Chapter 60 Auspicious Birthday, Ending Worldly Ties

Lin Yao and Madam Liang were carrying dishes to the courtyard when Lin Cheng walked into the kitchen with a lotus leaf package. "You eat first, I'll be there in a bit!"

Lin Yao stopped in her tracks. "Brother, what are you planning to do? I fried a lot of mushrooms today; they won't taste good when they're cold."

Seeing Lin Yao's expression, Madam Liang knew she had forgotten what day it was. "Silly child, today is your birthday. Your brother is going to cook longevity noodles for you!" She gestured with her chin toward Lin Cheng. "The fire in the stove hasn't gone out yet, and there's water in the pot."

Lin Yao then realized that today was the original owner's birthday.

In her previous life, Lin Yao was an orphan and had no idea what day she was born. No one in the orphanage would celebrate her birthday.

When she was in college, she noticed that her classmates celebrated their birthdays every year. In order not to seem so pitiful, she also set a birthday for herself, choosing the day she received her college acceptance letter, which marked her freshman year.

The crisp sound of bamboo chopsticks stirring an iron pot came from the kitchen, and Lin Cheng's figure appeared blurry in the dimly lit kitchen.

Lin Song suddenly darted out of the house, holding up a grasshopper woven from straw in his little hand: "Happy birthday, sister!" The grasshopper looked plump, clearly made by the child himself.

Lin Yao squatted down and took the grasshopper from Lin Song. The child's craftsmanship was rough, and the grasshopper was loosely woven, but every crease was pressed very carefully.

Lin Song, puffing out his little belly, said proudly, "My brother taught me how to make this! Does my sister like it?"

Lin Yao met Lin Song's big, round eyes and ruffled his hair. "I like it, Song'er is so great!"

"The noodles are here!" Lin Cheng placed the large, rough porcelain bowl on the table. Golden oil floated on the longevity noodles, the entire pulled noodle sank to the bottom of the bowl, and a poached egg rested on top. The simple aroma of the fried egg mixed with the fragrance of lard wafted over.

The steam from the noodle soup blurred my vision.

Lin Yao lowered her head and bit into the fried egg, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

She used to think of herself as a prudent person who wouldn't get involved in other people's relationships. Her relationships with everyone were superficial or based on mutual benefit. She had classmates, colleagues, and business partners, but no one who loved her.

She knew her problems and their causes clearly, but she was too busy surviving to have time to properly heal herself.

Now, feeling this unconditional love, she was momentarily at a loss and also felt a sense of disconnect.

Having lived in this world for over half a year, she sometimes almost forgot that she wasn't the owner of this body. Although she knew perfectly well that the original owner's death had nothing to do with her, and that her arrival had brought so many changes to the family.

But being in this situation, she had to admit that many things she now possessed should have belonged to the original owner, and she suddenly felt like a cuckoo had taken over someone else's nest. She cherished this unfamiliar warmth, but also felt that she was wearing someone else's skin and had stolen someone else's love.

Perhaps it was because she had begun to regard them as her own family that she felt this sudden sense of guilt.

Lin Yao hated her own awkwardness and sensitivity at this moment. But this was an unsolvable problem; she couldn't tell them that she was a soul from another world, because if she did, they would only think that she had provoked something evil she shouldn't have.

All she could do was live her life to the fullest while taking good care of her family, as a way of repaying the original owner of the body. In that case, everyone got what they wanted.

After calming herself down, Lin Yao began to savor today's dishes.

She glanced up and saw Lin Song leaning against the edge of the table, his little nose almost touching the rim of the bowl. Noticing Lin Yao's gaze, Lin Song grinned and said, "Sister's stir-fried mushrooms are even more delicious than meat!"

"You have such a sweet mouth." Lin Yao smiled and put a fried mushroom into his bowl. The golden and crispy shell crackled when bitten into, and the tender mushroom flesh oozed juice, which, mixed with the spiciness of Sichuan peppercorn powder, exploded on the tongue. The little guy ate them one after another without stopping, his cheeks puffed out like a little hamster.

Watching everyone enjoying their meal, Lin Yao also picked up a fried mushroom. The mushroom was fried to perfection, its outer shell a tempting golden brown. Even before tasting it, the aroma of the crispy batter filled her nostrils. She took a small bite, and the crispy shell cracked open. Then, the tender, chewy flesh, coated in warm juices, spread through her mouth. The peppercorns and salt in the batter released a rich, savory flavor with each chew, almost exactly like the ones she'd had before.

Liu Dazhuang picked up the large bowl and first took a sip of the piping hot egg and mushroom soup. The rich, savory flavor flowed down his throat, warming his stomach. He then picked up a piece of stir-fried ground mushroom with pork, its flesh soaked in sauce. The mushroom had absorbed the fat from the pork belly, and when he bit into it, he even tasted a hint of meatiness. He couldn't help but give a thumbs up: "No wonder you insisted on going up the mountain to pick these mushrooms; the taste is absolutely amazing!"

As dusk settled, the dishes on the table were almost gone. Madam Liang patted Lin Song's round belly and laughed, "This little guy actually ate an extra bowl of rice today."

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Liu Dazhuang helped clear the dishes. Liang took out a blue cloth bundle from the basket she had just brought. "I saw this bright red brocade at the market a few days ago and thought I'd make you a cloak."

Liang gently draped the cloak over Lin Yao's shoulders; it fit perfectly. "The days are getting colder and colder. You'll inevitably have to move around a lot while working in town, so bring this cloak to avoid catching a cold. Although the stitching is a bit rough, the material is solid, and I guarantee it's thicker than the silk sold in those shops."

Lin Yao stroked the soft rabbit fur at the collar, feeling deeply moved. "Thank you so much, sister-in-law and brother Dazhuang. I will always carry this cloak with me."

Lin Cheng also took out a wooden box. "This is a hairpin I bought for you at the jewelry store. After your birthday, you'll be a young lady, so you should have a decent hairpin! The jewelry store owner said this is a new style."

Lin Yao opened the box and saw a silver hairpin inside. The head of the hairpin was adorned with a small magnolia flower, which looked very lifelike. She gently stroked the magnolia hairpin, and the silver stamen gleamed warmly under the oil lamp. The delicate chain at the end of the hairpin made a soft rustling sound with her movements. "It's very beautiful."

Seeing that his sister liked it, Lin Cheng grinned and said, "I'm glad you like it."

As dusk fell, Liu Dazhuang shouldered his empty bamboo basket and prepared to go home. As Liang was leaving, she waved to Lin Cheng, and the two walked a few steps toward the courtyard gate.

She rubbed her palms together: "This is something your parents should be worried about, but your mother passed away early, and your sister-in-law is worried. A-Yao is thirteen years old after her birthday, and it's time for her to be matched with someone. Now everyone in the village knows A-Yao's abilities, and there are many men who want to marry her. You must choose carefully and not let anyone deceive you."

Lin Cheng watched his younger sister adjusting her cloak. "Ayao doesn't want to get married yet. Now that we have enough to eat and wear, Ayao can stay at home for as many years as she wants."

Madam Liang sighed softly. She knew Lin Yao was a strong-willed person, but she was slightly surprised to hear that she didn't want to get married. She wasn't ungrateful and knew the principle of knowing when to stop. Letting this matter rest was an elder's concern for the younger generation. Saying too much would be annoying: "Of course we should listen to Yao's thoughts. Your brother Dazhuang and I will go back first. If we don't go back soon, Dabao will start to make a fuss."

After seeing Liu Dazhuang's family off, the group packed their things and went to rest.

Lin Yao was preoccupied with worries today and tossed and turned until late into the night before finally falling asleep.

In a daze, she found herself in a golden rice field, the night breeze gently rustling the rice ears. In the distance, by the edge of the field, a small, thin figure stood barefoot.

As she approached, she saw a twelve-year-old girl holding a handful of freshly picked wild berries. She was dressed in coarse linen clothes, and her hair was tied in two little buns with red ribbons. Although her face wasn't as chubby as Lin Song's now, it still looked quite round—she was the original owner of this body.

Lin Yao looked down at herself. She was now her appearance from her previous life, when she was twenty-four years old.

Xiao Linyao wasn't shy at all, and skipped over to her. "Sister, you're finally asleep. Here, these are wild berries that are unique to this area in spring. They're sweet and sour, and my brother and I both love them."

After a moment of stunned silence, Lin Yao quickly recovered. After all, if soul transmigration could happen, what did it matter if little Lin Yao entered her dream? "You recognize me?"

Xiao Linyao kicked a clod of dirt at her feet: "Of course! You always sigh by the stove, saying, 'If only we had one more iron pot.'" As she spoke, she imitated Linyao's down-to-earth manner, putting her hands on her hips and sighing.

Lin Yao was amused by her.

Seeing her smile, Xiao Linyao breathed a sigh of relief. "The longevity noodles my brother made today look even better than Mother's. I'm unlucky and not very smart. I was tricked and even lost my life. But..." She took Linyao's hand, "Luckily you came. Not only have you renovated the old house, but you've also moved to town with my brother and Song'er. They both look much plumper. I've come to thank you."

It would be a lie to say she wasn't moved. After thinking for a moment, Lin Yao finally voiced the question that had been buried deep in her heart: "Do you feel like I'm taking up too much of your life?"

Xiao Linyao shook her head. "I was going to leave anyway. It was my aunt who hurt me, not you. Sister, I am no longer a person in this world."

She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then continued, "Perhaps you were meant to be born into our family. So many people in the world go through birth and death, why is it that only you and I have this kind of fate? It's like the stories the storyteller in the city tells, that everything is preordained by heaven, so you still became our family."

She winked mischievously: "If our family hadn't suffered this misfortune, perhaps you would have been Mother's next little sister!"

Lin Yao's eyes reddened at her words, and her throat felt like it was blocked with cotton, leaving her speechless for a moment.

Lin Yao continued, "Sister, I've come today to say goodbye. I'm leaving; Mother is still waiting for me. Don't think you've replaced me; you're merely using my body to live your own life. Let's consider ourselves sisters who have both come into this world. I lived the first half, and you live the second. Everyone has their own destiny. My life has come to an end; from now on, it's yours." Her voice grew softer and softer, her figure gradually blurred, and finally, she disappeared from Lin Yao's dream.

Lin Yao suddenly opened her eyes and found that her tears had soaked her pillow; it was just dawn outside the window.

In the yard, Lin Cheng was feeding Xiao Hui, while Lin Song hummed an off-key nursery rhyme and ran around picking up the hay that Xiao Hui had dropped.