Chapter 455: – New Year’s Extra Chapter
Although Lin Jin and her cousin hadn't seen each other for a long time, the two quickly warmed up because of the game. Of course, it was just to the point where things weren't awkward between them.
"Time to eat!"
Her aunt’s voice came from downstairs. The two, engrossed in their game, finally came back to reality and then headed downstairs one after the other.
Speaking of which, even though this was a two story house, it wasn't actually very big. Each floor was simply divided into a front room and a back room, with the staircase in between. But generally speaking, the first floor’s front room was the living and dining room, while the back room was the kitchen. The two rooms on the second floor were both bedrooms, the front one was the master bedroom where her uncle and aunt lived, and the back one was her cousin's room. Her mom would probably stay on the third floor.
Well, although the house was originally two stories, those with a bit of money and too many family members would all build a third floor on top. Her uncle's family did the same. The front hall on the third floor was also a bedroom, while the back hall was used as a storage room and wasn't even furnished.
At dinner time, around a big round table sat three families. Her uncle's family of three, another uncle's family of two, plus Lin Jin and her mom, for a total of seven people.
The two older cousins from the other uncle's family were already working and it was unsure if they could come back for the New Year’s so only that uncle and his wife came.
"Lin Jin is getting prettier and prettier." The uncle’s smiling face was full of wrinkles. Looking at Lin Jin and her cousin taking their seats, he chuckled, "If I didn't know you were a boy, I would have wanted to introduce a boyfriend for you."
"Ha ha." Lin Jin smiled and nodded as she took a seat.
But god knows what that haha really meant.
Speaking of which, maybe it was because when she used to live in the old hometown, her mom often dressed her up in girls’ clothes, and continued to do so until after they left for the city. The people here didn't mind Lin Jin in women’s clothing at all and they still seemed to think it was her mom’s weird quirk that made Lin Jin dress like this.
"Yeah, Lin Jin was also really cute as a child. I used to think that if only Lin Jin were a girl." Her aunt smiled and placed a piece of meat in Lin Jin's bowl, continuing, "Anyway, Wu Juan's family already has a man, Lin Chen. How great would it would be if Lin Jin was a girl, having both a boy and a girl."
"Exactly. Nowadays, once boys start working and get married, they don't care about us old folks anymore. Girls are still better, they like to come back and visit us from time to time." The other uncle said thoughtfully. "Lin Jin, you shouldn't be like your older male cousin. Once he started working, he let himself go and has basically never been back. Your female cousin still comes back to see us every month or two."
Lin Jin did her best to keep a smile on her face, awkwardly picking up her bowl to eat. As for the dishes and stuff, the uncles and aunties kept putting pieces of meat into her bowl. There were only two meat dishes on the table. Lin Jin hadn't even started eating yet before her bowl was piled high with meat.
She glanced at her cousin's resentful expression.
"Lin Jin is just a bit short. Are you 1.7 meters?"
"No, should be 1.65 meters or so." Lin Jin’s mom quickly replied, not wanting her son to be discussed too much. "Let's eat, let's eat. It's not good to talk too much while eating."
Wait, mom, do you not even know my height?
Although she was indeed 1.65 meters tall when wearing the height increasing shoes, about the same height as her mom, but her mom actually didn’t know what her real height was~
"You're back today! Happy thing! What's wrong with talking while eating?! I'm even drinking!" Her uncle unceremoniously took out a bottle of white liquor from under the table. "Come come come, everyone gets a bowl."
If she remembered correctly, her uncle was an alcoholic…
The two aunties beside them had a helpless look on their faces. Lin Jin’s mom was speechless as she watched the uncle hurriedly run into the kitchen to get bowls to share the liquor with everyone at the table.
"How is Cheng Chang now?" The other uncle wasn't as carefree as the first, he looked at her mom with concern. "After he sold the house, he disappeared. He doesn't even answer calls and won’t even tell us where he went."
"In Xiamen. He used the money he borrowed from you guys to open a milk tea shop. Business is okay." Lin Jin said while eating. "I think he should be able to pay back what he owes you guys in a few years."
Lin Jin’s dad owed the uncles' families at least a hundred thousand over the years. It wasn’t that much. If her mom wanted to, she was completely able to pay it back for him, but her mom didn't have that obligation, and the uncles wouldn't take her mom's money anyway.
"That's decent, at least he's finally coming around." Uncle nodded, a helpless expression on his face. "Your dad, apart from liking to gamble, doesn’t really have any flaws. It’s just that gambling, it’s really ruined him."
"Why bring him up at such a happy time?" The first uncle came back to the table with a bunch of bowls and glared unhappily at the other uncle. "It’s not like we’re short of that little money, it's the same if he doesn’t return it."
The two uncles' families, along with a group of their friends, cofounded a textile factory. She don't know how much it made, but seeing them not needing to work every day and happily staying at home enjoying retirement, it was clear that they were not short of money.
Her dad seemed to have shares in that textile factory too, but he had probably sold them off long ago because of gambling.
The conversation at the table initially revolved around Lin Jin but then later changed to her mom. They kept asking about her life and career in recent years, and asked about Lin Chen’s current situation. In just one meal’s time, her mom's entire experiences over the years were thoroughly dug up.
Just as it was about to end, her aunt spoke up again: "We play mahjong tonight! The winner treats everyone to steak tomorrow, how’s that?"
Great, it was mahjong again.
Lin Jin finished her dinner, helplessly imagining the difficult night ahead.
Generally speaking, when they played mahjong, they could go until three or four in the morning, with the clattering of mahjong tiles sounding all night. It was fine when she was a kid, but it was basically impossible for her to sleep with the sound of mahjong tiles as she grew older.
But since it was the middle of summer, they should be moving the mahjong table outside to play.
After finishing dinner, Lin Jin went straight upstairs to her cousin's room, sitting on the chair with a look of despair.
How will I get by tonight? I have to sleep with a man again...
It was whatever when he slept with Lin Chen before. Back then, she was still a boy. And even if she was a girl, sister and younger brother sleeping wasn’t anything too inappropriate.
But now, she as the younger sister, will sleep with her cousin.
God knows if this cousin would get all horny! And it was the middle of summer! When sleeping will her cousin strip down to just his underwear?
Will her cousin be as restless as Lin Chen when sleeping? Would he take advantage of her when she was asleep?
The more she thought about it, the scarier it became.
Lin Jin felt maybe she should make a bed on the floor. That way, even though she would still be in the same room as her cousin, maybe her cousin would not think of any weird things.
As she was conflicted, her cousin also finished eating and came back.
"I'm going to shower. You?"
"I'll shower later." Lin Jin sighed and said, "I'll sleep on the floor tonight."
"No problem."