Good Man Operation Guide

Father Li came over, not because he was well-informed, but because he was concerned about his daughter and son-in-law’s well-being. Yesterday, he went to the county to help Widow Zhang with some work, and coincidentally, on his way back, he helped an elderly man who had fallen down and escorted him back to his house. In gratitude, the old man’s hunter son gave Father Li a rabbit.

The rabbit was plump and looked delicious. Father Li couldn’t remember the last time he had tasted meat. Now that his daughter Li Lanlan wasn’t at home to cook for him, he always ended up with half-cooked meals. When he saw the rabbit, his mouth couldn’t help but water.

But he didn’t eat it. He was a benevolent father, and even if he was starving, he would deliver this fat and delicious rabbit to her.

Initially, Father Li thought of giving it to Widow Zhang since she lived nearby and was always complaining about being poor. However, it was mealtime, and he knew Widow Zhang wouldn’t ask him to stay for a meal. On the other hand, she thought a grown man like him would eat a lot. Although injured and carrying a rabbit, he felt embarrassed to go over during mealtime.

After much consideration, he thought of his poor daughter.

Lan Lan was a good girl, but her life was unfortunate. The Lin family made her do everything, and she couldn’t even eat her fill. There was a sick person at home that she had to take care of, and her husband was useless when it came to work.

Thinking of Lan Lan crying and complaining to him last time, expressing how much she pitied her elderly in-laws for enduring hardships at their age, Father Li’s heart softened.

So, without hesitation, he carried the rabbit there. Since it was already late, he waited until early the next morning to come over.

As soon as he arrived at his son-in-law’s doorstep, his daughter greeted him warmly. She sweetly called him ’Father’ and then looked at him with a yearning gaze, asking, “Why did you come at this time? Have you eaten?”

Li Lanlan hadn’t really noticed the rabbit before. But as she watched her father bring it over, holding it by the ears, her expression froze, and a mix of complicated emotions appeared in her reddened eyes.

In the past, no matter how she presented the facts or reasoned with him, Father Li would always carry things out of the house but never brought anything in. However, now, without her saying anything, he willingly brought the rabbit himself.

Her heart felt sour and aching. She felt both uncomfortable and aggrieved. Her previously reddened eyes truly turned red at this moment. She turned her head, wiped the corners of her eyes, and choked out, “This is a thank-you gift for you. Why are you giving it to me?”

Father Li was a bit hungry and had some stomach discomfort, but he still replied with a smile, “It’s okay. I still have some harvest. Your days haven’t been good, so let’s prioritize you for now.”

This person who Li Lanlan used to hate so much for prioritizing others over their own family now seemed like a gentle breeze, gradually infiltrating her heart. It didn’t hurt or itch, but it made her feel incredibly uneasy.

She wiped her eyes again and took the rabbit, saying, “Today, you’ll have to eat with us.”

“Is it appropriate?” Father Li rubbed his hands sheepishly, “After all, you’re married now.”

“It’s fine. My mother-in-law is kind, and my husband treats me well.”

Li Lanlan originally planned to pretend to cry and fool her biological father. However, when he appeared so defenseless and eagerly brought good things, her fort of caution that she had built up in her heart collapsed.

After entering the house with the guests, she busied herself and casually mentioned, “Father, my husband is about to take the examination. He’s afraid that without a man in the house, someone might have ill intentions. So, he specifically went to the county yesterday to do some work and exchanged it for two pieces of gold jewelry.”

Only then did Father Li notice the pair of gold earrings on his daughter’s ears and was immediately stunned, “If he’s afraid of someone having ill intentions, why would he buy gold jewelry?"

Isn’t that blatantly telling people that there’s money in the house for them to come and steal?

“My husband said that he needs to display these valuable items openly. People will know that he’s capable and won’t dare to offend us. Also, he has some connections with an official in the government, which can make people wary.”

Father Li didn’t understand all that, but he was straightforward. Whatever others said, he believed. He nodded and said, “That’s good. I don’t have much to do anyway. I’ll come and visit your in-laws more often. When others see me, they won’t dare to cause trouble.”

Li Lanlan’s hand trembled as she was boiling water.

She hadn’t even mentioned it, but her father brought it up first.

Meanwhile, in his mind, Father Li automatically filled in the details and worriedly asked, “If your husband spent all the money in the house on gold jewelry, how will your father-in-law afford his medicine in the future?”

Li Lanlan: “?????"

When did I ever say that my husband used all the money to buy gold jewelry?

Whatever, as long as her Father doesn't cause trouble.

Li Lanlan thought to herself and simply responded, “It’s okay. We still have land at home to sustain us.”

“Ah, your husband is just pretending to be rich even though he’s in debt. Even if he wants others to know he’s capable, he shouldn’t do it like that. How about this, if I have money in the future. I’ll send it over. You can manage until then.”

Father Li was completely devoted to his daughter, and it was hard to imagine that he had previously let her go hungry to save someone else’s child.

Thinking about how difficult his son-in-law’s family was, and how he had used up all their money to buy gold jewelry to impress others and make them think he was capable for their safety, Father Li felt great admiration in his heart.

Furthermore, he realized that they still had his own food at home, so there was no need to rely on their struggling son-in-law for meals.

In the future, he would have to work harder, both in his job and on the farm. He not only had to support Widow Zhang, but also his daughter’s family.

Thinking about how many people he could help, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

Father Li stood up, dusted off his trousers, and said, “I won’t eat at your house anymore, Lan Lan. If times are tough, just endure for now. As long as you do good deeds, things will definitely get better in the future.”

After saying that, he left the Lin family’s house with a look of ‘I have a great responsibility.’

Li Lanlan watched her father leave, her face filled with question marks. She couldn’t follow his train of thoughts at all.

She hadn’t even learned how to manipulate people like her husband did.

Why did Father seem to have already been manipulated?

But I haven’t done anything!

In the neighboring eldest family’s house, as soon as the door was pushed open, the figure of Father Li leaving came into view. Yesterday, the eldest daughter-in-law had been fixated on those gold earrings, and she couldn’t eat or sleep properly. When she finally closed her eyes, she dreamed of Li Lanlan’s beautiful face wearing the delicate and pretty gold earrings, constantly swaying in front of her.

She wasn’t a broad-minded person to begin with. If everyone was living an average life, it would be fine. But after the separation, she had thought that from then on, their family would live a comfortable and prosperous life, free from dependence on others, and reach the pinnacle of success.

But what was the result?

The person they had been dependent on all along had reached the pinnacle of success in the neighboring household, while they themselves toiled day after day, barely scraping by. Not to mention gold earrings, she couldn’t even touch a pair of silver earrings.

If it were before, the eldest daughter-in-law, taking advantage of her mother-in-law’s good temper and Lin Shiheng’s face-saving nature as an educated person, might have had the audacity to pester for the earrings. But just yesterday, she heard Lin Shiheng talk about his connections with the officials, and it frightened her to the core. How could she dare to do anything else?

She watched Li Lanlan, her younger sister-in-law who was over twenty years younger, enjoy a life of luxury, wearing gold and silver, and felt displeased.

After tossing and turning all night, the eldest daughter-in-law finally came up with a good idea.

She approached Father Li, casually hinting that Lin Shiheng had become wealthy and bought gold earrings and a bracelet.

She wouldn’t even have to intervene directly and Father Li, with his messed-up mind, would definitely treat his son-in-law just like he treated his wife’s family.

By then, she wouldn't offend her third brother-in-law, she could enjoy the spectacle, and she could also see her sister-in-law, Li Lanlan, who shouldn’t have a better life than her, suffer.

It was truly killing three birds with one stone!

The eldest daughter-in-law considered herself very clever. Despite feeling tired and unsteady from a sleepless night, she excitedly left early in the morning, ready to find Father Li.

But as soon as she pushed the door open, she saw Father Li leaving.

What’s going on?

Is he really that well-informed?

Did he already borrow money?

The eldest daughter-in-law was both hopeful and anxious, wanting to rush over and ask Father Li. However, when she noticed Li Lanlan in the yard, still wearing the earrings, her heart settled.

If the earrings were still there, as long as Father Li wasn't blind, he would surely notice the gold earrings, righ t?

If he noticed them, wouldn't he know that the third family had money? And if he knew, wouldn't he mention borrowing money?

The more she thought about it, the more reassured she felt. After finishing their meal, when Lin Da announced that the family was going out to work, the eldest daughter-in-law, pretending to have a stomachache, decided to stay at home.

She wouldn’t go out; she wanted to stay at home and witness the spectacle in the third household.

Lin Da despised his wife’s laziness. Having lived together for so many years, he could tell whether her affection was genuine or feigned. Naturally, Lin Da couldn’t imagine that she was pretending to be ill just to witness a spectacle; he simply believed she was being lazy.

How did I fall for such a lazy woman in the first place?

Carrying a heart full of dissatisfaction, he left with a stern face, accompanied by his son and daughter-in-law.

The eldest daughter-in-law did notice her husband’s dissatisfaction, but her determination to witness the spectacle in the third household outweighed it. She chose to ignore it and eagerly waited at home, anxiously anticipating the events in the third household.

The third family prepared their meal, extravagantly serving each person an egg. As usual, Lin Shiheng and Li Lanlan ate outside, while Mother Lin brought the food inside and ate with Father Lin.

The aroma of the food wafted to the eldest daughter-in-law, making her mouth water with envy. She had been slacking off on her chores, which annoyed Lin Da. During breakfast, he specifically allowed his wife to only have half a bowl of plain porridge as punishment. The eldest daughter-in-law dared to challenge her mother-in-law but didn’t dare to provoke her husband, so she had to endure it.

And now, her stomach growled from hunger, but she could only watch eagerly as Lin Shiheng and Li Lanlan enjoyed their meal.

After they finished eating, perhaps due to the newfound wealth in the household, Mother Lin was in a good mood and didn’t rush to go work in the fields. Lin Shiheng went inside to read, while Mother Lin and Li Lanlan sat in the yard doing needlework and occasionally burst into laughter.

The eldest daughter-in-law anxiously awaited the plot where ‘the mother-in-law would turn hostile and beat the daughter-in-law,’ but it didn’t happen even after a long time.

By noon, the whole family enjoyed a meaty meal, the delicious aroma almost tempting the famished eldest daughter-in-law to crawl along the wall.

She waited and waited until they finished eating, but everything remained calm and peaceful. Nothing happened.

What’s going on? It couldn't be possible, right?

Could it be that Li Lanlan had concealed the fact that her father came to borrow money? But wasn’t Lin Shiheng there in the morning?

The eldest daughter-in-law couldn’t bear it any longer. Taking advantage of the moment when Mother Lin went out to feed the pigs, she cautiously approached and asked a question.

“Mother, I saw Third Brother’s father-in-law this morning. What was he here for?"

Mother Lin didn’t want to pay attention to her, but the thought of the rabbit meat they just had made her want to tease this unfilial daughter-in-law a bit.

She lowered her eyelids and said, “What else could he be here for? He was thinking of your third brother’s wife, so he brought delicious food for her. He brought such a fat rabbit, and he didn’t even touch it. He brought it all for us. It’s not like ‘certain people’, who come empty-handed every year, leaving with full bags. No wonder they raised an ungrateful daughter.”

Naturally, she was referring to the eldest daughter-in-law. Being scolded as an ungrateful daughter didn’t sit well with her, but she couldn’t focus on being unhappy at the moment. She was too shocked.

He actually came to deliver a rabbit?

How could that be? Li Lanlan's father has always had a peculiar personality How could he suddenly change?

He has never been polite to Li Lanlan’s maternal family before!

Mother Lin looked at the dumbfounded expression on her eldest daughter-in-law’s face and felt somewhat annoyed.

Why waste words on someone like her? It would be better to follow Shiheng’s suggestion and go to the village to show off the gold bracelet on my wrist.

Ever since her husband had an accident and Shiheng kept failing his exams, the village had been gossiping about them. Now she finally had a chance to hold her head high.

With this in mind, Mother Lin didn't bother to look at her daughter-in-law anymore. She walked out of the door, leaving the eldest daughter-in-law staring blankly at her mother-in-law’s figure, feeling like her whole outlook on life had been refreshed.

How could this be possible?

It's impossible!

Li Lanlan s own father doesn't care about her. How could he bring her rabbit meat?

The eldest daughter-in-law thought more and more that something was suspicious about it.

Seeing Li Lanlan’s proud appearance yesterday, it was obvious that she wasn’t a well-behaved person. Maybe she deceived Father Li.

No, I have to expose her!

With that in mind, the eldest daughter-in-law, twisting her waist, walked out of the door, intending to use her silver tongue to provoke discord among the third family’s relationships.

She successfully found Father Li on his way back.

“Gold bracelet? Gold earrings?”

Father Li showed a silly smile to his daughter’s sister-in-law, “I know, Shiheng helps with the accounting at the government office to earn money.”

The eldest daughter-in-law was stunned, “You... you know?”

This reaction wasn't right was it?

“Yes, it’s not easy for them. Hey, we’re all one family. You’re Shiheng’s sister-in-law and also Lanlan’s sister-in-law. Their life is difficult, and they don’t eat or drink well. If you can help them a bit, just do it. We’re all one family, we should help each other.”

“Also, Shiheng’s father is lying in bed and needs medicine. You’re all part of the same family, calling him ‘Father.’ You can’t just ignore everything. Even if you don’t spend money, you can provide medicine. And Sister Lin, poor thing, at her age she still has to work in the fields. As children, you should occasionally help her, help with farming, harvesting crops, and so on. You’re all children and daughters-in-law, you should be filial to the elderly...”

A difficult life...?

Don't eat or drink well...?

The eldest daughter-in-law’s mind was filled with images of gold jewelry, fish, meat, rabbit, and eggs. When she heard Father Li casually telling her to help for the third family, asking for money for her father-in-law, and helping with farming, she almost burst out laughing in anger.

Great!

I though the was a fool, but turns out he’s a cunning fox! Acting dumb and planning for his daughter!

She should have known earlier. Anyone who can give a whole rabbit to his married daughter’s family must truly love his daughter.

Feeling enlightened, the eldest daughter-in-law gritted her teeth and ignored Father Li’s kind advice as she turned and walked away.

Li Lanlan is truly lucky to have such a good father.

Tsk! Lucky b *tch!