Lin Qinghe stared blankly, lost in thought. She had grown up without parents in an orphanage, relying on her own diligence and hard work to get into university. After graduating and starting work, her life had been ordinary and uneventful. She didn’t understand what had happened to her—whether she had traveled through time or possessed someone else’s body. In any case, the moment she opened her eyes, she had become this Lin Qinghe, a girl from ancient times.
Not only that, but she had also witnessed the tragic lives of the four Lin siblings.
That year, her mother, Mrs. Su, had married her off to a fool for a hefty bride price. The fool was dim-witted but had a terrible temper, and he had beaten her to death.
Her eldest brother, Lin Qingsong, lacking proper guidance from a young age, had taken a wrong turn in life. He stole chickens and dogs, earning everyone’s scorn, and died in a brawl before he turned thirty.
Her younger brother had always been weak. At the age of ten, he caught a cold and passed away before he could be saved, never even getting the chance to grow up.
As for the youngest sister, she had followed their mother to the Wang family, only to be sold by them to a traveling merchant as a concubine. She died before she turned twenty.
After witnessing the lives of her siblings, she felt nothing but indignation.
“Mother, can’t you stay? I’ll take care of you when I grow up,” Lin Qingsong pleaded, tears welling in his eyes as he begged Mrs. Su, who sat by the bed.
Mrs. Su was dressed in a red padded jacket, her hair neatly combed and glossy, tied into a bun at the back of her head and adorned with a drooping hairpin. She looked festive and radiant.
She had always been beautiful, delicate and gentle, with an innate scholarly air. Of course, this was because she had originally been the daughter of a scholar and was somewhat literate. Among the village women, she was undoubtedly exceptional.
When Lin Dazhuang was alive, he had cherished his wife deeply, never letting her lift a finger with any chores inside or outside the home. That was how she had maintained such a rosy complexion.
Now, she stroked her son’s head with a troubled expression. “Mother has no choice. Each of you siblings has a mouth to feed, and I can’t support you all!”
Lin Qingsong looked up at her through his tears. “Then take me with you, Mother!”
But Mrs. Su shook her head. “Didn’t we agree? Mother can only take your sister. I can’t bring you along. But we’re all in the same village, not far apart. I’ll come back to see you often.”
Lin Qingmiao was only five years old and didn’t understand much, but seeing her brother cry made her uneasy. She glanced at her eldest sister by the door, then at Mrs. Su by the bed, and began to cry as well.
“Mother, I don’t want to go with you. I want to stay with Big Sister.” She had been raised by her eldest sister since she was little and didn’t want to be separated from her.
As they cried, eight-year-old Lin Qingbai also started weeping. He had always been frail and had spent more time by Mrs. Su’s side. “Mother, don’t you want me anymore? Why are you only taking Sister and not me?”
Mrs. Su sighed and was about to comfort them when a matchmaker, beaming with joy, walked in from outside. “Is the bride ready? It’s getting late—we must go now. We can’t miss the auspicious hour.”
Turning to see the crying children, she flicked her handkerchief and said, “What are you crying for? On such a joyous day, you’re only bringing bad luck. Your mother is marrying into the Wang family to live a good life, and you’ll benefit too. Butcher Wang’s family never lacks meat to eat.”
She was the matchmaker who had arranged the marriage.
Hearing this, Mrs. Su also worried about missing the auspicious hour. She stood up, reached out to take Lin Qingmiao’s hand, and called to Lin Qinghe at the door, “Qinghe, I’m leaving now. You must take good care of your two younger brothers at home.”
Upon hearing her words, Lin Qinghe snapped back to attention and took a deep breath.
“Mother, I have something to say to you. Granny Zhao, could you please wait outside for a moment? It won’t take long,” she said, then turned to her younger brother. “Qingsong, take your younger siblings outside first.”
Lin Qingsong looked at his unusually serious elder sister, then glanced at Mrs. Su. Immediately, he took one sibling in each hand and led them out the door.
Mrs. Su glanced outside, then turned back, somewhat impatient. “What is so important that it must be said now? The auspicious hour is about to arrive. Why don’t we talk about it in a couple of days when I return?” She didn’t think a child could have anything truly significant to say that required immediate attention.
Lin Qinghe stared at her steadily. “Mother, must you really marry? That Butcher Wang—everyone knows he’s not a man of good temper.”
Living in the same village, they knew each other well. Butcher Wang was a burly man with a fierce appearance, tall and strong. No one in the village dared to provoke him, and his violent temper was widely known.
“A man needs to have some temper to be considered a man. You’re still young and don’t understand these things.”
Lin Qinghe frowned. She couldn’t comprehend what was going through Mrs. Su’s mind. How could such a man be a good match? She pleaded earnestly, “Mother, you have sons and daughters. If we endure for a few years, we’ll grow up and be filial to you. The villagers are also easy to get along with; they help each other in times of difficulty. There’s really no need to rush into remarrying.”
Mrs. Su shook her head. “Our family has no farmland. Your father used to make a living by hunting. While he was here, we managed just fine. But now that he’s gone, there’s no income coming in. How are we supposed to survive?”
Lin Qinghe’s breath caught. This was indeed the biggest challenge their family faced now. Without income, they couldn’t even afford food.
“Alright, Qinghe, don’t say anymore. Once I marry into the Wang family, I’ll bring back some food from time to time. You siblings will manage. Just remember the kindness of the Wang family.”
Who would believe such words? Butcher Wang was not someone easy to deal with—he wouldn’t allow others to take advantage of him.
But she knew that no matter what she said now, Mrs. Su wouldn’t listen. She might even think Lin Qinghe was speaking ill of the Wang family. Mrs. Su was now single-mindedly focused on marrying into the Wang family to enjoy a life of comfort.
“Mother, are you really going to marry into the Wang family today?”
Mrs. Su grew annoyed. “Why are you being so unreasonable today? This was agreed upon long ago. How can you bring it up at the last moment? Step aside quickly and don’t delay the auspicious hour.”
Indeed, Lin Qinghe was subtly blocking her path, preventing her from leaving.
“Mother, I just want to advise you to think carefully. Marriage is no small matter. Once you enter the Wang household, if you regret it later, it will be too late. Not everyone will be like Father, accommodating you in every way. For so many years, you never had to lift a finger with any chores inside or outside the home.”
As a mother, Mrs. Su was actually quite inadequate. Before Lin Qinghe understood things, it was Lin Dazhuang who handled everything. Even Lin Qinghe was largely raised by Lin Dazhuang from a young age. Later, when Lin Qinghe grew sensible and felt sorry for her father, she took over all the household duties. Mrs. Su, as a mother, lived like a landlord’s wife, never having to do any manual labor.
It was precisely because of this that she, at thirty years old, still showed no signs of weathering. She was naturally good-looking, delicate and frail with a touch of scholarly refinement—indeed quite a rarity in the countryside. No wonder Butcher Wang took a liking to her, passing over younger girls and setting his sights on her instead.