《Transmigration: The Little Chef Calls The Shots》


 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Little Disaster Star Cheers Up (1)_1

    ?Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Little Disaster Star Cheers Up (1)_1 Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Little Disaster Star Cheers Up (1)_1 ¡°Oh, sister-in-law, haven¡¯t we already made a deal?


    Why are you changing your mind now?


    Don¡¯t be fooled by how thin this girl looks; she¡¯s got plenty of strength!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, plenty of strength indeed!


    She bashed her head open bloodily as soon as she entered!


    I bought her to bring good fortune, not to seek death!


    Truly an omen of ill luck!


    Quickly, take her away!¡±


    ¡°Please, sister-in-law, eight taels, eight taels!


    I won¡¯t ask for ten taels anymore, just eight taels of silver will do!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t buy her even for eight taels!¡±


    ¡°Six taels!


    I can¡¯t go any lower.¡±


    ¡°Five taels!¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re being too...¡±


    Lin Yuan was awoken by the sound of haggling.


    As she opened her eyes, she could only see a blur of blood before her; and when she instinctively reached up to touch her forehead and saw the sticky crimson blood on her palm, her consciousness snapped to almost full alertness!


    As the popular and highly sought-after Main Chef of a five-star hotel, Lin Yuan naturally became the delicacy that every restaurant scrambled for.


    But who could have predicted that this young beauty, at the peak of her career, would encounter a robbery as she prepared to drive home from the underground parking lot for a well-deserved rest.


    It was one thing to be robbed; she gave them her bag, money, and car keys.


    But why did she still end up lying in a pool of her own blood?


    Lin Yuan shook her head and suddenly regretted how easily she had given in.


    If the price of compromising with a bad person was her life, then she surely would have fought back with all her might!


    But now, she felt nothing but weakness and pain burning her throat.


    Lin Yuan was just thinking of getting up to seek revenge on the robber when her head suddenly throbbed painfully, and a flood of unfamiliar images surged before her eyes, the excruciating pain making her scream out in shock.


    ¡°Little Disaster...¡± A woman came running over, but upon reaching her, the words changed, filled with indulgence and worry, ¡°Yuanyuan, my precious Yuanyuan, you¡¯re awake!


    You scared auntie to death.¡±


    The woman opposite continued to ramble on, but Lin Yuan had already pieced together those unfamiliar scenes and instantly realized her predicament.


    It turned out she had long since died at the hands of the robber and transmigrated into the body of this twelve-year-old girl, also named Lin Yuan, who currently lay here.


    The body she now occupied had been tricked into being a ¡°bride¡± of good luck and, refusing to comply, had banged her head against a wall and died.


    And this woman, dressed in a brand-new cotton dress with silver hairpins, was none other than the culprit behind it all, and the dear aunt who had died!


    No wonder her mother had repeatedly advised her not to go, this aunt who usually wouldn¡¯t even glance at her properly and constantly called her a ¡®Little Disaster Star.¡¯ How could she suddenly be so kind as to offer her a job?


    The original owner of the body wasn¡¯t without suspicion, but her family¡¯s dire situation made it impossible to resist the offer.


    With a father disabled, a mother frail, and two younger sisters all skin and bones, how could she let go of the opportunity to earn money?


    Her parents were still waiting for her to earn silver to treat their illnesses.


    A sharp pang tugged at Lin Yuan¡¯s heart.


    This naive girl, the woman had managed to trick her so easily by exploiting her weakness!


    Another simple soul doomed by her own purity!


    Lin Yuan silently clenched her blood-stained hand and mourned for the original soul for a brief ten seconds.


    Speaking of which, this girl was pitiable; at the age of three, she was predicted by the village soothsayer to be a ¡°Lucky Star,¡± destined for wealth or nobility.


    However, that good fortune was short-lived.


    Three days after her fortune was told by the blind soothsayer of the village, he tripped over a doorstep he had crossed for over thirty years and died right outside his own home¡ªa peculiar event in the village, indeed.


    Naturally, since that day, she was no longer the envied ¡®Lucky Star¡¯ but became the despised ¡®Little Disaster Star.¡¯


    Afterwards, her mother gave birth to two more daughters and couldn¡¯t bear a son, leading people to suggest that it was because her fate was too strong and unable to bring forth a brother.


    Later still, when her mother finally did have a son, dispelling the rumor of her being ¡®too strong-willed,¡¯ tragically, the boy didn¡¯t live to see his first month.


    Village gossip grew even worse than before; she went from being ¡®too strong¡¯ to being a ¡®doomed lone star,¡¯ destined to curse all her kin with death.


    Sure enough, the newly born brother died¡ªpresumably because of her.


    To make matters even less favorable, her mother hadn¡¯t been able to become pregnant for three consecutive years afterward, not to mention bear another son, not even another daughter!

 Chapter 2 - 2 2 Little Disaster Star Cheers Up (2)_1

    ?Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Little Disaster Star Cheers Up (2)_1 Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Little Disaster Star Cheers Up (2)_1 Lin Yuan shook her head and gave a bitter smile, knowing that these ignorant people would never learn that her original mother, in her desperation to have a brother for her, resorted to all kinds of quack remedies.


    Although her brother was born, he was sickly from the womb.


    Not only that, but her mother¡¯s health also deteriorated from long-term consumption of various tonics and folk medicines, leaving her frail and unable to conceive for three consecutive years.


    Fortunately, her mother was finally pregnant again.


    However, there was no joy this time, as on the day they discovered her mother¡¯s pregnancy, her father was carried home injured.


    Lin Yuan vividly remembered that on that day, her uncle¡¯s roof had a leak, and her father was asked to fix it.


    Such a task was usually straightforward for her father, a carpenter, but by some misfortune, a roof tile slipped beneath his feet, and he fell with it, fracturing his leg.


    Lacking the money for a good doctor, his leg never healed properly; even the slightest movement caused him excruciating pain, and he had been bedridden for over half a year.


    Even more disheartening was the fact that even her own grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other relatives looked down on her.


    Every time they saw her, they either responded with coldness or outright ridicule and mockery.


    After her father broke his leg, not only did her uncle¡¯s family not come to visit him, but her aunt even publicly decried her misdeeds with righteous indignation more than once among the village women.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know, my child was supposed to be a boy, but she turned into a girl because she was born in the same year as that Little Disaster Star!


    Hmph!


    Don¡¯t believe me?


    I gave birth to two sons consecutively!


    My womb is meant to bear sons.


    I¡¯m not like some people who have three daughters in a row and finally have a son, only to have their own daughter bring about his death!


    Even her father was cursed by her into becoming a paralytic.


    Just watch, the child in her mother¡¯s womb is surely another bad investment!¡±


    From then on, Lin Yuan¡¯s reputation as the Little Disaster Star was firmly established.


    It was not just that her own family blamed her for their troubles¡ªpeople with no connection to her began attributing their setbacks to her as well.


    In a particularly egregious case, the old sow on the east end of the village gave birth to eight piglets, none of which were female, and somehow, this was also blamed on Lin Yuan, who lived on the west end!


    ¡°Yuanyuan, Yuanyuan, what¡¯s wrong with you?


    Is your head hurting?


    Here, let your third aunt blow it better,¡± said the woman¡¯s exceptionally gentle voice, coupled with her rough actions as she pulled Lin Yuan back to the present from her memories.


    ¡°Little Disaster Star, you better behave yourself.


    If you dare to seek death again, I¡¯ll have your third uncle sell you to the Chunfeng Building in town!¡± Gone was the indulgent smile she showed in public as Li Feng¡¯e menacingly leaned into Lin Yuan¡¯s bloodied face, her sharp chin nearly poking another gaping hole in her forehead.


    This warning and threat, however, did not bring Lin Yuan any fear.


    In her past life, it was her excessive capitulation to the wicked that brought her disaster.


    Fortune smiled upon her, though, for the heavens granted her another chance at life.


    How could she possibly repeat the same mistakes?


    Lin Yuan was no pushover herself.


    A young girl in her early twenties with no family background had managed to become the unshakeable head chef of a five-star hotel, relying not just on her extraordinary culinary skills but also on her decisive and tough character¡ªwithout which she would have been easily outnumbered by the many covetous men.


    What concerned her more at the moment, however, was the ¡°third uncle¡± mentioned by Li Feng¡¯e.


    Lin Yuan remembered this third uncle well.


    He had grown up spoiled and learned nothing substantial.


    As an adult, he was no better, lacking any meaningful occupation and subsisting on dreams, still relying on his parents¡ªa classic ne¡¯er-do-well.


    Yet, he was exceptionally fond of his wife.


    After all, Li Feng¡¯e was considered quite pretty, and her aunt was an attendant in the county magistrate¡¯s wife¡¯s quarters.


    Marrying such a woman brought him a certain status.


    The people who brought her here to ¡°help out¡± were not just Li Feng¡¯e; her third uncle was also involved.


    But as soon as they entered the village, he found an excuse to leave them behind and returned alone in the ox cart.


    Lin Yuan had found it strange at the time; the third uncle who was always so fond of his wife had left her behind, and the normally combative third aunt even urged him to go back quickly.


    Could it be that something had happened at home?


    Lin Yuan¡¯s eyes rolled quickly, and she no longer cared about the headache.


    The original host must have been determined to die when she hit the wall, so it was no wonder that she passed without even a peep.


    However, it was now a stroke of luck that Li Feng¡¯e had smeared the incense ash on her head in a panic.


    It was unclear whether it was the original host¡¯s unwillingness to die or the robustness of this body that made a difference.


    Despite Lin Yuan¡¯s frail appearance, the incense ash not only immediately stopped the bleeding, but the dizziness wasn¡¯t as severe anymore.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s gaze dropped as she had already made up her mind: since her life was not meant to end and a sliver of her soul could have another chance to live as a human, she had to live well.


    Moreover, she had to live both her own life and the original host¡¯s.


    So what if she was called ¡®Little Disaster Star¡¯?


    What did it matter if she had a strong fate?


    She, a promising young person of the twenty-first century, would not believe in these fortunes and fate.


    Lin Yuan looked up at the woman with a lean jaw and high cheekbones in front of her, thinking about the events that had happened to her over the years, when suddenly a bold guess emerged: the nickname ¡®Little Disaster Star¡¯ had first come from the mouths of her own family.


    And why hadn¡¯t her grandfather, an old man who extremely valued family tradition, confronted those gossipy women when he first heard this title from his eldest grandson?


    ¡°Aiyo, this girl...


    could it be that she¡¯s...


    turned foolish from the bump?¡± A woman with a face as round as a plate and full of spots appeared in front of Lin Yuan, her plump hand waving back and forth in front of Lin Yuan¡¯s face, ¡°Girl, you see what this is?¡±


    In her mind, Lin Yuan rolled her eyes: A pig¡¯s trotter!


    Hearing the fat woman¡¯s words, Li Feng¡¯e promptly softened her severe expression and laughed off the matter.


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t make such jokes.


    Your village is quite distant from our Lin family¡¯s hollow, so you wouldn¡¯t know.


    Our Yuanyuan has always been smart since childhood, and she¡¯s well-known for it in the village.


    How could she become foolish?


    Today she just came home for the first time and felt shy, that¡¯s why she stumbled and bumped into the wall.


    Look, the blood on her head has stopped.¡±


    This time, Lin Yuan genuinely wanted to give a big, heartfelt eye-roll.


    She was famous in the village, but not for her intelligence¡ªit was because of the notoriety of being ¡®Little Disaster Star.¡¯ No wonder they brought her to such a remote and secluded village¡ªperhaps they were afraid that her reputation had become too grand.


    How had she not realized before that her third Aunt was such a thick-skinned person?


    Shy, indeed!


    It¡¯s not like she was really coming to meet her prospective in-laws.


    She was fortunate not to resort to violence!


    However, Lin Yuan really couldn¡¯t resort to violence against her.


    If memory served her right, this village was located more than twenty li away from the Lin family¡¯s hollow where she lived.


    Without a carriage or an ox-cart, considering her small body weak with hunger, she genuinely could not make the journey back.


    She remembered clearly¡ªbefore her third uncle left, he gave his wife five taels of silver, which was for hiring an ox-cart to take her back home.


    If she truly had a falling out with Li Feng¡¯e, whether she could make it home was questionable.


    For now, she would swallow her frustration¡ªthere would be a time for her to repay this.


    But today, she wouldn¡¯t let these villains have their way!

 Chapter 3 - 3 3 Little Disaster Star Shows Her Power_1

    ?Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Little Disaster Star Shows Her Power_1 Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Little Disaster Star Shows Her Power_1 ¡°Auntie,¡± Lin Yuan eased her tone, giving Li Feng¡¯e a big smile.


    Li Feng¡¯e was a bit stunned; Little Disaster Star had always been terrified of her, and sometimes just a glance could make her shiver.


    How come she dared to smile at her today and even sweetly call out to her?


    Li Feng¡¯e first frowned and observed her for a while before beginning to fear the worst.


    Could it be that trying to seek death earlier had really made her stupid?


    If she was really stupid and couldn¡¯t be sold, what could she do then?


    Li Feng¡¯e, looking at the woman with the large round face, started to calculate in her heart.


    Since it happened in her house that she became stupid, she had to take her in, whether she wanted to or not, and get the silver one way or another.


    She was planning to buy a new pair of silver bracelets, and her two little rascals at home were waiting for their sweet cakes!


    Lin Yuan, seeing her sly and pleased look, knew this brash woman was scheming something good again, and she had no intention of letting her succeed.


    Since this family wanted to buy her to bless their son, then their son must have caught some incurable disease.


    If that was the case...


    Lin Yuan¡¯s eyes flickered, and she tugged on Li Feng¡¯e¡¯s sleeve, raising her blood-covered little face innocently and asking, ¡°Auntie, am I the smartest girl in the village?


    I don¡¯t know why.


    Everyone calls me Little Disaster Star, umm...¡±


    Li Feng¡¯e was still fantasizing about her wonderful plans when she suddenly heard Lin Yuan bring up Little Disaster Star.


    She briskly covered Lin Yuan¡¯s mouth, but Lin Yuan was prepared and still spoke her mind.


    ¡°What?


    Little Disaster Star?¡± The madam, who was all set to find joy for her precious son, reacted sensitively to these three words.


    She rushed forward, grabbed Li Feng¡¯e¡¯s hand, and demanded urgently, ¡°You wicked woman, you actually brought a Little Disaster Star!


    Are you trying to bless my son or curse him to death?


    Pah, pah!


    I knew it, just entering the door and bumping into the wall to see blood, there must be someone trying to curse my lineage with a broom star!


    Five taels of silver, hmph, I wouldn¡¯t want your broom star even if you gave her to me for free!¡±


    Indeed, as soon as the round-faced woman heard the three words Little Disaster Star, she jumped up, tightening her grip on Li Feng¡¯e¡¯s hand, causing her pain but she didn¡¯t dare to talk back.


    After all, this was someone else¡¯s home, and there were still Five taels of silver to be considered.


    For the sweet cakes for her two sons and her own silver bracelets, she had to maintain the lie no matter what.


    ¡°Big sister-in-law, what are you even saying?


    I admit that my niece isn¡¯t very bright, but she¡¯s certainly not any kind of Little Disaster Star or broom star.


    The girl must have been stunned from the bump, she spoke nonsense...¡± ¡°Auntie, how could I speak nonsense?¡± Lin Yuan, leaning against the wall trying to stand up, but still feeling a bit weak, her vision suddenly darkened and she swayed.


    This was not good timing; her hand accidentally brushed against a jar on the shelf next to her, and with a snap, the jar fell to the ground, spilling out a lot of blackish substance all over the floor.


    After a moment, Lin Yuan managed to stand, looking at the pool on the ground that resembled an overly fermented sauce.


    Her small nose wrinkled, tears threatening to fall: ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve made another mistake, I turned over the master¡¯s jar, will they still want me as a Helper?


    I don¡¯t want to go back to the village to be scolded.¡±


    The woman, who had been considering Li Feng¡¯e¡¯s words and pondering driving down the price further, turned her head only to see Lin Yuan breaking the jar.


    The round face paled instantly as she staggered towards her, bellowing, ¡°Oh my heavens, still saying she¡¯s not a Little Disaster Star¡ªshe¡¯s just overturned my son¡¯s medicine!


    This broom star is a life-hunting ghost, she¡¯s come for my son¡¯s life!


    Master, won¡¯t you come out?


    This woman is going to ruin our lineage!¡±


    While speaking, a middle-aged man suddenly burst into the small courtyard next to the house like the wind, holding a hoe in his hand, with yellow mud still on his feet; it was clear that he had been working in the fields and had rushed home upon hearing the commotion.


    Lin Yuan saw the strong man¡¯s face filled with anger, and her heart trembled sharply.


    She looked at Li Feng¡¯e with some sympathy.


    Li Feng¡¯e was already pale as a ghost.


    Now, both the husband and wife were together against her, and this man looked like the kind who would unreasonably take his wife¡¯s side; those paw-like fists, if they landed on her, would surely be extremely painful!


    ¡°Sister-in-law, Little Disaster Star didn¡¯t do it on purpose.


    I, I¡¯ll compensate, I¡¯ll compensate you with silver!


    Ah, Big Brother, let¡¯s talk this out, please, no need to get violent, ow, hey!¡±


    The man was hell-bent on catching the wicked woman who had cursed his son.


    The large-faced woman was egging her husband on, spicing things up as she encouraged him to beat up the other.


    The three of them chased from inside the house to outside, with the entire courtyard filled with the noise of shouting and calling for a beating.


    Lin Yuan could faintly hear the sound of urgent coughing coming from the inner room; it must be their sick child.


    The coughing carried a wheezing breath that sounded like asthma, suggesting that the child¡¯s days were probably numbered.


    Lin Yuan looked at the medicine on the ground, which clearly wasn¡¯t concocted from herbs, and mourned for the doomed child for a second.


    With such a superstitious mother, perhaps death would be a relief for the child.


    However, this family wasn¡¯t good people, taking a child so casually to suffer here; naturally, they couldn¡¯t just let it go without consequences.


    Lin Yuan ran to the courtyard and saw Li Feng¡¯e running back and forth, crying and calling for her parents, having already lost track of where the main gate was.


    Her originally clean floral jacket was now stained with a lot of grassroots, especially around the trousers and arms, where there was dirt and mud.


    She had also lost a shoe.


    The three of them continued to chase and shout; the village gate was blocked by villagers who had come to watch the spectacle.


    Lin Yuan sneered, followed behind them pretending to break up the fight, and, while chasing, kicked open the door of the chicken coop in the yard.


    Inside, more than a dozen hens, already terrified, clucked nonstop amid the chase, some flying straight over the low wall, while others were snatched away by villagers looking to pluck and cook them promptly, and some got under the man¡¯s feet in their panic, causing him to stumble.


    There was also a rack of some dried goods in the courtyard that got knocked over by a Little Disaster Star, leaving the dried vegetables either trampled or eaten by a few shrewd hens.


    ¡°Oh, my chickens!¡± Seeing her chickens flying off and escaping, the large-faced woman¡¯s eyes reddened even more.


    She cursed the scourge while chasing chickens all over the yard, even forgetting about Li Feng¡¯e.


    Finally, Li Feng¡¯e saw her chance as the couple stopped chasing her, and she squeezed her way through the gate without even daring to go back for her lost shoe.


    Lin Yuan naturally wouldn¡¯t fall behind; after all, she didn¡¯t know the way back home.


    Fortunately, the villagers at the gate were put off by the smell of chicken droppings on Li Feng¡¯e and quickly dispersed, otherwise she really wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave.


    However, what Li Feng¡¯e didn¡¯t notice¡ªbut the sharp-eyed Lin Yuan did¡ªwas that the silver hairpin she had deliberately worn while going out was now lying in someone else¡¯s courtyard.


    Now Li Feng¡¯e had truly lost both Madam and Helper.

 Chapter 4 - 4 4 Beating a Dog into the Soup_1

    ?Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Beating a Dog into the Soup_1 Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Beating a Dog into the Soup_1 After finally escaping the village, Li Feng¡¯e saw that the couple hadn¡¯t chased after her and dared to take a detour on a narrow path to rest for a while.


    When she turned around and saw that Lin Yuan had followed her every step of the way, her anger surged, and she suddenly stood up, ready to twist her cheek.


    ¡°You little disaster star, such a loss, oh my!¡±


    Slap!


    Before Li Feng¡¯e could touch Lin Yuan¡¯s face, she was hit back by a large wooden stick!


    Clutching her reddened wrist, Li Feng¡¯e looked at the little girl in disbelief.


    Was this the same Little Disaster Star she had scolded since childhood, the same little girl who would only cry secretly after being beaten or scolded?


    Since when did she dare to fight back with a wooden stick?


    ¡°Li Feng¡¯e, don¡¯t think I¡¯m really stupid.¡± Lin Yuan held the wooden stick in her hand, pointed at the somewhat dazed Li Feng¡¯e, and said with a cold and fierce face, ¡°You just wanted to sell me off today, didn¡¯t you?


    Fine, go ahead and sell, but let me warn you upfront, if you take me to a family, I will curse them so bad they won¡¯t want me!¡±


    Lin Yuan laughed lightly and slowly took a step forward, ¡°How does it feel, getting beaten up like this today?


    Has my third uncle ever coddled you like this?¡±


    Li Feng¡¯e saw her smile colder than the December frost and felt a chill down her spine, her legs going weak.


    Why did this girl¡¯s eyes carry a breath of death, eerily chilling?


    Lin Yuan waved the wooden stick in her hand, frightening Li Feng¡¯e even more from coming closer.


    One could imagine how much a woman who had never been beaten could stand being hit repeatedly like this.


    ¡°I say, third aunt, that flowery jacket looks really nice on you.


    My grandma has never been willing to spend money to buy my mom new clothes.¡±


    Speaking of which, the Lin family hadn¡¯t yet separated their household, and the money earned by the three sons had to be handed over to the elders for safekeeping.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s eldest uncle, Lin Jiazhong, had gone to school for a few years, had a good head on his shoulders, and was now a Mr.


    Accountant for a rich landlord.


    Aunt Ma was a crafty one, seemingly impeccable on the surface but lazy and cunning behind the scenes.


    Moreover, she was greedy for money like no other, watching over the silver as if her life depended on it.


    Although there was a rule in the Lin family that the silver earned each month had to be contributed to the public fund, the eldest couple never did and justified it by saying they were facilitating relationships.


    Where the silver actually went, only this couple knew.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s third uncle, Lin Jiaxiao, not to mention, had been spoiled rotten since childhood.


    His wife, Li Feng¡¯e, too, was a pampered young lady, whose maternal aunt was a servant in the Madam County Magistrate¡¯s house.


    This third uncle would spend his days following his cousin getting into trouble, committing all sorts of petty thefts.


    His hands were always either full of silver or completely empty, and when empty, he would reach out to his father for more.


    But this couple could sweet-talk like no other, able to charm their way into the elders¡¯ good graces.


    Having given birth to twin sons, they had passed on their skills to their children, who could say one thing to one person and another to someone else.


    The old couple of the Lin family were particularly fond of them and, apart from the eldest grandson of the eldest son, these two boys were the most favored.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s father, Lin Jiaxin, was the second son, an honest and decent man.


    He didn¡¯t have much education but was skilled with his hands, particularly as a Carpenter, and had earned quite a lot of silver for the Lin family over the years.


    His wife, Liu Xianshu, true to her name, was virtuous and well-behaved with a gentle temperament.


    Among the sisters-in-law, she did the most work but spoke the least, naturally not favored by the elders and almost daily subtly belittled by Old lady Yang because she kept giving birth to girls.


    However, in the past when the Lin family¡¯s public fund mostly relied on the second son¡¯s carpentry to bring in silver, the elders didn¡¯t make life too difficult for the second son¡¯s wife.


    But since six months ago when the second son broke his leg and could no longer work in the fields, particularly Old lady Yang, had begun to endlessly find faults with Liu Xianshu.


    Lin Yuan remembered that last month, when the youngest son of the eldest family didn¡¯t have enough silver to start school, her mother, six months pregnant and cumbersome, stayed up for three nights straight to rush out some embroidery to sell for silver.


    And all this had been coerced by her grandmother who valued sons over daughters.


    Thinking about how her father ended up with a lingering leg ailment because her grandmother was too stingy to spend silver on a good doctor, Lin Yuan¡¯s grip on the wooden stick tightened again and again.


    In the memories of her original self, her father was a foolishly filial man, but he was two hundred percent good to his wife and daughter.


    When he was able to work, he never allowed Lady Liu to pick up a needle and thread for embroidery.


    Her mother¡¯s embroidery was only meant for her husband and daughter.


    Who else deserved it?


    And then there was her mother, Lady Liu, who had come to have health issues due to the grandmother¡¯s preference for sons over daughters and various partial prescriptions she was given.


    Even the long-awaited son that was finally born was weak and died young.


    When her father was in good health, her mother would have new clothes and shoes every season.


    Now that her father was sick, Lady Yang wouldn¡¯t even spare the silver needed for medicine and seeing the doctor¡ªhow could her mother dare to hope for new clothes?


    And now the brazen woman before her, Li Feng¡¯e, who had never done any work or earned any silver, was wearing such a beautiful flowered jacket and even wearing a silver hairpin.


    Why?


    Was it because she had a sweet mouth that could charm people?


    Or was it because she could bear children, suddenly delivering two sons?


    A daughter, what¡¯s wrong with a daughter?


    Just because of being a daughter, she has to be considered inferior?


    Lin Yuan silently resolved, wasn¡¯t it just about earning money for the family?


    She would earn money with her excellent cooking skills.


    Li Feng¡¯e watched the suddenly dazed Little Disaster Star before her gradually step back, not daring to shout until she was far enough away: ¡°You Little Disaster Star, daring to hit me!


    You¡¯re a loss to the family.


    If you dare to come home with me today, you¡¯ll see if my man won¡¯t skin you alive!¡±


    ¡°Say it again, who is a loss to the family?!¡± Lin Yuan gnashed her teeth.


    Being called Little Disaster Star was one thing, but a loss to the family, hmph!


    Li Feng¡¯e looked around for something to throw but only found some loose soil clods, which crumbled when squeezed and couldn¡¯t compare to the wooden stick in Lin Yuan¡¯s hand.


    Yet, her mouth wouldn¡¯t give mercy: ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you don¡¯t like being called a loss to the family?


    You are a loss to the family, all three of you sisters are minor losses!


    Your mother is just good at producing major losses¡ªoh, my tooth!¡±


    Li Feng¡¯e, terrified, spat out a mouthful of blood.


    A tooth, mixed with streaks of blood, fell to the ground, rolled twice, and picked up a thick layer of dirt.


    Indeed, it was Lin Yuan who had knocked out that tooth.


    ¡°Dare to curse my mother again, and I¡¯ll beat you until you cry for your father and beg for your mother!¡±


    ¡°You, you, you Little Disaster Star!


    I¡¯ll have your Third Uncle sell your whole family, all of you!


    You lunatic!¡± Li Feng¡¯e, covering her swollen face, didn¡¯t dare to argue further and turned to run.


    Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t about to let her run away, reaching out to grab her clothes.


    However, Li Feng¡¯e was too strong, and Lin Yuan, emaciated from half a year of hunger, was simply unable to hold on, so she had no choice but to clutch at her loose hair instead.


    ¡°What did you just say?


    Sold?


    Sell who?¡±


    Lin Yuan smelled danger.


    Her Third Uncle, that very uncle who had suddenly returned home, that uncle who was always up to no good, who was he going to sell?

 Chapter 5 - 5 5 Daring to Sell My Sister (1)_1

    ?Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Daring to Sell My Sister (1)_1 Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Daring to Sell My Sister (1)_1 Lin Yuan managed to stop a passing ox cart at the crossroad heading to the Lin family¡¯s hollow, thankful she had the copper coins scrounged from Li Feng¡¯e, or else the cart owner wouldn¡¯t have let her hitch this ride.


    As for Li Feng¡¯e, Lin Yuan certainly wouldn¡¯t let her sympathy overflow to bring back the malicious woman who wanted to sell her.


    When Lin Yuan arrived at the entrance of her home, her premonition proved true.


    The usually deserted courtyard was today crammed with nosy villagers, murmuring among themselves, and she could faintly hear crying and yelling from girls in the crowd.


    Lin Yuan knew the situation was dire and hurriedly pushed her way through the people crowding the entrance.


    She saw her uncle, Third Uncle Lin Jiaxiao, pulling Big Sister Lin Wei out by her thin arm, while her mother, Lady Liu, visibly pregnant with a nearly seven-month belly, desperately clung to her second daughter¡¯s hand, tears streaming down her once beautiful face.


    ¡°Weiwei, my Weiwei!


    Third Uncle, she¡¯s your own niece.


    How could you bear to do this?


    How could you?¡±


    ¡°Mother, mother, I, I don¡¯t want to go, I don¡¯t want to,¡± Lin Wei sobbed, her thin cheeks stained with tears and snot, her small, black, and skinny hands tightly gripped in her mother¡¯s, with large red marks already visible on her wrists.


    ¡°You jerk, Third Uncle, let go of my second sister, jerk, jerk!¡± Lin Yuan¡¯s youngest sister, Lin Shuang, embraced Lin Jiaxiao¡¯s leg, cursing him fiercely while she beat at him with her little hands.


    But she had been frail since infancy, looking only a bit over three years old at the age of five, and her strength was as insignificant as a kitten¡¯s, allowing Lin Jiaxiao to easily toss her aside.


    Lin Yuan quickly ran forward to catch her little sister, her eyes blazing with furious flames.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, sister-in-law, you really are dense.


    Do you know who the county lord is?


    Becoming a maid for his young master is a blessing many can¡¯t even beg for,¡± Lin Jiaxiao said casually as he tossed the little one aside and went back to dragging Lin Wei.


    ¡°Having Weiwei become a maid is sending her to a life of blessings.


    Why don¡¯t you think about your child¡¯s welfare?¡±


    Lady Liu felt her strength ebbing away, but the thought of losing her daughter forever if she let go made her heart ache more than any physical pain.


    She took a breath, her voice hoarse, ¡°My daughter, even if she starves or freezes to death, cannot leave my side for a single step.


    Third Uncle, for the sake of your sick second brother, don¡¯t sell my daughter, I beg you.¡±


    Lin Yuan, supporting her little sister¡¯s hand, felt a pang in her heart at her mother¡¯s words, recognizing her just as in her memory.


    Although their neighbor¡¯s eyes saw nothing but little disasters or a financial loss, in their mother¡¯s heart, they were her lifeline!


    But mother, oh mother, do you expect sympathy from a wolf?


    Lin Yuan tugged her little sister¡¯s hand and whispered in her ear.


    Lin Shuang might have been small and weak, but she was the most clever-hearted, and upon hearing what her big sister needed, she nodded vigorously without a question and darted into the main house.


    Lin Yuan watched her little sister¡¯s face, showing not a trace of fear, and thought to herself that this little one was indeed a promising child.


    ¡°Third Uncle, let go of my big sister this instant,¡± Lin Yuan sprinted in front of Lin Jiaxiao, and perhaps he hadn¡¯t expected this ¡®Little Disaster Star¡¯ to appear suddenly, her face still smeared with a large blotch of blood.


    Lin Jiaxiao was taken aback, caught off guard, which allowed Lin Yuan and Lady Liu to snatch Lin Wei away.


    ¡°Third Uncle, what¡¯s with you?¡± Lin Yuan saw his face screw up as though he had swallowed a bad egg and gave a light laugh, ¡°Third Uncle, weren¡¯t you intending to send Big Sister to enjoy good fortune?


    Since Big Sister is unwilling, then, how about me?


    Would it be alright for me to go instead?¡±

 Chapter 6 - 6 6 Daring to Sell My Sister (2)_1

    ?Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Daring to Sell My Sister (2)_1 Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Daring to Sell My Sister (2)_1 Lady Liu, who had been comforting her second daughter, hurriedly intercepted when Lin Yuan volunteered to go with Lin Jiaxiao.


    Lin Yuan turned back and reassuringly patted her mother¡¯s hand, signaling that she was alright.


    On the other hand, Lin Jiaxiao was in trouble, ¡°You, you, why have you come back?


    Your Third Aunt, what about her?¡±


    ¡°Right, weren¡¯t you supposed to be taken to work as a Helper at Laosan¡¯s house?


    Why did you come back so quickly?


    Did they refuse to take you after hearing about your reputation as Little Disaster Star, haha.¡±


    Without that Loudmouth¡¯s voice, Lin Yuan wouldn¡¯t have even noticed that not only was Lin Jiaxiao there, but so was her Aunt Ma.


    Aunt Ma had been watching as Lin Jiaxiao grappled with the second daughter¡¯s girl from the sidelines, neither helping nor intervening, purely there for the spectacle.


    When Lady Ma first heard that Laosan had found a good job for Lady Liu¡¯s daughter, she was envious, but upon following over and taking a look, she realized something was amiss.


    Laosan and his wife never cared much for these three nieces, yet now they were each being introduced to jobs, evidently to be sold off as servants.


    If they were really sold, and entered into servitude, not to mention this lifetime, even the children born to them would be in servitude.


    At this point, Lady Ma was no longer envious; it was better for her own daughter to stay in the village and farm than to go to the town and be ordered around like an ox or a horse!


    Of course, Lin Yuan knew well of Aunt Ma¡¯s pot-stirring nature.


    She coyly smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know either.


    The family thought I was too skinny to do the work and didn¡¯t want me.


    However, that man did keep Third Aunt there, and later they disappeared together.


    When she returned, Third Aunt¡¯s hair was a mess, her clothes were wrinkled, and she even lost one of her new shoes.¡±


    The crowd of onlookers immediately buzzed with excitement.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s seemingly innocent words were fraught with implication.


    Watching Lin Jiaxiao¡¯s face slowly turn green, Lin Yuan calmly added another sentence, ¡°Third Aunt even said that not even you, Third Uncle, have ever served her in such a way.¡±


    Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t wrong with her words.


    Li Feng¡¯e was chased and beaten, her hair indeed disheveled, and her clothes not only wrinkled but also dirty.


    As for the last sentence, Lin Jiaxiao indeed didn¡¯t dare to raise a hoe to serve her.


    ¡°Oh, so it turns out that they favored the Third Sister-in-law, wanting to employ her as a Helper...¡± Aunt Ma¡¯s eyes spun mischievously, relishing the drama.


    The crowd at the entrance erupted in laughter at once, and some prankster with a penchant for causing trouble shouted, ¡°This Helper gig, is it helping in the fields or in bed?


    Hahaha.¡±


    Lin Jiaxiao¡¯s face turned from black to white, then to black again.


    He stomped his foot, turned to leave, but came back, possibly out of embarrassment and anger, and raised his hand to slap Lin Yuan¡¯s face.


    ¡°You Little Disaster Star, I¡¯ll teach you for spouting nonsense!¡±


    Lin Yuan, alert to his intentions, quickly stepped back to avoid him as soon as he raised his hand, and even snatched a wooden stick from her waistband, swinging it fiercely towards his hand.


    Lin Jiaxiao, after all, was a man and it was not so easy for Lin Yuan to hit him with the stick.


    He swiftly dodged the blow, which only added to his fury and embarrassment.


    He bellowed, ¡°You little wretch, daring to swing a stick at your Third Uncle!


    You¡¯re truly an ungrateful brat raised without a mother¡¯s teaching.


    I¡¯ll give you the lesson that your father should have given you today!¡± With that, he rolled up his sleeves to grab her.


    As Lin Yuan brandished the stick, dodging around, she shouted for all the gawking villagers at the gate to hear, ¡°You¡¯re fit to teach me?


    You and your wife conspire to sell your own niece, and you¡¯ve got the face to speak?¡±


    ¡°Big sister, big sister, I¡¯ve brought the kitchen knife for you!¡± Just as Lin Yuan was swinging her stick and about to be caught by Lin Jiaxiao, Lin Shuang¡¯s voice suddenly rang out.


    The voice that was usually sweet and crisp and likable now sent a chill down everyone¡¯s spine as they heard her words.

 Chapter 7 - 7 7 Cut Off Your Foot(1)_1

    ?Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Cut Off Your Foot(1)_1 Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Cut Off Your Foot(1)_1 Lin Yuan¡¯s blood was boiling.


    Having traveled through time for half a day, she finally saw a kitchen knife again.


    She casually threw aside the wooden stick and grabbed the knife, weighing it in her hand.


    Although the blade was dull and rusty, not comparable to any she had used in her previous life, it felt incredibly fitting in her hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit dull, I wonder if it can still chop someone.¡± Lin Yuan touched the blade and squinted her eyes with a smile, ¡°Da Ya, did your wrist get hurt when Uncle Three pulled it?¡±


    Frozen in place, Lin Jiaxiao¡¯s feet were stuck to the ground, and the hand he held high suddenly felt a cold breeze, inexplicably causing a pain to emerge at his wrist.


    ¡°You, you Little Disaster Star, what are you trying to do?


    Put that down.


    Put the knife down now.¡± Lin Jiaxiao, clutching his wrist, spoke breathlessly.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan immediately laughed.


    It turned out that this uncle was just a straw man, seemingly formidable on the outside, but actually a pushover.


    She had initially thought the uncle was only afraid of his wife because he loved her, but it seemed he was genuinely fearful.


    The crowd gathered at the door to watch the commotion didn¡¯t dare to laugh anymore.


    Everyone was staring with wide eyes at the knife in Lin Yuan¡¯s hand.


    Although it was common for villagers to fight and swear, those were usually minor scuffles, at most wielding a wooden stick, but no one dared to wield a knife, especially given the blood on Lin Yuan¡¯s face¡ªwho knew where that blood came from.


    Even those who were uneducated knew the concept of a life for a life, and if someone carelessly caused a death, that meant beheading.


    The thought itself sent a shiver down everyone¡¯s necks, cooling the extended heads instantly.


    ¡°Yuanyuan, Yuanyuan, put it down quickly, please put it down.¡± Lady Liu was terrified, already heartbroken by the sight of blood on her daughter¡¯s face, and now her daughter was wielding a knife.


    What to do?


    ¡°Da Ya, that¡¯s your Uncle Three.


    Put down the knife, be obedient.¡± Unknown when, Lin Jiaxin, who had been lying in the house, appeared at the entrance holding onto a crutch.


    Seeing his sweat-soaked, gaunt face, Lin Yuan¡¯s heart ached.


    She knew that even shifting his foot caused him unbearable pain, yet he still cared deeply for his wife and daughters; how could he bear the thought of someone selling his beloved girl?


    ¡°Father, Mother, I can¡¯t put down this knife,¡± Lin Yuan said seriously, looking back at Lady Liu¡¯s pale face.


    Although she knew her mother was unwell, she had to speak up for the Lin Yuan who had already died, to fight for the hard-earned chance to save Da Ya, and for their little sister who was malnourished.


    Today, she needed to make things clear and let them know all the terrible things their Uncle Three and Auntie Three had done.


    ¡°Uncle Three, do you dare to say in front of my father and all the villagers where you took me?¡±


    Lin Jiaxiao, intending to sneak away quietly, was taken aback by Lin Yuan¡¯s question, his heart skipped a beat, and he stammered, unable to speak, as cold sweat trickled down incessantly.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, too embarrassed to say it?


    Then let your niece spell it out, shall we?¡± Lin Yuan sneered and turned to shout loudly to the villagers who were watching, ¡°This Uncle Three of mine, claiming to have my parents¡¯ best interests at heart, said he was taking me to be a Helper.


    But he deceived me and took me twenty li away to a remote village; there was a family there, their son was gravely ill, about to die.


    And my dear Uncle Three and Auntie Three sold me off to that family as a joy-bringer bride!¡±


    Hearing about such joy-bringer marriages was common in the village, but typically only the desperately poor families would painfully sell their daughters like this.


    Although there were wedding gifts involved, once the girls entered the buyer¡¯s household, they were practically no better than slaves, expected to work and endure whatever ill-treatment came their way.


    Moreover, if lucky, they might share life with a man, but if they married someone with a short life span, they could be widowed in a few years, potentially facing a lifetime of widowhood.


    Such a life was even more miserable than being sold to a wealthy family as a servant because, as a servant, there was at least a chance to redeem oneself from servitude.


    In contrast, for girls sold as joy-bringer brides, who then outlived their husbands, they were considered husband-killers, doomed to never have a chance to turn their fortunes around in this life.

 Chapter 8 - 8 8 Cut Off Your Foot(2)_1

    ?Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Cut Off Your Foot(2)_1 Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Cut Off Your Foot(2)_1 Lin Jiaxiao and his wife were simply heartless and insane; they actually sold their own niece to serve as a substitute bride, and the girl¡¯s parents didn¡¯t even know.


    This is truly devoid of any conscience!


    The villagers at the door pointed fingers at Lin Jiaxiao, deeming him unkind and unworthy of being an elder.


    Lady Ma hid on the side, not expecting this to be the truth.


    She curled her lip, showing not a bit of sympathy for Lin Yuan.


    Instead, she berated Li Feng¡¯e: Laosan¡¯s house is such an idiot.


    They let Little Disaster Star run all the way back home even from twenty li away.


    If it were her, she¡¯d certainly send the girl much farther away, and better still, drug her to sleep for ten days or a half a month.


    By the time she woke up, she wouldn¡¯t know which way was north.


    Lin Jiaxin and his wife never expected their eldest daughter to have suffered so much.


    Lin Jiaxin was so furious he wanted to grab his walking stick and beat someone.


    But before he could move, he fell to the ground, his fists pounding on his own immobile legs.


    Lady Liu was already crying inconsolably.


    Lin Wei and Lin Shuang felt pain for their sister; one was hugging her mother crying, while the other wiped away her tears, trying to persuade their father with her frail body.


    Lin Yuan knew the truth was cruel, but she couldn¡¯t help but say, staring coldly at Lin Jiaxiao with her dark eyes, ¡°Third uncle, do you think I should put down this knife?¡± she said, word by word.


    ¡°You, you.¡± Lin Jiaxiao stared into her eyes, his body breaking out in goosebumps.


    For some reason, he was certain this girl would definitely land the knife on his wrist or even his neck.


    ¡°I, I.¡±


    ¡°Third uncle, stop with your stuttering.


    Third aunt took good care of me too.


    But, what do you think it would feel like if this knife landed on your neck, third uncle?¡± Lin Yuan took a couple of steps closer, deliberately lowering her voice, ¡°Do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to!


    Ouch!


    My foot, my foot is gone!


    Dad!


    Mom!


    My foot is gone!


    I¡¯m going to be a cripple now!


    Ahhh!


    Wife, save me, wife!¡±


    The crowd only saw Lin Yuan swing the kitchen knife high and bring it down with astonishing speed.


    In a flash, the knife had already descended onto Lin Jiaxiao¡¯s foot.


    Tsk!


    The crowd gasped in shock, seemingly not expecting Lin Yuan to actually strike.


    But at the next moment, they saw Lin Jiaxiao already howling, collapsed on the ground, holding his foot, crying for his dad and mom, his cries painfully loud to the ears.


    Little Disaster Star really went through with it!


    Everyone exchanged looks, and upon gazing at Lin Yuan again, they felt she could no longer just be described as Little Disaster Star; she was more like a devil, a shrew!


    But at that moment, the one people deemed a devil laughed, ¡°Oh dear, third uncle, I¡¯m so sorry, my knife got a bit dull and it seems it didn¡¯t quite chop off your foot.¡± Lin Yuan¡¯s sweet voice suddenly broke the crowd¡¯s stunned silence and also interrupted Lin Jiaxiao¡¯s wailing.


    Lin Jiaxiao, like a duck suddenly choked by the neck: Ga, it didn¡¯t chop it off?


    Momentarily, Lin Shuang tried to stifle her laughter, calling out, ¡°Big sis, you forgot, our family hasn¡¯t had meat for half a year; the knife has gone rusty.¡± Lin Yuan¡¯s smiling face immediately turned cold.


    Half a year without meat?


    Lin Jiaxiao looked down and removed his shoe, inspecting it from top to bottom, left and right.


    Finally, with tears of joy, he hugged and kissed his stinking foot.


    The crowd again erupted in sounds of disgust.


    ¡°Third uncle, how about this: let me sharpen the knife and give it another go, how does that sound?¡±


    Hearing Lin Yuan¡¯s words, Lin Jiaxiao didn¡¯t bother putting his shoe back on and quickly scrambled up to flee.


    Heading out the door, he didn¡¯t forget to look back and threaten, ¡°Little Disaster Star, you just wait!¡±


    Lin Yuan¡¯s lips curled into a smile, wait?


    Great, let the old couple of the Lin family come; let¡¯s split the household, split the land¡ªthat would be perfect.


    What Lin Yuan didn¡¯t know was that from that day on, her reputation as a shrew was established.


    The villagers said that the Little Disaster Star of the Lin family was fierce and unruly, and she would likely be unable to marry off in the future.

 Chapter 9 - 9 9 Sharpening the Knife to Kill the Chicken_1

    ?Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Sharpening the Knife to Kill the Chicken_1 Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Sharpening the Knife to Kill the Chicken_1 By the time they sent Lin Jiaxiao off, it was already approaching evening.


    Several men who had previously worked with Lin Jiaxin as carpenters worked together to carry him back onto the kang bed.


    Seeing how destitute the Lin family¡¯s home had become, they couldn¡¯t help but shake their heads in pity.


    The three Lin Yuan sisters also helped Lady Liu onto the kang.


    Lady Liu had always been frail, and the repeated shocks of the day had taken their toll on her body, which couldn¡¯t hold up much longer, her face even whiter than usual.


    Lin Yuan looked at their mother¡¯s belly, which, though nearly seven months along, only appeared as big as that of other women at five months.


    Recalling Lin Shuang¡¯s words about not having eaten meat in half a year, she felt an even deeper bitterness.


    ¡°Big Sister, Mum, Mum¡¯s okay, isn¡¯t she?¡± Seeing their mother mutter a few words before slipping into a deep sleep, Big Sister Lin Wei¡¯s tear-streaked face crumpled as she began to cry again.


    ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t cry.


    Mum¡¯s going to be fine,¡± Little Linshuang knelt beside her mother, clenching her own sleeve to wipe Lady Liu¡¯s face.


    Her clothes were hand-me-downs from her sisters.


    As Lady Liu¡¯s pregnancy progressed, her discomfort increased, and she no longer had the energy to alter clothes.


    Thus, Lin Shuang¡¯s clothes were modified by Big Sister Lin Wei.


    However, being quite young, her sewing skills were lacking, which meant Lin Shuang¡¯s clothing was ill-fitting and too big, hanging off her slender frame.


    Lin Yuan patted her younger sister¡¯s head, then looked at her crying elder sister and sighed.


    Despite being the youngest, Lin Shuang was clever and had a feistier temperament.


    Big Sister Lin Wei, on the other hand, was practically a carbon copy of their mother, Lady Liu, with a temperament too meek.


    Although already eight years old, she didn¡¯t have the composure of her five-year-old younger sister in stressful situations.


    ¡°Weiwei, don¡¯t cry.


    Now that Big Sister¡¯s back, naturally, I won¡¯t let anything happen to Mum.¡± While chasing Lin Jiaxiao earlier, Lin Yuan had spotted a broken chicken nest in a corner.


    She remembered that they had an old hen that hadn¡¯t laid eggs for a long time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll slaughter that old hen and make some chicken soup for Mum and Dad.¡±


    ¡°But Big Sister, Mum said we can¡¯t kill that old hen; we need to keep it for laying eggs,¡± Lin Wei said, wiping away her tears, only to hear Little Linshuang crisply retort, ¡°Second Sister, that old hen should have been killed long ago.


    It does nothing but eat and doesn¡¯t lay eggs.


    It¡¯s just squatting in the henhouse, not doing its business!¡±


    ¡°Little Sister!


    Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Lin Wei quickly covered Little Linshuang¡¯s mouth, glancing worriedly at Lady Liu.


    Only after confirming that their mother had not heard while asleep did she let go and reminded Little Linshuang not to speak like that again, especially not in front of their mother.


    All three Lin Yuan sisters knew that the phrase ¡°squatting in the henhouse, not doing its business¡± was what their grandmother, Lady Yang, often used to scold their mother.


    When Lady Liu gave birth to the third daughter, Lin Shuang, and it turned out to be another girl, Grandma Yang even encouraged Lin Jiaxin to divorce his wife and remarry, saying that taking the widow from the east end of the village would be better than keeping Lady Liu.


    Unexpectedly, the usually filial second son refused categorically this time and moved out of the ancestral home with his wife and three daughters to live in their current yard.


    From then on, Grandma Yang grew even more disdainful of Lady Liu and even looked askance at her own son.


    When Lin Jiaxin bought the yard, Grandma Yang refused to contribute a penny, saying things like the family elder wasn¡¯t dead yet, and they were thinking about living alone, as if cursing her own demise!


    Out of options, Lady Liu had no choice but to borrow two taels of silver from her parents¡¯ house to buy the small courtyard.


    The place had previously belonged to a widower, a childless old man who was taken care of by the villagers until his death, so you can imagine the state of disrepair the courtyard was in.


    Fortunately, Lin Jiaxin was a skilled carpenter whose craftsmanship was well-known in the area; he was the go-to person for furniture whenever someone in the surrounding villages got married.


    Sometimes he even received orders from the town, and as a result, the money he handed over to Lady Yang each month was quite substantial.


    However, Lady Yang was too stingy, leaving only a few coins for her second son¡¯s family to live on each month.


    So, over the years, the little courtyard didn¡¯t see much improvement, and things went from bad to worse when Lin Jiaxin injured his leg in the past six months.


    As Lin Yuan was pondering this, Lin Jiaxin¡¯s voice rang out from the next room, ¡°Da Ya, kill that chicken and leave it for your mother and you three.


    I won¡¯t eat it.¡±


    The Lin family had only three rooms: the central hall and two bedrooms on either side.


    The Lin Jiaxin couple lived in the east room, and the three sisters lived in the west room.


    Today, to facilitate taking care of Lady Liu, the sisters had helped her into the west room.


    Lin Yuan went to the east room, pulled a thin quilt over Lin Jiaxin¡¯s legs, and comforted him, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry.


    We¡¯re not lacking food.


    In the future, your daughters will make sure you and Mom have a good life.¡±


    ¡°Daughters, I have let you and your mother down,¡± Lin Jiaxin, a man over six feet tall, said lovingly as he patted his daughter¡¯s head and his eyes reddened.


    Just as Lin Yuan was about to offer more words of comfort, she heard voices outside.


    Stepping out to look, she saw that people had brought food for them.


    These aunts were the wives of the men who had helped carry Lin Jiaxin into the house earlier.


    They had earned a fair amount of money working with him before and had been supporting the Lin family sporadically.


    Without their help, times would have definitely been tougher for Lin Yuan¡¯s household.


    Knowing her family was short on food, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t put on airs and thanked each of them sincerely as she accepted their offerings.


    These aunts were all genuine and kind-hearted, with their own elders and children to look after at home.


    They couldn¡¯t afford to give anything extravagant, mostly just sweet potatoes and cornmeal, but their gifts were heavy with sentiment.


    These people, unrelated by blood, showed more kindness than those from the larger Lin family compound.


    Lin Yuan kept them in her heart, resolved to repay their generosity when she had more money.


    After seeing off the aunts, Lin Yuan began to prepare to kill the chicken.


    She needed to sharpen the knife first, and since their kitchen knife was exceptionally blunt, she drew half a bucket of water from the well and sat down to sharpen the blade.


    Inside the house, Lin Wei had already heeded her older sister¡¯s instruction to boil a large pot of hot water and had made dough from the cornmeal.


    Lin Yuan had decided that one old hen wouldn¡¯t be enough for the family, so she thought of the iron pot fish stew she had eaten in her previous life.


    She could add more water to stew the chicken and throw in a few sweet potatoes, then mold some large cornmeal cakes along the edge of the pot.


    The cornmeal that the aunts had just brought, coupled with what they already had at home, should be enough to last them several days.


    While sharpening the knife, Lin Yuan looked up at the mountain behind the village.


    The village was named Lin Family Hollow because it was surrounded by mountains on three sides.


    Now, in the summertime, there was bound to be plenty in the mountains.


    Though she didn¡¯t have the skills to hunt, and it was impossible to catch wild animals with her bare hands, she thankfully had wisdom on her side.


    With a diligent mind, nothing was out of reach.


    The mountain wasn¡¯t high, but it wasn¡¯t small either, and there should be something to forage.


    With a bit of luck, she might even find something worth selling.

 Chapter 10 - 10 10 Boiled Chicken (1)_1

    ?Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Boiled Chicken (1)_1 Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Boiled Chicken (1)_1 By the time Lin Yuan had sharpened the knife, Lin Wei had also boiled the water, and she even prepared the large basin used for slaughtering chickens.


    However, after these preparations were made, the young girl hid away to one side, not daring to watch.


    It was Xiao Linshuang who followed her eldest sister closely with wide eyes full of curiosity.


    Perhaps the hen was too old, but Lin Yuan didn¡¯t have to struggle much to catch it.


    As she grabbed the chicken¡¯s feet, Xiao Linshuang tried to tie them with hemp rope, but after all, she was too young, and in the end, it was Lin Wei who swiftly tied the rope and then ran off again.


    Normally, slaughtering a chicken took two people, one to hold the head and body of the chicken to expose its neck, and the other to aim at the neck to kill it.


    However, seeing how timid Lin Wei was and the only brave one was too small, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t want to cast a shadow over Xiao Linshuang¡¯s tender heart and firmly refused to let her take part.


    Even without help, Lin Yuan could still kill it.


    She simply put the chicken on the ground, sat on a wooden stump, pressed one foot against the chicken¡¯s head, and the other against its body.


    As she was about to pick up the vegetable knife, she saw Lin Wei supporting their father to the front of the main house.


    ¡°Da Ya, since you¡¯ve never slaughtered a chicken let your father do it.¡±


    Lin Yuan responded with a beaming smile, ¡°Dad, slaughtering chickens is something you get used to after the first time.


    Don¡¯t worry, I can do it!¡± And indeed, she was very experienced.


    ¡°Not at all, where does one see an unmarried young girl slaughtering chickens or ducks?


    If word gets out, who knows what the villagers will say about you.¡±


    The hen had been waiting under Lin Yuan¡¯s feet for some time and began to fuss.


    Lin Yuan applied more pressure, straightening the chicken¡¯s neck, and then lifted the kitchen knife.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, it¡¯s just slaughtering a chicken.


    Let whoever wants to talk, talk.


    What am I afraid of?¡±


    No sooner had the words left her mouth than a flash of light glinted off Lin Yuan¡¯s hand and with a crisp snap, the chicken¡¯s neck was severed, and fresh red blood spurted out.


    Xiao Linshuang, who had been holding the basin to catch the blood, was also momentarily stunned until her big sister snatched the basin from her and she came to her senses, looking up at her big sister with red-rimmed eyes full of admiration, ¡°Big sister, you¡¯re so awesome!¡±


    Lin Wei had already turned her face away with a yelp, but Lin Jiaxin was dumbstruck.


    He had slaughtered chickens before and seen many others do so, but he had never seen anyone do it as decisively and cleanly as his eldest daughter.


    Compared to his own fearful and timid attempt at slaughtering his first chicken, his eldest daughter was like a professional butcher.


    If not mentioned, many would assume this girl had slaughtered many chickens and ducks before.


    When had his Da Ya become so bold?


    Lin Yuan was too busy to notice their reactions; she was occupied with collecting the chicken blood and plucking the feathers.


    In her previous life as an apprentice, she had often done rough work like slaughtering chickens and ducks; it was only later, as a head chef, that such tasks were left to junior apprentices.


    Today she recalled her past life¡¯s experiences anew.


    This chicken was indeed too old, with only a few small, shriveled eggs in its belly.


    To call them eggs was an overstatement; they were merely round and plump, and no matter how well-fed, they would never grow larger.


    After plucking the feathers and chopping the chicken into large pieces, Lin Yuan dumped everything into a big pot.


    Although the dish was a simple stewed old hen, using the chicken¡¯s own fat to flavor the dish, she couldn¡¯t cook it without any seasonings.


    With nothing much available, Lin Yuan could only find salt and half a jar of chili sauce, along with a couple of scallions and a few garlic cloves in the kitchen.


    Since Lin Jiaxin had an injury on his leg and Lady Liu was pregnant, both couldn¡¯t eat spicy food, so Lin Yuan didn¡¯t add the chili sauce, only a handful of salt and some chopped scallions.


    Lin Wei was in charge of tending the fire, listening to her elder sister who instructed to first make the fire strong, then, once the water in the pot boiled, reduce it to a simmer and let it stew slowly for an hour to get a delicious chicken soup.


    While the chicken soup stewed, Lin Yuan washed some sweet potatoes and cut them into chunks.


    When the chicken soup was nearly done, she poured them into the pot.


    The old hen really was too tough to eat, so she had no choice but to add some sweet potatoes, ensuring there was something to look forward to when they ate the soup later.


    Plus, with the sweet potatoes absorbing the umami of the chicken broth, along with their inherent sweetness and soft, glutinous texture, it was bound to be exceptionally tasty.

 Chapter 11 - 11 11 Boiled Chicken (2)_1

    ?Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Boiled Chicken (2)_1 Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Boiled Chicken (2)_1 Then, she divided the dough into two parts, one with only a bit of salt and scallions added for Lin Jiaxin and Lady Liu, who could not eat spicy food.


    The other batch she mixed with some chili sauce, intended for the three sisters to enjoy.


    Considering the presence of children, Lin Yuan did not make it very spicy, simply adding enough for a hint of heat to make the meal more appetizing.


    Before long, the chicken soup was ready, and so were the pancakes.


    Lin Yuan first served a bowl of chicken soup with a few pancakes to her father Lin Jiaxin in his room.


    She then set up a small table on the kang bed where Lin Jiaxin, whose legs were not in good condition and hardly left his bed, took his meals delivered by his wife and daughters.


    Watching her father struggle to move, Lin Yuan remembered the period right after he had injured his leg.


    He had been utterly despondent, going whole days without eating a bite.


    If it had not been for Lady Liu¡¯s daily encouragement and comfort, coupled with the responsibility for their three daughters, and the fact that Lady Liu was pregnant at the time, Lin Yuan feared her father might have given up on life.


    ¡°Da Ya, Dad can¡¯t eat all of this.


    Half a bowl is enough.¡± Lin Jiaxin knew that the single old hen at home was not enough to feed the family of three.


    How could Lin Yuan let him not eat?


    Half comforting, half annoyed, she said, ¡°Dad, how can you not finish it?


    You used to have the biggest appetite in our family.


    Are you saying the food your daughter makes isn¡¯t tasty?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that...¡± Lin Jiaxin looked at his leg and, knowing that his daughter was comforting rather than truly angry, still felt reluctant to eat so much.


    Lin Yuan understood her father¡¯s hardship.


    She giggled and moved closer, saying, ¡°Dad, please eat more.


    You¡¯re the pillar of our family.


    With you here, I can endure any hardship without feeling bitter.


    And besides...¡±


    Lin Yuan smiled mysteriously, ¡°I have already figured it out, Dad.


    Although you can¡¯t walk, you haven¡¯t lost your carpentry skills.


    I am still counting on you to make some crafts for me to sell and earn money.¡±


    Although Lin Jiaxin did not know exactly what his daughter was referring to, the thought of being useful again immediately lifted his spirits, and even made his meal taste exceptionally delicious.


    Actually, when Lin Yuan was making the pancakes, she had already thought of finding something for Lin Jiaxin to do.


    The month of August was fast approaching, and in her memory, this time and place did have a Mid-Autumn Festival, which not only involved moon-gazing but also eating mooncakes.


    However, the varieties here were quite limited, mainly filled with dried fruits and always round in shape.


    Hence, she planned to raise some startup capital within this half month, create a variety of mooncakes, and earn a good profit on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival.


    With her abilities, she was confident she could make no less than ten different kinds of mooncakes.


    Of course, to make them, she would rely on Lin Jiaxin¡¯s carpentry skills to produce various molds necessary for their creation.


    Lady Liu had not fully recovered and could only consume half a bowl of chicken soup before feeling full.


    Lin Yuan did not insist, as there was plenty of soup and pancakes left in the pot, ready to be heated whenever her mother felt hungry again.


    Outside, Lin Wei had already set up the small dining table.


    The three sisters gathered around, enjoying the savory pancakes and soup.


    Especially Xiao Linshuang, who had few opportunities to eat meat growing up and usually saw it only during festivals at the old house.


    But there, the meat was often snatched away by the sons of her uncles, leaving scarcely any for them.


    She never imagined that they would be eating meat and enjoying soup in their own home.


    A rosy glow adorned her cheeks as she ate and didn¡¯t forget to praise her eldest sister for the delicious meal.


    Yet Lin Wei couldn¡¯t help but worry as she sipped her soup.


    Knowing her sister¡¯s concerns about running out of food after the chicken was gone, Lin Yuan comforted her with a promise, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.


    I¡¯ve told you before that I¡¯ll make sure we live a good life, and I will.


    It¡¯s just a chicken we¡¯re eating right now.


    In the future, I¡¯ll make sure we have meat every day.


    We can have braised meat, roast meat, hot pot meat, does that sound good?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s wonderful.


    Big sister is amazing!¡± Xiao Linshuang wiped the grease from her mouth and clapped her hands in excitement.


    Seeing the sky outside, Lin Yuan decided that the next day would likely be sunny.


    She resolved to head to the mountains early to see if she might come across any unexpected bounties.

 Chapter 12 - 12 12 Wild Duck Eggs (1)_1

    ?Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Wild Duck Eggs (1)_1 Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Wild Duck Eggs (1)_1 Lin Yuan woke up early that day.


    It was her first time sleeping on the earthen bed of the countryside, and she was somewhat unaccustomed to it, especially since it was summer, when mosquitoes abounded.


    She woke up with several red welts from mosquito bites after just one night.


    Normally, they would use mugwort to smoke out the room, but given the Lin family¡¯s current situation, there was hardly anyone who could go out to collect it.


    Therefore, Lin Yuan decided that when she went up the mountain later, she would gather some mugwort along the way; otherwise, no one would get a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Lin Yuan had always been an early riser.


    In order to maintain a good physique to handle the high intensity workload of a chef, she used to get up early to exercise.


    Plus, she was still not used to her new life after transmigrating, so today she got up even earlier.


    It was barely dawn when she started running and practicing punches in the yard.


    Most people in the village were still asleep, and she didn¡¯t want to run through the village and be a nuisance with the dogs barking at her, which was fortunate since there wasn¡¯t much in her yard except for a small kitchen and a corner latrine¡ªit was almost empty.


    After warming up with a few laps around the yard, Lin Yuan began thinking about how she would organize the yard in the future.


    She wanted to transform the small kitchen into a large one and add a small storage room next to it for various items.


    Of course, she still had to build a few more large rooms, but if she wanted to rebuild them, the yard might not be large enough.


    Fortunately, her home was on the edge of the village, right next to the foothills with a large open space.


    Once she earned enough money, she planned to buy the land from the village chief and build a grand courtyard, a quadrangle courtyard, to be exact.


    Then, let the folks back at the old house look on with envy, and show them that even with only three daughters, her family could live a good life!


    Thinking this, Lin Yuan felt a surge of energy throughout her body and practiced even more vigorously.


    Now warmed up, she began practicing punches, which were women¡¯s self-defense skills she had learned back at the gym in her former life.


    She had learned these on a whim but felt they were useless later on and stopped practicing.


    Now, she regretted not practicing daily¡ªif she had, perhaps she wouldn¡¯t have been knocked down by that robber.


    Regardless, it wasn¡¯t too late to start practicing now, particularly since this Lin Yuan¡¯s body was only twelve years old.


    Why not practice since it would both strengthen her physique and provide self-defense?


    Perhaps it was the noise of her punching that woke up Lin Wei and her sister in the house.


    The two found it novel and came out dressed to watch their eldest sister practicing punches.


    Lin Wei didn¡¯t think much of it, just puzzled how her big sister had learned to do this, but Xiao Linshuang was extremely interested.


    She was swinging her arms and kicking her legs, trying to imitate what she saw.


    Lin Yuan saw the spark in her little sister¡¯s eyes and had a sudden inspiration¡ªwhy not have the two girls practice with her?


    Even if they wouldn¡¯t need these skills in the future, it would certainly be beneficial for their health and fitness.


    No sooner had she voiced this idea than Lin Wei moved away dismissively, complaining, ¡°Big sister, you used to follow Brother Zhuzi all the time, why didn¡¯t I see you learn to study anything, just how to fight?


    You better not practice anymore.


    If Brother Zhuzi finds out, he¡¯ll surely not marry you when he comes back.¡±


    Hearing Lin Wei say this, Lin Yuan was momentarily stunned.


    Brother Zhuzi?


    Marry?


    Her mind raced, and she seemed to recall someone like that.


    Chen Zhu, thirteen years old, lived with his parents in the dilapidated straw hut next door.


    The villagers said his family had fled from the South and had little money.


    His father had blinded one eye during their escape, and his mother was quite frail.


    But Chen Zhu himself was sharp, and he studied well.


    The Chen family and Lin Jiaxin had somewhat sympathetically agreed on a verbal marriage arrangement, saying that once Chen Zhu passed the civil examinations, they would get married.

 Chapter 13 - 13 13 Wild Duck Eggs (2)_1

    ?Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Wild Duck Eggs (2)_1 Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Wild Duck Eggs (2)_1 She vaguely remembered the day when Chen Zhu left, Lin Yuan with tears streaming down her face, handed over two taels of silver to him, which Lady Liu had obtained by selling her bridal silver hairpin.


    Speaking of which, Lady Liu didn¡¯t like Chen Zhu very much, always feeling that he was too cunning, but there was nothing she could do since her eldest daughter, Da Ya, liked him, and given the notorious reputation of Little Disaster Star, she was grateful enough that his family would not despise Da Ya, so when she heard that Chen Zhu was going to the capital to take the exam, she quickly scraped together some silver for him, frankly hoping that Chen Zhu wouldn¡¯t forget her Da Ya in the future.


    Every time she thought of Chen Zhu¡¯s characteristic Little White Face look, Lin Yuan felt a bit disgusted, despite having agreed to take care of the two elderly members of the Chen family, and indeed, she had been taking good care of them with all her heart for the past half month.


    But yesterday, such a big incident had occurred in her family, and although those two lived just next door, how could they not know to come over and check?


    ¡°Okay, big sister, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.


    It was just something our parents mentioned in passing; it shouldn¡¯t be taken seriously.¡± The one who liked Chen Zhu was the former Lin Yuan, she definitely didn¡¯t like this kind of White Face who could only study and did no labor¡ªwhat was the use of being good-looking?


    You needed to have the strength to work and earn money.


    The breakfast they warmed up was last night¡¯s chicken soup, Lin Yuan had added extra water when making it, so it was just right for another meal today.


    After everyone had eaten, Lin Yuan picked up the bamboo basket and prepared to head up the mountain.


    ¡°Big sister, I¡¯ll go with you,¡± said Xiao Linshuang, always enthusiastic about everything, even going up the mountain, which could be tiring and potentially dangerous, didn¡¯t deter her.


    ¡°No,¡± Lin Wei cleaned up the dishes and came out with a small bamboo basket on her back, ¡°The mountain roads are rough, and you¡¯re too small to go.


    Let me accompany you, big sister.


    I¡¯ll go gather some mugwort to bring back, so you can have a good night¡¯s sleep.¡±


    Though Lin Wei was somewhat timid, she was very attentive.


    She had seen Lin Yuan toss and turn all night without sleep, which was why she proposed to go up the mountain together.


    Lin Yuan nodded, ¡°Yes, little sister, be good, big sister will be back soon.


    I¡¯ll make you something delicious for lunch.


    Stay at home and wait, our parents need you to take care of them.¡±


    Xiao Linshuang knew that being small, she could end up causing her sisters trouble if she went up the mountain.


    Thinking of their parents at home, she quickly patted her chest and promised to take good care of them.


    Before leaving, Lin Yuan also told Xiao Linshuang to lock the front door properly; she was mainly afraid that people from the old house might come to make trouble today, and she wasn¡¯t quite at ease with Xiao Linshuang being at home alone.


    So she quickened her pace, hoping to be back before lunchtime.


    Although the Lin family¡¯s house was close to the foot of the mountain, there was no direct path up the mountain from there, so they had to head to the village to take the main road.


    The Lin Yuan Sisters left early, and at this time the road was almost empty; chatting and laughing together, they enjoyed a pleasant walk.


    In the Lin family¡¯s hollow, there was a creek that flowed down from the mountain, and by the village, it turned into a river of moderate size.


    Before going up the mountain, they would pass this river.


    Lin Yuan, with sharp eyes, spotted a few wild ducks in the grass¡ªwhere there were wild ducks, there had to be wild duck eggs.


    Lin Yuan got excited, glanced around and saw no one was passing by, and hurriedly signaled Lin Wei to crouch in the grass and stay still.


    She put down her small bamboo basket and crept along the riverbank, finding several wild duck nests along the way, but they were all empty, probably taken by other villagers.


    She did not give up, and finally in a particularly hidden and tall grassy puddle, she found wild duck eggs!


    There were three of them, and they looked like they had been laid not too long ago.


    Lin Yuan happily tucked the eggs into her bosom; it seemed they were indeed going to have a good haul today.


    They had found eggs just as they left the house!

 Chapter 14 - 14 14 Picking Goji Berries_1

    ?Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Picking Goji Berries_1 Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Picking Goji Berries_1 Having carefully placed the wild duck eggs into the bamboo basket, the two sisters began their slow climb up the mountain path.


    At this time of year, people were busy with farm work in the fields, and hardly anyone ventured up the mountain.


    Moreover, there wasn¡¯t much of value to be found on this mountain.


    Although it wasn¡¯t large, the woods were deep, and without any specialized hunters in the Lin family¡¯s hollow, even fewer people went up the mountain.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s family didn¡¯t own any land, and since the Lin family hadn¡¯t yet divided their estate, naturally they wouldn¡¯t allocate any land to them.


    But Lin Yuan had made up her mind; if the family didn¡¯t want to divide the estate, then they would have to provide for her family of five.


    If they wanted to split, they¡¯d have to give up something in return.


    The sisters were without tools, each having only taken a sickle when they left the house, so they didn¡¯t dare to venture deep into the mountains.


    However, they were lucky just stepping into the foothills.


    Lin Yuan looked delightedly at the several large goji berry shrubs in front of her, the plump berries bright red and pleasing to the eye.


    It was goji berry season, and these berries were valuable¡ªnot only good for brewing in water or soup, but also for use in medicine.


    If she could pick these berries, dry them, and sell them in the town¡¯s pharmacy, she¡¯d certainly make a good amount of money.


    Lin Yuan seemed to see a handful of silver flying before her eyes, and she couldn¡¯t help but giggle with delight.


    Lin Wei, seeing how her elder sister¡¯s eyes sparkled foolishly at the sight of the goji berries, knew exactly what she was thinking and quickly grabbed her sister¡¯s arm, pulling her forward with force.


    ¡°Elder sister, we shouldn¡¯t take these red pendant beads.


    The elders always say that these are snakes¡¯ favorite food.


    We can¡¯t compete with snakes for food, otherwise we¡¯ll invite them into our home!¡±


    Red pendant beads were the local name for goji berries, as they didn¡¯t know the scientific term for them, and probably didn¡¯t know that they could also be used in medicine and sold for money.


    Lin Yuan then realized why these conspicuous goji berries showed no signs of being picked; simply, no one wanted them.


    Actually, goji berries were a real find.


    Although freshly picked they weren¡¯t much to eat, they turned sweet once dried.


    More importantly, goji berries were believed to nourish the kidneys and liver, moisten the lungs, improve vision, and had other benefits she couldn¡¯t fully articulate.


    But hearing what Lin Wei said, Lin Yuan too began to feel uneasy.


    If even the local doctors didn¡¯t know that goji berries could be used medicinally, her plan to make money might be thwarted.


    Forget it, just pick them and take them home.


    Even if they couldn¡¯t be sold, she could use them when making soup.


    Everyone in the family needed something nutritious to strengthen their bodies.


    ¡°Little sister, these red pendant beads are truly valuable.


    I remember Brother Zhuzi mentioning that educated people call them goji berries.


    Books even say that eating them is great for the body.


    It¡¯d be perfect to pick some and take them home for father and mother.¡±


    ¡°But...¡± Lin Wei looked timidly at the lush goji berry bushes.


    It was not that she didn¡¯t believe her elder sister, but she was somewhat daunted by the old folks¡¯ words.


    Lin Yuan knew what she was afraid of.


    Her younger sister was faint-hearted, and it was already good of her to accompany her up the mountain today.


    Asking her to go near and pick what was considered ¡°snake food¡± would be like taking food from a snake¡¯s mouth, and she definitely wouldn¡¯t dare.


    ¡°These red pendant beads,¡± said Lin Yuan, letting go of Lin Wei¡¯s hand, ¡°they¡¯re not actually snake food like the elderly say.


    Snakes eat mice.¡± Lin Yuan knew her words might not alleviate her sister¡¯s worries, but she still didn¡¯t plan to give up picking the goji berries: ¡°If you¡¯re scared, just wait for me here.¡±


    Lin Wei wanted to stop her, but since her elder sister didn¡¯t seem to be making it up, and she¡¯d heard it from Brother Zhuzi, who was the most learned man in the Lin family area, his word was surely not wrong.


    With that in mind, Lin Wei mustered up some courage and followed her elder sister¡¯s steps, ¡°Sis, you¡¯re right, I¡¯m not scared.


    I¡¯ll pick with you, then we can take them back to nourish mom and dad, so mom can have a little brother.¡±


    Hearing her younger sister¡¯s comment, Lin Yuan laughed softly, ¡°Oh my, my bold little sister talks of having a little brother.¡±


    Feeling teased by her elder sister, Lin Wei¡¯s hands retracted from picking the goji berries, her small cheeks blushing even redder than the berries, ¡°Sis, you, you just make fun of me.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± Seeing her sister¡¯s coy behavior, she suddenly felt like a rich young master teasing an innocent woman, unable to hold back her laughter, she covered her stomach and giggled.


    Lin Yuan first took the wild duck eggs out of the bamboo basket and placed them on soft grass leaves, then selected clean leaves to line the basket before carefully placing the goji berries inside.


    These goji berries had to be picked with a bit of stem attached, and one must take care not to crush them.


    Otherwise, the dried berries would look less appealing and dirtier.


    If the herb shop cut their price over this, it¡¯d be quite a loss.


    The sisters laughed as they picked the goji berries together.


    The patch was indeed large; it had taken them nearly half an hour and they had only picked just over half.


    ¡°Alright little sis, there are so many of these ¡®red earrings¡¯ here, and people in the village don¡¯t even know how good they are, so let¡¯s just pick these for now.


    Later, we should keep climbing up the mountain to see if there are other good things to collect,¡± Lin Yuan wiped off the sweat and noted they had picked about half a basket together, quite a lot indeed.


    Lin Wei was a bit apprehensive at first, but after picking for a while and seeing no snakes stopping them, she grew more spirited and picked with gusto.


    Hearing her elder sister¡¯s words, Lin Wei paused, wiping the sweat from her face with her sleeve, ¡°Sis, I ate one of those ¡®red earrings¡¯ just now; it seemed a bit sweet but quite small.


    Are these really good for health?¡±


    Lin Yuan found a shady spot to sit and fanned herself with her sleeve, ¡°Of course, even if you don¡¯t believe your sister, you should believe your Brother Zhuzi, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Expecting Lin Wei to worship the most learned man in Lin family area, she was surprised when Lin Wei pouted and huffed, ¡°I only believe what Sis says, not his words.


    He also said that once he gets the title of top scholar, he¡¯ll come to marry Sis, but I¡¯ve overheard mom and dad saying that Brother Zhuzi doesn¡¯t seem like he could achieve that, and even if he does, it¡¯s not certain that...


    Sis, don¡¯t be sad, I didn¡¯t mean...¡±


    Lin Wei, now engrossed in her berry picking, spoke without restraint and quickly waved her hands in concern at her elder sister.


    Usually, just mentioning anything negative about Brother Zhuzi would make her sister angry.


    She only hoped that her sister wouldn¡¯t blame their mother for it.


    But she didn¡¯t see her sister defending Chen Zhu like before.


    Instead, Lin Yuan continued to fan herself and laughed, ¡°No worries, I don¡¯t fancy him anymore, and honestly, I too think he looks like a ¡®Little White Face¡¯ not cut out for an official, more like someone who lives off a woman, haha.¡±


    Lin Wei didn¡¯t understand what ¡°living off a woman¡± meant, but seeing that her sister wasn¡¯t upset, her complexion unchanged, she finally relaxed.


    The sisters rested a bit longer, intending to climb the mountain again before the sun got too high.


    But just as Lin Yuan stood up, she saw Lin Wei¡¯s little face turn deathly pale, her lips trembling.


    The situation did not look good at all!

 Chapter 15 - 15 15 Catching Rabbits by Beating Snakes (1)_1

    ?Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Catching Rabbits by Beating Snakes (1)_1 Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Catching Rabbits by Beating Snakes (1)_1 Lin Yuan was worried that her sister had suffered from heatstroke, so she called out a few times.


    She saw her timidly lifting her hand and pointing behind Lin Yuan.


    Following her sister¡¯s gesture, Lin Yuan turned and saw that two uninvited guests had suddenly appeared where they had just been picking goji berries.


    To the left and to the right, they were staring at her with round eyes, their tongues flicking out constantly, making a hissing sound.


    Snakes!


    Two of them!


    Lin Yuan was startled at first, but after taking a closer look, she let out a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, they were just ordinary snakes, non-venomous.


    ¡°Big sister, big sister, are they here for revenge?¡± Lin Wei¡¯s lips quivered as she clutched her elder sister¡¯s arm, too terrified to turn her head, ¡°We stole their food, now they¡¯ve come for us.


    We should give back these red earrings to them!¡±


    As she spoke, Lin Wei went to reach for the bamboo basket behind her, intending to throw the goji berries inside back to those two ¡°creditors¡±!


    ¡°Younger sister, don¡¯t move.¡± Lin Yuan held her hand, not daring to make any sudden movements now.


    Even though the snakes were not too close, they could still move surprisingly fast, and she was afraid any large movement on her part would startle them.


    ¡°Did you notice?


    They¡¯re not coming after us, they¡¯re after our wild duck eggs.¡±


    Indeed, as her elder sister pointed out, Lin Wei then realized that the snakes were indeed aiming for the wild duck eggs that were placed to their right.


    ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that snakes love to steal eggs to eat, but I never expected they could be attracted from such a distance,¡± Lin Yuan whispered, her hand reaching behind to feel for the sickle.


    She had only brought two sickles with her to the mountains today.


    Although she wanted the snakes whole, there was no suitable tool at hand and she had to make do with what she had.


    Wielding a sickle in each hand, Lin Yuan slowly stood upright.


    One knee was bent, the other leg poised forward, ready to leap into an attack at any moment.


    Lin Wei was frozen in fear by her sister¡¯s actions.


    Big sister, was she going to chop the snakes?


    The snakes had come for the wild duck eggs, tantalizing food that was right in front of them, and they had no reason to leave.


    Perhaps they were not expecting someone else to be there, and even more unexpected must have been the sudden arrival of two snakes.


    Before Lin Yuan could make a move, she saw the two snakes locking eyes on each other, hissing with increased fury.


    ¡°Younger sister, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need to do anything.


    These two snakes are going to fight each other,¡± Lin Yuan said while still gripping the sickle tightly, not daring to relax for even a second.


    As expected, as soon as Lin Yuan finished speaking, she saw the two snakes launch an attack on each other, quickly tangling together in a fierce battle.


    Lin Wei had covered her eyes with both hands, not daring to watch the scene, but curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked through a small gap.


    She¡¯d seen snakes before, but never had she seen them fight.


    Despite the horror, she couldn¡¯t help thinking it looked rather like the village women pulling each other¡¯s hair during a quarrel in the street.


    With this thought, she didn¡¯t find it so scary anymore, and even felt a bit amused.


    Meanwhile, Lin Yuan had no interest in watching.


    She threw down the sickles and picked up a stick from beneath a tree nearby.


    There were plenty of trees in the area, with many branches underneath.


    She chose a thicker, longer, sturdier one and, holding the stick, she slowly approached the snakes.


    She aimed carefully, then ¡°bang!


    bang!¡± she struck down.


    Lin Wei was so shocked her mouth could have fit an entire chicken egg.


    That fierce woman wielding the stick and pounding the snakes, was that really her big sister?


    After ensuring the snakes no longer moved, dead as can be, Lin Yuan finally stopped.


    Tossing aside the stick, she caught her breath, knowing she wouldn¡¯t normally have hit them so many times.


    But what could she do when her body lacked nourishment and her arms lacked strength?


    Fortunately, the ancients did not deceive her; strike a snake at its vital point.


    With the first strike, the two snakes were dazed, lacked strength to counterattack, and thus posed no real danger to her.

 Chapter 16 - 16 16 Catching Rabbits by Beating Snakes (2)_1

    ?Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Catching Rabbits by Beating Snakes (2)_1 Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Catching Rabbits by Beating Snakes (2)_1 Lin Yuan wiped the sweat from her brow, bent down to locate the gallbladder of the snake, and with a hard pinch, she deftly removed it.


    She then plucked two larger leaves, wrapped the two snake galls in them, and prepared to place them in her bamboo basket.


    However, her basket already contained some goji berries, and she feared the galls would be crushed if she added them now, especially since she planned to put the two snakes in there as well.


    ¡°Big sister, transfer all the goji berries from here to that basket.


    I want to put these two snakes in here,¡± she instructed.


    Lin Wei hadn¡¯t yet recovered from her elder sister¡¯s fierce demeanor when she suddenly heard her talking about storing snake galls and snakes, prompting her to leap up and exclaim, ¡°Big sister, why would you keep them?!


    Grandpa said that snakes are fierce beasts, poisonous.


    Wang Mazhi¡¯s father in our village died from a snakebite before.¡±


    As Lin Yuan gently poured out the goji berries, she chuckled and shook her head, ¡°Not all snakes are poisonous.


    Poisonous snakes have triangular heads.


    Look, the heads of these two snakes are oval-shaped.


    Moreover, non-poisonous snakes have a slender body and less distinct patterning, unlike the beautiful markings of poisonous snakes.¡±


    ¡°Wow, big sister, you know so much.


    Did Brother Zhuzi tell you this?¡± Lin Wei¡¯s eyes sparkled with admiration.


    It seemed that studying wasn¡¯t entirely pointless.


    Lin Yuan merely smiled, neither confirming nor denying.


    If that excuse could explain her sudden wealth of knowledge, it surely wasn¡¯t a bad one.


    ¡°But, big sister, what about that black thing you were handling?


    What do you need these snakes for?¡±


    While transferring the goji berries to Lin Wei¡¯s basket, Lin Yuan gave a mysterious smile, ¡°I could tell you, but you have to promise not to tell our parents when we get back.¡±


    Lin Wei nodded hesitantly, although for some reason, her sister¡¯s smile sent shivers down her spine.


    With her sister¡¯s promise secured, Lin Yuan continued, ¡°That black thing is the snake gallbladder, useful in medicine.


    I¡¯ll sell it at the pharmacy in town.


    As for the snake bodies, they¡¯re to nourish our parents.¡±


    ¡°Oh.


    So, one is for selling and the other is...


    for eating?!¡± Lin Wei covered her mouth in shock, nearly biting her tongue.


    But seeing her elder sister earnestly preparing the snake bodies, she realized Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t joking at all.


    Eat?


    To eat!


    However, since they still needed to go up the mountain, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t immediately place the snake bodies in the basket; instead, she wrapped them in leaves and buried them in some soft soil nearby.


    She had intended to take them along, but seeing Lin Wei keeping a three-foot distance from her, she thought better of it.


    They would be coming back soon, and it wouldn¡¯t take long.


    The two continued up the mountain, gathering mugwort and various wild fruits and vegetables.


    Even more exciting was the discovery of a nest of baby rabbits in a cave.


    Though wild, they were old enough to survive without their parents.


    The sisters placed the rabbits in Lin Yuan¡¯s basket, cushioned with mugwort and wild vegetables and covered with more wild plants to feed them and hide them from prying eyes.


    Now, with no room left for the snake bodies, Lin Wei clearly didn¡¯t want to carry them, leaving Lin Yuan with no choice but to pick two sticks and carry the snakes home.


    Luckily, she had killed the snakes with a wooden stick instead of a sickle, which would have been too gruesome to parade through the village.


    Even without blood, her carrying two snakes through the village drew plenty of gossip.


    It was the time when villagers were returning home, and after they confirmed with Lin Wei, who was trailing behind, that Lin Yuan had killed the snakes with a stick, their looks toward Lin Yuan noticeably shifted.


    There were a few men who had killed snakes, but a young girl taking down two snakes was unheard of!


    Lin Yuan was well aware of their whispering, but she didn¡¯t care.


    A mischievous thought crossed her mind¡ªshe wondered if there would be an earthquake of shock if they knew these snakes were meant for eating.


    Ha-ha.

 Chapter 17 - 17 17 Making Snake Soup (1)_1

    ?Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Making Snake Soup (1)_1 Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Making Snake Soup (1)_1 When Lin Yuan and her sister arrived home, the day had already started to heat up.


    They were surprised to see the peaceful entrance of their home; unexpectedly, no one from Old Lin family¡¯s house had come over today.


    But upon reflection, Lin Yuan realized why¡ªthe entire village already knew about her uncle¡¯s couple trying to sell them off.


    Her grandfather was particularly concerned about his reputation and naturally didn¡¯t want to face the villagers¡¯ gossip and stares.


    Speaking of which, Lin Yuan¡¯s guess was quite accurate.


    After Laosan was chopped by Lin Yuan with a kitchen knife yesterday, he didn¡¯t dare to complain to Lady Yang, who doted on him the most.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid of Lady Yang but of his father!


    However, he failed to consider another person¡ªthat was, his eldest sister-in-law, Lady Ma.


    As soon as Lady Ma entered the door, she went to her in-laws and exposed all the shameful deeds Laosan and his wife had done, and of course, she mentioned the incident where ¡°Little Disaster Star¡± used a kitchen knife to chop at her own uncle.


    Upon hearing this, Lady Yang exploded, calling ¡°Little Disaster Star¡± nothing but trouble and cursing loudly about going to the second brother¡¯s house to apprehend someone.


    But before she could leave the house, she was shouted back by the Old Lin family¡¯s patriarch, Lin Jianling, ¡°Get back here!


    You dare to go apprehend someone!


    If anyone should be apprehended, it¡¯s Laosan!


    Hmph, such a big matter and you didn¡¯t even think to discuss it!¡±


    Lady Yang shrank her neck and stood to one side, not daring to move.


    After giving vent to his anger, Lin Jianling turned and fiercely kicked Lin Jiaxiao, ¡°Shameful wretch, you¡¯ve lost all of Old Lin family¡¯s face!¡± The old man had originally intended to go out, pipe in hand, but now he was too ashamed to leave, knowing full well that the group of old men outside were surely gathered together, gossiping about his family and waiting to mock him!


    Lin Jianling glared fiercely at Lady Yang and cursed, ¡°What a fine son you¡¯ve raised,¡± before storming into the inner rooms.


    Lady Yang felt the sting of his glare, and the retort she had on the tip of her tongue was forced back down.


    Seeing her youngest son grimacing and rubbing his backside, she hurriedly cooed over him endearingly.


    Lady Ma stood to the side, sneering secretly, but unfortunately got caught by her mother-in-law.


    Before the older woman could scold her, Lady Ma quickly made a cheerful exit with a smile, hands rubbing together, ¡°Mother, I¡¯m going to cook, to cook.¡±


    No sooner had Lady Ma stepped outside than she saw Li Feng¡¯e sneaking back into her own room.


    The sisters-in-law had never gotten along, and in the past, it was the second brother¡¯s family who did all the work.


    Now that they had moved out, all the chores had fallen on her as the eldest sister-in-law.


    Laosan¡¯s family only knew how to sweet-talk their in-laws and never lifted a finger to work.


    Now was the perfect opportunity for Lady Ma to exact revenge, and naturally, she wouldn¡¯t let Li Feng¡¯e get away.


    ¡°Oh, look who it is, Laosan¡¯s wife.


    Have you been frolicking with some wild man?


    You¡¯ve even lost a shoe.¡±


    Li Feng¡¯e, knowing she was too dirty to see anyone, had sneaked in when there were fewer villagers around.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to bump into this brainless woman right at the entrance.


    After being upset all day and with the additional loss of her silver hairpin, Li Feng¡¯e couldn¡¯t help but respond coldly, ¡°Cut the sarcasm.


    If you want your daughter to marry well, you¡¯d better keep your mouth shut!¡±


    Sure enough, Lady Ma didn¡¯t dare to say another word, despite her discomfort.


    Li Feng¡¯e¡¯s aunt was a close confidant of the county magistrate¡¯s wife, and Lady Ma needed her help to find a good match for her daughter Siyu.


    Moreover, her two sons would inevitably seek help from the Master Magistrate in the future.


    Li Feng¡¯e knew exactly what the eldest sister-in-law had in mind, and with a contemptuous and proud sneer, she tossed out, ¡°Heat some water for me,¡± before entering her own room.


    She needed to clean up the dirt on her body as soon as possible.


    After Li Feng¡¯e had entered, Lady Ma dared only mumble softly under her breath, but obediently went to boil water, feeling somewhat avenged only after secretly spitting several times into the water.


    Back to Lin Yuan¡ªso as not to alarm Little Linshuang and her parents inside the house, with her younger sister covering for her, Lin Yuan quickly slipped into the kitchen to hide the snake¡¯s body.


    Inside the house, Lin Jiaxin and Lady Liu were talking, while Little Linshuang, hearing that her eldest sister had caught a rabbit, was excitedly hanging around.

 Chapter 18 - 18 18 Making Snake Soup (2)_1

    ?Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Making Snake Soup (2)_1 Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Making Snake Soup (2)_1 Although the old hen was gone, the ramshackle chicken nest in the courtyard still stood, perfect for raising rabbits.


    Lin Wei took her little sister to clean the chicken droppings out of the nest and piled them in a corner of the wall, then laid some dry straw before placing the young rabbits inside.


    Fortunately, these wild rabbits were still small and couldn¡¯t run around.


    Otherwise, the broken fence around the nest wouldn¡¯t have been able to contain their tiny bodies at all.


    However, Lin Yuan was determined to mend the fence properly.


    In the future, she wanted to raise more rabbits and chicks.


    In fact, she really wanted to raise pigs as they were easier to keep alive.


    Once their home conditions improved and there were leftovers such as rice gruel from washing the wok, anything edible would be enough to keep the piglets alive.


    Plus, their thatched house was conveniently located on the west side, with a depression on the outside leading to the foot of the mountain.


    There weren¡¯t any neighbors close by, so it would be great to build a pigsty in such a convenient spot.


    After the two had finished tidying up the chicken nest, Lin Yuan instructed them to go outside and pick some fresh grass to feed the rabbits.


    There was a small puddle next to their home that didn¡¯t hold much water, but would fill up when it rained, with plenty of wild, fresh grass growing around it.


    Lin Wei knew that her eldest sister was deliberately sending them away to prepare the Snake Soup, so without saying a word, she grabbed her little sister¡¯s hand and ran off, forgetting even to take the basket for collecting grass.


    Lin Yuan watched her run as if chased by a ghost and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    She then took the wild vegetables she had picked on the mountain earlier into the inner room, asking her parents to talk and pick the vegetables at the same time, giving them something to do and to prevent her mother from coming out suddenly while she was preparing the snake, which might shock her.


    She wasn¡¯t ready for her brother to be born just yet.


    Only after everything was in order did she start to prepare the snake.


    She had done this before in a past life.


    It was quite simple: she needed to skin the snake first to prevent her parents from recognizing it, then put the meat, along with the bones, into the nearly cooked rice, naturally adding some salt and green onions for flavoring.


    Fortunately, she found some old rice at home, which she remembered begging from the old house because they had nothing else to eat.


    The rice, having been stored for too long, wasn¡¯t very palatable, so Lady Yang had given it to her with a condescending expression like she was doling out alms, an expression Lin Yuan still couldn¡¯t forget.


    But old rice was better than no rice at all, and she could still make delicious Snake Soup with it.


    First, she boiled the rice to remove the dirt and scum, then put the snake meat with the bones into the pot.


    When the rice started to burst, the snake meat was just short of being fully cooked, so she turned down the heat and let it simmer.


    When the snake meat was tender enough, she used chopsticks to pick out the bones.


    With Lin Wei absent, Lin Yuan had to expend much effort tending the fire, but fortunately, it didn¡¯t affect her cooking.


    While the rice was simmering on low heat, Lin Yuan found two sturdy, clean baskets in the kitchen, covered them with leaves, spread the goji berries on top, and then placed them in a breezy and cool spot to air-dry.


    Given the current weather, the two large baskets of goji berries should dry out in two or three days.


    By the time Lin Yuan had finished preparing the goji berries, a fragrant aroma wafted from the rice in the kitchen, indicating that it was ready.


    She quickly opened the pot lid and served two large bowls.


    The rice was still hot, and since it wasn¡¯t mealtime yet, she didn¡¯t rush to bring it inside.


    Instead, she washed out the big pot and started cooking another batch of rice.


    Later, she would throw the wild vegetables her parents had picked into the pot to make a delicious vegetable rice dish, seasoned with some salt.


    While Lin Yuan was washing the pot, Lin Wei returned with her sister.


    In truth, they had picked quite a lot of grass already, but Lin Wei had delayed returning, worried that her elder sister might not have finished cooking.


    As soon as Xiao Linshuang entered, her nose picked up the pleasant scent: ¡°Big sister, what delicious food have you made?


    It smells so good!¡±


    Lin Wei sneaked a glance at the two bowls of very sticky rice on the stove, unable to discern any trace of snake, and curiously asked her big sister, ¡°Is this, what, that?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this that?¡± Xiao Linshuang asked, blinking curiously while drool was already dripping from her mouth.


    After Lin Yuan rinsed the rice and covered the pot, she finally pulled her little sister¡¯s face, which was almost buried in the bowl, away, smiling, ¡°This is for dad and mom; your rice is still in the pot.¡±


    Inside the house, Lady Liu had finished picking the vegetables and took her daughter¡¯s bowl, surprised, but once she heard Lin Yuan say there was plenty more in the pot, she started eating with ease.


    The couple praised the meal as they ate, incessantly asking what was in it to make it so delicious.


    Lin Yuan simply smiled without answering, while Lin Wei, watching the two enjoy the meal, couldn¡¯t help but feel her stomach churn and ran out.


    For lunch that day, Lin Wei ate very little, while the clueless Xiao Linshuang had a full bowl.


    After lunch, Lin Yuan looked at the pitiful amount of food left in the house and her parents¡¯ gaunt faces and decided to make a trip to the old house.


    If they weren¡¯t going to divide the family, she would force a division.

 Chapter 19 - 19 19 Fathers Proposal_1

    ?Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Father¡¯s Proposal_1 Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Father¡¯s Proposal_1 Lady Liu was already seven months pregnant, and this was the time when her body felt heaviest.


    After lunch, Lin Yuan hurried her to the bed for an afternoon nap.


    Lin Jiaxin had been lying on the bed the whole time and naturally did not want to sleep, so Lin Yuan told him about the mooncake molds she wanted to make.


    Ever since Lin Jiaxin injured his leg, he had been confined to the bed, either lying down or sitting up.


    No one came to him for work anymore, and he could not even do his favorite carpentry.


    So, upon hearing that his daughter needed his skills, he was naturally overjoyed.


    But suddenly, something crossed his mind, and the light in Lin Jiaxin¡¯s eyes dimmed immediately.


    Lin Yuan understood his concerns.


    In the past, when he was working, the family would have leftover wood materials.


    However, after injuring his leg, Lady Yang had moved most of these materials away, and now the only pieces left were some small scraps piled in the corner of the kitchen.


    Many pieces too small for work had been burned by them as firewood.


    ¡°Dad, are you worried about the wood materials?¡± Lin Yuan tenderly covered his legs with the thin quilt, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, I don¡¯t need much.


    The wood in the kitchen will be enough.


    I¡¯ll pick a few larger pieces for you later.¡±


    Besides, even if there were no large pieces, it didn¡¯t matter.


    She could use small molds to make smaller mooncakes which would look more delicate.


    Wealthy families liked such fine and delicious treats, didn¡¯t they?


    Ah, she had just thought of another way to make money.


    However, Lin Jiaxin shook his head and sighed, ¡°Da Ya, Dad isn¡¯t worried about those pieces of wood.


    With my craftsmanship, even with just some scraps, Dad can still make a complete mold for you.


    It¡¯s just that...¡±


    ¡°Just what?¡±


    Lin Jiaxin struggled to say, ¡°It¡¯s just that all the tools I use for work, they¡¯ve all been taken away by your grandmother.¡±


    The tools, meaning those planes, chisels, and such that Dad used for carpentry, had all been taken away by those people?


    ¡°They can¡¯t do carpentry work, so what do they need those tools for?¡± Lin Yuan was somewhat speechless.


    Her grandmother had gone too far, she thought.


    Her own son was in such a state, and not only did she not care, but she also took away their means to make a living.


    Was she resolved to abandon them completely, to watch them starve to death?


    Thinking this, Lin Yuan considered discussing with her father the possibility of going to the old house that afternoon to express his desire to separate from the family.


    However, she didn¡¯t hold out much hope, as in her memories, her father always adhered to an unreasonable level of filial piety.


    Apart from not repudiating her mother to remarry, he had never done anything against his mother¡¯s wishes.


    Yet, before she could bring up the matter, she saw her father with his head bowed, pinching his legs over and over, then suddenly said in a muffled voice, ¡°Da Ya, if, I mean if, Dad were to separate from your grandparents and live alone¡ªwhat, what would you think?¡±


    Lin Yuan was somewhat surprised, never expecting her father to be the one to bring up separation after all his internal struggle.


    Lin Jiaxin thought Lin Yuan disagreed and quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s all right, it¡¯s all right.


    We don¡¯t have to separate.


    If we run out of food, we can still ask your grandparents for some...¡±


    ¡°No, Dad, I agree,¡± Lin Yuan stared into her father¡¯s eyes and nodded firmly, ¡°Dad, I was actually planning to discuss this matter with you.¡±


    ¡°You also know what Uncle did yesterday, it¡¯s because we haven¡¯t divided the family that they dare to brazenly interfere in our affairs.


    Even if he really had sold me and Da Ya yesterday, at most he would have been scolded by the villagers a few times; the Government Office wouldn¡¯t care, would they?¡± Lin Yuan was right, in this era, there were plenty of families who couldn¡¯t feed their children and sold them, and no one really managed child trafficking.


    ¡°Moreover, to say something a daughter shouldn¡¯t, our family is already in this state, have you seen grandma and grandpa help us at all?


    Anyway, it¡¯s been over a month since I last saw grandma and grandpa¡¯s faces.¡±


    Lin Yuan¡¯s words were somewhat heartbreaking, and Lin Jiaxin was aware of this himself, but he just didn¡¯t want to admit it, after all, they were still his parents.


    ¡°Once we¡¯ve divided the property, we can get a piece of land and won¡¯t have to rely on the relief of the village sisters every day like now.¡±


    Perhaps touching on Lin Jiaxin¡¯s sore spot, he suddenly looked up, smiled and patted Lin Yuan¡¯s head, but his eyes were red, ¡°My girl, Dad, I¡¯m sorry for the hardship you¡¯ve endured.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not suffering, don¡¯t worry, I will definitely make sure you and mom have a good life, and about your leg, I will find the best doctor for you.


    You¡¯ll definitely be able to walk around on the fields again!¡± Lin Yuan firmly believed she could earn a lot of money.


    For no reason, her heart ached suddenly, and her nose felt sour.


    In her past life, she had left her parents early to struggle on her own; this time, she swore that she would stay by her parents¡¯ side and fully enjoy the happiness of being a child.


    ¡°Good child.¡± Lin Jiaxin affectionately scraped his daughter¡¯s nose, smiling and said, ¡°About your grandma, never mind, if they don¡¯t divide the land for us, so be it, but the tools that belong to Dad, I will definitely take them back.


    Dad still has to make good and nice molds for Da Ya.¡±


    Lin Yuan smiled and nodded, but she was determined in her heart that she wouldn¡¯t divide the family so easily without making the other side pay.


    Now it seemed, dividing the family was all advantageous for them; they could get a piece of land and take back what originally belonged to them.


    More importantly, she was going to do something big, and without these people who were only interested in money hindering them from behind, she could spread her wings and strive without restraints.


    Upon stepping out of the eastern room¡¯s door, Lin Yuan unexpectedly saw Lin Wei and Xiao Linshuang lying at the doorway, eavesdropping on the conversation between father and daughter.


    Seeing that both of their eyes were somewhat red, Lin Yuan knew that dividing the family was what they had been wishing for, day and night.


    ¡°Big sister, after dividing the family, we can live better, right?¡± Lin Wei rubbed her eyes, looking at her big sister with a face full of hope; she always believed that what big sister told Dad about living a good life was true, and she trusted that her big sister could make it happen!


    ¡°Big sister, after we divide the family, grandma won¡¯t call me a loss anymore, and she won¡¯t scold mom and make her stay up all night doing embroidery, will she?¡± Xiao Linshuang was still young, and dividing the family was something she couldn¡¯t fully comprehend, but she did understand that once they divided the family, they wouldn¡¯t have to look at grandma and grandpa¡¯s faces when speaking, and her mom wouldn¡¯t be so tired anymore.


    Lin Yuan crouched down, gathered her two sisters into her arms, and whispered yet vehemently promised, ¡°Believe in your big sister, if she said she can make your lives better, she will definitely achieve it.


    Once we¡¯ve divided the family, we won¡¯t have to look at their faces anymore, nor beg them for food, and nobody could sell us to separate us from Dad and Mom, not even grandma and grandpa.


    One day, I will make them all regret it, and have them come back pleading with us!¡±


    The three sisters hugged each other tightly, and in the inner room, Lady Liu¡¯s tears slowly flowed¡ªher Da Ya had grown up.

 Chapter 20 - 20 20 Lan Hua, Good Friend (1)_1

    ?Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Lan Hua, Good Friend (1)_1 Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Lan Hua, Good Friend (1)_1 Compared to Lin Yuan¡¯s dilapidated house, the Lin Family Old House over there could be considered a residence of the affluent¡ªthough not the best in the village, it was still pretty decent.


    Lin Yuan, leading Xiao Linshuang by the hand, had just stepped onto the main village road when they caught sight of the Lin Family Old House from afar.


    Truth be told, half the credit for that impressive compound went to her father¡¯s hard work.


    The three sisters had initially planned to visit together today, but just before they set out, Lin Yuan suddenly thought of something and decided to leave Lin Wei at home, only taking Lin Shuang with her.


    Despite her young age, Lin Shuang was clever beyond her years, and if anything came up, she could rush back home to deliver a message.


    On this hot summer afternoon, the villagers would usually be taking their siesta.


    However, as it was still hot indoors, many would gather under the old locust tree in the village center to cool off and indulge in small talk or gossip.


    Holding Xiao Linshuang¡¯s hand, Lin Yuan walked from a distance.


    Xiao Linshuang harbored an innate fear of the old house and kept a stern little face, saying nothing along the way.


    Neither spoke, so from far off, they could already hear the din of argument under the old locust tree, particularly from two voices, louder than the rest.


    ¡°She¡¯s not just a Little Disaster Star, she even dares to slash people with a knife!


    If she¡¯s already this fierce without a husband, what mother-in-law would dare to take her?


    In the future, no one will have the guts to marry her.¡±


    ¡°I think your broken gong of a mouth is asking to be beaten again, isn¡¯t it?


    What Lin Yuan does is none of your damn business.


    Do you really have to go jabbering nonsense here?!¡± A loud but clearly young voice immediately retorted.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking about Lan Hua, I didn¡¯t say no one would take you.


    Why are you reacting so strongly?


    You still want to hit me?


    Fine, go ahead, try me, my face is right here.


    You dare to hit me or not!


    Hmph!¡±


    Lady Chen, shamelessly putting on a charade of a rascal, moved up right in front of Lin Lanhua, embodying the image of the utterly shameless and unruly.


    Those under the tree were either laughing at the spat or trying to mediate, utterly oblivious to the Lin Yuan sisters who had already arrived.


    Watching Lady Chen¡¯s thick-skinned act, Lin Yuan scoffed and delivered a slap right to her face.


    Smack!


    The crisp sound instantly silenced all the quarrelling.


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone so eager to be hit.


    How interesting.¡± Lin Yuan had put some strength into that slap, and her hand was a bit numb now, surely Lady Chen¡¯s face hurt even more.


    Dazed by the sudden slap, Lady Chen came to her senses and, cursing while flailing her fists, charged over: ¡°You Little Disaster Star, how dare you hit me!


    I¡¯ll tear that mouth of yours apart!¡±


    Lin Yuan was not about to stand still and let herself be hit.


    Even though she lacked strength at the moment, she clearly remembered the moves of Women¡¯s Self-Defense Skills.


    As Lady Chen charged at her, Lin Yuan simply sidestepped slightly and stuck out a foot, neatly tripping Lady Chen, who fell face-first as if she were eating dirt.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!


    My big sister is the best.


    It¡¯s you who can¡¯t get married.


    Your daughter Xiao He can¡¯t even speak properly¡ªshe¡¯s the one who¡¯ll have trouble getting married!¡± Xiao Linshuang, her face flushed red with anger, couldn¡¯t hold back her retort when she heard her big sister being insulted.


    But that slap and kick her big sister had just delivered were so impressive, she wanted to learn them too!


    ¡°You little brat, hitting someone and then cursing my daughter!


    You just wait¡ªI¡¯ll get my husband right over there.


    If you¡¯ve got the guts, don¡¯t you walk away!¡± Although Lady Chen¡¯s words were fierce, she was no good at fighting, something that might have something to do with her history.


    Lin Yuan crossed her arms over her chest and looked down at Lady Chen condescendingly, ¡°Are you sure you want to call him over?


    When I was coming here, I saw Lin Dashuan hugging his jar of wine, gulping down his fill.¡±


    Lin Dashuan was Lady Chen¡¯s man, a good-for-nothing drunkard, tipsy two and a half days out of every three, and he was prone to beating his wife when intoxicated.


    Lady Chen always bore injuries, but her prideful and face-saving nature wouldn¡¯t allow her to talk about it.


    Her silence, however, did not mean that the village was unaware.

 Chapter 21 - 21 21 Lan Hua, Good Friend (2)_1

    ?Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Lan Hua, Good Friend (2)_1 Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Lan Hua, Good Friend (2)_1 As expected, once she heard that Lin Dashuan had gotten drunk again, Lady Chen gave up on the idea of having him take revenge for her.


    Even if he hadn¡¯t been drunk, she wouldn¡¯t have expected him to stand up for her.


    She knew all too well he would never take her side.


    ¡°You remember this, talk less about other people, and if I, Lin Lanhua, hear it again, I¡¯ll chop you with a kitchen knife too!¡± Lanhua ran up, raised her arm, and mimicked the motion of chopping someone.


    That fierce look really did resemble the manner of a great bandit robbing a house.


    Most of those under the locust tree had seen Lin Yuan wielding a knife to chop at someone, and even if they hadn¡¯t seen it, they had heard about it countless times.


    Moreover, the way she had just come up and started slapping and smacking people around made everyone shake their heads and stay as far away as possible.


    When Lady Chen saw no one was speaking up for her, she got up, dusted herself off, and quickly left, although she continued to curse under her breath.


    Lin Yuan didn¡¯t bother with her; people who only dared to take advantage verbally weren¡¯t worth her attention.


    ¡°Yuanyuan, you tell me, did you really chop someone with a knife?


    Yesterday, our whole family went back to grandmother¡¯s house for the market, and we didn¡¯t return to the village until this afternoon.


    That¡¯s right, did you also catch two big pythons with your bare hands?


    Oh my, when did you become so...


    formidable?¡± Lanhua was Lin Yuan¡¯s only playmate in Linjia Hollow, and this girl had a tomboyish nature and didn¡¯t care about her Little Disaster Star reputation.


    They always spoke frankly with each other, and Lin Yuan had liked her character from the very beginning.


    Lanhua rattled on and on, and without waiting for Lin Yuan to respond, she asked curiously again, ¡°Where are you sisters headed?


    Why are you out and about in the middle of the day instead of sleeping at home?


    Is something wrong?¡±


    It was no wonder Lanhua was surprised.


    The old Lin Yuan was similar to Lin Wei, afraid of people calling her ¡°Little Disaster Star¡± and hardly ever leaving the house, always cooped up inside.


    Lanhua, being her closest friend, naturally guessed that the sisters must have had something important to do to leave the house that day.


    Lin Yuan patted Lanhua¡¯s hand and smiled, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, we¡¯re just going to visit Grandpa and Grandma.¡±


    Lanhua pouted, but then heard Lin Yuan say, ¡°If you¡¯re not busy, how about you wait at my house for me?


    I might need your help with something later.¡±


    Of course, Lanhua agreed, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll just take this pig fodder home and then head over to your house.¡± Lanhua¡¯s family was raising two piglets, and since no one was home yesterday, she hurried to gather some pig fodder to feed them at noon.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to walk up and hear Lady Ma¡¯s nonsense, which made her unable to hold back from starting an argument.


    After this interlude, Xiao Linshuang seemed to have lost some of her fear as well, holding her older sister¡¯s hand and happily skipping ahead.


    When the two reached the old house¡¯s entrance, the front door was tightly closed, which made sense¡ªLin Jianling¡¯s elderly parents were likely taking a nap, as for the third aunt and uncle, they were lazy and most likely wanted to lie in bed all day if they could.


    With Uncle Lin Jiazhong not home, and with their mother having moved out, only Aunt Ma was left to do all the work in the house; she was probably taking a nap too.


    Lin Yuan curled her lips into a smile.


    Sleep?


    My family is barely keeping the pot boiling, yet you still have the mood for sleep!


    But, whether you¡¯ll be able to sleep tonight, I don¡¯t know.


    Lin Yuan knocked on the door a few times without hearing a response, and then knocked again forcefully.


    Finally, she heard Lady Yang¡¯s exasperated voice from inside: ¡°Lady Ma, you lazybones, go open the door!¡±


    Then came the sound of Lady Ma¡¯s frantic agreement and her grumbling complaints: ¡°Who is it, who is it?


    Knocking in the middle of the day, coming!¡±


    Lin Yuan put on a sweet smile and sweetly called out to Lady Ma as the door opened, ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s me, Yuanyuan.¡±

 Chapter 22 - 22 22 Division of the Family (1)_1

    ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Division of the Family (1)_1 Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Division of the Family (1)_1 As Lin Yuan recalled Lady Ma¡¯s shocked expression, tinged with strands of fear upon seeing her, she couldn¡¯t help but curl the corners of her mouth upward.


    However, she couldn¡¯t afford to smile now, for the scene before her was indeed a bit exaggerated.


    It had only taken the time it took to eat a steamed bun after hearing of her arrival for both the elderly couple, Lin Jianling and his wife, and the third brother¡¯s family to gather in the main room.


    The patriarch sat beside the table smoking his dry tobacco pipe, uttering not a single word.


    The fact that he was frowning and incessantly knocking his pipe against the table told everyone that the old man was displeased, and specifically, extremely, did not wish to see her, the Little Disaster Star.


    But Lady Yang couldn¡¯t hold back, and as soon as she laid eyes on Lin Yuan, she started berating her angrily.


    ¡°You, the Little Disaster Star, still have the face to show up?


    That¡¯s right, since you dared to wield a kitchen knife at your third uncle, what wouldn¡¯t you dare to do?


    Ah?


    Have you come today with the intention to knife us, your grandparents, to death?¡±


    Lin Yuan, in an attempt to mask the uncontrollable smile on her lips, had kept her head down.


    Upon hearing those words, she obediently shook her head.


    Lady Yang, mistaking this attitude for remorse and an attempt to apologize, grew even more arrogant, and her words became even more offensive.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know how that useless thing, Lady Liu, raised you.


    You haven¡¯t learned anything you should have, but you have fully mastered all that you shouldn¡¯t!


    I¡¯ve said long ago that woman should not have been married into our family, but the useless second brother insisted on having her.


    What use is she?


    She couldn¡¯t even lay a full egg, only bringing loss to the family, a whole family of loss-making goods!¡±


    ¡°We are not loss-making goods, and neither is my mother...¡± Xiao Linshuang could not stand to hear someone badmouth her mother and sisters, and immediately retorted with her little mouth pouted.


    This retort completely enraged Lady Yang, and even Lin Jianling, who was sitting and smoking, became angry, knocking his tobacco pipe harder than before.


    Initially, the third son¡¯s family stood aside, not daring to speak.


    The way Lin Yuan fought and attacked someone with a knife the day before still intimidated them.


    But after a short while, seeing that the girl simply lowered her head and took the scolding, they figured she must truly understand her mistake; yesterday must have been nothing more than a moment of anger.


    They thought that even if she were given a few more guts today, she wouldn¡¯t dare to do it again.


    After being beaten by Lin Yuan and having her reputation tarnished, Li Feng¡¯e suffered the cold shoulder from her own husband once she got home.


    Unable to bear this humiliation, she immediately snorted and poked her husband¡¯s arm.


    Lin Jiaxiao¡¯s face darkened, and pointing at Xiao Linshuang¡¯s nose, he began to scold, ¡°How dare you, such a little girl, talk back to your grandmother?


    Will you grow up to be like your elder sister, wielding a knife at people?


    I won¡¯t let you off today; you need a good lesson to learn who the Boss is in this house!¡±


    Lin Jiaxiao rolled up his sleeves and advanced toward Xiao Linshuang, but before he got far, he saw Lin Yuan suddenly lift her head, her forbidding eyes coldly fixed on him, making him break out in goosebumps, his toes starting to hurt.


    Lin Jiaxiao shrank his neck back, his feet rooted to the spot, not daring to budge.


    Those eyes, those very eyes¡ªit was exactly this look she had had when she attacked him with the knife!


    Lin Jiaxiao¡¯s legs went weak, and he leaned on his wife.


    ¡°Your third uncle can¡¯t be bothered to discipline you.


    Tell me, what have you come for today?


    Surely you haven¡¯t come to hack someone again?¡±


    With a cold laugh, Lin Yuan turned her head and addressed the still-seated Lin Jianling who was smoking, ¡°Grandfather, we¡¯ve run out of grain at Lin Yuan¡¯s house; I¡¯ve come to get some grain.¡±


    Then she turned her head toward Lady Yang, ¡°Grandmother, my father¡¯s medicine has finished.


    Please give me some silver; I need to get medicine for my father.¡±


    She said ¡®take,¡¯ not ¡®ask,¡¯ implying that Lin Yuan¡¯s house rightfully deserved grain and silver from the old residence.


    But just because she saw it that way, didn¡¯t mean others did.


    No sooner had she spoken than Lady Yang had already started yelling at the top of her lungs, ¡°Want grain, want silver?


    You really think you can just say anything you want, don¡¯t you?


    There is no grain, no silver!¡±

 Chapter 23 - 23 23 Division of the Family (2)_1

    ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Division of the Family (2)_1 Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Division of the Family (2)_1 ¡°Exactly, as if this big family doesn¡¯t need feeding.


    Yet she opens her mouth asking for food and silver.¡± Lady Ma pursed her lips.


    She wanted to say that even divine medicine couldn¡¯t cure a paralytic and there was no use in grabbing any medicine, but she dared not speak out loud because of her in-laws¡¯ presence, so she could only mutter to herself in her heart.


    Li Feng¡¯e also sneered in a mocking sing-song voice, ¡°Oh, someone sure has gotten bold, strutting over here to demand food and silver.


    Do you even care about the elders anymore?¡±


    ¡°Her?


    If she understood respect for elders, would she have taken a knife to me?¡± Lin Jiaxiao, keeping a safe distance from Lin Yuan with his wife¡¯s hand in his, seemed to have been seriously traumatized by Lin Yuan¡¯s earlier attack with the knife, as he brought it up several times in just a short span of time.


    The group bickered back and forth, each taking their turn, but Lin Yuan remained silent, simply staring defiantly at the Lin family¡¯s patriarch, Lin Jianling.


    If she wasn¡¯t wrong, the old man would give in to her demands¡ªnot out of familial affection, but to save face.


    Laosan had caused quite a stir in the village by selling his niece, and if word got out that they neglected their own kin to the point of starvation or begging, the old man could kiss his reputation goodbye.


    Sure enough, Lin Jianling knocked his tobacco pipe and, without even looking at the Lin Yuan Sisters, dismissively said, ¡°Boss¡¯s house, go take half a bushel of ground cornmeal and give it to her.¡±


    ¡°But Dad...¡± Lady Yang started to object but was silenced by a glare.


    ¡°However,¡± Lin Jianling added, pressing down the tobacco leaves, ¡°there will be no silver.¡±


    The indifference in his voice extinguished the last flicker of kinship in Lin Yuan¡¯s heart.


    The old man did indeed care more about his pride than his son.


    If he truly loved his son, would he withhold the money for his medicine?


    Lady Ma glanced sideways, swung her arm, and waddled out with her ample behind, that half-bushel of cornmeal was freshly milled, and she planned to surreptitiously skim some off for herself.


    Lin Yuan paid no heed; she wasn¡¯t there for a measly half bushel of cornmeal: ¡°Grandfather, how can you be out of money?


    Your granddaughter remembers, my dad used to bring home one tael of silver every month.


    Sometimes, even two taels.


    And uncle, he¡¯s Mr.


    Accountant at Landlord Cao¡¯s house, earning two taels of silver each month, not even counting the Reward Silver from the main house.


    If you add the Reward Silver...¡±


    ¡°You little hussy, your uncle¡¯s silver is all spent on networking.


    He doesn¡¯t have any silver left over, I haven¡¯t even seen him bring home silver!¡± Lady Ma, who had just reached the door, rushed back in as soon as she heard Lin Yuan bring up her husband¡¯s affairs, her sunburnt face turning beet red with anxiety.


    Lin Yuan could tell from her defensive reaction that things were certainly not as Lady Ma claimed.


    Laosan¡¯s household wasn¡¯t foolish either; they caught the hint in each other¡¯s eyes, but said nothing.


    After all, they hadn¡¯t contributed any silver either.


    However, if the old man was giving silver to the Boss¡¯s house, they would not just stand by idly¡ªthey would also demand their share.


    ¡°What¡¯s got you so riled up, Boss¡¯s wife?


    Go stand off to the side!¡± Lady Yang couldn¡¯t tolerate any claim that their money was entirely earned by Boss¡¯s family, as if they were penniless.


    ¡°Listen here, Little Disaster Star, the money your dad brought in has long been spent on his treatment.


    Do you think his leg was spared by a stroke of divine luck?


    If it weren¡¯t for your grandmother here, running around begging every doctor in town, do you think those doctors would have bothered to treat a country bumpkin?


    Hmph, now you come to me asking for silver?


    There¡¯s none, no matter what you say!¡±


    ¡°Grandfather, I think you misunderstood me.


    I didn¡¯t come just for food today; it¡¯s also about the future.


    That half-bushel of cornmeal will only last us three or four days.


    So, we¡¯ll be coming to get food every ten days, or we could make it fortnightly.


    Or you could give us silver instead.


    Grandfather, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Li Feng¡¯e, the quickest to catch on, sensed something was up.


    ¡°What I mean is, just like Grandma said, my dad¡¯s leg may have been spared, but he can¡¯t move or work.


    Our family has no one who can do labor and thus no source of food.


    Therefore, we¡¯ll need to collect food every ten days, or every half-month will do, too.


    Or you could give us silver.


    Grandfather, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±

 Chapter 24 - 24 24 Division of the Family (1)_1

    ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Division of the Family (1)_1 Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Division of the Family (1)_1 The result turned out to be exactly as Lin Yuan had expected.


    Not only Boss and the third one, but even Lin Siyu, who always stayed in the house and did not go out, bounced out with her pretty little face flushed with urgency.


    ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my dear ancestor, why did you run out?


    Stay away from Little Disaster Star, don¡¯t get tainted by her bad luck!¡± As soon as Lady Ma saw that her daughter had actually run out, she quickly pulled her towards her own room.


    Her daughter was supposed to marry into a wealthy family in the future, how could she be seen with someone lowly and unprofitable like Lin Yuan!


    ¡°Siyu, hurry back to your room, how can you run outside so carelessly?¡± Lady Yang saw her own granddaughter come out and quickly ushered her back inside.


    This girl was her most cherished granddaughter, beautiful and clever, with a key feature being her sweet mouth as if smeared with honey.


    She was waiting for this granddaughter to marry into a wealthy family to enjoy a life of luxury.


    ¡°Mother, I...¡± This Lin Siyu indeed had many tricks up her sleeve.


    Upon seeing her grandmother¡¯s angry tug, she quickly came over and clung to Lady Yang¡¯s arm, acting coyly, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t give it to her, that silver should be saved for you and grandpa to enjoy!¡±


    Lady Yang smiled and patted her delicate little hand, nodding happily: ¡°You care the most about your grandparents, not like that Little Disaster Star, who¡¯s always like a creditor, always wanting food or money!¡±


    Having Lady Yang¡¯s assurance, Lin Siyu¡¯s heart also settled.


    She had long discussed with her mother that Grandma¡¯s money should be saved for her dowry; how could it be casually given away?


    With a scornful smile towards Lin Yuan, Lin Siyu strutted away with her head raised and waist swaying.


    Xiao Linshuang stuck out her tongue towards her cousin¡¯s retreating figure, making a face.


    Everyone in the village said her cousin was beautiful, but she didn¡¯t think so at all.


    Speaking of which, Lin Siyu was about the same age as Lin Yuan, but unlike Lin Yuan, Siyu knew how to win Lady Yang¡¯s favor, and even had her name chosen by a fortune teller!


    But Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t jealous of her at all.


    Just by looking at her peach blossom eyes, you knew this girl was bound to be restless at home in the future!


    ¡°Grandpa, Grandma and the others don¡¯t agree, what do you think?¡±


    Lin Yuan¡¯s eyes showed neither joy nor anger, as if everyone¡¯s refusal to give her family food and silver couldn¡¯t make her emotional in the slightest.


    Lin Jianling finally looked at this girl properly for the first time.


    The villagers all said that the prettiest girl in the Old Lin family was Siyu, and no other girl in the village could match her beauty.


    However, upon closer inspection, Lin Jianling couldn¡¯t help but feel that the delicacy hidden beneath Little Disaster Star¡¯s thin face was something Siyu couldn¡¯t compete with.


    Yet this slight favor didn¡¯t affect Lin Jianling¡¯s judgement.


    The Old Lin family still had four grandsons to feed and a granddaughter destined to marry into a wealthy family who needed a dowry.


    He couldn¡¯t jeopardize the boys¡¯ futures for a few granddaughters destined to be nothing more than village women.


    Besides, since his second son¡¯s leg was indeed crippled, maybe it was time to divide the family?


    But how could he divide the family without being scorned by the villagers?


    Lin Jianling was conflicted and finally squeezed out a few dry words: ¡°One month, one portion of food.¡±


    ¡°Then Grandpa, how much food do you plan to give us each month?


    My family now has two adults and three children, and in just over two months my mother will give birth to a little brother, by which time our family will definitely need even more food.


    My mother is weak and certainly won¡¯t have milk for him, so I plan to raise a sheep to feed my little brother sheep¡¯s milk.


    Grandpa, you have to include the money for the sheep as well.¡±


    Lin Yuan spoke as if she were an innocent little girl unfamiliar with worldly affairs, counting on her fingers for Lin Jianling to hear.


    Before she even finished, Lin Jianling¡¯s face had turned green.

 Chapter 25 - 25 25 Division of the Family (2)_1

    ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Division of the Family (2)_1 Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Division of the Family (2)_1 Li Feng¡¯e couldn¡¯t hold back and started to make a scene as well, ¡°Still drinking goat¡¯s milk?


    When I gave birth to two boys at once, I never said anything about raising a nanny goat to feed them goat¡¯s milk!


    Your useless mother, destined in this lifetime to only give birth to money-losing goods, and those money-losing goods still want to drink goat¡¯s milk?


    Ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°Dad, the three girls from Second Brother¡¯s family are here to collect debts from our Old Lin family, and this Little Disaster Star too, hurry up and kick her out.


    With her around, our family is sure to not have any good fortune!¡± Lin Jiaxiao saw Lin Yuan¡¯s audacious behavior and became furious.


    A family without someone to do work and earn money, yet they think they can take advantage of his home?


    Dream on!


    ¡°This is for sure something Second Brother put her up to!


    Dad, Second Brother is blaming you for not taking care of him, sending his daughter to cause you trouble!¡±


    Lin Jiaxiao¡¯s imagination truly impressed Lin Yuan.


    ¡°Dad, let¡¯s divide the household.


    Their Second Brother¡¯s household can¡¯t do anything, and they still think about eating free meals and living off us every day, no way, we¡¯re not going to be that easy mark!¡± Lady Ma sent her daughter back and just entered the house when she heard Lin Yuan¡¯s words.


    She opened her mouth and blurted out the idea of dividing the household.


    Lin Yuan thought to herself that as soon as Lady Ma returned, she brought up dividing the household, which must have been suggested by her daughter.


    She hadn¡¯t realized that Lin Siyu was somewhat smart.


    Laosan¡¯s couple heard Boss bring up dividing the household and dared not speak, knowing they would have to endure the Northwest wind every day if they were on their own, as they did no work.


    However, if they could just separate Second Brother¡¯s family alone, that would be wonderful!


    ¡°Big sister, what are you talking about?


    Big Brother hasn¡¯t even mentioned dividing the household, why are you pushing for it?¡± Lin Jiaxiao chastised in feigned seriousness, then coquettishly turned to Lady Yang, ¡°Mom and Dad, we shouldn¡¯t divide the household.


    You both are still alive, to divide now would be unfilial and let outsiders laugh at us.


    If we are to divide, we should only divide Second Brother¡¯s household.


    After all, they have been living on their own for a long time, and everyone in the village probably already thinks they don¡¯t care about Mom and Dad and have left to live on their own.¡±


    Laosan¡¯s words reminded Lin Jianling of the fact that Second Brother¡¯s family had defied Lady Yang¡¯s words when Little Linshuang was born, insisting on living separately.


    After so many years, the villagers had grown accustomed to the reality of Second Brother¡¯s family living apart from them.


    So, just separate Second Brother¡¯s family and at worst give them a better piece of land.


    Even if they couldn¡¯t farm it themselves, renting it out to others would keep them from starving.


    Once troubled, Lin Jianling suddenly saw the light.


    However, he wasn¡¯t sure if Second Brother¡¯s family would agree to this arrangement.


    Agree, Lin Yuan had long planned for this.


    Whether you divide or not, it doesn¡¯t matter to our family, we are definitely going to separate!


    ¡°Well, little, little...¡± Lin Jianling struggled to speak the words ¡°Little Disaster Star,¡± but they just didn¡¯t come out, and it was as if he couldn¡¯t remember his granddaughter¡¯s name.


    Lady Yang, having been with him for so many decades, knew her husband¡¯s thoughts well and quickly whispered in his ear.


    Lin Jianling then coughed and said, ¡°Yuanyuan, you know, Grandpa has such a big family to support here.


    Taking out so much grain every month is really difficult, and also, we spent quite a bit of silver for your father¡¯s leg treatment.


    So, here¡¯s the deal, Grandpa will give your family a piece of land.


    You can live separately.


    Anyway, your father has been living over there with you for so many years and hasn¡¯t really come back much.


    What do you think?¡±


    Hearing that the elder planned to give Second Brother¡¯s family a piece of land, Lady Ma and Laosan¡¯s couple were somewhat displeased.


    However, upon thinking about getting rid of the burdensome family, they felt it was worth it.


    Lady Yang too felt the sting of losing that land, but she abhorred losing her silver even more, so she didn¡¯t say anything.


    However, their silence didn¡¯t mean Lin Yuan would agree.


    Just divide the household and think to give them just a piece of land?


    They were daydreaming.


    ¡°Grandpa, although we have been living on our own for so many years, Dad has always paid the monthly silver here, so technically, it has not been a proper separation.


    Since we are officially dividing today, let¡¯s do it formally.


    Uncle has not come back from town yet, and he should be returning home soon.


    We can wait for him.¡±


    Lin Jianling was naturally pleased to hear Lin Yuan agreeing to the division of the household, and indeed, such a significant event should be attended by Boss, the future head of the household, so he too agreed immediately.


    However, upon hearing Lin Yuan¡¯s next few sentences, his expression twitched.


    ¡°And, you know, dividing the household needs to have a witness.


    Sister, go to the village chief¡¯s house and invite Grandpa village chief.


    Oh right, since Dad¡¯s leg is bad and he can¡¯t get off the kang, let¡¯s have Grandpa village chief wait at our place.


    Our house is in such a mess, hurry back and get your second sister to tidy it up, especially the stuff in the yard, don¡¯t leave it all scattered around.¡±


    Xiao Linshuang was sharp-witted.


    Receiving her big sister¡¯s instructions, she crisply agreed and before anyone else could react, she had already run out the door.


    Dividing a household was a significant event in the village, and no doubt there would be many spectators later.


    She didn¡¯t believe Lin Jianling would dare to repeat the offer of just giving a piece of land in front of all the villagers.

 Chapter 26 - 26 26 Division of the Family (1)_1

    ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Division of the Family (1)_1 Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Division of the Family (1)_1 Xiao Linshuang first returned home to inform her family that the village chief would be coming over to discuss the division of the household.


    Of course, she didn¡¯t forget to ask her second sister to move the goji berries drying in the courtyard into the west room.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was worried about people seeing them, as they didn¡¯t know such things could be sold for money and it wouldn¡¯t matter even if they did see them.


    However, Lin Yuan was concerned that, with many people around later, someone clumsy might knock into them, potentially ruining the berries.


    After leaving home, Xiao Linshuang then made a detour to the village chief¡¯s home, where she relayed her family¡¯s situation to the village chief¡¯s grandfather.


    Despite her young age, she spoke very fluently, getting the message across in just a few sentences.


    The village chief seemed to have anticipated this and simply shook his head with a sigh.


    Then, he got ready and slowly headed towards Lin Yuan¡¯s house, assisted by his son.


    There weren¡¯t many forms of entertainment in ancient villages.


    The villagers were usually busy with farming work, and their only pleasure was either watching a couple argue or gossiping together.


    Such a significant event as a family division was naturally of great interest to everyone.


    Nobody knew who shouted first, but even before the village chief arrived, a large crowd had gathered outside Lin Yuan¡¯s house, drawn by the commotion.


    With Lin Wei and Lan Hua tidying up at home, Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t worried.


    Soon, Lin Jianling arrived with the rest of the Lin family members, each harboring their own thoughts.


    From afar, the nosy old men and women greeted Lin Jianling and his spouse.


    ¡°Old Lin, I heard your family is going to split, oh my, how could you bear to part with such a good son like your second one?¡±


    ¡°How can I not bear to?


    Now, with the second boy¡¯s leg...¡± An old woman leading a little boy glanced over and didn¡¯t finish her sentence.


    Clearly, she disapproved of Lin Jianling¡¯s neglecting his son¡¯s welfare and casting him off.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Jiaxiao quickly shouted, ¡°What splitting off?


    It was my second brother who wanted to divide the family!


    They moved out years ago already.


    You folks who don¡¯t know the details better not talk nonsense.¡±


    Lin Yuan had some recollection of the old woman.


    Her second son, Lin Ershuan, used to work as a carpenter alongside Lin Jiaxin.


    However, her eldest son, Lin Dashuan, was quite clueless.


    He not only neglected his biological mother but also shirked work, instead spending his days drinking.


    When drunk, he¡¯d go home and beat his wife¡ªand yes, his wife was none other than Lady Chen who had just received a slap from Lin Yuan under the locust tree.


    Lin Yuan looked around her own courtyard and nodded.


    Her younger sisters were efficient in their work.


    The goji berries had been picked up, and the litter of rabbits had been moved into the west room.


    The village chief would undoubtedly go to the east room to ask for their parents¡¯ opinion later on, and the west room, where the girls slept, was not a place others would casually enter.


    With this tidy-up, Lin Yuan¡¯s house looked even more dilapidated.


    There was nothing left in the broken chicken coop except a few feathers.


    A couple of old buckets lay lopsided by the well, which had not been used in a long time.


    That well had been dug by Lin Jiaxin before his leg was injured.


    However, before it was finished, Lin Jianling had called him to repair the house, and afterward, there was never an opportunity to continue well-digging.


    When the village chief arrived at Lin Yuan¡¯s house, this was the scene he encountered, which made him sigh yet again.


    Lin Yuan sweetly called out to the village chief, ¡°Grandfather,¡± then hurried over to help together with Lin Dahan, guiding the village chief to sit on the only solid bench in the courtyard.


    This long bench was actually brought from Lan Hua¡¯s own home.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s house didn¡¯t have such benches; they only had a few small stools made from leftovers that Lin Jiaxin had once used.


    ¡°Grandfather, I¡¯m really sorry to trouble you to make this trip,¡± she said.


    Lin Yuan had a favorable impression of the elderly village chief, who was over seventy years old.


    When her father had broken his leg, it was this village chief who had decisively ordered his eldest son to drive an ox cart to town for medical treatment.


    Otherwise, given Lady Yang¡¯s stinginess, she would have definitely been reluctant to find a doctor in town and would opt for a rural doctor in the village for a casual treatment.


    To be frank, while preserving Lin Jiaxin¡¯s leg could be attributed to Lady Yang¡¯s silver, the old village chief¡¯s role was indispensable.

 Chapter 27 - 27 27 Division of the Family (2)_1

    ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Division of the Family (2)_1 Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Division of the Family (2)_1 ¡°You sweet-talking girl, after such a long time, how come you¡¯ve gotten thinner again?¡± But her eyes seemed even keener now.


    The old village chief patted Lin Yuan¡¯s head with a smile, the very picture of a grandfather doting on his granddaughter.


    Lin Jianling, standing to the side, felt his cheeks burn with shame as he listened to Lin Yuan call a stranger ¡®grandfather¡¯ more intimately than she called her own father.


    He found the sight before him particularly embarrassing.


    However, as the head of the family, he could not stay silent.


    He feigned a throat-clearing and approached the village chief, stuttering slightly, ¡°Sixth Uncle, this, um, my Second brother Lin wants to divide the family, so today we need to trouble you to come over and bear witness for us.¡±


    In the village, the village chief was the eldest of the senior residents, and even Lin Jianling had to respectfully address him as Sixth Uncle, although this show of respect didn¡¯t earn him much favor from the village chief.


    ¡°Is it Second brother Lin who wants to separate the family?¡± The village chief¡¯s eyes, though somewhat cloudy, were still sharp and piercing, ¡°Back when Laosan¡¯s house gave birth to Xiao Linshuang, you all forced him to divorce his wife, pushing him to move his whole family into this run-down house.


    Now that he¡¯s crippled, you¡¯re saying he wants to separate?


    Have you forced him to divorce again, or have you pushed him to sell his daughter?


    Huh!¡±


    The old village chief¡¯s words indicated that he was well aware of the deeds Lin Jiaxiao had done yesterday, and the crowd gathered at the door started to get noisy.


    Lin Yuan saw Lin Ershuan and Sister-in-law Guizhi, along with Lan Hua¡¯s mother, Aunt Wang, who had obviously heard about their intention to divide the family and had hurried over, fearing that their family would get the short end of the stick.


    At the moment, these people were loudly recounting Lin Jiaxiao¡¯s deeds.


    Though Lin Yuan bore the reputation of being a Little Disaster Star, the goodwill of Lin Jiaxin¡¯s couple was also unquestionable; therefore, aside from these few, there were quite a few sympathizers for their family.


    Lin Jianling glared fiercely at his own younger brother before quickly forcing a smile to explain to the village chief, ¡°Sixth Uncle, I know that what my Third brother has done is wrong, but he did it to lessen the burden on Second brother¡¯s family.


    However, the matter of dividing the family today was indeed brought up by Second brother himself.


    If you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask Yuanyuan.


    Yuanyuan, why don¡¯t you quickly tell your village chief grandfather what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Lin Yuan sneered inwardly but nodded her head, ¡°Village chief grandfather, my father¡¯s leg is injured, he can¡¯t work.


    Our family doesn¡¯t have land to farm, no food to eat, and no silver to treat my father¡¯s leg.


    We, we, have no choice but to separate.¡±


    As Lin Yuan spoke these words, her eyes slowly reddened.


    Although much of it was an act, there was genuine indignation in her heart.


    Perhaps this was the bond of blood calling out, how could she not feel heartache as a daughter seeing her own parents so helpless?


    However, Lin Yuan¡¯s words of misery and helplessness won over even more sympathy.


    ¡°Girl, if your family is having such a hard time, why don¡¯t you ask your grandparents for food and silver?


    And now you¡¯re clamoring to divide the family, isn¡¯t that foolish?¡± Aunt Wang¡¯s rough yet warm hands wiped away the tears on Lin Yuan¡¯s face, and she felt a warmth in her heart.


    ¡°We, we...¡± Lin Yuan bit her lip stubbornly, shaking her head without speaking.


    On the side, Lin Wei, seeing her older sister like this, also started to weep, while Xiao Linshuang burst into loud cries, ¡°Auntie, my grandparents, they won¡¯t give it to us, they don¡¯t care about us anymore.¡±


    ¡°Little girl, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Lin Jiaxiao, not expecting her to say such things, glared with both eyes, frighteningly ready to raise his hand, but Xiao Linshuang quickly shut her mouth and burrowed into Aunt Wang¡¯s arms in fear, which only further corroborated what she had just said, that the Lin family was unwilling to shoulder the burden of this family, forcing them to request the separation themselves!


    Aunt Wang¡¯s eyes also reddened, and some of the soft-hearted sisters-in-law at the door began to dab at their eyes as well.


    ¡°Village chief grandfather, my grandparents said they would give us a piece of land when we divide the family.


    With land, we¡¯ll have food to eat.


    Grandfather, please let us separate, I beg you.¡± Lin Yuan tugged pitifully at the old village chief¡¯s sleeve, her slight but weighty words achieving unprecedented effect.


    ¡°What, they¡¯ll give a piece of land just for dividing the family?


    Is this how you treat beggars?¡±


    ¡°The land of the Lin family is quite vast.


    I used to help with work there because Second brother Lin couldn¡¯t manage it alone.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, of the three sons, only Second brother Lin knows how to work the land.


    Now they are forcing his family to divide, and they are only offering them a piece of land; that¡¯s really heartless!¡±

 Chapter 28 - 28 28 Division of the Family (1)_1

    ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Division of the Family (1)_1 Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Division of the Family (1)_1 Everyone had their say, and with each word, Lin Jianling¡¯s old face flushed red and then turned pale.


    There was no solution; what they said was the truth.


    The eldest son, being Mr.


    Accountant, simply did no physical work, and the third son¡¯s behavior did not indicate a steadfast worker, only the second son could...


    At this thought, Lin Jianling actually felt some heartache for the second son, but then he thought of the several mouths to feed in the second son¡¯s family, and his own exemplary grandsons, Lin Jianling¡¯s heart had to harden.


    Even if the villagers laughed at him, the division had to be made.


    When his grandsons became successful and held high office, wouldn¡¯t they then flock to curry favor with him!


    ¡°Sixth Uncle, this girl must have misunderstood.


    Although it¡¯s a piece of land, it¡¯s that one at the south end of the village.


    With the second son¡¯s household in such difficulty, how could I treat my own flesh and blood unfairly?¡±


    The land at the south end of the village was the Lin family¡¯s best plot.


    Not only was it flat, but it was also large, and most importantly, it was right next to the village¡¯s only river, making irrigation convenient.


    Thus, its harvest was always the best over the years.


    Although it was some distance from Lin Yuan¡¯s house, if they could get that plot of land, as long as they worked it well, it would surely provide for Lin Yuan¡¯s family.


    But such good fortune, the Lin family members naturally were reluctant to spare.


    Suddenly, someone entered through the doorway, a square-faced man dressed in a cotton robe, looking every part the scholar.


    Lin Yuan glanced over and knew that it was her eldest uncle, Lin Jiazhong, who had returned.


    ¡°Father, how could our family divide the property?


    It has always been said that it¡¯s greatly unfilial for children to divide the family assets while their parents are still alive.


    All of us brothers are by your side, how can you simply declare a division of the household?


    And the second brother too, defying our parents¡¯ wishes is undutiful.


    He has already been unfilial by arguing with mother and moving out to live separately with his family.


    Now to clamor for a division of the family property, this, this is truly against the teachings of the sages!¡±


    Lin Yuan rubbed her forehead, never having expected her eldest uncle to be such a pedant.


    As soon as he entered the door, he spewed a stream of inappropriate sage doctrines.


    If he truly lived by the teachings of the sages, why would he begrudge giving Lady Yang the silver?


    Indeed, just as she remembered, he was a hypocritical scholar with an appearance of virtue.


    As soon as Lin Jiazhong entered the room, he began to preach morals, but most villagers found it hard to understand and were unaccustomed to listening to him.


    Even more, they disdained his show of knowledge solely based on some learning and ignored him with a sneer.


    Lady Ma quickly tugged at her husband and whispered a few words in his ear.


    Lin Jiazhong¡¯s expression darkened then cleared as he straightened his sleeves and approached the old village head to bow deeply before saying, ¡°Sixth Grandpa, since today¡¯s matter was initiated by my younger brother, as his elder brother, I am powerless.


    I¡¯m gratefully entrusting this matter to you, in hopes that you will judge fairly and not wrong anyone.¡±


    Lin Yuan found his words seemingly appropriate, yet she felt amused inside.


    The old village head waved his hand.


    Although he was more inclined toward Lin Yuan¡¯s family, he would still handle the division of property fairly.


    He took a thick account book from his eldest son, Lin Dahan, flipped through it, and asked Lin Jianling, ¡°Your old house has five rooms in the North Room and three rooms in each of the east and west wings, with eight acres of land.


    By right, you should give the second son two acres of land and three wing rooms.


    How does that sound?¡±


    Lin Jianling was stunned.


    Wasn¡¯t it agreed that they would give the second brother that better piece of land?


    Why were they now asking about the rooms in his house?


    ¡°Mister Sixth, father said he¡¯d give my second brother that good plot of land at the south end of the village, that¡¯s enough!¡± Lin Jiaxiao didn¡¯t mind parting with the land, since he didn¡¯t cultivate it anyway, but the rooms in the house were a different matter!


    ¡°Rooms and land, both must be divided!¡± The old village head seemed to have anticipated their reaction and spoke with a firm tone.

 Chapter 29 - 29 29 Division of the Family (2)_1

    ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Division of the Family (2)_1 Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Division of the Family (2)_1 ¡°Mister Sixth Grandpa, it seems that if the second son voluntarily gives up, we don¡¯t have to divide and move into separate houses, right?¡± Lin Jiazhong spoke truthfully, the old village head originally wanted to fight for more for the second son¡¯s family, but after hearing this statement, he couldn¡¯t help but nod.


    He then looked at Lin Yuan, ¡°Girl, where is your father?¡±


    Lin Jiaxin was inside the eastern room, but she wasn¡¯t going to let her father take charge.


    Otherwise, they would surely bind him with familial affection and prevent him from getting more property.


    ¡°Grandpa, my father is unwell.


    He said that the matter of dividing the family should be left to me to handle.¡± As soon as these words left Lin Yuan¡¯s mouth, many people from the Lin family¡¯s side voiced their opposition.


    How could a young girl make such significant decisions for their family elders?


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not married yet.


    Can¡¯t I make decisions for my family¡¯s affairs?¡± Lin Yuan didn¡¯t look at those people; she knew exactly what they were planning, and surely the old village head understood as well.


    The old village head gazed into Lin Yuan¡¯s bright eyes and nodded, ¡°You are the boss.


    Since your father agrees, naturally you can decide.¡±


    With the old village head saying so, the Lin family side could not oppose her anymore.


    Lin Yuan smiled, ¡°Village Chief Grandpa, we don¡¯t want the houses.¡±


    She seemed to hear some people heaving sighs of relief.


    ¡°However, we want to convert these three rooms into grain.


    If there¡¯s no grain, changing them into silver is also fine.¡±


    Lin Yuan immediately heard voices choked with a gasp.


    Grain, silver?


    This girl could really talk!


    The old village head nodded, ¡°By all rights, this is feasible.¡± He then looked at Lin Jianling, ¡°State your position.¡±


    State a position?


    Lady Yang and both the boss and the third son¡¯s couple were reluctant to divide silver, but if they had to convert it to grain, they didn¡¯t have so much grain in the house.


    For the past six months, since the second son couldn¡¯t work and both the boss and the third son never touched the fields, their efforts in the fields led to no harvest.


    They were practically living off the silver the second son previously contributed.


    But there was not much of that silver left, and there was certainly no surplus grain to give to them.


    Lin Jianling naturally didn¡¯t dare to voice these humiliating truths, but Lady Yang was both angry and ashamed, glaring hatefully at Lin Yuan, the demanding ghost, ¡°There is no grain, and there is no silver either.¡±


    Lin Yuan appeared to be very pleased, ¡°Grandma, then how about we don¡¯t divide the household?


    We can live together, and each month you can just give us some grain.¡±


    This suggestion was like a death knell making life difficult for Lin Jianling and his group.


    Whether they divided the household or not, the burden was heavy.


    If they divided, what would they give?


    Lin Jianling clenched his teeth and said in a muffled voice, ¡°Three acres of land, two taels of silver.¡±


    Onlookers gasped with pity ¨C three rooms only exchanged for an acre of land and two taels of silver?


    How generous!


    Lin Yuan shook her head and didn¡¯t say a word.


    The old village head, too, stayed silent.


    In desperation, Lin Jianling said, ¡°All we have left in the house are two bags of corn kernels.


    Give, give them one bag.¡±


    ¡°What do you say, young girl?¡± The old village head seemed to have noticed Lin Jianling¡¯s embarrassment and thus turned to ask Lin Yuan.


    Actually, these things weren¡¯t much, but for the Lin family at the moment, it was a significant loss, evident from Lady Yang¡¯s furious face.


    They had probably squandered the silver earned by the father long ago.


    ¡°We¡¯ll also need the tools my father used for his work back then; they should be returned to us as well,¡± Lin Yuan finally relented.


    Seeing Lin Yuan give in, Lin Jianling finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Village Chief Grandpa, since everyone is here today, Yuanyuan would like to ask you to write a document for dividing the family.


    My father said that during holidays and festivals, we will send some grain to honor our grandparents,¡± said Lin Yuan.


    This statement touched the hearts of the onlookers ¨C look at this child, even in her own plight, she was still thinking of showing filial respect.


    And then looking at her father, alas!


    The old village head had his son fetch ink, brush, paper, and inkstone.


    With the educated Lin Jiazhong present, naturally the document for the family division should be written by him.


    Lin Jiazhong took his time, writing slowly, revising as he went.


    It was some time before he finally finished.


    Three copies of the division document were made: one for Lin Jianling, one for Lin Jiaxin, and the old village head kept one as well.


    Lin Yuan took the document and presented it to Lin Jiaxin inside the house.


    Lin Jiaxin¡¯s face was stricken with grief, but he still signed his name and impressed his fingerprint.


    Once the matter was settled, Lin Ershuan and his wife eagerly went to the old house to retrieve the bag of corn kernels and Lin Jiaxin¡¯s work tools.


    Being a carpenter, he knew these items better than Lin Yuan, and his involvement assured her even more.


    The old village head was getting on in years, so he handed off the task of measuring the land to his eldest son.


    It so happened that Lan Hua¡¯s father and her eldest brother came back from work, and Lin Yuan entrusted the task to them.


    She trusted these people¡¯s characters.


    Watching the villagers gleefully set off to measure the land, Lin Yuan lifted the corners of her mouth.


    She would never forget this day and would make sure the Lin family never forgot either.


    With the grain, they had enough to eat for a few days.


    With the land, she could now work hard to earn money and support the family!

 Chapter 30 - 30 30 The Prettiest Girl (1)_1

    ?Chapter 30: Chapter 30 The Prettiest Girl (1)_1 Chapter 30: Chapter 30 The Prettiest Girl (1)_1 Carrying the tools he had reclaimed from Lady Yang, Lin Jiaxin¡¯s face was full of emotion.


    Lin Yuan knew that her father must be feeling unhappy, so she didn¡¯t bring up the matter of dividing the family again.


    Instead, she shared with him in great detail her plans to make mooncakes.


    Sure enough, as soon as Lin Jiaxin heard about this, he took an interest.


    ¡°Da Ya, this new style of mooncake that you¡¯re talking about sounds quite rare and is sure to sell.


    But what should the mold look like?


    Draw a design for your father, and I will make it right away for you to test and see if it works,¡± he said.


    Lin Yuan nodded and agreed to draw a design by evening and give it to her father first thing in the morning.


    After stepping out of the east room¡¯s door, Lin Yuan turned around to check on the goji berries that had been drying in the sun today.


    The temperature was just right, and in only one day, the goji berries were nearly half-dried.


    If they dried for another day, she could take them to town to trade for money the day after tomorrow.


    It wasn¡¯t yet time to cook dinner, and since Lin Yuan needed to draw a design in the evening, she realized that they didn¡¯t have ink and paper at home.


    A pen wasn¡¯t a big issue, as she wasn¡¯t accustomed to using one anyway¡ªshe could simply find a piece of charcoal in the kitchen to whittle and write with.


    However, paper was indispensable.


    They could use cloth as an alternative to write on, but considering the current situation at home, even clothing was in short supply, let alone cloth.


    Lin Yuan looked towards the thatched cottage to the east, sighing.


    It seemed she had no choice but to ask Chen Zhu¡¯s house for a piece of paper.


    After leaving a message with Lin Wei, Lin Yuan stepped out.


    Chen Zhu¡¯s house was almost adjacent to hers, with just a space of less than thirty meters in between.


    Despite everything that had happened at her home in the past few days, no one from next door had shown up.


    If not for her knowledge of the couple¡¯s situation, she might have thought something had happened to them.


    ¡°Auntie, are you home?


    It¡¯s Yuanyuan.¡± Lin Yuan used to visit almost daily, but this was her first time since coming from the other side.


    This house, really, wasn¡¯t bad at all¡ªit was much better than hers.


    Although it looked just like a thatched cottage from the outside, the interior was well furnished, especially the west room with its tables and chairs, and the books on the table that clearly belonged to Chen Zhu.


    Aunt Chen came out of the east room, all smiles.


    Her health wasn¡¯t good; it was said that she had starved herself during their escape to save food for her son and had never fully recovered.


    ¡°Yuanyuan, you¡¯re here?¡±


    Just after Aunt Chen finished speaking, Lin Yuan heard a muffled male voice rudely grunt from inside the house.


    She knew it was Chen Zhu¡¯s father¡¯s voice.


    Because he lacked an eye and hardly interacted with villagers, nobody knew his real name, so they simply called him Old man Chen.


    Old man Chen had never liked her, always feeling that she wasn¡¯t good enough for his son, Chen Zhu.


    The old Lin Yuan would have been deeply hurt and felt inferior because of this, but the current Lin Yuan wouldn¡¯t, especially since she didn¡¯t like Little White Face anyway.


    As if she hadn¡¯t heard anything, Lin Yuan smiled and said, ¡°Auntie, I came to borrow a piece of paper from you.


    I need to draw a design for my father for his craftwork.¡±


    Aunt Chen obviously knew that Lin Yuan had heard her husband¡¯s dissatisfied grunt, but to her surprise, the girl didn¡¯t seem the least bit upset.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a piece of paper, don¡¯t mention borrowing¡ªdon¡¯t be a stranger.


    Come on, I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± she said, leading Lin Yuan to the west room.


    Lin Yuan, however, stood still in the main room, smiling as she said, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t say that.


    We¡¯re neither kin nor kith, how can I simply take your things?¡±


    Aunt Chen paused with the paper in hand.


    The girl¡¯s remark seemed to suggest that she wanted to clearly sever ties with her son, Chen Zhu.


    Although Old Chen didn¡¯t have a soft spot for Lin Yuan, Aunt Chen had grown very fond of this young woman who visited them day after day.


    Thus, she suddenly handed over several pieces of paper to Lin Yuan, even if they were coarse¡ªthey were still quite rare in ordinary households.

 Chapter 31 - 31 31 The Prettiest Girl (2)_1

    ?Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The Prettiest Girl (2)_1 Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The Prettiest Girl (2)_1 Lin Yuan gratefully accepted it, promising she would definitely repay the favor in the future, before leaving without further delay.


    Aunt Chen leaned against the door, watching Lin Yuan¡¯s retreating figure, and sighed unconsciously.


    She was aware of the difficulties at Lin Yuan¡¯s house these past few days, but had not dared to visit due to her old man¡¯s tyranny; yet the girl didn¡¯t complain at all.


    Her old man and Zhu Zi didn¡¯t like the girl much, but Aunt Chen always felt that Lin Yuan was a good kid, full of loyalty and gratitude.


    By the time Lin Yuan got back home, it was time to cook dinner.


    She put some water in the pot for Lin Wei to start heating, while she scooped cornmeal into a wooden basin, stirred it with some cold water to make a paste, ready to be added to the boiling water later.


    There were some wild vegetables left from lunch that she cleaned and chopped, to be added later as well.


    While Lin Yuan was washing the vegetables, she saw the three wild duck eggs she had found by the river in the morning.


    She cleaned them carefully and put them in the pot to boil.


    With five mouths to feed at home, three wild duck eggs were definitely not enough.


    As she was worrying, Lin Wei, who was tending the fire, suddenly said, ¡°Big sister, is the pot clean?


    I kept smelling ¡®that¡¯ during lunch.


    Just give me a small bowl later, okay?


    I dare not eat too much for fear of throwing up.¡±


    Lin Yuan chuckled, knowing that her elder sister was hinting she didn¡¯t want to eat the wild duck eggs.


    But did she really have to find that excuse?


    After all, Lin Wei had cleaned the pot thoroughly at least three times after making the Snake Soup at noon.


    How could it not be clean?


    ¡°Big sister, in a few days, I¡¯ll be able to make something even tastier than wild duck eggs for you.


    You believe me.¡±


    Lin Wei tossed another piece of firewood into the stove and said with a giggle, ¡°I¡¯ve always believed what big sister says.¡±


    ¡°Right, big sister said we could definitely separate our household, and today we did,¡± Xiao Linshuang chimed in from the kitchen doorway, her small face still pale and frail, but her eyes twinkling brightly.


    Lin Yuan knew the girl was happy about the separation and had been chatting with her mother about it for a long time.


    ¡°Big sister, I want to eat something tastier than wild duck eggs too.


    I don¡¯t want to eat them!¡±


    Lin Yuan and Lin Wei didn¡¯t expect the girl to have overheard their conversation.


    They were just about to persuade her to eat more to grow stronger, but the little girl, imitating Lin Jiazhong¡¯s tone, shook her head and said in a sage-like manner, ¡°The sage says, ¡®The good stuff should be left for parents,¡¯ and also, ¡®Shuanger is the older sister, she should leave the tasty things for her younger brother to eat.¡¯


    The girl was thinking of the little brother in Lady Liu¡¯s belly.


    Lin Yuan and Lin Wei couldn¡¯t help laughing at her antics: ¡°Big sister, huh?


    You¡¯re still a big sister?


    Then how do you know for sure that it¡¯s a younger brother and not another little foodie like you?¡±


    Xiao Linshuang raised her head proudly and declared, ¡°I just know it¡ªthe one in Mom¡¯s belly is definitely a brother!¡±


    Laughing and teasing, the three sisters decided to leave the three wild duck eggs for their parents.


    Lin Yuan, concerned they might refuse to eat them, peeled and mashed the eggs finely, leaving no room for complaints, and then had Lin Wei bring them in.


    After dinner, while Lin Wei washed the dishes, Lin Yuan took the opportunity to pick out a few pieces of usable wood from the kitchen, planning to take them into the east room to show her father.


    But just as she walked into the kitchen, she felt her sleeve being tugged.


    Turning around, she saw Xiao Linshuang, lit by the gentle moonlight, speaking earnestly, word by word, ¡°Big sister, I think you are the prettiest girl in our village.


    You are the most beautiful!¡± After saying this, she nodded affirmatively.


    Lin Yuan was taken aback, remembering her encounter with Lin Siyu today, and realized the girl must have hurried to offer comfort, worried she would feel hurt and inferior.


    Warmth filled her heart, thinking about how the little girl had been troubled and upset about this all day; she tenderly touched her head and said seriously, ¡°Hmm, big sister is the prettiest girl, and then Xiao Shuangshuang is the prettiest.¡±


    What was meant to cheer up Xiao Linshuang surprisingly made her shake her head like a rattle-drum, ¡°No, no, after that, it¡¯s the second sister, and then it¡¯s Xiao Shuangshuang.¡±


    Lin Yuan couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter at her earnestness, and the wood she was holding in her arms dropped to the floor as she laughed along with her.

 Chapter 32 - 32 32 Mooncake Mold_1

    ?Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Mooncake Mold_1 Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Mooncake Mold_1 Ancient evenings were not like now, without electricity, everything had to rely on wax or kerosene lamps.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s house did have a kerosene lamp, but they had run out of lamp oil.


    Last month, Lady Liu had stayed up several all-nighters to finish the embroidery assigned to her by Grandma Lady Yang, using up the last bit of oil they had left.


    Thus, these past few days, the family had been going to bed early after an early dinner.


    However, Lin Yuan was in a hurry to draw patterns, so with no other choice, she had to try her luck at Lan Hua¡¯s house.


    Hearing that she was going to use light for drawing that evening, Lan Hua, curious, pulled her aside and questioned her for quite a while.


    Lin Yuan really liked this warm-hearted and straightforward girl, and thought that if her mooncakes really took off, she would indeed need help, so she shared her plan in detail.


    The more Lan Hua listened, the brighter her eyes became, immediately expressing her desire to join Lin Yuan¡¯s mooncake team.


    Aunt Wang, watching the two sisters, gave Lin Yuan the only piece of candle wax in the house with a chuckle.


    Candles were much brighter than their homemade lamp oil, not just by a level.


    Originally Lin Yuan only wanted a bit of lamp oil and had not dared to hope for candles.


    Now that Aunt Wang had offered the only bit of wax they had and with the support of her and her daughter, Lin Yuan felt even more motivated and set to work as soon as she got home.


    Lin Wei and the other were also excitedly gathered around the kang, leaning over the small table to watch their eldest sister carefully draw the patterns, round or square, and no one dared to speak.


    To become a better chef, Lin Yuan had put forth great effort in learning pastry in her previous life.


    She did not know carpentry, and all she needed to do was to draw the different sizes and shapes of mooncakes she remembered.


    However, though Lin Yuan dared to claim culinary expertise, she was not skilled in drawing.


    The striped patterns she drew could basically be understood but not described.


    Fortunately, Lin Jiaxin was an exceptional carpenter, skilled not just in carpentry but also in carving.


    Furniture like tables and wardrobes needed to be decorated with carved patterns, which made such carpentry more marketable.


    He used to have others draw the patterns for him to carve, but after many years, he had honed his skills to carve intricate patterns, even without a guide.


    Therefore, Lin Yuan just needed to provide a rough outline for the mooncake molds, and for the patterns on their surfaces, she simply drew the contours and wrote the ideas beside them.


    In a short amount of time, Lin Yuan had drawn more than a dozen styles.


    She planned to make two kinds of mooncakes: one type with patterns on the surface, like clouds or lines symbolizing good fortune, and another with characters on the surface.


    She also made large and small variations of each type.


    The larger ones were more economical, but the smaller ones looked more exquisite.


    She believed that as long as the flavor was good and the appearance was appealing, many people would be willing to buy them.


    As for engraving characters on the mooncakes, Lin Yuan created several variations.


    She divided them into two types: one with a single character, like fortune, prosperity, or longevity, and another that could fit several characters, such as phrases meaning ¡°flowers in full bloom and moon at its brightest,¡± ¡°reunion,¡± or ¡°perfection.¡± But, more characters meant a greater challenge for Lin Jiaxin¡¯s carving and Lin Yuan¡¯s baking skills¡ªif the carving or baking weren¡¯t done properly, the characters could easily blur together.


    Therefore, she decided not to make the character-engraved mooncakes in a small size but only large ones.


    Seeing that her eldest sister had finished drawing the patterns, Xiao Linshuang approached with a giggle and blinked her large eyes, asking, ¡°Big sister, is it ready?


    When can you make these mooncakes?


    I want to eat them now.¡±


    Lin Wei playfully poked her little sister¡¯s forehead and laughed, covering her mouth, ¡°You little glutton, always thinking about eating.¡±


    Having drawn up the designs, Lin Yuan was quite pleased, but upon hearing Xiao Linshuang¡¯s words, she suddenly realized a problem: how was she going to bake these mooncakes?


    Back when she made mooncakes, she had an oven to use, but now she didn¡¯t.


    Surely, she couldn¡¯t just bake the mooncakes in a big pot like flatbreads, could she?


    Perhaps she could make her own oven?


    Lin Wei and her sister didn¡¯t notice that their eldest sister¡¯s face had turned pale; they had already started burning moxa to repel mosquitoes and were getting ready for bed, laughing and talking merrily.


    Although there were no mosquitoes blowing trumpets in her ear that night, Lin Yuan was preoccupied with the thought of making her own oven, so she didn¡¯t sleep well.


    The next morning, with dark circles under her eyes, she went to deliver the design to her father, only to find that Lin Jiaxin had already solved this big problem for her.


    Hearing his daughter¡¯s woes about the oven, Lin Jiaxin laughed heartily for a rare moment, ¡°Da Ya, oh Da Ya, you¡¯ve really worried for nothing all night.


    Dad saw an iron box used for making mooncakes in a shop when he was on a job in town.


    It¡¯s not hard to make.


    Later, I¡¯ll have Brother Ershuan take a trip to the town¡¯s blacksmith.


    Dad has some ties with Old Iron Head there, it¡¯ll only cost at most two taels of silver.


    Our family can certainly afford that now.¡±


    The two taels of silver Lin Jiaxin referred to were of course the Two Taels of Silver that they had received from Lady Yang when they divided up the family¡¯s assets yesterday.


    Lin Yuan planned to go to town tomorrow to sell the goji berries, and if she encountered a connoisseur, it was possible to sell them for two taels of silver.


    In addition, she wanted to visit the best restaurant in town; she possessed great culinary skills but had nowhere to use them.


    If the restaurant owner was discerning, she might be able to take up her old trade in this foreign world.


    ¡°Dad, do you know which is the biggest restaurant in town?¡±


    Lin Jiaxin often received work from the town, so he naturally knew about such matters.


    ¡°The biggest restaurant is definitely Fuman Building, the largest and tallest one on the main street.


    Dad even made chairs for them in the past.¡± As soon as he mentioned his carpentry skills, his eyes shone with an unshakable light and pride.


    To make chairs for Fuman Building was something not even the carpenters in town had the luck of doing.


    ¡°Really?


    Dad, do you know if they employ female chefs?¡± Lin Yuan, surprised at her father¡¯s capabilities, quickly inquired about what concerned her most.


    ¡°Female chefs?¡± Lin Jiaxin shook his head.


    ¡°Where would you find a woman working as a chef?


    If there are any, they would be in grand households, cooking privately for young ladies, not in restaurants.¡±


    Lin Yuan understood.


    In this era, women from wealthy families were not supposed to appear in public, and women from small households like hers struggled even to feed themselves.


    How would they have the means to learn culinary skills?


    Village women could at best rely on washing clothes, mending, or doing embroidery to earn money to supplement their family income, just as her mother, Lady Liu, would occasionally sell the handkerchiefs she embroidered.


    It seemed that her path to becoming a female chef in a restaurant was yet another dead end.


    Lin Yuan felt down for a moment but then suddenly thought of something.


    If the restaurant wouldn¡¯t hire her, why couldn¡¯t she open her own restaurant?


    In her previous life, she had dreamed of saving enough money to start her own small diner.


    Now that the opportunity had arisen, how could she not seize it?


    However, the capital required to open a restaurant was quite high.


    With her current abilities, she had to focus on earning money in a steady manner!

 Chapter 33 - 33 33 Sesame Salt (1)_1

    ?Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Sesame Salt (1)_1 Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Sesame Salt (1)_1 After breakfast, Lin Yuan took advantage of the good weather to quickly bring out the two baskets of goji berries to dry, and instructed her two younger sisters to pick some tender grass for the rabbits.


    Then she went to Lin Ershuan¡¯s house to talk with him about going to the blacksmith shop together the next day.


    Since Dad mentioned that there was an oven for baking mooncakes at the blacksmith shop, she had to make sure to reserve one when she went to town to sell the goji berries tomorrow.


    She wasn¡¯t sure how many days it would take to finish an oven with the current level of craftsmanship, and with less than half a month left until the Mid-Autumn Festival, she had to make them in advance to sell, so time was pressing.


    ¡°Sister-in-law Guizhi, are you busy?¡± Lin Yuan knew that Brother Ershuan would surely have left early in the morning to work, so when she entered Lin Ershuan¡¯s gate and saw his wife, Feng Guizhi, tidying up a pile of sesame stalks while her mother-in-law was feeding her grandson millet flour porridge, she approached.


    Hearing Lin Yuan¡¯s call, Feng Guizhi set aside her work and smiled, ¡°Yuanyuan, you¡¯re here!


    Have you eaten yet?¡±


    Lin Yuan nodded, greeted the third aunt, played with Xiao Shitou for a bit, and then asked, ¡°Sister-in-law Guizhi, has my brother Ershuan gone to work?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your brother Ershuan took on a job in town making chairs for someone,¡± Feng Guizhi said as she moved a small stool for Lin Yuan to sit on.


    As Brother Ershuan used to work with Lin Jiaxin before, he generally earned enough Silver each month to cover the family¡¯s expenses, so he and his wife were particularly kind to Lin Yuan.


    Even the older third aunt only believed what she saw with her own eyes and never paid attention to the gossiping women in the village.


    Xiao Shitou swallowed the last bite of his millet flour porridge, wiped his little mouth, and grinned at Lin Yuan, ¡°Sister Yuan, is Xiao Yaya at home?


    Can I go and play with her?¡±


    Xiao Shitou was a year older than Xiao Linshuang but had been protected by Lin Ershuan and his wife since he was little, and with the grandmother doting on her grandson, he grew to be much sturdier and taller than Lin Shuang.


    ¡°She and Er Ya are at the little puddle next to my house pulling grass for the rabbits.¡± Er Ya was Lin Wei, and Xiao Yaya was naturally Xiao Linshuang.


    These were nicknames given by Lin Jiaxin himself, but only those close to their family would call them that.


    With permission from Feng Guizhi, Xiao Shitou sprinted off like a chick let out of its cage.


    The children in the village were typically raised in a free-range manner, and since the small puddle Lin Yuan mentioned hardly had any water in it and posed no danger, the third aunt allowed him to go.


    She finished washing the dishes and then continued organizing the sesame stalks.


    Lin Yuan also grabbed a handful and started knocking down the sesame seeds to help, ¡°Sister-in-law, I want to go to the town¡¯s blacksmith shop tomorrow.


    I heard from Dad that Brother Ershuan knows Old Iron Head, so I¡¯d like Brother Ershuan to show me the way.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll tell him when he comes back.


    It just happens that your Brother Ershuan also needs to go to the town for work tomorrow,¡± Feng Guizhi replied.


    Lin Yuan nodded.


    Another reason she liked being with Feng Guizhi¡¯s family was that they never pried into others¡¯ affairs.


    Although she had nearly mentioned it, she refrained, and neither Sister-in-law Guizhi nor the third aunt asked her why she wanted to go to the blacksmith shop.


    Looking at the pile of sesame stalks on the ground, Lin Yuan was somewhat puzzled.


    To her knowledge, people here could not usually afford to eat sesame oil since it was too expensive to produce from sesame seeds.


    Only the larger, wealthier families who were particular about their meals would buy sesame oil to eat.


    Why then was Aunt Guizhi¡¯s family growing so much sesame?


    Could it be that they intended to sell it?


    Lin Yuan thought about it and decided to ask.


    The third aunt sighed deeply, with a worried look on her face, and Feng Guizhi exhaled and said, ¡°Your Brother Ershuan heard from others in town that some wealthy households like to buy sesame to press oil, but somehow, by the time we harvested ours this year, nobody was buying.


    Next year, we certainly can¡¯t plant this again.


    It¡¯s costly and requires so much effort.¡±

 Chapter 34 - 34 34 Sesame Salt (2)_1

    ?Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Sesame Salt (2)_1 Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Sesame Salt (2)_1 So, these sesame seeds could only just sit at home, and they¡¯d been sitting for several months, drying up badly.


    Lin Yuan looked at these sesame seeds and remembered her favorite snack from her childhood when staying at her grandmother¡¯s house, which was sesame salt: toasted sesame seeds mixed with salt and ground together.


    A spoonful with noodles brought forth an irresistible fragrance.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, if no one will take these sesame seeds, why not just eat them ourselves?¡±


    Aunt San chuckled bitterly, ¡°Eat them ourselves?


    I have been adding some sesame to Xiao Shitou¡¯s meals every time, but now the kid is sick of seeing them.


    He even said he won¡¯t eat if there are any sesame seeds.


    Sigh, how can one appreciate food if they¡¯ve never starved?¡±


    It seemed that eating sesame every day had even made Xiao Shitou tired of it.


    However, Lin Yuan noticed during their meal that the seeds seemed to have been cooked, which of course would have very little taste; no wonder the child didn¡¯t like them.


    ¡°Auntie, I have a way to make sure Xiao Shitou will love them.¡± When it came to food, Lin Yuan was excited; it seemed her true calling was beckoning.


    ¡°Clean the sesame seeds and then toast them dry in a big pot, without adding anything¡ªnot even oil.


    Once they are cooked, they¡¯ll give off a nice fragrance on their own.


    After they cool down, add a little salt, and use a rolling pin to crush the sesame and salt together into a fine mixture.


    It¡¯s incredibly fragrant when you add a spoonful to your meal.¡±


    Watching Lin Yuan talk enthusiastically, Feng Guizhi and her mother-in-law seemed as if they could already smell the sesame, and Aunt San smiled, ¡°Is it really that fragrant?


    Then I must try making some this afternoon.¡±


    Feng Guizhi, however, was a woman of quick wit.


    With a twinkle in her eye, she whispered, ¡°Hey Yuanyuan, I¡¯ve never heard of this way of eating it before.


    If it¡¯s really as fragrant as you say, we could make a batch and sell it in town.


    What do you think?¡±


    Lin Yuan internally praised Feng Guizhi for her business acumen and practicality.


    Although the idea of sesame salt originated with Lin Yuan, it was Feng Guizhi¡¯s own family¡¯s sesame.


    Even if she took it to sell, it had nothing to do with Lin Yuan.


    Still, Feng Guizhi had asked for her opinion first, truly not someone who would disregard others for the sake of money.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, although sesame salt is tasty, it might not make much profit if we sell it.¡± As Lin Yuan thought about selling the sesame salt, she suddenly remembered the popular street food from her previous life, liangpi, usually made with sesame paste.


    Currently, they lacked the luxury to grind sesame paste, but adding a spoonful of sesame salt would achieve a similar effect.


    Before Lin Yuan could share her thoughts, Feng Guizhi furrowed her brows, ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve been blinded by the prospect of silver.


    Even the big families don¡¯t want these sesame seeds; which ordinary household would be willing to spend on them?


    Yuanyuan, dear, you don¡¯t know, ever since your father¡¯s incident, work has not been easy for your Brother Ershuan and the others.


    They don¡¯t have your father¡¯s skills; they barely make enough to get by with simple chair and stool work.


    But Xiao Shitou will turn seven after the New Year and needs to start school.


    Without silver, how are we supposed to pay the tuition fees?¡±


    Hearing her sister-in-law mention this, Lin Yuan also thought about her younger sisters¡¯ schooling and that her mother needed to nourish her health.


    She had to find ways to earn money, and quickly.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, hear me out.


    Although we might not make money off sesame salt, I have thought of a good money-making idea, but it¡¯s a bit tiring.¡±


    The minute Feng Guizhi heard they could make money, her eyes lit up, ¡°Tired?


    What¡¯s there to be afraid of?


    Can we country folks even call it living if we¡¯re afraid of a little hard work?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯ll watch the kid.


    You both don¡¯t worry.¡± Aunt San was naturally supportive considering her grandchild¡¯s education.


    Lin Yuan then briefly explained the concept of making liangpi, but whether it could be realized, she would only know after returning from town the next day.


    Feng Guizhi immediately agreed cheerfully and even stuffed a large bowl full of sesame seeds into Lin Yuan¡¯s arms as she left, asking her to make some sesame salt for her sisters when she got back.

 Chapter 35 - 35 35 Asserting Dominance (1)_1

    ?Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Asserting Dominance (1)_1 Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Asserting Dominance (1)_1 Feng Guizhi was just too honest, and the big bowl was so full of sesame seeds.


    She walked carefully all the way home, afraid that if she walked too fast, the seeds might spill out.


    Upon arriving home, she quickly transferred the sesame seeds to her own bowl and after asking her parents, she learned that the Lin Wei sisters hadn¡¯t returned from pulling weeds.


    Thinking that Xiao Shitou must be with them, she took Sister-in-law Guizhi¡¯s bowl and headed out the door, so Xiao Shitou could bring it back with him, saving her another trip.


    The place where the Lin Wei sisters went to pull weeds was not far from their house, where a pit had been originally.


    With the heavy rains in summer, water had collected slowly, and with water came the steady growth of the wild grass around it.


    Although there were no fish in the puddle, it was a haven for frogs in the summer, and Feng Guizhi even vaguely heard the frogs croaking last night.


    It was the season for frogs to lay their eggs, and they loved to gather in places with water and grass.


    Lin Yuan was so preoccupied with the sesame seeds in her hand earlier that she didn¡¯t notice, but as she approached the puddle, she realized that quite a few people had gathered there.


    Thinking that her sisters must be nearby, she quickened her pace.


    Yet before she even reached them, she heard Xiao Shitou screaming anxiously, ¡°Aunt, you really got it wrong, it wasn¡¯t Sister Erya who pushed Sister Xiaohe down, she fell on her own, I saw it clearly!¡±


    ¡°You little brat, always bending the elbow outwards!


    Don¡¯t you even look who your real sister is?


    Calling ¡®Sister Erya¡¯ with such affection, anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think she¡¯s your blood sister!


    Hmph!¡± Lady Chen¡¯s raspy voice rose again, barking like a broken gong.


    However, Lin Yuan both heard and saw clearly now; Xiao He¡¯s pants were covered in mud, it must have been her that accidentally fell into the puddle.


    Lin Wei¡¯s face turned red, holding Xiao Linshuang¡¯s hand too tightly until it went pale from panic.


    But Xiao Linshuang glared at Lady Chen, indignant, and yelled, ¡°It¡¯s not our fault Xiao He is clumsy.


    She could fall into water just by pulling out a weed.


    If it wasn¡¯t for my second sister¡¯s kind hand, she would be soaked through by now.


    And you¡ªblind as a bat¡ªshouting and bullying people here!¡±


    ¡°You little runt, you dare to call me blind?


    Good, just like your older sister, both of you shameless, worthless nuisances!


    I¡¯ll teach you a lesson for sure?¡± Lady Chen, a woman nearly thirty, was insulted by a five-year-old child calling her blind, and, enraged, she pushed aside her own daughter clutching her hand and rolled up her sleeves, ready to strike.


    ¡°Right, all a bunch of worthless nuisances!


    Especially that Little Disaster Star, she¡¯s made Grandpa and Grandma sick again!¡± Without looking, Lin Yuan knew who that back-up voice belonged to.


    But at the moment, she couldn¡¯t bother with that memory-deficient person; she had to protect her sister first.


    All of a sudden, Lin Yuan dashed forward, aiming a kick at Lady Chen¡¯s calf.


    ¡°Ow, my leg, my leg!¡± Lady Chen yelped in pain, forgetting all about attacking others as she bent over and clutched her leg, howling.


    Seeing her older sister arrived, Xiao Linshuang straightened her back immediately.


    Being only five years old, she was somewhat scared, but with her big sister there, suddenly she wasn¡¯t afraid of anything and even started clapping her hands and cheering.


    ¡°You Little Disaster Star, all your family are worthless nuisances, even the baby in your mother¡¯s belly is a nuisance, you all just wait to die out...¡± Lady Chen obviously hadn¡¯t learned her lesson despite the kick, and as soon as she saw Lin Yuan, she began cursing vulgarly again.


    Lin Yuan hated it when someone spoke ill of her family.


    As she passed Xiao Shitou, she quickly shoved the bowl into his hands, then grabbed a fistful of Lady Chen¡¯s hair and yanked hard.


    Lady Chen felt both pain and numbness in her scalp and was pulled to the ground involuntarily by Lin Yuan¡¯s pull.


    That wasn¡¯t the end of it.


    Lin Yuan straddled Lady Chen, holding tightly to her hair with one hand while slapping her face a few times with the other until Lady Chen was in too much pain to curse, only wailing ¡°ah, ah, ah.¡± But Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t satisfied yet.


    She grabbed a handful of grass and stuffed it into Lady Chen¡¯s shouting mouth.


    One handful wasn¡¯t enough, so she grabbed another and stuffed it in too.


    As she did so, she scolded, ¡°I¡¯ll show you how to spit filth, how to spit filth!


    Worthless nuisance, you¡¯re the real nuisance!


    Don¡¯t forget your daughter Xiao He is also a girl!


    And here you are cursing others, you haven¡¯t had another child in eight years, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to die out!


    Serves you right for getting beaten at home!¡±

 Chapter 36 - 36 36 Asserting Dominance (2)_1

    ?Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Asserting Dominance (2)_1 Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Asserting Dominance (2)_1 Lady Chen¡¯s daughter, Xiao He, who always kept her head down when she left the house, suddenly lifted her head, her eyes shining brightly, showing no resentment toward Lin Yuan.


    As Lin Yuan stuffed grass in her mouth, she continued to curse until her arm got a bit sore from Lady Chen¡¯s mouthful of grass, but she didn¡¯t get off her immediately.


    Still clutching her hair with one hand, she viciously threatened, ¡°Xiao He¡¯s mother, you listen to me.


    You can beat your own daughter at home, and I won¡¯t interfere, but if you dare to lay a finger on anyone from Lin Yuan¡¯s house, I¡¯ll throw you into the river to feed the fish!¡±


    Even though Lin Yuan didn¡¯t have a kitchen knife in her hand this time and hadn¡¯t threatened to chop her with one, Lady Chen was already terrified.


    She didn¡¯t dare spit out the grass in her mouth, just nodding woefully, her eyes rimming with red.


    Only then did Lin Yuan let go of her hair and jumped up nimbly.


    Lady Chen scrambled to her feet and dragged her daughter away.


    Lin Yuan then scanned the crowd of onlookers with a cold gaze, most of whom were village gossips and naturally included her own Aunt.


    ¡°The words I just said are not just for Xiao He¡¯s mother.


    If anyone dares to bully my sister in the future, I¡¯ll take a kitchen knife to their home and chop off their hand!¡±


    The women, who had been eager to gossip, suddenly felt a cramp-like pain in their wrists and hurriedly dispersed.


    Lin Yuan stared at Lady Ma amidst the crowd and said leisurely, ¡°Aunt, please take this message to my third aunt.


    If she dares to think about hurting my sisters again, what I do won¡¯t be as simple as just beating her up.¡±


    Lady Ma, scared by Lin Yuan¡¯s sudden mention of her name and thinking Lin Yuan had heard her earlier gossip, broke out in a cold sweat.


    But upon hearing Lin Yuan¡¯s words, realizing they weren¡¯t directed at her, she hastily agreed with a smile, promising to pass on the message.


    ¡°And another thing, Aunt, if my grandparents are sick, they should see a doctor, not believe in those charlatans who every day chant nonsense without taking medicine.


    If the Bodhisattva really worked, I¡¯d have been Lucky Star a long time ago.


    How could I still be Little Disaster Star, right, Aunt?¡±


    Seeing the glint of chill in Lin Yuan¡¯s eyes, Lady Ma knew she hadn¡¯t escaped notice; Lin Yuan had indeed heard her and was deliberately using these words to warn her.


    Lady Ma quickly ran off with a forced smile, even losing a shoe in her haste and not daring to put it back on until she was out of sight.


    ¡°Yuan sister, you¡¯re too fierce!


    Even Boss, who¡¯s so formidable, is subdued by you!¡± Xiao Shitou said with admiration.


    Although Lady Chen was his direct aunt, his uncle Lin Dashuan was not filial and didn¡¯t do honest work.


    After their father died, this aunt simply divided the property between her two sons and went to live with the younger one.


    But even so, they couldn¡¯t get rid of Boss; Lin Dashuan would still go to his biological mother for money when he had none.


    If she didn¡¯t give it, he¡¯d make trouble, making it impossible for the third aunt to live in peace.


    ¡°Big sister, I...


    I¡¯ve caused you trouble again,¡± Lin Wei said, her eyes reddening and tears swirling.


    Lin Yuan patted her little cheek, comforting her, ¡°My big sister is a delicate gem at home; she¡¯s meant to marry into a wealthy family.


    Of course, you can¡¯t stoop to the level of those vile women.


    Don¡¯t be afraid; if there¡¯s trouble, look for your big sister.


    I will protect you all!¡±


    ¡°And me, I¡¯ll protect Second Sister and Big Sister too in the future!¡± Xiao Linshuang declared, swinging her fists, full of determination.


    Lin Yuan laughed heartily, then suddenly spotted a green frog hopping by Xiao Linshuang¡¯s foot and shouted, ¡°Ah, a frog!¡±


    Xiao Linshuang might have been brave, but after all, she was a girl and was quite afraid of such creatures.


    She screamed and threw herself into her sister¡¯s arms.


    Lin Wei was even more frightened, but Xiao Shitou clapped and laughed heartily, ¡°Yaya wants to protect her sisters, yet she¡¯s afraid of a frog, haha, how embarrassing.¡±


    While Lin Yuan laughed and soothed her sister, the sight of these frogs sparked an idea for making money in her mind.

 Chapter 37 - 37 37 Catching Frogs_1

    ?Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Catching Frogs_1 Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Catching Frogs_1 That night, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t get a good sleep.


    After dinner, she lit a piece of firewood and took her two younger sisters to the side of a puddle.


    Unusually, this time it wasn¡¯t just Lin Wei with her unhappy face, even Xiao Linshuang sulked with a little frown, reluctant to come.


    ¡°So the little sister also has things she¡¯s afraid of, huh?


    I thought she was fearless!¡± Lin Yuan, balancing the small bamboo basket on her shoulder, teased Xiao Linshuang with a smile.


    She didn¡¯t expect that her little sister, who wouldn¡¯t even blink an eye when holding a kitchen knife, would actually be afraid of frogs.


    It¡¯s a good thing she hadn¡¯t seen those two snakes that day.


    Lin Wei, standing to the side, had seen the eldest sister deal with snakes before¡ªalthough she was not very afraid of frogs, she still felt disgusted: ¡°Big sister, these, these frogs, can we really eat them?


    I won¡¯t eat them, don¡¯t make me!¡±


    ¡°Ah, we have to eat them?¡± Lin Yuan had only mentioned cooking frog in passing while lighting the firewood in the kitchen, and she hadn¡¯t expected the girl would take it to heart.


    Hearing about eating frogs made Xiao Linshuang¡¯s face turn even paler.


    ¡°Yep, we¡¯re eating them.¡± As expected, Lin Yuan saw her sisters¡¯ eyes widen in horror.


    After having her fun teasing them, she stopped joking and said, ¡°But they¡¯re not for you to eat.


    Despite its disgusting appearance, this thing is actually quite delicious when cooked.


    Tomorrow when I go to town, I¡¯ll take these with me.


    Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make you eat them.


    But, you know, if someday you get curious and want to try, don¡¯t come begging me.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t Lin Yuan boasting¡ªthe frogs are actually quite tasty.


    People at this time just didn¡¯t know they were edible.


    If they did, they would definitely be a hit.


    Assured by their big sister, Lin Wei and her sister didn¡¯t fuss anymore.


    As long as they weren¡¯t asked to eat, that was all that mattered.


    As for them begging their big sister to cook it for them to eat in the future¡ªhmph, that day would never come!


    Absolutely not!


    Of course, when has anything been absolute in this world?


    When the three sisters arrived at the puddle, all they could see was darkness.


    It was the end of July, there was no moon in the sky, but fortunately they had the firewood in hand.


    Being the smallest, Xiao Linshuang was responsible for holding the firewood to provide light for her big sister, while Lin Wei, who was a bit older and had seen her big sister fight snakes, was in charge of holding the bamboo basket for catching frogs.


    But she was still too scared to touch them with bare hands, so she had found two small sticks ahead of time to use for picking up the frogs and placing them into the basket, to prevent them jumping out.


    Lin Yuan had even made a small curtain for the basket, which only needed a little opening when putting the frogs in.


    Although it was already night, the water in summer wasn¡¯t cold at all.


    Lin Yuan, who had changed into straw sandals and rolled up her pant legs, energetically waded into the water.


    The night was quiet, not seeming like a prelude to rain, and the frogs seldom croaked, only occasionally emitting a ¡®ribbit-ribbit¡¯ sound.


    Yet when the firelight shone on the grass, Lin Yuan could clearly see the plump, oily green frogs.


    She was overjoyed, as if there were plates of stir-fried frog, dry pot frog, and spicy numbing frog dancing before her eyes.


    With this thought, she became even more excited and, targeting carefully, swiftly caught at them with both hands.


    However, either the frogs were deliberately opposing her, or she wasn¡¯t meant to earn this money, because despite her busy efforts, she caught nothing.


    Xiao Linshuang, on the other hand, found it amusing and giggled, ¡°Big sister, you¡¯re so clumsy!


    You let them all get away!¡±


    Lin Wei also covered her mouth, giggling.


    Wiping the sweat from her brow, Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t discouraged.


    She took off her outer garment, folded it this way and that, and made it into a simple net¡ªblaming only her too-small hands and the frogs being too big to capture in haste.


    With this, it should work.


    Since it was just the three of them, without anyone else around, she wasn¡¯t afraid of being seen wearing only her undershirt.


    Indeed, hard work pays off.


    This time, Lin Yuan barely exerted any effort before she had already caught a frog.


    To prevent it from escaping, she quickly tied its legs together with two blades of grass and then tossed it onto the bank.


    Seeing there was finally a catch, Lin Wei hurriedly picked up a small stick, pinched the plump frog that was still reluctantly wriggling, and threw it into the bamboo basket.


    With a catch, Lin Yuan¡¯s enthusiasm soared.


    She caught five or six frogs in one go.


    However, tying their legs with grass was indeed a waste of time, so Lin Yuan simply called Lin Wei over to her side.


    Whenever she caught a frog, she would directly throw it into the bamboo basket Lin Wei was holding.


    This saved both time and energy.


    Although Lin Wei was reluctant to approach the puddle teeming with frogs, it meant she didn¡¯t have to pinch those twisting frogs with the stick anymore.


    Besides, in order to earn some money, Lin Wei braced herself and didn¡¯t mind going in without straw sandals, jumping straight into the puddle with her cloth shoes on.


    Lin Yuan turned around and smiled in appreciation.


    It turned out this little girl had a competitive streak in her bones.


    The three sisters became more and more enthusiastic as they caught frogs.


    Even Xiao Linshuang was holding a torch while jumping around, telling her elder sister where the frogs were, where the most frogs were, and which big one to catch quickly.


    In a short while, they had caught three or four dozen frogs.


    Seeing that Lin Wei was having trouble holding the bamboo basket, Lin Yuan knew they had had a good haul that day.


    She stood up straight, vigorously massaged her back until it felt like her own again, wiped the sweat from her face, and called out, ¡°Companions, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Her sisters were amused by her and laughed heartily, grabbing their tools and chatting merrily on the way home.


    Their cheerful laughter filled the air the entire way.


    Back at home, Lin Wei went to wash her shoes.


    Essentially, each person in the family had only one pair of shoes, so she had to scrub them clean at night, or else she wouldn¡¯t have any to wear the next day.


    Xiao Linshuang was exhausted from playing and fell asleep as soon as she got back.


    Lin Yuan, however, didn¡¯t go to bed right away.


    On the way home, she had spontaneously picked a lot of thin grass leaves.


    Now she was twisting them into fine hemp ropes, then tying the frogs¡¯ legs together and stringing them up to prevent the jumpy creatures from escaping at night.


    Nevertheless, she still covered the mouth of the bamboo basket with two wooden stools, just in case.


    The night passed without incident, and the next day, Lin Yuan rose early again.


    After exercising, she packed up the frogs and covered them with a thick layer of fresh grass, on top of which she placed dried goji berries.


    The goji berries were wrapped in clean white cloth.


    Since there was no new cloth at home, she had washed and dried some of the existing rough cloth in advance.


    It took half an hour to walk from Lin family¡¯s house to the town, so after getting all this ready, Lin Yuan couldn¡¯t bother with breakfast and just picked up the bamboo basket to leave.


    Lin Wei ran after her, insisting on stuffing two cornmeal pancakes into her hands and also remembered to bring some sesame salt for her to eat with them.


    She had agreed to meet Er Shuan at the village entrance.


    Lin Yuan arrived early.


    Lin Fugui, who was driving the cart, was gnawing on a WOWOTOU and greeted her from afar, ¡°Yuanyuan is going to town too?¡±


    Lin Yuan called out uncle and smiled as she boarded the oxcart, replying, ¡°I¡¯m off to the market.¡±

 Chapter 38 - 38 38 Setting the Oven (1)_1

    ?Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Setting the Oven (1)_1 Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Setting the Oven (1)_1 Lin Fugui was Lan Hua¡¯s father.


    Since the Lin family compound was far from town, and they had an old ox, he came up with a way to earn money.


    Every morning he would wait with his ox cart at the village entrance; if anyone needed to go to town, they could ride his cart for One Wen Money per trip.


    Lin Yuan boarded the cart and took One Wen Money from her pocket to give to Lin Fugui, but he flatly refused to accept it.


    Not to mention that Lin Yuan was close to his own daughter, but in the past, Lin Jiaxin often repaired chairs and stools for their family free of charge.


    Nevertheless, Lin Yuan felt she could not decline to pay.


    Everyone on the cart was from the same village, and if she set a precedent, it would make it hard for Lin Fugui to do business in the future.


    After Lin Yuan finished a pancake, Lin Ershuan also arrived, carrying his tools.


    He was not a man of many words, and upon seeing Lin Yuan, he just smiled and nodded his head.


    Seeing that it was about time, Lin Fugui flicked his whip and gradually got the ox moving.


    Along the way, they encountered quite a few people from neighboring villages waiting for a ride.


    Before long, the cart became quite crowded, mostly with women going to the market to sell goods.


    When they gathered together, the chatter increased.


    The frogs in the bamboo basket must¡¯ve felt the crowding too, as they suddenly croaked.


    Once one croaked, a second one followed.


    Even though they were exhausted from the previous night¡¯s ordeal, they were still alive and started making quite a racket, soon drowning out the lively conversation.


    The people from her own village didn¡¯t dare to talk to Lin Yuan.


    After all, the story of her chopping her uncle and beating Lady Chen had spread through the village, and with a reputation as the Little Disaster Star, people kept their distance from this fierce girl.


    However, there were those from neighboring villages who had only heard rumors and did not know the docile girl in front of them was the one being spoken of.


    Curiously, one woman asked her, ¡°Young lady, what do you have in that bamboo basket?¡±


    Clearly, it was the frogs croaking, but the woman still asked what it was.


    Lin Yuan knew she understood but was too embarrassed to say it outright, as a young girl carrying frogs around was somewhat startling.


    ¡°Sister, I have frogs in here, caught for my little sisters to play with.


    I was in a hurry when I left home this morning and forgot to take them out.¡± There were people from her own village there, so it wouldn¡¯t do to say that she was going to sell them.


    Anyway, these people knew her nature well and believed she was the type who would indeed play with frogs.


    The questioning sister clearly didn¡¯t believe her and was about to ask again when a woman from the Lin family compound quietly tugged at her sleeve and whispered a few words in her ear.


    Sure enough, the sister didn¡¯t ask any further questions, and even the look she gave Lin Yuan changed.


    Not long after, the women on the cart began talking again, but this time the volume was lower and the conversation centered around her.


    Lin Yuan wouldn¡¯t bother with their trivial talks.


    With her eyes closed, she reminisced about the various recipes she had prepared in her past life.


    It was an exercise she had always done, but had been too busy these past few days.


    Now that she had time, it was perfect for a review.


    Lin Yuan had just recalled the recipe for braised shrimp in oil when she felt the ox cart slow to a halt.


    Lin Fugui¡¯s voice reached her ears, ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to the village at noon.


    If anyone wants to go back, come here in advance.¡±


    The women on the cart loudly acknowledged and dispersed to their respective destinations.


    They typically only sold goods at the morning market and needed to return home by noon to cook for their men.


    However, Lin Ershuan wouldn¡¯t go back at noon, as his carpentry work would take all day.


    Lin Ershuan hopped off the ox cart, hoisted up his tools, and with a nod towards Lin Yuan, pointed in a direction, ¡°The blacksmith shop is over there.¡±


    Lin Yuan responded and picked up her small bamboo basket to follow him, and as they walked, Lin Ershuan reminded her to remember the road back to the city gate.


    Hearing her say she wanted to wander around the city, he added, ¡°If you can¡¯t find the way back to the city gate, just ask for Old Iron Head Blacksmith Shop.


    Old Iron Head will take you there.¡±

 Chapter 39 - 39 39 Setting the Oven (2)_1

    ?Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Setting the Oven (2)_1 Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Setting the Oven (2)_1 Listening to Lin Ershuan¡¯s instructions along the way, they gradually arrived at the blacksmith shop, a place that wasn¡¯t hard to find at the eastern end of the main street.


    Although there were only Old Iron Head Brothers working inside, the abundance of ironware made it clear that their business was doing well.


    ¡°Hey, Uncle Iron Head!¡± Lin Ershuan called out with a loud voice, and the dark-skinned, bare-backed old man stopped his clanging work.


    He looked up and wiped the sweat off with the handkerchief around his chest, his voice rough but friendly, ¡°Er Shuan, what¡¯s up?


    What kind of tool are you looking to have made today?¡±


    Lin Ershuan waved his hand, pointing toward Lin Yuan who stood quietly beside him, ¡°It¡¯s not me, it¡¯s this young girl.


    Uncle Iron Head, this is Second Uncle Lin¡¯s daughter.¡±


    As soon as Old Iron Head heard mention of Lin Jiaxin, his eyes lit up, but they quickly dimmed as he said, ¡°So you¡¯re Jiaxin¡¯s girl?


    Ah, your father¡¯s leg...¡±


    ¡°Uncle Iron Head, my father¡¯s still the same, but he¡¯s carving mold patterns at home right now.


    Uncle, I want to make an oven for baking mooncakes, one of the larger kind,¡± Lin Yuan said with a gentle smile as she explained her intention.


    Hearing that Lin Jiaxin had stirred himself into action, Old Iron Head stopped feeling downcast and began to ask about the specific size she needed.


    Lin Yuan thought for a while, knowing that if the oven turned out well, she could use it for more than just mooncakes; she could bake various other delicious pastries.


    Moreover, she observed that Old Iron Head had truly skillful ironworking techniques, so the oven he made would surely be sturdy and well-insulated.


    Deciding to have a large one made outright, Lin Yuan couldn¡¯t specify the exact dimensions, so she gestured roughly with her hands.


    Fortunately, Old Iron Head was a sharp old man.


    After just one glance, he noted her requirements, ¡°Alright, rest assured, I¡¯ll have it made for you in less than seven days.¡±


    Thinking of Lin Yuan¡¯s plan to use the oven for baking mooncakes, Old Iron Head followed up with another question, ¡°Do you need an iron plate as well?


    And what about the stove?¡±


    Lin Yuan hadn¡¯t realized until he mentioned it; she knew about the stove, but that one also used an iron plate with the oven?


    Seeing Lin Yuan¡¯s puzzled face, Old Iron Head laughed heartily, ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to use an oven and yet you¡¯re talking about making mooncakes, haha.¡±


    Lin Yuan scratched her head sheepishly.


    Although Lin Jiaxin had seen ovens before, he had no idea how exactly to use one, but as a lifelong blacksmith, Old Iron Head naturally understood.


    He promptly explained to her, ¡°When using the oven, you need to place an iron plate on the stove and then set the oven on top.


    This way, the oven heats evenly and whatever you bake will be delicious.


    Moreover, it¡¯s best if the iron plate is slightly larger than the oven itself.¡±


    Now she understood.


    Lin Yuan quickly requested an iron plate as well, and since the blacksmith shop also had stoves for sale, she added one to her order.


    Altogether, these items would cost quite a bit of silver.


    Lin Yuan inquired about the price, only to find the usually cheerful Old Iron Head suddenly stern-faced, ¡°What are you talking about, child?


    Your father used to bring me plenty of business, and I¡¯ve been thinking about how to repay him.


    And here you are, trying to pay me for a few iron plates!


    You¡¯re so naive!¡±


    With a perplexed expression, Lin Yuan wondered if all blacksmiths were so stubborn.


    However, refusing to pay was not an option, and she also understood that Old Iron Head didn¡¯t produce the iron himself; it had to be purchased.


    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m not asking about your labor cost, but about the price of these iron plates,¡± Lin Yuan chuckled, ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t pay you for making the items, but the iron plates still cost money to buy, right?


    Uncle, if you refuse the payment, then I¡¯ll just go buy a plate myself and bring it over for you to work with.¡±


    Her words gave Old Iron Head a good laugh, and Lin Ershuan also burst into amused chuckles.


    Having said as much, Old Iron Head had no choice but to accept the silver.


    However, since the oven was large and she needed an additional iron plate and a sizable stove, the cost wasn¡¯t just the one tael of silver her father had mentioned, but two taels of silver.


    Having paid the money, Lin Yuan¡¯s pockets were now empty.


    She weighed her bamboo basket on her back, realizing she needed to find a restaurant to make some money quickly.

 Chapter 40 - 40 40 The Foodie Old Man (1)_1

    ?Chapter 40: Chapter 40 The Foodie Old Man (1)_1 Chapter 40: Chapter 40 The Foodie Old Man (1)_1 This town is called Zhuma Town, which is said to have gotten its name because an Emperor of the previous dynasty once rested here during his travels.


    The reason the Emperor chose to rest here is surprisingly due to a delicious dish he was attracted to.


    After eating it with great satisfaction, the Emperor gave the dish a name¡ª¡±Four Joys Fortune Bag.¡± Later on, Fuman Building made a name for itself with the Four Joys Fortune Bag as its signature dish, and subsequently opened branches in many other towns.


    Lin Yuan didn¡¯t know what exactly the Four Joys Fortune Bag was, because, as the signature dish, it was rather expensive.


    After all, anything the Emperor had eaten would naturally come at a high price.


    However, with a deep-seated pursuit for culinary delights, Lin Yuan was very curious about this dish.


    If she ever had the opportunity, she would definitely want to taste it for herself, even just a glance would leave her content.


    As Lin Jiaxin had said, Fuman Building was located in the busiest part of the main street.


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t mealtime yet, so there were basically no diners in the restaurant, only a few shop assistants were wiping tables and tidying up bowls and chopsticks.


    Thus, when Lin Yuan, dressed in coarse cloth and carrying a small bamboo basket, entered Fuman Building, she immediately caught their attention.


    ¡°Miss, are you here to dine or to stay?¡± asked the Shop Assistant, draping a white cloth towel over his shoulder and greeting her warmly.


    Although he could tell at a glance that Lin Yuan did not seem like someone who could afford Fuman Building, he still politely inquired due to his professional ethics.


    Hearing the Shop Assistant¡¯s words, Lin Yuan couldn¡¯t help but silently admire Fuman Building¡¯s business approach¡ªwelcoming guests without judging by appearance.


    It seemed that Fuman Building¡¯s success wasn¡¯t just due to the hundred-year-old Four Joys Fortune Bag.


    ¡°Shop Assistant,¡± Lin Yuan asked, ¡°do you sell frogs at your restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Frogs?


    Actual frogs?¡± The Shop Assistant was surprised that this young girl was really here to dine, but such a menu item was rather...


    shocking.


    The Shop Assistant shook his head.


    Lin Yuan was secretly pleased: ¡°Shop Assistant, is your shopkeeper around?


    I have a very good dish here that I¡¯d like him to try.¡±


    ¡°This?¡± The Shop Assistant clearly hadn¡¯t expected such a turn of events.


    However, looking at the young girl in front of him, who was pretty with clear eyes and a confident smile, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to refuse her outright and disappoint her, so he whispered, ¡°Give me a moment, Miss.


    Our shopkeeper is just upstairs.


    I¡¯ll go and ask.¡±


    Lin Yuan was full of gratitude for the helpful Shop Assistant.


    She only waited for a short while before seeing him hurrying down from upstairs, excitedly waving at her from a distance.


    She knew this was a promising sign.


    ¡°Miss, our shopkeeper invites you upstairs,¡± said the Shop Assistant, even more enthusiastically now.


    Seeing the sizable bamboo basket on her back, he attempted to take it from her, but Lin Yuan was not used to others handling her things and politely declined.


    The Shop Assistant didn¡¯t take offense and continued to lead the way with a smile, softly telling her, ¡°Your timing is perfect¡ªour Boss is also here today.


    He loves good food the most.


    If your dish can satisfy him...¡±


    The Shop Assistant gave a thumbs-up, the meaning of which was quite clear.


    Though Lin Yuan had expected to be received by the shopkeeper, she had not anticipated that their Boss would also be present.


    However, according to what the Shop Assistant had told her, it appeared the Boss was quite the food enthusiast.


    If she could prepare this dish well today, perhaps she¡¯d strike it lucky.


    The second floor was clearly intended for dining by officials and nobility, evident in the distinctly different decoration.


    Lin Yuan followed the Shop Assistant to the room at the farthest east, which was even more elegant.


    The door was closed, and instead of knocking, the Shop Assistant stood respectfully at the doorway and bowed slightly, ¡°Shopkeeper Liu, the young lady has arrived.¡±


    No answer came from inside, but soon the door was opened by a somewhat plump middle-aged man with a kind-looking face but eyes that shone with the shrewdness of a businessman.


    Shopkeeper Liu didn¡¯t say a word, just sized her up with a smile and then welcomed her into the room.

 Chapter 41 - 41 41 Gluttonous Old Man (2)_1

    ?Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Gluttonous Old Man (2)_1 Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Gluttonous Old Man (2)_1 Just as she entered the room, Lin Yuan sniffed a rich aroma, a complex scent as if various ingredients had been mixed together.


    Before she could distinguish what those ingredients were, Lin Yuan was greeted with a shocking scene: a huge, solid wood table was packed full, covered with an array of roast chickens, roasted geese, fatty fish, sauce-covered meats, and a variety of vegetarian dishes.


    Although the tableware had been left in a messy state, one could still discern the refined presentation of the food.


    Yet, the culprit behind this chaotic feast was an old man, nibbling away at a pig¡¯s trotter, his white hair and even his beard smeared with grease.


    Lin Yuan couldn¡¯t bear to look directly at the old man¡¯s eating manner.


    She glanced around the room to confirm there was no fourth person present beyond herself and the shopkeeper, before she finally had to admit that this old man, who eat like a pig, was indeed the Boss of Fuman Building!


    ¡°Boss, the young lady has arrived,¡± Shopkeeper Liu said, standing off to the side, seemingly unable to bear watching him eat either.


    The old man grunted twice, dropped the almost finished pig¡¯s trotter he was holding, and picked up a large chicken leg to munch on before he gave Lin Yuan a proper look, ¡°Do you have any delicious food?


    Hurry up and bring it to this old man.¡±


    Witnessing his gusto, a mischievous impulse struck Lin Yuan.


    She plunked her bamboo basket down on the table where the old man was eating, first pulling out a cloth bag wrapped around goji berries.


    Just as she was about to reach in for the frogs, the gluttonous old man had already tossed aside the bare chicken bone and grabbed the cloth bag.


    ¡°Not this one!¡± Lin Yuan exclaimed in urgency, snatching it back and rewrapping it before stuffing it back into her bosom.


    The old man, having had his prize taken away, pouted unhappily and muttered under his breath, ¡°They¡¯re only goji berries, what¡¯s all the fuss about?¡±


    Lin Yuan hadn¡¯t expected such a big boss to not only be a foodie but to also have such a good temper.


    Although the goji berries were indeed hers, she had hurriedly snatched them back, thinking the deal would fall through, but to her surprise, the old man didn¡¯t mind at all.


    ¡°Hey, girl, what are you dazing out for?


    Quickly bring out the tasty stuff,¡± the old man said, thinking he had upset her by taking her things and urged her on.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s attitude softened a bit towards the old man; she raised an eyebrow and gave a mysterious smile, ¡°Here it comes!¡±


    With that, she tossed the green grass covering it to the floor, grasped the end of a straw rope, and yanked it hard!


    A string of green and plump frogs, like a string of green eggs, was pulled out by her.


    The frogs, already tired and silent, began to croak loudly when their legs got yanked painfully.


    Lin Yuan laid this string of ¡°green eggs¡± on a round table already brimming with exotic delicacies.


    The visual impact was astonishing.


    She was pleased to see that even the round face of Shopkeeper Liu had turned into a round, green ¡°egg,¡± but the old man, after his initial shock, quickly switched back to foodie mode, his eyes shining like two bright green beans, as if these green ¡°eggs¡± had transformed into dish after dish of incomparable gourmet delight.


    ¡°So, this is...¡± Shopkeeper Liu began, but before he could finish his sentence, he was pushed aside by the voracious old man, who leaned in close to Lin Yuan with expectant eyes.


    ¡°Girl, can you eat these frogs?


    How do you eat them?


    Are they tasty?


    Do you know how to cook them?


    Cook them quickly, for me, do it!


    I want to eat!¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 42 Being a Frog_1

    ?Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Being a Frog_1 Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Being a Frog_1 ¡°Just a few little frogs; for top chef Lin Yuan, it¡¯s a piece of cake,¡± she said with a smile, without immediately agreeing.


    Instead, she teased the old man a bit, ¡°Old sir, to be honest, I came to the Fuman Building today just for these frogs.


    If you¡¯re brave enough, I¡¯ll cook them up for you to try.


    How about that?¡±


    The old man¡¯s eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, yes, of course!


    As long as you cook them well, you can ask for anything, and I¡¯ll give it to you!¡±


    Shopkeeper Liu hastily coughed twice, but the old man outright ignored him.


    ¡°Also, girl, don¡¯t keep calling me ¡®old sir;¡¯ it sounds terrible.


    Everyone calls me Lao Fan.¡±


    Lao Fan?


    So, the old fellow¡¯s surname is Fan.


    ¡°Alright, Mr.


    Fan, I...¡± Before Lin Yuan could finish, the old man spat to one side in disgust, ¡°Mr.


    Fan?


    Annoying me is one thing, but adding ¡®Mr.¡¯?


    You¡¯re too unlovable, girl, even more annoying than that stinky boy!¡±


    Seeing his own boss with a face dark as the bottom of a pot, Shopkeeper Liu actually held back his laughter and quickly led a puzzled Lin Yuan to the kitchen.


    It wasn¡¯t until they were downstairs that Lin Yuan wondered why the old man had suddenly changed his expression, and Shopkeeper Liu burst into laughter, giving her the answer: it turned out that the old man¡¯s name wasn¡¯t Fan, but because of his quirky temperament and particularly annoying behavior, he had acquired the nickname Lao Fan.


    As Lin Yuan was cleaning the frogs, the image of Lao Fan¡¯s adorable pot-bottom face kept popping up in her head.


    Even though Shopkeeper Liu could hardly bear to witness his boss¡¯s gluttonous nature, he was extremely shrewd when it came to business.


    If possible, the dish that Lin Yuan was preparing might become another signature dish at the Fuman Building.


    Therefore, when she asked for some servants to help her clean the frogs, Shopkeeper Liu promptly summoned a few servants who were idly panicking in the main hall, including the young man who had introduced her, Liuzi.


    Here, almost no one had ever eaten frogs, so teaching them how to clean the frogs had to be done hands-on by Lin Yuan.


    Fortunately, it was just a matter of technique, and she didn¡¯t hold back.


    When the young men saw such a delicate and fragile-looking girl personally wielding a knife to skin and debone the frogs, they were genuinely shocked.


    They were hesitant to even touch these green, creepy little creatures, yet the girl didn¡¯t even blink¡ªan impressive show of ferocity.


    Especially Liuzi, who mentally berated himself fiercely: which of his eyes had seen this young girl as delicate and adorable?


    While the servants were busy cleaning the frogs, Lin Yuan also made a dessert using a small stove, Silver Ear Snow Pear Goji Berry Soup.


    This dessert not only tasted good but also reduced internal heat, perfect for clearing the old man¡¯s palate later.


    Although this food-loving old man was somewhat annoying, for some reason, Lin Yuan felt quite fond of him.


    At least he didn¡¯t refuse to do business with her because she had taken back the goji berries.


    Silver Ear Snow Pear was readily available in the kitchen, and the Silver Ear had been soaked in advance.


    Lin Yuan only needed to tear it into small pieces, wash the pears and cut them into chunks, place them together with the Silver Ear into a ceramic jar, add clear water and a large piece of rock sugar, and finally, Lin Yuan pinched a small handful of goji berries from her small cloth bag to add in, then she left it alone, since this dessert didn¡¯t require any special techniques, it was all about the heat and timing.


    By the time she finished these preparations, the helpers had also cleaned the frogs, and Lin Yuan washed her hands to start cooking.


    This time, she couldn¡¯t allow anyone to enter the kitchen, as this was her exclusive secret recipe for earning her meal.


    Since it wasn¡¯t time to eat yet, Shopkeeper Liu simply let the other chefs take a break outside, leaving the entire kitchen to her.


    Fuman Building was a famous restaurant, so naturally, the kitchen had all sorts of seasoning ingredients at hand, making Lin Yuan¡¯s cooking incredibly easy, though she still needed to put in the effort to tend the fire.


    Fortunately, the cooking called for high heat, so after placing a suitable amount of firewood in the stove, she was ready to begin.


    Before she started the fire, she had already marinated the frog meat a little with salt and soy sauce, so by the time the fire was ready, the meat was as well.


    The best part of the frog was undoubtedly the legs, and although there was a good number of frogs, there wasn¡¯t a lot of meat to use after cleaning.


    Nevertheless, she decided to make two dishes, a stir-fried frog and a spicy Sichuan frog, both spicy because that¡¯s how the tastiest frog is prepared, and also because she had noticed that Lao Fan seemed to particularly enjoy spicy food when eating.


    The stir-fried frog was the easiest to prepare.


    She poured cooking oil into a large pot, waited until it was hot, and then threw in half of the frog meat to quickly stir-fry.


    Once the meat started to whiten, she added chopped chili peppers, as well as several cloves of garlic and a few ginger strips to remove the gamey taste.


    When the meat was nearly done, she spotted a large jar of yellow rice wine on the countertop.


    Lin Yuan greedily sniffed the intoxicating aroma of the wine before adding a generous spoonful to the pot, which made the fragrance in the pot even richer, just waiting to season with some salt before serving.


    In the courtyard, Shopkeeper Liu was chatting with Fuman Building¡¯s head chef, Master Wang, when they were suddenly enticed by the aroma.


    Master Wang smacked his lips, remarking, ¡°Hmm, chili, garlic, ginger, hey, the girl even added wine!


    Tsk tsk, the same ingredients, yet how come it smells so good when she makes it!¡±


    Shopkeeper Liu sniffed, and together with the other helpers, they all swallowed their saliva quietly.


    Inside, Lin Yuan had finished the first dish and swiftly cleaned the pot, adding two more logs to the stove before reigniting the fire to full blaze, then poured enough oil into the pot.


    She preferred frying in hot oil because it made the meat crispy on the outside while keeping it tender inside.


    The hot oil would immediately crisp the exterior, without overcooking the interior.


    Plus, the meat had been marinating a little longer while she prepared the first dish, so it was bound to be even tastier once fried.


    Frog meat is delicate and shouldn¡¯t be cooked for long, so as soon as the exterior was crisped to her satisfaction, Lin Yuan quickly scooped out the meat to let it drain.


    Once the meat was fried to perfection, it was time to saute? the spices.


    For this, one cannot use high heat; a gentle flame is needed to slowly bring out the fragrance.


    She promptly removed the larger firewood from the stove, setting them in the adjacent hearth, then scooped out the excess oil into a spare jar, leaving only a little base oil in the pot.


    Lin Yuan searched but couldn¡¯t find any Sichuan peppercorns; it seemed the locals had not yet discovered this spice.


    She proceeded with scallion, ginger, and garlic before quickly stir-frying in a generous spoonful of chili.


    Once the chili changed color and released its aroma, she poured the fried frog legs back in, seasoning with the appropriate amount of soy sauce and a bit of yellow rice wine, and finally sprinkled salt for taste.


    With that, the second dish was ready to serve.


    While working on her first dish, Lin Yuan had also noticed some freshly picked cilantro in the kitchen, so she chopped some and sprinkled it over the dish.


    With its red and green hues, the spicy Sichuan frog was now a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

 Chapter 43 - 43 43 The First Bucket of Gold (1)_1

    ?Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The First Bucket of Gold (1)_1 Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The First Bucket of Gold (1)_1 The Silver Ear Snow Pear Goji Berry Soup would still take some time to be ready, but since Lin Yuan was only making that dessert on a whim and hadn¡¯t planned to make money off it, she didn¡¯t wait.


    When she opened the kitchen doors, to her surprise, she saw a crowd of curious and drooling faces, not just the fellows who had helped clean the frogs but also the chefs and Shopkeeper Liu, and even Lao Fan who had promised to wait patiently in his room was shamelessly squeezing at the door with a bunch of lads, unwilling to leave.


    Lao Fan had been attracted to the kitchen by the aroma of her first dish, and the second dish had made him even hungrier.


    For someone who loved spicy food, the spicy frog was simply a supreme delicacy.


    ¡°Is it ready?


    Little girl, bring it out quickly.


    Let this old man have a taste!¡± Lao Fan said while smacking his lips, completely ignoring the astonished gazes of the others.


    Shopkeeper Liu, however, was well aware of his boss¡¯s nature and didn¡¯t remind him to return to his room to eat, but hurriedly urged Lin Yuan to bring out the dishes.


    Lin Yuan smiled and stepped aside.


    A clever young waiter had already dashed in to grab a plate and took some chopsticks out; although he knew that with the boss and the shopkeeper present, he wouldn¡¯t get to taste the dish, being close enough to get a whiff was satisfying enough.


    Seeing the dish, Lao Fan couldn¡¯t wait and snatched the plate before the chopsticks were handed to him.


    He picked up a piece of meat with his fingers, savored it carefully, and instructed Shopkeeper Liu to keep an eye on the other plate.


    Although this old man was a foodie, he was indeed a top-tier foodie.


    After only one bite, he identified the essence of the dish, ¡°The meat is fat and tender, the flavor is well infused; it¡¯s not just simply fried, this yellow wine, added so well, so ingenious!


    I didn¡¯t expect this frog, which looks disgusting, to taste so delicious!¡±


    Lao Fan took a few more hearty bites before reluctantly setting down the plate and snatched the second dish from Shopkeeper Liu¡¯s hand.


    This dish was even spicier and crispier.


    It had Lao Fan¡¯s eyes lighting up as he smacked his lips in praise, ¡°This meat, to be fried to this extent!


    Good, good!¡±


    The foodie old man had no time to think of other words to describe the dish; all he wanted was to eat more, the more the better.


    But when he thought of the first dish, he found that Shopkeeper Liu and the chefs had already cleaned it out!


    This annoyed the old man, who doled out a rap on the head to each of them, and seeing the young waiters eyeing the plate in his hands with yearning, he didn¡¯t even bother to speak and quickly hugged the plate and fled.


    Shopkeeper Liu wiped his mouth and exchanged a meaningful look with Master Wang.


    He then politely and enthusiastically invited Lin Yuan to an elegant room.


    That stinky old man, Lao Fan, only cared about eating and forgot all about the serious matter at hand.


    Fortunately, Shopkeeper Liu, the crafty one, was present.


    Lin Yuan mentally calculated the price and inwardly sent a round of vehement greetings to Lao Fan, who only remembered food and nothing else!


    ¡°Miss Lin, please have some tea.¡± Shopkeeper Liu was even more polite now with a favor to ask.


    Lin Yuan smiled and shook her head, ¡°Shopkeeper Liu, we are both businesspeople, there¡¯s no need for pleasantries, let¡¯s get straight to the point.¡±


    Shopkeeper Liu didn¡¯t expect the girl to be so straightforward and also smiled, shaking his head, ¡°Alright then, Miss Lin, please name your price.¡±


    ¡°Which dish are you referring to, Shopkeeper Liu?¡± Now that the money was at hand, Lin Yuan was in no rush.


    She already knew that the two dishes she had made were quite popular among everyone.


    Even if she couldn¡¯t sell them to Fuman Building, she believed that just with these two dishes, she could snatch away most of Fuman Building¡¯s business by selling them to another small tavern.


    ¡°Miss Lin, you know what¡¯s going on, why put me in a difficult position?¡± Obviously, Shopkeeper Liu hadn¡¯t expected this young girl to be so tough to deal with and was somewhat at a loss for words.


    In any case, he had to obtain the recipes for these two dishes!

 Chapter 44 - 44 44 The First Bucket of Gold (2)_1

    ?Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The First Bucket of Gold (2)_1 Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The First Bucket of Gold (2)_1 ¡°Miss Lin, just name your price, and my Fuman Building will buy those two dishes!¡±


    Seeing his straightforwardness, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t play coy and stretched out one hand, ¡°A flat rate, fifty taels.¡±


    Fifty taels?!


    If it weren¡¯t for his many years of managing the Fuman Building, Shopkeeper Liu really would have jumped up from his stool.


    Just for two simple dishes, she wanted fifty taels from him!


    However, being a businessman at heart, Shopkeeper Liu calmed himself down, and after only a moment¡¯s thought, he understood the crux of the matter.


    The Fuman Building had grown big and successful on the back of a single dish, the ¡°Four Joys Fortune Bag¡±.


    It was quite possible that another restaurant in town could, with these two frog dishes, compete with them on an equal level today!


    Moreover, this young girl, though not looking much, was quite clever.


    And no matter how much he insinuated, she wouldn¡¯t reveal how she came to know how to make these dishes.


    Maybe there was a culinary mastermind behind her.


    Getting on good terms with this girl, wouldn¡¯t he worry about future collaborations?


    ¡°Alright, fifty taels it is!¡±


    Although Lin Yuan couldn¡¯t guess Shopkeeper Liu¡¯s intentions with absolute certainty, her guess wasn¡¯t far off.


    Seeing how readily he agreed, she even regretted asking for too little.


    Shopkeeper Liu then stood up, went to the entrance, and whispered something to Liuzi.


    In no time, Liuzi walked in with a bag of silver and the necessary writing materials.


    ¡°Miss Lin, as businessmen, we naturally need to talk business.


    I¡¯d like to ask you to write an agreement, after all, we¡¯re paying a hefty price for these dishes.


    If you were to step out and offer them to another restaurant...¡± Shopkeeper Liu said diplomatically, but Lin Yuan heard him loud and clear.


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of trust but was a guarantee.


    So, she quickly agreed.


    ¡°Shopkeeper Liu is indeed thoughtful.


    But, coming from a rural family, I only know a few characters, so I must trouble you to write the agreement for me.¡± This was indeed the truth, although she knew the characters were similar to what she had learned in modern times, she couldn¡¯t use a brush, and to scribe something unsightly would be embarrassing.


    Shopkeeper Liu laughed heartily, taking her refusal to reveal too much personal information as her trying to hide her possible extensive training from certain calligraphy teachers.


    He picked up the brush, wrote the agreement in duplicate, and stamped the Fuman Building¡¯s seal on it.


    Lin Yuan then wrote her name and pressed her thumbprint on it.


    Shopkeeper Liu found Lin Yuan¡¯s crooked signature on the agreement somewhat amusing.


    Was this girl really unable to write, or was she pretending?


    What terrible handwriting.


    Once the agreement was set, it was time to collect the silver.


    Lin Yuan noticed the bag was full of silver ingots and, with a frown of concern, she asked Shopkeeper Liu to exchange them for smaller pieces of silver, as she dared not spend such large ingots.


    With the deal concluded, Lin Yuan shouldered her bamboo basket once more, ready to leave, when she suddenly remembered something, ¡°Oh right, Shopkeeper Liu, there¡¯s still a pot of soup I left simmering in the kitchen; it should be ready by now.¡±


    Shopkeeper Liu had already been informed by Master Wang and responded with a smile.


    Once Lin Yuan had left, Shopkeeper Liu went to the adjacent room, where the old foodie Lao Fan was inspecting the empty plates with great interest: ¡°How was it?¡±


    Shopkeeper Liu chuckled, ¡°Why do you ask, when you already know, just like that girl does?¡±


    Lao Fan laughed heartily, took the agreement, and raised his eyebrows as he glanced over it, ¡°Cunning girl, always playing her cards close to her chest.¡±


    Shopkeeper Liu then pulled out another note from his pocket and handed it to Lao Fan, who threw it aside after a glance, grunting, ¡°That rascal, running away from his father again!¡± Suddenly remembering something, Lao Fan shouted anxiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t that girl say there¡¯s still a pot of soup?


    Quickly bring it here!


    Go!¡±

 Chapter 45 - 45 45 Hypocritical Shande Hall_1

    ?Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Hypocritical Shande Hall_1 Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Hypocritical Shande Hall_1 Upon leaving the Fuman Building, Lin Yuan immediately felt the sunlight was extraordinarily pleasant today.


    Having silver in hand really made a difference; her posture straightened up immediately.


    Just now, after leaving the elegant room, she even made a special trip to the latrine¡ªnot to relieve herself, but to discreetly divide the dozens of taels of silver.


    She stashed the bulk of it in a more intimate place and left only five silver pieces in an easily accessible spot, convenient for when she needed to buy things for the house later on.


    However, the pressing matter at hand wasn¡¯t shopping, but selling.


    There was still a pack of goji berries in her basket that she hadn¡¯t sold.


    Even though she was no longer relying on selling goji berries to make money, she had dried them diligently over the past two days and felt uneasy about not turning them into some cash.


    As Lin Yuan ambled along the main street looking for a pharmacy, she pondered over what Lao Fan, that old man, had muttered to himself when he saw her goji berries.


    She couldn¡¯t recall what he had said now.


    She decided not to dwell on it; Lin Yuan was never one to fret over such matters.


    Indeed, the main street had it all.


    She had only walked a little while when she found a large pharmacy bustling with people at the entrance.


    ¡°Shande Hall, possessing kindness and virtue, accumulating benevolence and merit, the name isn¡¯t bad indeed.¡±


    Muttering to herself, Lin Yuan walked in.


    She had only taken a few steps when she brushed past a man dressed like a farmer, who was frowning and sighing heavily.


    Lin Yuan assumed there must be someone seriously ill in his family and didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    As soon as she entered the main hall, a young assistant hurried over to shoo her away: ¡°Off you go, off you go, our Shande Hall is not for just anyone.


    If you want to seek medical treatment, go to the little shops on the street!¡±


    His loud rebuke attracted the attention of many people in the hall, who looked over not at the assistant but disdainfully at Lin Yuan.


    Among them was a maid waiting for a prescription who sneered, ¡°Does she even consider her own status, daring to seek treatment at Shande Hall?


    Delusions of grandeur!¡±


    Lin Yuan had only entered to try her luck without much hope, but now, egged on by the young assistant¡¯s brusque behavior, her temper flared up¡ªshe wasn¡¯t going to leave.


    Let them try to chase her off with a stick!


    ¡°I really hadn¡¯t realized that seeking medical treatment required looking at one¡¯s status!¡± Lin Yuan waved her hand, brushed aside the assistant¡¯s shoving, and confidently stepped further inside.


    She continued to rant, ¡°Right, those who come here for treatment must be the nobles who never lift a finger and have no idea what grains they eat.


    Us folks who¡¯re used to farm work don¡¯t have the leisure to fall ill.


    Besides, the heavens have eyes; whoever is meant to live or die is already decreed.


    Those who run to the pharmacy every other day¡ªwell, heaven might just take them away tomorrow to keep company in chatter.¡±


    Although her words seemed like self-talk, they were clearly aimed at the maid who had just looked down on her.


    The young maid, who appeared quite tender, turned red-faced and flustered, unable to respond.


    With her mouth pouting and stamping her foot, she took the medicine bag the assistant handed her and stormed off indignantly.


    Shrugging her shoulders, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t wait for the assistant to shoo her away again; she was already standing at the counter, slamming down the goji berries and loudly said, ¡°Shopkeeper, I¡¯m here to sell medicine!¡±


    Hearing that she was here to sell and not to buy medicine, the assistant stopped chasing her away, his eyes rolling as he tried to invite her to the back room for a discussion.


    Lin Yuan could see right through his intent¡ªthe back room was manned by Shande Hall¡¯s staff, and she also noticed that the Shande Hall was all talk and no action, hardly benevolent at all.


    She snorted, ¡°I won¡¯t go to the back room.


    What if you beat me up and then claim I fell on my own?¡±


    The assistant wore a look of exasperation; this girl was far too blunt.


    But still, he went to summon the steward.


    The steward was a big fat man; as he walked, his entire body trembled with fat, and as he moved outside, he complained, ¡°Selling medicine, selling medicine, why is everyone selling medicine today.¡±


    Upon seeing Lin Yuan, the fat man¡¯s squinty eyes immediately emitted an ill-natured gleam, as if he wanted to strip her completely, inside and out, there and then.


    Regarding her appearance, she had not eaten or dressed well in the past six months, too thin and not fully developed, but her delicate features were still fairly refined.


    The fat man had an eye for such things and could tell at a glance that Lin Yuan was a beauty in the rough.


    However, Lin Yuan disliked his gaze and glared back fiercely, pushing forward her wolfberries, ¡°This, will you take it or not?¡±


    Far from being intimidated by her fierce little glare, the fat man was even more intrigued.


    His pig¡¯s trotter-like fatty hand reached out, not to check the wolfberries but to touch Lin Yuan¡¯s hand, smiling lecherously, ¡°Sure, whatever little sister offers, big brother will take.¡±


    Lin Yuan shuddered with goosebumps and quickly pulled her hand back, ¡°Then name a price.¡±


    When it came to naming a price, the fat man suddenly became much more serious.


    He glanced at the bag of wolfberries and subtly pursed his lips, seemingly unimpressed with the herbs.


    He casually grabbed a handful and began stuffing them into his mouth while making small talk with Lin Yuan, ¡°Little sister, these things can¡¯t cure diseases directly when used in medicine.


    At best, they¡¯re just for calming the spirit or preventing vomiting.


    If we were to take these off your hands, who knows if we could even sell them?


    How do I even set a price?


    How about this, you come back for the silver after I¡¯ve managed to sell them?¡±


    As Lin Yuan watched him eat handful after handful with such gusto, her heart ached unbearably.


    Upon hearing his words, it was clear that the fat man had no intention of taking her wolfberries.


    But, the ones he had eaten couldn¡¯t just be written off!


    ¡°Then, big brother, when should I come for the silver?¡± Lin Yuan asked with a cold smile, eyeing his fat hand as it reached for more wolfberries.


    Her berries were not exceptionally dry and still had some moisture, making them deliciously sweet right now, which explained the fat man¡¯s eagerness to eat them.


    The fat man, thinking Lin Yuan was playing along, drooled with anticipation, ¡°Tonight, come back tonight.¡±


    Tonight!


    This time, Lin Yuan was thoroughly infuriated.


    She slapped the fat man¡¯s hand, which was grabbing for more wolfberries, down onto the table and yelled loudly, ¡°You fat slob, if you won¡¯t take my wolfberries, that¡¯s fine, but you can¡¯t keep eating them like there¡¯s no end!


    Let me tell you, these wolfberries are for sale, not for feeding to a stinking fat pig like you!¡±


    The fat man had not expected this maid to lash out at him suddenly.


    His hand trapped under hers throbbed painfully as he howled and screamed, all the while calling for help, ¡°You ungrateful wretch!


    Me eating your wolfberries is a favor to you, and you still want to sell them?


    I¡¯ll have you know, if Shande Hall doesn¡¯t take something, not a single medicine shop in Zhuma Town will dare to take it!


    Don¡¯t believe me?


    Just try!¡±


    As he spoke, Lin Yuan caught sight of the man she had bumped into when entering now returning.


    This time, she noticed clearly: he had a good-quality ginseng in hand.


    Connecting the dots with what the fat man had said, she figured it out¡ªShande Hall was bullying the locals in Zhuma Town, buying medicine at low prices.


    Was there no justice left?!

 Chapter 46 - 46 46 Outwitting the Enemy (1)_1

    ?Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Outwitting the Enemy (1)_1 Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Outwitting the Enemy (1)_1 As she was lost in thought, the hall had already filled with thugs armed with long sticks.


    Lin Yuan, pressing down on the fat man beneath her, wasn¡¯t afraid these thugs would rush up, but escaping had become difficult.


    Thinking she was scared, the fat man snorted twice, ¡°Girl, let me tell you, the County Magistrate¡¯s wife is our boss¡¯s own sister.


    If you know what¡¯s good for you, release me quickly.


    I guarantee, guarantee you can leave Shande Hall unharmed!¡±


    Of course, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t believe his nonsense.


    Those thugs, each with a murderous look in their eyes, would have charged at her with their clubs if it weren¡¯t for the person under her control.


    Lin Yuan, having little strength in her hands, casually picked up a teapot beside her and smashed it with a loud crack, holding a shard of porcelain to the fat man¡¯s wrist: ¡°You stinking pig, do you think I would believe you?


    Hmph, just because you have ties to the County Magistrate, you think you can bully people as you please?


    Don¡¯t forget, there¡¯s always someone stronger out there, and unless you¡¯re the Son of Heaven himself, there¡¯s someone in this world who can handle you!¡±


    With the porcelain shard pointing at his wrist, the fat man didn¡¯t dare to move, but Lin Yuan managed to free one hand.


    Recalling how the fat man had leered at her, she felt uncomfortable and took the opportunity to slap his face repeatedly, which made him appear even fatter from the swelling.


    Lin Yuan felt somewhat resigned, realizing her basic women self-defense skills were merely a pipe dream for escape.


    While she was frantically racking her brain for ideas, a voice from the entrance of Shande Hall was heard, accompanied by the sound of loud clapping and laughter: ¡°I was wondering where this wench had disappeared to in the blink of an eye.


    Turns out she¡¯s hiding here and enjoying a fight!¡±


    Lin Yuan¡¯s face fell.


    This unreliable old man, this forgetful stinking old man!


    At a time like this, he still had the mood to enjoy the spectacle!


    Lao Fan automatically ignored her ferocious look and his eyes greedily fixed on the wolfberries on the table, ruined by the fat man¡¯s scratching.


    He clutched his heart and wailed, ¡°Oh, my wolfberries, this wench has spoiled you like this and she only rewarded him with a few slaps?


    Disgraceful!¡±


    Lin Yuan was even more flustered.


    What did he mean by saying the fat man had spoiled her like that?


    That sounded terrible.


    And those slaps, of course she wanted to hit him more to vent her anger, but didn¡¯t he see the thug¡¯s sticks ready to strike her?


    Because of what was said afterward, she automatically dismissed Lao Fan¡¯s initial comment.


    ¡°You stinking old man!


    You really love to add fuel to the fire!


    Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy here?


    If it¡¯s nothing important, stop bothering me!


    You really are a nuisance, so annoying!¡± Lin Yuan grew even more irritated by Lao Fan¡¯s interference.


    However, the hand with the porcelain shard remained unwaveringly steady.


    If push came to shove, she would use the fat man as a bargaining chip to get out of Shande Hall first.


    Zhuma Town was so big that even with the County Magistrate¡¯s wife¡¯s connection, it would take considerable effort to catch her.


    Just getting out of the town would suffice!


    ¡°Hmph, you impudent girl, I came here out of good intention to get you out of trouble, and you insult me!


    That mouth of yours, it can really compete with that stinky brat!¡± Lao Fan, his white beard quivering and his face flushed red, was clearly very angry, but as he said, he was a man of his word.


    He gestured to Shopkeeper Liu with a tilt of his chin and then arrogantly lifted his head, refusing to look at her.


    Only then did Lin Yuan take a proper look at the entrance, where not only was Lao Fan present but also the somber Shopkeeper Liu and the sweat-drenched Liuzi.


    It seemed that Liuzi must have known she was trapped here and quickly went to call for help.


    But why would they care about whether she was being beaten up or not if it was just a deal they completed?


    But as long as she could get out of this situation, that was all that mattered!


    At this moment, Shopkeeper Liu¡¯s demeanor was far from friendly as it had been earlier.


    Without sparing any courteous words to ease the tension, he outright began issuing orders: ¡°Butler Chen, I think your old problem has flared up again, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 47 - 47 47 Outwitting the Enemy (2)_1

    ?Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Outwitting the Enemy (2)_1 Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Outwitting the Enemy (2)_1 ¡°Shopkeeper Liu, Shopkeeper Liu, this really wasn¡¯t me...¡± The fat man who Lin Yuan was threatening had already turned pale the moment he saw Lao Fan and Shopkeeper Liu come in, and now he was desperately trying to explain himself.


    However, he hadn¡¯t spoken two sentences before he annoyed Lao Fan, who glared at him.


    The fat man quickly swallowed and didn¡¯t dare to speak again.


    ¡°You still deny it?


    That little girl returned to sell you goji berries.


    It¡¯s bad enough you didn¡¯t buy them, but then you ate them without asking!


    What you did without asking is stealing!¡± Shopkeeper Liu flicked his sleeve.


    The thugs by his side seemed quite afraid of him and quickly hid their sticks and moved to the side.


    The fat man was helpless, threatened by Lin Yuan with shards of porcelain on one side and faced with the stern words of Shopkeeper Liu on the other; he could only nod vigorously in acknowledgment, ¡°Yes, yes, I ate them, it¡¯s my fault, I deserve to be beaten, I deserve it!¡±


    Shopkeeper Liu¡¯s face softened a bit, but Lao Fan just curled his lip impatiently and huffed, ¡°Why waste words on this pig?


    Go find his boss.


    This kind of person should have been driven away a long time ago!¡±


    The fat man became even more afraid.


    He subconsciously wanted to beg for mercy, but seeing Lao Fan¡¯s impatient look, he feared annoying him further, and so he choked back his words.


    ¡°Girl, forget about this fatso; come with me.¡± It seemed that Lao Fan didn¡¯t just come to help Lin Yuan out; he looked like he had something else to say.


    Although Lin Yuan was very grateful for his help, she still didn¡¯t want to let the fat man off so easily, since he had indeed eaten her goods.


    She shook the porcelain shard in her hand, and the fat man saw the shard suddenly pressed against his neck.


    ¡°You fatso, you just admitted to eating my goji berries.


    Now, it¡¯s time for you to compensate!¡±


    With a helpless expression, the fat man quickly waved for someone to bring over the silver and pay her.


    He had thought that since she dressed like a country girl, she wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with Fuman Building.


    But seeing the old man protect her like that, it was clear their relationship was significant, and making trouble for her in the future would be out of the question.


    The fat man was truly regretting it until his guts turned green.


    In Fuman Building, Lao Fan watched Lin Yuan carefully pack away her goji berries while sighing deeply, and he found it both annoying and funny.


    ¡°Look, girl, you just extorted two taels of silver from that fellow; he¡¯s the one who should be sighing!


    What are you sighing for?¡± Lao Fan scoffed, and after getting back, he always felt like he had been used by her, which left him feeling even more displeased.


    Lin Yuan lifted an eyebrow smugly, ¡°I¡¯m sighing for him!


    I would be satisfied to sell my bag of goji berries for one tael of silver.


    But today, not only did I make a profit, but I also got to beat him up satisfyingly.


    Ah, I wonder how his boss will deal with him, just thinking about it makes me feel sorry for him, haha.¡±


    Shopkeeper Liu covered his face, unable to bear watching Lin Yuan revel in misfortune.


    Her greedy and malicious appearance, why did it seem so familiar, so much like a certain Little Tyrant?


    After the small talk, it was time for serious matters.


    Lin Yuan had long realized that Lao Fan wouldn¡¯t have come to resolve the dispute unless he needed a favor; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have asked her to return to Fuman Building.


    ¡°Alright, what do you need?¡±


    Lin Yuan had guessed correctly this time.


    After Lao Fan had the Silver Ear Snow Pear Goji Berry Soup, he immediately sent Liuzi to find her.


    Liuzi searched house by house until he spotted her at Shande Hall.


    However, at that time, she had already had a falling out with the fat man.


    In urgent haste, he went back to get the shopkeeper, and Lao Fan hurried over, afraid she would be at a disadvantage.


    But the outcome truly surprised them; how could this girl be the type to suffer a loss?


    Once Lin Yuan heard their story, she understood all too well.


    It turns out this old man had succumbed to his gluttonous nature and wanted to buy the secret recipe for the soup.


    Well, it¡¯s hard to talk back when you¡¯ve eaten from someone¡¯s hand.


    She had already received a favor of having her life saved; how could she refuse to sell it?


    ¡°Fine, considering the favor of you two stepping in to help just now, I¡¯ll sell you the secret recipe at a 20% discount.¡±


    Shopkeeper Liu was almost petrified.


    Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be a life-saving favor?


    How did it become just a favor of stepping in?


    And ¡°at a 20% discount¡±?


    Shouldn¡¯t she be gratefully presenting it with both hands?


    This greedy nature, it really was too familiar!


    Ultimately, Lin Yuan ¡°underpriced¡± and ¡°sold¡± her recipe for the ¡°low price¡± of five taels of silver.


    She even threw in the rest of the goji berries to Lao Fan, but in exchange for a signature dish from Fuman Building, the Emperor¡¯s favorite Four Joys Fortune Bag.


    However, to her great disappointment, Lin Yuan realized that the Four Joys Fortune Bag was just dumplings made with colored dough.


    This was far too misleading.

 Chapter 48 - 48 48 Shopping (1)_1

    ?Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Shopping (1)_1 Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Shopping (1)_1 Coming out of Fuman Building once more, Lin Yuan had added seven taels of silver to her purse and instantly felt that her life was complete.


    This time she wanted to shop properly, to buy whatever she fancied.


    Knowing that she was going to buy groceries, Shopkeeper Liu specially arranged for Liuzi to accompany her.


    In fact, Lin Yuan understood that Shopkeeper Liu was worried she might incur the resentment of those from Shande Hall.


    However, Shopkeeper Liu¡¯s intention was actually to prevent her from bullying other shops in the blink of an eye.


    Even though they were still counting on Lin Yuan to provide more recipes in the future, he didn¡¯t have the leisure to clean up after her either.


    With Liuzi as her guide, Lin Yuan wouldn¡¯t get lost in Zhuma Town.


    She first went to the grain shop since her family had run out of food to cook with.


    She had to buy some grains, and she had also promised to visit Sister-in-law Guizhi after returning from the town today to discuss making cold skins, which called for wheat flour, so she had to buy extra of it.


    The grains here weren¡¯t expensive, wheat flour was twenty wen per jin, and rice was fifteen wen per jin.


    Lin Yuan bought twenty jin of wheat flour and ten jin of rice.


    She noticed the shop was selling soybeans, which she initially thought would be costly.


    However, upon asking, they were only ten wen, so she briskly ordered another ten jin of soybeans.


    Liuzi had first thought that Lin Yuan was a clever person, but seeing how much soybeans she was buying, he grimaced and hesitated to say anything for fear of making her angry.


    Lin Yuan saw right through him and patted him while saying with a smile, ¡°If you¡¯ve got something to say, just say it, and if you¡¯ve got to fart, then just fart!¡±


    This time, not only did Liuzi¡¯s face turn green, but even the Shopkeeper of the grain store was embarrassed.


    This young girl looked gentle and pretty, but her language was so crude¡ªfarting and all.


    It was very unseemly.


    Liuzi held back for a long time before finally letting the ¡®fart¡¯ out, ¡°Miss Lin, does your family raise pigs?¡±


    Lin Yuan shook her head; she really wanted to raise pigs, though.


    ¡°Then why do you buy so many soybeans?


    They¡¯re for feeding pigs, not for people to eat.¡± Liuzi had noticed early on that Lin Yuan didn¡¯t seem to understand the market, but he was too embarrassed to say it outright, so he started by asking if she had pigs to feed.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan finally understood.


    No wonder the soybeans were so cheap, and the shop didn¡¯t have much of them¡ªthey were meant for feeding pigs.


    No wonder Liuzi was so surprised.


    In rural areas, who would buy grains to feed pigs?


    Didn¡¯t they just feed pigs whatever leftovers they had?


    So these soybeans were essentially just for show!


    However, Lin Yuan had inadvertently stumbled upon a new path to wealth.


    Since soybeans had not yet been exploited, she had to make good use of them quickly.


    Grinding beans, making tofu, dried tofu, tofu pudding, sprouting beans...


    Yes, she could also make chili strips, which were her favorite snack.


    If she succeeded, little Lin Shuang and Lin Wei would surely love it.


    Thinking this, Lin Yuan quickly urged Liuzi to take her to buy a small stone mill.


    She didn¡¯t have one at home; although the village did, she preferred not to use the communal mill.


    If others saw her, wouldn¡¯t they steal her moneymaking idea?


    The small stone mill was truly a great item; not only could it grind soybeans, but she could also grind rice.


    Later on, she could make rice cakes, and oh, how she missed the taste of spicy stir-fried rice cakes.


    The place selling stone mills wasn¡¯t too far away, but Lin Yuan had bought so much wheat flour and rice that her small bamboo basket couldn¡¯t hold it anymore.


    Luckily, with Liuzi, the crafty one, there, and the grain shop¡¯s staff recognizing him, Liuzi issued a series of orders, and the Shopkeeper of the grain store quickly had his boy deliver the wheat flour, rice, and soybeans to Fuman Building.


    Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t worried that Fuman Building would scam her for that bit of grain, so she let them deliver it with peace of mind.


    Everything seemed to be available in this variety store, managed by an elderly couple who appeared very kind.


    Their son was also helping out in the store, a young man of nearly twenty, not particularly handsome but clearly a solid and sensible person.


    He wasn¡¯t pedantic and had an air of shrewdness when it came to doing business.

 Chapter 49 - 49 49 Shopping (2)_1

    ?Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Shopping (2)_1 Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Shopping (2)_1 Lin Yuan always liked dealing with smart people, so she bought some additional items at his store, like bowls and chopsticks for home use, plates, and even kerosene and candles, all in quite large quantities.


    Except for the small stone mill, which was a bit pricey, the other items only amounted to a mere thirty wen.


    Liuzi still had the lad deliver all these goods straight to the Fuman Building.


    Upon hearing that the customer was associated with the Fuman Building, the young lad even threw in a few small dishes for free.


    Lin Yuan couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had unintentionally leaned on a mighty supporter?


    After leaving the general store, Lin Yuan still needed to buy some meat and fabric.


    Meat was a daily necessity at the Fuman Building, so Liuzi directly took Lin Yuan to the butcher who supplied their pork.


    As soon as they entered, Lin Yuan was hit by the smell of blood from the pork and unconsciously wrinkled her nose.


    Seeing her reaction, Liuzi suggested that she wait outside.


    However, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t feel comfortable buying meat without seeing it with her own eyes, especially since it was meant for her family¡¯s consumption¡ªit had to be fresh.


    The butcher¡¯s family name was Zhu, but the neighbors all called him Pork Rong.


    Lin Yuan thought he indeed resembled the Pork Rong from TV very closely, just as tall and robust, just as corpulent, but he seemed to be a very down-to-earth person.


    When Pork Rong saw that the visitor was brought by someone from the Fuman Building, he was very enthusiastic.


    Pointing to the meat on the chopping board, he showed Lin Yuan, ¡°All these were butchered just this morning.


    The pigs are good stock collected from the village, absolutely no sickness.¡±


    The butcher normally slaughtered quite a lot of meat.


    After sending what was needed to the Fuman Building, he would sell the rest himself.


    Lin Yuan had a sharp eye for selecting food.


    Without much effort, she picked out two of the freshest cuts of meat streaked with fat.


    Liuzi had no clue about these things, but Pork Rong, who had been selling meat for years, immediately recognized that this girl was no novice, but rather an expert, and thus he treated her with even greater respect.


    While the meat was being weighed, Lin Yuan noticed that Pork Rong also raised quite a few pigs at home.


    Remembering her plans to raise piglets, she struck up a conversation about everyday matters with Pork Rong.


    ¡°Uncle, do you raise pigs yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes, buying pigs from the village always varies in quantity¡ªsometimes more, sometimes less¡ªso I decided to raise a few myself.


    Besides, there¡¯s spare space at home, and the missus likes to take care of these things.¡± Pork Rong spoke in a loud voice, and his laugh was as resounding as a bell.


    He tied the weighed pork with straw rope and placed it in Lin Yuan¡¯s bamboo basket, which immediately felt much heavier.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s eyes lit up as she stared at a sow, ¡°Uncle, is that sow about to have piglets?¡±


    Pork Rong nodded; in fact, the sow¡¯s belly wasn¡¯t very big, and most people would just think it was too fat, but this girl had spotted it at a glance.


    Liuzi, completely unaware of such things, circled the pig with a puzzled look several times.


    ¡°Uncle, are you selling the piglets?


    I¡¯m thinking of raising a couple at home.¡±


    Hearing this, Pork Rong laughed heartily and nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m selling.


    There¡¯s limited space here, and I can¡¯t raise too many.


    In another month, the sow should have her litter.


    Once the piglets are over a month old, they can be sold.


    Young miss, you want two?


    Male or female?


    I¡¯ll reserve them for you, uncle.¡±


    Lin Yuan was delighted and quickly nodded.


    Of course, it was better to raise sows, even though they were more expensive, it was worth it.


    After making arrangements for the piglets and paying for the pork, Lin Yuan and Liuzi left together.


    She still wanted to buy some fabric.


    As they passed a shop selling the Four Treasures of the Study, she also bought some brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, along with a copy of the Three Character Classic and three copybooks.


    There were two younger sisters at home about to begin their education; it was perfect for them to learn more books.


    And as for her own calligraphy, it was hardly presentable, so she needed to practice regularly.


    In this era, education really was an expensive endeavor.


    The cost of these few items was already comparable to the cost of the meat.


    No wonder only children from wealthy families could afford to attend school.


    Nevertheless, she was determined not to let the expense deter her from sending her sisters to school.


    If necessary, she would just earn more money.


    School was essential, and fortunately, the local customs here were relatively progressive, allowing girls to attend private schools.


    If only there was no gender discrimination in becoming a chef and cooking, that would be even better.

 Chapter 50 - 50 50 Demanding Silver (1)_1

    ?Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Demanding Silver (1)_1 Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Demanding Silver (1)_1 Because she¡¯d given Liuzi a heads-up in advance, the places he took her to were both affordable and of good quality.


    At the cloth shop, she picked out a piece of blue cotton fabric for her father, a peach-colored cotton fabric and a purplish-red cotton fabric for her mother, Lady Liu, as well as two pink cotton fabrics for her two younger sisters.


    Lin Yuan also bought some fine white cotton fabric.


    Her mother was due to give birth in just over two months, and she couldn¡¯t just prepare clothes for her current needs; she also had to get ready the things her mother would use during her confinement.


    Although she had never had a child herself, she knew she had to be prepared for the baby¡¯s diapers and swaddling bands.


    With these thoughts in mind, Lin Yuan picked out some blue cotton fabric to ask her mother to make a little cotton-padded jacket and a little mattress for her new baby brother.


    Newborns should wear blue clothes and use worn blankets, right?


    So she chose several types of blue fabric.


    Although they lacked intricate patterns, the small floral designs were quite pretty and charming.


    Before she knew it, it was almost noon.


    She had agreed to return to the village with Lin Fugui by midday, so Lin Yuan hurriedly asked Liuzi to help take her purchases to the gate of the city, while she slowly made her way to the exit, having learned the route earlier.


    Along the way, she bought various vegetable seeds.


    Out of the three plots that had been divided from the old house, only one was good land to the south of the village; the other two were the less desirable Xi Touer lands.


    Although less ideal, at least they were close to Lin Yuan¡¯s house.


    Speaking of cooking, Lin Yuan was skilled at it, but when it came to farming, she was clueless.


    Thankfully, she had a father at home who knew how to farm; he had been the one taking care of the Lin family¡¯s fields.


    So Lin Yuan ended up buying whatever seeds she saw; if they couldn¡¯t be planted this year, they could simply be saved for next year.


    She also bought some cooking oil and homemade sauce from the peasants, and when she passed by a snack stall, she bought ten baked flatbreads.


    With the cooked rice she¡¯d have at midday, dipping the flatbread in sauce would make an excellent meal.


    When she arrived at the city gate, Lin Fugui was the only one there, sitting under a tree smoking a pipe, with no other villagers in sight yet.


    Lin Yuan greeted him, and just at that moment, Liuzi arrived with the cart containing her items.


    Lin Fugui¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of Lin Yuan¡¯s bags of stuff.


    She¡¯d been out for only a morning; how could she have bought so much?


    Lin Yuan knew he was puzzled, so she casually fabricated a lie, claiming that she¡¯d used the silver given to her during the family division to make the purchases.


    After all, the total cost was just over one tael of silver, and Lin Fugui was not one to gossip.


    He quickly helped with carrying her purchases and even covered them with a ragged cloth from the cart, fearing that others from their village might see and talk.


    Lin Yuan was grateful for Lin Fugui¡¯s thoughtfulness; she packed all the small items she could into her own little bamboo basket, while the rest, like the rice and fabric, could be delivered directly to her doorstep by Lin Fugui when they got back to the village.


    However, it seemed as if fate always liked to play tricks on her.


    Just as Lin Fugui was delivering her to her doorstep, Lin Yuan overheard the voices of her Aunt and Lady Liuzi from inside her house.


    She quickly stopped Lin Fugui from unloading and asked him to return home first, saying she¡¯d come by later to fetch the items.


    Sensing that there was trouble at home, Lin Fugui didn¡¯t say much and drove his ox cart away.


    After placing the bamboo basket in the kitchen, Lin Yuan hurried into the inner room.


    It had been only two days since she had last seen her, and Li Feng¡¯e had already dolled herself up again, replacing her headpiece with a new, larger silver hairpin than the one she¡¯d lost at Sick Seedlings House.


    ¡°Oh, Aunt, Lady Liuzi, you¡¯re here?


    Have you come today to sell me off or to sell off my older sister?¡± As soon as Lin Yuan entered, she leaned against the door frame, toying with the kitchen knife in her hand.


    She had sharpened the knife until it shone brightly, and it felt much better in her hand.


    Lady Ma and Li Feng¡¯e were startled by her sudden voice, trembling all over.


    When they turned around and saw her, they were so frightened that they jumped straight up from the bed.


    Although Lady Ma had never been beaten by her, she had witnessed Lin Yuan wielding a knife against her uncle, and she had been threatened by Lin Yuan just the day before.


    If not for using the upcoming marriage of Laosan¡¯s house as leverage, she would not have bothered coming here to stir up trouble.

 Chapter 51 - 51 51 Demanding Silver (2)_1

    ?Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Demanding Silver (2)_1 Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Demanding Silver (2)_1 ¡°Yuanyuan, yes, it¡¯s your Aunt Li Feng¡¯e looking for your mother.


    Aunt, Aunt just came to see, hehe, just to see.¡±


    Li Feng¡¯e disdainfully glared at the utterly useless Lady Ma, cursing Xiao He¡¯s mother under her breath for miscommunicating the message, while she stealthily edged closer to Lady Liu.


    The knife in Lin Yuan¡¯s hand was real, and she didn¡¯t believe the Little Disaster Star would dare to slash around right beside her own mother.


    ¡°Yuanyuan, put down the knife in your hand, what does a grown girl need with a knife?¡± Originally, Li Feng¡¯e didn¡¯t dare to call her Little Disaster Star to her face anymore, but the scare she got from that kitchen knife almost made her slip up again.


    Lin Yuan wouldn¡¯t buy into her nonsense.


    She looked at her mother and saw her face full of difficulty; she guessed right away that these two had come to bully her mother while she was not at home.


    ¡°What are you afraid of, Aunt?


    I was just thinking of making something nice for you when you came!¡± While Lin Yuan said this cheerfully, she played with the kitchen knife in her hand.


    The shiny blade twirled adeptly in her grasp, spinning with all sorts of fancy flourishes.


    However, Lady Ma and the other were in no mood to admire the spectacle, as they were scared witless, their lips trembling uncontrollably.


    But when they heard what Lin Yuan said next, their legs turned to jelly.


    ¡°However, we don¡¯t really have anything nice at home to entertain Aunt and Aunt Li Feng¡¯e.


    How about this, I¡¯ll just casually toss this knife, and whoever it lands on, I¡¯ll cut a piece of their flesh off to boil for soup, how¡¯s that?¡±


    No sooner had she finished asking than in the instant Lady Ma and Li Feng¡¯e were stunned speechless, Lin Yuan suddenly threw the knife forward and bellowed fiercely, ¡°Catch the knife!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Lady Ma was the first to scream, clutching her head and rushing outside.


    Li Feng¡¯e had more nerve, but first Lin Yuan¡¯s knife scared her, and then Lady Ma¡¯s scream startled her until she was also scared out of her wits, screaming and clutching her head as she fled.


    However, her luck was not as good as Lady Ma¡¯s; she hit a wall unexpectedly and immediately there arose a wailing like slaughtering a pig.


    Watching the two flee in disgrace, Lin Yuan caught the knife and sneered coldly, while Xiao Linshuang, the most innocent of all, clapped and laughed heartily, shouting, ¡°Aunt, Aunt Li Feng¡¯e, don¡¯t leave, stay for a bowl of soup before you go!


    Haha!¡±


    After sheathing the knife, Lin Yuan finally asked Lady Liu what had happened.


    Lady Liu reluctantly smiled and said, ¡°After the family split that day, your grandparents fell ill again.


    Your Aunt and Aunt Li Feng¡¯e are insisting it¡¯s because of you...¡±


    Lady Liu hesitated as she looked at Da Ya, then fell silent.


    However, Lin Yuan understood.


    Certainly, the old couple were blaming her for bringing sickness upon them again, and somehow Lady Ma and Li Feng¡¯e got wind of the news that she had gone into town that day and seized the chance to come and demand silver from her mother while she was away.


    Humph, seeking money for treatment, when in truth they were merely upset about only getting two taels of silver during the division.


    It hasn¡¯t been that many days, and here they are, eagerly chasing it down!


    Lin Yuan felt irritated.


    Couldn¡¯t they live peacefully after the family division?


    Just for two taels of silver, they chased her relentlessly.


    What if they knew she had more than fifty taels of silver now?


    Wouldn¡¯t they mobilize their entire family to tear down their house?


    No, if today was the last time, so be it, but if it happened again, she would have to make a big scene!


    After wrestling with these two all morning, Lady Liu was exhausted.


    Lin Yuan quickly told her mother to rest well, and asked Lin Wei to boil some hot water.


    Then she hurried out to move things from Lin Fugui¡¯s house.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped out, she saw Lin Fugui coming over with an ox cart.


    Aunt Lin hadn¡¯t gone home at all; instead, he had been waiting nearby.


    Seeing that Lady Ma and the other had left, he came over to help.


    Lin Yuan knew that another reason Aunt Lin hadn¡¯t left was to make sure they weren¡¯t taken advantage of again.


    She instantly felt a warmth in her heart.


    With his help, she moved things into the house.


    She wanted to give him some baked buns in return, but Lin Fugui wouldn¡¯t take anything and headed back home with his ox cart.


    Lin Yuan watched his figure disappearing into the distance, filled with gratitude and pondering ways to repay the kindness.


    When she had money, she would definitely not forget those who had been good to them.


    Of course, those who had been bad to them would be etched even more firmly in her memory!

 Chapter 52 - 52 52 Making Cold Skin Noodles_1

    ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Making Cold Skin Noodles_1 Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Making Cold Skin Noodles_1 Seeing the bags of grain Lin Yuan brought home, both Lin Wei and her sister were amazed, especially at the several bolts of fabric.


    Since the household¡¯s silver was always handed over to Lady Yang, their clothes were basically altered from adults¡¯ garments by Lady Liu or were hand-me-downs from Lin Siyu.


    They had never worn new clothing from childhood to adulthood.


    Hearing that their eldest sister said the fabrics were for them, they were even more delighted and rushed into the west room with the fabric to show their mother.


    Lady Liu, however, was much calmer.


    Seeing the fabrics, she asked Lin Yuan in detail about her purchases.


    As an adult, she had some understanding of the market prices in town and quickly realized something was amiss.


    But, since the children were all caught up in the excitement, she didn¡¯t feel it was the right time to ask any questions and simply joined her daughters in happily examining the fabric.


    For lunch, they made rice porridge with white rice.


    Lin Yuan also heated up the flatbreads she had bought in town and found them quite delicious with soybean paste.


    Lin Yuan had been thinking about the matter she had arranged with Sister-in-law Guizhi.


    After lunch, she immediately brought out the family¡¯s large basin and started making dough.


    She made a lot of dough, planning to set aside half to rise so she could make meat buns in the evening.


    She had bought quite a bit of meat that day, and with the weather being hot, she needed to eat it quickly before it spoiled.


    While kneading the dough, Lin Yuan also sent Lin Wei to Lanhua¡¯s house.


    They had never steamed buns themselves and didn¡¯t have any starter at home, so they had no choice but to try their luck at Lanhua¡¯s house.


    After a long wait, Lin Wei returned, out of breath.


    Lanhua¡¯s house didn¡¯t have any starter either.


    It was only after she suddenly remembered seeing Xiao Shitou eating buns that she hurried to Sister-in-law Guizhi¡¯s house and managed to borrow some starter.


    This was a lapse on Lin Yuan¡¯s part, as people in the village were lucky to have enough to eat, let alone indulge in white flour every day.


    If Sister-in-law Guizhi and Laosan¡¯s wife hadn¡¯t been fond of Xiao Shitou and saved the little white flour they had for him, Lin Yuan might not have been able to borrow starter at all.


    However, now that she had the starter, she could keep a piece for herself after steaming the buns.


    Lin Yuan divided the dough in half; she had kneaded as much as five pounds of dough, which was more than enough for steaming buns.


    She took out the portion for Sister-in-law Guizhi, then mixed the starter into the remaining dough and let it rise in the kitchen.


    With another large basin in her arms, she headed to Sister-in-law Guizhi¡¯s house, covering the basin with a clean wiping cloth to prevent others from seeing.


    At that time, Laosan¡¯s wife was coaxing her grandson to take a nap while Sister-in-law Guizhi, taking advantage of the quiet moment, was sorting through the sesame seeds in her house.


    Following Lin Yuan¡¯s suggestion from last time, she had roasted the sesame seeds and crushed them, which turned out really fragrant.


    Not only did Xiao Shitou love it, but even Er Shuan, who usually didn¡¯t like sesame, ate more cornbread dipped in sesame salt.


    Knowing that Lin Yuan might have another use for them, she began picking up sesame stalks in the courtyard again.


    With the large quantity of sesame they had grown, if it indeed could be sold for money, she planned to plant even more next year.


    Upon seeing Lin Yuan come with a large basin, Sister-in-law Guizhi knew that the matter of making cold skins was likely to happen.


    The two women didn¡¯t speak much.


    Lin Yuan immediately asked Sister-in-law Guizhi to get ready some clean water and a larger bucket.


    Making cold skins was quite simple and didn¡¯t require any technical skills.


    As long as one mastered the method, it was quite easy.


    The first step in making Liangpi is to knead the dough.


    Everyone is accustomed to farm chores, so there¡¯s no need for her to teach them how to knead.


    Next comes washing the dough, which simply means washing out the starch from the flour.


    This step is straightforward too; pour half a basin of water into the large mixing bowl containing the dough and knead it vigorously, just like washing clothes, until the water becomes increasingly white and turbid.


    Then, pour the water into a wooden barrel to collect it.


    During the first round of washing the dough, Lin Yuan explained the key points while demonstrating.


    Sister-in-law Guizhi was a clever woman and grasped the knack after just one look.


    Thus, the second time around, Lin Yuan handed the task over to Sister-in-law Guizhi.


    Truth be told, this woman was both smart and capable, washing the dough much faster than Lin Yuan.


    In no time, she finished the second wash.


    At this stage, the dough was especially loose, almost impossible to gather together, and it would not get any smaller regardless of how much more it was washed.


    Lin Yuan knew this signified that the dough had been properly washed.


    There was about half a barrel of water collected in the wooden barrel, but it couldn¡¯t be used to make Liangpi yet.


    It had to settle overnight before it could be used the next day.


    However, the day¡¯s work was not yet finished.


    To make Liangpi, you need not only the dough skin but also gluten.


    Gluten is simply the leftover loose dough bits from washing the dough.


    Lin Yuan scooped these bits up with a bamboo strainer into a bowl, thoroughly washed the gluten to remove the starch, and let it soak in clean water since it wasn¡¯t time to make Liangpi yet.


    Over two pounds of white flour, after all the washing, resulted in just less than a handful of gluten.


    Sister-in-law Guizhi felt a pang watching this, thinking if the Liangpi didn¡¯t sell, they would suffer a big loss!


    Hearing Sister-in-law Guizhi¡¯s complaint, Lin Yuan was filled with confidence.


    The weather could stay hotter for a few more days, and once the spicy and cool Liangpi was made, it was sure to be appetizing and refreshing to eat at noon.


    She was certain that this fresh item would be snapped up eagerly by customers as soon as it hit the market.


    With all the prep work done, she just had to wait until the next day to steam the Liangpi.


    Thinking of the chores at home, Lin Yuan decided to head back.


    Tonight, she needed to steam buns, and it was the perfect time to start chopping and mincing the meat.


    No sooner had she arrived home than she saw Lady Liu, with her big pregnant belly, busily cutting meat for marinading in the kitchen.


    Seeing her mother sweating profusely made Lin Yuan¡¯s heart ache, so she quickly helped her into the house.


    In the east room, father was carving the mooncake molds Lin Yuan needed, and in the west room, Lin Wei and Lin Shuang were sleeping side by side.


    Xiao Linshuang, infatuated with the newly bought cotton fabric, clutched it even in her sleep.


    After getting Lady Liu seated on a small stool in the main room and giving her a cup of water to drink, Lin Yuan observed her mother¡¯s pale face and her belly, which didn¡¯t seem to be seven months along.


    It suddenly struck Lin Yuan that she had forgotten to mention something to Sister-in-law Guizhi.


    She had planned to buy a few hens on her trip to town to make daily chicken soup for her mother to restore her health.


    But Lady Liu was already too weakened, and a sudden heavy nourishment could be too much for her, so she had intended to ask Sister-in-law Guizhi to help find someone selling eggs.


    She would buy eggs to feed her mother daily, and when her health improved, she could have chicken soup or bone broth.


    However, amidst the hustle of washing the dough, she had forgotten all about it.


    Lin Yuan silently tapped her own forehead, lamenting that she was becoming more forgetful.


    Lady Liu didn¡¯t notice her daughter¡¯s turmoil and took the cup her daughter handed her, pulling her down to sit together.


    Since the day Lin Yuan was tricked by Laosan¡¯s house, mother and daughter hadn¡¯t had a good chat.

 Chapter 53 - 53 53 Mother-daughter Talk (1)_1

    ?Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Mother-daughter Talk (1)_1 Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Mother-daughter Talk (1)_1 Seeing that mother seemed to have something to ask, Lin Yuan indeed felt a bit guilty.


    Isn¡¯t there a saying that goes ¡°No one knows a daughter better than her mother¡±?


    In fact, she had been intentionally avoiding Lady Liu these past few days.


    Lin Jiaxin, being a grown man, failed to notice the changes in his daughter, but a birth mother could see them, of course.


    ¡°Da Ya, you, are you keeping something from mother?¡± Lady Liu touched her daughter¡¯s somewhat rough hands.


    She had always doted on her daughter and never let her do any manual labor.


    But over the past six months, ah, her hands had become rough from working.


    How would she marry in the future?


    Lin Yuan now truly felt uneasy: ¡°Mother, why did you suddenly ask this?¡± Could she have seen that she was no longer the Lin Yuan she used to be?


    Lady Liu caressed her daughter¡¯s cheek with pity: ¡°Silly child, the things you bought today, your father didn¡¯t see, and the little ones wouldn¡¯t understand, but mother knows.


    That must have cost quite a bit of silver, right?


    Where did you get the silver from?¡±


    So it was about that.


    Lin Yuan quietly breathed a sigh of relief, about to say it was from splitting the family assets.


    Yet, seeing Lady Liu¡¯s bright, wise eyes, she couldn¡¯t speak those words.


    Despite her mother¡¯s frail health and meek character, she had a clear mind and sharp judgment.


    Didn¡¯t both Lin Jiaxin and Lin Yuan think their neighbor Chen Zhu was a good person?


    It was Lady Liu who discerned that this lad wasn¡¯t a good match for her daughter, right?


    Having no other choice, Lin Yuan told her mother everything about her ventures in town, including how she sold recipes to Fuman Building as the Frog Princess and also sold the dried goji berries.


    Of course, to ease her mother¡¯s worries, she omitted mentioning the incident where the fat man nearly harassed her at Shande Hall.


    Lady Liu, upon hearing her daughter¡¯s words, had an unnaturally green complexion, obviously shaken by what she¡¯d been told.


    She asked with curiosity: ¡°Frogs can be made into food?


    How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°It was told to me by neighbor Chen Zhu.¡± Lin Yuan once again mourned for the Chen Zhu she¡¯d never met.


    She had no choice but to use this excuse.


    In her heart, she couldn¡¯t help but wickedly imagine what her mother¡¯s reaction would be if she knew she had tasted snake soup.


    However, compared to making money through business, what mattered more to a mother was her daughter¡¯s lifelong happiness: ¡°Da Ya, tell mother, did Zhuzi say anything to you when he left that day?


    Anything at all?¡±


    Say anything?


    Lin Yuan looked puzzled.


    ¡°I mean, did he make any promises to you, like when he would come back to marry you?¡± Lady Liu¡¯s eyes shone brightly, truly beautiful.


    Lin Yuan suddenly understood; her mother was interested in the progress between the two of them.


    Since it was brought up, Lin Yuan felt she needed to share her current thoughts with her mother.


    After all, she was no longer the Lin Yuan of the past, and her feelings about Chen Zhu had changed.


    If she cleared things up now, she might save a lot of trouble.


    ¡°Mother, I think Brother Zhuzi is quite good, but...¡±


    ¡°But what?


    Did he bully you?¡±


    Feeling Lady Liu¡¯s noticeable tension, Lin Yuan hurriedly patted her hand and said with a smile, ¡°Mother, that delicate scholar doesn¡¯t have the guts to bully your daughter.


    Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m now known in the village as quite the shrewish, headstrong woman!¡±


    It was meant to put Lady Liu at ease, but it only made her feel more heartache.


    Who would want their daughter to have such a reputation?


    She already had the nickname Little Disaster Star, and now with the added labels of shrewish and headstrong, decent families¡¯ sons would surely not want such a girl.


    Even if the boys themselves didn¡¯t mind, what about their parents?


    Hadn¡¯t the father of neighbor Chen Zhu looked down on her because of her reputation as Little Disaster Star?


    Seeing her mother¡¯s worried expression, Lin Yuan truly wanted to slap herself.


    Why, out of everything, did she have to mention that?


    She hurriedly changed the subject: ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve been thinking a lot these past half-month.


    I feel that even though Brother Zhuzi is a good person and well-educated, and might even become a high-ranking official in the future, the chances of us coming together are incredibly slim.


    Even if Brother Zhuzi keeps his promise to come back and marry me, do you think a country girl like me, who can¡¯t even write her own name well, would be of any use to his future career?


    I guess, Uncle Chen probably saw this and that¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t like me.¡±

 Chapter 54 - 54 54 Mother-Daughter Talk (2)_1

    ?Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Mother-Daughter Talk (2)_1 Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Mother-Daughter Talk (2)_1 Lady Liu looked at her daughter with a hint of shock.


    These were the words she had wanted to say long ago, and she had mentioned them more than once to Lin Jiaxin, but his practical mindset always prevailed.


    Seeing Chen Zhu treating his daughter well, he believed she was overthinking.


    But what mother doesn¡¯t wish the best for her daughter?


    Yet does ¡°best¡± necessarily mean marrying a high-ranking official or a wealthy businessman?


    She didn¡¯t think so; to her, the best was a man who cherishes his woman and always puts her first¡ªjust like Lin Jiaxin did for her.


    This was why Lady Liu didn¡¯t have high hopes for Chen Zhu, who was single-mindedly focused on becoming a high-ranking official.


    In the past, she had thought her daughter was simply enchanted by Chen Zhu and didn¡¯t think far ahead, but now she realized, to her surprise, that after today¡¯s conversation, her girl saw things even more clearly and further into the future than she had¡ªindeed, she had grown up.


    ¡°Da Ya, have you really thought it through, or are you just saying these things to ease your mother¡¯s mind?¡±


    Seeing that Lady Liu was still not fully at ease, Lin Yuan giggled, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve really thought it through.


    And, you know, even if I were to marry a man in the future, I wouldn¡¯t marry someone who only knows how to read books and can¡¯t do anything else.


    I would marry a man who can make money and is obedient.¡±


    Lady Liu was amused by her daughter¡¯s words, she laughed and gave her a playful slap on the hand, scolding, ¡°Silly girl, where do you see a girl marrying a man?


    It¡¯s called getting married.¡±


    Lin Yuan just smiled, not saying a word, but in her heart, she disagreed.


    In her previous time, there were plenty of men who would leave home and travel far for a woman¡ªwasn¡¯t that true love?


    After their conversation and the earlier meat chopping in the kitchen, Lady Liu was clearly exhausted.


    Lin Yuan quickly helped her to the west room to rest.


    Lin Yuan herself didn¡¯t have the habit of taking a nap, so she went back to the kitchen to finish chopping the rest of the meat that Lady Liu hadn¡¯t finished.


    Now that the weather was hot and she¡¯d bought too much meat without considering it, she planned to make pure meat buns that evening.


    She first sliced off the two pieces of pork skin, which were too tough but could be used for soup later.


    Then she cut off the layer of smelly fat attached to the skin¡ªthis smelly fat was precious.


    She would fry it in a large pot, add some salt, and turn it into lard, stored in a bowl for when frying vegetables or making pancakes.


    Adding a spoonful of it would make the food delicious.


    After finishing that, all that was left was the pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat.


    She minced one piece to make the filling, and the other she cut into small chunks, coated each in salt, and neatly stacked them in a jar.


    With salt to preserve them, the pork chunks could last for days.


    It had already been over an hour as she placed the minced meat into a bowl.


    The dough still needed another half an hour to rise properly, so she decided to prepare the filling.


    But after searching the entire kitchen, she couldn¡¯t find any green onions or vegetables.


    It was then she remembered using the last of the onions the day before.


    As time allowed and her sisters Lin Wei had woken up, she decided to go have a look at the land allocated to Xi Touer.


    The land at Xi Touer didn¡¯t yield much grain, so Lady Yang, reluctant to spend money, didn¡¯t want to invest in planting crops there.


    However, Lin Jiaxin was hardworking and couldn¡¯t bear to let the land lie fallow.


    He planted various low-cost vegetables and onions, acquiring seeds bit by bit from others.


    As a result, the plots were somewhat haphazard, with clumps of onions here and patches of cabbage there.


    Previously, their father took care of these plots, and if people had been diligent about it in these past six months, there should be plenty of vegetables, green onions, and cilantro ready for harvest.

 Chapter 55 - 55 55 Mouthwateringly Oily Meat Buns (1)_1

    ?Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Mouthwateringly Oily Meat Buns (1)_1 Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Mouthwateringly Oily Meat Buns (1)_1 However, when the three siblings of Lin Yuan arrived at the field, they were utterly incensed.


    What they saw was an area that had been clearly disturbed, with fresh traces of digging, no more than two days old.


    Not only that, but the larger, healthier vegetables had all been taken, and the remaining smaller, poorer ones were trampled into a mess by big, careless footsteps.


    Without asking, it was obvious that Lady Yang, still resentful after the division of the family property, must have come with her daughters-in-law to plunder the crops.


    Li Feng¡¯e wasn¡¯t one for physical labor, so she surely must have been keeping watch.


    Lady Yang and Lady Ma, with their limited strength, although they dug up the vegetables, could only carry away so much.


    Lin Yuan walked through the field, closely inspecting it, and indeed found that many vegetables still had their roots intact.


    She believed that with some careful tending, new vegetables would continue to grow from these roots.


    Plus, the small, spoiled ones left in the field, if gathered together, were quite a lot and should be enough to feed them for several days.


    Irritation aside, after the anger subsided, the work that needed to be done still had to be continued.


    Lin Wei and her younger sister picked out the salvaged vegetables one by one from the field.


    Surprisingly, they managed to gather half a basket of edible plants, including green onions, cilantro, and some chili peppers, garlic chives, and small winter melons that could all be eaten after a good wash.


    Yet Lin Yuan found herself staring blankly at the surrounding fences.


    Generally, these fields were used for growing vegetables, and other families had enclosed their patches with fences made of branches to protect against stray dogs and thieves.


    Lin Jiaxin used to do the same before, but in the past six months, due to negligence, those fences had become loose and fallen into disrepair.


    Lin Yuan decided that she would need to repair the fences properly in a few days.


    However, those tasks couldn¡¯t be done right now, for felling trees and other physical labor was not something she, a young girl, could handle alone.


    If her father¡¯s leg were healed, it would be different.


    With him, they would at least have a pillar of support in the family.


    At this thought, Lin Yuan felt even more that there was so much she had to do: find a good doctor to heal her father¡¯s leg, nourish her mother¡¯s health, earn money to support the family, and ensure her sisters could go to school.


    Of course, once all this was achieved, she would work towards her own dream, to earn enough money to open a restaurant!


    After collecting the vegetables, the three siblings headed home.


    With the addition of green onions and cilantro, today¡¯s meat buns wouldn¡¯t be so bland and were sure to taste better.


    Lin Yuan first picked out the onions and cilantro and washed them clean.


    The remaining vegetables were left for Lin Wei and Xiao Linshuang to handle.


    The onions and cilantro were mainly for seasoning and didn¡¯t require much.


    Soon, Lin Yuan had washed the vegetables, chopped them finely, and mixed them into the meat filling, along with some salt and definitely ginger.


    Thankfully, they still had some ginger at home to use.


    She also added some of the newly purchased oil, making the meat filling fragrant and moist; the resulting buns would be oily with every bite.


    Once the filling was ready and the dough was properly risen, Lin Yuan kneaded the dough well in a large bowl, then transferred it to a kneading board for additional kneading, knowing that only with more kneading would the dough turn out softer and tastier.


    When the dough was almost ready, she rolled it into a long log, then pinched off pieces to form small dough balls of consistent size.


    Finally, she rolled them out into bun wrappers with thin edges and a thicker center.


    With the bun wrappers prepared, Lin Yuan used a spoon to scoop a spoonful of the meat filling onto the center of a wrapper.


    Then, pinching the edges of the wrapper between her fingers, she pleated the dough bit by bit until it was sealed.


    The bun was neither too large nor too small, fitting perfectly in the palm of her hand.


    Gazing at the little knob on top of the bun and the charming pleats ringing it, Lin Yuan became more and more fond of it.


    Lin Wei had already filled the large pot with cold water and prepared the steaming rack, which she lined with a moistened wiping cloth, all ready for her older sister to place the assembled buns on it.

 Chapter 56 - 56 56 Mouthwateringly Oily Meat Buns (2)_1

    ?Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Mouthwateringly Oily Meat Buns (2)_1 Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Mouthwateringly Oily Meat Buns (2)_1 ¡°Elder sister, the buns you wrapped are so pretty.¡± Lin Wei took the small bun made by her big sister and looked at it over and over in her palm; the buns their mother used to make were all oblong, just pinching the dough together was enough.


    She had no idea that buns could be made this beautiful.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t all buns the same?


    As long as they¡¯re edible, that¡¯s all that matters,¡± Lin Yuan chatted with her younger sister while her hands kept busy, and in no time, she had wrapped about a dozen buns.


    ¡°Elder sister, I think if the food is made to look attractive, you¡¯ll enjoy eating it more, love it more, and it will taste even better,¡± Wei remarked.


    Hearing her sister¡¯s words, Lin Yuan couldn¡¯t help but smile ear to ear, ¡°That¡¯s called having an appetite.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s an appetite?¡± Xiao Linshuang, who had been watching, finally took her eyes off the meat buns and looked at her elder sister in confusion.


    ¡°Appetite is when you haven¡¯t started eating yet, but just by looking at the food, you feel extremely, extremely hungry and really, really want to eat it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I get it now,¡± Xiao Linshuang clapped her hands, pointing at the buns in the pot and said with a laugh, ¡°It¡¯s like how I see these buns and feel super, super hungry, and really, really want to eat them!


    I have an appetite too, I have an appetite!¡±


    ¡°Haha, right, you little glutton,¡± amused by Xiao Linshuang¡¯s greedy look, the sisters also wanted to learn to wrap buns from their elder sister, but the first attempt did not turn out as well as hers.


    Wei¡¯s attempt was somewhat passable, but Xiao Linshuang¡¯s bun looked nothing like it should, limp and floppy, leading Wei to tease her about it being a pile of mud that couldn¡¯t stand up.


    Belittled by her sister as completely useless, Xiao Linshuang puffed up her little cheeks and huffed, ¡°Hmph, even though I can¡¯t make it as good as elder sister, I too have dreams.¡±


    Lin Yuan burst into laughter.


    ¡°Dreams¡± was a topic they had just talked about the night before while the three sisters were chatting before bed.


    Her dream was to earn lots of money and open a restaurant, Lin Wei intended to inherit Lady Liu¡¯s embroidery skills and wanted to open an embroidery shop.


    When they asked Xiao Linshuang about her dream, the sleepy Little Lazy Pig only hummed twice before falling asleep, and she had forgotten about it when she woke up the next day.


    Lin Yuan had thought that this five-year-old little girl had no sense of the future, but it seemed she really did have one.


    Since the buns were already in the pot, the three sisters sat together, tending the fire and chatting.


    Lin Yuan, smiling, asked her, ¡°So what¡¯s your dream?¡±


    The little girl, who was usually giggly and fixated on food, became unusually serious and, propping up her little arms, said earnestly, ¡°My dream is to become a doctor who is extremely, extremely skilled, even more skilled than the doctor who treated father¡¯s leg.


    I want to cure father¡¯s leg, and mother¡¯s illness, and the illness of my little brother.


    If I knew how to treat sicknesses, my little brother wouldn¡¯t have died so soon.¡±


    As she spoke, Xiao Linshuang¡¯s big eyes filled with tears.


    She didn¡¯t remember much from when her little brother died; these were things she overhead later as Lady Yang made difficulties for her mother, yet she had truly taken them to heart.


    Lin Yuan stroked her well-behaved younger sister, looking out over the bleak, monotonous courtyard, knowing that as long as her family was together, the future would surely be better.


    As the sisters talked, the buns in the pot began to emit a fragrant aroma.


    Lin Yuan lifted the lid of the big pot, and a billow of white steam rushed up to greet her, followed by an unprecedented fragrance.


    Xiao Linshuang exclaimed excitedly, her saliva almost flowing out.


    Knowing her to be the biggest food-lover, Lin Yuan quickly served a bun into a bowl for her.


    The little girl cried out that it was hot, but still nibbled away, her mouth smeared with oil, unable to even speak her praises.


    Lin Wei also started eating, and for the first time in her life, indulged in the delicious, juicy buns.


    Lin Yuan served five buns each for their parents inside the house.


    Her buns weren¡¯t small, and Lin Jiaxin, who had a big appetite, felt stuffed after eating five.


    With two layers of buns in one big pot, there must have been several dozen.


    Lin Yuan then packed ten for Lanhua¡¯s house and another ten for Gui Zhi¡¯s sister-in-law, and delivered them one by one.


    As Lanhua ate the buns, she kept praising Lin Yuan, saying she should become a chef.


    After a filling and satisfying dinner of buns, the three sisters practiced their writing for a while before going to bed.


    Lin Yuan was full of anticipation for the cold noodles she planned to make tomorrow.

 Chapter 57 - 57 57 Delicious Cold Skin Noodles (1)_1

    ?Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Delicious Cold Skin Noodles (1)_1 Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Delicious Cold Skin Noodles (1)_1 Early the next morning, Lin Yuan took Xiao Linshuang to practice women self-defense skills for a while.


    Lin Wei had no interest in this and went straight to feed the rabbits.


    In just a few days, these little rabbits had already grown quite a bit.


    As Lin Yuan practiced, she watched the rabbits, and the flavor of braised rabbit meat had already sprung to mind.


    Breakfast was rice porridge and meat buns.


    Lin Yuan had her mind set on Sister Gui Zhi¡¯s liangpi and hurriedly wolfed down a couple of bites before heading out.


    Xiao Linshuang, that little dog-nosed one, clearly also smelled the delicious food and followed closely behind her big sister like a Little Tail.


    The sisters hadn¡¯t yet reached Sister Gui Zhi¡¯s house when they ran into her on the main road.


    They thought something unexpected had happened, but after asking, they found out she had been thinking about this matter and had come over early to call them.


    ¡°Sister, rest assured, these liangpi, I guarantee they¡¯ll turn out well!¡± Lin Yuan assured with a slap on her chest, which made Sister Gui Zhi feel somewhat embarrassed.


    After everyone arrived at the house, Xiao Linshuang and Xiao Shitou, seeing that the food wasn¡¯t ready, went off to play, and their aunt, with nothing else to do, also came to help out.


    The flour water from yesterday had been allowed to settle overnight, and by now, the sediment had settled properly.


    The surface was clear water, and the sticky and tough starch was at the bottom.


    Lin Yuan first had Sister Gui Zhi carefully ladle out the clear water and then vigorously stir the starchy water below.


    Only then could it be used to steam liangpi.


    She also had her aunt heat up a pot of water and prepared the large steaming basket used for steaming buns, and of course, a clean, intact cheesecloth was needed.


    Sister Gui Zhi didn¡¯t have such a large piece of intact cheesecloth in her home and thought about whether they could piece two cloths together.


    Lin Yuan shook her head, ¡°Sister, although liangpi is eaten cut into strips, it¡¯s better to steam them whole for the best result.¡±


    Fortunately, she had thought of this and brought along a piece of white cotton cloth from home.


    When the water was about to boil, she just had to smear a layer of oil on the cheesecloth and lay it over the steaming basket.


    After all this was ready, Sister Gui Zhi had also finished stirring the starchy water, and Lin Yuan took a ladle, scooped up two ladles of starchy water, and poured it bit by bit onto the cheesecloth.


    Once the cheesecloth was evenly covered, she could steam it until cooked.


    Since it was a large pot, Lin Yuan used two ladles of starchy water, but unexpectedly, the liangpi turned out a bit too thick.


    Eating liangpi that was too thick felt like chewing on undercooked, doughy buns, which was really not tasty.


    So, when steaming the second sheet, she put in half a ladle less starchy water, and the liangpi that came out this time was perfectly thin and just right.


    Also, since she brushed a layer of oil on the cheesecloth before pouring on the starchy water each time, peeling off the liangpi afterward was particularly easy and none of it broke.


    Her aunt and Sister Gui Zhi, seeing that perfectly made liangpi that was milky white and slightly translucent, couldn¡¯t help but grow fonder the more they looked at it.


    Her aunt even joked with her daughter-in-law, ¡°This piece of liangpi should be set aside and revered.


    From now on, it can serve as your mold for making liangpi.¡±


    Lin Yuan and Sister Gui Zhi exchanged smiles, and the kitchen was filled with laughter.


    Because Lin Yuan made liangpi with Sister Gui Zhi watching from the side, they let her take over for the third sheet.


    Although it was somewhat unfamiliar and the liangpi didn¡¯t turn out as round as Lin Yuan¡¯s, for a first try, it was already very good.


    Indeed, when Sister Gui Zhi made her second sheet, it looked professional, and before long, the half-bucket of starchy water was nearly gone.


    The steamed liangpi still had to be peeled off one by one and laid in a cool place to cool down, then cut into strips.


    As the three of them cooled the liangpi, they counted them up, totaling over twenty sheets.


    Having liangpi wasn¡¯t enough; they also had to make gluten.


    Making gluten was simple, just steam the leftover wash flour until cooked.


    Her aunt continued to take care of the fire, steaming the scattered wash flour that had been soaked in cold water from the day before, while Lin Yuan taught Sister Gui Zhi how to prepare the condiments.


    Sister Gui Zhi¡¯s family had their own vegetable garden, which grew quite a few cucumbers.


    Yesterday, Lin Yuan had already said they needed cucumber strips, so early this morning, she picked half a basket of fresh tender cucumbers.


    Apart from cucumbers, they needed garlic water, chili, vinegar, and salt.


    Lin Yuan simply added quite a bit of salt into the garlic water, as for vinegar and chili, they could be added to taste when eating.


    Of course, they couldn¡¯t forget the fried sesame salt.

 Chapter 58 - 58 58 Delicious Cold Skin Noodles (2)_1

    ?Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Delicious Cold Skin Noodles (2)_1 Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Delicious Cold Skin Noodles (2)_1 Once the wheat gluten was steamed, Lin Yuan quickly whipped up a bowl of cold noodles.


    A sheet of cold noodles topped with strips of cucumber and wheat gluten, it was a generous portion.


    She tasted it herself first.


    Though it wasn¡¯t as chewy as the modern cold noodles sold in stores, it was definitely free of preservatives, incredibly healthy, and after adding sesame salt, especially delicious¡ªwith a cool and slightly sour taste, it was very appetizing.


    The third aunt and Sister-in-law Guizhi gave it a try and exclaimed in delight at its tastiness.


    At that moment, the two little gluttons, having caught the scent, ran back and devoured what was left of the cold noodles, slurping it all down.


    Each held their round bellies and cried out for another bowl.


    The cold noodles were a huge success, and next on the agenda was consideration for selling them.


    Lin Yuan began counting on her fingers and calculating with Sister-in-law Guizhi: ¡°Sister-in-law, based on my estimate, two jin of flour can steam about twenty sheets of cold noodles, each sheet perfect for a bowl.


    I walked around the town, and a bowl of noodles is selling for five wen money, and they¡¯re not even as generous as our cold noodles.


    So, I¡¯m thinking, since we¡¯re just starting, we could set the price at five wen money per bowl.


    What do you think?¡±


    Sister-in-law Guizhi, a clever woman herself, quickly pondered this and began to murmur, ¡°Five wen money per bowl, twenty sheets is a hundred wen, and the cost for two jin of flour is forty wen money, so this would make a profit¡ªprofit sixty wen.


    Sixty wen?!¡±


    Sister-in-law Guizhi¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Sixty wen!


    In a month, that would amount to one thousand and eight hundred wen money, nearly two taels of silver!


    It was even more than what her husband, Er Shuan, had made during his busiest times!


    The third aunt also gaped in amazement.


    However, Lin Yuan only smiled and shook her head: ¡°Sister-in-law, you forgot about the cucumbers and sesame, didn¡¯t you?


    But even with these, the cost won¡¯t be much.


    Besides, once you expand and buy flour in bulk, the grain shop can give you a discount.¡± She didn¡¯t mention one thing¡ªthat they would likely sell far more than twenty bowls a day; they would need at least fifty!


    Sister-in-law Guizhi was elated, but she was not one to keep all the silver to herself: ¡°Yuanyuan, the cold noodles were your idea, and you¡¯re the one providing the flour.


    How about this¡ªI work for you, and when we make money, you take the larger share, then you pay me a wage.


    Is that okay?¡±


    The third aunt, standing nearby, nodded vigorously, fully supporting her daughter-in-law¡¯s suggestion.


    Lin Yuan was inwardly pleased, having not misjudged the woman.


    However, she wasn¡¯t planning to proceed that way.


    She had big business plans, and the cold noodles were just a whim, not something she was counting on for income.


    After some back and forth, though, Sister-in-law Guizhi insisted, refusing to take advantage of her.


    With no other choice, Lin Yuan proposed a compromise: ¡°How about this, Sister-in-law¡ªyou make and sell the cold noodles, I¡¯ll provide the principal.


    After you sell them, you give me one wen money for every bowl.


    You know the situation at my home¡ªI can¡¯t leave, so I have to rely on you.


    It¡¯s only fair for you to take the larger share.¡±


    Sister-in-law Guizhi still felt she was getting the better deal, but figured she could just sell more to make up for it and eventually agreed.


    However, she wouldn¡¯t hear of taking Lin Yuan¡¯s principal; her husband, Carpenter Er Shuan, though not a big earner, could still muster up a tael or two of silver.


    With the agreement in place, Lin Yuan could relax.


    This woman was sharp, and her man was reliable.


    The rest was not her concern anymore.


    As Lin Yuan left Sister-in-law Guizhi¡¯s house, she ran into Lan Hua.


    From a distance, Lan Hua spotted her and started shouting excitedly while running towards her: ¡°Lin Yuan, I was just coming to find you!


    My dad just came back and said a lad from the Fuman Building was asking about you.


    Hey!


    What sort of trouble have you caused to have the Fuman Building looking for you?¡±


    Lan Hua shouted from afar, leaving Lin Yuan no chance to stop her.


    Lin Yuan quickly looked around; fortunately, no one was there.


    The place wasn¡¯t far from Lin Dashuan¡¯s house, but seeing it quiet and seemingly empty, she didn¡¯t worry too much about it.


    Once she got closer, Lin Yuan pulled her aside and immediately covered her mouth before she could shout again, ¡°Madam, can you please lower your voice?


    Do you really have to let the whole village know?¡±

 Chapter 59 - 59 59 The Missy who Poops and Pees (1)_1

    ?Chapter 59: Chapter 59: The Missy who Poops and Pees (1)_1 Chapter 59: Chapter 59: The Missy who Poops and Pees (1)_1 Lan Hua skeptically widened her eyes and pulled down Lin Yuan¡¯s hand from her mouth, whispering with a gossipy tone, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?


    Did you owe the Fuman Building silver?


    How much did you owe?


    Oh dear, my dad, such a simpleton, actually told that young fellow that you¡¯re from the Lin family¡¯s hollow.¡±


    Seeing Lan Hua¡¯s sorry expression, Lin Yuan was both annoyed and amused.


    She couldn¡¯t really blame Lin Fugui for being guileless; the last time, it had indeed been Liuzi who had rushed over with a horse cart to deliver rice and flour to her.


    Lin Fugui must have seen them chatting and laughing together and assumed they were acquainted, which is why he blurted everything out.


    Lin Yuan was unclear about what the Fuman Building wanted with her, but she guessed it must be related to that foodie old man.


    In any case, since there was nothing wrong with the recipes she had sold, she wasn¡¯t worried about them coming to her, so she didn¡¯t take the matter to heart.


    She fobbed off Lan Hua with some made-up nonsense, and Lan Hua, being rather dense, believed her, assuming she had accidentally broken someone¡¯s plate.


    After all, Lin Yuan had a reputation as a Little Disaster Star; wherever she went, misfortune seemed to follow.


    Once that was settled, Lan Hua suddenly pulled Lin Yuan¡¯s arm closer with a mysterious, gossipy look, ¡°Hey, when I went out to look for you just now, I happened to see your family¡¯s eldest miss running out of the house, her little face looking like she¡¯d been crying.¡±


    The ¡°eldest miss¡± was Lan Hua¡¯s term for Lin Siyu.


    She had no choice ¨C who made the girl pretty and never had to work from childhood, never stepping out of the front gate nor the inner door?


    Moreover, Lady Ma would brag to anyone who would listen about how skilled her daughter was at sewing, how beautiful her face was, and that she was destined to marry into a wealthy family.


    So now, not just Lan Hua, but practically the whole village knew about the Lin family¡¯s coddled eldest miss who was expected to marry into a wealthy family in the future.


    However, all that had nothing to do with Lin Yuan.


    ¡°So she cried, what does that have to do with me?


    Could it be that by not seeing her every day, I somehow made her cry?¡±


    Lan Hua was amused by her joke, laughing as she playfully slapped Lin Yuan¡¯s shoulder, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true.


    I saw her.


    After she ran out, she went straight towards your place.


    Aside from a small puddle that can¡¯t drown anyone, there¡¯s only your home over there.


    Do you think she¡¯s likely to jump into the river?¡±


    Of course, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t think that Lin Siyu, who considered herself above everyone else, would deign to jump into a river.


    At home, there was only her father and mother and the honest Lin Wei.


    Little Lin Shuang was still at Sister Guizhi¡¯s house, playing crickets with Xiao Shitou.


    She needed to hurry back and check.


    Lan Hua, too, was worried that her speculation might be right and hastily followed Lin Yuan home.


    Sure enough, the miss who never left her home was pacing around near her own gate.


    However, because Lin Wei had taken advantage of the noon sunlight to let out a nest of rabbits, the yard was nearly full of the black pellets and green grass the rabbits had been fed, which made Lin Siyu, in her long dress and embroidered shoes, reluctant to step into the yard.


    Yet, standing at the gate, she felt too embarrassed to shout for people like the village shrews.


    Therefore, she was left anxiously waiting at the entrance.


    Lin Wei did see her from inside the house but had no interest in meeting this always-pretentious cousin, so she did not bother to come out.


    ¡°Oh my, I was wondering why I heard a magpie chirping relentlessly at my front door this morning.


    Turns out we have an esteemed guest gracing us today,¡± Lin Yuan hurried home, and upon seeing Lin Siyu¡¯s uncomfortable and disdainful appearance, she couldn¡¯t help but tease her.


    Lan Hua, proving to be a perfectly in-tune partner, burst into loud laughter just as Lin Siyu, hearing the phrase ¡°esteemed guest gracing us,¡± was about to assume an air of nobility, ¡°What are you talking about, you ninny?


    Can¡¯t you tell the difference between a magpie and an old crow?


    This morning it was an old crow cawing at your gate, you know?


    I just knew it; something unlucky must be visiting your home today, and there it is!¡±

 Chapter 60 - 60 60 The Missy who Poops and Pees (2)_1

    ?Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Missy who Poops and Pees (2)_1 Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Missy who Poops and Pees (2)_1 Lin Yuan suddenly burst into laughter, likening Lao Guo to a crow, it seemed Lan Hua had just compared Lin Siyu to the pitch-black bird.


    Glancing at Lin Siyu, her delicately made-up face instantly turned deathly pale, and the pink handkerchief in her hand was so twisted by her grip she almost poked a huge hole in it!


    Lan Hua curled her lips, muttering under her breath as she walked, ¡°Eyebrows drawn, eyes lined, does she really think she¡¯s a young lady born into wealth?


    Born in the countryside, she should be aware of her peasant roots, not strut around with a dirty rag acting all high and mighty every day!¡±


    She said these words loud enough for Lin Siyu to hear on purpose.


    Actually, Lin Siyu wasn¡¯t like this when she was younger.


    Then, a fortune-teller casually predicted that she was destined to marry into a wealthy family, and thereafter, her mother, Lady Ma, began to have her learn sewing at home.


    Lin Jiazhong, working at the Landlord family as Mr.


    Accountant, had money in hand, and gradually indulged in buying his daughter rouge and powder.


    Over time, Lin Siyu was pampered by her parents into becoming more ¡°noble,¡± and she began to disdain the girls she used to play with.


    That¡¯s why girls in the village disliked her now, and although boys admired her beauty, upon seeing her nearly sky-high arrogance, they no longer dared to approach her.


    To put it bluntly, Lin Siyu didn¡¯t have a single friend in Lin family village.


    But she didn¡¯t care about that; her mind was set on transforming into a phoenix.


    However, the words her third aunt relayed to her today were unbearable.


    She was unwilling to succumb to such a fate.


    Was her dream of becoming a phoenix, which she had cherished for over a decade, going to be shattered just like that?


    What was more infuriating was that her mother actually agreed with her third aunt¡¯s words.


    Yes, it was all because of her two brothers¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t have been ¡°sold¡± by her own mother if not for the prospects of her two brothers!


    Lin Siyu became angrier the more she thought about it, and the angrier she got, the more disdainful she became of Lin Yuan.


    She felt that the destruction of her dream was all due to this Little Disaster Star.


    If it wasn¡¯t for her moving into the old house when the family divided their property, bringing bad luck with her...


    But damn it, when she went to give Little Disaster Star a piece of her mind, she ended up being the one mocked as the ominous crow!


    ¡°Lin Lanhua!


    Stop talking nonsense!


    I, Lin Siyu, don¡¯t need you to point fingers or give directions!¡± Although Lin Siyu was spoiled, she was especially lazy and had plenty of crooked ideas, but she never cared for studying.


    So, despite her demure appearance, her crudeness was exposed as soon as she spoke, with every word and sentence revealing her vulgarity.


    ¡°Oh my, so the young lady knows about farting too!


    Yuck, smells so bad!¡± Lan Hua theatrically fanned the air in front of her nose with her little hand, which made Lin Siyu flush an even deeper red.


    Lin Yuan added with a chuckle, ¡°Are you silly?


    Real young ladies aren¡¯t like that.


    It¡¯s us country girls who can¡¯t miss a day without farting and peeing, even a bit of dung.


    In my opinion, even our cousin must head to the outhouse for a poop or a wee at home, right, cousin?¡±


    Lin Siyu bit her lower lip hard, her face turning from red to white.


    She had always heard from her third aunt how the young ladies of wealthy families had regular meal times and even had maids carry the chamber pots for them¡ªoh, wait, they didn¡¯t call it a chamber pot, they called it the Toilet Barrel.


    But as for her, she had to compete with the other adults in the house for the same outhouse daily.


    And after entering, she had to hang her belt on the hook outside the door to signal that it was occupied.


    No one knew how shy and embarrassed she felt!


    Lin Siyu wanted to retort, but she really didn¡¯t have a leg to stand on.


    Little Disaster Star was right; she wasn¡¯t a real lady, even if she acted the part, she was still just a village girl.


    No, she couldn¡¯t let people look down on her like this.


    She couldn¡¯t let over a decade¡¯s worth of pride be ridiculed by Little Disaster Star for nothing.


    Once she was part of that family, she wanted to see if Little Disaster Star would dare to laugh at her, and Lin Lanhua too.


    She longed to watch them kneel in terror at her feet, calling her Madam!


    ¡°Little Disaster Star, just you wait!¡± Having made up her mind, Lin Siyu felt less aggrieved and flung a harsh sentence before hurriedly walking away with her slender waist twisting.


    She had to go back and give her third aunt an answer; she had agreed.


    ¡°Cousin, take care, watch out for holes on the ground,¡± Lin Yuan said, but before she could finish, Lin Siyu indeed stepped into a puddle, blemishing her pretty embroidered shoe with mud.


    Lin Yuan and Lan Hua found it hilarious, doubling over with laughter, unaware that today¡¯s casual mockery would change Lin Siyu¡¯s life forever.

 Chapter 61 - 61 61 Zhajiang Noodles_1

    ?Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Zhajiang Noodles_1 Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Zhajiang Noodles_1 Seeing that Lin Siyu had left, Lan Hua also hurried home to help her mom make lunch, knowing that her old man hadn¡¯t caused any trouble for Lin Yuan, so she was relieved.


    Just as she encountered her, Lin Yuan quickly mentioned that she wanted to buy some eggs.


    She had brought it up at Sister Guizhi¡¯s house earlier but was worried Sister Guizhi would be too busy with making Liangpi to have the energy to spare.


    As soon as Lan Hua heard it was about the eggs, she readily agreed.


    Although her family didn¡¯t store many eggs, her mom had good connections in the village, especially with the older aunties who loved to raise chickens and couldn¡¯t bear to eat the eggs themselves, preferring to save them to sell in town.


    Now that Lin Yuan was offering to buy their eggs at the same price, why would they not be happy to sell them without having to go all that way?


    After Lan Hua left, Lin Yuan also hurried home to cook.


    She had put the steamed buns she made yesterday in the steamer basket, and this morning they had buns for breakfast as well.


    Although they were delicious, having meat for two consecutive meals had made her a bit sick of it.


    Just then, Xiao Shitou arrived, bringing Xiao Linshuang back.


    Sister Guizhi had also packed some tender cucumbers and large spinach she had picked from the vegetable garden in the morning.


    The spinach was a bit old at this time, but in the village, being able to eat vegetables was already great; who could be picky?


    Xiao Shitou put down the vegetables and ran off home, ignoring Lin Yuan¡¯s calls to come back.


    Xiao Linshuang, who had played until she was sweaty, wiped her face with her dirty little hand and immediately transformed into a little tabby cat, ¡°Big sister, don¡¯t keep him for lunch.


    Sister-in-law said to let him go home to eat Liangpi.¡±


    While helping her sister wash her face, Lin Wei curiously asked, ¡°What is Liangpi?¡±


    This was a shared topic of interest for the two sisters.


    Xiao Linshuang stopped washing her face and kept praising how their eldest sister was the best, capable of making delicious food that others couldn¡¯t.


    Lin Wei was almost drooling, and Lin Yuan had no choice but to promise to make Liangpi for them the next noon, managing to coax the little ancestors out of the kitchen.


    Having cucumber and spinach given by Sister Guizhi, Lin Yuan had an idea for lunch.


    They had flour and meat at home, as well as the big jar of bean paste she had bought in town, perfect for making noodles and Zhajiangmian.


    Adding the sliced cucumber and cooked spinach would certainly make a delicious meal.


    Rolling out dough was physically demanding, but thankfully Lin Yuan had been exercising these past days, and her strength had increased.


    Although it was tiring, she managed to finish rolling out the noodles in less than an hour.


    Next, it was time to make the sauce.


    She first took the pork out of the jar, cleaned off the salt on the surface, and cut the meat into small dices.


    The task of lighting the fire was of course assigned to Lin Wei, while Xiao Linshuang was in the house, chattering to their parents about how tasty the Liangpi was.


    Once the big pot was heated up, Lin Yuan scooped a generous spoonful of oil into it.


    Making Zhajiangmian required a good amount of oil to be fragrant.


    When the oil was hot enough, she first fried the scallion pieces, ginger slices, and garlic in the oil until fragrant, then removed these ingredients.


    Leaving the onions, ginger, and garlic in would affect the texture when eating the noodles later.


    After that, it was time to add the meat.


    With a sizzling sound, the meat released enticing white smoke, and she quickly stirred it with her spatula.


    Once the meat changed color, she added some soy sauce, which brought out the meat¡¯s aroma.


    Lin Wei fanned the flames and sniffed with her nose, feeling as though she could never get enough of the smell.


    ¡°You¡¯re already salivating, just wait until I add the soybean paste, you¡¯ll be drooling!¡± Lin Yuan teased her elder sister, who had also turned into a little foodie, as she scooped a spoonful of soybean paste into a bowl and mixed it with water.


    Lin Wei, who was shy, blushed immediately upon hearing this and, with an embarrassed smile, went back to tending the fire.


    As the paste was mixed and the meat cooked, Lin Yuan poured the sauce into the pot and suddenly, the fragrance of the meat, the sweet aroma of the soybean paste, and the subtle scent of the green onions melded together in an indescribable way.


    As expected, Lin Wei began to drool, wishing she could immediately scoop up a spoonful of the fried paste and eat it!


    A little gluttonous cat was also lured by the aroma and, while Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t looking, dipped her little finger into the sauce, licked it, and ran off happily and secretly.


    After serving the fried paste from the pot, it was time to cook the noodles.


    Once the water was boiling, Lin Yuan blanched the well-selected spinach first, and quickly put it into cold water after it was cooked to keep it from becoming tough and chewy.


    The julienned cucumber was already prepared; a large pot full of noodles had the whole family eating with greasy mouths.


    Lin Jiaxin was so happy he had two big bowls.


    In the idle afternoon, Lin Yuan remembered the soybeans she had bought, intending to make tofu.


    At home, they only had soy sauce and no white vinegar, but she could start by soaking the soybeans.


    Additionally, she would need a tofu mold, so she took the opportunity to draw it out while her sisters were napping.


    With Lin Jiaxin, a master carpenter in the family, she wasn¡¯t worried about not being able to create what she needed.


    In just a few days, her father had almost finished making the mooncake molds she required, now only needing to carve the designs into each one.


    After soaking the beans, she took out the various vegetable seeds she had bought from the town to show her father.


    True to his skills as a farmer, Lin Jiaxin quickly sorted through the disorganized seeds, identifying which could sprout, which were empty, which could be planted now, and which had to wait until after the New Year¡¯s spring to plant.


    He clarified everything one by one to Lin Yuan.


    Afraid she would forget, she even used the paper she had practiced writing on to pack the seeds according to their categories.


    The ones that could only be planted after the New Year¡¯s spring she stored away immediately, but there were several types she could plant now: chili peppers, Chinese cabbage, radishes, garlic, cilantro, among others.


    Lin Yuan counted them off while planning in her mind the layout for the family¡¯s two plots.


    She didn¡¯t want to plant haphazardly like her father; when Lin Yuan did something, she either did it not at all or did it well.


    It was best to plant these vegetable seeds after the rain, when the ground was moist, saving her the effort of tilling and watering deliberately.


    Once these vegetables grew, their family could enjoy eating vegetables every day.


    Just as she had finished sorting the seeds, Lin Yuan saw Xiao Shitou running in excitedly.


    Upon asking, she found out that the boy had seen some older village lads catching a big fish in the river, and, having just woken up from his nap, had come to find Xiao Linshuang to try fishing together.

 Chapter 62 - 62 62 Fishing and Making Trouble (1)_1

    ?Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Fishing and Making Trouble (1)_1 Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Fishing and Making Trouble (1)_1 This reminded Lin Yuan that the river in the Lin family hollow was not small, and she had long wanted to catch some fish there.


    Since someone else had managed to catch some, she needed to hurry, otherwise she¡¯d definitely be beaten to it by others.


    But at this moment it was a bit late, and she needed to prepare a fishing net.


    So, she made a plan with Xiao Shitou to go fishing early the next morning.


    During the time for dinner, she made another trip to Lin Ershuan¡¯s House.


    Her own home didn¡¯t have a fishing net, but she remembered that she had seen Lin Ershuan catch fish before and assumed he would have one.


    Indeed, he did, but it was torn.


    As Guizhi Sister-in-law searched for it, she complained, ¡°It¡¯s all because of Shitou¡¯s great-uncle who came the other day asking his grandma for silver to buy liquor.


    When the old lady refused, he went on a drunken rampage, smashing anything he saw.


    The fishing net was lying there drying, and lo and behold, in no time at all, he tore it to shreds.


    Look, it¡¯s this damaged, how can you catch fish with it?¡±


    When Lin Yuan took the dusty pile of torn net that was indeed too ruined to be used, it was no problem.


    Although she couldn¡¯t mend it, she figured she could at least patch it up enough to make it usable.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, may I use this fishing net?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind it, then it¡¯s yours.


    Ever since that day your Brother Ershuan sees this thing and gets angry, insisting that I throw it away.¡± Guizhi Sister-in-law stuffed the fishing net into her embrace, then mysteriously changed the subject, ¡°This afternoon I embroidered a sign with cloth, just two words, ¡®Cold Skin¡¯, hehe, when it¡¯s placed next to the stall, it¡¯s sure to attract a lot of business.¡±


    Indeed, Guizhi Sister-in-law was a clever person and had prepared everything needed, ten large bowls, a couple of wooden stools, and even the location for setting up the stall was decided, right opposite the old iron shop.


    There may not be many people there, but with Old Iron Head, an acquaintance, surely no one would bully her.


    Moreover, in the evening, she wouldn¡¯t have to carry stools and such back to the village, but could simply leave them at the iron shop.


    On her return from Guizhi Sister-in-law¡¯s house, Lin Yuan mended the fishing net well; in truth, she simply tied the usable parts together, which just managed to form a net over two meters long.


    She then tied a wooden stick on each side of the net so that by simply encircling it in the river, fish entering the net couldn¡¯t escape.


    Lin Yuan proudly showed off her accomplishment to her two younger sisters who were standing by, and casually added, ¡°This is what they call ¡®falling into one¡¯s own trap¡¯.¡±


    Just after breakfast the next day, San Shi Zi led Xiao Shitou by the hand to Lin Yuan¡¯s door.


    Guizhi Sister-in-law and Lin Ershuan had gone to town to buy flour, and San Shi Zi, not feeling at ease with her grandson going to the riverbank alone, came along with him.


    After greeting her parents, Lin Yuan shouldered her homemade fishing net and marched out the door with head held high, while Lin Wei and Xiao Linshuang each carried a small bucket.


    Lin Jiaxin had even stayed up late the previous night to quickly make a simple fishing rod, making the little fellow feel indomitably proud.


    By this time, the riverside had already gathered quite a few people, mostly those who had heard someone had caught fish yesterday and had rushed over today.


    Lin Yuan looked around and saw the good spots were almost taken.


    Left with no choice, she carried the fishing net upstream.


    The river was also wide upstream, but fortunately not very deep.


    She picked a decent spot and took off her shoes to enter the water.


    San Shi Zi helped her hold one end of the fishing net, while she carefully walked to the middle of the river with the other stick, pushing it firmly into the riverbed.


    This position in the mid-river current was swift to prevent the stick from falling over, and she also moved some rocks to secure the stake from the side.


    She drove the other end of the fishing net directly to the riverside.


    Although there were no fish there, sometimes there were river shrimps.


    Lin Ershuan¡¯s fishing net had fines meshes that could catch even shrimp.

 Chapter 63 - 63 63 Fishing and Making Trouble (2)_1

    ?Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Fishing and Making Trouble (2)_1 Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Fishing and Making Trouble (2)_1 Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t in a hurry to get back on shore after finishing those chores, since she discovered there were still river snails in the water.


    She quickly called Lin Wei to join her in the water to catch the snails, which would be particularly delicious if stir-fried with salt and chili pepper later on.


    Xiao Linshuang and Xiao Shitou had long taken their fishing rods and wandered off to play, with their third aunt trailing behind for fear they might get into trouble.


    In a short while, Lin Yuan and Lin Wei had picked up thirty or forty small river snails.


    As they were picking, suddenly the fishing net they had set down started to move.


    The sisters hurried over to see two grass carps, each weighing over a pound, thrashing their tails trying to escape the net.


    ¡°We caught them, we caught them, two of them!¡± Lin Wei clapped her hands joyfully and laughed and shouted.


    Lin Yuan was also thrilled.


    This was her first time catching fish.


    Just as she had placed the fish into the bucket, she heard a sharp and harsh voice nearby, filled with resentment: ¡°No wonder I¡¯ve toiled all morning without seeing a single fish!


    It turns out all the fish here have been scared away by someone!¡±


    Lin Yuan put the bucket down on the ground and replied with a sneer, ¡°I was wondering why the fish were so small today.


    It must be because they¡¯ve smelled a bitch farting away, stunting their growth with the stench!¡±


    When she first arrived, she had noticed Lady Chen and thought that after being fed a lesson last time, she would have learned her lesson, but she was as forgetful as ever.


    Taking advantage of Lin Dashuan being at the riverbank today, she started to stir up trouble again.


    In fact, there weren¡¯t few who had come to fish today.


    They either used their hands to catch fish in the water like Lin Ershuan, who spread a large net directly into the river.


    However, the haul mostly consisted of weeds and debris, with not many fish.


    Besides, with so many people around, the fish were already spooked and had hidden long ago, how could they be seen?


    Lin Dashuan, a lazybones who loved to drink, wouldn¡¯t have come if he hadn¡¯t craved fish today.


    Now, he too had taken off his shoes and was catching fish with his hands in the river, sweating profusely without even a glimpse of a fish.


    Upset, the couple heard Lin Wei¡¯s excited shouts about catching fish.


    Could they not be envious?


    ¡°Li- Little Disaster Star!


    By placing your net there, you¡¯ve blocked our downstream fish, haven¡¯t you?


    Everyone, come and see, she¡¯s smart, catching fish upstream!¡± Lin Dashuan slurred his words from drinking, taking a long time to get his point across.


    In reality, everyone had already seen Lin Yuan¡¯s net upstream.


    However, since her net didn¡¯t even cover half of the river surface, it was impossible for it to block downstream fish.


    No one really remarked on it.


    But there were many who secretly praised Lin Yuan for her clever fishing methods, both novel and effective.


    Seeing no one supporting him, Lin Dashuan¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment and anger.


    He rolled up his trousers and clambered upstream, waving his hand and reaching out to pull on the net Lin Yuan had set.


    Lady Chen saw her man finally taking charge and hurriedly dragged her daughter, Xiao He, along to cheer him on.


    But before she had run two steps, she saw her man suddenly hop up, clutching his foot and howling in pain.


    That hop was precarious; already unsteady in the water, Lin Dashuan toppled over with a splash, executing a perfect handstand in the river.


    Indeed, the stone that struck Lin Dashuan¡¯s foot had been thrown by Lin Yuan.


    She would show no mercy to a habitual drunkard who never did anything useful!


    Lady Chen wailed and hurried over, feigning tears while helping her man to stand: ¡°Husband, what happened to you?


    Were you hit?


    You, Little Disaster Star, you injured my man¡¯s foot.


    You must compensate, bring out the Silver!


    Without paying us Silver today, don¡¯t even think about leaving!¡±


    Lin Yuan innocently flicked the water off her hands, her eyes filled with pure innocence: ¡°Sister-in-law, you could see that it was me who hit his foot from so far away.


    Your eyes are quite sharp indeed!¡±


    ¡°You, you, it was you, oh, it hurts so much!¡± Lin Dashuan hadn¡¯t actually seen clearly either; he¡¯d been so intent on reaching for the stick that he didn¡¯t even notice the large stone suddenly underfoot.


    ¡°I have to say, you two really deserve each other, birds of a feather flock together!


    Trying to swindle someone, huh?


    Hmph, as if Lin Yuan is someone who can be bullied without consequence!


    Here I was thinking you¡¯d damaged my fishing net and scared away my fish!¡± When it came to setting traps, Lin Yuan was an ancestor.


    She grabbed a stick from the fishing net and started thrashing the water around Lin Dashuan and his wife.


    With her forceful flailing, it nearly seemed the stick might hit them directly.


    Lin Dashuan was merely a scarecrow, and the annoyance made his craving for a drink come back.


    He couldn¡¯t care less about his aching foot anymore.


    He scrambled up and ran off cursing, the coolness of the soaked clothes providing some relief.


    Lady Chen was also frightened by Lin Yuan; she had thought with her man backing her, they could teach Lin Yuan a lesson, but to her surprise, Lin Yuan feared neither heaven nor earth and had even chased her husband away.


    Moreover, with her clothes wet and being a woman not yet thirty, with so many men looking on, she rapidly covered her chest and ran off as well.

 Chapter 64 - 64 64 Annoying Rushing Guest(1)_1

    ?Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Annoying Rushing Guest(1)_1 Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Annoying Rushing Guest(1)_1 Xiao He had been quietly watching the whole time; even after her parents went home, she didn¡¯t budge, her eyes fixed on the fishing rod in Xiao Linshuang¡¯s hands.


    To tell the truth, Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t particularly fond of this little girl¡ªshe was taciturn and always kept her head down.


    When she did look at someone, her eyes darted about evasively.


    However, Lin Yuan thought the girl had a good heart; there was no malice in her eyes.


    She probably became timid from the beatings from her father and with a mother who wasn¡¯t easy either, taking out her frustrations on her daughter after being hit by her husband.


    Consequently, Xiao He developed her timid and silent nature, living without the companionship of siblings.


    Ah, she¡¯s a pitiable child.


    After all, she was her own granddaughter.


    Although her third aunt was deeply hurt by her eldest son and daughter-in-law, she still loved the child.


    She immediately took Xiao He by the hand and, along with Xiao Shitou, went off to catch fish for fun.


    Because of the commotion caused by Lin Dashuan, the fish in the river had scattered or hidden away, making them difficult to catch.


    As the village folk, who had come to witness the spectacle, gradually dispersed, Lin Yuan noticed the day was growing hot and began packing up the fishing nets to head home.


    After all, she had a good haul today¡ªsome river snails and fish¡ªand even after packing up the nets, she managed to pick a lot of prawns and small fish from them.


    Perhaps feeling embarrassed by her eldest son¡¯s disgrace, the third aunt felt somewhat indebted to Lin Yuan and flat out refused to accept the two big fish Lin Yuan offered her.


    In the end, after being unable to twist the young girl¡¯s arm, she just took a few small fish to make soup for her grandson.


    The three siblings of Lin Yuan, carrying the fishing net and holding a bucket, headed home.


    For lunch today, they¡¯d steam some rice, stir-fry some river snails, and make boiled fish¡ªjust the thought made one¡¯s mouth water.


    As for the prawns, they would be cooked with the residual heat after making the meals, as a snack for her two younger sisters.


    Speaking of snacks, Lin Yuan suddenly remembered the new stone mill they had bought.


    Last time in town, she only bought regular rice and forgot to get glutinous rice.


    Next time she was in town, she would have to buy some.


    Aside from making sugar cake, she could also make ludagun (¡°rolling donkey¡±) and rice cake.


    If there was a market for these, she could also sell them along with mooncakes.


    Ah, perhaps her road to wealth would begin with making pastries.


    Lin Yuan planned this dreamily, and on returning home, she set about gutting the fish and cleaning the shrimp with great enthusiasm.


    She had decided to make a soup for Lady Liu with the small crucian carp she had caught since it was nourishing and required few seasonings.


    The most crucial aspects were the cooking time and heat.


    There was still more than enough time before lunch, so she swiftly cleaned the small crucian carp and set about making the soup.


    She didn¡¯t put the fish directly into the pot to stew but first fried both sides of the carp in oil and then added a couple of slices of ginger and cloves of garlic to remove any fishy smell.


    Only after these steps did she add hot water and simmer it gently.


    She originally wanted to add some goji berries, especially since she had saved some of lower quality from her last harvest, but she decided against it this time, uncertain if goji berries would be too nourishing and perhaps too much for Lady Liu¡¯s constitution.


    After putting the carp into the pot, only Lin Wei needed to tend the fire.


    Lin Yuan immediately went to clean the river snails and grass carp.


    River snails harbored many parasites and therefore required thorough washing.


    She soaked them in salted water beforehand, planning to eat them in the evening with boiled fish and rice for lunch.


    Next came the grass carp.


    For Lin Yuan, cleaning fish was no big deal¡ªbut filleting the fish was a bit more technical.


    Since her sisters were still young, she needed to remove the large bones and leave as few small bones as possible.


    Moreover, the fillets couldn¡¯t be too thick, or else the flavor wouldn¡¯t penetrate well.


    To make boiled fish, bean sprouts, and baby bok choy were best for the base vegetables, but she had neither.


    Making do with what was available, it was no issue¡ªthere was spinach from Sister Guizhi and various vegetables they had gathered from their own vegetable patch.

 Chapter 65 - 65 65 Annoying Rush to Finish the Meal (2)_1

    ?Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Annoying Rush to Finish the Meal (2)_1 Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Annoying Rush to Finish the Meal (2)_1 By the time she had prepared the fish and vegetables, the inviting aroma of fish soup was wafting from the pot.


    Lin Yuan washed a few sprigs of cilantro and chopped them finely, ready to sprinkle them over the top as soon as the fish soup was off the stove.


    Just as the lid was lifted, fragrance mixed with steam rushed to their faces, and the three sisters gathered around the stove couldn¡¯t help but salivate.


    Lin Yuan, spoon in hand, was about to ladle out some soup when suddenly an irritating voice rang out from the courtyard.


    ¡°Wow, so fragrant, so fragrant!


    Just by the smell, you know I, the old fellow, have come to the right place!


    Hey, little girl, come on out!


    Little girl!¡±


    Lin Yuan¡¯s hand trembled with the spoon, annoyed by the persistent old man.


    The timing couldn¡¯t have been worse, not too early nor too late, but precisely when she was about to serve the soup!


    Humph, no matter what, this soup was for her mother¡¯s nourishment, and she wouldn¡¯t let anyone else have it!


    Lao Fan kept calling from outside the door with no response from Lin Yuan, so he jumped off the carriage and scurried towards the kitchen¡ªthere was no helping it, for a foodie, the scent was his compass.


    ¡°You little girl, obviously at home but not answering me!


    Hey, what are you cooking here?¡± Lao Fan shoved aside Lin Wei and Xiao Linshuang who were near the stove, poked his head in, and took a deep inhale of the aroma, his mung bean eyes shining brightly: ¡°It smells heavenly!


    Quick, quick, quick!


    Serve a bowl for this old man!¡±


    Lin Yuan swiftly grabbed the lid and sealed the pot tightly, unceremoniously pushing Lao Fan out of the kitchen while she commanded, ¡°This is for my mother¡¯s recovery, you can¡¯t have any!


    Want fish soup, go to your Fuman Building!


    Hurry up, off you go!¡±


    Lao Fan was somewhat taken aback by her push.


    Annoying as he might be, he had never been pushed out like this before.


    This girl, truly the first!


    Oh, not right, there seemed to be another braver soul, the Little Tyrant, who had done the same thing.


    Hmm, yes, she was the second one.


    Twirling his white beard, Lao Fan¡¯s eyes rolled around, and a wicked thought crossed his mind: What if these two little rascals met?


    What would happen, a fight?


    Tearing down the house?


    Or maybe, a fight to the death?


    Wa-ha-ha, that really would be quite the scene!


    Lin Yuan had no time to entertain the old man¡¯s self-indulgence; she didn¡¯t believe for a second that this glutton would give up on her fish soup.


    She had to quickly serve it while Lao Fan was still daydreaming and chuckling to himself!


    However, before she could move an inch, Lin Yuan heard Lao Fan behind her, musing, ¡°Little girl, no offense, but isn¡¯t it just about nourishing the body?


    If you encounter me, all these fish soups, turtle soups, they¡¯re nothing.


    With just one move from me, guaranteed, your mother will be leaping up and down, as healthy as a fiddle!¡±


    Leaping up and down!


    Do you think my mother is a monkey?


    Lin Yuan was about to shoo him off with her spoon when suddenly, she stiffened.


    What?


    The old man makes a move?


    Could it be, this annoying, food-obsessed old man was actually a doctor?


    Startled, she turned around, only to see that Lao Fan had already snapped out of his reverie, one hand behind his back, the other stroking his white glistening hair with smug self-satisfaction, exuding an air of an otherworldly sage.


    But still...


    Lin Yuan curled her lip in disdain and ¡®tch¡¯-ed.


    Had it been their first meeting, she might have been duped by a few smooth words, but she had witnessed firsthand this old man¡¯s reckless gluttony.


    His words?


    She wouldn¡¯t believe them if it killed her!


    ¡°Trying to bluff your way into free food and drink?


    Dream on!


    Go back to your Fuman Building!¡±


    Lao Fan, looking frail, nearly stumbled, and began to plead desperately, ¡°Little girl, oh my dear, please let me have a taste, just one bite, can¡¯t you?


    If you don¡¯t let me try, the craving in my heart...


    oh please, I beg you, oh great one, I¡¯ll pay, any amount.


    Not for money?


    Then tell me what you want, ah, come on, say something, hey, hey, just leave me one bite, one bite...¡±

 Chapter 66 - 66 66 The Old Man Can Treat Illnesses (1)_1

    ?Chapter 66: Chapter 66 The Old Man Can Treat Illnesses (1)_1 Chapter 66: Chapter 66 The Old Man Can Treat Illnesses (1)_1 Perhaps it was the sound of someone talking that alerted her, but when Lin Yuan walked into the hall carrying the fish soup, Lady Liu had already stepped out of the eastern room, clutching her belly and peering out, ¡°Da Ya, who has come?


    Were you arguing with someone?¡±


    ¡°Mother, nobody special, just a passerby who wanted to beg for a bowl of water.¡± Lin Yuan balanced the fish soup in one hand and supported Lady Liu¡¯s arm with the other into the house.


    Lin Wei and her sister wouldn¡¯t be able to hold off Lao Fan for long, so she hurried to have Lady Liu finish the soup as soon as possible.


    Yet, they hadn¡¯t even reached the doorway when a commotion arose from behind¡ªLao Fan had already stomped his way inside, his spry appearance seriously making one doubt if his white hair and beard were just dyed!


    ¡°You little brat, not even leaving a single drop for me!¡± Lao Fan struggled to peel off Xiao Linshuang, who was clinging to his leg, but after failing to dislodge her for quite some time, he resigned himself to let her hang there and hobbled in with her still attached.


    ¡°Is this your mother?¡± Lao Fan¡¯s mung bean eyes quickly scanned Lady Liu from head to toe.


    He lingered a little longer on her face and belly, although ¡®longer¡¯ just amounted to an extra glance.


    ¡°Is she your mother or a medicine jar?


    She¡¯s always consuming medicine like it¡¯s meals, and all of it is worthless wild herbs.


    It¡¯s a wonder she hasn¡¯t been eaten to death by them¡ªtruly a strong constitution!¡± Lao Fan curled his lips, his gaze lingering only for a few breaths on Lady Liu before shifting to the bowl of soup in Lin Yuan¡¯s hands.


    Upon hearing his unreasonable words, Lin Yuan, inflamed with anger, shoved the bowl of soup into Lady Liu¡¯s hands, and with hands on her hips, she charged up to Lao Fan, pointing at his nose and scolding vociferously, ¡°You rotten old man, did you eat excrement today?


    Your mouth reeks!


    Get out!


    Our family does not welcome you!


    Go!¡±


    ¡°You this...¡±


    Before Lao Fan could finish his sentence, Lin Yuan had already begun pushing and shoving him out of the hall.


    When she saw he still refused to leave, Lin Yuan called out, and Lin Wei came running with a broom while Xiao Linshuang opened her little mouth, revealing her white and sharp little milk teeth, and bit down on Lao Fan¡¯s thigh.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ...


    At the doorway, Liuzi was lounging on the horse carriage, basking in the sun with his legs crossed when he suddenly heard his boss¡¯s agonized scream.


    Startled, he leaped up and when he rushed inside to see his boss being mobbed, he was stunned.


    This was the boss who even the Master Magistrate would show respect to, and yet, he was being chased around the courtyard by three young girls.


    More disgracefully, the boss wasn¡¯t even angry or annoyed, and while running, he kept shouting at the woman standing at the entrance of the hall, ¡°That¡¯s my fish soup, save some for me!¡±


    Liuzi covered his face in embarrassment; had the boss not just eaten a table full of twenty dishes before coming here?


    ¡°Miss Lin, Miss Lin, please show some mercy, stop hitting!


    Stop hitting!¡± Liuzi pleaded while protecting his boss; there was no way he dared to pull back the furious Lin Yuan, especially with her wielding a rod as thick as an arm.


    With Liuzi shielding him, Lin Yuan found it improper to continue striking, although she was indeed furious at Lao Fan for cursing Lady Liu.


    But considering the old man¡¯s age, and that he had helped her back at Shande Hall, she didn¡¯t really hit him, mostly just giving a scare.


    ¡°You old coot!


    After gobbling up all that fine food, hmph, it¡¯s true what they say¡ªa dog¡¯s mouth can¡¯t spit out ivory!


    It¡¯s you who should be eating wild herbs to death!¡±


    Lao Fan was always known for his brash talk, which is why he had managed to offend so many people and earn the nickname ¡°Lao Fan.¡± However, now tempted by the fish soup, he unusually uttered something pleasant, ¡°Oh, girl, I was wrong, I misspoke.


    But your mother, oh, I¡¯m so tired.


    She really did harm her health with those wild herbs.


    If she didn¡¯t have such vigorous vitality, she would¡¯ve¡ªcough cough¡ªnever thought she could still get pregnant, truly a strong constitution!¡±

 Chapter 67 - 67 67 The Old Man Can Treat Illnesses (2)_1

    ?Chapter 67: Chapter 67 The Old Man Can Treat Illnesses (2)_1 Chapter 67: Chapter 67 The Old Man Can Treat Illnesses (2)_1 Don¡¯t mention how tired Lao Fan was, Lin Yuan was also exhausted from the chase, but only upon hearing Lao Fan¡¯s words did she suddenly snap back to reality.


    She had been too focused on how unpleasant the old man¡¯s words were and hadn¡¯t fully considered that he had accurately diagnosed Lady Liu¡¯s illness with just a glance.


    The old man was right; her mother fell ill because she wanted to give her father a son, so she followed others¡¯ advice and consumed all sorts of remedies to conceive a child.


    Although she eventually had a son, he died young due to congenital deficiencies.


    Could it be that this old man was not just a foodie but actually possessed some real skills?


    Lin Yuan was uncertain and still asked with irritation, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe you just because you¡¯re spouting nonsense?


    Maybe you just heard some gossip from the villagers?


    Who in the village doesn¡¯t know that my mother took numerous folk remedies to have a son?¡±


    Just as it seemed Lin Yuan was beginning to waver, Lao Fan got frustrated that she still didn¡¯t believe him and stopped paying any attention to her, annoyed that his breath was stuck in his throat.


    Liuzi hurriedly offered a smile to ease the tension, stepping down the metaphorical staircase: ¡°Miss Lin, you¡¯re really wronging our boss here.


    Although our boss no longer practices medicine, I¡¯ve heard the shopkeeper say that he¡¯s quite skilled at treating illnesses; even Master Magistrate has sought his help.


    If you don¡¯t believe it, why not let our boss take your pulse?


    Just give it a try before you draw your conclusions.¡±


    Before Lin Yuan could respond, Lao Fan snorted first, lifting his chin high with his salt-and-pepper beard pointing up: ¡°It¡¯s better if she doesn¡¯t believe me; I¡¯m too lazy to look anyway!¡±


    Great, the boss is in a foul mood now; it seems like we¡¯re in for a tough day again.


    Liuzi bit his lip, his face filled with sorrow.


    Xiao Linshuang, on the other hand, was brimming with excitement, hugging Lao Fan¡¯s legs even tighter as if she was afraid he would run away: ¡°Grandpa, you...


    you¡¯re a doctor?


    Can you treat my mother?


    That would be so great!


    You must cure her; I want her to have a baby brother for me!¡±


    Lao Fan was truly shocked by the speed of Xiao Linshuang¡¯s change of attitude¡ªfrom a ferocious little she-wolf baring her teeth to suddenly becoming a docile Little White Rabbit.


    Looking at those white teeth, Lao Fan felt a chill¡ªhis legs were still in her embrace.


    If he shook his head now, would she bite him again?


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll look!


    I¡¯ll look at her!


    Despite being malnourished, biting me still hurts so much!¡±


    If he could tell that even the little sister was malnourished, he must have some skills, Lin Yuan pondered.


    But seeing his reluctant and petulant demeanor, she crossed her arms in front of her chest and started to entice him with a reward: ¡°You can forget about that bowl of fish soup, but if you do a good job, I¡¯ll prepare an even better meal for you at lunch.¡±


    ¡°Deal!


    I¡¯ll examine her right now!¡± With the promise of delicious food right in front of him, the old man proceeded to diagnose with great eagerness.


    Liuzi looked at Lin Yuan with a mix of respect and fear, thinking to himself how easily she had taken control of their boss¡ªperhaps in the future, Fuman Building might even have to change its name to the Lin family¡¯s.


    Lao Fan was not all talk; after merely taking Lady Liu¡¯s pulse and checking her tongue coating, he confirmed her illness.


    Indeed, she had damaged her health by consuming too many wild medicines.


    As they say, every medicine carries a risk of toxicity, even tonic medicines should not be consumed daily, let alone the unscientific folk remedies she had been taking.


    Fortunately, Lady Liu had not taken any medicines for the last three years, and the effects of the medicine had mostly been expelled from her body.


    As long as she nourished herself properly from now on, she could be as healthy as anyone else within half a year.


    Of course, Lao Fan also emphasized that Lady Liu had damaged her health because of the medicines, so she couldn¡¯t rely on medicines for nourishment anymore; she would need to nourish herself with food instead.


    This was not a big problem for Lin Yuan, who had a knack for making medicinal meals.


    The challenge was sourcing the ingredients, after all, she didn¡¯t have the money to buy them.


    Earning money was now of the utmost urgency.


    Having seen Lady Liu¡¯s illness, Lin Yuan felt a little more at ease, but the greatest challenge was likely with Lin Jiaxin in the eastern room.


    His leg, could it be cured?

 Chapter 68 - 68 68 What to Do When You Want to Chop Someone Up_1

    ?Chapter 68: Chapter 68 What to Do When You Want to Chop Someone Up_1 Chapter 68: Chapter 68 What to Do When You Want to Chop Someone Up_1 As soon as Lin Yuan mentioned that she needed to consult a doctor for Lin Jiaxin, Lao Fan immediately frowned, plunked himself down on a stool, and grumbled, ¡°Charlatans, they¡¯re all charlatans!


    They clearly agreed to make me something delicious after seeing the patient, huh, liars!


    Another little charlatan!¡±


    She behaved just like a bullied child, Lin Yuan held back a laugh, having never seen such an adorable old man.


    ¡°Like it or not!¡± Having already figured out Lao Fan¡¯s temperament, Lin Yuan immediately threw out her trump card, ¡°Da Ya, is the rice ready?


    In a bit, your big sister will make you boiled fish, and yes, let¡¯s also prepare some stir-fried river snails, get plenty of chili peppers ready, oh, and some small bamboo skewers.


    Later, when eating the snails, use a skewer to pick and suck lightly, and the flesh will come right out from the shell.


    Oh wow, that flesh, don¡¯t even mention how tender it is, that flavor...¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s that patient?


    Quick, let the old man take a look at once!¡±


    In the eastern room, Lady Liu anxiously clutched her husband¡¯s hand, while the Lin Yuan Sisters also looked at Lao Fan with faces full of worry.


    The old man had been taking Lin Jiaxin¡¯s pulse for quite some time, and just as Lin Yuan was getting impatient, wondering whether he was all talk and no substance, she saw the old man let go of Lin Jiaxin¡¯s hand and started tapping and pressing on his leg and finally lifted the leg high, causing Lin Jiaxin so much pain that he grimaced and broke out in cold sweat.


    Lin Yuan watched with distress and stopped the old man¡¯s hand, the she-wolf beginning to throw a fit again, ¡°You old codger!


    Do you have any compassion at all?


    Which doctor treats patients by torturing them like you do!¡±


    ¡°Da Ya, don¡¯t be like that, let go!¡± Lady Liu, fearing that her daughter might offend Lao Fan and cause him to refuse to treat her husband, quickly intervened.


    However, it seemed Lao Fan was well accustomed to such things and paid no mind to Lin Yuan¡¯s attitude or actions.


    Instead, his eyes twinkled with a strange light as he rambled on as if bewitched, ¡°Rare indeed, to come across such a leg.


    This must have been a fracture from the winter.


    The bone setting was done alright, but sadly, they started walking on it before the bone was fully healed, so no wonder the bone is crooked.


    It wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to fix, just smash it and set it again.¡±


    His solitary mumbling terrified the Lin family, to smash and set it again?


    Wouldn¡¯t that mean enduring the pain of a broken bone once more?


    Not to mention that, if the old man failed to set it after smashing it, then what would they do?


    They had never heard of such a bizarre method of treatment before.


    Just as Lin Yuan was about to curse him out, she heard Lao Fan shaking his head and continuing his soliloquy as if nobody else was there, ¡°That¡¯s not enough, the leg not only has external injuries, but there is also dampness inside, the pathology has deeply penetrated the muscle tissue...¡±


    Lao Fan muttered on and on, with Lin Yuan not quite understanding the back end of it, but she did grasp one thing ¨C Lin Jiaxin had broken his leg in the winter, and the position of their house was not ideal, being on the shady side, with barely any sunlight throughout the day.


    The house was damp and wet, which was bad enough for anyone living there, all the more so for Lin Jiaxin, a patient who needed sunshine due to his broken leg.


    After all this talk, could he be cured or not?


    That was the most pressing question for Lin Yuan and her family.


    ¡°Hey, old man, stop chanting spells!


    Tell me, can my father¡¯s leg still be healed?¡± Lin Yuan grabbed Lao Fan¡¯s shoulders and shook them hard, finally snapping him out of his trance.


    Lao Fan shook his head and sighed, ¡°Tough, really tough, extremely tough.¡±


    His repetition of ¡®tough¡¯ made Lin Yuan¡¯s heart sink.


    Lady Liu and Lin Wei already started to wipe away tears, and Xiao Linshuang bit her lip, holding back her tears.


    It was Lin Jiaxin who gave a wry smile, comforting his family, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m doing quite well as it is, still able to carve models for Da Ya.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Yuan felt even more bitter.


    She had initially thought she had really come across a once-in-a-lifetime expert, only to find that the outcome was just as poor.


    Lin Yuan sniffed hard, suddenly feeling a tug on her sleeve.


    Turning her head, she saw Liuzi, looking secretive as he leaned in and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve heard the shopkeeper say that our boss loves to exaggerate to show off his super high medical skills and...¡±


    Before Liuzi could finish, Lin Yuan had already grabbed Lao Fan by the collar, not knowing whether it was out of anger or joy.


    She even felt the old man was endearing¡ªwhere on earth was he endearing at all?


    He was clearly just an annoying and troublesome old geezer!


    She was furious!


    ¡°You damn old man!


    Stop pretending and tell me if you can cure it or not!¡±


    Startled by her outburst, Lao Fan immediately showed his true colors with a heh-heh laugh, ¡°After eating boiled fish, I¡¯ll tell you whether I can cure it or not.¡±


    You jerk!


    Lin Yuan wanted to find a kitchen knife again.


    She really wanted to chop him into pieces!


    In the end, Lin Yuan managed to captivate both Lao Fan¡¯s stomach and his hands with a new dish every day.


    He finally agreed he could cure the condition, but first, Lin Jiaxin had to re-break the bones that had grown crooked and let them heal properly.


    During the recovery, Lao Fan¡¯s unique acupuncture and herbal soup would assist.


    Within three months, guaranteed, he could walk on the ground.


    However, Lao Fan also emphasized one point, because Lin Jiaxin had been lying on the kang for over half a year.


    Although Lady Liu often massaged him, his legs had atrophied somewhat.


    Even if he could stand in three months, it was best not to walk immediately but instead use crutches and exercise gradually.


    As for the complete recovery time, it would depend on the treatment process and his recovery condition.


    Despite the arduous journey, at least there was hope.


    The Lin Yuan family was very happy, and Lady Liu waited until the daughters left, then hugged her husband and had a good cry.


    Lin Jiaxin¡¯s legs couldn¡¯t start treatment today, as Lao Fan hadn¡¯t brought the tools for bone setting and acupuncture; thus, he could only come back tomorrow.


    Lin Yuan didn¡¯t care whether he really hadn¡¯t brought the tools or just wanted to score another meal at her place.


    Either way, she was happy today, and these little things didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    Since Lin Yuan had promised to use delicacies as compensation, Lao Fan didn¡¯t ask for silver.


    He even paid for the herbal soup Lin Jiaxin needed to consume.


    Not only that, but Lao Fan also arranged for Liuzi to deliver fresh ingredients every day.


    Whatever Lin Yuan needed, she just had to say the word, and as long as she could make something tasty to satisfy his mouth and stomach, that would be enough.


    Lin Yuan suddenly felt it was incredibly lucky to have encountered such a professional and deep-level foodie.


    With this deity presiding, her family could also improve their meals.


    However, there was another pressing issue: Lin Jiaxin¡¯s leg injury had worsened precisely because the house was damp.


    Their house had poor orientation, so she had to consider building a new one.


    Building a house in the countryside was no small matter.


    Although she had some silver in hand, she didn¡¯t understand the market and knew that the weather was still a bit hot.


    It would be best to wait until the fall when the farm work was done to find people to work on the house.


    Therefore, she thought of consulting someone knowledgeable about the market before deciding when to build.


    Of course, there was an even bigger issue that was most troubling.


    Despite the family having divided their property, the pack of wolves at the old house were always watching this side.


    For the sake of two taels of silver, Lady Yang and her two daughters-in-law could come knocking, demanding payment and even trampling her vegetable garden.


    So she had to settle matters there as well.

 Chapter 69 - 69 69 Boiled Fish is Really Fragrant (1)_1

    ?Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Boiled Fish is Really Fragrant (1)_1 Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Boiled Fish is Really Fragrant (1)_1 Having promised Lao Fan to make water-boiled fish for lunch, Lin Yuan hurriedly got busy.


    While Lao Fan was seeing patients, Lin Wei had already steamed the rice.


    With Liuzi taking care of the fire, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t need to watch over it, and by now, the rice was already emitting a fragrant aroma.


    Earlier on, Lin Yuan had prepared the fish slices and necessary spices, and had even salted the sliced fish to marinate.


    Now, she was just waiting to begin cooking.


    The first step was to blanch the vegetables in hot water, which didn¡¯t require much skill.


    Once the water boiled, Lin Yuan tossed in the small bok choy, spinach, cilantro, and other vegetables she had prepared.


    Originally, she hadn¡¯t planned to use so many vegetables, but there was no helping it, considering two more guests had suddenly turned up hungry today.


    Once the vegetables were done, as Lin Yuan was fishing them out, she couldn¡¯t help but lament that it would have been better with bean sprouts and mustard greens.


    After the vegetables were blanched, she soaked them in cold water before arranging them at the bottom of a large bowl.


    Now it was time for the fish.


    To make water-boiled fish, she liked to fry some sauce first, so she started by slowly frying the sauce on a cold wok with cold oil.


    If she had Pixian bean paste, it would have been better since that paste is more aromatic, but the homemade sauce she had was also fairly decent.


    Once the sauce was heated up, she added green onion, ginger, garlic, and chili to fry until fragrant, then put in the fish head and large fish bones, frying until they changed color.


    After that, she added water to boil before simmering on low heat for a few minutes.


    The best water-boiled fish requires Sichuan peppercorns, but since there were none on hand, she had no choice but to settle for only using chili.


    Lin Wei followed her older sister¡¯s commands, now adding fire, now withdrawing it, busy and enjoying herself.


    Xiao Linshuang, who rarely refrained from drooling around the big stove, was currently observing Lao Fan as if watching some rare creature, with her large eyes sparkling bright and her little mouth sometimes bursting into an oblivious smile, then smacking her lips as though savoring something delicious, giving Lao Fan goosebumps, making him feel as if his leg was starting to ache again.


    Lin Yuan glanced at her younger sister from afar, reassured to see that Xiao Linshuang wasn¡¯t being bullied.


    After all, with her around, Lao Fan wouldn¡¯t dare sneak around and steal her recipes.


    When the water in the big pot boiled, Lin Yuan carefully added the pre-marinated fish slices into the pot with chopsticks, one piece at a time.


    Once the fish pieces turned white and floated to the surface, she adjusted the taste with salt.


    All of the two fish, weighing over a pound each, were added, filling nearly half the pot with fish slices.


    She poured the fish along with the broth into the large bowl containing the blanched vegetables, then grabbed a handful of chopped chili and sprinkled it over the fish.


    Now, the large bowl was nearly brimming.


    After finishing that, she swiftly cleaned the wok and heated oil.


    Once the oil was hot, she drizzled it over the fish.


    The aroma of the water-boiled fish and chili mixed with the hot oil filled the entire kitchen.


    Lao Fan and Xiao Linshuang in the other room couldn¡¯t contain themselves any longer, neglecting their mutual disdain as they rushed towards the kitchen.


    ¡°Get out, get out, the food isn¡¯t ready yet.


    Go wait outside,¡± Lin Yuan said, fearing her water-boiled fish might be sneakily devoured by these two gluttons.


    The moment she saw their figures approaching, she quickly shooed them out.


    Xiao Linshuang pouted and cozied up to her older sister, acting spoiled, ¡°Big sister, let me have a taste.


    I¡¯ve never smelled anything so delicious.


    Just one bite, please, pretty please, big sister.¡±


    Looking at her younger sister¡¯s pitiful appearance, Lin Yuan felt somewhat reluctant.


    She picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks, carefully checking for bones, then blew on it before placing it in Xiao Linshuang¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s hot.


    Is it spicy?¡±


    Xiao Linshuang bit into the fish and chewed slowly, boasting to Lao Fan with her mastication.


    Lao Fan watched, drooling, itching to join in, but as a grown man, how could he stoop to flattering like a little girl?


    Lao Fan swallowed his saliva and was just thinking of how to ask when he saw Lin Yuan already covering the bowl of water-boiled fish, glaring at him disdainfully, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about flattering me.


    I still need to save my appetite for lunch!¡±

 Chapter 70 - 70 70 Boiled Fish is Really Delicious (2)_1

    ?Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Boiled Fish is Really Delicious (2)_1 Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Boiled Fish is Really Delicious (2)_1 This girl, always finding something to complain about him!


    Lao Fan huffed in annoyance, flipped his mustache, and marched out of the kitchen.


    Yet, as soon as his figure vanished, he sneaked back, hiding by the kitchen door, greedily sniffing the air¡ªunable to eat, the smell alone would suffice.


    With two more guests at home, just serving boiled fish wouldn¡¯t be enough, so Lin Yuan hurried to grab the basin of clean river snails, planning to stir-fry them.


    Today¡¯s dishes were all spicy, tasty, and perfect with rice.


    She had been worried that Lin Jiaxin¡¯s leg injury meant he couldn¡¯t eat spicy foods, but Lao Fan had mentioned that the spicy dishes would help dispel his dampness.


    Since Lady Liu had already satisfied herself with fish soup soaked rice, and everyone else could handle their spice, Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t concerned.


    River snails are delicious, but people had avoided them due to the risk of parasites.


    To ensure safety, Lin Yuan not only soaked them in saltwater but also pre-boiled them before stir-frying.


    She only used chili for flavor and garlic to counteract the gaminess, foregoing scallions and ginger, and the result was scrumptious snails.


    Later, at the dining table, everyone would use slim bamboo picks to pry off the hard skin on the snail heads and extract the tender meat¡ªboth fun and flavorful.


    No need to worry about the bamboo picks; Liuzi had already gone to the mountain to fetch some bamboo.


    Lin Jiaxin, hopeful for his recovery and in high spirits, had eagerly taken on the task of whittling them.


    By the time the snails were nearly ready, dad had already shaped a dozen picks¡ªlong and tapering to a point, clearly ideal for the purpose.


    A large basin of boiled fish and a bowl of stir-fried snails accompanied by fragrant steamed rice¡ªthough today¡¯s meal featured few dishes, they were utterly fresh, and all were foods the family had either never tried or even heard of.


    As soon as the food was served, Lao Fan couldn¡¯t wait to dig in with his chopsticks towards the basin of boiled fish dotted with red chilies and white flesh.


    But before his chopsticks could reach the edge, they were snatched away by a small hand.


    Xiao Linshuang puffed her cheeks indignantly, ¡°My eldest sister hasn¡¯t arrived yet, and my dad hasn¡¯t started eating either.


    How could you start eating first?¡±


    While battling over the chopsticks, Lao Fan grumbled back, ¡°You cheeky girl, who ate first just now?


    Hmph, give me back my chopsticks!¡±


    ¡°No way!


    We can¡¯t start until everyone¡¯s here!¡±


    ¡°Give them to me!


    Return them now!¡±


    Lin Yuan shook her head and brought Lin Jiaxin his portion of the meal inside.


    When she returned, the two were still quarreling.


    She tapped her chopsticks, ¡°If you don¡¯t start eating, I¡¯ll finish everything myself.¡±


    As soon as the big sister spoke, Xiao Linshuang hurriedly threw down Lao Fan¡¯s chopsticks and snatched a spoonful of snails, savoring them slowly.


    She wasn¡¯t allowed to eat the fish herself because of the bones; her elder sisters would pick them out before placing pieces in her bowl.


    Lao Fan savored a mouthful of fish, eyes closed, nodding and smacking his lips in appreciation.


    When he finally opened his eyes, half the heaping basin of fish was gone!


    Xiao Linshuang¡¯s bowl was piled as high as a mountain, and even Liuzi had already picked a good amount to squat by the door to eat, not daring to join the table with the Boss present.


    Lin Yuan and Xiao Linshuang had plenty in their bowls too.


    Everyone but him had more than just rice.


    Xiao Linshuang flashed an oil-smeared grin, laughing heartily, ¡°The old man is such a fool, haha!¡±


    ¡°No respect for the elderly or the young!


    I¡¯m so angry!¡±


    Lin Yuan glanced at him compassionately and began plucking the bones from the fish for her younger sister while teasing him, ¡°I thought you were still pretty robust despite your age, but it seems you¡¯ve lost all your teeth.


    Well then, I¡¯ll pick out the bones for you too.¡±


    Lao Fan¡¯s white mustache bristled as he snatched a large helping of fish, shoveling down his rice furiously, convinced that Lin Yuan¡¯s words were all hot air; his teeth were still sharp enough to gnaw through several roast chickens!

 Chapter 71 - 71 71 Loudmouth_1

    ?Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Loudmouth_1 Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Loudmouth_1 The sky began to change by the afternoon, and Lin Yuan, looking up at the darkening sky, recalled how the frogs in the puddles had been croaking now and then the past couple of days, fearing rain was on its way.


    Liuzi also feared heavy rain and, after lunch, hurriedly urged his boss to head back to town.


    Even with their horse-drawn carriage, it would take them well over half an hour to return.


    Lin Jiaxin still had two molds to finish carving, a task that would take another day or two, so after discussing it with Lao Fan, they agreed to start the treatment for his daughter once he finished these items.


    Lao Fan could not have been happier with this arrangement, keen on scrounging a few more meals at Lin Yuan¡¯s place.


    Just having delicious food to relish was enough for him.


    After sending off this Big Plague God, Lin Yuan quickly took up her hoe and iron shovel and headed to the two vegetable plots.


    She needed to get the land ready before the rain fell, so she could plant the seeds afterwards.


    Lin Wei was busy with a litter of rabbits, and Xiao Linshuang cheerfully hopped along behind her eldest sister.


    There were quite a few people in the fields, likely all wanting to tidy up their plots before the rain started.


    Before she reached the end of the field, Lin Yuan heard a quarrel.


    One of the voices was familiar; it was Xiao He¡¯s mother, who was furiously stamping on a raised ridge in the field.


    The other voice was somewhat unfamiliar but still recognizable¡ªit belonged to the wife of Da Qiangzi from the east end of the village.


    Known for her loud voice, villagers called her Loudmouth.


    At that moment, she was hefting her iron shovel, driving it into the soil.


    However, the dirt she dislodged was landing on Xiao He¡¯s mother¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Ay yai yai, my shoes!


    Loudmouth, are you blind?


    You¡¯re getting dirt on my feet.


    You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± Xiao He¡¯s mother stamped her feet hard, trying to shake off the dirt, but just as she cleaned it off, Loudmouth threw another shovel of dirt onto her.


    Now really angry, Xiao He¡¯s mother kicked the dirt onto Loudmouth¡¯s trouser leg.


    Loudmouth wasn¡¯t upset; she jabbed the iron shovel to the side and retorted with a victorious sneer, ¡°Yep, I did it on purpose!


    What are you going to do about it?


    Xiao He¡¯s mother, you really are pathetic.


    You moved your ridges over to my side so much that you¡¯re the blind one!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this about me moving them?


    How would I know how that ridge suddenly ended up on your side?¡± Xiao He¡¯s mother was clearly in the wrong, her voice lowering a bit, but she still stubbornly refused to admit it: ¡°Even if it did move, what of it?


    Anyway, your family doesn¡¯t have a man.


    So planting less is for your own good, hmph!¡±


    That comment hit a nerve with Loudmouth.


    She once had a man, a promising one at that, who ran a small business in the town.


    Loudmouth stayed at home, taking care of their two sons.


    As time went by, the couple didn¡¯t see much of each other, and her husband, with a little money to his name, started an affair with a widow in town.


    Eventually, the widow showed up pregnant, causing a great scandal.


    In a fit of rage and humiliation, Loudmouth took an iron shovel and ended the pregnancy.


    Da Qiangzi couldn¡¯t stand the fact that his unborn child was killed by Loudmouth, and in a fit of rage, he picked up the widow, took all the silver from their household, and left Zhuma Town.


    Some said they saw him in a neighboring town, but Loudmouth didn¡¯t go after him.


    Lin Yuan figured she must have been deeply wounded by the man¡ªto desert his wife and sons over a prostitute and never to return.


    Xiao He¡¯s mother¡¯s words angered Loudmouth.


    Although her husband had run off, she had two capable sons.


    The elder worked as an apprentice in the largest vinegar shop in town, and the younger was learning the construction trade from a relative in another village.


    At just twelve, he didn¡¯t have any real skills yet, only mixing mortar and hauling bricks, but both sons were dutiful, handing over their earnings to their mother, not squandering a cent.


    When Lady Chen said her family had no man, wasn¡¯t she cursing her own sons?


    ¡°Right, just because your family has a man, he gets drunk every day and only knows how to beat his wife!


    And you, ever since having a daughter, you¡¯ve been barren, no wonder you get beaten every day!


    Serves you right!


    If I were your husband, I¡¯d whip you every day, whip you to death!¡±


    Loudmouth was always brash, and after just a couple of retorts, they were at each other¡¯s throats.


    The people working in the fields nearby all stood aside to watch the show.


    Lin Yuan didn¡¯t like to expose others¡¯ shortcomings; it wasn¡¯t her concern anyway, so she just kept her head down and busied herself with the work in the field.


    Although this plot of land hardly grew much, Lin Jiaxin had always managed it pretty well.


    The only problem was that the vegetables didn¡¯t grow well, but the weeds flourished.


    Lin Yuan used a hoe to remove the smaller weeds and an iron shovel to pry up the bigger ones she couldn¡¯t pull out.


    Little Lin Shuang was tasked with picking up the weeds Lin Yuan cleared, freeing her from that worry.


    Lin Yuan, who had never before done field work, felt her back and waist ache after only a short while.


    Little Lin Shuang, being so young, soon ran off to play after picking up weeds for a short time.


    ¡°Little harlot!


    Working like this, you¡¯ll tire yourself to death sooner or later!¡±


    While wiping her sweat, Lin Yuan was startled by this voice.


    She turned around to see Loudmouth dusting off dirt from herself while lazily pointing at the ground with drooping eyelids, criticizing her: ¡°Using a hoe for this kind of grass?


    I could pull it up with one tug, and with that kind, don¡¯t even bother¡ªit¡¯s just like Xiao He¡¯s mother, looks good but useless, it¡¯ll die off on its own in no time.¡±


    Lin Yuan was so dumbstruck by her words that she felt her brain fry.


    It seemed that Loudmouth had come over to teach her how to work, but this method of instruction was just too unique, complete with insults.


    Even though Loudmouth¡¯s way of speaking was unpleasant, she was skilled at farming.


    Following her advice, Lin Yuan had the weeds in the field cleared out in less than two hours.


    She even organized the field a bit, dividing it into several neat squares.


    Seeing this, Loudmouth was taken aback.


    She had only thought to help the girl out of pity, not expecting her to be so smart.


    ¡°Thank you, Sister-in-law Qiang.¡± Lin Yuan, having benefitted from her help, naturally had to express her gratitude.


    But Loudmouth just snorted and interrupted her, ¡°Thanks for what?


    Now that I¡¯ve been touched by your Little Disaster Star aura, I¡¯m bound to suffer bad luck!


    And don¡¯t call me Sister-in-law Qiang.


    I cut ties with that scumbag a long time ago!¡±


    Loudmouth turned and walked away, but she stopped and added, ¡°I¡¯m the seventh child in my family; you can call me Seventh Sister from now on.¡±


    After finishing the work in the vegetable garden, Lin Yuan picked through the weeds she had hoed up.


    She remembered there being a lot of purslanes, which were delicious.


    They could be dried and chopped up with some pork to make dumplings that tasted amazing.


    However, the amount of purslane from her own garden wasn¡¯t enough, so she rummaged through the weeds hoed up in the neighboring field.


    After gathering a sufficient amount, she and Little Lin Shuang each took a big handful and carried it back home.

 Chapter 72 - 72 72 Old Events (1)_1

    ?Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Old Events (1)_1 Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Old Events (1)_1 Before reaching the door, she saw Lan Hua also carefully carrying a basket over, lifting the white cloth on top to reveal glistening chicken eggs beneath.


    ¡°Here, for you, these are the eggs you wanted.


    My mother had to ask several women from four or five villages around just to gather these twenty.


    Aunt should eat first¡ªmy mother and they have all agreed, from now on, any eggs that come they¡¯ll save for you.¡±


    Seeing that Lin Yuan had no free hands to take the basket, Lan Hua accompanied her back home.


    While Lin Yuan was collecting eggs from the ground, Lan Hua had already sighed heavily at least ten times.


    Lin Yuan was puzzled; the girl was usually quite unflappable¡ªwhat was wrong today?


    ¡°Is it necessary to be like this just for bringing me some eggs?


    You don¡¯t want to see me?¡±


    Lan Hua hung her head and sighed again: ¡°Ah, what to say!


    Today a distant auntie visited our home, talking about finding a wife for my brother, but that bride, ah, never mind, just thinking about it makes me feel so wronged for my brother.¡±


    Lan Hua¡¯s elder brother, Lin Changqing, was already fifteen this year¡ªit was indeed time to discuss marriage for him.


    That should be good news, so why was Lan Hua so distressed?


    ¡°Your brother bringing home a sister-in-law should be a cause for joy,¡± Lin Yuan suddenly paused her egg collecting, her face stern with warning, ¡°You¡¯d better not be thinking of giving your future sister-in-law a hard time before she¡¯s even married into your family.


    Let me remind you, as a girl who¡¯s not yet married out, don¡¯t stir up trouble!


    Be careful or others will point at your back and curse you!¡±


    Hearing this, Lan Hua became anxious: ¡°Lin Yuan, is this how you see me?


    Huh?


    I would be happier than my mother if my brother got a wife.


    But, you don¡¯t even ask about the circumstances and start lecturing me.


    Are you really my friend or not?¡±


    Realizing she had wronged Lan Hua, Lin Yuan resumed picking up eggs.


    However, seeing Lan Hua¡¯s huffy demeanor, she quickly tried to appease her.


    Lan Hua wasn¡¯t truly angry and continued to vent her grievances: ¡°I overheard that old auntie praising that girl, saying she¡¯s good at everything, good-looking, and works hard.


    But there¡¯s one thing¡ªshe was betrothed before.


    Apparently, the man was sick and died which led to the dissolution of the engagement.


    It would be no big issue if that were all, but I just feel that auntie didn¡¯t tell the whole story.


    Also, the way her eyes darted around quickly¡ªshe could give your third aunt a run for her money.


    I don¡¯t know whether to trust what she says.¡±


    ¡°What did your mother say?¡±


    ¡°What could my mother say?


    Of course, she said it was good,¡± Lan Hua pouted, clearly disgruntled with her mother¡¯s stance, ¡°Whatever they say is taken at face value.


    She didn¡¯t inquire further or think to ask around before settling on it, saying they¡¯ll arrange for the two to meet in a few days.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Yuan felt more clued in.


    The Lanhua family wasn¡¯t well off, and Lin Changqing was just an apprentice in town without any earnings.


    When he would finish his apprenticeship was uncertain, let alone whether he¡¯d find suitable work afterward.


    So, of course, Aunt Wang would be overjoyed at having a marriage proposal for her son.


    Still, Lan Hua¡¯s concerns were valid.


    There¡¯s a saying that matchmakers¡¯ legs and mouths are the most unreliable.


    It¡¯s always best to investigate in advance if possible.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your father often drive a cart to transport people?


    He could just ask around then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but my dad¡¯s kind of a simpleton; can he really find out anything?¡± Lan Hua remained worried.


    Lin Yuan finished collecting the eggs, handed the empty basket back to Lan Hua, and then counted out the Copper Coins she had prepared for her.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re actually going to pay me?¡± Lan Hua refused to accept it, but Lin Yuan wouldn¡¯t take it back.


    She would need a lot more eggs in the future and couldn¡¯t always have Aunt Wang foot the bill: ¡°Take it.


    If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll stop using your eggs.¡±

 Chapter 73 - 73 73 Old Events (2)_1

    ?Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Old Events (2)_1 Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Old Events (2)_1 Seeing Lan Hua put away the things, Lin Yuan thought for a moment and said, ¡°I want to go to town one of these days, we could go together then, and just ask around on the way there, right?¡±


    She had planned to buy some rice vinegar and glutinous rice in town and also check if the oven was ready.


    Happy with Lin Yuan¡¯s words, Lan Hua readily agreed.


    With a down-to-earth mother and a simple-minded father, it was up to her, the younger sister, to keep an eye on things for her older brother.


    As expected, it poured that night.


    There was a torrential downpour outside, while inside the house raindrops tapped incessantly.


    Seeing basins everywhere catching the rain, Lin Yuan became even more determined to build a new house soon.


    The house was originally an old bachelor¡¯s old residence, poorly oriented and long neglected.


    It used to get the occasional fix from Lin Jiaxin but with Dad being sick for over half a year, no repairs had been done.


    If another heavy rain came, or a heavy snowfall in the winter, it wasn¡¯t just leakage they would worry about; the house might well collapse.


    The west room was still okay, with not much leakage, but the east room was a mess, with basins even on the kang bedstove.


    With no other option, Lady Liu had to join her daughters in the west room, leaving the only remaining space on the kang for her husband.


    Already somewhat sleepy, the rain¡¯s disturbance kept Lin Yuan wide awake.


    Just as she was about to turn over, she heard Lady Liu let out a soft sigh.


    It turned out her mother wasn¡¯t sleeping either.


    ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Thinking her mother might be feeling unwell, Lin Yuan quickly moved closer to ask.


    Lady Liu was surprised that her daughter was awake, hesitating, ¡°Da Ya, you haven¡¯t slept yet?


    Did Mother wake you up?¡±


    The two younger ones were already snoring away.


    ¡°No, the patter of the rain is kind of fun.


    I haven¡¯t fallen asleep yet.¡±


    Knowing that her daughter¡¯s sleep was actually disturbed by the sound of the raindrops, Lady Liu hugged her daughter close, tenderly stroking her back, ¡°It¡¯s all because your parents are no good, making you all suffer with us.¡±


    Feeling the warmth in her mother¡¯s arms, Lin Yuan sniffled deeply.


    Her mother¡¯s scent was so good¡ªsweet and fragrant.


    No wonder they say that a child with a mother is a treasure.


    How long had it been since she¡¯d experienced a mother¡¯s love in her previous life?


    ¡°Mother, it¡¯s alright, things will get better in the future.¡± Lin Yuan didn¡¯t want Lady Liu to feel so melancholic.


    Remembering what Lao Fan had said earlier that day, she couldn¡¯t recall what had happened, so she had to ask her mother, ¡°Mother, today Lao Fan said that Dad went to work in the fields before his leg had properly healed.


    Why can¡¯t I remember anything about it?


    Do you?


    ¡±


    After asking, Lin Yuan waited for a long time without hearing a reply from Lady Liu.


    Thinking her mother had fallen asleep, she lifted her head and called out softly, ¡°Mother?¡±


    It was then that Lady Liu let out a sigh and said, ¡°We thought you were too young, and besides, it wasn¡¯t a big deal, so your father and I kept it from you.


    But since you asked, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    And indeed, these past few days she had seen Da Ya grow up and become much more sensible.


    ¡°That day, right after your father had his dinner and was about to go to bed, your uncle came over¡ªsomething he never does.


    I knew he was here for a reason.


    It turned out that your second brother got into a fight with someone and made their face swell up.


    Actually, it wasn¡¯t serious, but that family only had that one son, and they had some influence.


    The elders from their side were clamoring to report it to the private school teacher.


    If it blew up, your second brother would no longer be able to go to the private school.¡±


    Her second brother, Lin Yongle, the second son of her uncle, was studying at the private school in town with her older brother, Lin Yongcheng.


    Lin Yongle never seemed like someone cut out for studying.


    It was only because the grandparents doted on their grandson, and uncle and aunt kept bragging about their son¡¯s intelligence, even saying the teacher praised him, that they spent the silver to send him to study in town.

 Chapter 74 - 74 74 Making a Wheelchair for Dad (1)_1

    ?Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Making a Wheelchair for Dad (1)_1 Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Making a Wheelchair for Dad (1)_1 ¡°Isn¡¯t my uncle working as Mr.


    Accountant at the Landlord family¡¯s?


    Why can¡¯t he just speak with the Boss about it?¡± Lin Yuan didn¡¯t have a good impression of her uncle¡¯s family, and her words carried a tone of dissatisfaction.


    Lady Liu patted her back to comfort her before continuing, ¡°Your uncle dares not ask the Boss about the family¡¯s shame, and he dares even less to speak to your grandparents.


    Later, he somehow heard that your father had worked there and was quite familiar with the Butler, so he went to your father to smooth things over, but...¡±


    ¡°But my father¡¯s leg hasn¡¯t healed yet.


    Uncle is fully aware of that.


    How could he prioritize his own son over my father¡¯s injury?¡± Lin Yuan became agitated, raising her voice.


    By her side, Lin Wei turned over and murmured something in her half-asleep state.


    Lady Liu quickly covered her daughter¡¯s mouth until the children had settled down, then continued in a low voice, ¡°You girl, why has your temper become so explosive?


    Alas, even if your uncle hadn¡¯t come, your father, being who he is¡ªknowing his nephew was in trouble¡ªwould never stand by and do nothing.


    But thankfully, that matter is resolved now.


    Your father hasn¡¯t said anything, so you should stop, otherwise, he¡¯ll start feeling guilty about us again.¡±


    Lin Yuan bit her lip hard.


    Her father was good in so many ways, except one: he was too selfless with others who didn¡¯t value his kindness at all.


    If only her uncle could have been half as good as her father, he wouldn¡¯t have approached them about this issue while knowing her father¡¯s leg had not yet recovered, nor would he have ignored their struggle to put food on the table!


    Having talked for a while, Lady Liu grew tired and soon fell asleep.


    Still feeling upset, Lin Yuan inwardly cursed her troublemaking second brother before she slowly drifted off to sleep.


    The heavy rain had fallen all night long, but by the time they awoke the next day, the skies had cleared up.


    After the downpour, the air felt cooler.


    Lin Jiaxin was busy with the last mold, while Lady Liu, with nothing else to do, sat at the entrance to the main house.


    She watched her daughters playing with water in the yard as she sewed clothes for them, starting with Da Ya, whose pants had been getting too short after recent growth spurts.


    The ground would surely be especially soggy after the rain, with each step sinking into the mud, so they couldn¡¯t go and plant the vegetables just yet.


    They needed to wait for the ground to dry out a bit more, but judging by the sun, they should be able to plant the seeds by the afternoon at the earliest.


    While there was some time, Lin Yuan took out the drying racks and began to sun-dry the purslane they had gathered the day before.


    As she did, she called to her water-playing sisters, ¡°You only have one pair of shoes each, and you¡¯ve soaked them.


    How will you go out now?


    Go, bring out the little table.


    Each of you needs to write an essay in big characters.¡±


    Lin Wei and her sister made faces at her but eventually obeyed their elder sister¡¯s directive.


    As playful as they were, they still obediently moved the table and fetched paper and ink.


    Lady Liu, who had been sewing, took note of Lin Yuan¡¯s words.


    Each of their children had only one pair of shoes.


    When it rained, they either wore straw sandals or ran around barefoot in the yard.


    She needed to make another pair of shoes for each child.


    Shoe-making was faster than tailoring, and the weather wasn¡¯t cold now, so thick soles weren¡¯t necessary.


    Children¡¯s shoes were small and could be made in a day or two.


    After spreading out the wild vegetables and with some time before preparing lunch, Lin Yuan also sat down at the small table with paper and pen, not to practice writing, but to draw.


    Lin Jiaxin¡¯s leg had developed serious problems because it hadn¡¯t been properly cared for last time.


    This time, she was determined to ensure her father healed properly.


    The house was too damp, and staying inside all the time wasn¡¯t good.


    Building a new house wasn¡¯t a possibility for the moment, so Lin Yuan decided to make a wheelchair for her father first.


    When the weather was nice, he could sit in it and soak up some sun, and she could even take him out for a stroll.

 Chapter 75 - 75 75 Making a Wheelchair for Dad (2)_1

    ?Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Making a Wheelchair for Dad (2)_1 Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Making a Wheelchair for Dad (2)_1 Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t sure if wheelchairs existed in this era, and even if they did, average people probably couldn¡¯t afford them.


    She had no choice but to rely on her memory and imagination to draw one.


    However, drawing was not an easy task.


    Lin Yuan wasted several sheets of paper without being able to sketch a decent-looking wheelchair.


    Looking at the crumpled, messily drawn sheets on the floor, even Lady Liu felt sorry, ¡°Da Ya, what are you trying to draw?


    If you can¡¯t figure it out, why not ask your dad?


    Maybe he can draw it for you.¡±


    Lin Yuan just shrugged her shoulders, resigned to this plan.


    She had wanted to surprise her dad, but now the surprise was spoiled, and she had to bother her dad to do the drawing himself.


    After hearing his daughter¡¯s words, Lin Jiaxin laughed heartily, both at his daughter¡¯s filial piety and her thoughtfulness.


    It was the first time he had heard of a wheelchair.


    At present, he used a simple cane when going outside, though in reality, it was just a stick.


    With Lin Yuan¡¯s very abstract description, Lin Jiaxin pondered and fumbled around until he finally managed to draw the wheelchair.


    Moreover, he added a small basket at the back of it so that things could be placed inside.


    Seeing her dad draw the wheelchair with little effort, Lin Yuan felt delighted and giggled, pleading with him to draw two more items, a pair of crutches and a rocking chair.


    After all, she had some money on hand now; she could buy a few pieces of wood and have Lin Ershuan help her make them.


    And with Lao Fan, the local tycoon, around, maybe she could sell the rocking chair for a good price.


    While watching her dad draw the designs, Lin Yuan spent the morning calculating Lao Fan¡¯s wealth in her mind, feeling completely fulfilled.


    For lunch, they had noodles rolled out into dough and served with fried sauce.


    After eating, Lin Yuan checked the mud outside.


    It didn¡¯t seem too wet anymore, so she quickly changed into straw sandals and took the vegetable seeds to the vegetable patch.


    Lin Wei had previously helped her father plant seeds, so she also changed into straw sandals and followed her elder sister.


    Xiao Linshuang had overstuffed herself at noon, and now she was cozily nestled in Lady Liu¡¯s embrace, playfully rubbing her belly.


    The fields were crowded with people weeding and replanting vegetables.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s previous crops had been ruined by Lady Yang, so they had to be replanted.


    Everyone was too busy to pay attention to anyone else, resulting in a peaceful atmosphere.


    However, Lin Yuan hadn¡¯t quarreled with Xiao He¡¯s mother for two days and was starting to miss the confrontations.


    Lin Yuan divided these two plots into six smaller sections, planting cabbage, radishes, hot peppers, spinach, and the like, while the remaining two sections were planted with onions, garlic, and cilantro.


    In places where there was empty space, she also sowed a few pumpkin seeds.


    Whether or not they would grow wasn¡¯t her concern; she planted them first and would wait and see.


    Planting the seeds turned out to be much easier than imagined because the soil was soft from the recent rain.


    She didn¡¯t need to use any tools to dig furrows; poking holes with her fingers and dropping in the seeds was all it took.


    However, although it was simple work, after a while, her back and fingers started to ache.


    Eventually, the sisters each picked up a sturdier, thicker stick, which made poking holes with the stick much easier.


    After finishing work on the two plots, their hands were covered in mud, and their straw sandals had sunk into the mud countless times.


    Although the seeds they planted did not form a straight line like others, looking at their labor¡¯s outcome made them laugh happily for quite a while.


    They headed home feeling lighter after finishing the field work, but just as they reached the village, they saw Xiao He¡¯s mother running towards them disheveled, with her clothing askew.


    One of her shoes was dragging on her foot while the other was nowhere to be seen.


    She was weeping and running for her life, yet she hesitated for a moment when she saw Lin Yuan and her sister.


    She didn¡¯t stop, however, and quickly hid herself on a small side path.

 Chapter 76 - 76 76 The Hard Life of Xiao He_1

    ?Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The Hard Life of Xiao He_1 Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The Hard Life of Xiao He_1 Lin Yuan and her sister exchanged glances, full of puzzlement when they saw Xiao He running for her life out of the house.


    But with her short, little legs, she hadn¡¯t gotten very far when a man caught up from behind, grabbed her by the back of her collar, and flung her onto the ground.


    The man was none other than Xiao He¡¯s own father, Lin Dashuan.


    His face was flushed red, his steps unsteady, and in one hand he was brandishing a filthy, tattered shoe, obviously belonging to Xiao He¡¯s mother.


    He was mercilessly hitting Xiao He with the sole of the shoe.


    Xiao He curled up on the ground, holding her head with both hands and rolling about but didn¡¯t let out a single peep, not even a cry.


    Lin Yuan quickly grabbed her younger sister¡¯s sleeve, pulling her behind herself for protection.


    Lin Dashuan had gotten drunk again and started beating his wife and child.


    Loudmouth Lin Dashuan, while continuing to beat her, roared, ¡°You money-losing good-for-nothing, cheap trash!


    No one wants you!


    Still trying to run?


    Run again and I¡¯ll sell you to a brothel, let you get beaten and cursed for the rest of your life!¡±


    Lin Yuan clenched her teeth, her small face reddening with anger.


    Were these words really spoken by her father?


    To push his own daughter into hell, even if just drunken babble, he couldn¡¯t be so reckless!


    Lin Yuan thrust the bamboo basket into her sister¡¯s arms, picked up a long and thick wooden stick from the ground and weighed it in her hand.


    Lin Wei knew what her elder sister intended to do.


    Although she too felt sorry for Xiao He, after all, it was someone else¡¯s family matter.


    Besides, with so many onlookers enjoying the spectacle and no one stepping in, what¡¯s more, Xiao He¡¯s own mother was hiding behind a nearby pile of grass, not showing her face at all.


    If her own mother didn¡¯t care, why should they?


    Yet, Lin Wei felt so distressed about letting Lin Dashuan continue the beating that she was conflicted.


    Before she knew it, Lin Yuan had already raised the stick and struck Lin Dashuan on the back!


    Lin Dashuan cried out in pain, no longer focusing on beating Xiao He, and turned his bloodshot eyes menacingly toward Lin Yuan, holding the stick.


    ¡°Little Disaster Star, you¡¯ve grown bold, eh?


    Daring to meddle in Lin Dashuan¡¯s business.


    Looking for a beating, are you?¡±


    Lin Dashuan maliciously shrugged his shoulders and, abandoning Xiao He, rushed toward Lin Yuan.


    But why would she give him the chance to fight back?


    It was better to strike first than suffer the consequences later.


    Besides, she was armed with a stick, how could she not overtake a man with bare fists, especially since Lin Dashuan, a perpetual drinker, was practically hollowed out by alcohol.


    Although he appeared big and strong, he was really just a pillow, good-looking but useless.


    Lin Yuan swung the stick at his leg, and Lin Dashuan immediately dropped the shoe, clutched his leg, and bent over.


    This gave Lin Yuan the chance to hit him repeatedly on his back and buttocks with the stick.


    Of course, she was careful to avoid any vital spots, and the hits were meant to cause pain but not serious injury, at most leaving some bruises for a few days.


    She wouldn¡¯t let herself be in trouble for someone as despicable as him.


    Lin Wei couldn¡¯t believe her elder sister was so fierce, managing to take down a large man like Lin Dashuan.


    Amid her excitement, she also felt a bit alarmed.


    She quickly slipped over, grabbed Xiao He¡¯s arm, and started dragging her to the side.


    Xiao He was much thinner than her, and it didn¡¯t take much effort to pull her to safety.


    At that point, Lin Dashuan was howling and begging for mercy.


    Lin Yuan jabbed the stick to the side and, pointing her finger at Lin Dashuan, declared, ¡°Lin Dashuan, the one who hit you today is me, Lin Yuan.


    I¡¯m telling you, I can¡¯t stand seeing someone call a girl a ¡®money-losing good-for-nothing.¡¯ If you¡¯re not convinced, come at me, Lin Yuan.


    I await your presence!


    Humph!


    Scram!¡±


    Having been beaten, Lin Dashuan had sobered up considerably.


    Intimidated by her fierce demeanor, he didn¡¯t dare to talk back or utter any harsh words anymore.


    Holding his sore arm, he limped back home.


    However, adding this to the previous incident by the river, and now being beaten in front of so many people today, Lin Dashuan still harbored anger.


    He made a mental note to settle this score with Lin Yuan.


    Lin Wei pulled Xiao He by the hand and hid on one side, only breathing a sigh of relief when she saw that her elder sister was unharmed.


    After driving away Lin Dashuan, Lin Yuan slowly walked over to the pile of grass and sneered disdainfully at Lady Chen hiding inside, ¡°I say, Xiao He¡¯s mother, weren¡¯t you quite formidable yesterday when you were fighting with Loudmouth?


    How come you¡¯ve turned into a shrinking turtle today?


    Huh?¡±


    Lady Chen, from her hiding spot in the grass, had a clear view of the scene outside and knew that Lin Dashuan had been sent packing.


    She was relieved.


    Brushing the grass off herself, she crawled out on all fours, picking off the dry stalks from her clothes, all the while scolding Xiao He spitefully, ¡°You good-for-nothing thing, you don¡¯t even know to run quickly when you see him starting to hit!


    I really don¡¯t know how I raised such a worthless fool!¡±


    ¡°Hey, you leave your daughter behind and run, yet here you are scolding others!


    What kind of mother are you?¡± Lin Wei grabbed Xiao He, protecting her from her mother¡¯s ¡®One Yang Finger¡¯ and angrily chastised Lady Chen.


    Lady Chen wanted to curse Lin Wei for being nosy, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Lin Yuan and dared not speak out.


    Dusting off her clothes, she turned and headed towards the vegetable garden.


    Lin Dashuan must be fuming after being beaten.


    She¡¯d be foolish to rush home and get beaten herself!


    Having taken only a few steps, Lady Chen looked back at Lin Yuan and, biting her lip, dropped a warning, ¡°You better watch out for yourself.


    He won¡¯t let being beaten slide just like that.¡±


    Lin Dashuan was a bully in his youth; otherwise, she would never have fallen for him.


    Lin Yuan wasn¡¯t afraid; if it came down to it, she¡¯d just beat him up again.


    After all, these days she had been practicing her Women self-defense skills quite a bit.


    She was more than capable of handling a man who was all brawn and no brains, not versed in martial arts, let alone one who had been weakened by drink.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, come stay at my place for a while,¡± Lin Yuan said, knowing that it wasn¡¯t the right time for Xiao He to go home.


    So, she simply took her to her own place.


    This girl was obviously frightened by her parents, but she had a tough spine, being hit by Lin Dashuan like that without shedding a single tear.


    Lin Yuan also noticed that the girl hadn¡¯t been unable to escape; she had waited to run until after her mother did.


    Though she might hold some resentment towards her mother, she still cared for her deeply.


    It¡¯s just that Lady Chen was blind, not knowing how to cherish such a considerate daughter, always taking out her anger on her after being beaten herself.


    After arriving home, Lin Wei took Xiao He to the west room, while Lin Yuan heated some water to give her a good cleaning.


    They didn¡¯t have any medicine for treating injuries at home, but fortunately, Xiao He only had a couple of bruises.


    Applying some cold water should do the trick.


    Lady Liu could tell what had happened just by looking at her, and comforted her with a soft, gentle voice, while the sharp-eyed Xiao Linshuang noticed Xiao He secretly wiping away tears.


    Lin Yuan knew this girl was different from her parents; she had to be a good child, which made her even more willing to take her in.


    Because Xiao He was there, the evening meal was a bit nicer than usual.


    Lin Yuan cooked a large pot of rice and even put six eggs in it.


    The steamed buns had already been eaten earlier, and there was no time to prepare dough for steamed bread, so she simply mixed some dough to make big pancakes instead.


    She added sesame and salt to the pancakes, brushed them with lard, and fried them in a big pot until they were fragrant and crispy.


    The freshly made pancakes were even tastier topped with chili sauce.

 Chapter 77 - 77 77 First Encounter Without Seeing The Face(1)_1

    ?Chapter 77: Chapter 77 First Encounter Without Seeing The Face(1)_1 Chapter 77: Chapter 77 First Encounter Without Seeing The Face(1)_1 Lin Yuan cooked a total of five large pancakes.


    Lin Jiaxin ate one by himself, Lady Liu and Xiao Linshuang shared one, and Lin Wei split one with Xiao He.


    At first, Xiao He felt somewhat embarrassed, but coaxed by Xiao Linshuang, she even showed a rare smile.


    Lin Yuan¡¯s appetite had increased recently; she ate more than half of a large pancake and consumed a big bowl of rice porridge with an egg.


    Lately, she had been feeling a fullness in her chest which she initially ignored.


    It was only in the past couple of days that she realized, could it be that her breasts were starting to develop?


    Speaking of which, her body was really quite flat.


    Lin Siyu was only a couple of months older than her but already had a rounded chest, while she was still flat-chested and her period had not yet come.


    But now, with her hearty eating lately, she was finally starting to develop.


    As a woman, she felt a touch of excitement and pride in her heart.


    After breakfast, Xiao He hurried back to her home.


    Even if she had a temperamental father, it was still her home, and Lin Yuan didn¡¯t say much.


    She stuffed a pancake into Xiao He¡¯s hands before she and Lin Wei walked her to the door.


    Watching Xiao He return home, the sisters then bumped into Lan Hua on the road.


    This girl had been thinking about her brother¡¯s marriage prospect every day.


    Indeed, she had come to arrange with Lin Yuan to go to town together the following day.


    As it happened, Lin Yuan needed to buy some things and also wanted to check on Sister Gui Zhi¡¯s cold noodle stall.


    The next morning, they had rice porridge again because everyone was still craving the delicious pancakes from the night before.


    So Lin Yuan had risen early and made more.


    This time she didn¡¯t make large pancakes, but small Huoshao, with their crusty and crunchy exterior and soft, fragrant insides.


    One bite released the aroma of lard and sesame, an even tastier combination than the previous night¡¯s pancakes.


    After breakfast, Lin Yuan tidied up.


    Since there wasn¡¯t much to do in town this time, she simply decided to take Lin Wei and Xiao Linshuang with her.


    Both of the little ones had never been to town before and were as excited as newly hatched chicks.


    While the sisters were excited, Lan Hua was looking miserable.


    She had intended to inquire about the new sister-in-law on the way, but who could have expected that the ox cart was filled with uncommunicative passengers?


    With questions swirling in her mind and nowhere to ask, Lan Hua sat sullenly in the corner of the ox cart, idly playing with her fingers.


    Lin Wei was entering the town for the first time, their excitement apparent as they kept looking around.


    Lin Yuan couldn¡¯t help but smile, and she suddenly thought of Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden.


    She wondered what these girls would think if they knew she had likened them to an old granny.


    Lan Hua followed with a face full of displeasure.


    Lin Yuan looked at her sister and took her hand to console her, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset; you just didn¡¯t encounter anyone this time.


    Who knows, maybe on our way back to the village we¡¯ll run into someone who knows something.¡±


    Lan Hua pouted, not quite convinced.


    Lin Yuan was about to say something more when she suddenly caught sight of a carriage hurtling down the street from the corner of her eye.


    Passersby quickly stepped out of the way to avoid it, and she swiftly moved to pull her sisters to the side, fearing the horse-drawn carriage would hit them without care!


    She had only just pulled them away when the carriage closed in even more.


    It wasn¡¯t particularly noticeable from afar, but up close, it was clear that a young man in a jacket was sitting on the carriage.


    He wore a hat common on the streets, which was clearly too large for him, obscuring half of his face and making it difficult to discern his features.


    At that moment, the young man was desperately pulling on the horse¡¯s reins with one hand and holding a whip in the other.


    Yet, he wasn¡¯t whipping the horse, instead, he was waving it around the side of the carriage while shouting loudly.


    ¡°Aunt ahead, please make way!


    This horse is rushing to a matchmaking appointment and I can¡¯t control it!¡±

 Chapter 78 - 78 78 The First Meeting Without Seeing the Face (2)_1

    ?Chapter 78: Chapter 78 The First Meeting Without Seeing the Face (2)_1 Chapter 78: Chapter 78 The First Meeting Without Seeing the Face (2)_1 ¡°Aiyo, big sister, sorry about that, I¡¯ll compensate you for the eggs later!¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, excuse me, this horse ate too much today and is running too fast!


    Tell me, can¡¯t you run a bit slower?


    No?


    Heh, you¡¯re even more stubborn than I am!¡±


    This young fellow was shouting all the way, yet his hand on the reins never loosened.


    But based on his mocking tone throughout, nobody would believe the horse was spooked and uncontrollable!


    As the horse carriage rushed past, it wrecked quite a few people¡¯s stalls.


    The street vendors busied themselves with their goods, muttering complaints under their breath.


    Lin Yuan squinted her eyes emitting a dangerous gleam.


    So what if you¡¯ve got a horse carriage?


    Does having one mean you can charge and trample recklessly down the street?


    Didn¡¯t you see that both sides of this street are lined with vendors, and there are elderly and children strolling about?


    What if a child got hurt?


    How would you deal with that!


    Lin Yuan was infuriated, contemplating how to teach this carriage driver a lesson.


    However, she was helpless since she had never driven a horse carriage herself, let alone touched a horse.


    How was she to reprimand him?


    But she wasn¡¯t about to let this guy off so easily!


    If she couldn¡¯t beat him, scolding him would have to do.


    As the carriage neared, Lin Yuan seized the moment and picked up a small stone from the ground.


    Just as the carriage was about to rush past, she rubbed the stone and raised her hand.


    With a swift motion, the stone landed accurately on the young fellow¡¯s forehead!


    ¡°Aiyo!


    Who ambushed me?!¡± The young fellow¡¯s hands were busy, but he tilted his head just in time to avoid the stone hitting his eye.


    Lin Yuan, however, curled her lips.


    She had aimed for his mouth, but hearing the young fellow¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°Blind thing, and you talk of ambushing?


    Are you rushing to reincarnate by finding the King of Hell with that speed?


    Serves you right getting hit!


    You deserve to have your mouth and hands smashed, so you can¡¯t speak or drive a carriage again for the rest of your life!¡±


    The young fellow, energized by the response, couldn¡¯t quite see Lin Yuan¡¯s face, as the carriage was moving too fast, and only knew it was a young girl.


    Though the situation was perilous, he kept his hands on the reins and turned his head to joke loudly, ¡°This girl¡¯s tongue is venomous!


    Be careful, you might not find a husband!¡±


    After shouting that, the horse suddenly let out a long neigh, and the young fellow¡¯s eyes showed shock.


    He had no time to look at Lin Yuan again as he turned his attention back to driving.


    In a moment, the carriage had vanished from sight.


    ¡°Humph!


    Truly domineering!


    Having money doesn¡¯t give you the right to drive so recklessly on the street!¡± Lin Yuan hadn¡¯t managed to hit the guy, and she really couldn¡¯t swallow her anger.


    Fortunately, her two sisters were unharmed, and although the vendors¡¯ stalls were messy, thankfully, nothing was damaged, and no one was injured.


    Otherwise, she would have chased down that blind buffoon to give him a proper lesson, even if it meant running herself.


    After the scare, her two younger sisters¡¯ enthusiasm for strolling through the market was undiminished.


    Patting their startled chests, they resumed their aimless wandering.


    Lan Hua also felt her sulking dissipate and joined Lin Yuan in criticizing the carriage driver.


    As they were strolling, they suddenly encountered an acquaintance, Liuzi from Fuman Building.


    ¡°Oh, Miss Lin?¡± Liuzi wiped the sweat from his forehead and hurried over to greet her.


    Seeing Liuzi¡¯s flushed face and glancing eyes, Lin Yuan knew he must be searching for someone.


    Sure enough, after greeting her, Liuzi asked urgently, ¡°Did you come from that street, Miss Lin?


    Have you seen our Young Master?


    Oh, our Young Master is tall and handsome, and his clothes, well, they might be fancy, or maybe he looks quite ordinary now.¡±


    Finishing his words, Liuzi appeared somewhat embarrassed because he couldn¡¯t be certain whether his master had changed his attire.


    The Young Master was even more exasperating than their boss; Liuzi had only glanced away at the neighboring Ah Hua, and when he turned back his master had disappeared.


    Lin Yuan was bewildered by his contradictory description, but considering he was from Fuman Building, he must be a wealthy second-generation, and even if he wasn¡¯t dressed in silk and satin, that affluent aura was probably indelible.


    And then there was his father, Lao Fan.


    Lin Yuan shook her head, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anyone who looks like a rich young master on my way here.¡±


    Having dealt with high-class hotels for a long time, she had developed an eye for distinguishing the wealthy from the not.


    Oh, of course, except for the carriage driver from earlier, who must be a young servant from a rich family, although it didn¡¯t seem like anyone was seated in the carriage.


    Even if there was, they were surely nauseated by the bumpy ride by now.


    Liuzi, looking disappointed, bid farewell to Lin Yuan and continued his search.


    As he walked away, he complained: He spent half a day on the street last time looking for Miss Lin, and today he had scoured an entire street without finding that little tyrant.


    Why was he always tasked with finding people?


    Life was just too hard!

 Chapter 79 - 79 79 The Booming Cold Skin Noodle Business (1)_1

    ?Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Booming Cold Skin Noodle Business (1)_1 Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Booming Cold Skin Noodle Business (1)_1 In addition to taking her two younger sisters out for fun, Lin Yuan also had some important business in town.


    The ten pounds of beans she had purchased were already soaked, and all that was left was to grind them into soy milk and then coagulate them into tofu.


    To do this, gypsum was needed, but since she didn¡¯t have it, she could only use the most traditional method to make a batch, and then collect the gypsum later.


    Therefore, white vinegar became essential.


    After asking Lan Hua for directions to the vinegar seller, the sisters went straight to Jin Ji Vinegar Workshop, which was the largest vinegar-making workshop in Zhuma Town.


    It was said that the ancestors of the Jin family were vinegar makers and had been in business for over a hundred years.


    Moreover, this generation had produced an Official wife, the wife of Master Magistrate.


    Actually, she wasn¡¯t Master Magistrate¡¯s first wife; his original wife had passed away a long time ago.


    Miss Jin was the second wife, but since she had given birth to a son, her status was quite stable.


    Of course, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t care about such gossip; she was more concerned about the quality and reputation of the vinegar from Jin Ji Vinegar Workshop.


    As they passed by a small stall selling miscellaneous goods, Lin Wei and her sister were captivated by the dazzling array of small jewelry and couldn¡¯t bring themselves to leave.


    Lin Yuan gave them some Silver and instructed them to wait there without wandering off.


    Then, with Lan Hua, she headed to the nearby Jin Ji Vinegar Workshop.


    She could still see the figures of her sisters at the entrance of the vinegar workshop, which allowed Lin Yuan to enter with peace of mind.


    The Jin Ji Vinegar Workshop truly lived up to its reputation as a century-old brand; the shop was bustling with customers coming and going.


    However, after her experience at Shande Hall, Lin Yuan didn¡¯t dare to hastily judge this vinegar workshop.


    Soon a shop assistant noticed the two of them and warmly came forward to serve them.


    Lin Yuan didn¡¯t need much vinegar, and she didn¡¯t use rice vinegar for cooking normally, so she only asked for two pounds.


    Two pounds of vinegar was considered a minor deal in Jin Ji Vinegar Workshop, as trivial as sesame seeds, but the assistant didn¡¯t show any disdain and cheerfully agreed before wiping his hands on his cotton towel and taking her jar to fill it with vinegar.


    Lin Yuan was very satisfied with the service attitude and her impression of the Jin Ji Vinegar Workshop improved significantly.


    While waiting for the vinegar to be filled, Lin Yuan watched her sisters outside and chatted idly with Lan Hua.


    Her gaze swept across the room and caught sight of a young woman with a graceful figure, her face covered by a veil, entering the vinegar workshop.


    The assistants, who were busy welcoming customers in the hall, stopped their work to pay their respects to her.


    The mysterious woman, however, proceeded straight into the back hall without a glance.


    Driven by curiosity, Lin Yuan and Lan Hua stretched their necks trying to see more but ended up seeing nothing.


    However, Lin Yuan, with her sharp ears, heard faint arguing sounds.


    By the time she tried to listen carefully, the shop assistant was already bringing over her jar of vinegar, and Lin Yuan decided not to bother eavesdropping any longer.


    She paid for the vinegar and hurried out with Lan Hua to find her sisters.


    In that short span, the two sisters had already picked out several pieces of jewelry.


    The seller was a kind-looking old lady well into her sixties, with reasonable prices.


    She had made all these items herself, and although they weren¡¯t expensive, each was exquisitely and meticulously crafted.


    Lin Yuan was delighted with the hairpins and hair sticks her sisters excitedly showed her.


    With the household needing Silver for many things over the past half-year, Lady Liu had nearly exhausted her dowry, and the jewelry she wore was now scarce.


    Therefore, the Lin Yuan Sisters unanimously decided to pick out a gift for their mother, including hairpins, hair sticks, and earrings.


    Lin Yuan also selected a small bracelet for each of her sisters: a twisted silk bracelet adorned with lotus flowers for Lin Wei, and a bell bracelet for Xiao Linshuang.


    Of course, she didn¡¯t forget to choose a bracelet for her good friend Lan Hua.


    Although it wasn¡¯t expensive, Lan Hua knew that such accessories were beyond what village kids could wear, but everyone has a desire for beauty, and Lan Hua happily accepted Lin Yuan¡¯s gift.

 Chapter 80 - 80 80 The Booming Business of Cold Skin Noodles (2)_1

    ?Chapter 80: Chapter 80 The Booming Business of Cold Skin Noodles (2)_1 Chapter 80: Chapter 80 The Booming Business of Cold Skin Noodles (2)_1 After buying some small jewelry, the group headed to the blacksmith¡¯s shop, but before they even reached the shop¡¯s entrance, they saw a crowd gathered across from the blacksmith, shouting loudly, ¡°Give me a bowl of cold noodles!¡± ¡°Are my cold noodles ready yet?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the money, big sis!¡±


    Upon hearing the words ¡°cold noodles,¡± Lin Yuan perked up instantly with a thrill¡ªit was Sister Gui Zhi¡¯s cold noodle stall!


    Though it wasn¡¯t quite time for lunch, Sister Gui Zhi¡¯s stall was buzzing far more than expected.


    Were all these ten or so people here for cold noodles?


    The business was even more booming than she had imagined!


    While Sister Gui Zhi was busy mixing a bowl of cold noodles for a customer, she scanned the crowd and caught a glimpse of Lin Yuan and her friends.


    Without a free hand, she excitedly shouted, ¡°Yuanyuan, over here!


    Over here!¡±


    Seeing Sister Gui Zhi¡¯s face aglow with joy, Lin Yuan knew that the cold noodle business was indeed thriving!


    They hurried over and greeted her, and Lan Hua, eyeing the customers who were relishing their food, said enviously, ¡°Sister Gui Zhi, what kind of delicious food are you selling here?


    The business is booming!¡±


    Sister Gui Zhi handed the prepared cold noodles to the eager customer and casually took five copper coins to put in the cash box before cheerfully wiping her hands and replying, ¡°Isn¡¯t it all thanks to the brilliant idea Yuanyuan came up with?


    These cold noodles have become really popular.¡±


    As she spoke, she turned to Lin Yuan and excitedly shared her success of the past two days, ¡°Yesterday was my first day opening, and I thought business wouldn¡¯t be good at all.


    But to my surprise, the twenty servings of cold noodles I prepared all sold out before evening!


    Seeing the potential, I quickly bought another twenty jin of white flour, and today I made fifty servings!


    Look, it¡¯s not even noon yet, and I¡¯ve already sold nearly half of them.


    Some people didn¡¯t get to eat yesterday and came early today to queue up.


    Did you see that old aunt just now?


    She bought four servings at once, saying she wanted to take them home for her son, daughter-in-law, and little grandson to try!¡±


    Sister Gui Zhi lifted the cloth cover to show Lin Yuan the cold noodles, then pointed to where the old aunt had disappeared to, her excitement and happiness perhaps not felt for many years.


    Seeing Sister Gui Zhi¡¯s radiant appearance, Lin Yuan couldn¡¯t help but feel infected by her excitement and chuckled, ¡°Look at how pleased you are, sister.


    Just you wait, your business is only going to get better and better.¡±


    Sister Gui Zhi laughed heartily, looking forward to it.


    However, Lin Yuan still had a word of caution for her, ¡°Sister, even though business is good now, you mustn¡¯t get greedy.


    Cold noodles become hard and not as tasty if left overnight, so I suggest you make at most fifty servings a day, no more.


    That way, you won¡¯t have leftovers, and the customers will always have something to look forward to and come back for every day.¡±


    After contemplating seriously, Sister Gui Zhi realized that it was indeed true.


    If Lin Yuan hadn¡¯t mentioned this in advance, she would have actually considered making another twenty servings when she got home today.


    After discussing these matters with Sister Gui Zhi, Lin Yuan looked at the people sitting on the long benches eating cold noodles and suddenly remembered something.


    Although the cold noodles were tasty, they weren¡¯t very filling; people would get hungry again soon.


    Hence, several men were holding bread sticks or flatbread bought from elsewhere.


    The location of Sister Gui Zhi¡¯s stall was quite good¡ªnot too remote, and with a spacious area around it.


    If possible, maybe another stall could be set up.


    ¡°Sister, is Auntie Three just looking after Xiao Shitou at home and not busy with anything else?¡±


    In the brief moment Lin Yuan was lost in thought, Sister Gui Zhi had sold two more servings of cold noodles.


    After sending off the customers, she sat down to continue the conversation, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.


    But Xiao Shitou is getting bigger now, so he doesn¡¯t need his grandma to watch him as close as before.


    When she has free time at home, she¡¯ll go out to tend to the vegetables and such.


    Why, do you need my mother for something?¡±


    It sounded perfect that Auntie Three wasn¡¯t too occupied at home, so Lin Yuan shared her idea of having Auntie Three make flatbread at home and then selling them together with Sister Gui Zhi.


    The more Sister Gui Zhi heard Lin Yuan¡¯s plan, the brighter her eyes shone.


    She, too, had noticed that some of the men with bigger appetites would buy flatbread first from a stall at the other end of the street before coming to buy her cold noodles.


    At first, she thought about sourcing from the flatbread seller, but that certainly wouldn¡¯t be as profitable as making her own.


    Yet, even though the idea was good, she had her doubts, ¡°Flatbread might look simple, but making it well isn¡¯t easy.


    The big question is how to make it both crispy and fragrant.¡±


    When it came to food, Xiao Linshuang was even quicker to jump in than Lin Yuan.


    She excitedly pounced in front of Sister Gui Zhi, her face full of excitement, ¡°Sister, sister, the flatbread my elder sister makes is so delicious and fragrant!


    It smells even better than the ones from that stall!¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the flatbread from that stall wasn¡¯t as tasty as her elder sister¡¯s, she would have long been drooling by the flatbread already.


    Hearing Xiao Linshuang¡¯s words, Sister Gui Zhi looked at Lin Yuan with some surprise; it seemed the girl already had a plan in mind.


    Seeing Sister Gui Zhi¡¯s intentions, Lin Yuan chuckled and nodded, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll take care of making the flatbread.


    Once we get back at noon, I¡¯ll go teach Auntie Three how to bake flatbread, and I guarantee your flatbread will sell even better than the stall at the other end of the street!¡±