Chapter 51 - 18: The Green Hat

Chapter 51: Chapter 18: The Green Hat

"Why didn’t Xuanyuan and Zhengzheng tell me?" He regretted being so busy lately, leaving early and coming home late, that he hadn’t kept a closer eye on that troublesome woman.

Lin Zhao didn’t blame her two nieces. They were still young; what could they possibly know? They were just influenced by the adults around them.

A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she thought about her second sister-in-law’s behavior. "She must have said something to them. Good kids tend to bottle up their grievances. They were probably too scared to speak up."

Lin Shisheng’s brows knitted together.

"I understand. I’ll keep an eye on things," he said.

Lin Zhao knew her second brother had a mind of his own and would surely find a way to handle it. After telling Lin Shisheng, she let the matter rest.

She disliked Qiu Lian and her entire family.

In the original book—

A few years later, Qiu Lian would have an affair with a widower from her family’s village and accidentally get pregnant with his bastard child. She would even try to make her second brother play the part of the cuckold, but he would discover the affair, cripple the adulterer, and divorce that woman.

The Lin Family had yet to do anything, but Qiu Lian would feel that Lin Shisheng had disregarded their bond as husband and wife, stomping her dignity into the ground. She would then give her lover an idea: sue her second brother for assault and battery.

The adulterer would pull some strings, getting her second brother sentenced to two years in prison. After he got out, that woman, Qiu Lian, would use their two daughters, Lin Xuan and Lin Zheng, to cause him no end of trouble.

The book even went on to say that the Lin Family was being too heartless. After all, Qiu Lian had married into the Lin Family, borne Lin Shisheng children, and wasted her youth on him; it was only right that he pay her alimony.

Those were the book’s exact words.

Lin Zhao felt sick to her stomach.

’What kind of twisted logic is that!’

’Unless you’re the one being cheated on, you have no idea how disgusting it feels.’

Watching his sister storm away in a huff, a hint of a smile touched Lin Shisheng’s furious eyes.

But when he thought of Qiu Lian and the Qiu family, his expression darkened once more.

Just as Lin Zhao was fanning the flames at the Lin residence, Gu Chenghuai received a letter from his wife.

He had just gotten back to his dorm when one of his comrades tossed him a letter.

"Chenghuai, you’ve got a letter."

Gu Chenghuai’s brow twitched, surprised that anyone would be sending him a letter. But as he took it and glanced at the familiar handwriting on the envelope, his pupils contracted.

It was his wife’s handwriting.

’She actually thought to write to me. What a pleasant surprise.’

"Thanks."

After thanking his comrade, Gu Chenghuai sat on the edge of his bed, tore open the envelope, and began to read.

*Gu Chenghuai, I’m absolutely furious!*

That was the first sentence.

A single sentence was all it took to pique Gu Chenghuai’s curiosity.

The gaze of the young officer, as handsome and unyielding as a cliff-side pine, sharpened abruptly.

His comrade watched with curiosity, wondering what the letter could possibly say to make a man who wouldn’t flinch if a mountain collapsed before him suddenly change his expression.

*Your sister pushed me down! I hit my head and got a lump the size of a bowl. I almost died!*

That was the second sentence.

Gu Chenghuai’s heart pounded in his chest, and his brows drew together. He had a sudden urge to call Lin Zhao and ask how she was, only barely managing to suppress it by reminding himself how inconvenient it was to make calls to his hometown. He forced himself to keep reading.

*Your sister says I’m just a freeloader living off you! She says I’m sucking you dry! Gu Chenghuai, am I a freeloader? Am I sucking you dry? You tell me! Tell me right now!*

Reading this, Gu Chenghuai could almost picture his spirited wife’s blazing eyes. A flicker of amusement crossed his deep, dark eyes, and the corners of his mouth tilted upward. The sharp, decisive aura of a killer that always surrounded him seemed to soften.

’I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you.’

’A real man is supposed to provide for his wife and children. Freeloader? Sucking you dry? That’s all complete nonsense.’

These were Gu Chenghuai’s thoughts.

’Besides, taking care of four children is exhausting work.’

Sun Yeli, who had been sneaking glances at Gu Chenghuai out of the corner of his eye, grew even more curious when he saw this.

’Seeing that dog Gu like this... the letter must be from his wife, right?’

*Gu Chenghuai, I’m telling you now, I’m going to find a job! I’m going to work! I’m going to earn my own money! And when I do, I’ll spend it however I damn well please!*

’A job?’

Gu Chenghuai’s mind raced. He had comrades who had been discharged and returned to civilian life back home. He could ask them about job opportunities. They were hard to come by, but not impossible to find if one was patient.

He didn’t mind whether Zhaozhao worked or not. His monthly pay was 85 yuan, and that was on top of mission bonuses—more than enough for the family to live on. Still, if his wife wanted a job, he wouldn’t object.

Gu Chenghuai continued reading.

Next, Lin Zhao forbade him from paying for his sister Gu Xing’er’s tuition and living expenses anymore.

The young officer’s expression remained impassive. He had no objection.

With their parents still around, Gu Xing’er’s school expenses shouldn’t have been his responsibility to begin with. He had only taken on the burden hoping that, for the money’s sake, his family might treat his wife and children better.

But now it was clear that Gu Xing’er felt no gratitude, only resentment. In that case, it was better to wash his hands of it completely.