The Transmigration Survival Guide

“Not eating!” fumed Lin Chucheng.

Lin Chucheng furiously shoved his plate away, startling the maid. She didn’t know if she made a mistake or if her young master’s temper was that foul. The one who panicked most was the chef, though.

Veirya set down her fork: “What’s wrong, Chu? You not well? Did someone bully you at work on your first day? Mom will help you.”

“I can’t accept it!” answered Lin Chucheng.

Veirya’s gentleness wasn’t enough to appease Lin Chucheng. He angrily slammed his cup on the table, thereby spilling the fruit juice and staining the table cloth. He glanced over to his silent father and shouted, “Why? Why does he get to have all this? Look at all of this. Mom, look! He has so much excess that we have maids we don’t even need. We have half a table of food for just three people. Look at the crystal light overhead. I wonder where that was stolen from. The curtain is worth what a normal family would spend on food for an entire month! Why?! Why does an old cripple get to enjoy all this while doing absolutely nothing at home, yet there are people out there who have to pay taxes when they don’t even have money for their mother’s medical treatment?! Why is he making me harm the ordinary folk?! Why?!”

Veirya couldn’t put up with her beloved son, so yelled shouted back, “Chu, you’ve crossed the line!”

Lin Chucheng immediately stopped. He hated his father but genuinely respected and loved his mother. He didn’t want his mother to be angry or upset and, therefore, had to bury his anger and sit back down. Lin Dongqing calmly had a drink of wine and then sliced his meat, completely ignoring his son’s tantrum, making it appear as if Veirya and Lin Chucheng were the ones arguing and it was none of his business.

“… Chu, your father didn’t steal any of this.” Biting down on her lip, Veirya explained, “Mom doesn’t really get it, but this is the fruit of your father’s efforts… Your father left for so long just to work…”

“He doesn’t work! He just relies on the workers to work day and night to make him money! Look at him! Those people work day in and day out, yet can’t afford to treat their mother! He’s robbing them!”

Lin Dongqing placed his glass down: “Do you have any right to be spouting any of that? You grew up on this, yet you’re now showing contempt for this and the efforts of others? I honestly don’t want to listen to someone who doesn’t make a penny talk about work. Earn your bread for a month, and then come talk to me.”

“I… I won’t eat any of this again!” yelled Lin Chucheng, smoke whisking from his face as he shoved aside the maid who approached him from behind and stomped his way out.

Lin Dongqing sighed and got to his feet: “Sorry, it’s my son’s fault. I failed to teach him manners. I’m very sorry.”

“Oh, no, Lord Lin, I do not mind…” The maid was very surprised by Lin Dongqing’s apology. In fact, she felt embarrassed to be accepting his apology.

Lin Dongqing bobbed his head and whispered something to the head maid next to him then sat back down. Ashamed, Veirya didn’t dare to look at her husband. He touched her hand and expressed, “It’s all right, Veirya. It’s not your fault. I didn’t fulfil my duty as a father when he was born. I admit it’s my fault.”

When Lin Dongqing wasn’t around, Lin Chucheng was actually a polite and kind individual. He was impulsive, but impulsive courage was what made children adorable. In saying that, whenever the two were around each other, there would inevitably be arguments.

Lin Chucheng didn’t know why he just wanted to lash out, aggravate Lin Dongqing and argue. He wanted to physically manifest his anger on his father’s old face with his fist. Nevertheless, Lin Dongqing would just take everything thrown his way and then get back at him. That only angered Lin Chucheng even further.

“Dongqing, can’t you tell Chu about what you do? He’s an understanding child. He’ll forgive you once he learns your reasons. You two wouldn’t argue all of the time, either… You like him, yet always argue in the end…”  Veirya’s cold personality vanished after living as a wife and mother for so long. She was no longer “sharp” as she once was. Instead, she was more charming.

“I won’t tell him. First of all, he won’t listen to me. Second, his anger has clouded his thinking, so he won’t understand. Everything I say will be perceived as me listing my accomplishments. I won’t be happy to hear someone insulting me and my accomplishments, so I won’t let an ignorant child insult what I did. Once he learns to be humble, he’ll learn to listen properly, and that’s when I’ll tell him.”

Hardly anybody knew of what Lin Dongqing did out there. He went out as the Queen’s representative to negotiate many secret treaties. Only a few of those secrets could be divulged to the public. He couldn’t tell the world about the schemes he used. That was why everybody conjured this mythical belief that he could solve anything. Only Sisi, Veirya and Irena knew what really went into each job.

The people Lin Dongqing came across in the outside world weren’t ignorant children or individuals as pure as Veirya but the elites among the elites in the world. Every problem he resolved was another brilliant victory. What he enjoyed was the honour and glory he earned. They were precious and irreplaceable memories to him. He wasn’t going to let an ignorant child criticise and insult those memories and achievements. He didn’t care what Lin Chucheng’s attitude toward him was since Lin Chucheng wasn’t his favourite child anyway.