GD (QT) Chapter 27

Lin Zhao walked back holding her child, her face free of any complex emotions. All that remained was the refreshing thrill of liberation.

“Eldest Sister, you were incredible just now! That’s exactly how it should be,” Lin Lai popped up from behind, eager to heap on the praise.

Lin Zhao looked at her two younger sisters helplessly. “Didn’t I tell you not to come? Why did you follow us anyway?”

“We were afraid you’d get bullied! Besides, we didn’t go out in the open; we just watched from the back,” Lin Pan explained. Both girls peeked at Lin Yu, worried their father might be angry with them.

Lin Yu, however, was busy speaking with the Village Chief and the Lin Clan Leader. “Thank you all for your help today. I’ll host a few drinks for everyone tonight.”

The Village Chief smiled. “It’s rare for our Qingshan Village to produce someone of note; we can’t let other villages bully our own.”

The Lin Clan Leader glanced at him and added, “Exactly. We Lins aren’t afraid of those Suns.” He turned to Lin Yu. “Don’t be too polite. We’re all neighbors; lending a hand is only right.”

The Village Chief looked at the girls cheerfully and said, “Since the papers are signed, bring Xiaohua by later to change her household registration. From now on, she’s a member of your house.”

Once they reached the village entrance, having agreed to chat more over drinks that evening, Lin Yu led the children home.

As soon as they were gone, the Lin Clan Leader’s face fell. “Old Li, you’re being underhanded. Lin Er is a Lin, after all. Why do you always push to the front to claim the credit?”

The Village Chief didn’t coddle him. “Weren’t you the one screaming about teaching Lin Er a lesson and kicking him out of Qingshan Village not long ago? What, he’s a ‘member of your Lin family’ now?”

The Clan Leader was embarrassed. “I was tricked by Lin Da! If I’d known the Second was going to be successful, would I have done that? I’m not stupid.”

An award from the Prefect—it was a first for Qingshan Village, and a rarity even in Changhe County. It was a pity the relationship had been so strained. Even though he was rushing to help now, Lin Yu’s attitude toward him remained indifferent.

The Village Chief snorted. “You should fix that snobbishness of yours. As the Clan Leader, you should at least act with a bit of fairness.”

“Where was I unfair?” the Clan Leader muttered, feeling wronged.

The Village Chief’s expression turned serious. “If you keep acting like this, I won’t say another word.” The Clan Leader was forced to suppress his temper.

The Village Chief continued, “Lin Er is clearly on the rise. The officials favor him, which brings prestige. In the future, we help his family when we can, and if we can’t, we at least stay out of his way. That’s enough.”

“Just that?” the Clan Leader asked hesitantly. “If he moves into the city later, how will we benefit?”

The Village Chief patted his shoulder. “If a person is grateful, we’ll benefit no matter where he goes. If he isn’t, your jumping around like this will only make you an eyesore.” He hummed a little tune and walked away, leaving the Clan Leader standing there with a sour face.

He saw it clearly: Lin Er was no longer a soft persimmon. He had his own firm ideas now. With such a person, you could only be an ally, not an enemy.

…

Back at the Lin house, the atmosphere was entirely different. Lin Lai was practically bouncing with joy. “This is great! Sister never has to worry about those people again.”

Lin Zhao, still clutching her daughter, wore a smile she couldn’t hide. She suddenly spoke up: “Father, could you give Xiaohua a new name?” She explained, “When she was born, those people said a ‘money-loser’ wouldn’t live long and told me to just call her ‘Dog-egg’ or ‘Zhaodi.’ I called her Xiaohua myself. Since her surname is changing to Lin, it would be better if Father gave her a proper name.”

Lin Yu agreed. “Xiaohua” wasn’t a bad name, but it was too common. The little girl looked up at her grandfather, sensing something important. “Grandpa, give me a name.”

After a moment of thought, Lin Yu said, “How about Lin Le? I hope she spends her life in peace and happiness.”

“Lin Le… Lele,” Lin Zhao repeated the name, loving it instantly. She stroked the girl’s head. “Will you be called Lin Le from now on?”

The little girl nodded vigorously. “I like that name!” The family burst into laughter at her crisp voice.

Once the laughter died down, Lin Zhao sighed. “It’s a pity about those five taels of silver.”

“It’s not a pity. As long as you and Lele are well, that money was well spent.” Lin Yu hadn’t haggled with the Suns specifically for the sake of these two. In ancient times, getting a father to give up custody and transfer a child to the maternal family was extremely difficult. Solving it with five taels was a bargain in his eyes.

Lin Pan and Lin Lai agreed. “Exactly! Our Lele is worth far more than five taels. And just you wait—with the way the Suns are, that money won’t do them any good. Their bad luck is coming.”

Lin Yu interjected, “Don’t think about them. Living our own lives well is what matters; they have nothing to do with us anymore.”

Lin Zhao took this to heart. Her only thought now was to work harder on her embroidery to earn back those five taels.

That evening, Lin Yu hosted the Village Chief and the others for a feast. With the Village Chief’s help, Lin Le’s registration went smoothly. The Clan Leader even suggested adding her to the clan genealogy. Lin Yu knew his intentions but didn’t refuse this “kindness.” The men who helped left with full bellies and high praise for Lin Yu.

Liu Dazhu, the next-door neighbor, told his wife, “Lin Er is truly generous now! We had a massive pot of braised pork tonight—everyone ate their fill.”

His wife was envious. “The Lins have truly struck it rich. It’s a pity he has no son.”

“Shh! Don’t let him hear you say that. He dotes on his daughters like they’re the pupils of his eyes,” Dazhu warned.

His wife rolled her eyes. “I know that. He even paid a whole tael of silver just for his daughters to learn embroidery.” The couple marveled at the change. “I never knew he had such skills,” Dazhu sighed. “He even borrowed his first iron plow from us.”

Suddenly, his wife asked, “Hey, since he doesn’t have a son, do you think he’ll remarry?”

Dazhu was stumped. Before, Lin Yu was a poor widower with two daughters; no one would marry him. But now, he had official favor and money. He wasn’t ugly, and he was a solid man. More importantly, he had no son—if a woman married him and bore a son, wouldn’t the inheritance be theirs?

“What about our niece? She’s a bit plain, but she’s a virtuous maiden,” she suggested.

Dazhu was tempted for a second but shook his head. “Forget it. Lin Er doesn’t seem interested. He’s focused on giving his daughters a good life.”

“You won’t know unless you ask! Every man wants a wife and a warm bed. I don’t believe he doesn’t.”

His wife continued, “And what about Zhaodi? She’s young; she can’t stay a widow forever. And the younger two will need matches soon. If we become in-laws, even if we don’t ‘take’ anything, we’ll share in the glory.”

…

Lin Yu had no idea his neighbors were planning his marriage. After dinner, he went back to his workshop in the yard. He was building a waterwheel, and it was starting to take shape.

Lin Lai was helping him, but she seemed preoccupied. “What’s wrong?” Lin Yu asked.

Lin Lai looked back to make sure her sisters weren’t listening and whispered, “Father, how can I get strong like you?”

Lin Yu glanced at her. Her face was flushed, and she looked down. He placed a warm hand on her head. He had a smile of encouragement rather than mockery.

“Men and women are born with different strengths. But if you want to be stronger, to protect yourself and others, there is a way.”

Her eyes lit up. Lin Yu paused. “If you train well, you could at least beat Sun Erniu with no problem.”

“Father, how do I train?” The thought of beating Sun Erniu eclipsed everything else.

“It will be very hard,” Lin Yu warned. “A woman who practices martial arts will become sturdy. Your skin will be weathered by the sun and wind, no longer delicate. Many people will look at you with strange eyes. Are you afraid of that?”

His serious tone made her hesitate for a moment. But soon, her gaze became firm. She nodded. “I’m not afraid.” She pumped a fist. “When I’m strong, I’ll punch anyone who talks bad about me.”

Lin Yu laughed. “Good! That’s the spirit. If your mind is made up, I can teach you. But think carefully—martial arts is not learned in a day. It takes years of diligent practice. Once you start, I don’t want you to give up halfway.”

“I won’t give up, Father.” She wanted power—to no longer be a weak woman who could be pushed aside by any man.

The next morning, Lin Yu began training Lin Lai in the yard. Lin Zhao watched and shook her head. “What’s the use of a girl learning martial arts? It’s just nonsense.”

Lin Pan disagreed. “At least when she’s trained, no one can bully her. Eldest Sister, she wants to do it; just let her be.”

“But she’s a girl. It won’t look good if people find out,” Lin Zhao sighed.

“What looks good is other people’s business. Living our own lives well behind closed doors is better than anything.”

Lin Le saw her grandfather and aunt moving and started mimicking them. She was short and plump now, and her clumsy movements were hilarious. Lin Lai laughed and pinched her cheek. “Lele is doing great! Train with your Third Aunt, and we’ll be invincible!”

…

Since Lin Yu took over the household, breakfast had become a grand affair. Along with thick white porridge and pickles, everyone had an egg. This morning it was fried eggs, sprinkled with scallions and a drop of soy sauce.

Initially, Lin Zhao tried to save an egg or two, fearing they would eat themselves into poverty. But Lin Yu insisted that everyone, even little Lele, get their share. Over time, she got used to it and focused on working harder to contribute.

As they were eating, Auntie Dazhu from next door came over. She peeked at their breakfast—five eggs and oil—and thought that even a landlord’s family might not eat like this. Her smile became even warmer.

Lin Zhao greeted her and offered a seat. “Auntie, would you like something to eat?”

The woman wanted to, but she was too embarrassed. “No, you eat. I just have something to ask your father.”

Lin Yu looked up from his porridge, confused. Lin Zhao, however, sensed what was coming and frowned. She hurried her sisters and daughter to finish and cleared the table. “A-Pan, A-Lai, stay in the kitchen for a bit,” she said, holding them back.

“Why? It’s just the neighbor,” Lin Lai asked.

Lin Zhao didn’t know how to explain. “Is she going to suggest a marriage for Father?” Lin Pan guessed, her heart sinking.

Lin Lai grew frantic and tried to run out. “Don’t go!” her sisters held her back.

“Why not? I want to hear who she’s suggesting!”

“A-Lai, Father is still young. If he wants to remarry, we as daughters have no right to stop him,” Lin Zhao sighed.

“Mother has been gone for years. Father shouldn’t have to be lonely forever,” Lin Pan added softly.

Lin Lai understood, but her heart was heavy. She didn’t want to be selfish, but everyone knew that once there was a stepmother, there was a “stepfather.” Their father had just become so good to them; would he change if he remarried?

“If Father remarries, will he still be this good to us?” she whispered. The kitchen went silent.

“Mommy, Aunts, what’s wrong?” only Lin Le was oblivious.

Outside, the voices were too distant to hear clearly. The three girls sat in the heavy silence, hoping that if there was a stepmother, she would be kind.

…

Lin Yu saw the neighbor off and turned to find his daughters gone. He walked into the kitchen and found them in a daze. “Why is everyone in here?”

“I’ll be out as soon as I finish cleaning,” Lin Zhao said quickly. The younger two jumped to help, none of them mentioning the visitor.

They forgot that Lin Le, though small, could talk. The little girl ran over and hugged Lin Yu’s leg. “Grandpa, marry a wife?”

Lin Yu looked at his three daughters in surprise. Lin Zhao’s face flushed. “Father, Mother has been gone for years. If you want to remarry, we won’t object.”

“Just make sure she’s of good character and will take care of you,” Lin Pan added. Lin Lai said nothing, just stared at her toes.

Lin Yu understood everything. He sighed. “Who said I was remarrying?”

“We’re happy you think of us, but you shouldn’t stay alone for the rest of your life because of us,” Lin Zhao whispered. “And if you have a son, our family won’t be mocked for being a ‘dead end’.”

Lin Yu saw Lin Pan’s uncertain look and Lin Lai’s red eyes. He knew they were scared of losing the security they finally had.

“The neighbor came to suggest a match, but I already refused,” he explained.

“Father?”

“I have no intention of remarrying. I have you three, and now I have Lele. As long as you all are successful, no one can mock us. I want to focus on giving you all a good life.”

“But…” Lin Zhao wanted to say he could have a son, but her own selfishness stopped the words.

Lin Yu smiled. “Do you not have confidence in yourselves? A-Zhao, didn’t you say you’d work hard to support me in my old age?”

“I will, Father!” she promised.

“A-Zhao is willing. Does that mean A-Pan and A-Lai are not?”

“I’m willing! Second Sister, you are too, right?” Lin Lai blurted out.

Lin Pan nodded vigorously. “We are all willing, Father.”

“Then it’s settled. Since I have three people to provide for me, why would I need to remarry? Our family is flourishing. Instead of bringing in a stranger whose character I don’t know, I’d rather spend my time teaching Lele. Lele, will you take care of Grandpa later?”

“I take care of Grandpa!” the girl shouted, making Lin Yu laugh.

“But Father…” Lin Zhao started.

“Enough. I have no such thoughts. Are you going to force me to marry?” He left them and went back to his workshop. Lin Le trotted after him, “helping” by handing him blocks of wood.

…

The girls remained in the kitchen, stunned. “Father said he’s not remarrying,” Lin Zhao whispered.

“He was serious,” Lin Pan added.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Lin Lai asked. “Let’s stop worrying.”

“But aren’t we being too selfish?” Lin Zhao asked. She thought that once her sisters married out, it would just be her and her daughter with her father. He would be lonely. She decided that perhaps she should have Lin Le take a matrilocal husband—that was another way to keep the family together.

“If he doesn’t want to, we can’t force him,” Lin Pan said. “I think if the three of us are filial, we’re no worse than a son.”

“Exactly! Look at the sons in the village. Besides working the fields, how many actually care for the elderly? That work always falls on the daughters-in-law. Grandma is being cared for by Eldest Aunt; I’ve never seen Uncle or his sons carry a single bowl of rice to her. Can the three of us not care for our own father?”

Lin Zhao felt the weight lift and smiled. “You’re right. I was overthinking.”

Lin Yu’s refusal to remarry actually sparked a competitive drive in his daughters. They felt they had to prove they were worth the sacrifice. Within days, the whole village knew Lin Yu didn’t plan to remarry. Some laughed at him for being a fool who chose girls over a son.

But Lin Da heard it and felt a spark of greed. If Lin Er has no son, his property will eventually belong to my sons. His suppressed ambitions began to stir once more.