Translator: Lonelytree
Even after cooking, the cabbage was sweet and crisp. It made her suspect if the cabbages she cooked with in the past were real cabbages or not.
"Mom, what are you cooking? It smells amazing!" Auntie Lin's youngest daughter leaned on the dining table after returning from junior high school. She wrinkled her nose and narrowed her eyes, "Mom, are you making tomato fried egg?"
Auntie Lin answered, "Yes."
"Oh." Her youngest daughter nodded. "I was confused because the smell was too delectable."
"Enough talking. It's time to eat." Auntie Lin ordered.
Her youngest daughter looked around and asked, "Mom, where's Dad?" Auntie Lin's heart squeezed, but she didn't show it. "Your Dad has something to do at work and doesn't have time to come back for dinner. We'll have dinner on our own." Auntie Lin said with a smile. But internally, she thought, 'The bastard, Lin Tianhui, would be having dinner with that vixen now.'
Auntie Lin was depressed. She and Lin Tianhui fell in love when they were in university and married after graduation.
After marriage, Lin Tianhai said he had to stay by his parent's side because he was the only son. So, Auntie Lin gave up everything and accompanied him to this small county town.
They worked hard, and the small clothing store they started was now a well-known enterprise in Xing Yin County. Twenty years had passed since then.
When the company reached a certain size, her husband told her to retire as a full-time housewife to care for the parents and children. He would handle everything at the company.
However, when Auntie Lin was at home, her husband's heart changed. Men became rotten when they had too much money. He started looking for a mistress.
When Auntie Lin exposed him for the first time, he was very guilty. He knelt and begged for her forgiveness. He promised not to do it again.
However, Auntie Lin found him cheating again not long after. Similarly, he knelt and begged her to forgive him. For the sake of their child, she did.
Then, Lin Tianhai realized he could get away with adultery. He became open about it. He didn't even feel guilty anymore. Apparently, having a mistress was a sign of a successful man.
Auntie Lin wanted a divorce, but her husband said that if she did, she would have to leave with nothing. Auntie Lin didn't mind that, but she did mind when her husband threatened her with forbidding her ever to see her children again. Auntie Lin accompanied her husband through many hardships. She looked after his parents and raised their children. She lost the best years of her life to him. But in the end, it was to benefit a younger mistress. If Auntie Lin proceeded with the divorce, the mistress would enjoy Auntie Lin's current position and might even torment her children.
Therefore, Auntie Lin gritted her teeth and chose to suffer quietly for the sake of her children.
Whenever her children asked about their father, Auntie Lin would say that he was busy at work. The day would come when her children would find out about the truth, but Auntie Lin wanted to protect them as long as possible. The children were young, and she didn't want them to suffer.
Her son was in university. He could judge things on his own. However, her youngest daughter was only fourteen. Auntie Lin glanced at her daughter, who was eating with relish and sighed lightly.
Her daughter picked up on her mood. She looked at Auntie Lin and asked, "Mom, what's wrong?"
Aunt Lin smiled and said, "Nothing, you should eat more!" She picked up a piece of tomato for the girl.
The girl sighed and lamented, "If only Dad is here to enjoy these delicious meals. He works so hard every day. It must be very tiring." She looked at the dishes. She tapped her chin. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Mom, why don't you pack some and send them to Dad?"
Auntie Lin looked at her daughter's sparkling eyes, and she was conflicted. She was so disappointed in that man that she couldn't even see him anymore without feeling disgusted.
Auntie Lin said, "It's past dinnertime. I'm sure Dad has already eaten. Let's not disturb him."
When her daughter heard this, her face was crushed with disappointment. However, her eyes lit up again. "Mom, we can call Dad to make sure. If he hasn't eaten, you should send him some!"
She left the dining table and ran to the phone. She dialed her father's number. After the call was accepted, she said happily, "Dad, have you had dinner? Mom has cooked a delicious feast. You should have Mom bring some for you to taste, or else you'll regret missing out!"
When Lin Tianhui received his daughter's call, he was having dinner with his lover in the restaurant. When his daughter asked whether he had eaten, for some reason, he said he hadn't.
He heard how joyful his daughter sounded. His heart softened. His daughter said her mom would be happy to send some dishes over to him.
It was then that Lin Tianhui realized he hadn't had anything made by Huang Shiwen in a long time already. After the company became a large enterprise, he found Shen Ying. Usually, he and Shen Ying would go to various high-end restaurants to dine.
At that moment, perhaps it was guilt, Lin Tianhui blurted out, "I haven't eaten yet. Why don't you have your mother send some over?"
Shen Ying's face almost turned green. However, she could do nothing. When she got together with Lin Tianhui, they had already made a contract that Lin Tianhui's children couldn't know about her existence. Otherwise, their relationship would be over instantly.
Shen Ying was waiting for the ripe timing. Until then, she could only endure everything. She had to wait until she was pregnant...
Shen Ying's tightly clenched hands slowly loosened. She asked gently, "Tianhui, are you really going to let that old woman come to your company to deliver food?" For Shen Ying, Auntie Lin was indeed an old woman.
Lin Tianhui frowned but did not say anything. He said, "You should finish your food. I've already paid the bill!"
Then, he grabbed the suit hanging on the rack and left without even looking at Shen Ying.
Shen Ying glared at Lin Tianhui and then at the table full of food. She gnashed her teeth angrily. She cursed, "Huang Shiwen, you shameless old woman! You can't keep your husband, and now you're using a child to lure your husband back. Just you wait. When I have Lin Tianhui's child, I'll make sure that you and your children will never see Lin Tianhui again!"
Lin Tianhei didn't notice Shen Ying's ugliness. He walked back to his company and for some reason, was anticipating his wife's cooking.