GD (QT) Chapter 17

That very evening, Lin Yu finally drank the ginseng chicken soup his daughter had made.

The ginseng had been sent by the clan elder, the chicken by the village head. Once stewed together, the aroma filled the air.

Lin Zhao refused to eat it all by herself. She first ladled out a big bowl for her father and each of her sisters. “There’s so much—I can’t finish it all. Let’s eat together. Otherwise, I won’t eat any.”

“Then we’ll drink it together,” Lin Yu said.

After taking a sip of the soup, he smiled. “From now on, stew a chicken every three days and add one slice of ginseng. Drink it for three months, and your body will be fully recovered.”

Lin Zhao was deeply moved, but still couldn’t help saying, “That’s too much. I’m already feeling better.”

“You’re still too thin,” Lin Yu said, dissatisfied. She still looked sallow and frail.

Her body had been depleted for years, and after giving birth without proper recovery, how could she heal so easily?

Though her complexion had improved a little after resting at home for a few days, Doctor Wang had privately told him that Lin Zhao’s condition was severely depleted and would need at least a year of careful nourishment—otherwise, her lifespan would be affected.

The little girl stared longingly at the ginseng chicken soup, but she was too young. Afraid she couldn’t handle the medicinal strength, Lin Yu didn’t let her drink it.

Instead, he put meat into her bowl. Big chunks of braised pork—mostly fat with a little lean—glistening red and oily, perfect over rice.

The little girl didn’t need anyone to feed her. She held her bowl and spoon steadily by herself, eating neatly without dropping a single grain of rice.

“Xiaohua eats so well,” Lin Pan praised. “The kid next door is three years older than her and still needs to be fed.”

Lin Lai nodded repeatedly. “Our Xiaohua is smart, obedient, and pretty too.”

The praise from her aunts made the little girl’s cheeks flush red. She tilted her head up and said, “Aunties pretty. Mama pretty. Grandpa pretty.”

Everyone at the table burst out laughing.

Lin Zhao stroked her daughter’s hair, her heart aching. She knew Xiaohua had gone hungry and cold since she was little, so she always ate with intense focus, afraid of missing even a single grain of rice.

Back at the Sun family’s house, there was endless work to do. Xiaohua had been weaned at six months and survived only on thin rice water.

At two years old, she still couldn’t walk steadily and spoke haltingly. Because she was always underfed and skinny, Lin Zhao constantly feared her child wouldn’t survive.

But now things were different.

Xiaohua wore new clothes and ate her fill every day. Every meal included steamed egg custard, and she could even eat meat.

It hadn’t been long at all, yet Xiaohua had grown taller. Not only did she walk steadily now, she could talk clearly, and her little face finally had some color.

Lin Zhao was overjoyed. Her daughter wasn’t slow at all—it was she, as a mother, who had been useless and let Xiaohua suffer so much.

Seeing her eyes redden, Lin Pan and Lin Lai knew she must be thinking of the Sun family again.

“Eldest Sister, eat a drumstick,” Lin Pan said, placing one into her bowl.

Lin Lai ladled another bowl of soup for her and added, “Let’s not think about unhappy things. Living well in the present is what matters most.”

Lin Zhao sniffed and lowered her head to drink the soup. It was delicious.

After the family finished eating, Lin Yu continued sorting things in the courtyard.

The three daughters sat nearby sewing padded clothes, hoping to finish them before the weather turned cold.

The little girl had her first toy in her life and was happily playing with a spinning top in the yard.

When Lin Guangzong and Lin Yaozu arrived, this was the warm, harmonious scene they saw.

Lin Yaozu curled his lips. His grandmother and father were at home worrying so much they couldn’t eat, yet Second Uncle’s family was laughing and cheerful—how unfilial.

Lin Guangzong tugged at his younger brother, signaling him to rein it in.

Second Uncle wasn’t the same as before, and they had come to ask for something. They had to lower their heads, at least a little.

“Second Uncle, have you eaten?” he asked.

Lin Yu looked up. Two cheap nephews stood at the gate.

This was the first time he’d seen Guangzong and Yaozu since transmigrating, and yet he already felt disgust.

Though the two nephews hadn’t directly bullied Lin Yu’s three daughters, it was a fact that they had shamelessly used their cousins’ bride-price money to study.

Lin Yu said coolly, “What are you doing here? The two families have severed ties. Didn’t Lin Da tell you?”

The blunt words made both brothers’ expressions change.

Lin Yaozu couldn’t help retorting, “Second Uncle, you’ve changed. You used to be the most filial. Now, just because of a marriage matter, you argue with Grandma—are you really going to disown your own mother?”

Though Lin Guangzong didn’t speak, he clearly agreed.

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Lin Lai stood up angrily, hands on her hips. “My dad is still your elder! You call him unfilial—why don’t you look at whether you are filial? And you call yourselves scholars? I say all your learning has gone straight into a dog’s belly!”

Now that she had her father backing her up, Lin Lai wasn’t afraid of these two blockheads.

Lin Guangzong frowned. “Second Uncle, Laidi is a young woman. Pointing at our noses and cursing us—what kind of conduct is that? If word gets out, who would dare marry her?”

Lin Yu slowly raised his head and nodded. “A-Lai, a gentleman uses words, not force. You’re not a gentleman—just grab a broom and drive them out. No need to waste breath on them.”

Lin Lai’s eyes lit up. She grabbed a broom and swept it toward the brothers. “Dad’s right! I’m a woman, and the two families have cut ties. Hurry up and leave!”

The brothers were startled and retreated outside the gate.

Just as Lin Lai was about to shut the door, they hurriedly blocked it. “Second Uncle, we’re here to discuss something important. Please listen before deciding.”

Seeing that Lin Lai didn’t have the strength to push back two grown men, Lin Yu went over to help.

With one strong shove, the door panel slammed straight into their faces. Blood instantly flowed from their noses.

Lin Yaozu clutched his nose, screamed, and fell to the ground.

Lin Guangzong hurriedly supported him and shouted, “Second Uncle! Even if you don’t agree, you can’t hit people! Yaozu is still your own nephew!”

Lin Yu remained unmoved and went back to sitting down, continuing to sort the items in his hands.

Lin Lai peeked through the crack in the door and was startled at the sight of Yaozu’s blood-covered face. “Dad, he’s bleeding.”

“It’s just a nosebleed. It’ll stop soon,” Lin Yu said without looking up.

Lin Pan was also worried. “Dad, will this really be okay?”

Lin Zhao frowned even more. “Guangzong and Yaozu are still the Lin family’s male heirs. Is it really fine to drive them off like this? I’m afraid the villagers will gossip.”

“Other people’s mouths belong to them,” Lin Yu replied. “They can say whatever they want—we can’t control it.”

Seeing their worried expressions, he looked up and reassured them. “Just watch. They’ll slink away soon enough. None of the neighbors will speak up for them.”

The three daughters exchanged looks.

After a while, the noise outside gradually died down. Even the earlier wailing and crying stopped.

Lin Lai peeked out again. “They really left.”

She opened the door and stuck her head out, only to see the neighbor next door craning their neck to look over.

When they saw her come out, they instinctively withdrew, then peeked again. “A-Lai, your two cousins left cursing under their breath. They probably saw your family rising and came to cling to you. They definitely didn’t come with good intentions.”

Lin Lai was surprised. This was completely different from what she’d expected.

After closing the door and returning inside, she said hesitantly, “Dad, in the past when we argued with Uncle’s family, everyone sided with them. This time, even though Cousin was bleeding, the neighbor still said they had bad intentions.”

Lin Yu asked, “What do you think the reason is?”

The three girls fell silent.

After a moment, Lin Zhao spoke up. “They know Dad has won the favor of officials and don’t want to offend our family.”

Lin Yu nodded approvingly. “Exactly. Straight to the point.”

Lin Pan thought about it and added, “I think the villagers actually know Grandma’s and Uncle’s family’s true nature. They know how much our family has suffered over the years.”

“In the past, Dad didn’t argue back, and Grandma and Aunt were fierce. Whenever villagers spoke up for us, they’d get cursed at. Over time, everyone just stopped helping us and sided with them instead.”

Though Lin Pan was young, she saw things clearly.

Lin Lai suddenly understood. “Now it’s different. Dad no longer listens to Grandma, we’ve cut ties, and even the clan elder and village head are on our side. Of course everyone won’t help them anymore.”

Lin Yu felt they were quite teachable and praised them. “You’re all very sharp. That’s exactly how it works.”

“At the root of it, our family now has backing and stands firm. After weighing the pros and cons, the villagers chose to stand with us.”

“People are like that—bully the weak and fear the strong.”

The three daughters grew thoughtful.

After a while, Lin Lai asked, “Dad, what if they come back again?”

“Others are one thing,” Lin Zhao said worriedly, “but I’m afraid Grandma might come to find you. After all, she’s an elder.”

A mother beating or even killing her child might not even pay with her life. If Lin Old Madam truly went to accuse her father of unfilial conduct, what would happen then?

Lin Yu smiled faintly. “With Guangzong and Yaozu around, she won’t dare go too far.”

Those two grandsons were Lin Old Madam’s lifeline. For their future, she was even more afraid than him of making trouble at the yamen.

Only then did the three sisters relax.

Lin Yu looked at his eldest daughter. “A-Zhao, since those two came knocking, it means the news of the Prefect’s gifts has already spread.”

Lin Zhao was puzzled and didn’t quite understand his meaning.

“The Sun family will hear the news sooner or later,” Lin Yu continued. “When that happens, they’ll definitely make Sun Erniu come kneel and apologize, begging you to go back.”

Lin Zhao’s heart jolted. She instinctively pulled her daughter into her arms.

The little girl didn’t understand her mother’s worry and wriggled, wanting to go down and play with her spinning top.

Lin Zhao lowered her head evasively. “They won’t. They’d probably be happier if I didn’t go back—fewer mouths to feed.”

“No. They will come,” Lin Yu said firmly, not letting her avoid the topic. “If our family were down and out, the Sun family would be eager to cut ties. But now that we’re rising, they’ll definitely cling to us.”

“Just wait. Soonest tomorrow, latest three days—the Sun family will come knocking.”

He looked straight at her and asked, “When that time comes, have you decided whether you want to go back?”

When her father first brought her home, Lin Zhao had been anxious day and night, afraid the Sun family would harden their hearts and divorce her.

But as time passed, she realized how good life at home was—full meals, warm clothes, even ginseng chicken soup.

Such a life was beyond anything she’d ever dared imagine.

But if she didn’t go back, what then? She was already married—she belonged to the Sun family.

Sun Erniu was Xiaohua’s biological father. If she didn’t return, what would happen to her daughter?

Lin Zhao struggled inwardly and could only lower her head. “I… I don’t know.”

Lin Yu sighed softly in his heart and comforted her. “If you haven’t decided yet, don’t rush back. Stay here and think it through slowly. When you’ve made up your mind, it won’t be too late to decide.”

Lin Zhao hugged Xiaohua tightly, her heart filled with uncertainty.