Chapter 71 Birthday
The pot was steaming hot, and the whole family sat down. Ping An nestled obediently in Lin Fusheng's arms, smacking her lips.
Grandma Lin brought a bowl of noodles from the kitchen, topped with two sizzling fried eggs. "Birthday noodles are here."
"This chicken leg is stewed until it's tender and soft. You have to eat well and be full for your birthday."
"There are also rapeseed shoots, potatoes, and glass noodles."
Several pairs of chopsticks worked at the same time, and in no time, the bowls in front of Yang Yuan were piled up into a small mountain, leaving the little guy dumbfounded.
"Grandma, Dad, Mom, take it easy. There's still a bowl of birthday noodles left. Eating so much might cause indigestion," Lin Zhaozhao reminded them. Only then did Grandma Lin and the others restrain themselves a little and start eating.
Just as they were enjoying their meal, the door was suddenly slammed open. The abrupt noise startled Ping An, and the little boy burst into tears, tears welling up in his eyes. His pitiful appearance broke Lin Zhaozhao's heart.
The Lin family members exchanged glances. Lin Yangyang put down her bowl, stood up, and walked towards the door. "Who's knocking?"
There was no answer from outside the door. The heavy blows on the door continued one after another, each one striking the hearts of the Lin family. Lin Zhaozhao handed Ping An to the old lady Lin, "Grandma, take Ping An and A Yuan inside to warm themselves by the fire first."
Grandma Lin took Ping An and led Yang Yuan into the house, while Li Xiujuan and Lin Fusheng each carried a kitchen knife.
There was a silent standoff between the inside and outside of the door, with only the howling wind and increasingly heavy breathing.
A moment later, someone outside couldn't take it anymore and immediately started making a ruckus.
"This is the Lin Family Fruit Shop. The potted plants alone cost ten taels a pot. This shop makes so much money, they must have stockpiled grain."
“Heartless merchants are driving up rice prices; how can ordinary people survive?”
"I can smell the meat inside."
"Good heavens, at this juncture, they still dare to feast on fish and meat."
Upon hearing this, his craving for meat intensified infinitely. He swallowed hard with each deep breath, his eyes turned bloodshot, and with the slightest provocation, he became the first to speak out.
"My family doesn't have a single grain of rice left. In this awful weather, we'll either starve or freeze to death. I might as well take a gamble and starve to death."
"Smash it! Everyone worked together to smash the door down."
Everyone rushed forward, trying to break down the door. The door was banged on loudly. Lin Zhaozhao inside had a cold look in her eyes. When the people outside broke down the door again, the door opened, and a group of people fell to the ground like a human pyramid.
Those at the front fell flat on their faces, and with Mount Tai pressing down on them from above, their cries and groans filled the air. Even so, they were still determined to rush in whenever they had the chance.
Lin Fusheng, Li Xiujuan, and Lin Yangyang were already waiting at the door, throwing one at a time when one came, and throwing two at a time when two came.
Before long, the area outside the door was filled with people, piled up one after another.
Some even tried to climb over the wall to get in, but the moment the bamboo arrow grazed their ears, their faces turned pale, and in their terror, they wet their crotches.
The family of four held firm, and the twenty or thirty people outside couldn't break in. Realizing that this family was tough, and that force wouldn't work, they had to resort to a softer approach.
The old woman, her face blue and purple from the cold, knelt down with a thud. "Please, have pity on us. Give us some food so we can get through the year."
"My rice jar ran out three days ago. I really have no choice. If I don't get some food back soon, I'll starve to death."
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