“Those clods of earth and tree branches can be sold for money? You’re kidding me! Even I wouldn’t believe it!” Xu Shi didn’t believe it at all.
I've never seen any family in the village sell medicinal herbs. You're just a brat, what do you know about these things? You think you can fool your old mother with the idea of selling medicinal herbs?
Do you think I'm stupid?
"If you're going to make a scene, at least look at your own money box first. You haven't even figured out what happened yet, and you've already accused me of something. I can't accept a mother like you!"
Lin casually tossed out a couple of words and went inside to rest.
Once the door is closed, the whole world suddenly becomes quiet.
Xu's cursing outside did not stop immediately, but the volume clearly decreased, and the cursing disappeared as she entered the main room.
She must be busy counting her secret stash of money.
"Whoa—"
Lin Momo plopped down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), let out a long sigh, and then sprawled out on the hard mattress in a "spread-eagle" position.
She'd really had enough of this chaotic life.
Fan Chongyang, when are you finally going to come back, you little scholar?
Once I return your money, I can leave this place of trouble without any worries.
So, you'd better come back right away.
*
In the small courtyard.
Seeing that her mother had calmed down, Lin Daya quickly returned to the kitchen and asked Lin Sanya to run to Zhang Erle's house to call Lin Zhiqiang back for dinner.
She herself quickly served the rice and set the table.
"Did Er Ya really sell the medicinal herbs?" Lin Musheng, who had been silent until now, suddenly turned around and asked.
Lin Daya, who was scooping porridge in front of the stove, paused for a moment, looked up at her father on the kang (a heated brick bed), and honestly said, "Yes, that's what Er Ya just said."
"They didn't say how much it sold for?"
"She didn't say. But as soon as she got the money from the sale, she paid the person back and bought herself a set of thick clothes."
Lin Daya felt she should tell her father the truth, so he could be mentally prepared and avoid being led astray by her mother, who might think she was wasting money.
Seeing Lin Musheng continue weaving the basket with his head down, she reminded him, "Dad, Zhiqiang will be back soon and we can eat. You should rest for a while and continue weaving after you finish eating."
"Um."
He agreed verbally, but the slender bamboo strips continued to fly between his rough fingers.
*
A low dining table was set up in the kitchen.
The head of the household, Lin Musheng, couldn't be placed on the kang (heated brick bed) and had to eat separately.
The rest of the people went to the table.
Lin Momo had no appetite and just wanted some thin porridge to quench her thirst.
Lin Sanya seemed very happy, somewhat flattered.
The two sisters, who were not usually allowed to sit at the table, were now benefiting from Lin Daya's marriage.
Because Madam Xu and her son wanted to eat alone, Lin Musheng, as the head of the family, ate with them and Madam Xu dared not object. However, the girls, who were at the bottom of the family's food chain, were not qualified to eat at the same table with them.
Even though we're sitting at the same table now, everyone gets different food.
The three people still got the best food: white flour buns and thick rice porridge; the three sisters only got to eat black flour buns mixed with wheat bran and thin porridge with little water.
The autumn harvest had just ended, and after paying the autumn tax, the family still had enough grain left, but the three sisters still couldn't get a single white flour bun or a bowl of thick porridge.
Xu Zhiqiang was still not satisfied. He grumbled that the pickled vegetables with rice weren't tasty and wanted to order more dishes.
"Mom, we eat this dish every day. It's so sour and makes me feel weak all over. I don't care, I want scrambled eggs!"
After returning from the Zhang family, Lin Zhiqiang seemed rather irritable. He must have experienced some kind of trauma outside, as he didn't even notice that Lin Momo had changed her clothes.
Only Lin Sanya, filled with envy, would occasionally steal a glance at her second sister's new clothes.
"Alright, alright, I'll fry some for you right away." Xu coaxed him patiently, then turned to Lin Momo and instructed, "Er Ya, aren't you going to fry some eggs for your brother?"
She thought to herself, "Don't think that just because you didn't steal my money you can get away with this. I'll settle the score with you properly after I've filled my stomach."
At the dinner table, Xu wanted to make a scene about Lin Momo "not handing over her earnings to the public but using them to buy clothes," but as soon as she opened her mouth, she was immediately and ruthlessly suppressed by the man on the kang (heated brick bed).
"Mom, let me cook it." Lin Daya quickly put down her bowl and took on the task herself.
"What are you cooking for? If you can eat it, eat it; if you can't, get out!"
Lin Musheng suddenly roared angrily.
He thought to himself, "I'm still eating pickled vegetables, and you, you lazy bum, are always loafing around and never home. You want to eat scrambled eggs? Dream on!"
This was the second time he had lost his temper during this meal.
This illness made Lin Musheng even more disappointed in the mother and son, and he no longer intended to indulge them.
On this day, the anger in Xu's heart ultimately did not erupt.
Lin Momo narrowly escaped a disaster.
*
In the pitch-black night.
On the earthen kang (heated brick bed), the three Lin sisters huddled together, whispering to each other.
"You're really lucky, even your father is on your side now. If it weren't for your father keeping an eye on you today, your mother definitely wouldn't have let you off so easily. You'd better be careful in the future, don't cause trouble all the time, your mother isn't a good-tempered person. I'm going back to my husband's family tomorrow, so I can't cover for you anymore, so you'd better behave yourself."
Thinking about what happened today, Lin Daya still felt quite frightened. She didn't know how her second sister suddenly had the audacity to provoke her mother.
She wasn't like this before!
How come things changed so quickly after her eldest sister got married? Not only did Er Ya develop a temper, but her grandfather and father also treated her differently.
Her grandfather made it very clear how much he valued Er Ya.
But her father protected her without making a sound.
Even Lin Daya couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Er Ya has really grown up to be capable."
But she also noticed that the more capable Er Ya was, the less her mother liked her, and she would find fault with her in every way.
If Er Ya doesn't behave herself in the future, her life will be even more difficult under her mother's control.
Lin Momo, on the other hand, didn't seem to care and replied absentmindedly, "I know what I'm doing."
Hearing Lin Daya say that she would be going back to her husband's family tomorrow, she suddenly remembered that she still had something to tell her eldest sister, so she quickly changed the subject: "Our grandfather said that tomorrow he will have my eldest brother drive the mule cart to take you back to your husband's family, and that you should pack your things and wait at home. Have you packed your things, eldest sister?"
"What's there to tidy up?"
I hadn't planned to stay, and apart from a few gifts for visiting someone in the hospital, I didn't even bring a change of clothes. Luckily, I changed into clean clothes before leaving home, so I can make do for a few more days.
Logically, after receiving gifts from the in-laws, one should return one or two items, but the pheasant they brought was stewed on the same day, and the twenty eggs have been mostly eaten up in the past few days.
The three steamed buns, each the size of a bowl, had long been eaten by my parents and younger brother.
There's only one pound of mung beans left.
Once something is inside the house, her mother definitely won't let her take it back.
When she returned to her parents' home after her wedding, her mother didn't prepare any return gifts, so Lin Daya had even less hope that her mother would let her bring anything back this time.
Then what's the point of cleaning up?
It's fine as long as the person goes back empty-handed.
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