When Lin Changdong returned from outside, Xiao Liushi immediately told him what had happened that morning.
Lin Changdong knew his wife tended to exaggerate. He did not believe for a moment that his lazy younger brother, his steamed-bun-like sister-in-law, and their two “mute” little brats could have done something like that today.
Seeing that he did not believe her, Xiao Liushi grew annoyed as well. “It’s true! They angered Mother so much that Old Nanny Wu saw how fiercely the Second Branch was making a scene and walked away. Erya wasn’t sold, either.”
Seeing that she did not look as though she was making things up, Lin Changdong became curious too. How had the Second Branch dared to do that?
However, he did not care all that much. “Mother prepared the money for Minghai’s examinations long ago. We aren’t short of those three taels of silver. In another couple of years, when Erya reaches the proper age, we can find someone willing to pay as much as Carpenter Hu and marry her off. That’ll bring in another ten taels of silver.”
When Xiao Liushi heard this, she thought it was a good solution too, but she harbored a vague worry that the Second Branch was gradually slipping out of their control.
“That may be true, but where are we supposed to find another fool like Carpenter Hu?”
Lin Changdong flopped down on the bed and crossed one leg over the other. “There are plenty of men in the mountains who can’t find wives. If we look carefully, we’ll find someone eventually.”
Xiao Liushi nodded. Her husband really did have a way. “Tell me, do you really think the Second Branch will dare refuse to work?”
Lin Changdong thought it was impossible—absolutely impossible. His Second Brother had merely relied on a burst of anger that morning to dare talk back to their mother. Who knew how much he was regretting it in his room now? Perhaps, when he had nothing to eat that evening, he would kneel down and admit his mistake.
At dusk, Old Man Lin and the Third Son returned from the fields. Madam Shen and the three girls from the Third Branch had worked all day and were preparing dinner in the kitchen.
The eldest branch’s Lin Mingjiang had no idea where he had been playing, but when he came back, he was filthy from head to toe. Xiao Liushi did not say anything to him. After all, she was not the one who had to wash his clothes.
These people had already heard, to varying degrees from the villagers, about the Second Branch’s “heroic deed” that day.
Old Madam Liu still did not give the Second Branch any food. Madam Shen cooked according to the amount of grain her mother-in-law had provided.
Dinner consisted of a pot of brown-rice and wild-vegetable porridge, a plate of stir-fried cabbage, and a small dish of pickles.
Old Madam Liu personally distributed the food. This was the right of the mother-in-law who managed the household: she could control how much food each family member received.
For a meal like that evening’s, Old Madam Liu gave Lin Changdong and Lin Mingjiang porridge with more rice and fewer vegetables. Old Man Lin, Old Madam Liu, and Xiao Liushi received portions with both rice and vegetables. The Third Son received more vegetables and less rice. As for Madam Shen and the three girls, they received nothing but rice water clear enough to see one’s reflection in.
Just as Old Madam Liu was about to ladle out the porridge, the Second Branch’s family of four arrived.
Lin Xiaowei observed the people in the main room. Apart from “Yaozu,” who was absent, everyone else from the old Lin family had gathered.
Her eldest uncle, Lin Changdong, looked extremely well-fed. Judging from the “vegetarian” meal on the table, who knew how many extra meals he had secretly enjoyed?
“Yaozong” was the same. He had a round head and a plump face. They said he was only a year older than his younger brother, but he looked at least three years older.
Meanwhile, the Third Uncle was not yet thirty, but his back had already bent. Third Aunt’s cheeks were sunken as well.
The three girls’ complexions were yellowish. They were not even allowed to sit at the table and instead squatted in a row by the wall.
In this situation, there was a certain string of profanity Lin Xiaowei did not know whether she ought to say.
When Old Madam Liu saw the Second Branch enter, she was just about to start cursing when Lin Changsong charged forward and wailed, “Mother! Your son has been unfilial! I made you angry today! The more I think about it, the worse I feel. I must personally serve you this meal! Otherwise, my conscience won’t let me rest!”
As he spoke, he snatched the bowl from Old Madam Liu, scooped up some rice water, picked up the chopsticks, and wiped them with his sleeve. Then he picked up a pinch of pickles and moved to put them into Old Madam Liu’s mouth. “Mother, eat. You eat first! Your son will feed you!”
Old Madam Liu was rendered speechless by this sudden display of filial devotion. She opened her mouth to curse, only to have a mouthful of wild vegetables stuffed into it.
Wang Ya followed right behind him. With a clear target in mind, she rushed toward the plate of stir-fried cabbage, picked it up, and poured it straight into Lin Mingjiang’s mouth. As she poured, she shouted, “Mingjiang, you must be tired from playing outside today! Second Aunt wasn’t good enough to you before, but from now on, I’ll feed you every day! Come on, open your mouth. Ah…”
Lin Mingjiang’s mouth was stuffed full. He choked so badly that his eyes rolled back, leaving the couple from the First Branch scrambling in panic.
Lin Minghao rushed to the basin of porridge. Lin Xiaowei took the ladle, and the two of them worked together, scooping a large ladleful for their still-stunned grandfather before serving porridge to each person from the Third Branch in turn.
“Third Uncle, Third Aunt, you’ve worked so hard. Grandmother is showing her concern for you. Eat more!”
After serving those people, Lin Xiaowei and Lin Minghao began eating, taking turns with one spoonful after another.
For a while, the old Lin family’s main room was unbelievably lively. Old Madam Liu was rendered speechless by her son’s “filial piety.”
Xiao Liushi tried to snatch her son away from Wang Ya.
The Third Branch stared at the thick porridge that had suddenly appeared in their bowls, unable to decide whether to eat it or not.
In the end, Fourth Girl came over and secretly tugged at her parents’ clothing, urging them to eat quickly.
By the time Old Madam Liu and the First Branch reacted, the table was already a complete mess.
The four members of the Second Branch stood in a row, grains of rice still clinging to the corners of their mouths.
Wang Ya let out a satisfied burp and said to Old Madam Liu, “Mother, look at how filial we are. We personally served you your meal, took care of our nephew, and helped our younger siblings. From now on, we’ll serve you like this at every meal!”
Lin Changsong wore an utterly sincere expression. “Mother, have you calmed down? If you haven’t, your son will continue serving you tomorrow!”
Old Madam Liu trembled with rage and pointed at them. “You… you people… You’re rebelling! Rebelling!”
Lin Xiaowei blinked her innocent, wide eyes. “Grandmother, how are we ‘rebelling’? We’re a family of farmers and scholars. Eldest Uncle and Eldest Brother are both scholars. The people in our family are the most ‘filial’ of all!”
Old Madam Liu was too furious to feel any pity. She directly picked up the bowl in front of her and smashed it hard onto the floor.
Lin Changsong had been guarding against the old woman suddenly exploding. When he saw the bowl smash onto the ground, he feared the shards would injure his family, so he swiftly shielded the three of them with his back.
“You dead little girl, you good-for-nothing money pit! Do you even have the right to speak in this family? Tomorrow, I’ll…”
Just as Old Madam Liu was about to say that she would sell Erya the next day, Lin Changsong protected the three of them and said, “Mother, you’d better think this through. Minghai is about to take the examinations. With Minghai’s talent, he is certain to pass.”
When they heard him say that her eldest grandson would certainly pass, Old Madam Liu and Xiao Liushi both wore expressions that said, “Of course he will.”
Lin Changsong cursed inwardly and continued, “If our family sells a daughter to pay for the expenses of the examinations, then put nicely, it would be said that his younger sister willingly sold herself to support her brother. But put bluntly, Minghai’s road to academic success would have been paved by selling his sister. If he enters officialdom in the future, this will definitely become a handle others can use to attack him! How will he get along with his colleagues then?”
Old Madam Liu’s heart jolted. She looked up at the eldest son. Lin Changdong was deep in thought, then nodded at his mother.
If the matter had been handled quietly, that would have been one thing. But now that it had caused such a commotion—and involved selling a girl to serve as a bride in a ritual marriage—it might sound acceptable when explained, but it certainly would not sound good. It would inevitably affect her son in the future. Scholars valued their reputations in the outside world above all else.
Seeing their exchange of glances, Lin Changsong said casually, “Besides, our Lin clan suffered through disasters a few years ago, yet no other household sold a daughter…”
Hiss… Why did that sound so much like a threat?
If the Second Branch truly made a scene before the clan, the clan head and elders might well come over and ruin everything.
Old Madam Liu had worked in the household of a wealthy landlord when she was young, so she possessed just a little bit of worldly experience. After hearing what her Second Son said, she no longer dared bring up selling Erya.
This was exactly the effect Lin Changsong wanted. If Erya could not be sold, there were still Third Girl, Fourth Girl, and Fifth Girl.
The children were innocent. He had to put an end to Old Madam Liu’s idea of selling her granddaughters.
When Madam Shen from the Third Branch heard this, she secretly let out a sigh of relief as well. She, too, had been afraid that her mother-in-law would set her sights on her daughters.