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CHAPTER 249

"I am glad you know that you did," Mr. Lin Zian said, arching his brows at her.

"Did not," Mrs. Lin Huilang refuted.

"Do too. What are you telling my grandchild, Huilang?" Mr. Lin Zian quickly attacked his sister-in-law.

"She is a youth, Lin Zian. You have got to free her lest you lose her like you did Quinyang."

"Not another word about this topic, Huilang."

"Face the truth. You just got her. She is used to a different home training so please do not make the same mistakes as you did with Quinyang."

"I won"t. Besides I never made any mistake," Mr. Lin Zian said, raising his voice a bit. "If only Quiyang had listened to me then none of these would have happened."

"Calm down, Lin Zian. Learn, this is a different generation. You would have to loosen up and stop with your strictness. Father-in-law was the one who joined the military not you so please calm down with all these rules and strictness."

"He brought us up just the same way so forgive me if it has become part of me. I would train my own as I seem fit," Mr. Lin Zian retorted.

"I agree and no one is dragging that fact with you but you know that is the very reason why you and your brother always have issues. You need to listen sometimes to advise that others give."

"Huilang, this is a fun and happy night for me. Kindly do not ruin it please."

"Lin Zian."

Mr. Lin Zian raised his hand in front of his chest to stop her from speaking. "Please. Do not ruin this night for me."

"Fine. I won "t."

"Thanks. Kindly do enjoy the party." He turned around, ready to leave her but stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. "And do not forget, I am hosting a little family get-together tomorrow afternoon, to better introduce Li Jing to everyone in the family. Make sure that brother of mine attends."

"That brother of yours is Lin Jie, Lin Zian. You need to start acknowledging him well or your relationship would always be this sour."

"Tell that to him. I am not the one pushing him away."

"Same thing he says. Basically, you two need a reality check and you thoroughly need to talk."

"Isn"t that what we always do?"

Mrs. Lin Huilang did not know what to say again other than just shake her head. Her husband and his older brother, Lin Zian had always been at each other"s necks since forever. It was hard for both to come to a consensus on the same thing on a matter.

Most often than not, Mrs. Lin Huilang would be the one to have the headache trying to settle them.

AT a point she stopped trying and let them eat each other up if they wished.

"Sigh! Naughty men."

"I know what you are thinking Huilang. Naughty men right?" Mr. Lin Zian shocked her.

All she could do was to smile rather than refute his words seeing as he caught her red-handed even though he wasn"t in her mind but this was because it was her most used word anytime the brothers fought.

It was after series of warning from the second brother of the Lin family that she came to stop saying it.

But that did not stop her from saying it in her mind and what usually gave her away to Lin Zian was because of her facial expression when she did.

Often she would roll her eyes and tilt her head to the side a bit first after saying it. And even though she said it in her mind, she still could not help her body movement when she did.

Lin Zian took note of that and that was how he normally caught her.

A smile spread across her lips as she looked at her most senior brother-in-law. "I miss Lin Liqin. He is still not back right?"

"Why are you asking me? Since you miss second brother more, then you should know about his whereabouts."

"Still the jealous one… sigh! What a firstborn."

"I would pretend I didn"t hear that, Huilang. Now, if you would excuse me. I need to tend to my guests."

"Very well, brother-in-law."

With that, they bade each other farewell and went about greeting other people. Minutes later, Mrs. Lin Huilang turned around to face a corner of the hallway and her eyes landed on a big portrait on the wall. It was the picture of all three brothers and the only daughter of the Lin Family.

Lin Zian was the firstborn, Lin Jie, Lin Huilang"s husband was the last born child and Lin Liqin was the second born while their only sister, Lin Qi, married to the wealthy Hu family was the third child and she lives abroad.

All four had a good relationship when all was well for Lin Ziann but the moment he lost his wife, his att.i.tude started changing and when he lost his daughter Lin Quinyang, he changed completely and always bantered with his siblings but Lin Qi and Lin Liqin were more understanding except for Lin Jie who would always blame his brother for what had happened to him.

A burst of pained silent laughter left her lips as she averted her gaze to the side and her eyes landed on another portrait. It was of Lin Zian and his beautiful late wife, taken just a year before her death.

To the right was the picture of their lovely family that seemed to disappear completely from the earth. Mrs. Lin Huilang"s smile completely died when her gaze dropped on Lin Quinyang and the necklace on her neck.

It was the family"s heirloom. Instinctively, she turned her head and her eyes scanned the room for the one person wearing it, Li Jing.

Soon her eyes found her at a corner talking with Ye Cheng. She seemed happy, just the way her mother looked in the portrait.

"I wish you were here to guide him, Quinyang. With you left his joy and I fear that he may make the same…"

"Mrs. Lin Huilang."

"Yes?"