RSMFH 06

Chapter 06

Splitting the Household (Part 3)

A thunderbolt on a clear day!

The crowd was stunned. So, Lin Chen really had injured his leg!

“Oh my, such a thing happened! Xiao Chen, you shouldn’t have hidden this from the organization. The organization might have known your leg was inconvenient and assigned you lighter work,” Gao Qiang said, looking smug. Since Lin Chen no longer had the position of militia company commander, there was no need for him to act deferential to him anymore.

Lin Fugui’s expression shifted, too. This kind of matter could be small or large. At best, he would lose his job; at worst, it was seen as deceiving the organization, which might lead to labor re-education! “Xiao Chen, I watched you grow up. Is what they said true?” He asked with a look of regret and feigned disbelief.

Nowadays, the emphasis was on a nation of soldiers; every commune had a militia team managed in a military style—squads, platoons, and companies—with regular organized training. If the company commander had an injured leg, how could he possibly lead the team’s training?

Yu Xiaofeng’s mouth stretched nearly to her ears as she winked at the two cadres: “I noticed his gait wasn’t right for a long time. So he was injured after all. Well? Roll up your pants and let the cadres have a look!”

The two cadres were quite cooperative; they crowded around him, intending to forcefully roll up his trousers. Wang Xiufen was terrified by their aggressive stance and, acting on reflex, blocked them: “What do you think you’re doing? Even if there is an issue, you can’t do this in front of so many people! This is an insult to his character!”

Lin Chen’s heart ached. His mother had endured so much suffering without a single complaint, always submissive, yet she was willing to stand up for him. He quickly comforted her: “Mom, I’m fine.”

Jiang Ning also stepped forward, taking Lin Chen’s hand to give him strength: “A-Chen, it’s alright. We’ll face this together.”

Watching the couple’s display of deep affection, Lin Tao was so furious he could barely breathe. Even at a time like this, Jiang Ning was still defending him! Hmph, wait until the injury is exposed, Lin Chen loses his job, and the income dries up. Let’s see if they can stay so loving then.

“Xiao Chen, you and your sister-in-law have such a good relationship; it’s truly enviable. Actually, your injury is just a minor abrasion; it’s not like it’s a serious condition. Just show them openly! The organization isn’t cold-blooded; as long as you can participate in military training normally, they shouldn’t fire you!” He spoke with feigned nonchalance. While it sounded like he was helping his brother, he was not only confirming the injury but pushing him into the spotlight.

The crowd egged him on: “Just show them! You’re a grown man, what’s there to hide?”

Only Luo Guangming, a childhood friend who was usually silent, spoke up for him: “W-w-what are you… c-c-crowding for? What time is it? S-s-shouldn’t you go to work!” Luo Guangming had suffered from polio as a child; he had a stutter and a slight limp. No one played with him when he was young, except for Lin Chen, who would always protect him.

Jiang Ning gave him a grateful look before turning to Lin Tao: “We didn’t say we wouldn’t show you. Why are you in such a rush? We just have one condition: you agree to the second household-splitting proposal, and we will let the cadres inspect him immediately.”

Hearing that they still wanted to split the household, Lin Zhou-shi’s face turned furious: “No splitting! Unless I’m dead!” She took a stubborn, “dead pig doesn’t fear boiling water” stance. She was an old woman who had seen all sorts of storms; did she really think she could be manipulated by this little girl, Jiang Ning?

Unexpectedly, Lin Tao leaned over and whispered a few words into her ear. Her expression changed, and she altered her tune: “Since you’re so determined to split, then fine! But I’ll say this first: don’t even think about getting a cent of the cash on hand. The house will be limited to the two rooms you currently occupy, and the grain will be split in half. You can’t take any of the pots, bowls, or ladles. We’ll give you a month at most to set up your own stove.”

Jiang Ning’s lips curved upward. After exchanging a glance with Lin Chen, she feigned hesitation: “Fine. Since the secretary and the brigade leader are here, if you’re afraid we’ll back out, let’s sign the agreement first.”

Lin Chen hurried into the house to get paper and pen, drafting the separation agreement according to Jiang Ning’s wishes. They prepared two copies, signed them, and pressed their fingerprints. Lin Zhou-shi, Yu Xiaofeng, and the others hurried to sign and press their prints, finally handing the documents to Lin Fugui and Gao Qiang to sign as witnesses.

As Lin Tao watched Lin Zhou-shi put the agreement away, a smug, successful smile overflowed from his lips. He had seen the injury on Lin Chen’s leg—a patch of red inflammation. According to Lin Chen himself, it pained him whenever it thundered or rained. In such a condition, how could he possibly train a militia?

His smug expression was caught perfectly by Lin Chen. Could it really have been him? Since returning from the army, he had only ever shown his leg injury to Lin Tao. His chest felt as if it had been struck by a blunt object, numb with pain. This older brother, who had always stood up for him in everything, was actually this devious. He felt so fortunate to be splitting the household from them.

He solemnly handed the agreement to Jiang Ning and said to the others: “Don’t worry, even if I lose this job, I will take good care of you all.”

“Mm, I believe in you!” Jiang Ning nodded with a smile.

“Son, as long as our family is together, there is no hardship we cannot overcome.” Wang Xiufen felt a bit lost regarding the future, but she chose to stand by him.

“Brother, I believe in you, too.” Lin Qiao said, clenching her fists in support.

The cadres, watching them encourage each other, looked impatient: “Alright, enough dilly-dallying! Hurry up and show us your leg!”

The crowd held their breath, waiting for the result. Some were waiting for a laugh, some felt pity, and others were clutching their hearts, terrified that something would happen to Lin Chen.

Eyes followed as his trouser leg was rolled up. Aside from a bit of leg hair on his calf, there was nothing. By the time they reached the knee, Lin Chen himself hesitated, knowing there had been an inflamed, red area there. But when the pants were rolled up to his thigh, there was no sign of any injury at all; the skin was actually smoother and cleaner than before. He found it unbelievable himself!

“Are you satisfied now?” Jiang Ning roared at the two cadres.

The taller cadre awkwardly laughed to smooth things over: “It seems the report was false. We’ll go back and report this. Comrade Lin Chen, go and report for duty as soon as you can.”

The two cadres pretended to be busy writing in their notebooks before turning tail and running. Lin Tao, however, clutched his head in disbelief: “Impossible, impossible. I saw it with my own eyes.”

Lin Zhou-shi’s eyes went dark; she nearly fainted, her finger trembling as she pointed at Lin Tao: “You… you’ve ruined me!” Lin Tao rushed up to press on her philtrum, terrified she would actually kick the bucket.

The crowd was boisterous, whispering and snickering to one another. “What you call ‘stealing a chicken only to lose the rice’—they thought Lin Chen lost his job so they agreed to the split. Their guts must be full of regret now!” “Who’s to say? It’s truly humiliating!”

Yu Xiaofeng landed a heavy slap across Lin Tao’s face. She regretted trusting his words so much, believing Lin Chen’s job was surely lost!

Jiang Ning watched them in their misery, a smile blossoming on her face. This scene was exactly as she had wished!