Chapter 82: Do you want a divorce?

Qiu Lian struggled, her hands clawing at the door frame, her feet hooking onto the threshold, as she wailed loudly, "I'm not going back! The Lin family is my home."

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng sneered repeatedly in his heart.

This person had always been like this, always!

Not a single word out of her mouth was sincere.

"What a joke!"

He sneered, "Stop disgusting people! The Qiu family is your home; my family cannot afford to support a 'Great Buddha' like you."

Too lazy to waste any more breath on Qiu Lian, he used force in his arm, dragging her toward the small path.

It was currently rest time, so there was no one on the road, and it was so quiet that only the insects could be heard.

Qiu Lian saw that the man was serious, her face turning deathly pale. Just like the countless times before, she burst into tears and spoke soft words.

"Sister Sister Xuanxuan's daddy, I know I was wrong. I won't go back to my maiden home. I have no good life there; I can't even get enough to eat, it's just clear soup every day, I have to do all the chores in the house, and the work points I earn aren't even mine..."

Earning work points? This woman in the Lin family—let alone earning work points, she would drag her feet whenever she had to sweep the floor, yet she was actually willing to earn work points back at her maiden home.

Truly a good daughter of the Qiu family!

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng's pearly white teeth ground together with a crunch, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

Qiu Lian was still sobbing and playing the victim.

"I don't have a room at home, not even a bed. I can only sleep in the kitchen, and there are mosquitoes at night. The night before last, I even saw a poisonous scorpion. Sister Sister Xuanxuan's daddy, I really know I was wrong, don't send me back, wuwuwu!"

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng was well aware of Qiu Lian's situation at the Qiu family.

When they first got married, he had told this woman that the Qiu family had no sincerity toward her and didn't take her seriously, telling her not to value her maiden family so much and to focus on their own little family.

She didn't listen.

She even suspected he had ulterior motives, wanting to destroy her relationship with her maiden family so she would be isolated and helpless, leaving her to be bullied by his whole family.

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng was speechless to the point of death.

This woman's brain was as dull as a rusted machine, yet she was stupid, unable to distinguish good advice from bad. It instantly extinguished the desire Lin Lin Lin Shisheng had just developed... to live a good life with her.

In the end, thinking that living with anyone was the same, he just made do.

But, he never expected—

This woman actually dared to add some color to his head, and it was the green color that men hated most.

"Grind, grind!!" The sound of teeth grinding became heavier and louder.

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng's anger burned brighter and brighter, and his hand gripping Qiu Lian's arm tightened continuously.

"Ah!! Go lighter, it hurts!" Qiu Lian pulled at his hand, a cry of pain escaping her lips.

The tall figure walking in front remained unmoved, his strides becoming larger, each step heavy, permeated with a sense of forbearance.

Qiu Lian sensed something was wrong, reined in the deliberately exaggerated pain on her face, and her heart skipped several heavy beats.

Sister Sister Xuanxuan's daddy, why is he acting so strange?!

The woman forced a smile, continuing to soften her tone, "I really know I was wrong. I won't bicker with the eldest sister-in-law anymore, and I won't covet the younger sister's things. Please forgive me this once."

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng didn't make a sound, his face like cold frost.

He didn't even turn his head.

He was afraid that if he turned back and saw Qiu Lian's face, he might commit murder in a fit of rage.

He still had family, and he still had two daughters.

This woman wasn't worth it!

Qiu Lian had been hungry at her maiden home for several days, and today she had only eaten a sweet potato. With no oil in her stomach, her limbs were weak, and being dragged like this, her steps stumbled, and she was tripped up from time to time.

If it weren't for her arm being dragged, she would have collapsed on the ground long ago, unable to get up.

Her throat was dry enough to smoke, her lips were cracked, and in the end, she moved forward listlessly.

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng dragged her the whole way, and by the time they reached the Qiu family, he was also quite exhausted, the sweat on his back soaking his blue cloth jacket.

He pushed open the courtyard gate with a shove, the wooden door creaking, startling the Qiu family members in the yard into turning their heads abruptly.

"... Son-in-law?" Old Man Qiu squinted his old eyes, calling out in confusion.

When he saw Lin Lin Lin Shisheng's icy face clearly, he secretly called out "bad" in his heart.

Something happened?!!

Just as he was about to ask how his daughter had angered the son-in-law, he heard Lin Lin Lin Shisheng say coldly: "Qiu Lian misses her maiden home, so I'm sending her back."

"Take care of yourself."

Having dropped those two sentences, he threw down Qiu Lian's bundle and turned to leave, his steps urgent, disappearing in the blink of an eye, leaving behind only a trail of raised dust.

Old Lady Qiu had a thin face, high cheekbones, lips that were always pursed, corners of her mouth drooping, and she was accustomed to looking at people sideways, looking hard to get along with.

"What did you do again?" she asked with a gloomy face.

Qiu Lian cried out in grievance, her voice as hoarse as a broken gong, "What could I have done? I didn't do anything."

"You didn't do anything, and you get sent back?" Old Lady Qiu scraped her with her eyes, "Tell the truth, what exactly did you do to make the son-in-law so angry? Hurry up and say it, so your father and I can think of a way for you."

Old Man Qiu nodded, "Exactly, exactly."

"I really didn't do anything." Qiu Lian used a gourd ladle to scoop water to drink, and after gulping for a long time, she finally came back to life.

She said: "My sister-in-law sent red dates and brown sugar to my sister-in-law, but didn't give me anything. I was angry for a moment and didn't go to the kitchen to help cook. That Lin Lin Lin Shisheng, who recognizes his sister but not his wife, wouldn't let me eat and made me lose face in front of the whole family, so I made a scene. That thousand-knife-slashed man just grabbed me and sent me back."

"Not a single good thing! There isn't a single good thing in the Lin family!" Qiu Lian spat, her eyes full of hidden hatred.

After cursing, she puffed out her chest and pulled her shoulders back, as if this would make her seem more confident, "This time I won't go back on my own initiative, unless he comes to pick me up and apologizes to me."

The Qiu family's younger daughter-in-law's mouth twitched, her eyes widening in an absurd expression of looking at a lunatic.

She snorted with laughter, her tone mocking, "Eldest sister-in-law, I'm afraid you've forgotten that you only gave birth to two money-losing goods and didn't even give birth to a golden egg for the Lin family. You actually dare to think about wanting Sister Sister Xuanxuan's daddy to pick you up."

Qiu Lian remained stubborn, "It's not that I can't give birth, it's just that the fate hasn't arrived. I was able to give birth to two girl-pieces, so I can give birth to a big fat boy for the Lin family."

"I'm only afraid... the big fat boy won't be surnamed Lin." The Qiu family's younger daughter-in-law's expression became even more mocking.

A few days ago, when the eldest sister-in-law was staying at her maiden home, in the middle of that night, she ran back in a panic, her collar disheveled, a big red mark on her neck, and an unnatural flush on her face—one look and you could tell she had just come back from doing that deed.

Her jaw almost dropped in shock at the time.

She had known the eldest sister-in-law was a fool, but she hadn't expected her to be so flirtatious.

It was hard for her to work all day and still have the energy at night.

Qiu Lian's face turned deathly pale, her eyes red as she glared at her sister-in-law, her voice sharp: "You're talking nonsense! You're trying to force me to die!!"

"Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, you know it yourself." The Qiu family's younger daughter-in-law showed a contemptuous smile.

Without waiting for Qiu Lian to say more, she gave a disdainful "che" and walked away slowly.

Old Lady Qiu only just learned of this, her suspicious gaze landing on Qiu Lian, and seeing her panicked expression, a flash of guilt crossed her eyes.

She rushed over abruptly, and her rough, fan-like hand slapped across.

The slap made Qiu Lian spin in place twice, her thin, dark face instantly swelling up.

"Dead girl, did you do something indecent?!" Old Lady Qiu poked her forehead, her serrated fingernails scratching marks into it, her tone fierce.

"Mom, don't listen to her nonsense, I didn't do anything to let the Lin family down." Qiu Lian hated her maiden sister-in-law to the core.

She wanted her life as the eldest sister-in-law; it was too cruel, really too cruel!

Old Lady Qiu stared straight at her, poking her forehead while saying: "You'd better not have done anything! There's no place for you at home. If you get kicked back to your maiden home, go out and beg for food; don't add to our troubles!"

Having said what needed to be said, the old woman stopped talking, and Old Man Qiu's gaze as he swept over his daughter held a hint of disgust.

She couldn't even manage her own life, let alone show them filial piety. Sure enough, she couldn't be relied upon, not at all.

Qiu Lian didn't think much of it, nor did she realize the importance of the problem, and she didn't feel that her maiden family was cruel.

She felt that her mother was worried about her.

"I know, I won't be a burden to the family. Lin Xuan's daddy is just having a short temper; he'll come to pick me up in a few days."

She couldn't stand the two girl-pieces, feeling that they were the reason she didn't have a son, but she also knew that those two daughters were her foundation.

Qiu Lian hugged her bundle and went to the kitchen, spreading straw on the ground to use as a bed.

She turned her head and went out to wash the sweat off her face.

Old Lady Qiu unceremoniously opened the bundle, flipping through it casually. Seeing clothes with few patches, she hung them on her arm, and threw the ones with many patches back.

Qiu Lian returned, saw this scene, and exclaimed: "Mom, what are you doing?"

"Helping you tidy up your clothes, what's wrong? You were born by me, can't I touch your things?" Old Lady Qiu raised her chin high, righteous and confident.

Ignoring the scattered clothes on the ground, she acted as if she were truly a kind mother.

"These few pieces of clothing are not bad, give them to your sister-in-law. Your sister-in-law gave birth to two big fat boys for our Qiu family; she is a great contributor, and as the eldest sister-in-law, you should have given them to her. You still need me to urge you? I raised you for nothing."

Qiu Lian stepped forward quickly, wanting to grab the clothes back but not daring to, saying weakly: "Mom, I only have these two decent pieces of clothing, what will I wear if you take them away?"

"What decent clothes are you wearing? You haven't made any contribution to the old Qiu family." Old Lady Qiu rolled her eyes, suppressing her.

The kitchen was unlit and very dark, with only a faint light.

The old woman's face was full of gullies, her eyelids drooping, her expression dissatisfied, looking gloomy and mean.

Qiu Lian lowered her head.

"Where's the money? You're living at your maiden home, the son-in-law wouldn't leave you without a cent." Old Lady Qiu stared sharply at Qiu Lian.

Qiu Lian explained in a panic: "There's no money. The money I saved was snatched by you last time. I've only been back for a few days, I can't even touch money. Besides, it's not time to distribute grain or money yet, the head of the house probably doesn't have any money either."

"Pa!" Old Lady Qiu picked up a rolling pin and hit Qiu Lian's arm, very hard.

After the sound, Qiu Lian's arm was whipped red.

"What do you mean the money you saved was snatched by me? Even you were born by me!" The old voice was full of displeasure.

"If you have money in your pocket, you should hand it over honestly. You still dare to make me urge you? I think your wings have hardened!"

Qiu Lian covered her arm and dodged, "I didn't, I wanted to show filial piety to Mom, otherwise I wouldn't have brought it."

"Then what about today? Why didn't you bring a cent today?" Old Lady Qiu was full of disgust, cursing, "This is coming back to the maiden home with just a mouth to eat and live for free. Truly a money-losing good, not a bit of use."

After cursing, she was too lazy to pay attention to her and left with the clothes.

The Qiu family was a bunch of lazy people. The kitchen didn't even have a door, just an oily, black bamboo curtain hanging there. The stove was dirty and messy, with flies crawling all over it, and there were many mosquitoes.

Compared to the Lin family's conditions, it was like heaven and earth.

Qiu Lian lay on the straw pile, the mosquitoes buzzing in her ears, making her unable to sleep. Only then did she feel a vague sense of regret.

Dusk approached.

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng arrived at the door of a certain household in the same village as the Qiu family and knocked on the door, "Peng, peng, peng."

The person who opened the door was a thin, lively-eyed young man.

"Lin Lin Shisheng? It's so late, why are you here? Come in quickly." He stepped aside.

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng shook his head, "No, I just want to say a few words."

The young man understood in a second, walked out of the house, covered the wooden door, and walked toward the entrance of the village with his good friend.

There was no one on the road, the stars and moon suddenly appeared, spilling down completely.

The whole village was covered in a light veil, quiet and beautiful.

The two were silent.

The young man couldn't help but say: "... You came today because of the Qiu family's business?"

"Mm." Lin Lin Lin Shisheng nodded, his eyes lowered, making it impossible for people to see his emotions.

"Qiu Lian has been sent back by me. You keep an eye on her for me. This time, I want her to go to the farm."

The young man patted his good friend's shoulder, saying solemnly: "Jianjun and I will take turns watching her. As long as she dares to..."

"Brother, I've wronged you." He sighed.

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng smashed a fist into his good friend's shoulder, his eyes full of relief, as if he had already figured it out, "Stop looking at me with such disgusting eyes, it's not a big deal."

The young man saw that he truly didn't care about Qiu Lian and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

"That woman isn't worthy of you, and her character isn't good either. It's better to be divorced."

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng was noncommittal, "If her character were good, she wouldn't be pestering her benefactor like a damn piece of dead skin."

"..."

He sighed gloomily and continued: "I was too kind-hearted back then, my brain must have been caught in a door, that's why I felt sorry for her and married her."

"I'm the one who's damn pitiful!"

Wu Guodong also felt his good friend was pitiful. Everything was fine, and he married a troublemaker. Troublemaking was one thing, but she was also restless.

If it were him, he would be furious; how could he be so calm?

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng took a pack of Da Qianmen from his pants pocket, pulled one out, held it to his mouth, and shared one with Wu Guodong.

Wu Guodong took it blankly, saying in surprise and delight: "Da Qianmen? Where did you get it? You're living a good life, you can even smoke Da Qianmen!"

"Cha!" The match struck and ignited, a cluster of orange-red flames rising.

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng cupped his hands, lowered his head, and leaned in, the cigarette tip flickering.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled the smoke, the white smoke swirling and dissipating in the night, only then saying slowly: "My brother-in-law sent it when he came home to visit relatives, and there's also a bottle of Moutai."

Wu Guodong choked, suddenly feeling that his bit of sympathy just now was purely superfluous.

Why would this kid need anyone to pity him? He was even smoking Da Qianmen and had Moutai.

"Your brother-in-law is quite generous to you, his second brother-in-law." He couldn't help but mutter sourly.

Hearing this, Lin Lin Lin Shisheng's eyebrow arched abruptly, his chin lifted slightly, a smile on the corner of his mouth, his tone carrying a bit of pride, "He is quite generous."

Wu Guodong didn't want to see his smug look and waved his hand at him.

"Go back quickly, I don't want to see you for the time being, I'm afraid I won't be able to help calling Jianjun and the others to put a sack over you."

It was indeed not early, and Lin Lin Lin Shisheng didn't delay any longer, turning and walking forward with big strides, his right arm waving casually as a farewell.

Wu Guodong watched him leave, smelled the cigarette, carefully tucked it behind his ear, and hummed a little tune on his way home.

Having entrusted someone to keep a close eye on the Qiu family, the stone weighing on Lin Lin Lin Shisheng's heart was briefly moved away, and his steps were light on the way back.

He returned to the Dongfeng Brigade.

He pushed open the house door.

Lin Xuan and Lin Zheng hadn't slept yet, the two little girls curled up on bamboo chairs feeding mosquitoes, their heads leaning against each other, dozing off.

Hearing the faint sound, the two sisters instantly became alert, looking toward the door while standing up.

"Dad, you're back." Lin Zheng spoke first, her voice still carrying sleepiness.

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng reached back and bolted the door, walking over with big strides, his brow furrowed into a knot as he looked at his two daughters, "Why haven't you two slept yet? Aren't you sleepy?"

Lin Xuan opened her mouth, but the words swallowed back to her lips, her lips bitten white.

It was Lin Zheng who looked straight at her father and suddenly threw out a sentence: "Dad, are you going to divorce Mom?"

These words were too sharp, like a bone-removing knife, not turning a corner at all, stabbing straight at the vital point.

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng was caught off guard and asked, his throat rolling twice before he squeezed out words: "Who told you that?"

"It seems it's true." Lin Zheng said calmly.

She looked at Lin Lin Lin Shisheng with her dark, bright eyes, her expression serious, "Dad, I am a member of the Lin family, my surname is Lin, I want to follow you."

"If you give me to my mom, I'll go to the Fengshou Brigade to find my aunt and have her break your legs!" The little girl lifted her chin, the corners of her mouth pulled straight, her hands clenched into fists, her words hard, but fragility appeared in the depths of her eyes.

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Was he some kind of scumbag dad? They didn't trust him this much and even threatened him with their own aunt.

"I, I also want to follow Dad." Lin Xuan's voice trembled.

"Are you stupid!" Lin Lin Lin Shisheng patted the heads of the two girls one by one, his heart feeling astringent, "What is your surname? Lin! The Qiu family doesn't deserve to have such good girls as you two, of course you follow Dad."

Lin Zheng's mouth pursed first, then curled up uncontrollably, her tense jaw gradually softening.

"What if the Qiu family insists on taking us?" She asked casually, then thought of the Qiu family's style—snatching them away and earning two more bride prices in a few years; it wasn't something they wouldn't do.

Lin Zheng clenched her fists tighter, "Dad, if the Qiu family snatches me and my sister away, they will definitely trade us for bride price..."

"You think your dad is dead!" Lin Lin Lin Shisheng's fist hardened just thinking about it.

"As long as I'm here, the Qiu family won't dare to have designs on you two. If they dare, I'll take people to tear down their house."

He hadn't spoken empty words. Lin Zheng set her heart at ease, her eyes looking at her dad with reliance, "Dad, me and my sister are counting on you."

Lin Lin Lin Shisheng was greatly encouraged and said: "Don't worry, I can raise you two by myself."

The two girls had great confidence in their dad and smiled with their eyes curved.

In their short lives, all the suffering they had endured was brought by the person who gave birth to them. Without her, they would only be happy.

Lin Zhao's family of six went home accompanied by the night wind.

On the way back, the Hearing Hearing Erzai sat in the back seat, and as soon as he turned his head, he could see his mother riding the bike with his younger brother and sister.

He lifted his little face like a little sun, his eyes bright, and asked in a cheerful tone: "Mom, I'm so happy, can I sing?"

Lin Zhao turned her head, the corners of her lips curving into a gentle arc, "You can, then I'll trouble our little singer."

The Hearing Hearing Erzai instantly got into the spirit, his little hands gripping the hem of Gu Chenghuai's military uniform, his pink and white little face tensed seriously.

"Mom, I'll sing 'The Train Runs Toward Shaoshan' for you."

He cleared his throat, his childish voice flying in the wind.

"Wu, rumble rumble, rumble rumble

Wheels fly, whistles call

The train runs toward Shaoshan

Passing through high mountains and crossing rivers

Facing thousands of rays of rosy light

Hey, facing thousands of rays of rosy light

..."

The childish voice was clear, like a happy little skylark, full of vitality.

After the little friend finished singing, he looked at his mother with expectant eyes, a little expression of seeking praise.

Lin Zhao granted his wish, "It sounds good, the Hearing Hearing Erzai sings really well, full of vitality, you can tell he's a cute and lively little friend. How can there be such an excellent little friend? Really great!"

The Hearing Hearing Erzai loved hearing his mother praise him most.

His eyes were as bright as a little sun, and his mouth couldn't be pressed down no matter what.

Lin Zhao didn't ignore the well-behaved and introverted First Cub, her smiling eyes looking at him: "Can the First Cub sing this one?"

"... I can." The First Cub pursed his lips, revealing a shy smile.

Lin Zhao's expression was encouraging, "Then the First Cub will sing for Mom another day, okay?"

"Mm." The First Cub responded.

Gu Chenghuai let out a light laugh from his throat and said: "You sing quite well, you can be a literary and art soldier in the future."

The two cubs puffed out their chests and lifted their heads, their expressions proud.

The Hearing Hearing Erzai asked the question he cared about most: "Dad, what is a literary and art soldier? Can you earn money by being a literary and art soldier?"

The First Cub's brow was serious, "Can you fly a plane if you're a literary and art soldier?"

"..."

Talking and laughing all the way, the family of six returned to the Fengshou Brigade after more than half an hour.

Little Tie Chui, Da Huang, and Hu Po were waiting at the entrance of the village.

"Third Uncle, Third Aunt, First Cub, Hearing Hearing Erzai..." He finished calling them one by one, and said in a crisp voice: "Eldest Aunt has come back to her maiden home!" ===== CHAPTER 83 =====