Chapter 124: The Traitor (8)

Mrs. Lin found Lin Kang working in his home study. She knocked on the door and without waiting for Lin Kang's permission, she opened the door and walked into the room. She was holding a piece of newspaper in her hand.

Lin Kang was quite surprised by his mother's visit. She rarely came to him when he was working in his study. Therefore, Lin Kang expected Mrs. Lin had something urgent she wished to discuss with him. His speculation was not entirely false either, while it was not related to work, what Mrs. Lin wished to discuss with him was related to someone that had gotten increasingly crucial in Lin Kang's life.

As Mrs. Lin walked in, she noticed Lin Kang hastily moved the documents on his table to hide what he was reading earlier. However, his movement was still too slow for Mrs. Lin's eyes.

She caught a glimpse of a logo for a retail website. She suspected those were purchase coupons. The website specialized in female products like make-up and cosmetic, Mrs. Lin was familiar with it because she visited it quite often. Naturally, the coupons weren't for Lin Kang himself and Mrs. Lin had a fairly good idea whom they were meant for.

Mrs. Lin could not help but chuckle at his son's clumsy attempt at a reconciliation. However at the same time, she sighed to herself because she had failed to teach Lin Kang the valuable lesson that not everything could be solved with money.

Since he was a wee child, Lin Kang was exposed to the power and influence of wealth. He had seen how money could open many doors so it was little wonder that he grew up overestimating the importance and significance of wealth. Alas, love was the one thing that money could not solve.

"Lin Kang, am I disturbing you? What are you working on?" Mrs. Lin asked as a preamble.

"Nothing important, just some boring work stuff."

"Oh… Is that so?" Mrs. Lin asked in with a raised eyebrow. "In that case, I wish to talk to you about your… boring work stuff." Mrs. Lin made sure to emphasize the last three words.

In a particularly out of character manner, Lin Kang acted slightly flustered. "Mother, what are you talking about? Why would you want to talk to me about work?" He felt weirdly exposed.

Like most Chinese family, conversation about love was not dinner table topic. Lin Kang felt awkward discussing this topic in his mother's presence.

Mrs. Lin was charmed seeing Lin Kang act this way. It reminded her of the young boy she raised before he morphed into the powerful leader of the Lin Corps.

"In any case, just listen to me. A woman's heart is not something that you can conquer with brute force like you do with business. Strain it hard enough and it will break. A woman's heart is not to be taken like you would pillage a fort. Forcing your way in will only yield less than positive results.

"Instead take an example from your son. Similar to how Lin Xi is learning to walk, take it slow and go step by step."

"Mom!" Lin Kang called out, hoping to get her to stop. He was definitely not going to receive love advice from his own mother. That was such humiliation. The awkwardness made his skin crawl. "I don't know what you're talking about, I was really doing work earlier, and what you're saying has nothing to do with work."

Mrs. Lin smiled looking at her son's antics. "Well, if you say so."

She then dropped the copy of newspaper she was holding on Lin Kang's table. "Take a good read at this and perhaps you'll understand what I'm talking about. You're bright man, I trust it'll bring you the breakthrough you need in your… work."

Mrs. Lin laughed with good humor before turning and leaving Lin Kang's study.

Mrs. Lin felt good about herself. It had been such a long time since she had had such frivolous talk with her son. Ever since Lin Kang took over the Lin family, Mrs. Lin slowly faded into the background because she believed her responsibility as mother was finally over. She could shed that identity already.

On one hand, she was glad that Lin Kang turned out to be such a wonderful man. Objectively speaking, there were quite some flaws to the man but those were the things that a mother would fail to see in her children. In Mrs. Lin's eyes, Lin Kang was the best son she could ever ask for.

On the other hand, she was quite saddened because it also meant that Lin Kang did not need her anymore. Why would the leader of the house need her to mother him?

However, after the conversation she just had with her son, Mrs. Lin realized her job as a mother was probably never going to end. There was still plenty of lessons and wisdom she could impart onto her son. Mrs. Lin smiled to herself knowing that fact.

Thanks to Xiu Ling, Mrs. Lin also learned a valuable lesson, the bond between a mother and her child did not end just because her child was all grown up.

…

Back in the study, Lin Kang was still trying to come terms with the bomb that his mother had just dropped on him. For some reason, it brought him back to his childhood years when he would find himself being lectured by his mother after he was caught red-handed in the middle of his mischief.

It was a peculiar feeling to say the least. The whole experience felt quite surreal.

Lin Kang shook his head to straighten his mind. Then, when he felt more like himself, he leaned forward to pick up the copy of newspaper that his mother left on his study table.

Reading the headline, Lin Kang's eyes lit up with joy and anticipation. This was going to be his ticket to get forgiveness from his wife.