Chapter 23 Brother Nian, thank you. "I meant no harm..."
“I meant no harm,” Zhao Yun quickly explained. “I just wanted to apologize to Lin Yanfeng on behalf of that unfilial son.”
Lin Qingan peeked out from behind Chen Gengnian, looking at Zhao Yun with a probing gaze.
Zhao Yun took two steps back, bowed to Chen Gengnian and Lin Qing'an, and said with great apology, "I'm usually busy with my brother and sister-in-law's shop business and don't have time to discipline the child, which is why he's become so arrogant. I never expected him to be just like his father, bullying others with his power. I'm away from home all year round and have always been kept in the dark by their facade. I was furious when I learned the truth today, and I even punished the child. I'm so sorry!"
Zhao Yun took out a money pouch from her purse and presented it to Lin Qing'an with both hands. "Here is thirty taels of silver. I hope it can make up for some of your losses. After all, Liu Deshui and I are not divorced yet. This is our fault. There is no time to say anything more. I just hope you can use this money to help rebuild."
After saying that, he felt it was inappropriate and quickly added, "I know this amount of money is nothing, but it's a small token of our appreciation, please accept it."
After Zhao Yun finished speaking, she bowed to the two of them again, her attitude and words showing utmost sincerity.
Zhao Yun's actions surprised Lin Qing'an somewhat; he hadn't expected that such a child would have a reasonable mother.
Seeing Zhao Yun's sincerity, Lin Qing'an didn't know what to say. Although thirty taels of silver couldn't restore the house to its original state, it was more than enough.
Since she had already taken her revenge, there was no point in blaming an unrelated person. So she exchanged a glance with Chen Gengnian, and after receiving his approval, she accepted the money bag without any qualms.
As Chen Gengnian said, he is neither a fool nor a living bodhisattva. This is how things should be, so he should not have any psychological burden.
Seeing Lin Qing'an take the money bag, Zhao Yun immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Let's put this matter behind us!" Lin Qing'an reiterated. "However, it's impossible for me to let Liu Deshui off the hook. He did evil and should be punished accordingly."
Zhao Yun nodded, "No, I've wanted to divorce him for a long time, but I've been putting up with it for the sake of the child. Now he's reaping what he sowed. I'll go back and divorce him. From now on, his life and death will have nothing to do with me."
Zhao Yun left, head held high, completely unconcerned about the stares and whispers of the crowd.
Her character earned the admiration of almost everyone present.
"I don't know how she could have fallen for someone like Liu Deshui."
Lin Jing's mutterings were overheard by the village head, who chimed in, "She was forced back then too. Liu Deshui ruined half of this child's life."
As soon as the village head said this, everyone's admiration turned into sympathy.
"Forget it, those things aren't our business," the village head said to the village chief. "We need to be more wary of strangers in the future, so the village doesn't get ruined by outsiders!"
"Yes, yes." The village chief nodded repeatedly.
The village head patted Lin Qing'an on the shoulder and comforted him, "Qing-ge'er, don't be too sad. What's done is done, and life goes on. Now that you have the money, just rebuild. Try to think more positively."
Lin Qingan nodded, bowed to the village head, and said gratefully, "Thank you, village head. I will definitely live a good life!"
The village head nodded happily, and then said goodbye to the two of them.
"Now that things are settled, I should head back."
"Uncle Village Head," Chen Gengnian suddenly spoke up, "Come to my house for a meal!"
The village head glanced at Chen Gengnian and saw that he seemed to have something to say. After thinking for a moment, he followed Lin Qingan and Chen Gengnian.
The village chief declined Lin Qing'an and Chen Gengnian's invitation. He knew that Chen Gengnian had a close relationship with the village head, so he couldn't get involved in certain matters.
After walking for a while, seeing that there was no one around, the village head stopped and asked directly.
"Just say what's on your mind here. It's getting late, and your aunt and sister will worry if you go back too late."
Upon hearing this, Chen Gengnian and Lin Qing'an naturally couldn't stay any longer. After patting Lin Qing'an's hand, Chen Gengnian got straight to the point and said, "Uncle Village Head, Qing'an and I have something we need your help with."
The village headman saw that he and Lin Qing'an were about to bow, so he grabbed them and said, "Hey, stop with the beating around the bush, just tell me already."
Chen Gengnian then spoke up, "Ayan isn't attending school in Liujia Village anymore. Aqing and I want him to go to school in town, so..."
"OK."
Before Chen Gengnian could even finish speaking, the village headman readily agreed.
"I'll go back and say hello to him. He can stay at my house from now on. You can come and pick him up when the academy is on holiday."
"This is not right."
Lin Qing'an wanted to speak again, but the village head raised his hand to interrupt him, "If you don't like it, then give me the rent, consider it renting it to him."
"Ten coins a month, room and board included. We'll eat whatever he eats. That's settled."
After the village head finished speaking, he waved his hand and said, "Alright, I'll send someone to inform you once I've taken care of everything. It'll be over in the next couple of days, so you can prepare yourselves."
"I'm leaving." He said, then turned and walked toward the carriage that had been waiting nearby.
From beginning to end, Lin Qingan and Chen Gengnian listened passively.
As they watched the village head's departing figure, they were all filled with gratitude.
Lin Qingan knew that although the other party's affection for Chen Gengnian extended to Chen Gengnian, he was genuinely grateful to this kind person and would definitely repay him properly in the future.
Of course, all of this was made easier because of Chen Gengnian's situation.
So he continued to thank Chen Gengnian with the thanks he hadn't had time to say to the village head.
"Brother Nian, thank you!"
Lin Qing'an spoke earnestly, his dark eyes gleaming with affection in the moonlight, making Chen Gengnian's Adam's apple tighten.
He raised his hand and gently tapped Lin Qing'an's head as if to cover up his mistake, "You are my husband, I am your man, we are family, why thank me!"
Without waiting for Lin Qing'an's rebuttal, she called out to Lin Jing and then led Lin Qing'an home by the back.
The moonlight was bright, illuminating half of Linjia Village. The three of them walked home under the moonlight. Lin Qing'an stared at Chen Gengnian's profile for a long, long time, and his heart pounded uncontrollably for a long time.
Even though he had never been in a relationship before and had never been attracted to anyone, at this moment, he knew that he had fallen in love with the person in front of him, the person who would always stand by his side to protect him.
Lin Jing walked ahead, quietly telling Chen Gengnian about her journey to Liujia Village to find Zhao Yun. Lin Qing'an and Chen Gengnian walked behind, with Chen Gengnian watching Lin Qing'an's steps as he spoke, and proactively stepping to block the path where there were stones.
Lin Qing'an saw everything, and his heart felt a ticklish sensation as the little feather tickled him.
He rubbed his hands on his clothes, then looked at his shadow on the ground and took Chen Gengnian's hand.
Chen Gengnian paused slightly, then tightly grasped that delicate hand, and his voice rose with joy as he spoke to Lin Jing.
When he turned his head to look at Lin Qing'an, he met her smiling eyes. He glanced at her briefly and then quickly looked away.
In the boundless night, his wheat-colored skin quietly blushed.
"Brother Nian?" Lin Jing didn't get a reply, so she tentatively called out to someone from the front.
Chen Gengnian immediately realized what was happening and quickly replied.
"Hmm? Oh, right..."
Seeing his shy expression, Lin Qing'an chuckled and tickled Chen Gengnian's palm.
Chen Gengnian gripped his hand tighter, the sweat on his palms sticky and making it hard to tell whose it was.
After waiting all day, Chen Yuetao, Lin Yanfeng, and the others finally saw the person they were waiting for.
Everyone sat around the table to eat, and Lin Jing acted as the narrator, explaining everything that had happened that day.
Lin Yanfeng's emotions shifted from anger to helplessness.
He was a scholar, and he understood many principles more thoroughly than others. His hatred was truly ruthless, but his helplessness was also truly helpless.
Now that things have been resolved, all he wants is to live a peaceful life.
When it came to going to school in town, Lin Yanfeng didn't object at all. Instead, he stood up and bowed to Chen Gengnian and Lin Qingan to express his gratitude.
He reiterated, "If I become successful in the future, I will never forget the support my brother and brother-in-law have given me today."
Later, when the topic of building a house came up again, Lin Yanfeng had a different opinion.
He said, "Brother, don't rush to build the houses downstairs. Keep this money for now, if possible..."
Lin Yanfeng paused, looked at Chen Gengnian and Chen Yuetao, and spoke somewhat embarrassedly.
"If possible, could you please expand your house, Auntie? I'd like to live with you and Abao."
Lin Qingan was surprised that Lin Yanfeng would bring this up first. He had had this idea for a long time, but he didn't expect it to be brought up in this way today.
"Auntie couldn't be happier, children." Chen Yuetao's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She sniffed and covered her eyes, saying, "In my heart, I consider you all my own children. Of course, why wouldn't I..."
Lin Yanfeng thanked Chen Yuetao again, then looked at Lin Qing'an and asked, "Brother, is it alright?"
Lin Qing'an stared at Lin Yanfeng for a long time before finally asking, "Are you really sure about this?"
Lin Yanfeng nodded without hesitation, "Yes, I've thought it through. So many things have happened in my family, and I admit I'm not brave enough to accept it so quickly. So, brother, please promise me. We've lost our parents, and we're family with Auntie. A family should live together."
Lin Qing'an tried to find something else in Lin Yanfeng's eyes, but after looking again and again, he still couldn't see any other meaning. So he turned to Chen Gengnian and asked, "Brother Nian, what do you think?"
"I'll do whatever you say," Chen Gengnian said.
"Hahaha~" Lin Jing suddenly burst into laughter, teasing Chen Gengnian, "Brother Nian is truly a good man, so devoted to A Qing!"
Lin Jing's liveliness instantly changed the heavy atmosphere.
Lin Qingan smiled and said to Lin Yanfeng, "Okay! Then let's expand this area. Whenever you want to build, we'll build it right away!"
Everything was agreed upon, and everyone chatted and laughed at the dinner table.
Since Chen Gengnian's house only had three rooms—two bedrooms and one main room—Lin Jing wanted to take Lin Yanfeng and Abao to stay at her house for two nights, since Lin Yanfeng was going to town in a few days anyway.
However, Chen Gengnian refused.
He found an old bed on the floor where clutter was piled up. Then Lin Qing'an and Chen Yuetao cleared out a corner of the main room to put the bed there. They then found some wooden stakes and tied them to the four legs of the bed. Finally, Chen Yuetao found some old cloth to cover the bed.
After a flurry of activity, the beds for Lin Yanfeng and A Bao were finally ready.
Lin Qingan felt that the cloth resembled a modern mosquito net, which could both keep out mosquitoes and provide him with a good private space.
Chen Yuetao patted Lin Yanfeng and Abao, and said with heartache, "I'm sorry to have wronged you."
Ah Bao went over, lifted the curtain, sat on the bed, and said happily, "I'm not wronged at all, Auntie. I love it! I used to sleep in a doghouse. I never thought I'd have my own bed one day."
Upon hearing A Bao's words, Chen Yuetao's nose stung even more.
Lin Yanfeng smiled and said, "I really like the kind of old lady who isn't upset."
Seeing that the two children had no objections, Lin Jing waved goodbye to everyone.
It was already quite late. Although Lin Jing's house was the first house at the entrance of the village, Lin Qing'an was still a little worried. Just as he was about to ask Chen Gengnian to take the person away, he heard Chen Gengnian call out "Baifu".
Baifu wagged its tail and ran over.
Chen Gengnian ordered, "Take your sister Jing home."
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