Chapter 68 How much money did you receive? Lin Qing…
Lin Qing'an and the others sat down on the stone benches in the courtyard and looked around the entire courtyard.
The courtyard, with its three rooms, is quite large.
Seeing Lin Yongwu striding over in a huff, Lin Qing'an slowly said, "Oh~ As expected, selling your daughter makes you rich, able to rent such a big courtyard."
Lin Yongwu was already annoyed by their rude intrusion, and now, hearing Lin Qing'an's words, his temper flared up instantly. He strode over and roared, "What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Isn't that right?" Lin Yanfeng's eyes sharpened as he questioned Lin Yongwu before Lin Qing'an and the others could speak. "Wasn't Lin Pan'er sold off by you?"
"You!" Lin Yongwu's eyes darted around as he pointed a finger directly at Lin Yanfeng. Chen Gengnian stepped forward and slapped his hand away. After being warned by the look, Lin Yongwu guiltily took two steps back, feigning anger as he said, "What do you know, you brat? What do you mean by 'selling'? It's about finding Pan'er a good family. She'll enjoy a life of luxury from now on. Is that selling? What parent doesn't want their child to live a life free from worries about food and clothing?"
Lin Yongwu spoke with great enthusiasm, spitting as he tried to explain, his voice loud enough to wake Zhang Cuiping, who was sound asleep.
"Whether she sold him or not, just ask Lin Pan'er." Lin Qing'an glanced at the crack in the door of the room next door and met Lin Pan'er's timid eyes. Lin Qing'an sneered, "If Lin Pan'er says she doesn't want to, then you are human traffickers!"
The powerful voice echoed in the courtyard for a long time, and the moment Zhang Cuiping rushed out of the house, Lin Pan'er also rushed out.
"I don't..."
"Lin Qingan, are you ever going to stop?!"
Lin Pan'er's voice was completely drowned out by Zhang Cuiping's angry roar. Zhang Cuiping picked up a broom and was about to run over to chase Lin Qing'an, but after jogging over, she was blocked by Chen Gengnian.
Chen Gengnian looked at Zhang Cuiping with cold eyes, the fierceness and ruthlessness in his eyes causing the broom in his hand to fall limply in mid-air.
Seeing this, Lin Yongwu quickly went over and pulled Zhang Cuiping back. Naturally, they were afraid of Chen Gengnian.
Unable to gain the upper hand physically, Zhang Cuiping was naturally unwilling to suffer a verbal defeat, and after taking two steps back, she was about to start cursing.
But Lin Yanfeng didn't give her a chance to throw a tantrum. He stepped forward, showing no fear of Zhang Cuiping and Lin Yongwu's brashness, and looked at Lin Yongwu like a dignified adult, saying, "Although I have severed ties with you, I advise you to cut your losses in time, considering that you and my father are from the same lineage. Otherwise, when I have the ability in the future, I will definitely remove you from the family genealogy and nail you with the crime of selling your daughter for personal gain, so that you and your descendants will live with this crime."
Lin Yongwu didn't immediately refute, and his gaze wasn't as firm as it had been at the beginning. He knew Lin Yanfeng's usual grades; his little nephew might really be a good student, what if...
Seeing this, Lin Yanfeng thought he had a chance and continued to threaten, "I, Lin Yanfeng, never break my word. I do what I say. I don't think you want to bear such a crime, do you?"
Lin Yongwu didn't speak, but just stood there blankly as if he was seriously thinking about this matter.
At this moment, Zhang Cuiping panicked a bit when she saw this. She quickly shook Lin Yongwu and pulled him back several steps until they were some distance away from Lin Yanfeng and the others. Then she leaned over and whispered something in Lin Yongwu's ear.
Lin Pan'er stood not far away, thin and tired, looking utterly dejected. She had completely lost her former arrogance and domineering nature, as well as the liveliness and spirit that someone her age should have.
Although Zhang Cuiping's voice was a bit loud, Lin Qing'an still heard Lin Pan'er say "no." Lin Qing'an looked at Lin Pan'er from a distance, narrowed his eyes, and asked, "Lin Pan'er, I'll ask you one more time, was it your own choice or were you forced?"
Lin Pan'er and Lin Qing'an stared at each other for two seconds before looking away with trembling eyes. Their fingers kept rubbing the hem of their clothes, and their mouths opened and closed several times, but they still couldn't say anything.
Although Lin Qing'an's brows gradually furrowed, he could see what Lin Pan'er meant. After waiting for a few seconds without receiving a reply, Zhang Cuiping and Lin Yongwu, who had also discussed the matter, were overjoyed to see that Lin Pan'er was silent and smugly teased Lin Qing'an.
"What exactly do you want? It was you, Lin Qing'an, who proposed severing ties, and now you're interfering in my family affairs. Does that mean the whole world has to obey you, Lin Qing'an and Chen Gengnian?" Zhang Cuiping threw down the broom, hands on her hips, her rant growing increasingly heated. "Don't think you're so great just because you've made a little money. We don't care, and we won't beg at your doorstep. Don't think everyone is as vicious and despicable as you..."
"How much?" Lin Qing'an, too lazy to listen to her rambling, cut to the chase and asked, "How much did you get from the Liu family?"
Lin Yongwu, Zhang Cuiping, and Lin Pan'er were all stunned by his question. Two seconds later, Lin Yongwu was the first to react and shouted at the top of his lungs, "What money? We didn't take it!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Cuiping quickly chimed in, "That's right! What money did we receive? We said we weren't selling our daughter."
Lin Qingan, Chen Gengnian, and Lin Yanfeng exchanged glances, all somewhat bewildered. Based on Lin Yongwu's reaction earlier, this shouldn't have happened.
They initially thought they were worried about not being able to repay the money, but now it seems that's not the case. So what is it? They racked their brains but still couldn't figure it out.
Chen Gengnian tried to encourage Lin Pan'er to speak. He said to Lin Pan'er, "Lin Pan'er, don't be afraid. As long as you don't agree to this marriage, we will help you pay off this money. You are still young, so you need to think it through before making a decision."
Lin Pan'er looked over, then at Lin Qing'an, Lin Yanfeng, and Chen Gengnian, before finally fixing her gaze on her parents. Seeing their warning eyes, she shook her head helplessly. Just as Lin Qing'an thought she was unwilling, Lin Pan'er cried out in anguish:
"Enough!"
The childish voice didn't have much of a deterrent effect, but it was clear enough for everyone present to hear. Everyone was surprised that Lin Pan'er was the one to shout out the words of dissuasion first.
Everyone turned to look, and saw Lin Pan'er, her eyes red and choked with sobs, saying, "It was all my own choice, I'm willing to marry her!"
Lin Pan'er walked step by step towards Lin Qing'an and the others. Before they could react, she bowed deeply and then raised her teary eyes, sincerely saying, "Brother, Afeng, I'm sorry. I was immature before and did many things that hurt you. I don't ask for your forgiveness... Thank you for what happened today!"
After she finished speaking, she bowed twice more, then wiped away her tears and ran into the house.
"Have you given up now?"
Zhang Cuiping was so smug that she practically shrugged off. Lin Yongwu was about to speak to Lin Qing'an and the others, but before he could open his mouth, Lin Qing'an glared at him fiercely.
Lin Qing'an flicked his sleeves, threw down the words "ungrateful wretch," and turned to angrily leave the courtyard, calling out to Chen Gengnian and Lin Yanfeng.
Lin Yongwu watched as the person walked out completely before he quickly ran over and bolted the door.
When she returned, Zhang Cuiping had already stormed into Lin Pan'er's room.
"You brat, you better behave yourself. If you dare to cause trouble and ruin this marriage so your brother can only live in the countryside in the future, then I'll skin you alive and feed you to the wolves!"
Lin Pan'er's ear was tightly gripped by Zhang Cuiping, and she was in so much pain that tears streamed down her face, but she dared not make a sound.
Because her brother Lin Tianyou was still fast asleep, she knew that if she woke him up and made a fuss, she would only get beaten more severely, so she could only endure the pain without making a sound.
"Alright, alright." Lin Yongwu opened the door and poked his head in. He didn't even glance at Lin Pan'er, but looked at his son who was still snoring. He lowered his voice and reminded Zhang Cuiping, "What if you hurt that old man and he deducts your pay? It'll only be a couple of days, so you'll have to bear with it."
Zhang Cuiping, who had been blinded by anger, gradually calmed down after being reminded. Even after letting go, she was still not satisfied and slapped Lin Pan'er hard on the head, gritting her teeth and warning her again, "Don't try anything funny with me. Let me tell you, even if you die now, I will carry your body to the Liu family. You'd better think it over!"
After venting all the anger she had suffered in front of Lin Qing'an and the others, Zhang Cuiping swayed her hips and quietly walked out, closing the door behind her.
The room fell silent again. Lin Pan'er sat on the bed like a wooden doll, the bruises on her ears shining brightly in the sunlight streaming through the window, yet she seemed to feel no pain as she slumped helplessly in her seat.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but she stuffed a rusty pair of scissors under the mattress.
On the way home, Lin Qing'an and the others remained silent, and Lin Yanfeng felt particularly frustrated about everything that had happened that day.
Time quickly came to Lin Pan'er's wedding day. Lin Jing accompanied Liu Yiyi to the Liu family early in the morning. Her mother's condition had almost recovered. The Liu family was busy, and she was afraid of being called to work again, so she went to keep watch.
In the past few days, the First Madam had actually known about their comings and goings, but she was so angry at Master Liu's absurdity that she fell ill and could not get out of bed. After Chen Gengnian and Lin Jing accompanied her last time, the First Madam of the Liu family could not make things difficult for her even if she wanted to, since Liu Yiyi had her husband's family protecting her.
Liu Yiyi originally wanted to go alone, but Lin Qing'an was very worried, so he asked Lin Jing to accompany her.
Lin Yanfeng and Abao both had to go to school, but Lin Qing'an didn't agree to let Lin Yanfeng stay. There were some things that they couldn't interfere with, so he let him go to school to distract him.
He had been waiting near Lin Pan'er's house for a long time.
Chen Gengnian was naturally worried about leaving him alone, so Baiweifang was not open today, and the whole family was busy with their own things.
Having waited all morning without hearing any movement in the courtyard, Lin Yongwu did not tell anyone in Linjia Village. Apart from Lin Qing'an, even his own brother did not know that Lin Pan'er was getting married today.
The Liu family gave them quite a grand reception, complete with suona horns, a bridal sedan chair, and wedding attendants.
This is unprecedented.
Lin Pan'er, dressed in a bright red wedding gown, was led out by Zhang Cuiping. The veil was so long that it almost reached her belly, making her look clumsy and strange.
Lin Pan'er was already thin and short, and her bright red wedding dress made her look even smaller. When a gust of wind came, her frail body swayed precariously as her veil swayed.
The matchmaker took Lin Pan'er's hand from Zhang Cuiping and led her into the sedan chair. After everyone was seated, she closed the curtain, chanted auspicious words, and left with the sedan chair bearers.
The suona was playing loudly, but not many people were watching. Zhang Cuiping still pretended to cry, covering her face. Lin Yongwu, along with his wife and son, followed the sedan chair to the Liu family.
This is against the rules, but they are shameless.
Lin Qing'an and the others followed at a leisurely pace.
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