Chapter 13: The System Sows Discord

Grandma Wang had originally been watching the commotion, never expecting to be included herself.

At her age, her family lived a tight life; even the children didn’t have enough candy to go around, and no one ever cared whether she wanted any or not.

This was the first time a child had remembered her.

The sweet taste melted in her mouth, and Grandma Wang’s eyes crinkled with a smile, filled with affection.

“Good girl, one piece is enough for Grandma. Keep the rest for yourself.”

But Tongtong shook her head, stuffing both pieces of candy into Grandma Wang’s hands before skipping off to catch up with her mother.

Liu Lan was pulling Yu Wanqin aside, speaking in a hushed voice: “Sister Wanqin, hurry home and take a look. Your Battalion Commander Lin is back, and his face… tsk tsk! It’s as dark as the bottom of a pot, looks downright frightening!”

A flicker of understanding passed through Yu Wanqin’s eyes—she guessed it couldn’t be anything good.

She thanked Liu Lan.

Just then, Tongtong came bouncing over. Seeing Liu Lan, her eyes lit up.

She hadn’t forgotten what she’d promised her auntie today.

So she took out several times more White Rabbit Creamy Candy than she’d given anyone else, and even secretly pulled some fruit drops from her space, stuffing them all into Liu Lan’s pockets.

She said sweetly, “Auntie, this is Tongtong’s treat for you!”

Liu Lan was so delighted she couldn’t stop grinning, her heart practically melting from the little girl’s thoughtful words.

“Auntie always knew you were the sweetest!” She couldn’t resist reaching out to pinch the little girl’s cheek.

Only then did Yu Wanqin thank her again and lead her daughter home.

Pushing the door open, they indeed saw Lin Zhiguo sitting on the sofa with a dark expression.

The atmosphere around him was heavy, like a volcano on the verge of erupting.

“Where have you been?” His voice was icy, laced with suppressed anger.

His gaze fell on the bags they’d brought back. It paused briefly, his eyes growing even darker.

Yu Wanqin set the things down, her tone indifferent. “Went out to buy a few things. Is something the matter?”

Lin Zhiguo ran a hand through his hair, his expression grim. “Where’s the bankbook I gave you? I need money urgently!”

Yu Wanqin glanced at him, walked into the room, took the bankbook from the drawer, and handed it over.

Lin Zhiguo’s expression softened slightly, thinking Yu Wanqin was at least being obedient.

But when he saw the balance on the bankbook, a rush of blood surged to his head. He shot to his feet.

His eyes widened, his voice cracking with disbelief. “How is there only twenty cents left on here?”

Yu Wanqin poured herself a glass of water, her tone still calm. “Spent it. What’s the point of keeping money in a bankbook if not to spend it?”

She even gestured with her chin toward the pile of things on the table, making her meaning clear.

“Spent it? You spent all of it?! That was a full six hundred yuan!”

Lin Zhiguo was so angry his chest hurt. Pointing at the shopping bags on the table, his hand trembled with rage.

Yu Wanqin raised an eyebrow. “What? Your elder sister-in-law can spend your money, but I, as your wife, can’t?”

Lin Zhiguo exploded.

“Do you have any idea that a letter came from back home saying the house was robbed? The grain storehouse was emptied! All the money Mom and Dad saved their whole lives is gone! Now they don’t even have food to eat! They’re waiting for me to borrow money to save them! And you? Here you are, spending recklessly on this worthless junk!”

He grew more agitated as he spoke, angrily sweeping all the things onto the floor in one furious motion.

The pent-up anger he’d held in for days seemed to have finally found an outlet.

“Yu Wanqin! Have you no conscience at all? Your parents raised you for nothing! Hurry up and hand over the remaining money, along with the money your father left you—bring it all out to deal with this emergency!”

Yu Wanqin lowered her eyes, her gaze icy cold. When she looked up again, only helplessness remained in her eyes.

She sighed and spread her hands. “Where would I have any money?”

Thankfully, on a whim today, she had spent all her money.

Hmph! Let the old Lin family wait to drink the northwest wind!

Yu Wanqin showed Lin Zhiguo the receipts from the department store today—no more, no less, exactly six hundred yuan worth of purchases!

Lin Zhiguo felt dizzy and slumped back into his seat.

Tongtong hid by the doorway watching the commotion, her eyes darting around before she pattered over to Lin Zhiguo.

Tilting her little face up, her large, dark grape-like eyes filled with innocence, she said, “Daddy, you’re so strange. I can understand you being angry that our hometown was robbed, but…”

She counted on her chubby little fingers.

“Daddy, you’ve been a Battalion Commander for so many years—your salary should be a lot, right? How come there’s only 600 yuan in the bankbook? Even though I haven’t gone to school, I can still do the math. That money should be enough to buy Grandpa and Grandma a few full meals back home!”

She tilted her head, her face full of eager curiosity, waiting for Lin Zhiguo to explain.

“And also, Daddy… isn’t eldest aunt working at the Military District Hospital? She has a salary too… Besides, all these years, hasn’t your salary been given to eldest aunt to manage? To take care of Jiaojiao and Huzi. If our hometown needs money, why don’t you just ask eldest aunt for it directly?”

Lin Zhiguo’s head buzzed.

He actually took Tongtong’s words to heart because, at first, he had thought the same thing.

He had been handing over his salary to Shen Wei all these years to manage, so logically, it shouldn’t be just 600 yuan.

But when he went to Shen Wei earlier to ask for money, she just spread her hands and said he had taken all the money.

That was why he had come back to confront Yu Wanqin.

Lin Zhiguo’s expression grew increasingly grim.

Seeing that he seemed to be listening, Tongtong curved her eyes and continued her persuasion. “Daddy, are you not asking eldest aunt for money because she hid it all away?”

“Oh dear! Daddy, you’ve been so good to them, and she’s unwilling to share the money with you in times of trouble!”

“Tongtong only has twenty cents left. Daddy, you should send it back to Grandpa and Grandma. If we had known Grandpa and Grandma couldn’t eat their fill, Mommy and I would never have spent all the money… Not like eldest aunt, sigh!”

Her soft, sweet voice carried words sharp as knives, laced with poison.

They struck precisely at Lin Zhiguo’s most sensitive spot.

Right! All these years, he had been giving his money to Shen Wei. Shen Wei must still have money!

With the disaster back home, he absolutely had to send money back!

The anger on Lin Zhiguo’s face froze, his eyes flickering uncertainly as he stared intently at Tongtong. “You… you’re just a child who doesn’t understand anything. Don’t talk nonsense!”

Even if he thought so, he would never say it out loud!

“Tongtong isn’t talking nonsense!” Tongtong looked utterly innocent. “I’m just stating the facts. That’s what it says in the Quotations!”

“Daddy, you should hurry back and ask eldest aunt. She’ll definitely have a solution!”

After saying this, Tongtong even made a “fighting” gesture at Lin Zhiguo.

Lin Zhiguo was left speechless, the anger he had felt toward Yu Wanqin now redirected toward Shen Wei by Tongtong’s few words.

Her face darkened, and without another glance at Yu Wanqin and her daughter, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Yu Wanqin turned to exchange a look with her daughter, both breaking into a smile.

“You little clever one!” she chuckled, tapping her daughter’s tiny nose.

Tongtong grinned, revealing a row of small white teeth.

“Hehe! I’m Mom’s smartest kid!”