Chapter 13: InjuredFeeling the heavy silver coins in her bosom, she breathed a slight sigh of relief. With these ten taels of silver, they could hold on a little longer.Recalling Mrs. Su’s words on her wedding day—that she would return to see them in a couple of days—she couldn’t help but sneer coldly. If they had actually believed her, the siblings would have been left to starve.Fortunately, she had some understanding of Mrs. Su’s character, so she wasn’t particularly disappointed.After wandering around the county town, she bought some salt. In this era, salt was not cheap, but as a daily necessity, it was indispensable. Then she bought some maltose candy. Since they had earned some money, it was a good time to reward everyone with a treat.She also purchased several catties of refined white flour. Their family used to eat it often, but ever since Lin Dazhuang passed away, they hadn’t had fine grains anymore. Everyone in the family, including herself, was still growing. If they truly had no money, there was nothing they could do, but whenever they had a little extra, they shouldn’t neglect their health.She deeply understood the importance of good health, especially in an era with limited medical resources. For ordinary poor people, falling ill was truly unaffordable. Rather than eating poorly, becoming weak, and spending money on medicine, it was better to invest in proper food and drink.Of course, this amount of grain wouldn’t last them many meals. The rest would have to be coarse grains bought from villagers. Given their current situation, they still had to rely mainly on coarse grains, with fine grains only occasionally.Without lingering after buying what she needed, she hurried home. Having walked the road to and from the county town many times, her pace was now quite fast.Arriving home, she found the courtyard gate closed and no one inside. Guessing they might have gone to the back hill to gather firewood, she picked up a firewood knife and headed there.From a distance, she heard arguing and Lin Qingmiao’s crying from the back hill. Her heart tightened, and she quickened her steps."Wang Erlang, don’t think you can bully us just because you’re older. This rabbit was caught in our trap. You can’t just snatch it away!" Lin Qingsong shouted angrily."I grabbed it before you did, so this rabbit is mine!""Bah! This rabbit was clearly caught in our trap. I was just about to grab it when you pushed me over and took it yourself. This isn’t catching a rabbit—it’s stealing!" Lin Qingmiao cried out tearfully.Lin Qingsong clenched his fists, his face pale with anger. "Not only did you steal our rabbit, but you also hit someone. You’re completely unreasonable!""I just gave a little push. How is that hitting? Hey, you’re making things up!""You hit me! You did hit me! I’m injured!" Lin Qingmiao sobbed, her hand scraped and her ankle sprained, the pain piercing her heart. She had never suffered like this before.Hearing his sister cry, Lin Qingbai’s heart ached. "You call it a push, but with that much force, what’s the difference from hitting?"Wang Erlang grew furious at their words and glared fiercely. "So what if I hit her? Believe it or not, I’ll hit you too!"As he spoke, he took two steps forward and kicked Lin Qingbai in the stomach. The move was so fast that Lin Qingsong didn’t even have time to react. Lin Qingbai fell to the ground, his face pale, sweating profusely from the pain."Third Brother! Third Brother! Are you okay?" Lin Qingmiao cried, crawling toward him.Lin Qingsong didn't hesitate and rushed over, immediately tangling with Wang Erlang in a fight.Wang Erlang was Butcher Wang's second son, fourteen years old this year. His family never lacked food or drink, and he possessed considerable strength. Towering over Lin Qingsong by a significant margin, he stood even taller than the average adult.Fortunately, although Lin Qingsong lacked height and brute force, he was exceptionally agile. As he maneuvered against Wang Erlang, who relied solely on raw strength, he managed to hold his own without suffering any immediate losses.When Lin Qinghe arrived on the scene, she saw Lin Qingmiao crying pitifully, while Lin Qingsong and Wang Erlang were locked in combat.Without a second thought, she joined the fray. With a running start, she leaped into the air as she closed in, delivering a diagonal kick that sent Wang Erlang tumbling across the ground.Wang Erlang scrambled to his feet and, upon seeing it was Lin Qinghe, bared his teeth and snarled, "You dare hit me? Today, I'll beat you up too.""Then come on. Let's see who beats whom," Lin Qinghe retorted, her tone unwavering.Having trained in martial arts under Lin Dazhuang since childhood, her foundation was solid. Her movements were light and nimble, each strike and stance executed with precision. The contrast between her skilled techniques and Wang Erlang's reliance on brute force became immediately apparent.Soon, Wang Erlang had taken several kicks to the body and multiple punches to the face, leaving visible marks.Despite his robust physique, after enduring these blows, Wang Erlang began to falter. His steps retreated steadily, and he dared not approach again, his expression shifting uncertainly. Before today, he would never have believed he could lose to a woman. Being defeated by a young girl was deeply humiliating, but he knew better than to stubbornly face immediate disadvantage."Pah! You little brat, just you wait. I'll deal with you someday," he spat out before turning and sprinting away.Lin Qinghe did not give chase. Instead, she turned to check on her younger siblings."Qingmiao, stop crying. Tell your big sister where you're hurt.""My hand is scraped, and my ankle is twisted. Big sister, it hurts so much," Lin Qingmiao said, her eyes brimming with tears.Hearing this and examining the injuries, Lin Qinghe sighed in relief. "It could be worse. We'll apply some medicine at home, and you'll be fine after resting for a few days."She then turned to Lin Qingbai, who was clutching his stomach with a pained expression. Worried, she asked, "Qingbai, how are you?"Lin Qingbai could barely speak, so Lin Qingsong spoke up from the side. "Wang Erlang kicked him right in the stomach. It looks like he's injured."A wave of guilt washed over him—he had failed to protect his younger siblings, allowing both of them to get hurt."Let's go home first. We'll send for a doctor to take a look soon," Lin Qinghe said with a frown.Lin Qingbai was already frail, and Wang Erlang had struck without restraint. She feared the blow might have caused internal injuries. While external wounds were easier to treat, internal damage was another matter.The four returned home, and Lin Qingsong hurried off to fetch a doctor. The village had a barefoot doctor whose skills were mediocre but sufficient for common ailments like headaches or fevers. For emergencies, he could provide temporary care, but if the condition was serious, they would need to seek treatment from a doctor in the county town.Before long, Doctor Zhao was brought over."My goodness, what happened here? That boy Qingsong rushed me over in a panic without explaining clearly.""Qingbai was beaten up. Grandpa Zhao, could you please examine him? He's already weak, and I'm worried this might leave lasting problems," Lin Qinghe said, her face etched with concern.Doctor Zhao glanced at Lin Qingbai lying on the bed, his face deathly pale, and dared not delay for a moment. He hurried forward to check his pulse, then lifted his clothes to reveal a large bruise on his stomach. Instantly, he took a deep breath."Who did this to him? How could they be so ruthless? He's just a child—are they trying to kill him?" Doctor Zhao couldn't help but feel angry at the sight of the injury."It's not too bad, though. The bones aren't injured. The reason he's in such pain is because his body is too weak. I'll prescribe some medicine to promote blood circulation and reduce bruising. After taking it for a few days and resting well, he should recover. However, his constitution is inherently weak from birth, so he must avoid overexertion."

Eldest Sister of a Farming Family: Managing the Household, Farming and Opening Shops