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Novel Catalog
Chapter 8
Lin Feng was furious, his teeth chattering from the anger that was bubbling inside him. He had already humbled himself, begged for forgiveness, and yet Jiang Ning still had the audacity to treat him this way.
He had already offered them an out, and yet they couldn’t even recognize it!
“You… just wait!” Lin Feng hissed, then turned and fled, his fear driving him to leave quickly before Jiang Ning lost his temper and hit him again.
Sumei exchanged uneasy glances with Lin Wen, and then they both turned their attention to Lin Yuzhen.
“Are we making too much of a fuss?” Sumei asked quietly.
Lin Feng’s words before leaving were clearly a threat, and it worried Lin Yuzhen. She knew too well what kind of people Lin Qiang and his son were. Lin Qiang had never treated Lin Wen like a brother, and he certainly didn’t consider their family to be true relatives. If they upset him, there was no telling how far he would go.
“Not at all,” Jiang Ning responded calmly. “He told us to wait, so we’ll wait.”
With that, Jiang Ning began clearing the dishes, but Sumei quickly rushed over to take over. “No, no, I’ll do it,” she insisted.
She hadn’t realized before, but now she could see it clearly. Jiang Ning wasn’t just a son-in-law; he was the kind of person who would protect their family and not let Lin Qiang and his son walk all over them.
Was this really a homeless man?
“It’s been hard on you, Mum,” Jiang Ning smiled as he spoke, easily fitting into the role of the son-in-law.
Lin Wen still felt uneasy, but he wasn’t in a position to make decisions for the family. He retreated to his room, shutting the door with a soft click.
“Now you’ve really offended them,” Lin Yuzhen sighed, clearly troubled.
It was already a big deal that Lin Feng had come to apologize, something she’d never seen him do before. Still, she was considering letting it go and avoiding any further escalation within the family. But Jiang Ning, who was clearly unbothered, insisted that Lin Qiang himself come to apologize.
How could that happen? Her uncle, with his pride and selfishness, would never lower himself to apologize to them.
“You’re wrong,” Jiang Ning replied with certainty. “They are the ones who have offended me. I’ve said it before, I won’t let anyone bully you.”
His words were firm, and the intense look in his eyes made Lin Yuzhen’s heart skip a beat.
An hour passed, and Sumei had finished washing the dishes. When she saw Jiang Ning heading to the bathroom, she hurried into Lin Yuzhen’s room.
“Mum? Yuzhen, who is Jiang Ning really?” Sumei asked in a hushed voice, her concern evident. “I feel like he treats you differently.”
Lin Yuzhen’s face flushed. “What are you talking about? We barely know each other.”
But as she spoke, she couldn’t deny that ever since the first time she met him, Jiang Ning had consistently protected her and her family from being bullied by Lin Qiang and his son.
“Are you really going to let him sleep here tonight?” Sumei asked, her voice laced with worry.
Although Jiang Ning was her husband on paper, Sumei wasn’t ready to fully accept it. She was also concerned about his mental state, worried that he might hurt Lin Yuzhen.
Lin Yuzhen hesitated for a moment before recalling the calm and clear look in Jiang Ning’s eyes. She was certain that he wouldn’t hurt her.
“He won’t hurt me,” she replied, her voice steady.
Sumei hurried out of the room when she heard the bathroom door open, gesturing to her daughter to be careful. “I have an iron bat in my room. Just shout if anything happens!”
Lin Yuzhen’s heart raced. Was she really going to let Jiang Ning stay in her room tonight?
Before she could think more on the matter, loud knocking at the front door interrupted her thoughts.
Lin Wen, startled, jumped up, his nerves on edge. Sumei’s face turned pale.
“He’s here!” she whispered, her voice trembling.
It was Lin Qiang. Given his temper, they all knew he wouldn’t tolerate this situation for long. They were in trouble!
Even Lin Yuzhen couldn’t help but feel nervous. As she walked to the door, she felt like they were about to face a fierce adversary.
The family stood frozen in place, tense and on edge, as if they were preparing for a confrontation.
“Open the door,” Jiang Ning called from behind, a towel still draped over his head. “We have guests.”
Lin Yuzhen couldn’t help but marvel at how relaxed he seemed. Was he truly unafraid, or just indifferent to the situation?
She opened the door to find Lin Qiang standing there, with Lin Feng trailing behind him.
“Yuzhen,” Lin Qiang greeted, his face twisted into an unpleasant expression. Still, he forced a smile. “Your uncle has come here personally to apologize to you.”
Lin Yuzhen froze in shock. Even the two people eavesdropping by the door were stunned. Lin Qiang was here to apologize?
“Firing you was a misunderstanding,” Lin Qiang continued, gesturing to Lin Feng. “This was all his fault, and I’ve already taught him a lesson.”
Lin Feng lowered his head and muttered, “I’m sorry, Yuzhen. I was wrong. Please forgive me.”
Lin Qiang’s tone was filled with forced sincerity. “Some of this was my fault too. I didn’t properly review the decision before firing you, and that was wrong of me. I hope you can forgive me. The company truly needs you.”
He continued, “Tomorrow, I’ll be at the office entrance to receive you and reinstate you. I’ll also explain what happened to everyone so that they understand and do you justice.”
His apology was humbling, and his attitude was unrecognizably deferential. Lin Yuzhen, still in shock, turned to look at Jiang Ning, seeking some kind of guidance.
Jiang Ning nodded in approval. “Okay, Uncle Qiang. I’ll go to work tomorrow.”
Lin Qiang smiled and nodded. “I’ll wait for you at the main entrance of the Lin Group office tomorrow. Goodnight.”
With that, the father and son left, and Lin Yuzhen closed the door, still in disbelief.
Lin Qiang had actually come to her house to apologize—with such sincerity! When had she ever seen him act this way?
“My brother really came to apologize?” Lin Wen asked, his voice trembling. His eyes were misty, and his lips quivered as he processed the unexpected turn of events.
All these years, Lin Qiang had treated him like a disgrace, as if they weren’t even family. When had he ever shown the slightest bit of remorse?
“He came to apologize,” Lin Yuzhen replied, still amazed. “He really did.”
Sumei, too, couldn’t contain her emotions. She had been subjected to Lin Qiang’s cruelty for decades and had silently endured the humiliation. Now, seeing him humble himself, she couldn’t hold back her tears.
“This damned bastard… who would have thought the day would come when he’d beg us?” Sumei cried, her voice breaking.
Lin Yuzhen took a deep breath. She had always known how badly her parents had been treated by Lin Qiang, and although it was just a single moment of apology, it meant the world.
“From now on, nobody will make you suffer anymore,” Jiang Ning said, finishing drying his hair. His voice was firm, and his resolve clear. “Nobody can bully my wife, and that means nobody will bully my father-in-law and mother-in-law either.”
Lin Yuzhen and her family exchanged wide-eyed glances. Jiang Ning, this middle-aged son-in-law who had married into their family, was unlike anyone they had ever known. He was truly different.
Meanwhile, as Lin Qiang and Lin Feng left Lin Yuzhen’s house, Lin Qiang’s face darkened, his anger bubbling just beneath the surface.
“Tell all the workers to come in an hour earlier to wait for Yuzhen at the office entrance tomorrow!” Lin Qiang ordered, his voice sharp with malice. “Also, spread the word that Lin Yuzhen is sleeping with CEO Huang and trying to force the Lin Group to bow to her!”
His face twisted with venom. “Let’s see if Lin Yuzhen is shameless enough to stay at Lin Group after this!”
