Good Man Operation Guide

Chapter 134.2: The Scummy Brother (2)

Lin Shixing felt a sense of rebirth after the disaster. Before she could rejoice, she heard Mother Lin continue her plan by saying...

“If Shixing doesn’t marry someone, then she should go to work. I originally said that it’s better to talk about it after graduating from high school, and she could hold up her head after marriage. Since the marriage has fallen through, she should go to work to ease the burden on her family.”

The joy on the girl’s face froze.

She couldn’t control her tears and subconsciously pleaded, “Mom, I can get a scholarship, I can still work part-time, you can’t make me drop out of school, if I do, I’ll never get another chance...”

“Aiyo... Mom.”

A playful voice interrupted her. Lin Shixing wiped a tear from her eye and looked at her brother who spoke with an impatient look, “Can you control her? She has her own scholarship and can work part-time as a tutor to earn money, she can earn enough money during her time off from school. If you don’t let her go to school, she’ll go straight to school with her bag on her back, and you’ll be too ashamed to go and bring her back.”

Lin Shixing looked at him blankly, the thought of ‘you can’t do anything if your parents won’t let you do it’ was suddenly shattered in her mind.

Yes, she had the ability to earn money by herself. Although she didn’t have much time off during the week, she’s top of her year and it’s quite easy to get a job as a tutor. Plus, the scholarship and the money she could earn during this long vacation time, she didn’t have to rely on her family’s money.

Why do I need to care about my parent’s disapproval? Dad would want to save face and certainly wouldn’t approve of Mom going to school and dragging me home.

“How can that... How can that be? If the parents don’t want her to go to school, how can they keep her in school?”

Lin Shixing jolted. Yes, if my parents wouldn’t let me go to school, even if I wanted to, there’s no hope.

Lin Shiheng’s impatient, grumpy voice rang out again, “Mom, why can’t you understand? The state requires nine years of compulsory education, and she, Lin Shixing, is only 17 this year. It’s illegal for you to do that. Don’t blame me for not warning you if you end up in jail.”

“And oh, you don’t want to go to the school to make a fool of yourself. It’s the internet society these days. Do you think that making a scene today would be forgotten tomorrow? Someone doing something today would still be spread 8 to 10 years in another city. Internet society, you know? If you go to the school, and those teachers and students take pictures of it, how could our family hold our heads up, how am I going to get along in my school?”

Mother Lin was dazed by her son’s long list of words and couldn’t understand how to spin it. After a long while, she muttered, “How can this be? I’m in charge of my own daughter, but the state should also be in charge? When I was in primary school, I didn’t go and no one cared.”

“You lived in a small village in those days, there wasn’t even an old-fashioned telephone, so who would care.”

Lin Shiheng’s tone was one of contempt and disgust. If Lin Shixing had spoken like that, she would have been scolded, but who made him the precious son of the Lin family? Not only was he not scolded, but he was allowed to criticize Mother Lin.

“Shiheng... You’re still filial and know how to inform mom.”

The rascal young man, who was even more impressive than Lin Shixing, raised his head and gave Mother Lin a smile that had nothing to do with filial piety.

“It’s good that you understand, Mom. Now give me some money, I need to refill my card.”

“Eh, okay.”

Mother Lin was easily led astray, and while taking money out of her pocket and giving it to her son, she told Lin Shixing who was pondering, “Since your brother has said so, you can continue to attend school, but don’t even think about asking me for tuition fees. Don’t go to that singing competition that you said would be on TV. I’m telling you that the women on TV are all shameless, one wearing less than the other, with skirts so short you can see their panties, backless and exposed breasts. It’s a terrible mess, don’t learn from it!”

“All right, all right. Don’t just stand here, get back to your room... No, wait.”

Thinking of her youngest daughter trying to jump to her death just now, Mother Lin was still a little scared. After thinking about it, she pulled Lin Shixing over and shoved her into the windowless guest room.

“Listen, Lin Shixing, you stay here and reflect on yourself. Come out when you are aware of your mistakes.”

— Bang!

The door was slammed shut.

Mother Lin secured the door outside and locked it before turning to her son, “Shiheng ah. Mom is going to take a bath, go play in your room, I’ll call you when it’s time to eat.”

“Ok!”

Lin Shiheng readily agreed, and watched Mother Lin go to the balcony to collect her clothes. He skipped around the living room, picked up the fruit knife on the table and held it in his hand, turned his head and went into the guest room.

In the guest room, Lin Shixing was sitting on the bed with a thoughtful face. When she suddenly heard the door open, she looked up and saw that it was Lin Shiheng, and her expression subtly fell.

“What are you doing here? “

“To help you.”

Lin Shiheng raised his eyebrows at her with his hand behind his back. “Hey, Lin Shixing, could you win a lot of money in that competition?”

Lin Shixing looked suspiciously at her brother who had bullied her since she was a child, “Yes, what do you want?”

“I want to get a new laptop, and a new phone. And I need a few pairs of running shoes right now.”

The young man, whose appearance was perfect, showed a sleazy ‘you know’ smile, “Although you’re a bad-tempered and ugly person, as your brother, I can still find good things in you, at least your singing is really good.”

“Tell you what, I’ll help you get Mom to agree to enter that whatever competition you’re entering, and when you win the prize money, split it with me 50/50.”

If Lin Shiheng didn’t ask for anything and helped her, Lin Shixing might have wondered if this person had another scheme, but since he was asking for something...

She pursed her lips, “20/80.”

“Hey, you’re still raising the price with me.”

Lin Shiheng, who just managed to act like ‘I’m doing this for your own good’, suddenly turned hostile, “Lin Shixing, do you understand your current situation? Our parents will only listen to me. If I don’t speak, you can’t go. I’ll give you 50%, that’s enough for you. Don’t push your luck.”

Lin Shixing was unmoved, “30/70.”

“I’m really leaving if you keep this up. I’m telling you, it’s you who needs me now not me who needs you.”

“40/60.”

“Okay, deal!”

Lin Shiheng took out his hand, which had been behind his back, and twirled the fruit knife in his hand in a showy display, chuckling wickedly...

“Heh heh.”

At the sight of the knife, Lin Shixing instantly became alert and subconsciously leaned back, “What are you doing with a knife!?”

“Something you wouldn’t understand.”

Lin Shiheng just acted as if he didn’t see her dodge. He came up and shoved the hilt of the knife directly into Lin Shixing’s hand, “Hold it tight.”

“For the sake of money, today I, your brother, will teach you a few tricks. Do you know the saying ‘the crying baby gets the milk’?”

(TNote: The crying baby gets the milk = the most noticeable (or loudest) problems are the ones most likely to get attention.)

Lin Shixing held the knife, “What are you doing?”

“I’ll tell you the secret to dealing with Mom.”

The corners of Lin Shiheng’s mouth curled up in triumph, and he raised an eyebrow at his sister, “One cry, two make a scene, three hangings, that’s what our Mom understands.”

(TNote: One cry, two make a scene, three hang (yourself) = derogatory; Folk sayings, in the past, it was used to describe married women throwing tantrums on their husbands or in-laws, to get what they want.)

With that, he grabbed Lin Shixing’s hand that was holding the hilt of the knife, turned his head and started shouting at the top of his lungs...

“Mum! Come here, Lin Shixing said she doesn’t want to live!!”

“- She’s going to kill herself!!!”