Chapter 406: Chapter 406: It’s You Who Made Him So Stupid
Lin Qi was flipping through the princess dresses Huo Tingdong had bought when her phone suddenly rang.
She answered the call, only to hear a voice that was both unfamiliar and eerily familiar: “Lin Qi!?”
Lin Qi immediately recognized it as Lin Zhehan’s voice.
Lin Qi: “Why are you calling me?”
Her unusual tone quickly drew a sidelong glance from Huo Tingdong.
Han and Momo also lifted their heads, looking at her in confusion.
Lin Qi stood up, walked to the balcony, and coldly said, “What do you want?”
Lin Zhehan was Lin Qianqian’s elder brother and the eldest son of Zhou Qin and Lin Cheng.
Two years ago, he had married and started a family. His wife’s side hailed from a prestigious and well-known family in Beijing.
In short, after settling down, Lin Zhehan seemed to be riding high in life.
However, now that the Lin Family was in trouble, he struggled to protect himself. From the moment the call connected, Lin Qi sensed the accusatory tone in Lin Zhehan’s voice—a tone laced with anger, each syllable biting: “You ask what’s wrong? You tell me! Dad and Mom
have already been taken away by the Tax Bureau for investigation—was this your doing?!”
Lin Qi replied, “It wasn’t me. The reason they were taken by the Tax Bureau is their own doing—tax evasion and fraud. What does that have to do with me? Besides, they’re your dad and mom, not mine.”
Lin Zhehan asked, “Are you still part of the Lin Family or not? The Lin Family was acquired by the Huo Family—isn’t that your scheme? Lin Qi, you sure are ruthless! You’re part of the Lin Family too, yet you’ve thrown us into the depths of despair!”
Lin Qi replied, “First of all, to answer your first question—am I part of the Lin Family? Let me make it clear: I am not part of the Lin Family. I already severed ties with the Lin Family, including you. So, you didn’t need to call me! Secondly, as for the acquisition of the Lin Family by the Huo Family—that’s just a legitimate business transaction. Is that illegal? If it’s illegal, feel free to pursue legal action!”
Lin Qi understood why Lin Zhehan was so furious!
After all, with the fall of the Lin Family, Lin Zhehan suffered a major blow.
Although he had started his own household after marriage, as long as the Lin Family remained solvent, their fortune was his in the future!
Now that the Lin Family had collapsed, Lin Cheng had gone bankrupt, and Lin Zhehan wasn’t spared from the fallout.
He had married the Kang Family heiress, the daughter of Beijing’s former richest family. Without the Lin Family’s backing now, he certainly wouldn’t be able to hold his head high in front of his father-in-law anymore!
Lin Qi couldn’t figure out whether Lin Zhehan called to ask for her mercy or simply to argue with her!
If Lin Zhehan had come to plead for clemency, a softer approach would have been appropriate—but this aggressive tone made no sense!
Moreover, there wasn’t any goodwill between Lin Qi and him in the first place. They were practically strangers. Not to mention the times in the Lin Family where Lin Zhehan and Lin Qianqian, as a sibling pair, had tormented her plenty.
Lin Qi directly hung up the phone and blocked Lin Zhehan’s number!
With people like him, there was simply no need to talk!
Huo Tingdong asked, “Who just called?”
Lin Qi replied, “Lin Zhehan, Zhou Qin and Lin Cheng’s eldest son and Lin Qianqian’s brother.”
Naturally, there was no chance she would ever acknowledge him as her brother.
Since learning the truth about her mother’s death, she had been at irreconcilable odds with the Lin Family!
Huo Tingdong furrowed his brow slightly: “He called to make trouble for you because of the Lin Family’s issues?”
Lin Qi replied, “I’ve already blocked his number. He can’t bother me anymore.”
Huo Tingdong said, “Hmm, got it.”
Had it not been for Lin Zhehan’s phone call, Huo Tingdong had nearly forgotten about an unresolved threat.
Huo Tingdong added, “Don’t worry—I’ll make sure you don’t receive another call like this again.”
Lin Qi heard this and felt reassured in her heart.
As for Lin Zhehan, Huo Tingdong would certainly handle him well!
The family finished dinner together.
Lin Qi went into the room to take a shower.
Momo was tidying up his desk.
Han suddenly tugged on Huo Tingdong, mysteriously pulling out a chessboard and saying enthusiastically, “Daddy, let’s play Gobang together!”
Ever since Momo had taught him how to play Gobang, Han had become increasingly addicted to it.
But for Huo Tingdong, Gobang was far too childish.
Huo Tingdong said, “Play with Momo—don’t play with me.”
Han replied, “It’s boring playing with Momo. He always loses to me—there’s no challenge at all!”
Huo Tingdong’s lips twitched hard.
Momo losing to Han?
It was probably because Momo secretly let him win!
Based on what he knew about Momo, losing to Han in a game as simple as Gobang was virtually impossible.
Han noticed Huo Tingdong’s contemplative expression and immediately saw through what he was implying: “Don’t look down on me! I’m smart and amazing now, and my chess skills are already exceptional! Momo isn’t my match anymore. Momo even said Daddy is better than him, so I want to challenge Daddy!”
Huo Tingdong was briefly stunned.
Could it be that Han had an extraordinary talent for Gobang?
Seeing him so confident, Huo Tingdong couldn’t help but grow somewhat intrigued: “Alright, let’s see just how good you are!”
Han immediately spread out the chessboard.
Huo Tingdong sat across from Han and let him play black.
Lin Qi finished her shower and came to the living room, only to see the father and son playing Gobang—but she quickly noticed that Han’s expression didn’t look right.
After a few rounds, Han had been utterly trounced by Huo Tingdong.
Despite being a thirty-year-old man, Huo Tingdong could be childish and petty in some aspects!
He became increasingly convinced that Momo had definitely been letting Han win.
Han’s chess skills were abysmal.
For a moment, he had held great expectations, believing Han had some talent for chess.
But unlike Momo, Huo Tingdong wasn’t inclined to go easy on Han—not even for his son. He refused to yield even one move.
In reality, Momo had indeed been letting Han win.
Ever since teaching Han how to play Gobang, Han had been pestering him for games every day. Han was the type who was both unskilled and obsessed with playing, and he would throw a tantrum and sob uncontrollably, rolling on the floor if he lost.
Momo couldn’t stand this kind of behavior, so he had to let him win.
But with Huo Tingdong, Han stood no chance of getting off easy.
Lin Qi saw Han’s lips quivering, his nose wrinkling—an expression that clearly showed he was about to cry—and couldn’t help but feel a bit sympathetic: “Honey, can’t you let him win just a little?”
Huo Tingdong asked nonchalantly, “Why should I let him win?”
Lin Qi looked at him in exasperated amusement and gently reasoned, “You’re an adult; why do you have to be so competitive with your son? He worked so hard to learn Gobang, and now you’re beating him so completely he loses all confidence—it’s just cruel.”
Huo Tingdong replied earnestly, “If he’s so bad at it, whose fault is that?”
Lin Qi exclaimed, “Hey! Honey, he’s your son!”
Huo Tingdong: “…”
Lin Qi delivered the final blow: “You’re the one who made him this bad at it.”
Huo Tingdong remained silent the entire time.