Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Lin Taohong only realized much later that a thief had broken into their home!

The thief, unaware of the sharp objects on the wall, had been pierced with several bloody wounds when climbing over. Afraid of waking the sleeping people inside, he dared not cry out and was only hissing in pain while trying to figure out how to jump down.

Once Lin Taohong realized what was happening, she didn't dare to look anymore. She closed her eyes and screamed at the top of her lungs, "Thief! Thief!"

After shouting for a while, she noticed that Little Hei, unlike usual, hadn't barked at all, wondering if the dog had been drugged or something.

Her scream startled the man on the wall. Already injured, he was so frightened that he fell directly off the wall.

Below was a trap that Lin Chunyan had earlier asked Mrs. Zhang to dig, filled with sharp bamboo stakes, even more lethal than those Erlang had sharpened.

Lin Chunyan had personally inspected each stake, making Mrs. Zhang re-sharpen any that were unsatisfactory.

When Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang heard the commotion, they quickly got up, knowing something serious must have happened. They held hands, grabbed whatever they could use, and rushed outside.

Mrs. Zhang, who had been sleeping soundly, didn't react at first. But upon hearing a man's scream, she opened her eyes and lit an oil lamp in the dark.

That scream came from the man who had fallen into the trap. A bamboo stake had pierced straight through his thigh. If he hadn't reacted quickly and grabbed onto something nearby to brace himself, the stake might have gone all the way through.

This terrified him, causing cold sweat to roll down his forehead, making him regret his decision.

Not that he regretted coming to steal, but he regretted being careless and not drugging Mrs. Zhang and the others as well.

These young ladies, who usually seemed delicate and weak, turned out to be quite cunning. Not only did they set up traps on the wall, but they also dug these pits below.

The four women gathered together. Seeing that everyone was unharmed, though shaken, Lin Chunyan breathed a sigh of relief and helped Lin Taohong up.

She had a knife in her room, which she had grabbed in a panic. With this weapon for courage, Mrs. Zhang, trembling, pointed at the man who was still screaming, "Who is this? Where did he come from?"

The other three didn't respond. Lin Chunyan led them to the kitchen, instructing Lin Taohong and Mrs. Zhang to guard the door while she and Wang Yingniang quickly lit the firewood and heated a pot of oil.

Pouring this hot oil on someone would cause severe burns, sometimes even more effective than a knife.

Lin Chunyan knew this day would come eventually. She never believed that people were inherently good; to some, they were like fat lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

At this moment, Mrs. Zhang no longer felt bad about using so much oil, knowing it could save their lives.

But her mind was still unsettled. She thought about getting a reliable dog for the house, as Little Hei, who was now silent, had proven unreliable.

In her heart, she cursed the intruders, damning them for daring to break into their home.

Lin Chunyan, holding the hot oil, led the group to the trap. Once the fire was lit, they could clearly see the man inside. After careful examination, none of them recognized the thief.

"He doesn't look like one of the young men from our village."

"Better if he's not from our village. If he broke into our home, we can kill him without fear of punishment from the authorities."

Lin Chunyan spoke calmly, holding the scalding hot oil. The sight of it made the man lying there tremble uncontrollably.

"It's all a misunderstanding," the man gasped, his wounds causing him immense pain. Having lost so much blood, he felt cold and regretted listening to others' encouragement. But it was too late, and he could only beg for mercy, hoping these young ladies would show leniency.

Lin Chunyan crouched down, shining the light directly on the man's face.

The torch was so close that the flames almost singed his hair, making his body stiffen even more. He stammered, repeating his plea for mercy.

"Which village are you from? Who else came with you?"

The thief, unsure whether Lin Chunyan had seen his accomplices or was just bluffing, mumbled, "I was blinded by greed, just wanted to borrow some money. I have no accomplices."

Lin Chunyan didn't believe him but didn't dare to venture out, fearing an ambush.

She asked again, but the thief remained stubborn. Lin Chunyan, determined to make an example, knew that many in the surrounding villages knew they sold goods and had earned money. It was uncertain who among them might have ulterior motives.

Even relatives could become envious when they saw others making money, let alone strangers.

Most people had moral boundaries, but she feared others might be tempted, just waiting for the right moment.

She needed to show them that, although they were just a few young women, they were not easy targets.

Lin Taohong finally understood Lin Chunyan's intentions and considered going to the village to find Uncle Lin and the other men for support.

Lin Chunyan told her to wait, "Let's question him ourselves first, then we'll find his accomplices."

With that, Lin Chunyan jumped into the pit and kicked the man's wound hard, causing him such pain that he couldn't even scream.

"I'll ask you one last time: where are your accomplices waiting, and how many are there? If you don't speak, I'll pour this hot oil on your wound. You know what that will feel like."

The thief tried to struggle, but once the pain subsided, he stammered, not because he didn't want to talk, but because the pain was uncontrollable, "This is torture. When I get out, you'll see! I'll gather some brothers and sell you all to the brothel."

Seeing he could still speak like that, Lin Chunyan kicked him harder, grinding her foot into the wound. The bamboo stake pushed deeper, and this time, the man fainted from the pain.

No one found her actions cruel. This thief, who threatened to sell them to a brothel, deserved no sympathy. Such a place was no good; one might enter standing but leave lying down.

Lin Chunyan asked Wang Yingniang to fetch well water and add salt to it, a technique she had learned from spy movies where the Japanese used such methods.

This left a deep impression on her as a child, often haunting her nightmares.

But now, she felt no mercy, pouring the salted water directly on the thief, who slowly regained consciousness.

"I'll ask you one more time: are there any accomplices outside, and where are they waiting?"

The thief, in excruciating pain, saw Lin Chunyan's expressionless face and even a slight smile, feeling a chill run through his body. Fearing for his life, he finally revealed his accomplices.

Indeed, two others were waiting for him outside: his older brother and a neighbor named Brother Zhu, who planned to join once he signaled.

At the time of entering, he had volunteered, thinking it was just a few young ladies and that there would be nothing difficult about it. He figured that by being the first to enter, he could grab more copper coins.

Now, upon reflection, he felt something was amiss, fearing he had been tricked by his own brother. It made sense why they were all reluctant to take the lead, only thinking about dividing the loot.

Lin Chunyan no longer paid him any mind, returning to the kitchen to reheat the oil. The four of them didn't dare light torches, feeling their way out of the house and taking a shortcut to Uncle Lin's place.

They dared not make too much noise, for fear that the two men at the village entrance might hear. They only dared to tap lightly on the door.

Fortunately, Erlang was alert at night, and after a few knocks, he came to open the door. Seeing the four of them, he knew something serious had happened and hurriedly welcomed them in.

Only then did Mrs. Zhang truly relax, feeling her body go limp. "That scoundrel actually dared to steal from our home. Fortunately, we dug that big pit earlier; otherwise, they would have surely succeeded."

The money wasn't the issue; they had bought a cart and had little left over. But if those few young ladies had been invaded by those men and something terrible had happened, she would have wanted to tear them apart, yet still wouldn't have been able to quench her hatred.

Aunt Lin also felt a wave of fear, finding the situation terrifying just by hearing about it, and she admired them even more.

One had to be brave; if they had been frightened and the remaining two accomplices had noticed something wrong, it would have been hard to escape.

She sighed, turning her gaze to Uncle Lin. She saw that the three of them had already armed themselves. Lin Chunyan asked Lin Taohong to stay with Aunt Lin, while she intended to go along.

"I won't feel at ease until I see them caught with my own eyes."

Everyone knew she had some skills, so no one objected. Only Wang Yingniang held her hand tightly, insisting on going as well.

Leaving the house, Uncle Lin went to find Zhao Huaizi. Zhao Huaizi was even more alert when sleeping, and seeing the situation, he immediately followed them without a word.

When they reached the village entrance, expecting a fierce battle, they found the two waiting men had fallen asleep, leaning against the tree where Mrs. Zhang often gossiped, snoring soundly.

Erlang kicked them, and before they could react, Zhao Huaizi tied them up with a rope from behind, gagged them to prevent shouting, and hung them from the tree.

Realizing they had been exposed, the two men could only mumble incoherently, but no one removed their gags. When they got annoying, Erlang struck them with a stick.

Zhao Huaizi returned with Lin Chunyan, bringing out the unconscious man and carefully inspecting the bamboo shoots in the pit. He managed a rare joke, "You didn't catch any game, but you caught people. Not a waste, then."

Lin Chunyan forced a smile, feeling utterly exhausted. Dawn was approaching, and soon they would have to report to the authorities, which would involve a lot of trouble.

Not long after, as the sky began to lighten, early risers heading to the fields saw the two hanging men and Erlang. Everyone knew something serious had happened.

Those who enjoyed spectacles ran to the tree, seeing the men had been beaten and cheered.

"These people are worse than beasts, targeting a household of women. Fortunately, they didn't succeed."

"Yes, let's see whose sons these are; their families will surely come to make a fuss."

Soon, Constable Sun arrived with his men. Lin Chunyan was familiar with the process, and since there was no curfew, they could enter the city at any time.

Constable Sun, having been on duty yesterday, saw Lin Chunyan looking weary, followed by Uncle Lin and Zhao Huaizi, and knew something had happened. He quickly followed them.

He saw one man unconscious, bleeding profusely from his leg, while the other two, though not as badly injured, had clearly been beaten and were still hanging.

On the way, Uncle Lin briefly explained the events to Constable Sun, "These people are despicable. If not for the trap we dug, who knows what might have happened."

This wasn't an unfounded claim. Constable Sun, being friends with Lin Chunyan, knew how to handle the situation. He instructed his men to take the three away for questioning.

Hearing the locals discussing, saying the men weren't from their village but looked familiar, Constable Sun took note and asked a few more questions.

Turning to Lin Chunyan, he said, "They must have been watching you for a while. We don't know if there are more accomplices."

Lin Chunyan had guessed as much. Since they weren't from nearby villages, how did they know there were only a few young ladies at her home and that the business was thriving?

This couldn't help but raise suspicions.

Mrs. Zhang, however, was not so rational. She cursed loudly under the tree, joined by Aunt Lin and others who were close to the Lin family, all berating the thieves.

If anything had happened to the Lin family, the helpers would have suffered as well. Goudan's Mother regretted that Goudan's Father had gone to look for hawthorns and couldn't help.

She turned to Zhao's Wife, asking if she hadn't heard anything last night.

Their houses were so close; if she had heard earlier, she could have helped.

Zhao's Wife's face darkened, "Why are you looking at me? My dogs didn't bark either. Those scoundrels drugged Yan Niang's dog and ours too! They must have scoped out the area."

Had she known earlier, she could have helped and perhaps earned favor with Lin Chunyan, repairing their relationship.

Recently, Lihua had sent a letter asking about the matter she had entrusted to Zhao's Wife. Her aunt was waiting for someone to come.

It was about wanting Lin Chunyan to serve as a maid to help secure her aunt's position.

This wasn't an easy task. Zhao's Wife had probed several times, but neither Lin Chunyan nor Lin Taohong was willing to go.

After the commotion, Lin Chunyan didn't linger. She checked on Little Hei again, relieved to find the puppy had only been drugged.

Wang Yingniang was concerned for Lin Chunyan, suggesting she rest, "Don't go to the market today. Take a day off."

But Lin Chunyan shook her head, "I'm fine. There are people waiting in town. We can't show fear now."

Just as she was about to leave, Sun Anyuan arrived with a group from the security company, making quite a scene.

These guards, due to their constant travel, were all strong and robust, clearly different from ordinary men.

They had come because they had seen Constable Sun arrest the three men in town and learned it was related to Lin Chunyan's family.

Sun Anyuan thought that with only a few young ladies at home, it might not be safe. With nothing to do that day and Constable Sun's request to look after them, Sun Anyuan led the team over.

Whether to boost morale or help repair the house, it was important to show that they had support. Anyone with ill intentions should think twice.

With this, Lin Chunyan decided not to go to the market. She unloaded her things, watching as the men quickly deepened the trap, doing work equivalent to what Mrs. Zhang could do in several days. She was deeply grateful.

Sun Anyuan said, "It's nothing. Your stall feeds us every day; there's no need for such formality. Besides, my mother still talks about the food you made during the female household registration."

This was something that had happened not long ago. Lin Chunyan entrusted Constable Sun to establish a female household for her. To thank them, she inevitably sent some food over.

It turned out this matter was quite complicated. After Uncle Lin agreed, they went to see Uncle Lin San, but he stubbornly refused, stiffening his neck in disagreement.

He couldn't understand and kept muttering, "Why must we establish a female household? Is it so hard for our family to accommodate them?"

Uncle Lin didn't expect such a strong reaction. The two brothers sat facing each other for a long time. It was only when Silang saw the situation wasn't right that he went to fetch Lin Chunyan.

Lin Chunyan thought for a moment and didn't rush over. She took many things from home, thinking that Mrs. Li liked dyed cloth. Now Wang Yingniang had dyed some red and green, so she took some of it.

Knowing Mrs. Li's preferences, she was hiding inside watching the commotion, which had nothing to do with her. But when she saw Lin Chunyan with the cloth, her eyes lit up.

She no longer minded that Silang was a busybody and simply invited Lin Chunyan to sit down.

Lin Chunyan first called out to Uncle, then repeated the prepared speech about how establishing a female household would keep them as one family in the future.

Mrs. Li, fondling the cloth, gently nudged Uncle Lin, "Alright, don't make things difficult for Yan Niang and the others. The main branch wants to establish a female household for security. Who knows if your elder brother will return and see all these things, stirring up bad thoughts."

The more Lin Chunyan interacted with Mrs. Li, the more she found her to be an interesting person. Uncle Lin, embarrassed by what she said, only looked at Lin Chunyan, afraid she might get angry.

But Lin Chunyan smiled, "Auntie, you're right. I know the uncles are good people, but we can't stop those with ill intentions."

Uncle Lin, squeezed between the two, felt ashamed and hung his head, returning to the house without mentioning opposition again.

Seeing him like this, Lin Chunyan asked Uncle Lin to take her to the Village Headman's house.

Zhang, the Village Headman, was a fair man. His family supported scholars, and he often cared about reputation. Hearing about the establishment of a female household, he was somewhat surprised.

After further explanation, he finally took the document with his seal to Constable Sun, repeatedly thanking him and making extra delicious food for his family.

With this, the establishment of the female household was complete. Seeing the contract, Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong were naturally very happy. One could tell they hadn't slept all night from the dark circles under their eyes the next morning.

From then on, Lin Chunyan's interactions with Constable Sun's family became even closer.

Sun Anyuan first helped inspect the house. "I think we should dig some traps outside the wall and raise the wall higher. We should also add another lock to the back yard."

Lin Chunyan nodded in agreement, thinking that since she wasn't going to set up her stall today, she would use the money to ask Wang Yingniang to buy some meat and invite Uncle Lin and the others over, planning to do everything at once.

The back yard also needed to be reorganized. Inside were the acorns used for making jelly tofu, which Lin Chunyan covered first, fearing they might be seen.

Sun Anyuan, seeing the importance of the items inside, asked Lin Chunyan before leading Dazhuang in. The two didn't touch or look around, letting Lin Chunyan supervise the entire process, saying they didn't know how to repair it.

Lin Chunyan found these people very straightforward and didn't refuse their kindness, helping to pass tools and occasionally chatting.

Dazhuang was an outgoing and cheerful person. He said that after eating Lin Chunyan's noodles for so long, he wanted to try something different, and this was a good opportunity.

"Anything you cook will surely taste great," Dazhuang scratched his head, "Last time, Brother Yuan said that after eating your chestnut stewed chicken, he couldn't sleep all night because it was so fragrant."

Sun Anyuan, standing nearby, felt a bit awkward, "You really are something, bringing me into this. Just wait until we eat what Lin Chunyan cooks, then we'll see."

Lin Chunyan watched them finish the back yard and then went to help in the kitchen.

Mrs. Zhang returned late from under the big tree, having chatted there for a long time. She didn't know about the changes at home and was surprised when she entered, "Goodness, these men are different. They dug the holes so quickly, much faster than I could have done alone."

She then went into the kitchen and saw that Lin Chunyan had already started cooking. The pork had been sliced and was being fried in oil. She stretched her neck to look, not knowing what was being made, but the sight of the fried meat made her mouth water.

Outside, four or five men, smelling the fragrant aroma, worked less diligently, eagerly awaiting lunch.

After frying the meat slices, Lin Chunyan prepared a sauce. For the crispy fried pork, the sauce was the most important part. She added shredded carrots, and the dish was ready.

It looked oily and delicious. Lin Taohong waited eagerly by the side, immediately picking up a piece with her chopsticks as soon as it came out of the pan.

Everyone was used to her impatient manner. Lin Chunyan, seeing her savoring the meat, asked how it tasted.

"Delicious, the meat is crispy and the sauce is sweet and sour."

Lin Taohong ate one piece and picked up another, making Mrs. Zhang, who was beside her, very envious. She followed suit and put a piece of crispy fried pork in her mouth.

Lin Chunyan decided to give them some more, "There will be many people outside later, so we might have to eat later. Let's eat while we work."

Everyone knew her temperament and didn't hesitate, setting aside some for her to eat later when she had free time.

Lin Chunyan had already cut the pork loin into finger-sized strips and marinated them with various seasonings. Lin Taohong, eating while looking over, asked what she was making.

"I've never seen pork loin cut into strips before."

Lin Chunyan laughed, "There are many ways to cook pork loin. Next time, I'll fry it and serve it in a bun; it's a real treat."

The marinated pork loin was placed in the oil and fried twice, then removed. Some oil was left in the pot, and the prepared sauce was poured in, along with the fried pork loin, and stir-fried.

Once it was almost cooked, sesame seeds were sprinkled on top before serving.

The sweet and sour flavor immediately captivated Lin Taohong and Mrs. Zhang, who exclaimed that such delicious food should have been made earlier.

Lin Chunyan planned to prepare several hearty dishes because the few men who came could eat a lot, especially after working for so long. Including Uncle Lin, Erlang, and the others, she feared that making too little wouldn't be enough.

Lin Chunyan then asked Lin Taohong to invite Uncle Lin, "Last time, Uncle Lin helped make many chairs and tables and didn't charge much."

Mrs. Zhang didn't say anything else, just asked Lin Taohong to bring Silang along.

She now got along particularly well with Silang. Despite the age difference, they knew all the village gossip and exchanged information frequently.

Silang was delighted when Lin Taohong came to call and dragged Uncle Lin to go. Thinking for a moment, he looked at Mrs. Li, "Mother, why don't we let Wulang come along too?"

In the past, Mrs. Li would have refused outright, but last time when Lin Chunyan came to thank them, she brought many things. Mrs. Li, in a huff, said she wouldn't eat them.

But in the middle of the night, she was so hungry that she secretly ate a lot from the kitchen. The next day, Silang shouted that a thief had entered the house.

Silang's loose tongue was something she greatly feared, dreading that he might blabber and reveal the truth about the thief in their home, which would be disastrous. She had no choice but to take the blame.

Now, hearing these words, she couldn't argue back, only allowing Silang to hold Wulang's hand and take good care of him.

She also wondered if, when the three of them returned, they could bring some food with them.

Lin Fengdie hid inside the house, peeking through the papered window, able to see only vague outlines of people outside, yet she felt that Lin Taohong was different from before.

The last time the sisters met seemed to be during the Qixi Festival, when Lin Fengdie, feeling overshadowed by Lin Taohong's cleverness, went home gloomy and wept bitterly.

Since then, she had stayed in her room, diligently learning skills from Li Shi, rarely venturing out.

She disliked mingling with the villagers, only occasionally speaking to the Zhang family's young lady, though even this relationship was strained as the Zhang family's young ladies were not fond of Lin Chunyan and her family.

Seeing the people leave, Li Shi entered the room, and Lin Fengdie began to complain, "Mother, why did you let them go to the main house again? It's so lively there; they will surely show off. Why invite such trouble?"

Li Shi, hearing this, realized how much Lin Fengdie now detested the main house, even more than she did.

She knew it would be impossible to change Lin Fengdie's attitude, especially since the main house was destined for success. While they didn't need to be overly friendly, they mustn't offend them.

Unfortunately, she had come to this realization too late and hurriedly explained her thoughts to Lin Fengdie.

Lin Fengdie hadn't expected Li Shi to change her stance and pouted, "Mother, why do you speak well of them? Why don't those thieves go to other houses instead of stealing from them? Isn't it because they are too showy? Even our village headman knows to keep a low profile."

Hearing this, Li Shi knew who had told Lin Fengdie and inwardly resented the Zhang family's young lady for stirring up trouble. Yet, she couldn't bear to part with the 300 coins.

She felt a deep sorrow, having spent so much effort teaching the family's traditional skills, only to earn 300 coins, while Lin's second aunt and Sun's wife earned 600 coins just by helping Mrs. Zhang with chores. Where was the justice in this?

Each lost in their own thoughts, mother and daughter barely touched their evening meal. When Silang and the others returned, they found the room dark and silent.

Silang quickly called out to his mother, showing her what they had brought back, "Yan Niang made quite a bit of food today. There was some left over, so we brought it back for us."

Worried that Li Shi might think it was leftovers, he added, "Yan Niang set this aside beforehand; no one has eaten it, it's very clean."

After being hungry for so long, Li Shi felt her stomach rumble. She got up and glanced at the dishes, each one looking delicious and making her mouth water.

"Go call Die Niang to eat with us."

When Lin Fengdie arrived, she still looked unhappy, intending to eat perfunctorily, but the moment she tasted the food, its sweet and fragrant flavor filled her mouth, making her reach for another bite.

Li Shi was the same, and the two of them ate enthusiastically, taking turns with their chopsticks.

Silang and Uncle Lin didn't leave, sitting there watching, unable to eat, and only talking about the news they had heard at the table.

Even after having eaten several times, Lin's second uncle and the others were still surprised by the abundance of the meal, finding it too lavish.

Dazhuang felt uneasy, "Lady Lin, I was just joking. Why did you prepare so much food? You've really gone to too much trouble."

Lin Chunyan brought out the last dish, "As the saying goes, it's hard to help someone in need. We are deeply grateful for your help. This is just some food, and we didn't even serve wine, knowing you all have work to do later."

After Lin Chunyan spoke, Lin's second uncle stopped being polite and urged everyone to start eating.

Sun Anyuan mentioned Little Hei, "We should train him specifically. He shouldn't eat anything given by strangers."

Lin Chunyan asked immediately, "Where can we get training?"

Dazhuang and the others laughed, pointing at Sun Anyuan, "Our Sun Biao can do it. If you give Little Hei to him for a few days, he'll definitely transform."

Lin Chunyan looked at Sun Anyuan, who nodded slightly, "If you trust me, feel free to leave Little Hei with me."

Mrs. Zhang immediately went to fetch Little Hei from his doghouse. Just waking up, Little Hei was weak, whimpering pitifully.

Lin Chunyan patted and comforted Little Hei, feeding him some meat bones before handing him over to Sun Anyuan.

With a rare half-day off, Lin Chunyan planned to make candied fruit preserves.

They still had some hawthorns and some crab apples, which were similar to hawthorns but even more sour. However, they could be used to make jam.

Making hawthorn preserves wasn't difficult, but the jars needed to be sterilized beforehand. After removing the seeds from the hawthorns, add rock sugar and white sugar.

The most crucial step was steaming the mixture, sealing the jars tightly afterward, and immediately inverting them to expel air, ensuring the preserves would last a long time.

Stored in the cellar, the preserves would remain fresh even into the next summer, when hawthorns weren't in season.

Dog Egg's father, unaware of the events in the village, came early to Dog Egg's grandmother's house after Lin Chunyan asked him to buy hawthorns.

Seeing Dog Egg's father, Dog Egg's grandfather was startled, thinking something serious had happened, which frightened the whole family. Upon learning that he wanted to buy hawthorns, Dog Egg's grandfather slapped his thigh.

"What's worth buying? The mountains are full of wild hawthorns. Kids find them too sour, and birds eat them for free. If you want them, just pick them; no need to talk about buying."

Dog Egg's father quickly explained, "Our village's Yan Niang, who sells food at the dock, is doing very well. She wants to use hawthorns to make food and insists on paying for them to avoid any gossip."

Hearing this, Dog Egg's grandfather pondered for a moment, "If that's the case, we shouldn't just pick them for free. But these hawthorns grow wild in the mountains, unattended. How can we buy them?"

Dog Egg's father suggested, "Why not let anyone in the village who has free time pick them, and I'll buy them by weight."

This way, if the village had any objections, it would be an internal matter, not involving Lin Chunyan's family.

Dog Egg's relatives thought this was a great idea, and his aunt and two younger aunts grabbed baskets, eager to start picking.

Dog Egg's grandfather reminded them, "Pick only the good ones, not the bad ones."

He then asked his wife to inform the village headman about this.

Dog Egg's father waited at home, and soon people started coming to inquire about buying hawthorns. After understanding the details, they exclaimed and rushed home to grab baskets and head to the mountains.

It was like manna from heaven. Even the children, who were playing outside, were called back by their parents. Hearing that picking hawthorns would earn them maltose, the children were excited and competed to pick as many as possible.

Dog Egg’s father originally thought he would have to stay at his father-in-law's house for another night, but by mid-afternoon, they had already collected several baskets of hawthorns.

Seeing that it was enough, Dog Egg’s father didn’t linger any longer, and Dog Egg’s grandfather helped them carry the hawthorns back to their village.

When Lin Chunyan saw how many hawthorns they had brought back, she was overjoyed. Dog Egg’s grandfather, fearing they wouldn’t need so many, offered to take the surplus back with him.

This showed what a straightforward person he was, and Lin Chunyan appreciated dealing with such people. She hurried to the kitchen to fetch the hawthorn slices she had made earlier and also brought out some freshly made hawthorn jam.

"These are all things made from hawthorns. I still think it’s not enough. If you have more on your side, please collect more for me; I can use them all."

Dog Egg’s grandfather initially thought her tone was too ambitious, having only heard from Dog Egg’s father about how capable this young lady of the Lin family was, without mentioning that she might be prone to exaggeration.

However, after tasting the hawthorn jam, his thoughts were immediately dispelled, realizing he had seen too little of the world.

"There must be quite a bit of sugar in this jam, yet the taste is so good. I think it’s no worse than candied hawthorn skewers."

Moreover, candied hawthorn skewers could only be made in winter, unlike this hawthorn jam, which, as Lin Chunyan mentioned, could be stored for a long time.

"You’re a capable young lady. When I get back, I’ll collect more hawthorns for you. We don’t have much else in our mountains, but wild fruits are abundant. Do you need anything else? I’ll find it for you."

Lin Chunyan thanked him, mentioned some names of wild fruits, and gave Dog Egg’s grandfather a few jars of hawthorn jam to take home and share with his family.

"I can’t accept these. With so much sugar, I know they must be expensive. Young lady, while you’re generous, you should still be cautious."

This was a reminder. Dog Egg’s father had heard about the burglary at their house when he first entered the village and noticed that the courtyard wall had been rebuilt higher. He wished those thieves were right in front of him so he could give them a good beating.

Dog Egg’s grandfather meant well, advising Lin Chunyan to be more discreet in the future and avoid showing off wealth to prevent attracting the attention of unscrupulous people.

Lin Chunyan understood his sincere advice and took it to heart.

As they left her house, Dog Egg’s grandfather said to Dog Egg’s father, "I see this young lady is capable. Her business will likely grow better. Since you’re from the same village, and she has asked for your help, you should put in extra effort."

Dog Egg’s father knew his father-in-law was a man of great insight and quickly agreed, "Not to mention, Yan Niang once saved Dog Egg’s life. If it weren’t for her method, we might not even have Dog Egg now. We wouldn’t dare to have any ulterior motives."

Similar advice was given at Sun Lady’s house. Li Auntie thought even further ahead, telling Sun Lady to keep quiet after leaving the Lin family’s gate and not to say anything to anyone.

"The authorities haven’t managed to pry any information from those three thieves yet. Just wait and see, someone from our village must have talked to outsiders. Otherwise, how could those thieves know so much, even down to how many dogs Zhao Lady next door has?"

Sun Lady understood the gravity of the situation. She used to chat and work under the big tree, but now she went there less often, keeping everything she saw during the day to herself.

After a nap, Zhang Xiaojie came to find Lin Chunyan early. Before he even reached the village entrance, he heard about the burglary at their house, which scared him half to death. He rushed to their doorstep.

Seeing that everyone was safe, Zhang Xiaojie let out a sigh of relief and asked Mrs. Zhang, "Where are those thieves now? I’d break their legs if I got the chance."

"Their legs are already broken, and they’re locked up in jail. They’re still being questioned to see if they have any accomplices."