No matter what the truth was, the most urgent thing now was to calm the villagers there was no way the scandal could be allowed to spread.
It absolutely could not affect the Chaoyang Brigade’s evaluations!
So, he made a quick decision. “Wang Fen, for forcibly marrying off your son, one laborer will spend three months digging stone, and the rest will attend ideological education for one month.”
Wang Fen’s face fell. She wanted to argue, but the brigade leader’s cold gaze forced her to retreat.
She still feared him. Last time, when the crazy girl from the neighboring village was killed by his son, the brigade leader managed to suppress the whole incident. Clearly, he had the skill to handle things.
After “sentencing” Wang Fen, the brigade leader turned to Lin Xiulan. “Lin Xiulan, for abusing your stepdaughter and deceiving for marriage and betrothal money, you are fined you must return the 50 yuan betrothal gift and make a public self-criticism at the village assembly.”
“What?!” Lin Xiulan was extremely unwilling.
“Why should I have to write a self-criticism? It’s the Wang family who bought the bride, and Wang the Fool also… I’m the victim here!”
“Victim?” The brigade leader sneered. “If you don’t accept my judgment, then get out of my Lin Family Village.”
“What?” Lin Xiulan immediately collapsed to the ground upon hearing this.
It was over! Everything was over!
She knew the brigade leader well. Once he said “get out,” there was no chance of compromise. This wasn’t a threat it was his genuine intention.
He was discarding her, disgusted that she had been with the Fool, and was abandoning her.
No she could not be driven out of Lin Family Village. It was just money; she could pay it back.
“Brigade Leader, I was wrong! I accept the punishment!”
“Mm.”
The brigade leader’s gaze then returned to Lin Yinyin.
Lin Yinyin met his eyes without a word.
She knew he must have figured something out.
But so what?
She had no intention of staying in Lin Family Village forever.
It was just that the brigade leader’s biased “punishment” was far too blatant.
One life was lost, and the punishment was just some simple ideological education? Hah she would not agree to that.
The brigade leader’s eyes stayed on her. He could see that Lin Yinyin’s eyes no longer held fear or timidity, but were now filled with determination.
“Lin Yinyin, do you want to return to the village together?” he asked.
“No, Brigade Leader. I’ll go to the cattle shed later myself.”
“Very well.” He said no more.
In his view, Lin Yinyin had only been bullied harshly and had played a small trick to escape her fate of being sold. Now she dared to resist, but she wasn’t recklessly bold.
He didn’t even suspect her in the matters of the village fire or the theft at Lin Family he had more important things to handle. With that, the brigade leader left with his men in a hurry.
Once the crowd dispersed, Wang Erhua came up beside Lin Yinyin and patted her shoulder, smiling. “Yinyin girl, well done! You finally punished those people.”
“Mm, Lin Yinyin has gotten some revenge,” she added.
“What?”
Wang Erhua hadn’t heard clearly, only thinking it odd who calls themselves by their own name?
“Nothing, Auntie Erhua. I’m going back now. What about you?”
“I’m going back too. I’ll go with you!
But wait a moment I need to stop by my parents’ house. Otherwise, if they see me gone too long, they’ll start worrying.” Wang Erhua said, taking Lin Yinyin toward her parents’ house a short distance away.
At the gate, Lin Yinyin paused.
“Auntie Erhua, I’ll stay outside. You go in.”
She knew her reputation as a “jinx” would only bring trouble to Auntie Erhua if she went inside.
Seeing her so slight and sensible, Wang Erhua felt a pang of sympathy. She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Lin Yinyin’s gentle smile: “I’m fine waiting out here.”
Outside, an old locust tree stretched its branches wide. Lin Yinyin nimbly climbed up and perched on a thick branch, her legs swinging lightly.
She looked up at the clouds drifting lazily across the sky, feeling a rare sense of calm.
Then her gaze caught that man again.
Lin Yinyin rolled her eyes. “You have nothing better to do?”
Li Jinye was not angry, only speaking briefly: “It was too noisy I came to see.”
“Oh, then you can leave!”
Li Jinye: “…” This little fox was incredible.
Cunning and fierce, unrelenting when taking action. But as the saying goes, those who haven’t suffered others’ hardships shouldn’t lecture them on kindness. He wouldn’t interfere with her sharpness, as long as no one got hurt.
Before long, Wang Erhua returned.
“Yinyin!”
Lin Yinyin looked up, and the man had disappeared again.
Truly elusive!
“Yinyin! Look what I brought you!” Wang Erhua waved a handkerchief at her.
Just as Lin Yinyin jumped down from the tree, the handkerchief was pressed into her hand.
She opened it to find two plump white buns, the aroma of meat immediately reaching her nose.
“These were brought back from my sister-in-law’s house, and I kept them for you. Smell this—pork and radish filling, so fragrant!”
Wang Erhua nudged a bun toward Lin Yinyin’s mouth.
“You eat first, Auntie,” Lin Yinyin said, knowing that in these times meat was scarce. Ordinary families couldn’t eat it even once a month.
Auntie Erhua also had a son and a daughter to feed. She probably hadn’t dared to eat any herself.
“This is for you. Eat quickly once it cools, it won’t taste as good.”
“Better leave some for Da Ni and the others,” Lin Yinyin replied.
But no sooner had she spoken than another bun was already in her mouth.
Soft dough, fragrant pork bits, and crisp radish instantly melted on her tongue.
Looking up, she caught Wang Erhua sneaking a swallow and felt her heart warm.
In this world, Wang Erhua was the first person who had truly been kind to her.
Lin Yinyin grabbed the other bun and quickly fed it to Wang Erhua.
“Aiya, Yinyin, you’re”
“Let’s eat together.” Lin Yinyin smiled, dimples showing.
“All right, together.”
They laughed, taking turns biting the buns, finishing both in no time.
Walking home, green fields flanked either side, the scent of crops drifting in the wind. Their spirits lifted with the breeze.
“Yinyin, you should stay at my place tonight,” Wang Erhua suggested.
Lin Yinyin remembered Lin Dani’s earlier silent attempt to invite her, but had refused for Wang Erhua’s husband’s sake.
“No, Auntie Erhua, I’ll be fine in the cattle shed.”
“That won’t do!” Wang Erhua protested.
“There are some sick people there what if you catch something?”
“Then I’ll go to the mountain instead.”
“The mountain is worse!” Wang Erhua panicked. “Wild animals at night it’s dangerous!”
“I know a hidden cave there. When I had nowhere to go before, I stayed there. There’s even food and clothes I stashed secretly it’s perfectly safe.” Lin Yinyin explained sincerely.
“Really?” Wang Erhua was skeptical.
“Really.”
“Okay.” Wang Erhua relaxed but seemed to remember something. “Yinyin, come home with me first I have something for you.”
“I don’t want it.” Lin Yinyin refused.
“You must!” Wang Erhua insisted.
“This is very important to you you’ll understand when we get home.”
On the way, Lin Yinyin thought: since Auntie Erhua was so kind to her, she should prepare a proper gift of thanks.
Soon, they arrived at Wang Erhua’s house.
It was afternoon, the usual time for work. Lin Dani went to cut pig fodder, her brother Lin Chunlin went to pull wild grass, leaving the courtyard quiet.
Wang Erhua took Lin Yinyin straight into the main room.
After a moment, she dug out a cloth bundle from the corner.
Handing it to Lin Yinyin, she said solemnly: “Child, take this.”
Lin Yinyin hesitated, opening it to find a palm-sized wooden box.
Inside lay a half-gourd-shaped jade pendant.
The jade was translucent green, with visible water patterns inside clearly no ordinary piece.