When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 108: Chapter 57: The 50s’ Wife of Hardship (57)

Lin Mu’s family was wealthy; they were a well-known nouveau riche family from decades ago.

Nobody knew how the Lu Family had gotten their start; it was as if they’d sprung up from the ground. By the time anyone took notice, the Lin Family was already spending money like water and had even managed to brute-force their way into acquiring a son-in-law from a declining noble family.

Lin Mu’s looks could only be described as comely, yet she carried an air of ferocity that no amount of time or effort could conceal.

She now worked at the state-owned restaurant near the main compound. This particular restaurant was ranked sixth in the entire Capital City; it was a grand establishment, and its patrons were all either wealthy or influential.

Lin Mu was tall and sturdy, built like a small mountain. No one could imagine how she could have given birth to a delicate flower like Lin Jin.

She didn’t actually have to do any work. Every day, she’d arrive for her shift, plop down on a recliner coated in a layer of grease from years of use, and get everyone else busy just by moving her lips.

The staff in the restaurant were all just as tall and brawny, their faces fleshy and intimidating. Even their white work uniforms couldn’t contain their thuggish air.

”Xuelian, how about big meat buns today? We just got some chilled donkey meat. Steamed with some small hot peppers, it’ll really hit the spot.” A shiny bald head poked out from the kitchen. The back of his neck was a mass of fleshy folds. A five-centimeter scar stretched across his left eyebrow—it hadn’t healed well and now looked like a large brown caterpillar, twitching as he spoke and smiled.

Lin Mu, her head still drooping and not quite awake, mumbled, ”Sure. And make some egg drop soup to warm us up.”

”It’s the dead of winter, and Dad Lin still won’t let a person sleep in. Something about being ’afraid the neighbors will call me lazy’ and ’making our kid lose face.’ Hmph. He’s been putting on an act for most of his life. He might not be tired of it, but I’m exhausted just watching him!”

Someone had already brought her a cup of water to warm her hands, chuckling. ”Xuelian, say what you will about Brother Lin, but the man is sharp. If it weren’t for him, how would we brothers be living this comfortably?”

”Other people are scrounging for bran and wild greens, and here we are, feasting on meat and fish. He and you, one brains, one brawn—a perfect match...”

Lin Mu took a sip of the warm water, shaking off the last of her drowsiness. She smiled and said, ”That’s true enough. It’s thanks to him that our Luqing Village was able to put down roots in the Capital City so quietly. But it’s not like our boys are pushovers, either.”

”That’s for sure,” the others chimed in happily. ”Other state-owned restaurants only dare to open around noon when there are plenty of people out. The days are short in winter; who knows what kind of trouble could stir up in the early morning or evening...”

As they worked in a lazy, scattered way, they kept their eyes on the street outside and began boasting about their past exploits.

”Hey, isn’t that our Jinjin and the son-in-law?” someone called out happily.

The rest of them dropped what they were doing and crowded the entrance, calling for the pair to come in and have a meal.

These men, who had looked so ferocious just moments before, now seemed to have had that fierceness retract silently into their bodies like parasites, leaving only simple, honest looks on their faces.

Lin Jin and Wang Xianbing smiled and greeted everyone in turn. After the meal, they went home with Lin Mu.

Lin Mu played with the baby for a while, then pulled her daughter into the kitchen while busying herself with pouring water and getting snacks. ”Jinjin, it’s not a holiday, so why are you back with your husband? Did something happen?”

”Tell your mother, and I’ll go settle the score for you!”

”How many times do I have to tell you? It’s ’Ma’! We live in the city; you can’t use such a rustic term,” Lin Jin said with a frown. ”And another thing, you should eat less. Feasting on rich food every day is unhealthy.”

Lin Mu pursed her lips. ”They don’t let me do anything these days, so I’m not even allowed an extra bite? Anyway, your father—no, your *dad*—wouldn’t dare get any funny ideas. If he did, I’d take a knife and castrate him!”

”Ma,” Lin Jin cried out in exasperation. ”Can’t you just listen to me for once? You married into the Lin Family with a huge dowry, so I know you have confidence. But men like to be coaxed. ’A woman adorns herself for one who delights in her’—it means you should mind your appearance and behavior in front of a man.”

”I don’t expect you to be well-read and gentle like other mothers, but if you could just eat a little less and stop cursing so much, Dad and I would be very happy.”

Lin Mu huffed and changed the subject. ”Alright, alright. You say the same thing every time you see me. It’s not like you can swap me for a new mother, right? Now, what really happened?”

Lin Jin pressed her lips together. ”Could you keep Xianbing company for me? I need to see Grandpa.”

Lin Mu stared at her, muttering in displeasure, ’You’re all so damn clever. Does that make me the only fool in this family?’

But despite her words, she didn’t press for details and still covered for Lin Jin.

Zhu Yun watched Teletubbies on the screen as she listened to the conversation between Lin Jin and Mr. Lu. A few casual words, one poisonous plot after another—and the lives of so many people hung in the balance.