GD (QT) Chapter 25

The copper coins were cool to the touch, but they felt like burning coals in Lin Zhao’s palm. She instinctively tried to pull her hand back.

“Father, you bought the needles, thread, and silk. You should keep this money; don’t give it to me.”

She thought to herself that she and her daughter were already living off her father’s resources. Although her father and sisters didn’t mind, she felt guilty. Furthermore, in most families, a daughter gave her earnings to her parents; if she were married, she’d give them to her in-laws or husband. Keeping any “pocket money” for oneself was rare. Her own embroidery teacher, for instance, had to hand over every penny she earned to her mother-in-law.

Lin Yu held her hand firmly and hung the string of coins over her fingers. “This is money you earned with your own skill. It rightfully belongs to you.”

The coins felt heavy in her hand. Lin Zhao bit her lip. “But…”

Lin Yu smiled. “A-Zhao, in just two short months, you’ve managed to earn money with your own needlework. I feel very proud.”

The word “proud” struck Lin Zhao’s heart, weighing even more than the copper coins.

Lin Yu continued, “You are a capable woman. In the future, even if I am no longer around, you can support yourself with your craft. You’ll never have to fear having nowhere to go.”

“Father…”

Lin Zhao’s eyes reddened. An indescribable feeling washed over her—it was as if she had been walking down a pitch-black alley and finally caught a glimpse of light.

Lin Yu didn’t say anything more. He simply patted her shoulder. “From now on, the money you earn is yours. I won’t interfere with how you spend or use it.”

Lin Zhao sniffed, her heart overflowing with gratitude. Soon, she tugged on his sleeve. “Father, is it really up to me how I spend this?”

“Naturally,” Lin Yu laughed.

Lin Zhao said, “Then I want to buy a few things. Father, please come with me.”

This was the first time his eldest daughter had made a request, so Lin Yu certainly wouldn’t refuse. He initially thought he had been careless and missed something she needed, but as they walked, he realized what she was doing.

Lin Zhao first went to a tavern to buy a flask of wine, then bought a bag of pine nut candy, and finally entered a shop to buy two silk flowers. These items weren’t expensive, but they used up every single copper she had just earned.

His daughter was so sensible it made Lin Yu’s heart ache with emotion. He couldn’t help asking, “Aren’t you going to buy anything for yourself?”

A rare, bright smile appeared on Lin Zhao’s face, and her usual worried expression vanished. “I live at home, I eat well and dress warmly. I lack for nothing.”

She lifted the wine flask. “Father, you used to enjoy a drink or two, but since I’ve been home, you haven’t had any. When we get back, I’ll cook a table of appetizers, and you can invite a few uncles over for a drink.”

Lin Yu laughed and agreed. “Very well. I’m finally enjoying the blessings of having a daughter.”

The two of them left the county seat in high spirits.

…

Back at the Lin house, Lin Pan and Lin Lai were doing chores and chatting with their little niece. Time passed quickly.

Lin Pan kept glancing outside. “I wonder if Eldest Sister’s embroidery sold.”

“Of course it did. She’s so good at it,” Lin Lai said confidently.

“Can sell!” Xiaohua shouted.

Lin Lai laughed and pinched the child’s cheek. “Look, even our Xiaohua says it can sell.”

“What does she know?” Lin Pan shook her head, looking out again. Suddenly, her face darkened. “What are you doing here?”

Standing at the gate with a fawning expression was Sun Erniu. He smiled sheepishly at his sisters-in-law. “Pandi, Laidi, I’ve come to take Zhaodi and the child back.”

“Who are you calling? The three of us changed our names long ago. Everyone knows, yet you don’t—it’s clear you don’t have my sister in your heart at all,” Lin Lai snorted.

Sun Erniu looked humiliated but refused to leave. He stared straight at the little girl. “Xiaohua, I’m your daddy. Come here and let me look at you. You… you seem to be doing okay.”

He had intended to say she looked thin or dark, but after three months, the girl had been raised by the Lins to be fair and plump. Sun Erniu felt a twinge of bitterness; she was his daughter, so he was glad she was healthy, but knowing they were living well here and refusing to come home made him feel resentful.

Xiaohua vaguely remembered him, but instead of going over, she buried her head in her Second Aunt’s arms.

“See? Xiaohua doesn’t want to go back with you,” Lin Lai barked.

Sun Erniu grew frantic. “Xiaohua is my biological daughter! You can’t keep her here by force. Xiaohua, come here now!”

Lin Pan lost her temper and sneered, “Now you know she’s your daughter? When Xiaohua was being bullied and mistreated at the Sun house, why didn’t you stand up for her then?”

Sun Erniu stammered, “My mother just has a bit of a temper. She didn’t mistreat Xiaohua; deep down, she likes her granddaughter. Otherwise, she would have drowned her at birth. How else could she have lived this long?”

This set Lin Lai off completely.

“Get out! Get out! So Xiaohua is supposed to thank your family for not drowning her?” Lin Lai grabbed a broom. “Leave now, or I won’t be polite!”

Sun Erniu was startled and wanted to retreat. But then he remembered his mother’s instructions before he left: if he couldn’t bring Xiaohua back, there wouldn’t even be a place for him to sit in the house. Besides, his mother was right—if Xiaohua went back, Zhaodi would follow sooner or later. If this continued, he’d lose his wife and child forever.

Sun Erniu gritted his teeth. “Pardon me!”

He rushed inside, intending to snatch the child.

“What are you doing?!” Lin Lai swung the broom to block him, but Sun Erniu used his brute strength to yank the broom away and toss it aside, reaching for Xiaohua.

Xiaohua screamed in terror. Lin Pan stood in front of her niece, shouting, “You dare steal the child? When my father gets back, he won’t let you off!”

Sun Erniu paused. He thought of Old Lady Sun’s words: once the child was hidden away, Zhaodi would have no choice but to return. She loved the child so much she would definitely compromise. Then he’d have his wife back, and if the Lin family felt bad for their daughter, they might even send money and goods, making his life better.

Hardening his heart, he reached out to shove Lin Pan aside.

Seeing things were going wrong, Lin Lai screamed toward the street: “Help! Someone is kidnapping a child! A human trafficker has come to our village to steal a child!”

The neighbors, hearing there was a “trafficker,” grabbed tools and rushed out. Seeing someone breaking into a house to snatch a child in broad daylight, they charged in and pinned him down.

Sun Erniu could only bully two young girls; against a crowd, he was immediately forced to the ground and beaten.

He wailed in explanation, “I’m not a trafficker! I’m Xiaohua’s father! I just want to take her home!”

The men beating him looked closer and recognized him. “It really is Sun Erniu.” They stopped, looking at Lin Lai reproachfully. “Laidi, how can you talk such nonsense? Isn’t this your brother-in-law?”

Lin Lai spat. ” I don’t have a brother-in-law like him.”

Lin Pan held the shivering Xiaohua, still shaken. “Even a brother-in-law shouldn’t come to snatch people, especially choosing a time when my father and sister are away. He clearly had ill intentions!”

“Uncles, please hold him. When my father gets back, he will certainly be grateful to you,” Lin Lai added quickly.

Realizing it was a family matter, the men began to regret getting involved. But comparing Lin Yu—who had been rewarded by the Prefect—to the useless Sun Erniu, they knew which side to pick.

…

When Lin Yu and Lin Zhao returned with their purchases, they immediately sensed something was wrong. A crowd was gathered at their gate.

Seeing them, someone explained, “Lin Er, you’re back! Hurry inside—your son-in-law came to snatch the child.”

Lin Yu’s heart skipped a beat, and he rushed inside. Lin Zhao was even faster. She burst in and saw her sisters protecting Xiaohua, whose face was pale with fright.

“Xiaohua, Mommy is here. Mommy’s here.” Lin Zhao scooped her daughter up.

Xiaohua, who had been holding back her tears, finally burst into loud wailing upon seeing her mother. Lin Zhao’s heart twisted. She held her daughter and whispered comfort until the girl finally calmed down. The little girl, her face flushed from crying, sniffled and said, “He’s bad.”

Lin Zhao turned her head and saw Sun Erniu, who was tied up and lying in the yard. He had been hit several times and was now bruised and swollen. He struggled and shouted, “Zhaodi! Untie me! I really know I was wrong! Every couple bickers; just come home with me and live a good life. I promise I won’t let you be bullied again.”

He cried so piteously that several neighboring women felt a stir of pity, thinking he seemed sincere. In the past, Lin Zhao might have been moved by his tears.

“Pah!”

Lin Zhao spat in Sun Erniu’s face, stepped forward, and slapped him. “Sun Erniu, you coward! You animal!”

The slap stunned him. He had never imagined that his soft-tempered wife, who never spoke back to a beating or a scolding, would actually hit him. The villagers were also shocked; among the three Lin daughters, Lin Zhaodi was known to be the most obedient.

Ignoring their gazes, Lin Zhao pointed at Sun Erniu’s nose and continued to curse: “You think I don’t know the Sun family’s rotten plan? You only came to get us because you saw my father has money and the Prefect’s favor!”

“Back when my family was struggling, you wouldn’t even let me visit during festivals for fear I’d give them something. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, you wouldn’t even give them a grain of rice! Now that my family is successful, you’re rushing here to take a share!”

“Because I refused to go back, you waited until my father and I were out to try and snatch Xiaohua. You planned to use the child to scare me into coming back, certain I wouldn’t leave her behind!”

“Sun Erniu, I’m telling you: unless I’m dead, I will never give Xiaohua to you!”

Tears fell from Lin Zhao’s eyes. “Neighbors, you don’t know how disgusting the Sun family is! I had to work in the fields right after giving birth to Xiaohua. Since the day she was born, not a single person in that house, from the oldest to the youngest, has ever lifted a finger to help.”

“Sun Erniu says sweet words, but he doesn’t care about us at all. He let that old woman treat us like dirt; he watched us suffer and pretended not to see!”

“During the New Year, I was so busy I couldn’t stop, and Xiaohua cried herself hoarse in the room. They just sat in the yard chatting and eating sunflower seeds, refusing to even look in on her!”

“The child couldn’t walk at two and could barely speak because she was starving at the Sun house! They wouldn’t give her food; I had to give her portions of my own!”

“If my father hadn’t come to take us back, we’d both be buried on the mountainside by now!”

Lin Zhao’s outburst vented years of suppressed agony. The more she spoke, the clearer her mind became. What kind of madness had possessed her to think she could ever go back to the Suns? A family like that would never treat her well. If she took Xiaohua back, they would be picked clean to the bone.

The villagers, who had initially thought Sun Erniu’s remorseful attitude was decent, immediately began whispering and pointing at him after hearing her story.

“The Sun family went too far!”

“I saw them when Lin Er brought them back—both mother and child were as thin as sticks. It took three months of effort to get them looking healthy.”

“Lin Er is willing to buy ginseng for his daughter; what does the Sun family have?”

“I wouldn’t go back either. Old Lady Sun’s cruelty is famous for miles.”

“Sun Erniu is a coward, watching his wife and child be bullied like that.”

“He’s not just a coward, he’s malicious—he actually tried to kidnap the child!”

Sun Erniu wished he could vanish into a hole in the ground. Now that his father-in-law was back, he knew he couldn’t take the child. He only wanted to leave. He shrunk his neck and said, “Zhaodi, I truly know I was wrong. I just missed the child and wanted to see her; I didn’t think it through.”

“Bullshit! If you just wanted to see her, why did you use force? I told you Dad and Sister weren’t home and to come back another day—why didn’t you listen?” Lin Lai shouted.

Lin Yu, seeing his eldest daughter’s transformation, felt a sense of relief. He spoke loudly to the crowd: “Neighbors, thank you for your help today. Once I’ve settled this matter, I will come to thank you properly.”

The people looking for a show knew they were being dismissed and left reluctantly.

Once it was just the family, Lin Yu asked, “A-Zhao, how do you want to handle this?”

Lin Zhao’s heart pounded. Sun Erniu, fearing another beating, cried and begged: “We’ve been married for years! One night as a couple brings a hundred nights of gratitude! Zhaodi, please forgive me this once! I promise I’ll be good to you! If I ever treat you badly again, let heaven strike me down!”

Lin Zhao gritted her teeth. “Father, I want to divorce him.”

As she said those words, a weight lifted from her entire body. Yes, divorce. After the divorce, she could live with her family forever. She didn’t plan to remarry; she would just focus on her needlework to earn money and raise Xiaohua. Staying with her family was far better than going back to the Suns, where they would eye every copper she earned. At least her father and sisters wouldn’t plot against her.

Sun Erniu was terrified. The last time she mentioned divorce, he knew she was just trying to scare him into yielding or becoming a matrilocal son-in-law. Back then, he had refused—what decent man becomes a matrilocal son-in-law? His parents had told him the Lins were just putting on an act to scare them. But this time, he saw finality in his wife’s eyes. She truly wanted a divorce.

“Zhaodi! Zhaodi, I was wrong! I truly didn’t realize Mother and Sister-in-law were being so excessive, making you do everything. I thought it was normal for women to work at home. Now I know! I won’t let them bully you! And Xiaohua is my daughter—she can’t grow up without a father! People will point at her!”

“I promise to listen to you in everything! If you want me to move in, I’ll move in! I’ll go wherever you say! Just forgive me this once!”

“Even if you don’t do it for yourself, think of Xiaohua! She’s so small; she needs a father!”

His words struck Lin Zhao’s heart, echoing her deepest fears.

“I don’t!” Xiaohua suddenly blurted out. She wiggled out of Lin Pan’s arms, ran over, and grabbed her mother’s hand. She looked up and said, “I only want Mommy.”

Lin Zhao burst into tears. Her daughter was so young, yet she knew she didn’t want her father—that showed exactly what kind of life she had lived with the Suns. How had she been so deluded as to have hope for Sun Erniu? If he truly had a heart, how could he have watched them suffer for over three years?

Holding her daughter close, Lin Zhao’s heart was finally set. “I am definitely getting a divorce. Xiaohua is staying with me; she will never go back to the Sun house with you. Since your family despises me so much, we will each go our own way from now on and never cross paths again.”

Sun Erniu panicked. “No, no, no! I won’t divorce! I will never agree!”

Lin Zhao frowned. She knew a divorce wasn’t easy; if he didn’t agree, she couldn’t legally leave him. Fear began to creep back into her heart, and she hugged her daughter tighter.

Lin Yu stepped forward. “A-Zhao, take Xiaohua inside and wash her face. Leave this to me.”

“Father, but I…”

“Trust me,” Lin Yu said reassurringly.

Lin Zhao suddenly lost her fear. Seeing her daughter’s tear-streaked face, she led her inside to clean up.

As his father-in-law approached, Sun Erniu began to tremble, fearing another beating. But to his surprise, Lin Yu didn’t hit him; instead, he untied the ropes.

Sun Erniu thought his father-in-law also opposed the divorce—after all, a divorce was bad for the family’s reputation and would make the younger sisters harder to marry. He regained a bit of confidence and muttered, “Father, I know I was wrong. I’ll change. Can you talk to Zhaodi? Don’t let her be so heartless. If not for me, then for the child.”

Lin Yu sneered. “You certainly have a thick skin.” He dragged him toward the gate.

Sun Erniu screamed like a stuck pig, “Father! Don’t! Don’t hit me!”

Lin Yu simply threw him out the gate and spoke loudly so the curious neighbors could hear: “Sun Erniu, A-Zhao’s decision is my decision. Since your family looks down on this daughter-in-law, it’s better to divorce so both sides can be at peace.”

Sun Erniu hung his head and repeated, “I won’t divorce.”

“That’s not up to you.” Lin Yu’s gaze was icy. He had given Sun Erniu a chance; if the man had chosen to break away from the Suns and stand with Lin Zhao then, it wouldn’t have come to this. But in Sun Erniu’s heart, the Sun family clearly came first.

“The dowry money I gave you has already been taken back by your parents. According to local custom, this marriage is already void,” Lin Yu said.

Sun Erniu’s heart hammered. He remembered the day Lin Yu took them away and threw money at his mother. Old Lady Sun had taken it and had been gloating about it for days, even buying a meal of meat for the family. Sun Erniu had eaten a piece of that braised pork, and it had been delicious. But now he felt nothing but regret—that was Zhaodi’s dowry money! Taking it all back was exactly what someone did when they wanted to end a marriage.

“Father, I didn’t mean that! I’ll find a way to pay you back!” Sun Erniu’s voice lacked conviction; he knew his mother would never give the money back.

Lin Yu ignored him. “Go back and tell your family: tomorrow I will come to witness the divorce. A-Zhao and Xiaohua both belong to the Lin family.”

Sun Erniu fell to his knees. “Father! You can hit me or curse me, just don’t make us divorce! Xiaohua is still small; she needs her father! Please give me one more chance!”

Lin Yu’s cold gaze fell on him. “Kneel if you want. Tomorrow, I will speak to the Sun family directly.”

He shut the gate, ignoring Sun Erniu’s wailing.

…

Inside, Lin Zhao was still anxious. “Father, will he agree tomorrow? And Xiaohua is a child of the Sun family; will they let me take her?”

“Don’t worry, I have a way,” Lin Yu said with a smile. “Even if he doesn’t agree, the Sun family will force him to.”

Lin Zhao didn’t know what his plan was, but seeing his confidence, she felt at peace.

Sun Erniu knelt at the gate for a while, but he soon couldn’t take it. The villagers were pointing at him, and the smell of cooking meat drifted from the house. He had only had a bowl of porridge that morning, and his stomach was growling. Worse, a group of children ran by and threw stones at him, calling him “Sun the Coward.”

Tired, hungry, and humiliated, he waited until nightfall. The lights in the Lin house went out, and it was clear they weren’t going to open the door.

Lin Zhaodi is truly heartless, Sun Erniu thought resentfully. Mother was right—this woman doesn’t have me in her heart at all. Why else would she refuse to come home? The Lins are living so well; she’s just enjoying the luxury with her daughter and forgetting her man.

He was full of complaints, but fearing Lin Yu, he didn’t dare say them out loud. Lin Yu could pick him up with one hand.

“I have to go back and ask Mother what to do,” he muttered, stumbling as he scrambled up and ran toward Sun Village.