CHAPTER 307: CHAPTER 307: HOW CAN YOU BE SO STUPID?

"Um, brother-in-law."

Upon hearing this "brother-in-law," Jin Yi’s face broke into a smile as he quickly invited them to sit down.

"Please have a seat, have a seat."

Lin Mu came over, smiling as she greeted, "Brother-in-law."

Lin Xiaoyan: "Hello, Uncle."

"Ah, good, good, please sit, sit, let me pour you some tea..." Jin Yi jovially picked up the cane he had just thrown to the ground, limping as he prepared to go to the kitchen to boil water.

Aunt Lin glared at her husband, "You sit down, your leg’s not healed yet, I’ll go."

"Lele, quickly greet them, this is your little uncle, your aunt, and your sister Yanyan." Aunt Lin looked at her stubborn son and said.

The original anger in Jin Le dissipated awkwardly as so many people were watching.

Now, all that was left was overwhelming embarrassment.

"Hello, little uncle, hello, aunt, hello, sister, and this person..." Jin Le looked towards Nan Xi in the back, strong in presence, not knowing how to address her.

"This is my friend, you can call her Sister Nan," Lin Xiaoyan said.

Jin Le quickly and politely called out, "Sister Nan."

Nan Xi nodded slightly.

Lin Xiaoyan looked at this newly-introduced cousin, his face bruised and purple, with an arm wrapped in bandages.

He resembles her father quite a bit, the saying "nephews take after uncles" is quite accurate.

Lin Xiaoyan glanced over at her uncle sitting opposite, the father and son both had one with a leg injury and the other with an arm injury, presumably beaten by those people the village chief mentioned.

Aunt Lin washed a plate of apples, apologizing profusely, "We just moved here, there’s nothing at home, please have some fruit first."

"Lele, go out and buy some other fruits, and some snacks like seeds and candies..." Aunt Lin instructed her son to go out and buy things.

Lin Fu and Lin Mu immediately stopped them, preventing Jin Le from going out to buy things.

Lin Fu: "Sister, no need to buy things, let’s just sit down and chat."

Lin Mu: "Yes, we’re all family, no need to be so formal."

Lin Xiaoyan: "Brother, sit down quickly."

Aunt Lin had no choice but to sit down, showing a smile while looking at her brother’s family, filled with happiness.

"When I got your call, I couldn’t believe it was you. I originally thought that once Lele got married and everything at home was sorted, your brother-in-law and I would return to Yu Province and visit home..."

Aunt Lin said, tears falling again.

Lin Fu also felt very uncomfortable inside.

He quickly changed the subject, asking, "I just came from the village and heard from the village chief that you have some issues, what’s going on?"

Upon mentioning this, the Jin family of three all had somber expressions.

Uncle and Aunt Lin’s expressions were very unpleasant, glaring at their son who was silent with his head down.

"Sigh~ this matter is... really hard to explain!"

The tea was ready, Aunt Lin actually poured some tea for the few.

Sitting down, Aunt Lin slowly said, "Last August, someone introduced a match for Lele. At the time, I went with Lele to see, and we both thought the girl was good.

Fair-skinned, with a pretty good personality."

Speaking of the girl, Jin Le showed a pained expression.

"Later, Lele continued dating the girl, and they dated for about two months. He then visited the girl’s family, her parents were quite pleased with Lele, suggesting we find a time for both families to meet and discuss the engagement and wedding."

"Coincidentally, it was during the National Day holiday, so after the holiday ended, on the 8th, both sets of parents met..."

Lin Fu asked, "When you met, did you notice anything about them?"

Aunt Lin gave a bitter smile, "We were just happy for our son’s impending marriage; who thought of anything else.

Everything seemed normal that day!"

"Then we planned the engagement for November, paying 188,000, and the wedding after the new year—almost time for the wedding, but then..."

Jin Yi interjected, "Then the bride disappeared!"

Lin Fu and Lin Mu exchanged looks, after all this talking, it hadn’t even reached the point!

Lin Fu asked, "When did she disappear?"

Aunt Lin: "Before the new year."

Lin Fu: "How much money did you give them?"

Uncle Lin: "Engagement payment was 188,000, plus dowry of 288,000."

Lin Mu listening, couldn’t understand, "Wasn’t the wedding supposed to be after the new year? Why was even the dowry money given?"

Aunt Lin and Uncle Lin immediately glared at their silent son, "Ask him! It’s all his doing!"

Everyone’s gaze turned towards Jin Le, sitting quietly with his head down.

"Lele, speak," Lin Fu said.

Jin Le slowly raised his head, seeing everyone staring at him, he evaded their gaze, saying, "It was Xiangxiang who said her company’s boss wanted to buy a machine, buy one and they return 1,600 a month, returning for three years plus six months..."

"So, we discussed that if we bought more machines, we wouldn’t need to work and could just collect money, and in a year and a half we’d break even, with the remaining money being free for us."

As Jin Le spoke, everyone inside looked at him differently.

Such an obvious scam, he actually believed it?!

"So, you handed over the dowry for buying that... machine?" Lin Fu asked.

Jin Le paused and finally nodded.

Everyone was speechless looking at Jin Le, unsure of what was going through his mind.

Lin Fu continued asking, "When you gave the money, did you sign any contract or the like?"

Jin Le shook his head, "I gave the money to Xiangxiang, she handled it."

Lin Fu: ......

"But you weren’t even married yet and you trusted that girl like this? Handed over the money so easily?" Lin Fu was incredulous.

Jin Le said softly, "Xiangxiang didn’t deceive me; many people bought machines, some spent millions, and some people bought every month, it’s true that this returns money every month!"

Lin Xiaoyan was utterly speechless looking at her cousin, not expecting that even now he still believed it was real.

Lin Xiaoyan couldn’t help but ask, "If it’s real, then what’s the deal with you two now? Why did she disappear? Why won’t she marry you?"

Jin Le was stunned, murmuring, "Xiangxiang she..."

"Can you reach her now?" Lin Xiaoyan asked.

Jin Le: "No... can’t, when I went to her house, her mother said she’d gone traveling..."

"And then? What about the money?"

"Money... the money was used to buy machines."

Lin Xiaoyan: "..."

She took a deep breath, "Since you bought machines, you said they return money, have you received any returns now?"

Jin Le shook his head, "It’s bound to Xiangxiang’s card."

Lin Xiaoyan: .....

"Brother, you... like Xiangxiang a lot?"

Besides being lovestruck, Lin Xiaoyan couldn’t believe her cousin was brainless.

Jin Le shook his head, "Not really fond, but we were already engaged, and I thought we’d be family in the future. After we married, her money would be my money, my money would be her money, it wouldn’t matter who had it."