and roared: "I went to the battlefield to fight for the country! How could that be the same thing? Even during the New Year I don't want to scold you—what qualifications do you have to butt in here?"

"Old master, reason isn't about volume. You went to the battlefield to fight for the country; Dongfan returning to fulfill his anti‑corruption duty is for the people's benefit. The state puts the people first—please try to understand calmly."

The 100‑catty Lin Yuzhi has 99 catties of rebellious bone in her nature.

In an instant he put the old master to shame, making him search for comrades: "Where's my cane? Old man, I'll tell you right now what calm and composed means!" He wasn't unable to stand; he just wanted to strike someone, and his cane is his most reliable elderly comrade.

Self‑absorbed Lin Yuzhi disdainfully ignored all of this.

The most well‑behaved is Chu Lingxi.

Without a word, she immediately handed over the cane: "Grandfather, your cane is here—be careful……"

"Or my daughter‑in‑law understands—sit still, don't move, don't disturb the fetal qi."

The old master then turned and helped Chu Lingxi sit on the sofa, attentive like a kind‑eyed elder, his face full of happy smiles.

But this smile vanished in an instant.

He turned around, became like a different person, swung his cane and whipped Lin Yuzhi's butt: "You're a useless woman who can't get married—I said you have no right to butt in, and you truly have none!"

"Oh wuu~~~"

Lin Yuzhi, who hadn't reacted in time, covered her butt and jumped up three feet.

This butt-lifting dance, with chickens flying and dogs jumping about.

It truly shows that the over-fifty-year-old Lin Yuzhi indeed harbors a girlish rebelliousness.

She pulled Lin Dongfan to the front as a shield: "You little brat, I'll bear the firepower for you, and your foolish wife actually handed weapons to the old man—do you care or not?"

"Um…… this……"

Lin Dongfan also became confused, finally understanding why Uncle Lin Zhenhua also runs out on New Year's Day—with his meek fighting ability, it's indeed hard to survive in this war-torn household.

"Dongfan, move aside—I must whip her today!"

The grandfather pointed his cane at Lin Dongfan.

Look at the grandfather's angry face; fortunately he lacks the skill to strike an ox from across a mountain, otherwise Lin Yuzhi hiding behind Lin Dongfan would surely have vomited blood and collapsed.

Lin Dongfan, steeling himself, compromised: "Grandfather, how about… considering my limited rebelliousness, transfer me to the capital after I finish the 9·28 case?"

"That hardly sounds like human speech."

The grandfather's mood changes like the weather—say change, it changes.

But after he put away his cane, he still glared at Lin Yuzhi: "Go back to your room and properly look in the mirror—do you even look like a person? You deserve to never marry!"

"Yes yes yes, you're absolutely right, goodbye."

Lin Yuzhi truly has a girlish mindset; as she turned back to her room, she giggled and blew a kiss at the grandfather, leaving him gloomy and heartbroken, almost as if he'd been shot.

He walked to the late wife's memorial tablet and lit three incense sticks.

Facing the late wife's memorial tablet, he sighed: "Ah! Old woman, I'm sorry—it's all my fault for spoiling her too much before, turning her into a lunatic……"

Lin Dongfan also stepped forward and offered three incense sticks.

Facing the kind-eyed portrait, he confessed: "Grandma, happy New Year; I think my aunt is very beautiful and refined, mentally quite normal, absolutely elite among elites……"

He hadn't finished speaking.

The grandfather gave him a doubtful look: "When did your eyes go blind? On New Year's Day, you dare to speak blatant lies in front of your grandma."

"I'll follow your arrangements—make me blind whenever you want." Lin Dongfan coaxed the grandfather with a smile: "Shall I help you out to get some sun?"

"Who needs your help!"

Although the grandfather's mouth was full of stubborn pride, his right arm was honest; he lifted his elbow, adopting a pose ready to be supported.

Chu Lingxi, sitting on the sofa, was making a video call to her parents to pay New Year's respects.

Chu Jinsong and Shen Junlan, far away in Nanzhou, were all shocked and their blood boiled upon learning that Lin Dongfan's paternal grandfather was still alive.

Shen Junlan incredulously asked Chu Lingxi: "Who do you say Lin Dongfan's grandfather is?"

"Grandfather went out to sunbathe, and Aunt is beside me; I'll have her speak to you." Chu Lingxi cheerfully pointed the phone camera at Xie Yinxin.

Xie Yinxin politely greeted: "In-laws, happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year, happy New Year."

The one responding was Chu Jinsong, his nervousness showing in his words and deeds, which were also a bit stiff.

He recognized Xie Yinxin at a glance, feeling somewhat flustered; after finally securing a satisfactory son-in-law, he never expected that this kid was actually a hidden dragon, making things awkward and turning it into the Chu family marrying above their station.