My sister-in-law from Qingdao

"Because of President Lin? That's unlikely, isn't it?" For a moment, I was stunned.

"To tell you the truth, Yu Chaowen's younger brother, Yu Chaowu, is President Lin's ex-husband. After their divorce, Yu Chaowen stayed at Linglong Drawnwork Co., Ltd."

Yu Chaowen would hold a grudge against any young man who came to the company and even glanced at President Lin with interest.

Zhao Lina's words made me laugh. How could such a thing happen?

His ex-sister-in-law, what's he protecting?

But then again, this has nothing to do with me.

I admit that Lin Moli has been very nice to me because of my sister-in-law, but up until now, I haven't realized that she has any feelings for me.

Lin Moli is beautiful, mature, and most importantly, she's rich. She lives in a villa and drives a luxury car. I'm just a penniless young man from the countryside; there's absolutely no chance for me.

"Sister Zhao, thank you for the reminder. I'll be more careful, but there's really nothing to be careful about. It's all unrelated."

Zhao Lina laughed.

"Chen Dong, people are all the same. Whether it's a man or a woman, once they have money, they become restless. Our CEO Lin is no exception. Divorced women don't lack men, and you're quite handsome too."

"Really? Am I handsome?"

"You are indeed very handsome."

I didn't understand what she was saying at first, but I felt that President Lin didn't seem like that kind of person.

The following days were rather uneventful; I spent my time either at work, watching videos, or playing games.

Aside from giving me two packs of cigarettes last time, Lin Moli and I have a purely superior-subordinate relationship. It's very uneventful; sometimes she praises me, and sometimes she criticizes or negates my work.

My cousin and sister-in-law didn't contact me for a week. When the weekend came and I was planning to go visit my cousin, my sister-in-law suddenly called me.

"Xiao Dong, your brother wants you to come over tonight so we can have dinner together. He has something to tell you."

"Okay, sister-in-law, no problem."

My sister-in-law helped me find a job and even bought me bedding. She treats me like a younger brother, so I'm very willing to listen to her.

After get off work, I took a bus for more than an hour to get to my cousin's house.

To my surprise, my cousin was home around 6 p.m.

Normally at this time, he should be out fooling around with those men.

My sister-in-law cooked six dishes and a soup, and my cousin brought out a bottle of good wine. The three of us sat down around the table.

After finishing a bottle of baijiu, my cousin's face was flushed, and his eyes were even red. He looked at me hesitantly and said, "Little brother, how have I treated you?"

"Of course! I don't have a brother, but you take better care of me than a real brother would."

To be fair, my cousin is really a good person. Although we have different ways of doing things, he and his wife treat me very well.

"I need to go away for a while, at least one or two months, at most one or two years. During my absence, no matter what difficulties your sister-in-law has or what needs the family has, you must come and help her."

My cousin's words made my mind go blank. He's so successful, doing so well in Qingdao, why would he want to leave?

"Brother, don't joke around. You've been in Qingdao for so many years, you have a house, a car, and so many friends. Where are you going?"

"You only saw the surface, not the underlying reality. Now that electric cars are on the rise, gasoline cars are not selling well. The used car company I started with borrowed money went bankrupt, and I still owe people more than six million yuan. I had no choice but to run away."

In that instant, I seemed to understand that behind every glamorous facade lies a mountain of troubles.

My cousin drives luxury cars and lives in a mansion, but it turns out he has a lot of debt behind him.

"You can earn money to pay off your debts, so why do you have to leave?"

"I borrowed money quickly. If I don't leave, I won't be able to pay it back within a month, and I might become disabled."

I had just graduated from university and entered the workforce, so I was relatively naive, but I was also aware of the dangers of borrowing money quickly.

"What will happen to my sister-in-law now that you're gone?"

A trace of sadness flashed across my cousin's face.

"I don't know what to do. I want to take her with me, but she won't come with me."

My sister-in-law, who had been sitting silently at the table with her head down, slowly raised her head, and I noticed that her face was surprisingly calm.

"I told you before, I'm not with you for money, I just want to live a normal life. We have a car, a house, and some savings. If we both go to work, that'll be enough for us to live on."

But you insisted on investing in the used car business, and I couldn't dissuade you no matter what I said.

My sister-in-law spoke calmly, as if she had expected all of this.

"Xiaoya, you are knowledgeable and beautiful. I always feel sorry for you because you're with me, so I want to earn more money and then we can do IVF."

But I'm afraid I can't go that far now. I'll go south and try my luck. I'll think about it again after I've made some money.

"What will happen to your sister-in-law if you go south? Why don't you come with me?"

I suggested.

My cousin didn't say anything, but my sister-in-law refused outright.

"I'm from Qingdao, and I'm not going anywhere else. The southern environment isn't good for people."

As an outsider, I can only offer some suggestions on this matter; I can't say much more.

"Brother, it's settled then. I'll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning. If your sister-in-law ever needs anything, like changing a light bulb or fixing a pipe, you have to help her out."

My cousin held my hand and repeatedly gave me instructions.

"My dear brother, I am your own brother, and I am also your sister-in-law's own brother. After you leave, I will come to help with anything that happens at home."

This was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather something I made from the bottom of my heart.

Although my cousin and I are not on the same wavelength, my cousin and his wife have been very good to me. Since my cousin is not here, it is only right that I take care of his wife in his place.

"Go ahead and leave. Take care of yourself while you're away. Forgive me for not being able to go with you. It's not that I don't love you. First, I can't bear to leave my parents. Second, you've never let me get involved in anything these past few years. If I go with you to the south, you'll be even less able to do what you want."

My sister-in-law poured herself a glass of wine, took a small sip, and then said...

"Xiaoya, don't worry, I'll definitely make a name for myself out there."

My cousin held my sister-in-law's hand with deep affection in front of me.

"It's getting late, I'll head back now. I'll come see you off tomorrow morning."

My husband is leaving tomorrow, and he and his wife will definitely have a deep conversation today, so I'd better not be a third wheel and leave early.

"It's so late, don't leave. I'll go with you to see your brother off tomorrow morning, and then you can go back to your workplace."

My sister-in-law tried to persuade me to stay.

"Yes, you're my brother, and I'm your older brother. This is your home. When I'm not around, you should come over and take care of your sister-in-law more often. Don't leave tonight."

My cousin also tried to persuade me to stay.

What can I say now that things have come to this?

After a satisfying meal, I went to my little room, lay on the bed, and felt a surge of emotions.

I thought my cousin was living a life of great success, but I never expected that he would be so heavily in debt.

Just as I was lying in bed lost in thought, I suddenly heard my cousin's wife's voice coming from his room. Her voice was sharp, filled with happiness tinged with a hint of sadness.

I couldn't help but smile wryly. Couldn't the young couple close the door a little tighter when they exercise?