While a group of people were rejoicing over the bountiful cotton harvest, one family at the foot of the barren mountain was filled with sorrow.
They were the Zhao family who moved here two years ago. The Zhao family used to be in business, but they went bankrupt in the neighboring Yanzhou, so they moved here to an unfamiliar village to escape their creditors.
They used to be wealthy, so they didn't really look up to the other villagers in Linjia Village, and naturally they didn't know the identity of the old lady Gongsun who suddenly appeared.
They didn't believe it from the beginning, so naturally they wouldn't move there together. However, when most of Linjia Village was empty, these people started to have some doubts.
There are only two households left in the whole village, so if anyone tries to steal chickens or dogs, no one can be relied on.
After much deliberation, they finally approached Grandma Lin and Grandpa Lin.
Neither Mrs. Lin nor Mr. Lin liked this family very much. When they saw the group of people coming to their door, they slammed the wooden door shut and rolled their eyes at the sky.
"Now you regret it, what were you doing before?" Old Master Lin said in a deep voice.
“Your family didn’t move to the barren mountains either, so what’s there to be proud of?” Zhao’s wife shouted back in a loud voice.
"How can you compare to us? Our eldest son and grandson are both studying in the county town. They're going to become scholars or even imperial scholars in the future. When that happens, he'll bring us two old folks to live in the county town. Our lives will be very comfortable then!" Old Mrs. Lin said proudly.
The eldest son of the Lin family is the two old people's favorite child, and they are very proud of him!
Upon hearing this, the Zhao family woman opposite him looked strange.
"You're counting on Boss Lin?"
Even they, who had only moved here two years ago, knew very well what kind of person the eldest son of the Zhao family was.
For so many years, that guy has been studying in the county town and has hardly ever come back, let alone helped out at home.
Each time, the two old men would have Lin Lao Er and Lin Lao Da carry large and small bags of things to the county town to deliver grain and money.
As long as the food and money are in place, that guy rarely comes back for the New Year. Moreover, the eldest son of the Lin family has been married for so long, and they have never even met his wife. She has never shown her face from beginning to end. Is this the kind of person who treats the two elders well?
"What's wrong with our eldest son? He's very filial. I think you're just jealous that we can live in the county town in the future!" Old Master Lin was also furious. What kind of expressions did this family have?
Their eldest son's word is law, how could it be false?
He said that this was his own son, so how could the eldest son not care about him?
"Alright, alright, then you all just wait!" Madam Zhao also left with the other children.
Not long after, news came from the Zhao family that they had hired a donkey cart and moved the whole family to the county town before nightfall.
"Grandpa, take a look. They seem to be heading towards the county town." Grandma Lin peered out the window, her heart pounding with anxiety.
Are the Zhao family really that wealthy? They actually went to the county town just like that!
"Let them go if they want to. They won't have much money then, let's see how they live!" Old Master Lin snorted coldly.
Over the years, how much money have they spent supporting their eldest son's education? Doesn't the old man know?
Having a scholar in the family is like having a bottomless pit, let alone living in a county town.
“You’re right, we’ll have plenty of good days ahead of us, there’s no need to envy them!” Grandma Lin breathed a sigh of relief, but she didn’t get to relax for long because she was doing all the housework, big and small, and she was already exhausted with a sore back and neck.
"These damned bastards either bully us old folks or just run away. How are we going to manage the household chores now?"
Now, only Grandpa Lin, Grandma Lin, and their grandson remain in the Lin family.
Lin Anniang is so strong, they don't dare to go find someone to help her!
Wu Cuiying simply ran away, and Lin Erluo is still searching for her, leaving all the housework to them.
Many people who ordered furniture did not receive it on time, and all those people came to their door, causing the elderly couple to lose a lot of money.
Their grandson was constantly crying out for food, and they couldn't bear to let him go hungry, so they had to cook for him every day and take care of all the chores themselves.
"No, this absolutely cannot go on. It's winter now, and the work here isn't so busy. What will we do next spring and autumn?" The more Old Mrs. Lin thought about it, the more distressed she became.
"Then what else do you think we can do? Are we going to call the eldest son back? That won't do. Our family's honor depends on the eldest son!" Old Master Lin was absolutely against it.
"Who says the county town only has the eldest son? Doesn't it also have the eldest son's wife and granddaughter?"
“They spend all day in the county town with nothing to do, so what’s wrong with them coming back to do some chores? Besides, Xiaolian always says she feels sorry for us, and that even though her mother lives in the county town, she always thinks about us. Since they both feel sorry for us, let them cook!”
Although both sons and grandsons are equally loved, for both of them, their eldest son and grandson are still the most important.
"You're right. Besides, what little girl doesn't do chores and cook? It's just that the third son's wife is being pretentious, making her two children learn to read with the scholar!"
Old Master Lin looked displeased.
The other person is supposed to be a scholar, how come he's even teaching a little girl? He might be a fake!
In the valley, Le Bai sneezed.
"What's wrong?" a villager asked with concern.
Le Bai shook his head; he had a feeling that someone was cursing him!
A desolate county.
Lin Lian was also discussing with her mother that their family didn't have much money left, and she had used it all to make soap.
She always felt that she was just one step away from making real soap.
"Mother, how about I go to Linjia Village and try to get some money?"
Lin Lian was unwilling to give up so easily.
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