Chapter 623: Goldie Thorne’s Secret Stash

Goldie Thorne shielded his head, crying foul. "I already gave you the money! That hundred yuan was everything I had. Do you think I robbed a bank or something? Where would I get more money?"

’Of course I still have money,’ he thought, ’I just don’t want to hand it over. What kind of man doesn’t carry a little cash? I wouldn’t be able to hold my head up high without it.’

"If you have no money, how did you buy anything? Didn’t you say you had a surprise for us?" Byron Thorne saw right through him. ’This little rascal is still trying to trick me.’

"I spent it all! See for yourselves, my pockets are cleaner than my face."

Goldie Thorne turned all his pockets inside out. They were indeed spotless, without even a single coin. Byron Thorne was skeptical. ’There’s no way this kid is telling the truth.’

"Show me your feet!"

Byron Thorne was experienced. ’Soles of the feet and underwear are both good places to hide money,’ he thought. ’My third son definitely has a secret stash, and I’m going to find it.’

Goldie Thorne calmly stuck out his bare foot. A "unique fragrance" immediately assaulted their nostrils. Tang Xiaonan, who was standing close, was so overwhelmed by the stench she nearly passed out. She clamped her hand tightly over her nose and scrambled to get away.

"Uncle, you stink so bad!"

Tang Xiaonan was about to gag. Goldie Thorne had a bad habit: he hated washing his feet. It was fine in the summer since he showered every day, but in the winter, it was common for him to go half a month without washing them. Now that the weather had cooled off and daily showers weren’t necessary, Goldie Thorne’s feet really did smell bad enough to kill a cockroach.

’It stinks so much!’

Goldie Thorne grinned cheekily, took a whiff of his own foot, and said nonchalantly, "It doesn’t stink at all. Smells great, in fact."

Felix Thorne aimed a kick at him. "Go wash your feet, now! You’re so damn lazy. What woman would ever be interested in you!"

"As if I’d be interested in them! I’m going to marry a girl from the city. I couldn’t care less about some country girl!"

Goldie Thorne’s shameless boasting earned him two more slaps on the head. Raina couldn’t take the stench anymore either and smacked him twice. "Go wash your feet! You, marry a city girl? You smell worse than shit! You have a matchmaking meeting in a few days, so you’d better get yourself clean. Felix, you keep an eye on him!"

Raina was worried her good-for-nothing youngest son would scare the girl off with his stench. She had gone through a lot of trouble to arrange an introduction to a pretty girl this time. Her youngest son had high standards and wouldn’t even look at a girl if she wasn’t pretty. ’This one is an absolute beauty,’ she thought. ’Goldie will definitely be interested.’

Grinning, Goldie Thorne started to put his shoes back on, a smug look in his eyes. Byron Thorne, who had been pinching his nose, saw this and immediately grew suspicious. He barked, "Hold on a minute!"

’He’s definitely up to something.’

Byron Thorne endured the stench and carefully inspected Goldie Thorne’s two reeking shoes, but he found nothing. Goldie Thorne teased, "See, Dad? I told you I don’t have any money, but you still don’t believe me."

"Give me your foot!"

Byron Thorne snorted, grabbed Goldie Thorne’s stinking foot, and ordered Jim Thorne, "You, check his sock!"

Jim Thorne practically jumped three feet in the air. "No way I’m touching that! It stinks! Grandpa, why don’t you do it yourself?!"

’They always make me do the gross jobs,’ he fumed. ’They must think I’m a pushover. Well, I’m not doing it.’

Felix Thorne gave him a smack. "Just do what you’re told! Stop your whining!"

Tang Xiaonan looked at her brother sympathetically. ’Poor guy,’ she thought.

Forced by tyranny, Jim Thorne had no choice but to swallow his pride and obey. Fighting back a wave of nausea, he reached into Goldie Thorne’s sock. ’I’m definitely soaking my hands in soapy water for an hour after this,’ he vowed. ’And I’ll need to eat some braised pig’s feet to recover.’

Finally, his fingers brushed against something stiff. Gritting his teeth, Jim Thorne pulled it out. It was five ten-yuan bills. Jim finally felt vindicated. He handed the money to Byron Thorne, then shot a triumphant, challenging glance at the now ashen-faced Goldie Thorne.

’Hmph. He made me touch his stinky sock, so I’ll make him lose his money!’