GD (QT) Chapter 18

The Sun family arrived even faster than Lin Yu had anticipated.

News of the Prefect sending gifts to Lin Yu had already spread like wildfire. Every village in the vicinity knew, and Sun Village was no exception. For the past few days, the Suns had been feeling the sting of public shame; they walked with their heads down, too embarrassed to face anyone.

Old Lady Sun, with her explosive temper, spent her days smashing things around the house, making life a living hell for her two daughters-in-law.

At the dinner table, Sun Erniu had barely started to suggest, “Mother, how about I find a time to go pick Zhaodi up…”

…when Old Lady Sun slammed the table and began cursing: “Bah! Don’t you dare go. Why would you pick up a wife who doesn’t follow the womanly way? If she’s so capable, let her stay at her parents’ house for the rest of her life. Let’s see if the Lin family is actually willing to raise those two money-losing goods.”

She pounded the table until it rattled. “I’m telling you, no picking her up! Unless that man named Lin prepares another dowry and delivers his daughter to our door himself, otherwise, consider that daughter-in-law gone.”

After being scolded, Sun Erniu immediately lowered his head, not daring to make a sound.

Suddenly, the young grandson at the table looked up and said, “Grandma, even if Second Uncle goes to get her, Second Aunt definitely won’t want to come back.”

“Everyone says the Lin family is rich now. They eat meat every day. Second Aunt and the money-loser eat big chicken legs every day—why would they want to come back here to eat salty pickles?”

Old Lady Sun’s face darkened. She grabbed the boy and demanded, “Where did you hear that?”

The boy was scared to tears. “Everyone is saying it!”

The eldest grandson added, “They say Second Aunt’s father tinkered together some invention that caught the eye of the officials. Even the Prefect himself sent them gifts! Three whole wagons full of food, drink, and even silk!”

Old Lady Sun’s expression shifted drastically.

“No wonder… that Lin fellow never visited before, so why would he suddenly take Zhaodi back? Turns out the family struck it rich.”

Sun Da’niu suddenly asked, “Mother, could it be that Second Brother’s father-in-law is wealthy now, so he looks down on our family?”

The elderly Sun couple suddenly grew worried.

Old Lady Sun slapped her thigh and cursed, “I knew he harbored ill intentions! Back when his family was poor, he didn’t even let his daughter bring a dowry back, and I never said a word about it. Now that they’ve made it, does he really want Erniu to get a divorce?”

She conveniently failed to mention how she had tormented her daughter-in-law precisely because of that missing dowry.

“I bet that’s it. If they’ve latched onto the Prefect’s thighs, she could surely remarry even after a divorce.”

The whole family speculated about the Lin family with the utmost malice. The two daughters-in-law were worried, too—with the second sister-in-law gone, all the household chores fell to them, and they couldn’t stand the workload.

“Mother, now isn’t the time to be angry. Hurry and let Second Brother bring her back.”

“That’s right, Mother. Her family is doing well now. We’re in-laws, after all; we ought to get a share of the glory.”

The two women persuaded her relentlessly.

Old Man Sun said in a heavy voice, “Go and bring her back immediately.”

Old Lady Sun hesitated. “If we bring her back now, won’t she be shitting on our necks from now on?”

“Muddled!” Old Man Sun glared. “The Lin family is on the rise. If they flourish, we can benefit. If they actually divorce, how are you going to claim any of those advantages?”

Old Lady Sun huffed. “She wouldn’t dare. That money-loser is surnamed Sun. If she wants a divorce, she can forget about taking the child.”

Deep down, she already believed the rumors. No wonder the Lin man had repaid the dowry money without a second thought and took the girl with him—he clearly wasn’t worried about money.

She didn’t regret abusing her daughter-in-law; she only regretted not keeping a tighter grip on her. Otherwise, with the daughter in the Sun house, wouldn’t the Lin man have to obediently deliver money to their door?

“Erniu, go now. Go bring her back.”

Sun Erniu was stunned. “But it’s already dark out.”

“What’s there to fear about the dark when picking up your wife? Go now! If you don’t bring her back, don’t bother coming back yourself,” Old Lady Sun ordered.

Sun Erniu had no choice but to put down his bowl and stand up, though he hadn’t even finished his meal.

Seeing how dull-witted his son looked, Old Man Sun reminded him: “Zhaodi is a sensible child. Persuade her more, coax her. If she refuses to come back, just kneel down and admit you were wrong.”

Old Lady Sun’s eyes flickered. “If that still doesn’t work, sneak the child back first. That money-loser is a child of our Sun family; how can she stay with the Lins?”

Sun Erniu gave a muffled response.

Behind him, Old Lady Sun said without any attempt at privacy: “Don’t worry, as long as we have the kid, Lin Zhaodi won’t have the heart to divorce.”

Sun Erniu lowered his head even further.

Footsteps sounded behind him as his two nephews caught up. “Second Uncle, bring back some chicken, duck, and fish. I want to eat meat!”

“That money-loser has probably been eating meat every day. What a waste on her.”

Sun Erniu felt an indescribable bitterness in his heart, but he could only rush toward the Lin house in the dark.

By the time he arrived, the sky was pitch black. He called out in a low voice a few times, but there was no movement inside. The scene of his father-in-law whipping people with a willow branch was still fresh in his mind, so he didn’t dare wake the household. He could only huddle by the door and wait.

The autumn night was chilly, and Sun Erniu was thinly dressed. He sat by the door for the entire night.

The next morning, Lin Zhao and Lin Pan were cooking while Lin Lai was responsible for sweeping the yard. As soon as she opened the gate, a person tumbled inside.

Once Lin Lai saw who it was, she snapped, “What are you doing sitting at our door?”

Sun Erniu gave a fawning smile. “Third Sister, is Zhaodi here? I’ve come to take her home.”

Lin Lai blocked him with her broom. “How hilarious. When my sister was living in misery and being bullied by your mother every day, you didn’t say a word. Now that she’s back here enjoying a few days of peace, you have the nerve to come pick her up?”

Sun Erniu didn’t dare raise a hand against his sister-in-law. He just craned his neck and shouted inside, “Zhaodi! I’ve come to take you and the child home!”

Inside the kitchen, Lin Zhao’s heart skipped a beat when she heard his voice. For a moment, she forgot how to react.

Lin Pan looked outside and frowned. “He actually came.” She turned to look at her sister’s face. “Eldest Sister, you’re not actually going back with him, are you? Is that Sun household even a place for humans to live?”

“I… I don’t know.” Lin Zhao was struggling internally. Her eyes reddened. “He is Xiaohua’s biological father, after all. If I don’t go back, what will happen to Xiaohua in the future?”

Lin Pan snorted. “If you do go back, I don’t even know if Xiaohua will live to grow up.”

These words hit Lin Zhao like a heavy blow. Back at the Sun house, Xiaohua never had enough to eat or wear; she was so thin and sallow she looked like she would never thrive.

Lin Yu heard the commotion and came out, his face darkening. “What’s all this shouting first thing in the morning?”

The moment Sun Erniu saw him, he shrunk his neck back, stammering and afraid to speak. Lin Lai rolled her eyes hard at him, thinking her eldest brother-in-law was such a spineless coward.

“Father, I… I’ve come to take Zhaodi and the child back,” Sun Erniu stammered.

Lin Yu laughed. “Back? Back with you to eat chaff and drink dishwater while doing hard labor?”

Sun Erniu lowered his head. “Father, I promise to take good care of them from now on. I’ll never let them suffer again.”

“Is your promise worth anything?” Lin Yu glanced at him, utterly unimpressed. “Sun Erniu, you’re a man. How can you listen to your parents in everything? Don’t you have a single idea of your own?”

“Look at yourself. You’re in your twenties with zero skills, poor as a church mouse, yet you have the face to come here and ask them to return.”

Sun Erniu muttered, “Father, my parents said that as long as Zhaodi is willing to return, they will treat her well and never bully her again. Zhaodi, we’ve been husband and wife for so many years, say something to help me!”

Lin Zhao’s heart jumped, and she instinctively wanted to go out.

Lin Pan grabbed her. “Sister, don’t go. Father knows what he’s doing.”

Lin Yu wasn’t buying any of these empty promises. “I don’t trust a word the Sun family says. Since I’ve taken back the dowry money, Zhaodi owes you nothing.”

“Father, I’m kneeling to you! Just let Zhaodi come back with me. I swear I’ll take care of her.” Sun Erniu fell to his knees with a thud.

Lin Yu raised an eyebrow. “You really want to take her back?”

Sun Erniu nodded repeatedly. “Really, truer than true. Father, I know Zhaodi suffered, but my mother knows she was wrong. She personally told me to come get her.”

Lin Yu sneered internally. He knew exactly why the Suns had come. He also knew that if Lin Zhao took her daughter back today, it would be nearly impossible to get out again. Unless he constantly spent money to feed the Suns, they would only treat her with increased malice.

Lin Yu certainly wasn’t going to raise a pack of greedy ingrates.

“Since you know how much grievance A-Zhao has suffered these three years, this matter cannot be settled so easily.”

Sun Erniu quickly asked, “Father, I’ll do anything! As long as I can take them back, I’ll agree to anything.”

Lin Yu chuckled. “Fine. I have three conditions.”

“First: Have your parents come to my door personally to apologize. In front of everyone, they must apologize to my daughter and my granddaughter. They must tell everyone that the Sun family bullied them and treated a daughter-in-law like she wasn’t human.”

Sun Erniu’s face turned pale. His mother cared about her reputation above all else; how could she possibly apologize publicly?

“Father, you… aren’t you making things difficult for me?” Sun Erniu wailed.

Lin Yu said indifferently, “You were allowed to make things difficult for my daughter, but I’m not allowed to make them difficult for you?”

“Father, I sincerely want her back!”

Lin Yu simply said, “Then show some sincerity. Fulfill the first condition first.”

Sun Erniu’s kowtowing was useless, so he asked, “Then what are the second and third conditions?”

Lin Yu glanced at him, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“Second: Ah Zhao and the child are very weak. They must stay at my house for at least a year to recover their health. During this time, your family is not allowed to disturb them.”

Sun Erniu was dumbfounded.

Lin Yu continued, “Third: Sun Erniu, I see you have no status in the Sun family. You’re like an old ox—eating the least and working the most. Why don’t you go back and discuss it? Just move into my house as a matrilocal son-in-law.”

“What?” Sun Erniu’s face flushed deep red. “How can I, a grown man, become a matrilocal son-in-law? Besides, Zhaodi already married into my family. This is outrageous! Father, stop joking, I can’t do that.”

Lin Yu sneered. “What do you mean you ‘can’t’? You don’t have the ability to support your wife and child, so I, your father-in-law, will do it for you. Inviting you to move in is giving Xiaohua face. If you’re unwilling, get lost. Otherwise, I’ll get angry, and when I get angry, I feel like whipping people.”

“Father!” Hearing this, Lin Lai immediately went to fetch a thick wooden club for her father.

When Sun Erniu saw that club—thick as an arm—he was so terrified he scrambled away, running for his life.