“Xiaodie’s things?” Yun Qingwan sneered. “What could a freeloader like her possibly own?”
Wang Lili’s eyes flickered as she glanced at Li Jingye.
But Li Jingye’s attention was entirely on Yun Qingwan. So this was why she had returned to her parents’ home—to take back everything she had previously brought over to support them.
Truthfully, he hadn’t minded. It was her family, after all. Just as he was about to speak, Yun Qingwan shot him a warning glare.
Li Jingye immediately lowered his eyes and stood there obediently.
Seeing that Li Jingye was henpecked, Wang Lili secretly curled her lip. Such a big man, yet he’s afraid of his wife.
Left with no choice, she stepped in herself.
“Xiaowan, once you’ve given something away, how can you take it back?”
Yun Qingwan patted the cloth bag in her hand, completely unfazed.
“Well, now you’ve seen it happen.”
Wang Lili: “…”
When did this brat become so shameless?
“What’s going on here?”
Lin Jianye had returned.
Yun Qingwan turned toward the voice. He was of average height, thin, fair-skinned, wore glasses, and looked every bit the refined scholar. It was precisely this gentle appearance that had fooled Yun Caixia all those years ago.
“Old Lin—”
Just as Wang Lili was about to complain, Yun Qingwan shoved her aside and instantly launched into a flawless performance.
“Dad! You have to help me!”
Lin Jianye’s temples throbbed. A bad feeling crept over him.
“What happened?”
“The Li family found out about all the things I brought back home before, and they’re very unhappy about it…”
Ignoring Li Jingye’s astonished look, Yun Qingwan wiped at imaginary tears.
“The Li family is unhappy? What did they say?” Lin Jianye asked anxiously.
The Li family was one of the most influential families in the military compound. His future promotions depended on maintaining a good relationship with them.
“They said the Li family’s things aren’t so easy to take. Whatever was taken has to be returned double. Otherwise…”
Yun Qingwan deliberately borrowed the Li family’s authority to intimidate him.
Lin Jianye’s face instantly turned pale.
Not to mention anyone else—his son-in-law alone looked like the Grim Reaper in human form.
He was just about to scold Wang Lili when he noticed the Grim Reaper himself sitting upright on the sofa.
“Son-in-law… y-you came too?”
His voice trembled.
Clearly, Li Jingye had come personally to supervise the return of the goods.
If Yun Qingwan knew what he was thinking, she would have said that imagination was truly a wonderful thing.
“Then why are you still standing there? Go get them!”
Lin Jianye barked at Wang Lili.
“You shortsighted woman!”
As an educated man, Lin Jianye did possess a trace of scholarly pride—but only a trace.
Guilt flashed across Wang Lili’s face.
“They’ve… all been used up.”
Lin Jianye frowned.
Yun Qingwan looked genuinely shocked.
“Aunt Wang, you’re joking, right? The things I brought home over the past month were enough for an ordinary family to live on for a whole year. It’s only been a few weeks, and they’re already gone? Don’t tell me you’re trying to fool Dad just because he doesn’t concern himself with household matters.”
She spoke indignantly, sounding as though she were defending her father.
“Where are the things?”
Lin Jianye stared at Wang Lili with a dark expression.
She stubbornly repeated that everything had been used.
Yun Qingwan set the cloth bag beside Li Jingye before turning to Lin Jianye with an innocent smile.
“Dad, would you mind if I took a look in your and Aunt Wang’s bedroom?”
Lin Jianye waved casually, appearing generous, though his heart was bleeding.
He knew very well that everything Yun Qingwan had brought home had been valuable.
Li Jingye had gone completely numb by this point.
He offered no opinion whatsoever and dutifully played the role of a silent prop.
The real reason Yun Qingwan entered Lin Jianye’s bedroom was because Yun Caixia’s belongings were hidden there.
In the original novel, it was mentioned that they were concealed beneath a hidden compartment under the floorboards by the bed.
About ten minutes later, Yun Qingwan emerged carrying only a few pieces of cloth.
She sighed.
“Dad, the things really are gone. These few pieces of fabric are all that’s left.”
She even shook them open to prove nothing was hidden inside.
Lin Jianye immediately felt his blood pressure spike.
He pointed at Wang Lili, his hand trembling.
This spendthrift woman!
Yun Qingwan couldn’t be bothered watching him shake like he had Parkinson’s.
Turning to Wang Lili, she sniffled pitifully.
“Aunt Wang, I brought those things home to honor my father. How could you send all of them back to your own family? How could you do this to Dad? You’ve gone too far!”
“What?”
Lin Jianye was stunned.
“You gave all those things to your own family?”
Wang Lili shivered, not daring to raise her head.
For all his scholarly appearance, Lin Jianye had a violent streak.
If she crossed one of his bottom lines, he really would hit her.
Yun Qingwan curled her lips in mockery.
See? This was Lin Jianye’s double standard.
When his own daughter brought things from her husband’s family back to her parents, that was perfectly acceptable.
But if Wang Lili used household resources to support her family, that was absolutely forbidden.
When Lin Jianye had subtly encouraged the original Yun Qingwan to subsidize her parents’ home, had he ever considered how difficult her life in her in-laws’ household would become if the truth came out?
Or perhaps he had considered it.
He simply didn’t care.
Yun Qingwan shot Li Jingye a meaningful glance.
After a brief pause, Li Jingye obediently spoke.
“Since the goods are gone, then compensate us with money. If there’s no money either, I’ll visit Father-in-law’s school and have a proper talk with the administration.”
Lin Jianye’s face darkened visibly.
The Grim Reaper truly lived up to his reputation.
“Please, no! Absolutely not!”
If this matter became public, the respectable reputation he had spent years cultivating would be ruined overnight.
“Go get the money!”
he roared at Wang Lili.
After hesitating, Wang Lili finally went into the bedroom and returned with a metal cash box containing the family’s savings and wages.
Yun Qingwan had already quietly removed the portion that rightfully belonged to the original owner.
Fortunately, someone else was available to take the blame.
When Lin Jianye counted the money, the amount was clearly short.
Thanks to all the groundwork Yun Qingwan had laid, he didn’t suspect her in the slightest.
Besides, she had already shown him everything she had brought out of the bedroom.
Lin Jianye counted out three hundred yuan and handed it to Yun Qingwan.
She wisely accepted it without pushing further.
No point cornering someone until they snapped.
Right in front of Lin Jianye, Yun Qingwan handed the money to Li Jingye.
He paused for a moment before accepting it and gripping it firmly.
“We’re family, after all. I won’t bother Father-in-law about the ration coupons.”
Yun Qingwan: “!!!”
As expected of the future big shot!
Lin Jianye: “…”
Do you really have the nerve to say that?
Before leaving the Lin family home, Yun Qingwan spoke earnestly to her father.
“Dad, I know you’re busy educating students and that Aunt Wang handles the household. But you should still pay more attention to things at home. Otherwise, you’ll work hard supporting this family, only for someone else to reap all the benefits.”
Seeing the concern on his daughter’s face, Lin Jianye was momentarily dazed.
For an instant, he saw the shadow of his late wife, Yun Caixia—the woman who had devoted herself wholeheartedly to him, except for refusing to have more children.
“Xiaowan, I’ll remember that.”
He gently patted her shoulder.
“Don’t worry about things here. Go home and live a good life with your husband. If you can bring him back to visit me once in a while, I’ll be more than satisfied.”
“I will,” Yun Qingwan replied obediently.
Once they were out the door and Lin Jianye could no longer see them, Li Jingye quietly handed over the money he had barely had time to warm in his hand.
Yun Qingwan flashed him a bright smile.
“Good. That’s the right attitude. Keep it up.”
“You like money that much?”
Li Jingye blurted out.