Chapter 435: Was I Removed from the Household Register?

Lin Yu looked at Lin Zhao in surprise, studying her several times before laughing. “I can tell.”

This was a response to her little nine.

She turned to Lin Zhao again: “When you have time, let’s chat about fashion. I can even design a few outfits for you—by the way, I’m a fashion designer, the well-known kind. My designs are quite popular; you’ll probably like them.”

Lin Zhao smiled, replying openly: “Sure.”

To be fair, Auntie was truly Auntie—jeweled and glittering, radiant all over, looking utterly luxurious.

She was the living embodiment of the girl her father described: beautiful and sweet-natured.

She was tall—likely over one meter seventy—walking with a… Lin Zhao couldn’t find the right word, but it was effortlessly cool and beautiful, her proportions perfect: short upper body, long lower body, making her legs look extraordinarily long, stunningly eye-catching.

It was hard to imagine she was an elder several years older than her father.

Could all the Lin family be this good at maintaining their looks?

Lin Zhao was continually stunned, her eyes bright as she looked at Lin Yu.

Lin Yu noticed her gaze, lips curving slightly, and introduced her fiancé to Lin Heling’s family: “This is my fiancé, Cen Yan. He’s a businessman.”

Cen Yan nodded to Lin Heling’s family and gave Lin Zhao a greeting gift: “I came unexpectedly and didn’t know what you’d like, so I didn’t prepare a gift. Take this money—buy whatever you need. I’ll make up the proper gift another day.”

Lin Zhao accepted it openly, smiling: “Thank you, Uncle-in-law.”

They were already engaged; changing the title directly shouldn’t be wrong.

Cen Yan paused slightly at the address.

Choosing a partner from a higher generation meant jumping straight up several ranks.

Fortunately, he’d prepared himself mentally; he nodded calmly: “Mm.”

Lin Yu smiled, telling her fiancé to book the restaurant while she needed to speak privately with Lin Heling.

Cen Yan glanced at Lin Yu, said nothing, and turned to leave.

As soon as he left, Lin Zhao tactfully said: “I’ll go find the dog in the courtyard.”

The living room was left with Lin Heling, his wife, Lin Yu, and Lin De.

Lin Zhao didn’t know what the four of them discussed, nor did she ask.

People with big hearts are like this.

She was now thinking very clearly: children have their own blessings, and elders even more so—they were so much older than her, knew what they were doing, no need for her to worry.

Lin Zhao reapplied sunscreen, lay back on the chair, and basked in the sun, a beautiful dog lying beside her.

The family’s maid occasionally refilled her tea.

A gentle breeze blew, carrying waves of floral fragrance; Lin Zhao grew so comfortable she nearly fell asleep.

At that moment, the large dog at her feet opened its eyes and ran toward the gate.

It barked happily.

Lin Zhao opened her eyes.

Lin Shisheng arrived with his wife.

“How come the busy man has time to come over?” Lin Zhao sat up slightly.

Lin Shisheng, hearing his sister’s sarcastic tone, bent slightly, stretched out his arm, and ruffled Lin Zhao’s hair a few times.

“Who taught you to talk so sharp? Even the busiest person has time to come home, right?”

Lin Zhao swatted at his annoying hand; Lin Shisheng reacted quickly, pulling it back and laughing loudly: “Missed it.”

Lin Zhao couldn’t help glaring at him: “So childish.”

“If your subordinates saw you like this, would they still respect you?”

Lin Shisheng sat down beside her, poured himself a cup of tea: “Why wouldn’t they? I’m their bread and butter—how could they not respect me? Don’t worry, your big brother’s position as boss is rock solid.”

Tao Tao hadn’t seen her beloved dog all day and was doting on her puppy.

She had no children of her own, only two daughters, Lin Xuan and Lin Zheng, both in university. To keep his wife from being bored, Lin Shisheng bought a small Samoyed. The dog was raised by Tao Tao from puppyhood, fed and cared for like her own child, cherished deeply.

Because of this dog, she’d once even consulted Lin Zhao on how to raise Dahuang Huangpo, and asked if puppies could drink milk powder…

Lin Zhao ignored her brother’s words and asked: “When will you be able to afford a car? I want one.”

Her tone carried a hint of envy: “Even Auntie has one. I think I need one too—going out for errands is so convenient.”

This was pure hedonism.

That was Lin Shisheng’s internal reply.

“Auntie?” He looked puzzled.

Who was that?

Lin Zhao suddenly remembered her brother didn’t know the Lin family from Hong Kong had returned. A flicker of guilt crossed her eyes; she cleared her throat and said: “Our dad’s father and little aunt—our grandfather and auntie—are in Hong Kong. You know that, right?”

Lin Shisheng stared at her silently for a long moment before speaking: “When did you find out?”

The moment he said that, Lin Zhao realized her brother probably didn’t know…

She cleared her throat again, cautiously watching Lin Shisheng’s expression, touching her nose: “Not long ago. It doesn’t matter.”

“What matters is that Auntie’s back—she’s inside talking with Mom and Dad right now.”

One surprise after another—too much information—Lin Shisheng felt disoriented for the first time.

“...Already here?” He pointed toward the living room.

Lin Zhao nodded: “Mm, just arrived a little while ago.”

Lin Shisheng stared at his sister, smiling without warmth: “Did we get removed from the household register? How come you know everything?”

“You dare say that!” Lin Zhao turned the tables, cornering him: “I have nothing better to do, so I hang around Mom and Dad all day. Of course they tell me everything. What about you? Each of you is busier than the last—what are Mom and Dad supposed to do? Call you all the time? Do you think they have the energy? Does Dad even remember you? Does Mom?”

“...”

None of them did.

Were they adopted?

Lin Shisheng’s answer was silence.

His eyes stared blankly.

So now it was his fault?!

Watching this, Tao Tao bit back a laugh.

She stroked the big dog’s head, smiling: “Your dad’s confused again, isn’t he adorable?”

The beautiful Samoyed seemed to understand, barking once.

Lin Heling and the others finished speaking and came out into the courtyard.

Lin Yu saw Lin Shisheng, paused, then turned to look at little nine, waiting for him to introduce her.

“Which one is this in your family?”

Lin Heling replied: “Second son, Lin Shisheng.”

He turned to his son: “This is your auntie. Greet her. If you want to grow your business, ask your auntie for help—she can solve anything. Your path will be smooth.”

Lin Heling’s thinking was deeply rooted in his father’s teachings: in his mind, a father’s duty was to pave the way for his son.

Lin Shisheng stared at the young auntie, his lips twitching slightly, then bowed: “Auntie.”

“Ah!” Lin Yu smiled in response.

“I came unexpectedly, didn’t prepare a gift. I’ll make it up another day.”

Before Lin Shisheng could speak, she continued: “I heard you run a factory. When can you take me to see it?”

Lin Shisheng, unaware of the immense fortune approaching, politely replied: “Of course, whenever you’re free.”

He gave the factory’s location and waited patiently for the impossibly senior auntie to come inspect.

Lin Shisheng then introduced his wife to Lin Yu.

“Auntie, this is my wife, Tao Tao.”

Tao Tao was beautiful, with a fresh, striking presence; her lovely peach-shaped eyes looked moist and pure.

Lin Yu liked her immediately, nodding with a smile: “Shisheng has good taste.”

Lin Zhao and the others knew the truth behind their relationship.

No—Tao Tao had good taste. Shisheng (Second Brother) was blind. If the girl hadn’t chased him hard, they’d never have gotten together.

“Of course,” Lin Shisheng hugged his wife’s shoulder, grinning smugly.

Lin Yu liked his personality and was about to say something when a car horn beeped at the gate.

“Cen Yan’s here. Let’s go.”

At that moment, Cen Yan entered, seeing everyone, called out cheerfully: “Everyone’s here? The car’s arrived. Shall we go now?”

Lin Yu gave the order: “Let’s go.”

The group set off and had a dinner at Haicheng’s most luxurious hotel—a reunion meal that wasn’t quite a reunion.

That night, back at the hotel, Lin Yu contacted Yun Jia and arranged a call to Hong Kong.

She reached Lin Fu.

“Did you meet Dad and little nine?” Lin Fu’s first words upon receiving the call from the mainland were these.

Lin Yu told the truth; Lin Fu’s eyes instantly reddened. He hadn’t expected his father to die.

His father had been in excellent health, never even a minor ailment, and with the Lin family’s ancestral health practices, he could’ve easily lived past one hundred—how could he have died?!

He pressed further and learned the reason.

At that moment, the Lin family patriarch’s temples bulged with veins.

Lin Fu, usually so composed, nearly exploded on the spot.

Learning the enemy still lived, even held high rank, and refused to return their ancestral home, he crushed a vase beside him with one hand, his fingers slicing open, crimson blood dripping to the floor—he felt no pain, only roaring fury, desperate to fly there and snap the enemy’s neck.

“I’m coming back today,” Lin Fu said, taking a deep breath to suppress his rage—only those who knew him well could hear the grit in his voice.

“Where’s Xiaojiu? Is he alright?” he asked again, his eyes carrying a faint, almost imperceptible worry—he feared hearing more bad news.

Lin Yu hurried to say: “Xiaojiu is perfectly fine.”

This was the only thing that could comfort the Lin family.

Lin Fu’s furrowed brows relaxed, and the weight on his heart lifted. “That’s good.”

“Xiaojiu got married early—he has four sons, and he even gave you a soft, cuddly granddaughter. Her name is Lin Zhao, a particularly beautiful girl who looks just like your sister-in-law, has a wonderful personality, is open and generous, and is even a university student in the capital. You and your sister-in-law will surely love her.”

“Big brother, don’t say I didn’t warn you—bring gifts when you come.”

“By the way, Zhaozhao loves pretty clothes and jewelry.”

Lin Yu poured out everything he needed to say in one breath.

Hearing he had a granddaughter, Lin Fu’s deep eyes suddenly brightened; he could no longer contain his eagerness and wanted nothing more than to return home as quickly as possible.

Just as he hung up the phone, an elegant, refined lady approached.

She looked at her husband, who was staring blankly, her eyes curious. “Why are you standing here? What happened?”

Lin Fu snapped back to reality and said to his wife: “One piece of good news, one piece of bad news—which do you want to hear first?”

Zhang Yun frowned, hesitated a moment, then said: “...The bad one.”

“Father passed away many years ago—we’ll never see him again,” Lin Fu said.

Zhang Yun’s face filled with shock, then twisted with grief. “How could this be?! A De was right beside Father, and there were so many others—how could Father…?”

Tears streamed down her face as she spoke.

She was an orphan adopted by the old Lin patriarch, raised and educated by the Lin family, grew up alongside Lin Fu, and naturally became his wife.

To Zhang Yun, the old patriarch was not just a father—he was her benefactor. She had always revered him, obeyed every word from this kind old man, and never imagined that their parting would be forever.

Zhang Yun wept uncontrollably, overwhelmed with sorrow.

Lin Fu patted his wife’s shoulder and changed the subject: “It’s done now—grieving won’t help. Our priority is avenging Father. The killer is still alive; we have no time to mourn. I plan to return today.”

He knew his younger sister’s temper—she wouldn’t be able to hold back once she learned the truth. He feared arriving too late to witness the killer pay with blood.

Zhang Yun, as the matriarch of the Lin family, possessed sufficient strength of character. Hearing her husband’s implication—that her father-in-law had been murdered—she immediately suppressed her grief.

Without asking a single question, she said: “Fine. I’ll arrange it right away.”

Lin Fu worried about his wife’s health, fearing she might be overcome by grief, and couldn’t wait to tell her the good news about their youngest son still being alive.

“A Yun, Yu Yu met Xiaojiu.”

Zhang Yun spun around, staring blankly at her husband, her well-maintained face a mix of astonishment, disbelief, and joy.

“Xiaojiu…?”

“Is Xiaojiu still alive?!! Is he well?” She rushed toward her husband and grabbed his sleeve.

“Alive. Xiaojiu is alive and well—he’s fine. If you’re still worried, you can take him for a checkup when you get back,” Lin Fu hurried to say.

Zhang Yun laughed through her tears.

“The greatest happiness in the world is regaining what was lost! My Xiaojiu—Heaven has been kind to me!”

But why couldn’t Heaven have been just a little more generous—giving her a few more years to care for her father?

Zhang Yun, torn between joy and sorrow, made several calls, summoning her children and grandchildren, and swiftly arranged everything.

That same day, she and Lin Fu boarded a passenger ship bound for the mainland.

The people in Haicheng knew nothing of these events.

Lin Yu’s stance was clear: if the ancestral Lin residence couldn’t be restored, there would be no talk of investment.

The investment department escalated the matter, reclaiming the vast amount of Lin family property that had been seized…

The ancestral Lin residence was the top priority.

Whatever needed to be torn down would be torn down; whatever needed repair would be repaired—everything must satisfy the Lin family.

This mess was originally caused by a traitor within the organization; now they were merely restoring order—it was only right.

Many of the Lin family’s properties were returned; those that couldn’t be restored were replaced with assets of equal value.

Lin Yu handed all these assets over to Lin Heling.

“These are all yours. This was… Father’s wish. He was most worried about you—take charge of it.”

As for them, when they went to Hongcheng, they took eighty percent of the visible wealth. Over the years, their money had multiplied. Now, none of them lacked for funds.

Lin Heling understood his family’s situation and didn’t refuse—he immediately divided the properties.

He gave Lin Zhao five of the very best, and distributed the rest among his sons.

Lin Zhao was overwhelmed by the sudden wealth. “Dad!!”

Only a real father would treat her this way, wu wu.

Lin Heling patted the top of his daughter’s head. “With these houses, you shouldn’t have to worry for the rest of your life.”

“Mm-hmm, no more worries—Dad gave me too much!” Lin Zhao’s eyes sparkled. Houses in Haicheng were astronomical prices—her father had given her massive villas, all in prime locations, worth more than money could buy in the future.

The girl who had just been buried under a mountain of real estate was surely the happiest little girl in the world.

Lin Yu watched Lin Zhao’s starry eyes and chuckled. “You like hoarding property?”

“Mm.” Lin Zhao didn’t look up from the property deeds in her hands.

Lin Yu laughed. “That’s all it takes to please you? Wait until your grandfather comes back—he’ll give you even more. Whatever you want, ask him—he’ll even buy you a plane!”

She knew perfectly well—her brother and father both adored daughters. In Hongcheng, he’d often complained about Lin Duan and the others—no one had given him a granddaughter!