Chapter 190

Chapter 190

Shi Niang had been reluctant to speak to Lin Laodie during the entire trip, and now she didn’t want to talk either. Once she finally stood on the shore, she felt dizzy and unsteady.

She feared the boatman might still have ulterior motives, so she only relaxed after watching him walk away. Seeing Lin Guangzong lying on the ground, vomiting from seasickness, her heart ached.

All this was for the sake of earning more money, Shi Niang comforted herself in her heart. Once they succeeded, they would be able to live a prosperous life.

Lin Guangzong wouldn’t have to go without a few candies anymore.

Hearing Lin Laodie talk about giving up, Shi Niang felt a surge of irritation. "Are you an idiot? It’s almost New Year; no one keeps their shops open now!"

Lin Laodie was embarrassed by Shi Niang’s harsh scolding. On the boat, he didn’t dare act out, fearing the boatman’s intentions, but now he wasn’t afraid—he was too familiar with this dock.

He frowned, cleared his throat, and said, "Honestly, why can’t you speak properly now? And what are you wearing going out like that? If it weren’t for your clothes, that boatman wouldn’t have targeted us!"

Shi Niang was so furious she nearly fainted on the shore. Her hand trembled as she pointed at Lin Laodie, wishing she could slap him.

She was only wearing ordinary women’s clothing, and because the family didn’t have much money, her attire was very simple. She didn’t know where Lin Laodie’s words came from.

Was it her fault that the boatman leered at her?

She truly began to regret following Lin Laodie. Even the traveling merchant wasn’t as spineless as him.

She took a deep breath, but her anger wouldn’t fade, and she couldn’t help but pinch Lin Laodie’s waist a few times.

She rolled her eyes, thinking living with Lin Laodie like this forever would be too humiliating.

If she could actually get the money, she’d take Lin Guangzong and run far away, never having anything to do with Lin Laodie again.

If she really couldn’t leave, she wouldn’t take Lin Guangzong either; she’d find a way on her own.

The two of them were loudly arguing on the shore, while Yu Chuanfu observed the commotion. The dock wasn’t crowded in the winter chill, and only a few young boys with nowhere to play were frolicking beside him.

Shi Niang noticed him and thought they should first ask about Lin Chunyan and their situation, so she walked over and bowed.

"Happy New Year, sir. We’re here visiting relatives and would like to ask you a few things," Shi Niang asked Yu Chuanfu politely.

Yu Chuanfu studied them for a moment, suddenly recalling what Sun Anyuan and a few others had mentioned some time ago, and deliberately asked them many roundabout questions.

Shi Niang and Lin Laodie couldn’t have imagined that the people in this town were already on guard. Even if they didn’t speak in detail, Yu Chuanfu knew who they were.

He rolled his eyes, first scaring them, "I know the shop you mentioned; the food is quite good, but something seems to have happened recently."

As he spoke, he winked at the children playing nearby, "Go find your Uncle Sun and tell him I’ll be over to their house for a drink soon. The task he entrusted to me is done."

The young boy, about the same age as a stone, looked at Yu Chuanfu and then at Lin Laodie and the others, immediately understanding the hint.

Shi Niang, however, didn’t know what riddle they were playing, and quickly pressed, "Sir, do you know what happened to that shop?"

Yu Chuanfu wanted to stall for time, so he deliberately asked them, "You only said you’re here to visit relatives, but didn’t specify your relationship with them, so we can’t go into details."

"I’m her distant aunt," Shi Niang cleverly didn’t reveal Lin Laodie’s identity, thinking that since the incident had caused such a stir, perhaps Yu Chuanfu had heard about it.

Yu Chuanfu, whether he believed it or not, mentioned that the county magistrate had come by some time ago, "I don’t know what happened, but not long after, the shop closed."

Although there was no connection between the two events, when Yu Chuanfu mentioned them together, it sounded quite different to Shi Niang and Lin Laodie, and their expressions changed repeatedly.

Lin Laodie began to curse in his heart, thinking that Lin Chunyan and the others were really unlucky. Even opening a shop could lead to trouble, and somehow they managed to offend the county magistrate.

Unable to hold back, Lin Laodie cursed, "I knew young ladies can't handle things. If my son had opened such a business, it would definitely be thriving."

Lin Guangzong, hearing his name mentioned, puffed out his chest proudly and nodded.

Yu Chuanfu couldn't stand it anymore, "You haven't been in touch for many years, have you? The ladies and their daughters are pitiful. Originally, they didn't need to go out in public to run a business, but unfortunately, they encountered a scoundrel worse than pigs and dogs, who abandoned his wife and daughter to follow a seductress, and even had a son with her."

Yu Chuanfu deliberately said this and asked Shi Niang, "Such a big event, as a sister, haven't you heard of it?"

Shi Niang's face was full of embarrassment, unable to nod or shake her head, she could only mumble evasively.

Yu Chuanfu didn't let them off, specifically pointing at Lin Laodie and Shi Niang, "Speaking of which, you are about the same age, and somewhat similar, but looking at your faces, you don't look like such deceitful folks."

The more he spoke, the more uncomfortable Shi Niang and Lin Laodie felt, their smiles nearly vanished.

"Fortunately, the people in their village are quite decent. They said if they see that scoundrel worse than pigs and dogs, they would give him a good beating."

After saying this, he spat on the ground in disgust, "I might be a bit blunt, don't take offense. Even people like us are furious when we hear about it!"

Lin Laodie couldn't stay any longer, feeling like needles were pricking his back, being pointed at and cursed but unable to retort.

Yu Chuanfu was particularly enthusiastic and said to Shi Niang, "Seeing you're here to visit relatives, I'll give you a tip. When you meet your sister later, just curse that scoundrel fiercely, saying the child is no good—sister, don't think my words are harsh. Think about it, with parents like that, what good can the child be!"

Lin Laodie couldn't listen anymore. In his eyes, Lin Guangzong was perfect in every way. Yu Chuanfu insulting him right in front of him made him jump up and retort.

"You're really something! I wasn't talking about your son, why are you so eager to claim it?" Yu Chuanfu frowned, feigning ignorance, "You came to ask for information, I kindly told you, and now I have to endure this cursing. Is there no fairness?"

Seeing some passersby looking over, Shi Niang, though she also wanted to curse Yu Chuanfu fiercely, kept her cool and pulled the cursing Lin Laodie forward.

Yu Chuanfu was actually insinuating. Seeing Lin Laodie cursing out loud, he had a reason to continue cursing, following them, cursing all the while.

A few familiar people saw Yu Chuanfu and, afraid he might be outnumbered, joined in.

When it was just Yu Chuanfu alone, Lin Laodie and Shi Niang weren't afraid, but with more people, they immediately restrained themselves.

"It's all just a misunderstanding," Shi Niang gritted her teeth and apologized, "We're leaving now."

Yu Chuanfu estimated the time was about right and casually returned to the shore, saying something to the young boy beside him. The child glanced over a few times and then ran off.

He was afraid it wasn't safe and had the young boy hurry to the village.

"That old scoundrel," Lin Laodie's chest was still heaving heavily after walking a long distance, clearly very angry, and he spat on the ground in disgust, "If it weren't for the matters at hand, I would definitely argue with him."

Shi Niang directly poured cold water, "If you had the courage, you wouldn't have been silent on the boat earlier."

But she also thought Yu Chuanfu was really too much, cursing their Lin Guangzong without cause.

"It's all because I didn't come back," Lin Laodie now had some regrets, "All the dirty water is being thrown at me by those ladies and their daughters."

He never thought he was wrong; clearly, it was Mrs. Zhang's fault!

Who made her a barren hen!

"It's a shame we arrived too late," Lin Laodie barely suppressed his anger, feeling deeply regretful, "I don't know if the business can be reopened in the future."

Shi Niang didn't think that much, "Even if the business can't be reopened, they likely have a good amount of money. It's just a matter of whether it's easy to get it from them."

She glanced sideways at Lin Laodie, "Don't get soft on us later, making us go through all this trouble for nothing."

Lin Guangzong then tugged at Lin Laodie's sleeve, "Dad, you promised to get me some candy."

Lin Laodie quickly agreed, "Good boy, I remember. I'll get you the money for candy soon."

Thinking about the long journey and all the coins he'd already spent, he wasn't about to come back empty-handed.

"Let's head straight to the village!"

When Sun Anyuan got the message from the young boy, he knew something was up. He first sent Da Zhuang and some others to check things out, and after confirming that Lin Laodie had returned, he hurried over.

Da Zhuang was clever and went to find the Village Headman first.

Hearing this, the Village Headman acted like they were under siege. He told Zhang Zhuyu to round up all the able-bodied men in the village, especially Lin Chunyan and those from the second and third branches.

"I can't believe Lin Laodie actually had the guts to come back!"

The Village Headman's wife snorted coldly, "He's just here to reap the rewards. If he had any brains, he'd come back whining and making a scene, saying how hard it is for him, just to soften the hearts of the young ladies."

Once they soften up, the rest would be a piece of cake.

"All for your own good, helping you save money, after all I've sacrificed, knowing you're such a good child"—these words, said in various ways, could empty even the fullest pockets.

The Village Headman nodded, "Thank goodness Yan Niang and the others aren't such pushovers."

Zhang Zhuyu went around notifying everyone and returned to hear this, but she didn't quite agree, "It depends on who you're talking about. Yan Niang's always been a soft touch when it comes to us girls."

Especially towards her. Zhang Zhuyu used to keep to herself at home, hardly ever going out, not knowing much about the world, always wanting to be top dog.

But if Lin Chunyan hadn't taken her under her wing, she'd probably still be drifting along, or worse, married off to a place far from home.

The Village Headman knew Zhang Zhuyu's feelings for Lin Chunyan and agreed, "Yes, she really has nothing but good things to say about you young ladies."

When the villagers got wind of what was happening, they started gathering at the threshing ground, chatting in small groups. Nobody thought Lin Laodie would have the nerve, "He's got a hide as thick as a rhino's. What is he coming back for?"

When Lin Chunyan and the others arrived, many people looked at them with concern, even Uncle Lin and Second Uncle Lin frowned tightly beside them.

They'd been out in the yard making sauerkraut and pork stew when Zhang Zhuyu came over with the news, startling several young ladies who had come to help.

Lin Taohong and Wang Yingniang gripped Lin Chunyan's hands tightly, their fingers icy cold. Lin Chunyan, in turn, held their hands and patted them comfortingly.

"What are we scared of? This is our turf - what can they possibly do?"

She thought it was better to come early, to settle this matter clearly and never worry about it again.

When they reached the threshing ground and saw everyone's concerned faces, it warmed the ladies' hearts.

Mrs. Zhang jumped up first, her sleeves already rolled up, "Don't try to stop me later - I need to let off some steam."

Liu Niangzi and Second Aunt Lin chimed in, "We ought to give them a good thrashing to teach them a lesson, just don't go overboard."

Mrs. Zhao discussed tactics with Mrs. Zhang, "You go for the hair, and I'll tackle him around the middle."

But Mrs. Zhang shook her head, "We'll get to her later. First, I need to teach that bastard a lesson."

"Just don't kill anyone," the Village Headman, hearing this, felt a chill and quickly advised them to calm down, "After all, it's almost New Year."

"We know our limits," Mrs. Zhang assured the Village Headman, "Get some ropes ready - after we're done with them, we'll tie them up."

She then looked at Second Uncle Lin and Third Uncle Lin, "You two stay out of sight, or they'll start bawling and you'll go soft."

Second Uncle Lin had just opened his mouth to say something when Second Aunt Lin yanked him back.

Uncle Lin was also taken home by Li Shi, who turned back and said to Mrs. Zhang, "After you've tied them up, come find us, and we'll come out."

Even though she missed the excitement, Li Shi didn't feel any regret, especially with Lin Fengdie around. Just hearing her talk, you could picture how big the scene would be later.

At that moment, Sun Anyuan also hurried over. He took a small path and, with his fast pace, arrived much earlier than Lin Laodie and the others.

Seeing him arrive, Mrs. Zhang felt reassured, and even the Village Headman breathed a sigh of relief.

"I went to the dock to check, and only three people came."

Hearing this, the Village Headman reassured everyone, "Go about your business for now. When they show up, you can come out to help."

With only three people, there really wasn't anything to be scared of. The only uncertain factors, Uncle Lin and Second Uncle Lin, had already been taken back home. Second Aunt Lin and Li Shi would surely keep a close eye on them, not letting them out easily.

Even though there'd be some arguing later, the Village Headman had his wife bring water for Mrs. Zhang and the others to drink first.

Nobody was in the mood to do anything else. Even though the Village Headman told them to go back, they didn't move, just sitting under the big tree, chatting away.

Lin Chunyan noticed Sun Anyuan was sweating after his trip, so she handed him a handkerchief, "Wipe it off. Later, you might need to stop some folks. We can't let them kill him."

Lin Chunyan wasn't worried that they would suffer any losses, as almost the entire village had come out to help. What she feared was that Lin Laodie might be beaten to death by the people from their village.

Seeing her calm, Sun Anyuan admired her even more, happily taking the handkerchief.

Da Zhuang, standing nearby, couldn't help but be amazed. Originally, he didn't know about the connection between Sun Anyuan and Lin Chunyan. Even though Sun Anyuan often ran to Lin’s establishment and the village, he thought it was just like him, for the sake of food.

Later, when he heard Sun Anyuan was building a house in Qingshan Village, he was puzzled. It wasn't until he talked to the kitchen auntie that he found out why.

Of course, he was also relentlessly teased by the kitchen auntie for being so clueless.

Da Zhuang then remembered the clueless things he had done before, like every time Sun Anyuan went to talk to the Lin shopkeeper, he couldn't help but butt in with a few words.

Luckily, he and Sun Anyuan were close, only getting a few eye rolls and death stares. Looking back, it still gave him chills.

This time, even though he had a lot to say, he didn't interrupt the two of them, just talked with Lin Taohong and Wang Yingniang.

Lin Taohong had just been talking to Ding Hui Niang about something and took the opportunity to go home under the pretext of going to the bathroom. When she heard the noise outside, she rushed over with a knife.

The knife had obviously been sharpened to a shine, glinting brightly under the sun and snow, startling Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang.

"This won't do!" Lin Chunyan quickly stopped her.

"Where are they?" Lin Taohong was clearly the most agitated among them. "If they dare to cause trouble and ask for money, I'll drive them out."

Liu Niangzi, who had been talking over there, was also scared out of her wits by this scene, "You're even fiercer than your mother! Put that knife away quickly. The person coming back isn't your beast of a father."

Lin Taohong was puzzled, and while she was still suspicious, Lin Chunyan had already taken the knife away.

But no one felt comfortable with her holding it, so Sun Anyuan simply took it into his own hands.

However, seeing him holding the knife made others feel uneasy as well.

Liu Niangzi didn't dare to glance in that direction, explaining to Lin Taohong, "I don't know why everything is happening at once. This time, it's Zhao Laicai who's coming back!"

Zhao Laicai was Xing Hua's former father.

The gate at the village entrance wasn't opened, but through the gaps between the trees, one could see outside. Sure enough, Zhao Laicai was standing at the gate with a flirtatious young lady.

Zhao Laicai's expression was unpleasant, clearly not expecting to return to such a situation. He asked the men blocking the gate, "What are you doing? I'm also from this village. Why aren't you opening the gate?"

Not only was the door not opened, but they also noticed that a few people were carrying weapons.

Today, Wu Dalang and Li Youfu were guarding the gate. After Zhao Laicai finished speaking, he didn't even glance at Wu Dalang, but instead looked at his nephew, Li Youfu, "We're still relatives, what's the reason for this?"

Li Youfu stood firm, with no intention of opening the door for him. It was Wu Dalang who spoke first, "I remember Zhao Laicai sold the house."

Zhao Laicai once owned a house in the village, but after marrying his current wife, he deemed it too shabby. Moreover, since Zhao Laicai's previous wife, Xinghua’s mother, had died there, his current wife refused to live in it.

The couple had planned to buy a house in town, but they lacked the funds. Although Zhao Laicai's former residence in the village wasn't worth much, he had sold it anyway.

Old Zhou bought the house and used the yard to raise sheep, finding it more convenient than his own home.

Zhao Laicai was shocked to hear this and looked at the villagers inside the wall in disbelief, "Even if I sold the house, I'm still a genuine member of this village. Why won't you let me in?"

Everyone was reluctant to argue further, waiting for Lin Laodie to resolve the situation. They brought up the decision made by the Village Headman and the villagers to build the wall.

"This decision wasn't made by just one or two families. We've worked hard to build this wall to keep outsiders out."

Clearly, Li Youfu didn't recognize Zhao Laicai as his uncle and showed no intention of pleading for him.

When Zhao Laicai invoked the Village Headman and other villagers, he had no choice but to back down. He spotted Zhao Xinghua approaching and quickly pointed at her, "My daughter is here, let me follow her back."

Inwardly, he cursed Li Youfu and Mrs. Zhao's family, accusing them of ignoring family bonds and not recognizing who was closer.

When Zhao Laicai's previous wife, Xinghua’s mother, was ill, Mrs. Zhao had confronted him several times for not providing money for her medical treatment, finding him cold-hearted. Because of numerous past incidents, she had severed ties with Zhao Laicai.

Zhao Laicai felt embarrassed at the time, thinking many people were laughing at him. He chose to cut ties, convinced that his wealth made him superior to the rest of the family.

When Zhao Xinghua arrived, she didn't even glance at Zhao Laicai, only sizing up his current wife beside him, showing no intention of speaking.

Zhao Laicai's current wife had a complicated past. She had only heard that Zhao Xinghua was beautiful but never realized how stunning she was, which explained why she had been sold.

She never imagined that Zhao Xinghua would be fortunate enough to return after being sold. If they hadn't cut ties, Zhao Laicai's current wife might have been able to sell Zhao Xinghua again.

But that was just a fleeting thought. The pressing matter now was moving back to the village.

Living in town was becoming unsafe, and the rent had increased significantly. Expenses were mounting. Believing that Zhao Xinghua had returned with money, they hoped to get close to her and possibly obtain some funds.

As they were entangled in this situation, Dan the Kid spotted three small figures in the distance and quickly shouted to the people below, "They're coming, they're coming!"

Zhao Laicai didn't know who was coming, but he saw everyone immediately pick up their weapons. Even the young ladies at the back carried various items, especially the knife in Sun Anyuan's hand, which looked particularly sharp.

Zhao Laicai and his wife were instantly frightened, their legs trembling. They no longer acted as arrogantly as before, stepping aside and looking back.

Who could have such a grand presence that they managed to offend the entire village?

Mrs. Zhang had already rolled up her sleeves, watching the three figures approach. The smaller one, unable to walk far, was carried by Lin Laodie, looking quite pampered.

Mrs. Zhang's anger flared up. Since the two young ladies were born, Lin Laodie had never held them, let alone carried them while walking.

"Why are there so many trees ahead?" Shi Niang felt tired after the long walk, her stomach growling. Unfortunately, the food they brought had already been eaten.

They had been walking and stopping along the way, first cursing Yu Chuanfu repeatedly, then thinking about how to get money from Lin Chunyan and the others later.

Lin Laodie even made a harsh statement, "After all, I'm their father. They should kneel when they see me."

He thought it was simple. In the past, both Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong had been very filial to him.

He thought that if he could really get the money, it wouldn't be bad to move back home and build a small courtyard in the back for the two young ladies to live in.

Mrs. Zhang naturally couldn't stay at home any longer; he knew the principle that one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers.

The more Lin Laodie thought about it, the more excited he grew, as if those days were already within his grasp.

But he couldn't help noticing that the village in his memory was nothing like the present. He muttered in confusion, "I've only been gone for two or three years, but these trees weren't here before."

Shi Niang rolled her eyes, "How can you be so clueless? You can't even find your way home!"

Perhaps because he was about to live a better life, Lin Laodie felt his backbone straighten up instantly. He glared at Shi Niang, "If you can't speak properly, shut your mouth! Watch it, or I'll divorce you!"

Shi Niang had always known he was a tyrant at home, but she didn't expect him to get so cocky before even getting the money.

She had always been adaptable, so for the sake of the money, she bit her tongue and muttered through clenched teeth, "I'm just worried, thinking that Guangzong must be starving after the long journey. Take your time finding the way."

Lin Laodie just snorted.

As they got closer, they noticed that the trees had been planted by someone, with ropes tied between them, and a tightly shut gate at the village entrance.

A man and a woman stood at the gate. Lin Laodie looked closer and recognized Zhao Laicai, Xing Hua's father.

He didn't recognize the young woman beside him, but judging by their closeness, he could guess what was going on. He greeted Zhao Laicai with a smile.

Zhao Laicai was amazed by Lin Laodie's cluelessness. He hadn't even noticed the crowd standing by the gate and was still trying to fish for information here.

After a few words, Lin Laodie sensed something was wrong. Zhao Laicai seemed nervous, his eyes darting around, and Shi Niang had been quiet for a while, her body growing tenser by the minute.

Before he could ask, Lin Guangzong piped up in a clear voice, "Dad, what's that shiny thing over there?"

Lin Laodie glanced over and was shocked to see the previously shut gate now wide open, with the shiny object getting closer—it was the knife in Sun Anyuan's hand.

Even though it had been two years since they last met, Lin Laodie instantly recognized Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong at the front. The two looked like they were cut from the same cloth, their eyebrows raised, glaring at him with fierce expressions.

Lin Laodie's body stiffened, but his mind was sharp. He realized that the reason he had chosen to live with Shi Niang was because Mrs. Zhang's attitude was so unpleasant.

Shi Niang had already begun to back away quietly. She hadn't expected the whole village to be waiting here, ready to catch them like fish in a barrel.

She had no clue how the news had gotten out, fearing she might get dragged into it and end up in hot water.

"You beast! How dare you come back!" Mrs. Zhang rushed forward, ignoring Lin Guangzong in Lin Laodie's arms, and slapped Lin Laodie twice across the face.

The sharp sound of the slaps echoed loudly in the still air.

After delivering the slaps, Mrs. Zhang's hands ached, but she felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction, a feeling that made her want to slap Lin Laodie a dozen more times.

She was about to do just that, but Lin Laodie snapped back to reality. His face burned with pain, but what humiliated him more was the crowd of villagers standing behind Mrs. Zhang.

Many of them had been friendly with him, but now they all stood by Mrs. Zhang's side.

Not only were they watching coldly, but some were even clapping and cheering.

A surge of anger rose in Lin Laodie's heart. He never thought he had done anything wrong; instead, he blamed Mrs. Zhang for not bearing him a son, which had forced him to leave his hometown.

He put Lin Guangzong down on the ground and pushed him toward Shi Niang, who stood behind him. Even in this moment, he didn't forget to protect his precious son. After that, he prepared to fight Mrs. Zhang.

In the past, hitting a woman in the village was no big deal. If a man was upset outside, he would come home and kick his wife a few times.

Mrs. Zhang had always been tough. Once, when Lin Laodie came home and tried to do the same, she let out a loud cry and fought back.

Lin Laodie wasn't short, but he was thin, and back then, Mrs. Zhang had fought him to a standstill.

This time was different. Lin Laodie had been traveling without eating a proper meal, and having lost the upper hand, his momentum was significantly weaker.

But Mrs. Zhang was filled with rage, a fire that had been smoldering ever since Lin Laodie wrote his first letter.

Not to mention the humiliation of having been divorced before, Mrs. Zhang really slapped him repeatedly, leaving Lin Laodie with no strength to fight back, almost unable to stand, his mouth filled with a strong taste of blood.

The key was that there were people around who occasionally stepped in to assist, either pushing him or twisting his waist.

"What are you doing?!" Lin Laodie's speech was already slurred, but it was Mrs. Zhang behind him who tightly held Lin Guangzong and spoke up, "Is there no law anymore?!"

"What law?" Liu Niangzi spat out directly. Mrs. Zhang wanted to beat Lin Laodie to vent her rage, but she had no intention of letting Shi Niang off.

In her eyes, Lin Laodie was a beast, unforgivable, and Shi Niang wasn't much better.

After spitting, Liu Niangzi grabbed Lin Guangzong from Shi Niang's arms. The child was too young and had been wailing since the beginning.

But no one present had much pity for him.

Seeing the situation was not right, Shi Niang turned around and tried to run. This was completely different from what they expected. They thought they could strut back into the house relying on Lin Chunyan's father's status.

She hadn't run two steps before Liu Niangzi yanked her back. Lin Taohong had been watching from the sidelines. If it weren't for Qian Niangzi holding her back, she would have rushed out to help when Mrs. Zhang began.

Mrs. Zhang could beat Lin Laodie, but if Lin Taohong had acted, even if others knew the inside story, they would still think Lin Taohong was too aggressive.

But when Lin Taohong went to deal with Shi Niang, she didn't stop her, only reminding her not to cause any fatalities.

Lin Taohong had never felt so composed before. She spoke to Sun Anyuan about using a knife, and when Sun Anyuan refused, she turned to Lin Chunyan.

Lin Chunyan saw that Lin Taohong's eyes weren't too wild, and after whispering a few words in her ear, she nodded in agreement.

Shi Niang only saw a flash of white before her eyes, her legs giving way, and she fell to the ground with a thud.

Someone behind shouted "Good!" and another started clapping. Shi Niang, however, couldn't care less about the eyes staring at her, instinctively shutting her eyes tightly and screaming in fear.

The knife really came down at her. Just when Shi Niang thought her head was about to fall, she saw Lin Taohong's knife slice straight into her hair.

Shi Niang was so terrified that her whole body couldn't stop trembling. Lin Laodie, though in no position to help, also saw Lin Taohong rushing out with the knife, scaring him so much that his eyes rolled back and he almost fainted.

Unfortunately, before he could faint for long, Mrs. Zhang slapped him awake.

"Such a loser!" Mrs. Zhang, tired from slapping, took a short rest. Seeing Lin Laodie, who had just been scared by Lin Taohong rushing out with the knife, had wet his pants, a foul smell emanating from around him.

Lin Laodie really felt he had lost all face and dignity, not caring about Shi Niang screaming beside him, searching for Lin Chunyan in the crowd.

Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong had gone mad, but Lin Chunyan hadn't appeared yet, perhaps still holding some affection for him.

Soon, through his swollen eyes, he saw Lin Chunyan standing in the crowd.

Actually, Lin Chunyan wasn't standing far, right next to Lin Taohong. Unlike Lin Taohong, who was cutting Shi Niang's hair with a knife, she calmly held a pair of scissors in her hand.

The scissors had just been handed over by Ding Hui Niang.

Seeing Lin Laodie looking over, Lin Chunyan's lips curled into a smile, calmly handing the scissors to Lin Taohong beside her, taking back the knife.

"Use this to cut, the knife isn't sharp anymore."

The knife was almost polished to a shine, yet in Lin Chunyan's mouth, it was just not sharp.

Lin Laodie didn't know why, but seeing that smile on Lin Chunyan's face that had never appeared before, a chill ran through his heart.

Then, a scene unfolded that made his eyes widen in shock—Lin Chunyan stood in front of Lin Guangzong with that knife in her hand.

From the start, Lin Guangzong had been wailing loudly. But when he saw Lin Chunyan approaching with the knife, he was so terrified that he stopped crying, only daring to gasp in short breaths.

Lin Laodie watched, his eyes wide and teeth clenched in fury. He cherished Lin Guangzong above all else, and it was clear that these three had gone mad. He had been mistaken earlier, thinking that Lin Chunyan was the most composed among them.

She knew his weakness all too well, striking right where it hurt.

Lin Laodie no longer paid any attention to Mrs. Zhang beside him, nor did he think about how to fight back against her. He crawled a few steps forward, desperate to grab the knife from Lin Chunyan's hand.

"Don’t you dare do anything rash! This is your brother! Even after you marry, he’ll be the one to support you!"

"We’re family. Let your brother go, and we’ll live in peace. When you get married, I’ll give you a generous dowry!"

Several of Lin Laodie’s teeth had been knocked out, slurring his speech, but Lin Chunyan understood him perfectly.

She weighed the knife in her hand, her smile growing wider. "We’re family? And you’ll give me a dowry?"

Lin Laodie thought Lin Chunyan was softening and nodded eagerly.