Chapter 229: Mountain Household Family

Noticing the disdain in his own father's eyes, Lin Lin Shichang fell into a heavy silence.

This cloth bag looked shabby, but it was truly clean.

Perhaps he shouldn't judge things by their appearance?!

After the adults finished speaking, Lin Xibao finally spoke up, "... What is a cake?"

Lin Lin Heling put away the sweater, his gaze filled with heartache as he looked at his granddaughter's brows, and he sighed softly.

If it were in the past, his grandsons and granddaughters living in Western-style houses and going out by car would have been a daily occurrence.

How could it be like now, where they didn't even know what a cake was.

He had gradually remembered many things; he was originally from the Lin family in Haicheng, where the family owned many shops and lived in a Western-style house, and later...

Song Song Xiwei noticed the turmoil in Lin Lin Heling's heart, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Let's go to Haicheng to look around in a few days."

Lin Lin Heling's eyes showed surprise as he looked at her.

After a long while, he finally found his voice.

"... What are we going back for."

He said "go back." Song Song Xiwei knew then that he wanted to go.

"Let's go take a look. I've heard it's very prosperous. I've never been, so I'm a bit curious."

Lin Lin Heling had been scattered to the winds with his family and didn't know how the Lin family was doing. His heart was timid about returning to Haicheng, but upon meeting Song Xiwei's eyes, infinite strength instantly surged in his heart.

His fingers curled slightly, "Then let's go."

Song Song Xiwei nodded.

She possessed superb initiative. Once she got Lin Lin Heling's confirmation, she later sought out the Brigade Captain, demanding five blank, stamped introduction letters.

The Brigade Captain of the East Wind Brigade turned green in the face.

"... There is no such rule." He muttered, his arm blocking the drawer (where the red seal was kept), cold sweat nearly dripping down.

Song Song Xiwei leaned in close, resting her elbow on the table, squinting, her tone threatening, "What rule?"

She and the Brigade Captain had grown up together, and she had even saved this coward's life. The villagers might be afraid, but she certainly wasn't.

"Are you giving them to me or not? Don't make me do it myself."

The Brigade Captain retreated as if by reflex, turning his back, pretending he hadn't seen such a person break into his office.

Song Song Xiwei looked satisfied, pulled open the drawer, took the paper on the table, and *thump, thump, thump* stamped it.

The Brigade Captain listened to the sound, his heart pounding, his face a mask of agony.

A bandit, truly! How many sheets did she stamp?!

"Bang!"

The sound of the door closing rang out.

The Brigade Captain tentatively regained his senses; that jinx-like person was gone.

He patted his chest, let out a long breath, walked to the table in two or three steps, counted the paper, discovered five sheets were missing, and raised his hand to cover his heart.

"A bandit—!" He wailed.

Taking five sheets at once, five sheets!! His paper—

With a painful heart, he sat down, the first thought in his mind being to put the paper on the table into the drawer and lock it.

Pulling open the drawer and seeing a small bag of red dates inside, the Brigade Captain's bitter-melon face instantly relaxed.

He took one out, tasted it, and it was so sweet his eyebrows danced. He hid the rest, thinking about sending them to his daughter another day.

His Chun Ya had just given birth to a grandson, so she needed to nourish herself.

Back to the matter at hand.

Lin Xibao tasted the flavor of the cake, a small beast-like whimper escaping her mouth, her voice drifting, "It's so delicious. I've wasted all these years."

Dadan's expression was complex, "Er Dan and I are several years older than you; we are the ones who truly wasted our time."

"That's right, when we were your age, we hadn't even smelled it," Er Dan said.

Lin Zheng smiled.

Lin Lin Xuan thought of Lin Lin Shisheng; her father couldn't taste the cake, what a pity.

Hearing the children's conversation, Lin Lin Shichang felt both helpless and heartbroken, thinking to himself that when he got his salary, he would bring the children fresh food from time to time, so they wouldn't say things about wasting their lives again.

"I'll bring you roast duck tomorrow."

The children eating the cake froze, nearly dropping their cake.

Lin Xibao rushed into Lin Lin Shichang's arms, asking excitedly, "What does roast duck taste like? Is it the same as roast chicken?"

Lin Lin Shichang hugged his daughter, smiling as he replied, "It's even more delicious than roast chicken."

Lin Xibao widened her eyes, her tone exaggerated, "Even more delicious than roast chicken... then how delicious must that be!"

"You'll know tomorrow." Lin Lin Shichang's eyes were doting.

Her father didn't favor boys over girls; in fact, he doted on his daughter even more than his sons. The Lin family's sons were all "daughter slaves," doting on their daughters and giving them whatever they wanted.

Lin Lin Shisheng had been lacking before, but after his divorce, all his focus revolved around his two daughters. He was so attentive to the Sister Xuanxuan and Zhengzheng sisters, which could be seen from the room they had, the only one of its kind in the whole village.

Dadan said earnestly, "There are so many people in our family, wouldn't it be better for Dad to buy two?"

Er Dan nodded like a pounding pestle, "Exactly, exactly."

Lin Lin Shichang was amused, a half-smile on his face, "Two wouldn't be enough to share. Why not buy five?"

Er Dan was overwhelmed by the five roast ducks and was about to agree when his brother pulled his arm.

He only heard Dadan say, "Five is too many. Our family still has to live; how can we be so extravagant and wasteful, right?"

Lin Lin Shichang: You know that, do you.

Chen Yu watched her husband dig a pit for their son, and then watched her son cleverly avoid it, her face full of smiles.

"Does Zhaozhao like the sweater I knitted?" She asked.

Her sister-in-law wasn't lacking in clothes; her father-in-law made her new clothes every year, as did her uncles and aunts, who bought them for her from time to time, and her brother-in-law was also afraid his sister-in-law wouldn't have new clothes to wear... She was afraid Zhaozhao wouldn't like the one she knitted.

"She likes it." Lin Lin Shichang's tone was certain, "She likes it very much. Zhaozhao said the stitches are very fine and it makes her look fair when she wears it. She wants to wear it to work tomorrow."

Chen Yu's smile deepened, "As long as Zhaozhao likes it. With her help, the baby in my belly and I have been nourished so well. It really is a trouble for her."

"What trouble? You are her sister-in-law; just remember it, no need to be so formal." Song Song Xiwei's expression was indifferent.

Lin Xibao chimed in, "Exactly, exactly. Whatever my aunt gives me, I'm never formal. My aunt is good to me, I remember it all. When I grow up, I will be good to my aunt too."

She curved her eyes as she smiled, smiling like a little sun, light blooming in her eyes, very infectious.

"Me too." Dadan waved his right arm, "With me, Lin Sinian, here, no one can bully my aunt."

Yes, Dadan's full name was Lin Sinian.

Er Dan was called Lin Siyan.

Lin Lin Xibao was called Lin Yunuo.

These names were all given by Lin Lin Heling.

The Lin Xuan sisters' names were given by Lin Lin Shisheng. Speaking of this, one had to mention Qiu Qiu Lian. After she married into the Lin family, she was single-mindedly focused on giving birth to a boy to consolidate her status. Who knew she would give birth to two daughters in a row? In a fit of anger, she gave them names like *Di (meaning "following brother"). Song Song Xiwei was furious, and the second couple cleaned her up together.

In the end, the children's names were thought up by Lin Lin Shisheng himself.

Lin Zhao knew all these things.

And because of this, her attitude toward Qiu Qiu Lian plummeted; she didn't even want to greet her when they met.

The courtyard was lively when the front gate was suddenly knocked.

"Who is it..." Dadan looked over and asked loudly, not forgetting to eat the last bite of cake.

The cake was too rare; it wouldn't be good if the villagers saw it.

After finishing the cake, Dadan went to the door and opened it. He had only opened a crack when the person outside squeezed in hard. Dadan was stunned.

"You are..."

Before he could finish, the person bumped into him and rushed into the courtyard.

Her gaze swept across the faces of the Lin family. Seeing Chen Yu's face, which was rosy and rounder, jealousy flashed in her eyes, fleeting.

If the Lin family hadn't all been watching her, they would have barely caught it.

She knelt before Lin Lin Heling and Song Song Xiwei, her tone full of twists and turns, shouting, "Dad, Mom, I'm back."

Everyone: "..."

The scene was awkward for a moment.

Seeing the person who had come, Lin Lin Xuan and Lin Zheng turned pale, their eyes unable to hide their shock.

Dadan and Er Dan pulled them away, sent their sisters back to the room, and told them to stay there properly and not come out no matter what they heard.

The two sisters nodded and watched the door close.

"Zhengzheng, how could she come back..." Lin Lin Xuan hugged her sister, as if wanting to draw warmth from her.

Lin Zheng patted her sister's back like a little adult, very calm, "Grandpa and Grandma are here, it'll be fine."

She pursed her lips, "Dad has already divorced her, she can't come back."

Lin Lin Xuan's eyes were expectant, "Really?"

"Really." Zhengzheng's tone was firm.

She had heard her father say more than once that he regretted marrying his wife, and that the feeling of raising two daughters by himself was truly great.

Dad wouldn't accept... that person.

——Qiu Qiu Lian couldn't come back!

Even if she was ever so glib-tongued.

Lin Lin Xuan's tense body relaxed a bit, her stiff head began to function again, and she pricked up her ears to listen to the movement outside.

She heard nothing.

She stepped on the ground anxiously and said, "... Zhengzheng, how do you think she came back?"

Lin Zheng had amazing observation skills. Seeing Qiu Qiu Lian's disheveled appearance, her little head could guess a lot of the truth, "The Qiu family wouldn't let her in, she has nowhere to go."

Lin Lin Xuan: "..."

The courtyard.

Song Song Xiwei had also thought of it. She lowered her head, sizing up her former second daughter-in-law, and said coldly, "Your parents aren't in the East Wind Brigade, you've called the wrong person."

Qiu Qiu Lian dragged her knees forward, trying to grab her former mother-in-law's legs, but was dodged.

Her movements paused slightly. She looked at her former mother-in-law with tears and snot, continuing to howl, "Mom, we were mother-in-law and daughter-in-law once, you're being too heartless saying such things..."

Song Song Xiwei found her annoying and gave Lin Lin Shichang a look, signaling him to help his wife back to the room.

Lin Lin Shichang was also afraid his wife would be accidentally touched, so he helped Chen Yu back to the room.

The couple entered the room.

Chen Yu urged Lin Lin Shichang, "You go help Mom quickly, be careful that person goes crazy."

Coming back this time, Qiu Qiu Lian was so thin she was unrecognizable, her face was chapped, her hands were full of cuts, her hair was rough, and the clothes on her body were tattered, a completely different person from before.

She didn't look very mentally stable, and Chen Yu was afraid this person would go crazy.

"Just her?" Lin Lin Shichang shook his head, "Even ten more couldn't do anything to Mom, don't worry blindly. Besides, Dadan and Er Dan are there; they are clever and will know how to adapt."

Chen Yu felt that men were indeed unreliable. She brushed away his arm and opened a crack in the window to look out.

Dadan and Er Dan each held a broom, aimed at Qiu Qiu Lian, ready to strike; Lin Xibao stood next to her grandfather, also in a protective posture.

Chen Yu: "..."

Lin Lin Shichang smiled, "Didn't I say so? None of the sons and daughters I raised are cowards."

Chen Yu gave him a glare.

Smug!

Her mother-in-law didn't let the three children into the room, which meant the former second sister-in-law wasn't dangerous, so she stopped worrying.

Just as she set her mind at ease, she saw Song Song Xiwei grab Qiu Qiu Lian's arm, lift her up in one go, and without caring about her crying and screaming, threw her out of the house.

*Bang* went the courtyard door.

Then.

She said to Dadan and the others, "Wait until it's quiet before opening the door."

After saying this, she returned to the room with Lin Lin Heling to talk about the Haicheng matter.

Once Grandpa and Grandma were gone, Dadan's eyes rolled, and he winked at his brother. The brothers went to the kitchen, got some dishwater, looked at each other, and laughed *hehehe*.

The doorway.

Qiu Qiu Lian patted the Lin family's door, shouting, "Dad, Mom, you can't be so heartless, I haven't even seen my two own daughters! Open the door, I want to see the two girls, I am their own mother, you can't stop me from seeing them..."

The scene she made stirred up the villagers, and everyone came to join in the fun.

Those who wanted to play matchmaker for Lin Lin Shisheng were very sharp-minded, feeling this was a great opportunity to score points, so they rushed up to pull Qiu Qiu Lian.

"What are you doing, what are you doing? You're from another village, daring to come to our village to find trouble. Believe it or not, we could drown you with one spit each!!" The speaker was an auntie, large-framed, sturdy, and very sharp-tongued. She was a genuine village bully, spraying spit at Qiu Qiu Lian, very fierce.

She wanted to introduce her niece to the Lin family's second son, so naturally, she wasn't happy about Qiu Qiu Lian returning to the Lin family.

Plus, Qiu Qiu Lian was a bad egg who used to sow discord in her daughter-in-law's ear. If it weren't for her daughter-in-law being honest, her family would have been in disharmony.

Could she let Qiu Qiu Lian off?!

"None of your business, get out of the way, I want to go in, this is also my home..." Qiu Qiu Lian hadn't learned her lesson, her temper becoming very irritable.

She was very thin now, and when she glared, she could scare children into crying.

The auntie who spoke sneered, "Your home?"

"This is the Lin family, you are not from our East Wind Brigade. We are all not stupid, we remember your divorce from Lin Er."

Others also joined in the commotion.

"That's right, we remember, you divorced so decisively, why regret it now? What, discovered the Lin family's life is better now?"

"What's the use of discovering it now? Lin Er is a hot commodity now, there are plenty of people playing matchmaker for him, this fickle woman... he doesn't like her, hahaha."

Dadan and Er Dan climbed up the ladder and saw many people at their door. In this way, the dishwater they had prepared was useless, which was disappointing.

"Brother, not splashing water on that bad person?" Lin Xibao held a ladle in her left hand, looking up at her two brothers on the ladder.

"Not splashing!" Er Dan replied.

Lin Xibao sighed in disappointment, threw the ladle back into the bucket, and pestered her brothers to climb the ladder.

"Little girls climbing ladders isn't ladylike. Dad said Aunt doesn't climb," Dadan said.

No matter when, bringing up Lin Zhao was a kill-shot for Lin Xibao.

Sure enough, the little girl stopped making a fuss about climbing the ladder and said to her two brothers, "Brother, then tell me, I want to hear. What's happening outside? It sounds very lively."

Dadan didn't refuse his sister, broadcasting to her from time to time.

Lin Lin Xuan and Lin Zheng walked over, and the three girls listened together.

Qiu Qiu Lian was squeezed out by the villagers, unable to even touch the Lin family's wooden door. After enduring for ten minutes, she couldn't hold back, opened a path, and ran away.

The villagers laughed out loud.

A young man looked at the heads of the two little eggs popping out and laughed loudly, "Dadan, Er Dan, the person is gone, you can come out."

Dadan laughed *hehe*, "Thanks, brother."

"You're welcome, I have a solid relationship with your second uncle." He left after saying this.

Er Dan sighed, "There are really many people who have a solid relationship with Gu Gu Ershu."

The three girls under the wall corner nodded, that's right.

Speaking of Qiu Qiu Lian running out of the East Wind Brigade, she hadn't walked many steps when she saw her younger brother.

She glared over, "White-eyed wolf, you white-eyed wolf... what are you still looking for me for!!"

Qiu Qiu Lian was so angry she hit him.

Her brother was hit in the face, grimacing in pain, and grabbed her hands hard, "What are you going crazy for? Am I wrong to come pick you up to go home?!!"

He felt a bit wronged, "Mom and Dad aren't happy about you entering the door, what can I do? Don't I have to persuade them? So it's still my fault, fine, I won't care about you anymore..."

Finally, Qiu Qiu Lian's brother let go of her hands and walked toward the way he came, full of anger.

Qiu Qiu Lian only then realized she had misunderstood her brother and hurried to catch up, "You came to pick me up to go home."

She shed tears, "I thought even you didn't want your own sister anymore. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have come here. You don't know how excessive the Lin family people are; they drove me out, and the villagers all cursed me for being fickle..."

"..." You *are* fickle, the slightly hunched young man thought to himself.

"Let's go back first." He interrupted Qiu Qiu Lian's voice, feeling annoyed in his heart.

If it weren't for a mountain dweller offering fifty yuan to propose to Qiu Qiu Lian, he wouldn't have come to run this errand. ===== CHAPTER 230 =====