Taboo Mage - Chapter 117 - Trouble for Lin Huan

Everything happened as I had anticipated, yet it was the worst scenario I had imagined.

I sat on the stone chair in the courtyard, my eyes vacant, just staring blankly at the sky.

Even though it was deep autumn, winter in Shenyang always arrived earlier than in other places. At this time, the weather had already turned grey, probably signaling the onset of snow.

Jue Chi came down the stairs and asked me what plans I had next. I shook my head.

Having just made the long trip to Shenyang, I had already exhausted much of my energy. If I had to divert to Beijing directly, firstly, I didn’t have the stamina, and secondly, I didn’t have enough money to keep wandering outside.

“It would be understandable if you decided to give up now,” Jue Chi said, sitting down beside me with a smile.

I glanced at him. “What, in your eyes, am I someone who gives up that easily?”

Jue Chi didn’t respond but stood up, reminding me that it was time to leave.

I sighed. Indeed, having been away for so long, I feared that my shop might have been run into the ground by Lin Huan.

The next morning, Jue Chi and I bid farewell to great-grandfather Chi and took the evening flight back home.

Having called Lin Huan in advance, when Jue Chi and I landed at 10 p.m., Lin Huan was already there waiting for us with his car at the exit.

After not seeing him for over a month, Lin Huan looked the same, except the dark circles under his eyes had deepened. When he saw me coming out, he excitedly rushed up and hugged me.

I was startled and pushed the person in my arms slightly, teasingly saying, “What are you doing? If someone sees us, they might think we have something going on.”

“Boss, you’re finally back…”

Lin Huan, the poor guy, sniffled and looked up at me with tears brimming in his eyes.

Seeing that something was off, but with people bustling around and staring at us with surprise, I comforted him by patting his shoulder, telling him we’d talk once we got back.

Lin Huan wiped his tears, nodded, and pushed the luggage cart toward the exit.

Returning home, Jue Chi went to the guest room to rest. I asked Lin Huan to bring my luggage to my room and then closed the door before asking him what had happened while I was away.

Seeing my serious expression, Lin Huan realized he looked a bit disheveled. He sat down in a chair, wiped his face, and smiled as he said, “Boss, don’t worry. Everything has been normal at the store while you were away this past month.”

“Really?” I frowned, looking skeptically at him.

Lin Huan nodded firmly but then hesitated, as if he had something he was reluctant to say.

I encouraged him, telling him that as my employee, his concerns were mine too. Now that I was back, he should feel free to share anything, and I would help him as long as it was within my power.

With my promise, Lin Huan swallowed hard and quietly said, “Actually… it’s an issue with my family…”

“Your family? What happened?” I asked.

I quickly ran through my memory. When I hired Lin Huan, I knew he was a recent graduate from an ordinary family, but I hadn’t dug deeper into his background.

Seeing his hesitation, I wondered if he had kept something from me during the interview.

Lin Huan gripped his cup, hesitated for some time, and then said, “Boss, I never told you before, but when I was young, my parents divorced. I’ve always lived with my dad. It hasn’t been an issue for me since I got used to it a long time ago. But recently, my dad has been calling me asking for money, and it’s not a small amount.”

“Is your family facing difficulties?” I cautiously asked.

Although I had some bad suspicions, I hoped the situation wasn’t as dire as I imagined.

Lin Huan shook his head, “Initially, I thought it was just financial trouble at home, so I didn’t question him and sent the money right away. But then a few days later, he called again saying he needed more money. I started to think something wasn’t right and asked him what was going on, but he wouldn’t say.”

Listening to the situation, something didn’t seem right, especially when I saw Lin Huan’s expression-gritting his teeth with a look of shame and anger. I was certain that there was more to the story.

Sure enough, after sensing that something was amiss, Lin Huan shut the door and went back to his hometown, only to find his father, who was well over fifty, living with a woman.

If it were simply about finding companionship, that would have been normal. After all, a man’s physical and emotional needs for a woman don’t change much with age.

Moreover, Lin Huan’s father had remained single for many years for the sake of his son. Now that his son had finally graduated from University and secured a job, it was only natural for him to think about his own future.

However, the unusual part was the woman Lin Huan’s father was involved with-a glamorously dressed, attractive middle-aged woman.

It was bizarre. What kind of man could such a woman not find? Why did she set her sights on Lin Huan’s father, especially considering he was just a retired Worker living on a modest pension?

“Is your dad asking you for money because of this woman?” I frowned and asked.

Lin Huan nodded and then shook his head, “Not entirely. Though the money I gave him was spent on her, according to my dad, she never directly asked him for money. He gave it willingly.”

“Have you lost your mind from all that reading? No woman who’s out to scam money would outright tell you, ‘I’m here to scam you!'”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and grabbed a pillow, throwing it at Lin Huan’s head. Such a blockhead, failing to see a simple scam.

And he’s been learning from me for so long.

Lin Huan sheepishly smiled, “Boss, I really can’t be blamed. That’s just what I thought at the time, and I even told my dad, but he absolutely wouldn’t believe it. He’s completely enchanted by that woman.”

“Well, it’s understandable for an old man, who’s been vegetarian for so long, to be confused when abalone and lobster suddenly jump into his bowl,” I said, shaking my head helplessly.

“But… that woman, she even tried to seduce me!”

Lin Huan’s statement nearly knocked me off the bed!

This woman really does not discriminate in her tastes, willing to try anything and everything.