Good Man Operation Guide

Widow Zhang was completely dumbfounded.

She knew before marrying Father Li that he was someone who liked to do good deeds, but it didn’t matter. Being taken care of by him was indeed very comfortable. Although she knew that it was Father Li who gave her money and food, and it was his daughter who suffered, so what? As long as she didn’t have to endure hardships herself, it was fine.

She had decent looks, but because she was a widow, she couldn’t find a good family. Although Father Li treated her well before, she wasn’t interested in him because he was too poor. But having a son-in-law who was a Juren was different. That was a Juren, and there were only a few in the entire county.

Father Li fulfilled all her requests, and now having a son-in-law who was a Juren meant a good marriage.

Widow Zhang regretted a bit that she hadn’t shown goodwill to Li Lanlan before she got married. But it didn’t matter. Could a daughter not obey her father’s words? When her father lacked money, could the daughter not give it? With Father Li, she had control over Li Lanlan.

That was Widow Zhang’s thought before she got married.

However, after getting married, she discovered that Father Li had some strange ideas and actually believed that the Lin family, which had a Juren, was poor.

If it wasn’t for her manipulative ways and serving Father Li diligently, she wouldn’t have been able to convince him to ask for money from the Lin family.

As a result, he went there, but not only did he not get any money, he ended up giving away a lot.

Widow Zhang was furious.

He was a Juren!!!

Did he not know how valuable a Juren was? How could he not have money!

If it weren’t for the fact that she had to rely on Father Li in the future, she would have cursed this useless man.

She took a deep breath, barely managing to control her anger, and continued to speak softly, complaining about the matter of Li Lanlan wearing a golden hairpin. Coincidentally, the news had spread throughout the town on the second day of Lin Shiheng’s return. Widow Zhang felt like she had grasped some major leverage and quickly started persuading her husband.

The Lin family must have become prosperous, otherwise, how could they afford a golden hairpin!

Our family is struggling, and our child is young. You are the only one doing all the work How can we continue like this? Your son-in-law has money so it’s only right for him to give some filial respect to his father-in-law.

No matter what, as he looked at his delicate wife, Father Li reluctantly went to the Lin family once again.

When he arrived at the Lin family, it was the liveliest time.

At that time, almost everyone in the village knew that the Juren had returned. Even the neighbors and their relatives came to witness the excitement. The house was packed with people, all wanting to admire the brilliance of the Juren.

The young wives or mothers-in-law mostly held their young children.

This was also a tradition. When a family had a successful individual, the people around would bring their young sons or pregnant daughters-in-law to share in the joy.

Everyone was poor, but they still had their pride, especially in front of someone like Lin Shiheng, a Juren. Of course, they couldn’t visit the Lin family empty-handed. So almost everyone had something in their hands.

It could be a piece of fabric, half a basket of eggs, or fish they caught themselves. Anyway, even if they came empty-handed, when they saw others carrying gifts, they either felt ashamed to continue without anything or went back home to fetch something before coming over.

In this situation, Father Li, who didn’t bring anything, stood out conspicuously.

He was a bit confused at the time. Although he was someone who shamelessly borrowed money from his wife’s family to spend on others in order to do good deeds, it was because he felt he was doing a good deed and had a clear conscience. He naturally didn’t care about other people’s gazes.

But these people didn’t understand.

He was doing a good deed.

However, this time, Widow Zhang told him to go over to borrow money from his son-in-law and make up for their own expenses.

How could he open his mouth for that?

As Father Li awkwardly stood in place, unsure of whether he should approach or not, some villagers who had come to witness the excitement already recognized him.

“Oh, isn’t this Juren’s father-in-law? Are you here to congratulate?”

There was also a young wife who had become acquainted with Li Lanlan, shouting towards Li Lanlan, who was busy inside the house.

“Lan Lan, your father has come to congratulate, come and greet him!”

Li Lanlan, in the midst of distributing candy as instructed by her mother-in-law, trembled and immediately put down the candy to welcome him.

After getting married, Li Lanlan had finally learned how to handle her father. She was no longer helpless and lost like before.

She had figured out what kind of person her biological father was.

Soft-hearted, always prioritizing the interests of others over his own family. He didn’t have any ill intentions, but his actions towards his own family were consistently heartless.

One example of his heartlessness was his decision to marry Widow Zhang without even informing his only daughter.

He went to Widow Zhang’s house to propose, brought the person back, and didn’t say a word. If it weren’t for a young wife who was close friends with Li Lanlan informing her, Li Lanlan, as his daughter, would have been completely unaware of her father remarrying.

Her mother passed away early, and her father had been alone for so many years. Although Li Lanlan felt uncomfortable, she wouldn’t stop him from remarrying. But if he was going to remarry, why did he hide it from her? Did he expect her, a married daughter, to go and intervene, preventing her father from marrying a stepmother?

Li Lanlan felt increasingly disheartened. If the Li family didn’t bother to inform her, she would pretend not to know, but her mood became somewhat melancholic.

But this negative mood changed when her husband returned. He had passed the provincial examination and yet treated her just as before. He even brought her a new hairpin and held her hand to thank her. He even promised to strive for an official position for her.

The hardships of the past decade or so seemed as if they were meant to allow her to await her husband.

Because of her husband’s presence, Li Lanlan could calmly handle matters concerning her father.

Li Lanlan told her mother-in-law and brought her father into the house. She poured a glass of water and handed it over. Seeing that her father was somewhat stiff as he reached out to take it, she said, “Father, did you come to congratulate us after hearing the good news about my husband?”

If her father had been a bit more clever, he might have gone along with it. But Father Li wasn’t like that. He stammered for a while before awkwardly saying, “No, it’s your mother... She wanted me to come and take a look...”

Widow Zhang had married Father Li, so she could be considered Li Lanlan’s stepmother.

Li Lanlan remembered this stepmother. During her wedding, it was this woman who told her son to call Father Li and made Father Li leave the wedding.

Now that boy was also considered Father Li’s son, her younger brother.

As soon as the news of her husband passing the provincial examination arrived, within 3 days, Widow Zhang came into the family. Li Lanlan couldn’t believe that she had only married him because they shared affection.

Father Li’s visit wasn’t to offer congratulations. He was just here to take a look? Who would believe that there was nothing fishy going on?

Sure enough, the next moment, Father Li awkwardly spoke up, “Your mother said... Our family is not doing well these days. Now that your husband has become a successful scholar, wealthy... Do you think it’s possible for your husband to give us some money?”

These words were all taught by Widow Zhang, and he stumbled through them, saying, “And, and your brother, although he’s young, he’s smart. We’re all family. Could you ask your brother to learn from your husband and maybe... maybe he could become a successful scholar in the future?”

Even though Li Lanlan had long prepared herself, she never expected to hear her biological father would ask for money for the family in her lifetime.

When she was still living at home as his daughter, he would take the family’s money and give it to others. She and her mother were on the brink of starvation, yet he could still distribute their life-saving provisions as charity.

Now that she was married and her father had remarried, she understood the plans he had for his family, his new wife, and stepson.

Li Lanlan unconsciously tightened her grip on the teapot, and her eyes gradually reddened.

Finally, she let out a sigh and asked softly, “Husband still wants to take the imperial examination. I’m afraid he won’t have time to teach...”

She didn’t know her stepbrother’s name, hesitated for a moment, and Father Li quickly said, “Your stepbrother’s name is Zhou Yuan. I will bring him to meet you another day.”

Even the most generous woman probably wouldn’t want to see someone who had ruined her own wedding. Li Lanlan felt that not crying was already a great show of restraint.

Just as she was holding back her tears, the door opened.