Chapter 21: Emptying Out the Lin Family’s Possessions

The case of Lin Dawei’s homicide was swiftly concluded by the Public Security Bureau. Widow Liu, having lost her son, was utterly distraught and revealed everything without reservation. Lin’s mother, fearing her son would endure excessive interrogation, also confessed the truth. As a result, Lin Dawei was sentenced to twelve years for involuntary manslaughter. The Lin family was ordered to pay the victim’s mother, Widow Liu, five hundred yuan in compensation.

On the Lin family’s side, this time, Lin’s father was also sentenced. He had orchestrated the abduction of his own daughter to sell her into marriage to a simpleton, thus committing the crime of trafficking women. Though the wrong person was taken, he had executed the entire plan and set the tragedy in motion. Therefore, Lin’s father was equally culpable. He was sentenced to one year’s reform at a pig farm on the outskirts. Because Lin’s father took all the blame upon himself, Lin’s mother escaped punishment.

These past days, she had been running herself ragged over her husband and son’s affairs. In order to pay the compensation to Widow Liu quickly, Lin’s mother even went to the brickworks where Lin Xiaodou worked, intending to sell her job for cash. Only to discover that Lin Xiaodou had already sold her position. Furious, Lin’s mother could do nothing but rush to the canning factory, hoping to negotiate with the management. Both she and Lin’s husband were official employees. Now that he was in trouble, his position could also fetch a good price. But the factory’s leaders, having caught wind of the scandal, promptly dismissed both Lin’s father and mother, citing damage to the factory’s reputation. Not only did Lin lose his job, but she lost hers as well. Fortunately, they had bought their apartment; otherwise, even their home would have been repossessed.

These days, Lin’s mother was exhausted, and this blow left her bedridden. Meanwhile, Lin Xiaodou’s “injured leg” had fully recovered. Seeing her mother ill, Lin Xiaodou followed suit—locking the cupboard and giving her only half a bowl of porridge a day to keep her barely alive. One day, Lin Xiaodou deliberately ate a delicious meal right in front of her: fragrant noodles topped with golden eggs, filling the air with a tempting aroma. Lin Xiaodou devoured the meal, making her mother’s mouth water with longing. Driven mad by envy, Lin’s mother pounded the bed in a frenzy, shouting, “You wretched girl! Get out! Get out of this house!” Her voice echoed through the whole building.

In that instant, Lin Xiaodou put on a dramatic performance. She flung her bowl and chopsticks down, sobbing, “I work myself to the bone every day caring for you, and now you want me gone? Fine, I’ll leave!” With a bang, she stormed out, clutching her face as if in tears. The neighbors, peeking out, all sighed.

“The Lin family’s wife is truly impossible. Even with her family in such a mess, she takes it out on her daughter.”

“That’s right. Xiaodou is too filial. If I were her, I’d have kicked that old woman a few times to vent my anger.”

“Poor Xiaodou, what a wretched family, ruining a perfectly good girl…”

At that moment, the pitied Lin Xiaodou was hiding in her secret space, happily eating grapes. After leaving home, she slipped into a secluded spot and entered her hidden sanctuary. Today’s performance had been meticulously planned. With the Lin family’s affairs mostly settled, there was no reason to linger. As for Lin’s mother, with Widow Liu as her new nemesis, she was in for a miserable life.

Inside her space, Lin Xiaodou took out a human-skin mask, disguised herself as a man, put on a wig and a fake mustache, and donned a gray tunic. Soon, a middle-aged man stared back at her from the mirror. Satisfied that not a detail was out of place, she left her sanctuary.

Half an hour later, at the Lin household, a figure walked in openly—it was Lin Xiaodou in disguise. Her goal was simple: before leaving, she would strip the Lin family of everything, leaving them with nothing. Only such revenge could truly satisfy her.

Lin’s mother’s door was ajar. Lin Xiaodou crept closer and peeked in: her mother was asleep, whether from hunger or anger, it was impossible to say. No matter—the money was what mattered. Lin Xiaodou entered and ransacked the room but found no cash or vouchers. Lin’s mother awoke midway and was knocked out with a single punch. Continuing her search, Lin Xiaodou finally found some money wedged in the headboard—a little over a hundred yuan, clearly not the full sum. With both parents having worked for years, there should have been much more saved.

Surveying the room, her gaze fell on a loose brick in the corner. She pried it out and reached inside. Soon, her hand emerged holding a bundle wrapped in newspaper. Brushing off the dust and opening it, she found it stuffed with money and ration vouchers. She counted: 1,365 yuan, six ration tickets, two for grain, two for meat, and one each for white flour and industrial goods. Delighted, Lin Xiaodou put everything into her sanctuary. Her little treasury had grown again!

Leaving the bedroom, she entered the living room, sweeping the sofa and tables into her space with a wave of her hand. She marched to the cupboard and swept all the stored food inside as well.

Finally, she emptied Lin Dawei’s and her own room of all valuables. Before leaving, she even took the bed from under Lin’s mother. Such a vile woman did not deserve a bed. Were it not for the many eyes in the tenement building, she’d have taken the whole apartment. While moving the bed, she found a locked box underneath. Forcing it open, she discovered two gold bars and a set of gold jewelry and silver bangles, all of good quality—all of which she promptly stowed away.

With the house cleared out, Lin Xiaodou made a swift exit. An hour later, Lin’s mother awoke from unconsciousness. Seeing the empty home, she screamed for help, “Help! We’ve been robbed! Somebody help!” Neighbors hurried over, all stunned by the bare apartment.

“My god, the Lin family has been cleaned out by thieves! But we all live nearby—how did they move so much without anyone noticing? How odd!”

Having changed back into her usual clothes and prepared herself, Lin Xiaodou rushed over, put on a performance of bitter tears, and wailed that she’d only stepped out briefly—how could such a calamity have happened? “It’s all my fault! If only I hadn’t left!” she sobbed, looking as pitiful as could be, winning the sympathy of all who gathered. They comforted her, insisting it wasn’t her fault and urging her not to blame herself.

Lin’s mother, meanwhile, glared with bloodshot eyes, nearly grinding her teeth to dust. Deep down, she suspected Lin Xiaodou, but there was no evidence to be found.

In the end, the Lin family’s misfortune even drew the Public Security Bureau’s attention, but after a fruitless investigation, they found no clues and gave up. When Widow Liu heard the Lin family had been robbed and could no longer pay compensation, she rushed over to make a scene. Already simmering with rage, Lin’s mother ended up brawling with Widow Liu.

While the two fought bitterly, Lin Xiaodou slipped quietly away. She was heading to the home of her birth parents—the very place where the imposter now lived, occupying her place. Having settled her grievances with her adoptive family, it was time to confront her biological kin…