Chapter 321: Brother‑in‑law's Territory Extends Far Beyond Capital City!

The air in the courtyard froze like ice the moment Lin Yueqiang burst in.

The fake leave note he treasured like a gem drifted like a lifeless, withered leaf, spinning in the death‑like silence, and lightly floated onto the dust‑covered ground.

Lin Yueqiang's mouth was open, his Adam's apple bobbing violently, his lungs feeling as if filled with sand, each breath burning with pain.

Return to Capital City?

Those three characters struck him like three bolts of heaven‑thunder, cracking his crown, making his head spin, his vision flicker black, and the world seem to instantly lose all color.

He saw his brother‑in‑law looking at him calmly, with not a ripple in his gaze, as if he were a meaningless stranger.

Lin Yue'e saw her younger brother's despondent, world‑collapsing demeanor, felt her heart tighten sharply, and instinctively glanced at Lu Qingshan, her eyes carrying a hint of worry and inquiry.

Lu Qingshan merely tilted his head slightly, looking at his brother‑in‑law's face that had gone from flushed to death‑white, thinking to himself, "This kid still can't keep his composure." An extremely faint curve involuntarily tugged at the corner of his mouth.

That hint of a smile, however, was like a needle, piercing the courtyard's dead silence.

"Pfft."

Lin Yue'e looked at her brother's soul‑shattered expression, then at the unmistakable slyness on her husband's face, and finally couldn't hold back, laughing out loud.

That laugh was as if a switch had been flipped.

Lu Qingshan also let out a low laugh, his chest trembling slightly.

"You little brat," Lu Qingshan said, his voice thick with mirth, "first you cried and shouted to go with me, and now that you really are leaving, you end up scared into this state."

Lin Yueqiang's mind was still a mush; he stared blankly at his laughing brother‑in‑law and sister, his lips trembling uncontrollably. "Sister… brother‑in‑law… I… I'm not scared…"

He wanted to say he wasn't scared, that he was confused, that it was the despair of thinking he had been abandoned.

He suddenly bent over, as if all the bones and strength in his body had been instantly sucked out, trembling fingers, he reverently picked up the crumpled paper from the ground. It was the sole hope he had earned after two days of pleading and borrowing everyone's goodwill.

Now this hope arrived just like that? So fast it made him think it was an illusion.

"Didn't expect the surprise to come so suddenly, huh?" Lu Qingshan said, his smile deepening as he looked at his treasured fake note.

Lin Yueqiang snapped his head up, and a startling glint finally burst from his dim eyes. "Brother‑in‑law, you mean…"

"Or what else?" Lu Qingshan retorted with a grin, "I made you go through all that trouble to take a long leave just so you could laze around Sun‑bathing in Shanwan village? In my plan, have I ever missed one of my own?"

Lin Yueqiang understood instantly.

A colossal, indescribable euphoria erupted like a volcanic blast from the soles of his feet, soaring straight to his crown! After his blood solidified, it surged back a hundredfold, and the whole world was recolored with vivid hues!

So… so that's how it is!

So the brother‑in‑law had planned everything from the start, calculating even him down to the last detail! The leave he requested wasn't wasted effort; it was a ticket to Capital City, a ticket to a brand‑new life!

"I… I…" Lin Yueqiang stammered again from excitement, clutching the reclaimed fake note so tightly that it felt more precious than a county magistrate's official seal. He cracked a goofy grin, his sweat mixing with the tears that had just welled, looking both pathetic and comical, like a dumb fool.

"Alright, stop standing there looking foolish," Lin Yue'e chided, giving him a reproachful glance, then walked over and affectionately tugged his arm. "Go wash your face, get rid of that sweaty stink, then come help stoke the fire; your brother‑in‑law and I are hungry."

"Hey! Got it!" Lin Yueqiang answered loudly, his whole body like a wind‑up tin frog, brimming with inexhaustible energy, his steps light as he raced to the courtyard corner's water well.

The splashing water roared, carrying away the last trace of tension in the courtyard.

Lu Qingshan entered the kitchen. Lin Yue'e sat on a small stool before the stove, watching her husband deftly roll up his sleeves, pick up a kitchen knife, and thump‑thump‑thump as he began chopping, his knife work steady and crisp.

After washing his face, Lin Yueqiang burst in, snatching the fire tongs from his sister's hand, scrambling to sit behind the stove and energetically add firewood.

The orange‑red flames illuminated the three faces, warm and steady.

"Qing Shan," Lin Yue'e said softly, looking at the sizzling eggs in the pan as hot oil crackled.

"Hmm?"

"The younger sister from the Fu Gui family, Liu Hong, you asked me before to take her under my wing for accounting practice," Lin Yue'e said lightly, with a hint of seriousness. "That girl is especially clever and willing to work hard; everything I teach her she records in a little notebook, line by line. The simple daily accounts at the workshop can now be handed to her without issue."

Lu Qingshan paused his stir‑fry. He turned his head, looking at his wife. In the firelight, her profile was soft, and she cradled a sleeping daughter in her arms; the scene softened the hardest part of his heart into a warm, pliable feeling. He reached out, naturally tucking a stray strand of hair from her forehead behind her ear.

"Learning quickly is a good thing," Lu Qingshan said, his voice steady and strong. "When we return to Capital City, the business here in Shanwan won't stop; it'll only grow bigger. Once the stall expands, we'll need someone trustworthy and reliable to oversee it."

"I need someone who can report the local finances, line by line, clearly and regularly, to you."

He stared into Lin Yue'e's eyes, saying word for word, "Remember, Yue E, no matter how big our business gets, the true household accountant will always be you. This family's purse must be held in your hands for my peace of mind."

Lin Yue'e's heart skipped a beat.

She looked at her husband's deep eyes, seeing the familiar strategic foresight, and the trust and protection for the family and for her that she could read without reservation.

She nodded firmly, her eyes slightly hot.

"I understand."

Lu Qingshan watched her earnest, firm nod, his heart growing hotter, and couldn't help reaching out again, gently rubbing his wife's warm cheek with his fingertip, his voice tinged with amusement and reassurance: "So, you must teach quickly, learn quickly. The accounts here in Shanwan are just practice, a starter dish."

Lin Yue'e was taken aback, raising her eyes and looking at him puzzled: "Starter dish?"

"Yes," Lu Qingshan said, his gaze fixed on hers, the depth of his eyes seeming to hold an endless starry sky. He lowered his voice, each word deliberate, as if drawing a grand blueprint: "Our family's stall isn't limited to just Shanwan and Capital City. Once I finish the matters in United Kingdom, I'll take you and Yueqiang to Hong Kong Island."

"Hong… Hong Island?" Lin Yue'e's breath halted instantly, her mind exploding with a sudden bang! What place was that? A bustling land of gold that only existed in picture books and rumors!

"Yes, Hong Island," Lu Qingshan said, watching his wife's adorable, wide‑eyed shock, his smile deepening. "Our enterprises over there also need a trusted person to officially manage them. I can't be at ease if you, as chief accountant, don't go on site to inspect and inventory."

"Clang!"

A crisp clang rang as Lin Yueqiang, busy stoking the fire behind the stove, lost his grip on the tongs, which fell straight to the ground. He froze completely, as if an acupoint had been struck, his eyes darting wildly, staring fixedly at Lu Qingshan, his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg.

United Kingdom… Hong Island?!

Did brother‑in‑law just mention those two places?! He's not dreaming, is he?! The ticket to Capital City hasn't even warmed up yet, and now the massive ship for sailing overseas is already built?!

This happiness… arrived far too startlingly!