Chapter 47 Miracle Linlin wants what she wants, and it's not shameful.

As Zhong Ying walked quickly toward him, Li Linshi's gaze followed her, and he subconsciously opened his arms, wanting to catch her.

Zhong Ying rushed over excitedly and eagerly asked, "How was it? Did you guess right or did I guess right?"

My mood, which had just started to improve, plummeted again in an instant.

Zhong Ying observed the deadbeat's expression and knew the answer before he could even speak. "Ha! It really was me! Those two years of classes weren't for nothing, sis, you can still judge people!"

Li Linshi's gaze at Zhong Ying was so intense, it was as if he was about to pounce and tear her apart. She always managed to anger him!

However, when it came time to fulfill the bet the next day, Li Linshi didn't deny it. It was just washing dishes, nothing heavy work.

For Zhong Ying, washing dishes was no easy task. Or to be more precise, washing dishes was not a heavy job at her previous home, but things were different at the Li family's house.

There are many people in the Li family.

Previously, the family consisted of Old Man Zhong, her mother, her sister-in-law, Guoqiang, Xinzi, and Zhong Ying, a total of six people. Now that they have moved to the Li family, the number of people has almost doubled, including Li Ming and Liu Hongyan, the eldest brother's family of five, the second brother's family of three, and Zhong Ying herself. The number of bowls used for eating has also doubled.

There were so many bowls that Zhong Ying sometimes felt disoriented, as if she had come to the kitchen of a restaurant to work as a dishwasher.

But as someone who has always lived in this big family, Li Linshi has obviously adapted well and reached out to wash the dishes.

"Wait a minute," Zhong Ying suddenly spoke up; she had an idea.

At this time, in the Li family home, Liu Hongyan was sweeping the floor, Li Ming was writing and drawing at the table, planning the next production schedule; Tian Mei and Nie Jinfeng went to the river to wash clothes, Li Gangshi went out to chat with someone, and Li Rongshi took several children to play at the foot of the mountain.

In the courtyard, there was only Zhong Ying and a large basin of bowls soaking in front of her, as well as a ghost that no one else could see.

Zhong Ying wanted to try it out. Since the dead ghost could control water, could it do something that could only be done by controlling water with electricity or mechanical energy? In other words, she wanted to try to see if she could use the ghost as a household appliance.

She's also bold and decisive: "In the future, even washing dishes can be done by machines instead of manually..."

Li Linshi studied mechanical manufacturing. As a science and engineering student, he was immediately captivated by the topic and asked with curiosity, "How did you do that?"

"Pressurized water is sprayed at high speed through the pressure nozzles of the spray head, washing the surface of the dishes to achieve a cleaning effect." Zhong Ying explained the working principle of the dishwasher in a simple way. This was the homework she did when she bought the dishwasher. However, she really couldn't make a machine that could wash dishes. After all, Zhong Ying had only used dishwashers.

But now that Li Linshi is here, perhaps we can skip those complicated circuit boards and indispensable mechanical controls, and directly achieve the water flow cleaning goal that Zhong Ying wants.

Zhong Ying looked at Li Lin expectantly and asked, "How about it? Can you do it? Divide the water flow into several smaller streams, increase the water pressure, and quickly rinse the dishes clean."

No man would say no, not even if he were to die. Especially under Zhong Ying's earnest and bright gaze, Li Linshi could only silently do as she said.

Achieving what Zhong Ying described was not easy; it was like unraveling a hemp rope into thin strands. Even though Li Linshi could control the water flow, he had to try many times before finally achieving the more precise control she desired.

The water in the basin, which had submerged the bowls and plates, seemed to be flowing like an undercurrent. If someone else were to see this scene at this moment, they would probably stare in shock.

Zhong Ying watched the invisible water flow back and forth. When everything calmed down, Li Linshi poured the used water into a small basin next to her. In rural areas, people would not throw away dishwater containing food scraps; they would use it to feed chickens.

Zhong Ying couldn't wait to take a bowl out of the basin. Done!

"That's great! I won't have to wash the dishes with a loofah anymore!" Zhong Ying said excitedly.

"In the future?" Li Linshi frowned.

Zhong Ying stared intently at him, as if looking at some precious treasure, her hands clasped together in a pleading gesture, "Please~"

Li Lin looked away uncomfortably, "Okay, okay."

——

"I won't wear these pants, I want to wear the gray ones!"

The six-year-old child's high-pitched voice pierced through the courtyard wall.

Zhong Ying was woken up by "Yaozu" and found it difficult to fall back asleep. She could only sit up, prop her pillow up behind her, and lean against the headboard.

She wasn't in a hurry to get up. After living with the Li family for more than half a month, Zhong Ying had figured out some ways to get along with them. Cooking wasn't her responsibility, and if she went early, it would just be awkward small talk, so she might as well arrive later.

In modern times, the time between waking up and actually getting out of bed belongs to the phone, but in this moment, Zhong Ying only leaned out and reached for the notebook and pen on the wooden box next to the bed.

Since I can't play on my phone, I can only play "Miracle Linlin".

With just a few strokes, Zhong Ying sketched the male ghost on the paper, her movements skillful, showing how many times she had drawn it before.

With the pen tip pointing downwards, outline the lines of the clothing.

After Zhong Ying finished drawing one page, she turned the page and continued drawing a new one. She drew three pages in one go.

She then stopped writing, tore off all three pages, got out of bed, and shuffled to the main room.

Someone picked up the matchbox from the table in the main room. Zhong Ying pushed out the small cardboard box inside with her finger and muttered to herself, "There are only two left..."

Without hesitation, she took out one of the matchsticks and lit the half-burnt candle in front of the memorial tablet.

"Next time there's a market day, I need to buy matches and candles..." Zhong Ying silently planned.

Playing games always costs money, but Zhong Ying didn't mind. Compared to the 128 or 648 yuan that you have to spend on in-game purchases, the money for matches and candles was nothing. A dress-up game that only costs a few cents was incredibly generous.

Zhong Ying looked at the three sheets of paper and chose one to burn first.

In the calm of the last few seconds, Zhong Ying suddenly felt a sense of empathy and understood why those boys always liked to "act like rascals" when they were young. When life is too mundane, people want to find some excitement.

Before Zhong Ying could even count in her mind, the "excitement" she wanted arrived.

The rammed earth surface suddenly became damp, and then water droplets condensed—

"Zhong Ying! You again!"

An angry voice and a tall, slender figure appeared together.

The moment Zhong Ying saw Li Lin clearly, her eyes lit up.

The transformation from a two-dimensional plane to a three-dimensional object yielded an effect even better than she had anticipated.

Broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs—none of these features could make this impeccably tailored black suit look good. His pale complexion seemed to be the icing on the cake, perfectly complementing his handsome bone structure. If he could just smile and lower his hand from his chest, he could sell a champagne tower in no time.

Yes, Zhong Ying drew a very formal suit, but it's not very formal except for the suit itself; there are no other clothes underneath.

Li Linshi's face was filled with anger, an anger bordering on rage. "You! Look at these clothes! What kind of clothes are these?!"

"Let me see." Zhong Ying peeked out, trying to see something, but Li Linshi was covered up too tightly. She could only see his collarbone; everything below that was completely obscured, as if it were paid content.

Zhong Ying lied through her teeth, "Isn't this just a suit?"

How can a suit without a shirt underneath not be considered a suit?

Li Linshi's face darkened, and he gritted his teeth, "Give me a change of clothes."

Zhong Ying had no choice but to compromise, "Okay, I'll change you into an outfit that doesn't show any skin."

There were two pieces of paper on the table to choose from. Zhong Ying picked one up, lit it in the candlelight, and turned around. Li Linshi had changed into a new outfit.

She didn't show anything, but...

The very tight-fitting black turtleneck sweater is like a skin-like garment, showing off the body's contours in their entirety, even more clearly than a semi-transparent white shirt that tries to conceal them. No wonder it's ranked number 1 in the online poll for the most revealing clothes men can wear. The second place goes to gray sweatpants.

Zhong Ying almost wanted to blow her whistle. After all, he was an engineering student from a farming family. This guy had a really good physique. He was lean but not skinny, with his deltoids, pectoralis major, biceps, rectus abdominis... even more beautiful than the "Bridgman Anatomy" she had copied when she was learning to draw. Zhong Ying had always thought that the Western men in the book had too much muscle.

Li Linshi didn't notice anything amiss at first, since his clothes covered his skin and no longer revealed a deep V-neck that almost reached his navel. It wasn't until Zhong Ying stared at him with burning eyes and even asked him to turn around...

“Zhong Ying!” Li Linshi’s face turned ashen.

Zhong Ying had originally wanted to see his back muscles, but she was disappointed. However, she gave up on the idea, since the male ghost was conservative and would irritate him if she continued to "play" with him. "Okay, okay, I won't play with you anymore. This time I'll really change you into normal clothes."

As she spoke, Zhong Ying planned to place the last piece of paper on the table onto the candlelight.

But after these two incidents, Li Linshi no longer trusted her. In the blink of an eye, he rushed over, trying to snatch the paper from Zhong Ying's hand. Who knew what even more revealing clothes she had drawn? He didn't want to be fooled again.

Caught off guard, Zhong Ying was forced to stagger backward a few steps until her lower back hit the edge of the table and she stopped.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment, and even the surrounding air seemed different.

Zhong Ying clearly felt the biting chill that rushed towards her.

Warm breath brushed against Li Linshi's skin like a feather.

They seemed to be within arm's reach, or even intimately close. The table blocked their escape route, and even though Zhong Ying leaned back uncomfortably, their waists and abdomens remained pressed tightly together.

Unconsciously, the fingers exerted force, leaving wrinkles on the paper.

Zhong Ying blinked, held up the paper in her hand, swallowed hard, and said dryly, "It really is normal clothing..."

Li Linshi then looked away and focused his gaze on the paper in her hand.

No longer dressed in "strange clothes," they wore the same ordinary gray cloth jackets and black trousers as most men in the production team.

Li Linshi took a big step back.

Zhong Ying burned the paper in her hand, and when she looked at Li Lin, who had changed back into normal clothes, she chuckled twice, "Haha, it's getting late, I need to hurry up and get ready to go next door for dinner."

She practically fled the awkward atmosphere of the main room, heading back to her bedroom to change clothes, brush her teeth, and wash her face.

With her cheeks still damp from the well water, Zhong Ying took the big black dog to the house next door.

"Brown Sugar, come here, I've already prepared your meal." Liu Hongyan called out from the Li family's courtyard. Her gaze fell on Zhong Ying's side. She was somewhat worried about that rascal but didn't know how to deal with him. In the end, she could only turn her attention to the big black dog next to Zhong Ying.

The Li family doesn't keep dogs, firstly because there are many people in the family, and secondly because no one dares to sneak into the production team leader's house.

Not long after Zhong Ying married into the family, Liu Hongyan learned that she had taken leftovers home to feed her dog, so she told Zhong Ying to bring the dog with her when she came to eat from now on.

Liu Hongyan stroked Hongtang's black head with great interest, "It looks so energetic, it doesn't look like a twelve-year-old dog at all."

At this time, people mostly kept dogs for guarding the house and property, and they didn't raise them very carefully. Dogs that lived past ten years old were considered to have lived a very long life. Like Hongtang, who was already twelve years old but showed no signs of old age and was still full of energy, it was clear that he could live for several more years.

Liu Hongyan is fifty-two years old this year. In an era when people generally die in their sixties or seventies, she is already considered to be in her later years. Psychologically, she will have a greater preference for the word "longevity". For example, she makes longevity peach buns for festivals, pine trees and cranes on the quilt, and brown sugar for her twelve-year-old.

Zhong Ying handed the dog to Liu Hongyan with peace of mind, then rolled up her sleeves and asked, "Mom, is there anything else I haven't done? Shall I go feed the chickens?"

"The chickens have already been fed. Go and comb Xiuyun and Xiuqing's hair," Liu Hongyan said.

Zhong Ying responded and beckoned two little girls with disheveled hair to bring small stools to her.

Li Xiuyun let her younger sister sit down in front of her aunt first, while she stood aside to help hand over the hair tie.

As Zhong Ying combed the little girl's soft, delicate hair, she was lost in thought about what had happened that morning, each scene replaying in her mind like a movie replay.

The mechanical, repetitive motion of dividing her hair into three strands and pressing them together gradually calmed Zhong Ying's chaotic mind.

Zhong Ying patted Xiao Xiuqing's shoulder, "You're all done."

Four-year-old Li Xiuqing stood up and skipped into the room to look in the mirror.

Li Xiuyun sat shyly on the stool where her younger sister had just sat, her little hands clenched into fists and placed neatly on her lap.

Zhong Ying smiled and chatted with her, "Xiuyun's hair is much longer than your sister's."

Li Xiuyun turned her head to look at the pretty aunt, a little embarrassed, "I've been keeping them all this time, I've never cut them. I'm saving them up so I can sell them for money, I want to buy candy."

During the off-season, peddlers would occasionally wander between production teams carrying a shoulder pole. In one of their large seedling baskets, there were all sorts of odds and ends, and in the other, they carried homemade maltose cakes.

“Every time Mom buys them, she breaks off a big piece for my younger brother, while my sister and I only get a small piece of candy.” Perhaps it was because the adults in front of her were so kind that Li Xiuyun couldn’t help but say a few more words from her heart, whispering, “When I sell my hair and get the money, I’ll buy two candy cakes, one for me and one for my sister.”

After speaking, Li Xiuyun couldn't help but lower her head again, somewhat afraid of being scolded or reprimanded. As the older sister, she really shouldn't have such selfish thoughts. Just like her father always said, an older sister should leave the good things to her younger brother.

What landed on her head was a gentle stroking.

"It's not shameful to want something, why are you bowing your head?" Zhong Ying rubbed the little girl's head.

Li Xiuyun immediately raised her head, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her aunt, whom she wasn't very familiar with yet, and nodded heavily.

Zhong Ying was completely at peace with herself, just as she said, wanting something is not shameful.

It's just that I went from wanting to play "Miracle Linlin" to wanting to play "Linlin".

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Author's note: The male protagonist's character is gradually becoming clear: a male ghost who is a home appliance type of husband who is being played with.