Chapter 44 The new house is built! Time to move into the new house!
"A-Tong! A-Tong!" Lin Youfu returned home yesterday and heard that the roof of the second branch of the Lin family had been ripped off by the strong wind. He was secretly gloating when he saw Lin Cheng following Liu Dazhuang, going door to door asking for help to repair the house. The second branch was doing quite well now, and working for them guaranteed a meat meal. He and his younger brother were happily waiting at home for people to come and invite them, thinking they would show off their elder brother status then.
But after waiting and waiting, most of the day had passed, and no one came to invite him. Upon inquiring, he learned that Lin Cheng had already gone home with Liu Dazhuang. Lin Youfu was furious to hear that even Wu Tong, that idiot, could work, but he couldn't do anything about Lin Cheng. He couldn't very well let him go and work for them just for a meal. Today was the first day of construction, and Lin Youfu waited early on the road Wu Tong always took home, hoping to find out what good food they had eaten that day.
Wu Tong was humming a tuneless little tune as he walked home, clutching the malt candy Lin Yao had given him. He would occasionally take a bite, savoring its sweet taste, which made him incredibly happy. Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name. He looked around and finally spotted Lin Youfu hiding behind the bamboo grove. Upon seeing Lin Youfu, Wu Tong shuddered like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Painful memories from the past flooded back like a tidal wave. Without thinking, he turned and ran towards Lin's house. Lin Youfu had bullied him quite a bit, and although Wu Tong was slow to react, he knew he had to stay far away from this scoundrel.
Lin Youfu wasn't about to let him get away. He caught up in a few strides and grabbed Wu Tong's shoulder. Wu Tong cried out in pain, his face contorted in agony. In that instant, Wu Tong felt as if he were back in his childhood, the days when Lin Youfu would mercilessly torment him. He struggled desperately, trying to pry Lin Youfu's hand off, but he was no match for the fat man. "Ouch! Ouch! Woof woof, I'm a little dog, woof woof..." In his panic, Wu Tong instinctively uttered the words Lin Youfu had forced him to say when he was bullied.
Lin Youfu had always loved to tease Wu Tong, especially enjoying watching him lie on the ground and bark like a dog, and often riding him like a pony. Wu Tong wasn't very bright and didn't know how to fight back when bullied, but his mother was no pushover. One time, Lin Youfu was riding on Wu Tong's back, shouting "Giddy up!" as if he were the king of the hill, when Aunt Liu, who had come looking for her son, caught them in the act. Aunt Liu was furious, grabbed Lin Youfu by the ear, and dragged him home.
Lin Youfu was severely scolded by his parents, and if it weren't for his grandfather protecting him, he might have received a beating. Even now, thinking about it makes his ears ache. Hearing Wu Tong's shout, he reflexively let go of his hand, then quickly reached out to cover Wu Tong's mouth, trying to shut him up. "Shut up! Who told you to bark like a dog? I'm just asking you, what did you eat at Lin Cheng's house today?"
Seeing that he had let go of him, Wu Tong stopped yelling. He smacked his lips, reminiscing about lunch, "Meat... big chunks of meat, pork belly, crispy and delicious! Chicken too! Delicious!"
Lin Youfu listened to Wu Tong's fragmented description, his teeth itching with hatred. The Lin family was building a house, and on the very first day of construction, they were served pork and chicken—a feast even more lavish than their own family's New Year's celebrations! Such a good meal, and they didn't even invite him and his brother! Did they have no regard for their extended family?!
Seeing Lin Youfu standing there silently with a dark expression, Wu Tong wondered what he was up to. His curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't help but move closer to Lin Youfu to see why he had such a stern face.
Lin Youfu was furious when he suddenly saw Wu Tong's face approaching. Startled, he yelled, "Get away!"
Startled by the sudden shout, Wu Tong stumbled back several steps, nearly falling. He didn't care about anything else; he turned and ran home without looking back.
~
The Lin family's house was severely damaged, and Liu Dazhuang and the others came to work every day. Working together, they repaired the house in just five days. Lin Yao also had them rebuild the courtyard wall, this time making it much higher than before. Now, more than just money was important in the house; there were also many essential ingredients and seasonings that needed to be carefully stored.
Lin Yao stood in front of the newly renovated house, watching Lin Song dart around like a happy little squirrel between the rooms. The little guy ran and shouted excitedly, sometimes rushing into the kitchen, sometimes jumping into her and Lin Cheng's room, full of curiosity about every corner of their new home. Seeing Lin Song's carefree demeanor, Lin Yao felt an unprecedented sense of peace wash over her.
An autumn breeze rustled Lin Yao's hair. She took a deep breath, the air filled with the scent of earth and wood. In that moment, she suddenly felt truly that she had a home. No longer was she the lost and adrift person she had been when she first arrived, no longer was she the desolate figure she felt facing a dilapidated thatched hut. This home, though far removed from the ornate and decorated houses she had seen before, was full of warmth and hope. From this day forward, this would be the starting point for her to take root and grow in this unfamiliar world.
This time, they simply renovated the existing three rooms. Lin Cheng had previously mentioned wanting to build a room to enshrine their ancestors and receive guests. This way, when guests came over, they wouldn't have to bring out the kitchen table to entertain them every time, which was quite inconvenient. The room serving this function was essentially the main hall. Generally speaking, the main hall had many uses: honoring ancestors and gods, offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, weddings, funerals, birthday celebrations, and warding off evil spirits—it was indispensable for everything. However, this house, from the very beginning, seemed like a makeshift dwelling, with no consideration given to the structure of the main hall. Now, building a main hall would seem incongruous. Because the kitchen was located in the very center of the three rooms, building the main hall on the side would look like a side room, which just didn't seem right. In Lin Yao's opinion, it was fine not to build it, since they were currently relying entirely on the Kitchen God for food. If the ancestors of the Lin family were alive, they should see how the eldest son and the old man bullied the second son.
Seeing Lin Yao standing in front of the house in a daze, Lin Yougong thought she was so happy she'd gone mad. No wonder, these younger cousins had all had a hard life, their parents had died early, yet they were able to build the house themselves—even he himself couldn't do that. "Ayao, you can move in tomorrow!" Lin Yougong said to Lin Yao with a broad smile, carrying a hoe.
Lin Yao then came to her senses, saw Lin Yougong, and replied with a smile, "Yes! These past few days have been tough on you, eldest cousin and the other brothers. Tomorrow is the housewarming party, so the other brothers must bring their families to join us in the fun!"
At this moment, Zhang Ping and Zhang An also packed up their tools and came over. Hearing Lin Yao's words, Zhang Ping laughed heartily, "These past few days at Sister Yao's place, I've been eating better than during the New Year! I wish I could work a few more days! If you ever need any more work, be sure to come to us, we'll take care of it perfectly!" Zhang An followed behind his older brother and nodded shyly.
After seeing off the men who had helped her, Lin Yao finally entered her house. As soon as she stepped inside, a faint scent of fresh wood wafted towards her. The walls were smooth and clean, a stark contrast to their previous dilapidated, leaky, and decaying state. Sunlight streamed through the newly pasted window paper, gently casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the floor, adding a touch of warmth to the room.
Lin Yao walked to the bedside and gently stroked the newly made wooden bed. Although simple in design, the bed was sturdy and durable. It was covered with her newly bought bedding; yesterday, taking advantage of the good sunshine, she had taken all the new bedding out to air it. Now, it was soft and gave off a fresh scent. Her hand slowly slid over the sheets, feeling the smooth fabric, and her heart was filled with gratitude. Finally, she wouldn't have to sleep on a straw bed anymore.
She walked to the window, gently pushed it open, and a gentle breeze blew in, carrying a touch of autumn coolness that felt exceptionally pleasant. Outside the window was a newly built courtyard wall, much higher than before. Even a tall man like Liu Dazhuang would have difficulty peeking into their house from outside the wall, providing a strong sense of security. At the base of the wall, a few unidentified wildflowers swayed gently in the wind, adding a touch of life and vitality to the somewhat monotonous courtyard. Lin Yao remembered the chives and wild onions she had planted in the backyard; the torrential rain had ravaged them, uprooting most of them. However, she had transplanted some the next day, and estimated that she would be able to harvest them again in a few days. Thinking of this, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.
Just then, Lin Song burst into the room like a cannonball. "Second sister, come quick! I've found a fun place!" he exclaimed, grabbing Lin Yao's hand and pulling her outside with all his might, his excitement as if he had discovered some earth-shattering secret. Lin Yao was infected by his enthusiasm and smiled as she let him pull her outside.
Lin Song led Lin Yao to the kitchen, where a brand-new cabinet stood in the corner. It was specially made for the family by Lin Cheng to store food. Lin Song pointed at the cabinet, her eyes sparkling like two little stars. "Second sister, look, this cabinet is so big! I can hide inside. We can play hide-and-seek here from now on!"
Looking at his innocent and adorable appearance, Lin Yao couldn't help but reach out and rub his round face. "Alright, then Song'er, you'd better hide well. Next time your second sister looks for you, don't get found right away."
At this moment, Lin Cheng also walked in. Seeing Lin Cheng, Lin Yao released her hand from squeezing Lin Song's cheek and turned to discuss the housewarming party arrangements for tomorrow with Lin Cheng. Lin Yao thought she should prepare some hearty dishes to properly thank the neighbors and villagers who had helped her these past few days. Lin Cheng nodded; he wanted to go to the market to buy some firecrackers for a lively celebration. Lin Song, listening nearby, his eyes lit up, excitedly chattering along with his older brother and sister, saying he wanted to make lots of delicious sweet cakes and hang colorful lanterns in the yard to decorate the house festively.
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Author's Note: Xu Zhiheng: Doupi! Where is Doupi! Ayao, have you forgotten something?
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