122 The Traitor 6 (2/2)

”Xiu Ling, you're here. Take a seat.” Mrs. Lin noticed her daughter-in-law's entrance and waved at the empty seat across from her.

Xiu Ling nodded in response and moved to oblige.

After she was seated, Mrs. Lin began, ”Xiu Ling, I called you here because I wished to talk to you about something that I forgot to finish last time. Remember you asked me about the vanity table in my bedroom before?”

Xiu Ling nodded cautiously, she was unsure where her mother-in-law was going with this. Mrs. Lin had explained aplenty about that vanity table last time so Xiu Ling wondered what else was left unsaid. Could there be more family history that she did not know about? Was this going to be another look into the history of Lin family?

Either way, she was going to find out soon enough. Xiu Ling sat there patiently waiting for Mrs. Lin to pick up the thread of conversation.

”Xiu Ling, I'm sure by now you have noticed I do not share an amiable relationship with my mother-in-law. Our relationship was frosty at best,” Mrs. Lin admitted with no preamble. The declaration shocked Xiu Ling but not the content. Her mother-in-law was right, she had deduced as much from the way Mrs. Lin spoke of her mother-in-law. There was definitely no love lost there.

Xiu Ling though was cautious to admit to that knowledge. She was afraid this might be another set-up by Mrs. Lin.

Mrs. Lin looked at her and smiled. ”Don't worry. I'm not ashamed of that fact. I know they say to not speak ill of the dead but Lin Kang's grandmother can be quite an abrasive person to be around. While I am afraid of others knowing this since they might think less of me but I don't mind sharing my history at this family with you.”

Xiu Ling was surprised by what Mrs. Lin had said, because this meant Mrs. Lin saw Xiu Ling as someone close enough that she could share this secret with.

”Some things are easier to understand between women,” Mrs. Lin added.

Xiu Ling nodded even though she still had no idea why her mother-in-law would suddenly bring this up, but at least this did not look like it was going to be a lecture or a confrontation.

”Anyway, I digress.” Mrs. Lin realized she had wandered too far from her original topic of conversation, which was the vanity table. ”When my mother-in-law passed away, I ordered the men to have all of her things donated or burned.”