This courtyard was rarely so “clean and neat” even the corn cobs usually piled by the door for kindling were gone.
On his way over, he had already heard the gist of what happened. His gaze shifted and fell on Lin Yinyin.
Seeing her bandaged arm and the four needles in her hand, he frowned slightly.
This girl had been abused since childhood without ever uttering a complaint. She didn’t look like someone capable of pulling off something this big.
While the brigade leader was sizing Lin Yinyin up, she was also secretly observing the man standing beside him.
The man stood straight as a pine, imposing and steady. His eyes were deep, and the faint curve at the corner of his lips carried a familiar light smile.
It’s him!
Lin Yinyin immediately lowered her head to hide the shock in her eyes.
Her mind raced if the man exposed her, how would she deal with it?
Just then, the brigade leader spoke. “Where are Lin Baogui and Lin Xiulan?”
He thought to himself: Lin Family Village had always had good security. A thief bold enough to empty out a house like this was unheard of. But with Lin Baogui’s troublemaking nature, it might very well be him.
Some villagers quickly answered:
“Brigade Leader, we’ve checked several households no sign of them.”
“I even went to the homes of the ones who usually hang out with Lin Baogui. He’s not there.”
“We checked his grandparents’ place and relatives too. Nothing.”
After a moment of thought, the brigade leader fixed Lin Yinyin with a scrutinizing look. “Do you know where your brother and your mother went?”
Lin Yinyin shrank back slightly under his gaze. She had already steadied her emotions. She decided to gamble.
To bet that the man wouldn’t meddle.
So she said timidly, “I… I don’t know…
I only know that before I left, my stepmother said she’d found a good match for me. She scolded me for not appreciating it, said the man was strong and well-built, well-endowed and capable…”
“Cough, cough!” The brigade leader interrupted her.
There was still an outsider standing beside him. The Chaoyang Brigade’s fierce reputation couldn’t be spread around.
“Wait a moment,” the brigade leader said, turning to the man with a hint of courtesy in his tone. “Comrade Li, I still have some village matters to deal with. I’ve noted what you mentioned earlier.”
“Alright.” The man responded with a single word, then cast a meaningful glance at Lin Yinyin.
Feeling his gaze, she glared back internally: What are you looking at? Can’t you just pretend you’re blind?
Seeing her fierce yet frightened little expression, a faint smile flickered in Li Jinye’s eyes. Without asking another question, he turned and left.
Only after he was gone did Lin Yinyin let out a breath of relief.
Go on! Get lost! Never see you again!
Once Li Jinye had left, the brigade leader said, “Continue.”
“Oh? Oh! Where was I? Right, my stepmother scolded me for not knowing what’s good for me. She said the man was strong and well-endowed”
“Shut up!” Lin Dayong cut her off before she could finish.
“Brigade Leader, don’t listen to this girl’s nonsense.”
“You shut up!” the brigade leader snapped at Lin Dayong before turning back to Lin Yinyin. “Go on.”
Lin Yinyin seemed frightened, her voice trembling. “I… I…”
“Dead girl! Don’t talk about useless things!” Lin Dayong roared.
He had no desire to hear more about being “well-endowed and capable.” It was too damaging to a man’s pride.
“Then… then I don’t know anything else. I’m afraid of saying the wrong thing and getting beaten…” Her voice grew even more timid.
“Don’t be afraid,” the brigade leader softened his tone. “Say whatever you know. I’ll stand up for you.”
Lin Yinyin looked up, her eyes filled with trust. “Brigade Leader, my real father always told me you’re a man of your word, the most just person in the village. If I say it now and my brother Lin Baogui comes back and beats me… will you protect me?”
At the mention of her biological father, the brigade leader’s expression eased. “Yes. Speak. With me here, they won’t dare touch you.”
With that promise, Lin Yinyin bit her lip. “Before I left, both my mother and my brother were at home. But…
Before I left, my mother said she’d found someone for me to marry.
Then she looked at me with envy.
But not long after, her face suddenly changed, and she slapped me, telling me to go cut pig fodder.
I… I saw my mother’s cheeks were red. Was she happy for me, and then went to check on the match for me?”
Hearing this, Lin Dayong was confused. Wang Dasha didn’t need any “checking.” Today was the wedding day—they could just drag the girl over.
The brigade leader knew about today’s arrangement. He told Lin Dayong, “Find two men to go to Wangjia Village and see if your wife is there.”
Then he turned back to Lin Yinyin. “Anything else? Do you know anything about Lin Baogui?”
“I… I can really say anything?” she asked cautiously.
“Of course,” the brigade leader assured her. “You can say whatever you want. Your father won’t blame you. I guarantee it.”
“Alright. I… I often saw my brother climbing the wall, spying on Aunt Liu next door…”
The crowd fell silent.
Aunt Liu next door?
Wasn’t that Widow Liu?
Lin Yinyin continued, dropping another bombshell. “Last night he even peeked at her bathing.
I… I heard him muttering, saying, ‘So white… really want to try it…’
Could he have gone to… Aunt Liu’s house?”
“What? A grown young man peeping at a widow bathing?” The villagers were shocked.
“Sigh! Young men are full of hot blood. They can’t resist temptation.”
“But isn’t Widow Liu involved with Lin Dayong’s father?”
“Yeah. That loose woman’s waistband is never tight. If there’s money to be had, what does she care about grandfather or grandson…”
Before the woman could finish, they saw Lin Dayong raise his foot, about to kick Lin Yinyin.
Quick-witted, Lin Yinyin darted behind the brigade leader.
“Brigade Leader, my dad’s going to beat me to death!
Waaah! Dad, don’t hit me! I was wrong! I won’t talk nonsense anymore!
Aunt Liu didn’t drop her soap last night, my brother didn’t want to climb over to help her, and Aunt Liu wasn’t shaking her big white backside and twisting her thick waist! I won’t say anything anymore!”
The crowd: “…”
Child, you’ve already said everything you shouldn’t have.
Lin Dayong’s temples throbbed. Today he would beat Lin Yinyin to death if it was the last thing he did.
“Lin Dayong!” the brigade leader roared, stopping him.
Some of the women couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Lin Dayong, if your damn son fancies trash, who can you blame?!”
“Yeah! Why are you taking it out on a child? You might as well go check!”
“Exactly. What if the house wasn’t robbed what if it was done by your own family?”
“Right. Maybe he was sweet-talked and handed everything over to someone!”
Widows had always been the center of gossip, especially in a 1970s rural village. A flamboyant widow who wore red lipstick was even more disliked by the older women.
Lin Dayong, flushed with anger, shoved through the crowd and stormed toward Widow Liu’s house.
If Baogui wasn’t there, he’d beat Lin Yinyin to death and see what they’d say then.
But just as he reached the door, strange sounds drifted out from inside. His face turned deathly pale.
“Well? Why not go in? Maybe your son’s in there!”
“Yeah, open the door! Why’s it shut in broad daylight?”
“Exactly. Don’t tell me they’re doing business in there.”
Lin Dayong gathered his courage and kicked the door open.
The moment it flew open, two pale, naked bodies were exposed to the crowd.
It was Lin Baogui and Widow Liu.
The villagers gasped.
Seeing the room in disarray, filled with the smell of alcohol and sex, Lin Dayong’s vision went black.
Meanwhile, at the back of the crowd, Lin Yinyin’s lips curved slightly. She slipped away quietly and headed straight for the brigade leader’s house.
Breathless, she found Lin Zhaodi, who was cooking.
“Zhaodi, I… I have something urgent to tell you…” she panted, bracing herself against the doorframe.
“Why are you panicking? Catch your breath first!” Lin Zhaodi was the brigade leader’s second daughter the one Lin Baogui had always wanted to marry.
Lin Yinyin swallowed and deliberately raised her voice. “Zhaodi! My house was robbed!
The money, grain coupons, food, cloth everything’s gone! Even the big fat pig in the yard is missing!”
“What?!”
Lin Zhaodi sprang to her feet. The fire poker clanged to the ground.
Those things were supposed to be her betrothal gifts!
How could they just vanish?
Hearing the commotion, the brigade leader’s wife came out as well. “Zhaodi, I’ll go with you to take a look!” If everything was gone, their family certainly wouldn’t agree to this marriage!
As soon as she heard that, Lin Zhaodi grabbed her mother. “Mom, hurry!”
Then she turned to Lin Yinyin, her face darkening. “Lin Yinyin, stay here and watch the fire. Finish cooking the meal on the stove!”
“Oh… okay.” Lin Yinyin lowered her eyes obediently in response.