Chapter 665: The Child Is Missing

Since mentioning remarriage requires a mediator, and no one in the village was willing to handle their affairs, they had no choice but to approach Lin Yongqiang.

Firstly, he is Jiayi’s elder, and he has enough sincerity.

Secondly, the two families have always had a good relationship.

Unexpectedly, Lin Yongqiang directly refused.

"Second brother, you can’t say that. In a family, disagreements are inevitable. Previously, it was just a tiff between the young ones. Jiayi is someone you watched grow up; you can’t bear to see her separated from her child, can you?"

"Don’t try to put the blame on me, sister-in-law."

Lin Yongqiang snorted coldly, directly piercing the matter.

"What on earth is going on with your family? Chuxia is such a sensible child, if she were to be my daughter, I would be overjoyed. But what have you done? You’ve taken advantage of others’ kindness and failed to treat their daughter well. And then, when they came knowing the family had money, you pushed your own daughter out to recognize her biological mother, completely disgracing the Lin Family. Now look what’s happened - trying to gain something only led to losing everything, resulting in the divorce of your own daughter and the flight of your adopted one. Speaking of it, with Chuxia’s capability, if you treated her well, even without looking at that wealthy biological mother, wouldn’t you be at an advantage? With Jiayi having such a sister, could her position in her in-laws’ home not be solid? People walk their own paths."

Mother Lin’s face turned alternating shades of pale and green from anger, having been frustrated over her eldest daughter recently, and now being scolded directly by the second branch of the Lin family pushed her over the edge.

"I say, old two, if you’re not going to involve yourself then don’t, why speak sarcastic words? Don’t think I don’t know, back when Chuxia was doing well in school, you two didn’t shy away from ridiculing her behind her back. Did you give that poor girl even a morsel to eat or drink?"

After speaking, Mother Lin turned and stormed back home.

Every single one of them, opportunists.

Back when Jiayi acknowledged that Zhuang family, those two clung to her like plasters, and now pretend they don’t recognize her at all.

Pah!

Seeing her mother return, Lin Jiayi stretched her neck to look behind her, "Where’s my second uncle? Have you talked to him? When is he going to the Lin family?"

"Go where? Your second uncle thinks it’s shameful and doesn’t want to go."

Hearing this, Lin Jiayi was stunned. If her second uncle didn’t want to go, who else could be the mediator for her?

"Mom, what do we do? I can’t bear to part with Genbao; he’s my own flesh and blood. Once there’s a stepmother, there’s a stepfather, too. I can’t let Genbao live with a stepfather and stepmother..."

She certainly didn’t want to marry an old bachelor.

Mother Lin, troubled as well, didn’t want her daughter marrying someone unworthy again.

Compared to others, Li Guangyuan was still the best choice.

"What’s the use of crying, at worst we’ll just go ourselves, saying we’re there to see the child. Didn’t Li Guangyuan come to you with the child before? We’ll say we’re there to see the child, it’s not disgraceful."

Lin Jiayi nodded randomly, "Right, I’m just there to see my son. Isn’t Li Guangyuan going to give the son to me? This time we’ll bring Genbao back."

With her son in her hands, would she still fear Li Guangyuan not remarrying?

After all, he is the root of the Li family.

Before Lin Jiayi could muster the courage to go to Xiaoqingshan Village to see the Li Family, Li Guangyuan came to her first.

Seeing Li Guangyuan, Lin Jiayi and Mother Lin felt both nervous and excited inside.

The mother and daughter exchanged a glance, each seeing the calculation in the other’s eyes.

Although Daqing Mountain Village and Xiaoqingshan Village were close, Lin Jiayi substituting for Lin Chuxia to recognize her birth mother hadn’t been broadcasted, so perhaps...

Li Guangyuan indeed didn’t know about this mishap. He had returned to his old profession, traveling to the county every day to sell vegetables, leaving him no time to hear such gossip.

Today he had just delivered vegetables when his mother had someone call him back from the village.

Upon entering, he saw Li Dongmei, her face bruised and swollen from a beating.

This wasn’t the first time his second sister had been beaten, but it was the worst she’d ever been. It was said the whole family had hit her together.

His mother was persistent, cursing Zhang Wenbin’s family.

Not only was she cursing the Zhang family, but she was also cursing him for being useless.

Useless? Since the divorce, all the money he earned had been given to his mother for his second sister.

Moreover, did he not know what kind of person his second sister was?

If she treated her in-laws and husband properly, would she be beaten?

Sure enough, upon asking the reason, the second sister had argued with her mother-in-law over the child, pushing her to the ground, which led to Zhang Wenbin and Old Master Zhang hitting her.

Mrs. Zhang had injured her waist and needed money for treatment. If she didn’t get the money, Zhang Wenbin would divorce her second sister.

He didn’t want to deal with the second sister’s messy affairs, but if she really got divorced, their family’s reputation in the village would be completely ruined.

As for the money, he didn’t have enough of it on hand, so he had no choice but to visit the Lin family.

"Come in and sit down," Lin Jiayi offered Li Guangyuan a way in.

Li Guangyuan was still thinking about how to start the conversation when he glanced at her.

It was then he noticed that Lin Jiayi looked different than he had seen her last time.

It wasn’t that she was more ostentatious; rather, her clothes were much simpler. Her permed waves were tied back, and her bold red lipstick was gone.

For some reason, this one look reminded him of her when they first met, suddenly warming his heart.

It seemed she didn’t truly have no feelings for him at all.

Li Guangyuan suddenly felt more confident.

Once inside, he coughed lightly, "It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Genbao, I came to see the child."

Since her attitude towards him had softened, remarrying first was still best.

Once remarried, wouldn’t her money also become his?

By then, she would voluntarily pay to prevent Li Dongmei’s divorce and the ensuing disruption.

Hearing this, Lin Jiayi looked at him in confusion, "Child? Isn’t Genbao with you? I was just about to ask you, why didn’t you bring the child? I miss Genbao too..."

"The child isn’t here with you?"

Before Lin Jiayi could finish, Li Guangyuan stood up abruptly, his voice rising a few pitches.

Lin Jiayi frowned, "Why would he be here? Didn’t you take the child during the divorce?"

Her face changed too, "The child isn’t at your place? Where did you take the child?"

"I should be asking you, the last time I brought the child to you, where did you take him?"

With that, both of them simultaneously recalled what happened that day.

Lin Jiayi didn’t want the child, and Li Guangyuan had left him at the Lin family’s front door.

"Didn’t you bring the child in?"

"Didn’t you take the child away?"

They both spoke at once and then their faces simultaneously changed color.

If neither had tended to the child, then where did the child go?

"Ah—"

Lin Jiayi shrieked and lunged forward, "Li Guangyuan, you lost the child, give me back my son..."

"Smack—"

A slap landed on Lin Jiayi’s face, "The child went missing at your place, give me back my son, Lin Jiayi. If you don’t return my son, it won’t end between us..."