Chapter 8: Ma Yulian Tricks Li Guojun! Late at Night, She Sneaks In...

Of course, Ma Yulian knew that Li Junsheng still had money left, and quite a bit at that! But she didn’t dare ask him for it now—she was afraid he’d refuse to go to the factory to get the certificate. Ma Yulian was simmering with anger. Because of Li Junsheng’s ineptitude, the matter of transferring his job to Chen Zhiyuan was still unresolved, and she didn’t dare let Li Guojun find out about any of this.

All she could do was try to cover it up for now, so Ma Yulian hemmed and hawed, muddling through with Li Guojun. “You silly child, just give your father a little sugar, make him happy—no matter how much secret money he hides, isn’t it all ours in the end?” She went on, “Earlier at the door, I said those things deliberately so your father would hear. You even got upset, but don’t I always have your and Xingxing’s best interests at heart?”

Li Guojun seemed to ponder this, then his face lit up with sudden understanding. “So that’s why you were like a different person this afternoon, Mom!” It turned out her plan was to have his father willingly hand over his secret stash. Feeling rather self-satisfied, Li Guojun couldn’t help but give Ma Yulian a thumbs-up. “Mom, you’re the clever one. You always know what to do.”

Ma Yulian basked in her son’s praise, her pride swelling. After all, she’d always been someone who could bend or stretch as the situation required. Li Guojun hurried to keep flattering her—only if she was pleased would all the family’s money belong to him. “I always knew you love me best, Mom. Just wait till your granddaughter makes you proud, and I start working at Dad’s big factory. We’ll make sure you enjoy a life of luxury, just like an empress dowager!”

Normally, those words would have delighted Ma Yulian beyond measure. But today she wasn’t so pleased; she felt a little guilty as she listened to Li Guojun’s flattery. The future could wait—right now, she just needed to get the eldest out of the way. Otherwise, if he found out she’d let Li Junsheng give the coveted factory job to Zhiyuan, he’d definitely cause a scene. She had to keep this secret until everything was settled, so that even if he made a fuss, it would be too late.

Li Guojun, oblivious to his mother’s inner turmoil, kept showering her with attention—massaging her shoulders, speaking sweetly. When Wang Xiuhua returned from washing the dishes and saw Li Guojun fawning over his mother, she couldn’t help but secretly roll her eyes.

“Xiuhua, I have two pieces of clothing—wash them for me, would you?” Ma Yulian, perfectly at ease, directed her eldest daughter-in-law. Wang Xiuhua never imagined that after her father-in-law went on strike, she would be the first in the family to suffer!

“Mom, those are your best clothes. Dad always washed them himself before—I’ve never handled them. I’m afraid I won’t do a good job,” Wang Xiuhua protested, unwilling to comply. Ma Yulian seized the chance to scold her, “What’s so hard about washing clothes? You just scrub them—what difference is there between you washing them or Li Junsheng?”

Reluctantly, Wang Xiuhua went off to do the laundry, while Li Guojun followed close behind, whispering advice in her ear. “Come on, it’s only two pieces of clothing for Mom. That’s what a daughter-in-law should do. Mom’s on our side—if you make her happy, all the money will be ours.”

Wang Xiuhua grumbled as she scrubbed the clothes, “Is that really true? Your mother can’t even get a word in edgewise with your father anymore!” “Of course it’s true—she’s just putting on a show for Dad. Give him a little sweetness, and once he’s happy, he’ll hand over his secret stash,” Li Guojun assured her. Half-convinced, Wang Xiuhua decided to wash the clothes diligently for her mother-in-law.

Night fell. Ma Yulian crept quietly into Li Junsheng’s cramped little room to have a look. She’d already found an excuse to move out and forced Li Junsheng to sleep in the worst room in the house. Now, he was lying on his makeshift camp bed, snoring softly—clearly fast asleep. Seeing this, Ma Yulian tiptoed in like a thief and began rifling through the pockets of his work clothes.

She searched through his shirt and pants pockets, even checked his shoes, and all but turned the tiny room upside down. Still, she couldn’t find the few hundred yuan Li Junsheng had left, which left her fuming with frustration. “Well, well, he’s really learned to hide money now!” Ma Yulian glared at Li Junsheng, wishing she could strangle him. Where had he hidden the money? She was truly afraid he’d squander it.

Grinding her teeth, Ma Yulian forced herself to swallow her anger. “Once this is over, Li Junsheng, you’ll see what’s coming to you!” she muttered resentfully before returning to her spacious bedroom, going to bed in a foul mood.

Early the next morning, the moment Li Junsheng opened his eyes, he noticed his clothes weren’t in quite the same position as when he’d gone to sleep. It seemed that Ma Yulian had indeed crept in and searched the place while he slept! Thankfully, he’d been cautious.

It was still early, not yet six o’clock. Li Junsheng sat up on his camp bed, which creaked under his weight. He lifted the bedding and retrieved the money and the job transfer certificate he’d hidden under his mattress before sleeping. By keeping everything beneath him, anyone hoping to steal the money or the certificate would have to move him and risk waking him up. That was how he’d managed to keep them safe from Ma Yulian.

He counted the money—every last cent was there. The certificate was still in good shape, too. Only then did Li Junsheng feel a measure of relief. Drawing a deep breath, he felt a sense of satisfaction he hadn’t known in years.

Today, he ignored Ma Yulian and his eldest son’s breakfast. He got up, stretched, and moved his body a little. He put on his usual gray work clothes, tucked the money and the certificate securely into his pockets, and went outside to fetch water and wash up.

For once, Li Junsheng even shaved the stubble from his chin. In the mirror, his gaze was sharp, his eyes clear and bright, not at all cloudy. Without the stubble, he looked ten years younger.

In the past, always busy with his wife and son, Li Junsheng had let himself go, rarely making such an effort. “From today on, I’m going to live differently,” he resolved silently. This time, he would make something of himself and ensure that both Chen Dazhu and Ma Yulian paid the price they deserved.

Suppressing the icy coldness in his eyes, Li Junsheng stepped out the door. At that moment, Ma Yulian came out of her bedroom yawning. She caught sight of him, and her eyes widened—he had actually tidied himself up for once.

Li Junsheng straightened his back and stood tall. Though he was fifty, at that moment, Ma Yulian thought he looked even more impressive than Chen Dazhu.

A vague sense of unease crept over Ma Yulian. She wanted to ask if Li Junsheng was showing off—dressing up at his age. Could it be that he’d found another woman and was planning to give away the money he’d just gotten his hands on? But she dared not say such things, for fear of delaying him from getting the job transfer certificate at the factory.

So she swallowed her words. Given Li Junsheng’s timid nature, surely no other woman would take a fancy to him anyway.

She cast a glance at the room where Li Guojun and his wife slept, unsure whether they were awake yet. She wanted to pull Li Junsheng aside to talk, but he quietly dodged her.

“What are you avoiding me for?” Ma Yulian glared at him and lowered her voice. “About the certificate—will you be able to get it done today?”