I Became a Vicious Supporting Role in the '70s-Chapter 196 - 166: Send Back to Hometown

Lin Rong’s thoughts were racing. She was well aware of the benefits that marrying into the Li family with Li Chuan would bring. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have tacitly agreed when her son pursued Li Qianqian. Back then, her son didn’t particularly stand out among Li Qianqian’s many suitors, neither in looks nor background. Yet Li Qianqian eventually chose her son, and since then, she was quite proud of herself.

She wasn’t just bragging; she had poured her heart into raising her son Hu Biao to be an excellent young man. If Li Qianqian hadn’t chosen her Hu Biao, it would have been her loss, Lin Rong reasoned.

But marrying and living a married life were two different things. Since she married into the Hu family, she should be content with being a wife and mother at home. It would be best to bear Hu Biao several children to truly take on a woman’s role. Now the child is born, and she dares to talk of divorce? Even if she has the guts, can the Li family afford to lose such face?

"You’re too cunning, girl. Bao Guo already has the blood of both the Li and Hu families. No matter what, he will look after our Hu family for the sake of the child. My son will be extraordinary in the future. He might even surpass the Li family, by which time they’ll be begging us for a favor."

"Old lady, your Hu family would need to have that capability first. Otherwise, before you can rise to prominence, Mr. Li with a flick of his finger could crush your family."

"He dares?"

Shen Meng, with an icy face, said to Lin Rong, "Why wouldn’t he dare? Mr. Li is open and aboveboard, fair in his dealings. Which of the people of Ning County doesn’t respect him as their official? The contributions Aunt Qi has made to Ning County are still posted on the bulletin board; everyone in the county knows about it. It’s even been reported in the newspapers of the Provincial City – what an honor that is! And comrade Li He Ping from the army has earned merit several times; the title of ’Honor Family’ isn’t given for nothing. Have you asked for their permission when you bully Qianqian like this? Have you asked the consent of the people of Ning County?"

Lin Rong and Hu Jinbu were pushed back two steps by Shen Meng’s stern questioning.

"After all that has been said, your mind is still not clear. Mrs. Lin, if you keep up with these feudal ways, you really should be taken away for a good reeducation."

"You dare speak to me like this? Aren’t you afraid that I will prevent you from entering the textile factory?"

This statement was truly out of bounds, and Hu Jinbu, in fright, quickly tugged at her, knowing that a person with no position or speak at the textile factory shouldn’t be so brazen as to threaten others. If word got out, he could say goodbye to his position as director.

"Shut your mouth!" Hu Jinbu growled, then turned to Shen Meng with a smile, "Comrade Shen, as I said before, we realize our mistake, truly. Just tell us any requirements Qianqian and my son and daughter-in-law have. As long as we can do it, we definitely will. As long as Hu Biao, Qianqian, and Bao Guo can live together happily, we’re willing to do anything!"

Lin Rong had more to say, but Hu Jinbu firmly grasped her arm, causing her to grimace in pain. When weighing the future prospects of their son, grandson, and the factory against temporary pride, he very well knew which was more substantial.

"Director Hu, if you were this sincere from the start, we wouldn’t have needed so much idle talk."

"Yes, yes, you tell us. You didn’t come all this way just to laugh at our troubles, right?"

Shen Meng snorted coldly, thinking what a cunning old fox, and glanced at Lin Rong. Her eyes dropped for a moment, and she quickly came up with a plan.

"Director Hu, although you, Qianqian, and Hu Biao are one family, this incident truly did wrong Qianqian and Bao Guo. It’s normal for Hu Biao to be upset. In my opinion, a formal apology is needed, both on behalf of the Li family and for themselves; otherwise, it wouldn’t be right. I think for their personal compensation, two thousand yuan for the couple, and for the Li family, maybe five hundred. Any more than that, and people might start saying Mr. Li has made a mistake. This is all for the sake of the children, and I believe Director Hu would be willing to give that much."

Hu Jinbu and Lin Rong’s faces were so dark with anger they looked as though they could wring out water. When Li Qianqian and Hu Biao got married, a lot of money had been spent for fear that others would think the Hu family was lowly. The elderly couple had spent most of their savings, and now, only two years later, they had to fork out such a large sum again. It was nauseating.

Lin Rong raised her hand, about to scold someone, but Hu Jinbu grabbed her arm in one swift move. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

"Enough, Granny, stop making a scene. This isn’t your own kang bed where you can throw a tantrum. Just give if we have to give. As long as our son lives well in the future, that’s all that matters. If you keep on causing a fuss, and if Hu Biao starts to drift away from us old folks, and if the daughter-in-law refuses to let us see our grandchild, then what will you do?"

This was Lin Rong’s Achilles’ heel. With just these few words, he had her in a bind, and she was left with a stifled anger in her heart.

"Fine, I agree to this demand, Mr. Shen. I agree, so now we..."

"Ah, this is just one of the issues. In truth, the biggest problem here is the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflict, an age-old conundrum, and it’s not just a problem in the Hu family. But Qianqian and Bao Guo have been physically worn out recently. I heard that Dr. Cheng came over especially to see them. Bao Guo is thin and small due to malnutrition, and Qianqian, being unable to consume good nourishment, lacks breast milk, so the child is getting worn down like this. If they’re not taken care of meticulously in the future, I’m afraid they’ll become sickly. So I suggest, Director Hu, to let your wife go back to her hometown for a year and a half. If the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law don’t see each other, there will be fewer conflicts in the future..."

"You’re talking nonsense. Thinking of sending me away? That won’t do. I’m not leaving. That’s my grandson, would I harm him? I clearly instructed Granny Yang to take good care of the child, and if that old hag dared to play tricks behind my back, I will definitely deal with her when I get back. But asking me to leave? Impossible."

Shen Meng clicked her tongue, with a look of helplessness, she turned to Hu Jinbu with a glance that conveyed her dilemma.

Hu Jinbu watched his son, who had stepped forward at some point, giving him a meaningful look, hoping he would side with his own mother. However, he hadn’t expected Hu Biao to just give him a cold glance, then turn and enter the house. Lin Rong too noticed the look from Hu Biao, and that look made her once proud heart suddenly fall into an ice cellar, chilling to the bone.

"I... Fine, I agree to this too, letting Bao Guo’s granny go back to the hometown for two years. But during these two years, can’t she come back once a month? Otherwise... alright, alright, she won’t come back then."

"Old man..." Lin Rong looked at Hu Jinbu incredulously. Two years, how could he say that so easily?

"Stop yelling. Do you really want to completely sour the relationship with your son?"

Lin Rong turned her face away, sobbing quietly. Country life is tough, she had been in the city for so many years, how could she get used to it now? Besides, the whole family is in the county, only she would have to go back to the old home alone. How would others look at her then? Granny Yang was still at the Police Station. How would the Yang Family treat her from now on?

Shen Meng watched her distress with cold eyes. It was all self-inflicted, the suffering was what she deserved.

After agreeing to these two conditions, Shen Meng started talking about the matters discussed previously at the Li family’s, which was about helping the textile factory solve some problems and incidentally increasing revenue. Hu Jinbu agreed without a second thought.

Lin Rong was infuriated to the extreme. She had been toiling for so long, not only had she failed to get Li Qianqian completely under her thumb, but she had also gotten Granny Yang, whom she had good relations with, into the Police Station, and on top of that, they had given away 2,500 yuan. Her son was becoming estranged from her, and her daughter-in-law had even become an official in the textile factory. Oh, the mere thought of it made her head, heart, and entire body ache!