Li Lijuan looked at Lu Yunshen, her lips trembling, unable to speak.

She then turned around and stumbled away.

Lin Ziyan's lips twitched, and she gave Lu Yunshen a cool look.

"You scared people," she said calmly.

The people around the ancestral hall dispersed, and as darkness fell, only the sounds of cicadas and frogs filled the air.

The dim incandescent light in front of the ancestral hall cast long shadows of the two people.

Lin Ziyan leaned against the blue brick wall and looked up at him.

"You blocked me back then because you were helping a friend?" Lu Yunshen asked, his eyes narrowed, as he placed his palm against the wall she was leaning against.

His dark eyes seemed to be brewing a storm, unfathomable yet burning hot.

Lin Ziyan's eyes flickered slightly, "I suppose so!"

She looked away and glanced behind Lu Yunshen. There were many figures moving about, heading in different directions, and no one noticed them.

A cool, refreshing fragrance wafted into my nostrils, mingled with the faint scent of osmanthus blossoms in the air—it was very enticing.

"You even encourage your friends to confess their feelings?" Lu Yunshen smiled faintly, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his lips.

Lin Ziyan looked into his eyes, "Didn't you scare me away?"

Her eyes were completely calm, as if she were talking about something insignificant.

Lu Yunshen felt as if a part of his heart had collapsed, taking in her indifferent expression.

Love is voluntary; the one who falls in love first loses.

"What, you haven't fallen for me, have you?" Lin Ziyan leaned closer, smiling slyly.

Lu Yun Shen paused for a few seconds, then looked at the smile in her eyes and inexplicably found it very alluring.

His heart felt as if it had been struck hard, a sour and slightly painful sensation, yet he was willing to endure it.

How could she say something so boldly and casually?

"Tempted? I want to take you back as my wife." Lu Yun Shen raised an eyebrow and smiled wickedly.

After realizing his own feelings, he completely relaxed.

The current Lin Ziyan makes him want to explore, to get closer...

"Tsk, go to sleep early, you can dream about anything." Lin Ziyan said with a faint smile.

Lu Yunshen, "..."

Was he not clear enough?

Lin Ziyan said, "Excuse me, I'm going home."

“You’ll have to get married eventually…” Lu Yun Shen stepped aside.

"I won't even consider you when we get married," Lin Ziyan said, and strode away.

Lu Yun Shen's lips curled slightly, "Not considering me?"

Why does that sound so familiar?

He suddenly remembered that he had said the same thing when Lin Ziyan cornered him on the village path...

…

Leaving the ancestral hall,

Lin Ziyan went to the Wei family.

I saw Wei Caixia squatting at the door, sobbing.

The sounds of cursing and swearing could still be heard from inside the house.

She walked up to Wei Caixia and looked down at her.

“You…” Wei Caixia’s pupils contracted slightly, and her throat felt like it was being choked.

The things she said to Li Qin were meant to get her to go find Lin Ziyan, but she didn't expect her to go to the Lin family and throw excrement.

Lin Ziyan said, "Wei Caixia, I have never had any grudges against you. You don't need to treat me as a potential enemy."

"We can't be friends, but I don't want to be enemies either."

“If something similar happens again, I won’t let it go like I did today.”

Wei Caixia's eyes flickered, but she remained silent.

That whistleblower letter may have already been sent to the education bureau...

After finishing her sentence, Lin Ziyan turned and left immediately, not wanting to waste any more energy.

The Wei family must be incompatible with her; even if they bring a wife back, they'll still come to her house to cause trouble.

When Lin Ziyan returned home, she smelled the aroma of fish as soon as she stepped into the yard.

The village lost power again tonight, and it's pitch black everywhere.

A kerosene lamp was lit in the main room, covered with a glass shade to prevent the wind from blowing out the light.

"Sister, sit down and eat." The second sister, Xiaoxiao, set out the food.

Grandma placed the egg drop soup on the table before sitting down.

"Ah Yan, that new daughter-in-law of the Wei family probably has something wrong with her head. Don't greet her if you see her in the future."

“I think the mentally ill have some kind of right,” Ah Tai said, trying hard to recall.

She continued, "That so-called right means that if she breaks your head, and it's determined that she's crazy, she doesn't have to take responsibility."

Lin Ziyan nodded, "Grandma, why didn't you wait for me to come back? If their whole family had really attacked together, the consequences would have been..."

Grandma waved her hand, "By the time you come back, it'll be too late."

"I can't get over this feeling of unease until I return it on the spot."

"Stay away from Wei Er's daughter. It's not about having many friends; it's about sincerity. She's heartless..."

"Okay." Lin Ziyan raised an eyebrow and replied.

After the family finished their meal, they went to the yard to cool off.

Aunt Huang and Aunt Chen came to the door to hand over the account books and chat for a bit.

Lin Ziyan casually flipped through a few pages before turning directly to the last page to look at the final account.

“Auntie, there’s nothing wrong with these accounts. Keep writing them down every day, and it’ll be easier in the future,” Lin Ziyan said with a smile.

Aunt Huang said, "Okay, Ah Jian said it's the right thing to do, I'll definitely listen to you."

"My son is now completely convinced by you."

The smile lines around her eyes deepened, and she talked much more than before.

Since her eldest son, Ah Jian, came back and went to work as a manager at the shrimp farm, she has never stopped smiling; she has finally found hope in life.

"Who can argue with that?"

“Look at my chubby daughter, she follows Ah Yan around all day long, and now she’s working hard from dawn till dusk.”

"She doesn't listen to what we say, but she remembers everything Ah Yan says," Aunt Chen said with emotion.

The chubby girl can't eat as much now, but she has lost a lot of weight, and her facial features have become more defined.

Not to mention the chubby girl, even her husband is now beaming with health and vitality.

"I'll just take it as the aunties praising me," Lin Ziyan said with a smile.

Grandma Lin sat down beside her, picked up a palm-leaf fan, and patted her on the shoulder. "You actually took that as a compliment?"

"Grandma, don't hit me! I won't pay for the fan if it breaks." Lin Ziyan pretended to dodge and smiled mischievously.

Aunt Huang hurriedly said, "Grandma, I really was just praising Ayan."

"We have to acknowledge those who have done well."

“That’s right,” Aunt Chen added, fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan.

Lin Atai said, "That's because you're helping her."

"If everyone can live a good life, then there will be hope."

Lin Ziyan nodded, "Grandma is right, it's about mutual help and benefit."

She still remembers that when she was first reborn, she was able to complete the funeral arrangements with the help of these neighbors.

After that, whenever she encountered any trouble, the villagers would almost always help keep an eye on her, for fear that she would be bullied.

"Ayan, let's go for a walk. They're putting out lanterns over by the banyan tree." The chubby girl called out from the doorway. She stepped into the yard, saw her mother, and suddenly stopped.

"Where is this wild girl running off to at night..." Aunt Chen called out to the door when she saw Fatty, then suddenly stopped.

Lin Ziyan had already grabbed her two younger sisters and run out the door.

There's not much to do in the fishing village at night, and even the TVs don't have a signal.

"Ayan, run!" The chubby girl scooped up Jiaojiao and ran off.

A bright, silvery laugh echoed in my ears.

"Quick, sister..."

Lin Ziyan pulled her second sister Xiaoxiao along and followed the chubby girl.

The evening breeze carried a slight chill, dispersing the heat...