Chapter 451: Chapter 451: Scapegoat
"Ahhh!" The portly chef let out a groundhog-like shriek, a miserable cry that pierced the sky.
It made everyone present tremble with fear. Third Aunt Lin and her son, sprawled on the ground, were so scared they wet themselves.
Lin Mingjun simply lay on the ground and played dead, not daring to utter another curse. A two-hundred-pound chef had been sent flying by this beauty with a single kick.
’And what about me, who’s as thin as a rail!’
He didn’t dare to imagine what would happen, so his only option was to play dead. He just had to pray that she-devil wouldn’t notice him.
Third Aunt Lin proved she was truly his mother, as her thoughts perfectly mirrored her son’s.
’Especially with my husband and Aunt Lin right here. If that bitch stomps me flat with a single kick, what will be left of my dignity!’
’Back in the Bao Family, I was the apple of their eye, spoiled by my mother and brothers. Yet here I am, kicked to the ground by this little bitch.’
Now, only a few of the Lin Family’s powerless grandsons, along with Uncle Lin, and the mother-daughter pair of Aunt Lin and Lin Qingya, were still standing.
When the Lin Family arrived, they had surrounded Gu Jiaojiao. Wang Dashu stood directly behind Gu Jiaojiao, alongside Aunt Lin and Lin Qingya.
Wang Yuejin had come in Uncle Lin’s car, so he was standing directly in front of Gu Jiaojiao, right across from Wang Dashu.
The moment Wang Dashu got out of the car and saw there was only one woman, he had been frantically signaling to Wang Yuejin, hoping he wouldn’t make a move.
’It’s obvious the Lin Family is just as my future mother-in-law described—they’re purely out to beat this beautiful girl to death.’
’Then they’ll find a scapegoat to take the fall and go to prison. The Lin Family’s intentions are sinister, and Xu Lin, the "goddess" who summoned us, is especially vicious.’
Wang Yuejin and Wang Dashu had grown up together and had always been in sync; a single glance was enough for them to understand each other.
After Wang Dashu signaled him, he quickly understood the complexities of the situation; he was no fool.
Combined with the conversation he had overheard from the family in the car, he could see that the trap the Lin Family had set today was intended to make them the scapegoats.
’It’s true that I like Xu Lin. She’s beautiful, and who doesn’t appreciate beauty? My desire to pursue her has always been sincere.’
’But I didn’t bring my two friends to the Imperial City just to blindly pursue Xu Lin.’
’I’m the third son of the brigade leader, and my two older brothers are already married with children. Wang Dashu comes from a family with even more boys, and Wang Gousheng is the youngest in his.’
’In our village, after harvesting the early rice this year, the land was distributed to the households. After we finished the double rush harvest, we did odd jobs in a nearby county town.’
’Once we earned enough for travel fare, we decided to come to the big city to try our luck, and that’s when we met the ever more beautiful Xu Lin.’
’I’m used to being generous with my money, so I bought lots of gifts for Xu Lin to try and win her favor.’
’But not only did Xu Lin not refuse our gifts, she also played the field among us.’
’Stringing us along was one thing—that was on us for being suckers. But to think she wanted to send us to prison!’
’I was the one who brought my two friends here. If they went to prison, eighteen generations of their ancestors would never forgive me.’
Wang Yuejin imagined the people of Wang Family Village using them as a cautionary tale to teach their children and grandchildren.
’For example: "When you grow up, you must never be like Wang Yuejin and Gou Sheng, slacking off and ending up in jail. Don’t bring shame to all the ancestors of our Wang Family..."’
’The mere thought made me tremble. I would rather die than commit a crime and go to prison.’
To be set up like this by the very goddess he admired... how could Wang Yuejin possibly swallow this insult!
"Miss, Wang Dashu, Gou Sheng, and I were tricked into coming here by Xu Lin today. She said she’d help us find jobs. I had no idea it was to get into a fight."
Wang Yuejin immediately cupped his fists, bowed to Gu Jiaojiao, explained the situation, and apologized.
"Miss, we won’t help them gang up on you," Wang Gousheng also said, cupping his fists and bowing.
He glanced up and saw his cousin Wang Dashu still standing silently beside Aunt Lin and her daughter, so he continued to state his position.
"I don’t know what’s going on, but we would never bully a lone woman—not that you seem to need the help. But we won’t use our numbers to gang up on anyone."
’Gu Jiaojiao had just been wondering if she could send all three of these burly men flying with a single kick.’
’Who would have thought they were actually tricked into coming here by Xu Lin? Looking for work, were they? I can certainly provide that.’
"Are you really here to find work?"
"Absolutely. Our goal is just to find a job in the Imperial City that can support us, with food and lodging included."
Wang Yuejin said without hesitation. He had a premonition that this girl, as beautiful as a celestial fairy, could help them achieve their wish.
"Work? Easy. I can give it to you. Not only with food and lodging included, but also with a salary. As for how much, that will depend on your abilities."
Gu Jiaojiao’s words were light and breezy, as if she were just commenting on the weather.
Wang Yuejin picked up on a key distinction. She had said, "I can give you" a job, not "I can help you find" a job.
His blood boiling with excitement, he asked, "Miss, what do you want the three of us to do?"
"Just stand aside for now and don’t get involved in my fight with the Lin Family. But if you insist on participating, the only result will be getting kicked away by yours truly."
Gu Jiaojiao said, radiating a domineering aura. After she finished, she glanced disdainfully at Uncle Lin. "You must be the Lin Family’s mastermind this time, right?"
Uncle Lin was speechless, so ashamed he wished the ground would swallow him whole.
After a moment’s thought, he pointed at Aunt Lin and said, "This is my sister-in-law. She is the matriarch of the Lin Family."
The implication was clear: she was the one in charge, the true mastermind.
Gu Jiaojiao followed his finger and turned to look. A mother and daughter stood there, and behind them stood a dark, sturdy man.
The woman was dressed luxuriously, possessing a gentle and serene beauty. Though no longer young, her features were exceptionally refined, still holding a faint trace of the peerless charm of her youth.
’Looking at the noblewoman, who bore a slight resemblance to Geng Haoyi, I realize this must be Uncle Geng’s ex-wife.’
’She was said to have come from a prominent family herself, marrying into the Geng Family as Geng Junshan’s daughter-in-law back when he was at the height of his power and prestige.’
’Over several decades, the Geng Family had its ups and downs, but she had always enjoyed a life of luxury and wealth.’
’Although she abandoned her home and husband, she didn’t abandon her children. After she remarried, her children never suffered any hardship.’
’Now, she carries herself with the full bearing of a noblewoman. You couldn’t say such a person is guilty of a crime!’
’A smart bird picks a good tree to nest in. A lone woman wanting to remarry with her two children to secure a better life... that wasn’t really a crime.’
’Although I dislike such a selfish person, it wouldn’t be right to beat her up for no reason.’
’Now that the Geng Family is prosperous again, she hasn’t shamelessly gone back to pester her ex-husband, so she hasn’t compounded her mistakes.’
’If she knows what’s good for her and doesn’t come looking for trouble, then I’ll spare her a kick!’
’But if she insists on championing the Lin Family and causing me trouble, then she can’t blame me for being ruthless!’
’In life, gloom and villains are bound to appear. It doesn’t matter. I will always be there to act—to part the clouds and let the sun shine through again.’
Gu Jiaojiao took a step closer to Aunt Lin. "He said you were the one who led the Lin Family here to gang up on me?"
Aunt Lin was left speechless.
