Chapter 79 Returning the Car, Collecting the Debt

"...She should be taught a lesson. After getting married, she treats her parents' home like a storage room, and has to run back home to get everything."

He spoke while observing Li Banxia's reaction.

Li Banxia remained expressionless and naturally did not respond to Su Laosan.

Once on the main road outside, Li Banxia stopped and swapped bikes with Su Laosan. "You take this one home; I have other things to do."

Su Laosan said "Oh," and looked in the direction Li Banxia was heading. It wasn't the medicine warehouse of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, nor the Civil Affairs Bureau. It was a bit strange that her name was Li Banxia.

"Mom, have you taken the wrong way? That's over there..."

"It's an auto parts factory."

Li Banxia said, "I'll go return the car to Lin Jiefang."

"Um?"

Su Laosan frowned and said, "Why don't we just take him home? Why do you have to make this trip yourself?"

"...There are other things too."

Li Banxia looked at her third son and sighed softly.

Thinking about the heights Lin Jiefang would eventually reach, he could completely control their family's jobs and future.

She didn't explain to Su Laosan that she had asked Lin Jiefang for money.

In his previous life, when Lin Jiefang married the director's daughter, the bride price was 11,000 yuan, which was said to be one in ten thousand.

It caused a sensation throughout the entire residential area at the time.

Then there's He Taohua's extravagant wedding banquet, the renovation of the couple's house, and the purchase of all sorts of furniture, like the Thirty-Six Legs set, the Three Turns and One Sound set, the refrigerator, and the color TV. The total cost must have been at least ten thousand yuan.

Therefore, this mother and daughter had at least 20,000 yuan in their hands.

What Li Banxia wanted was exactly 20,000 yuan.

The money was spent by He Taohua and her son Lin Jiefang, so she would naturally ask them for it back before the divorce.

Finding Lin Jiefang is more cost-effective than finding He Taohua.

The prospective son-in-law of the auto parts factory's office director, the prospective nephew-in-law of the municipal government's secretary-general, plus a bright future—compared to 20,000 yuan, an ambitious man like Lin Jiefang naturally knew which to choose.

He was more insightful than He Taohua and Su Youfu, which saved him a lot of trouble.

"You should go home first."

After saying that, Li Banxia got on her bicycle and rode away.

Su Laosan scratched his head, "What could Mom possibly want with Lin Jiefang? If there's anything, why can't she go to his house after work..."

Before he could finish speaking, he realized that his mother and He Taohua had just had a bit of a falling out, probably because she found it troublesome.

Li Banxia arrived at the auto parts factory.

The gatekeeper thought she was looking for Su Youfu, and greeted her with a smile, saying that Su Youfu had taken sick leave these past few days and was not at the factory.

“I know, I’m not here to see him, I’m here to see Lin Jiefang. Could you please call him for me?”

The gatekeeper was taken aback. "Looking for Officer Lin?"

“Yes, I’ll return his bicycle,” Li Banxia said.

The security guard, puzzled, smiled and dialed the office. Lin Jiefang came down shortly afterward.

Upon seeing Li Banxia, ​​I jogged over.

Upon arriving, he first apologized, "Aunt Li, I'm sorry, my mother shouldn't have gone to your workplace to ask for the bicycle. I only found out about it yesterday. Oh, right, and about yesterday too, my mother was also at fault. I apologize on her behalf. Please, Aunt Li, for the sake of our many years of friendship, don't hold it against her."

Li Banxia looked up at the spirited Lin Jiefang.

He sighed softly, "Jiefang, when you were little, I treated you like my own nephew. You were never short of candy and toys that the other children in the family had. Jiefang, as a stranger who has no blood relation to you, I've treated you well, haven't I?"

Lin Jiefang's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't show any nervousness on his face.

He nodded repeatedly in agreement with Li Banxia, ​​"Yes, yes, Aunt Li treats me very well."

That's excellent, and he spoke with sincerity.

Widows often face gossip and trouble. His mother and he had endured a lot of bullying and cold treatment back in their hometown.

When they first moved to the auto parts factory's residential area, Li Banxia ran around helping them with everything, introducing them to all the neighbors, and only telling others that they were her distant relatives.

He acknowledged Li Banxia's kindness towards him, from the delicious food and fun activities she provided to the seasonal clothes and winter coats.

There's also Uncle Fu, who took great care of them, mother and son. They relied entirely on Uncle Fu and Uncle Fu to get to where they are today.

Thinking about Su Youfu's relationship with his biological mother, Lin Jiefang was somewhat afraid to look Li Banxia in the eye.

Li Banxia sighed, "If you agree, that's fine. Let's walk over there for a bit. I have something I want to tell you privately."

Lin Jiefang nodded and smiled at the gatekeeper, then led Li Banxia to a more distant place.

"Aunt Li, what is it?"

Li Banxia sighed deeply and called out to him, "Jiefang, I won't ask about your mother and Su Youfu's affair. Are you planning to keep this from me for the rest of my life, treating me like a fool?"

Lin Jiefang's face suddenly changed color, his pupils contracted slightly, and he stared at Li Banxia without blinking.

My face burned, as if I had been slapped hard.

He opened his mouth, shocked at how Li Banxia knew.

But now is not the time to pursue this issue. Regardless of how Li Banxia found out, she already knows, and in order to save his face, she even called him to a secluded place to talk about it.

Instead of deliberately causing trouble when there are many people around, like the last time Uncle Youfu caused trouble.

She saved him face; if he doesn't want that face...

Lin Jiefang glanced at the gatekeeper who was looking in their direction and reacted quickly.

He apologized to Li Banxia very sincerely, "Aunt Li, I'm sorry, this matter... it was my mother's fault, I apologize to you on her behalf."

Li Banxia shook her head.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, but there was no smile in his eyes. He said to Lin Jiefang, "That's your mother, and she's also the benefactor who raised you and your son with money. Your choice is perfectly reasonable."

"Aunt Li..."

These words left Lin Jiefang completely baffled. What was her purpose in coming to see him?

Li Banxia looked at him and said, "...You don't need to be nervous. I don't want to blame you for this."

"Aunt Li, I'm sorry, I've already told Uncle Youfu that I won't take his money anymore. I can earn money to support my family now..."

Li Banxia interrupted him, nodding and saying, "I know, I haven't interfered all these years because I know you two have had a hard time. Of course, part of it was also out of respect for Su Youfu, but it's not possible now. I can't live with Su Youfu anymore. You know, he's becoming more and more unscrupulous, acting like an old married couple with your mother in public..."

Lin Jiefang felt his face burning with embarrassment and could only repeatedly apologize.

"I'm tired of chasing after him all these years. Liberation, I want to divorce Su Youfu, but I can't lose both him and my money. Do you understand what I mean?"

Lin Jiefang was stunned for a moment, and the bad premonition in his heart grew stronger.

He asked Li Banxia, ​​"Aunt Li, what do you mean?"

“Jiefang, you’re a smart person. I hate your mother, but you’re my child, and I have no grudge against you. I don’t want to use your mother’s affair with Su Youfu to blackmail you. I heard you’ve proposed to the director’s daughter. I was looking forward to your wedding, but now…”

Li Banxia let out a long sigh.

Lin Jiefang felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head because of her words. "Aunt Li?"