Fortunately, Lin Jinghong had stored plenty of potatoes and radishes, so she was at least full.
The family of five ate everything without leaving a single scrap. Even the last bit of broth in the meat basin was sopped up clean by Lin Xiaodi with his multigrain bun.
He patted his stomach. “If only we could have meat every meal.”
“What are you dreaming about?” Mother Lin shot him a glare.
It wasn’t a holiday or a special occasion—why would they have meat? Even during festivals, they were lucky to get a bit of grease.
She and Father Lin looked at Lin Jinghong.
“I cooked the meal, so I’m not washing the dishes.” Lin Jinghong was languid.
Being full felt amazing.
“That’s not what we’re asking. Where did you get the meat buns and the meat?”
“Bought them at the commune.”
“You had ration tickets?”
“Youth Su bought them. I saved his life—what’s wrong with him buying a few things for our family?” Lin Jinghong stood up. “I’m going to lie down for a bit.”
She closed the door to her room, leaving the other four exchanging bewildered glances.
Father Lin thought for a moment. “Forget it. Although Da Ya’s head isn’t always right, she wouldn’t do anything bad. Let’s not ask.”
Mother Lin opened her mouth as if to speak, then sighed and let it go.
They all knew their daughter had saved the educated youth.
But before, she wouldn’t take anything from him, and she wouldn’t let them take anything either.
Mother Lin took Lin Xiaomei to wash the dishes and tidy up the kitchen.
She also checked the chicken coop—not a single egg today.
Every household had quotas now; they could only raise two chickens. Since people couldn’t even eat their fill, the chickens naturally had little to eat and only laid eggs every few days.
Oh, and they also had a quota pig, which was still only about eighty or ninety jin.
Every day, besides gathering pig fodder to earn work points, Lin Xiaomei also had to gather fodder for their own quota pig.
Poor children matured early—the pig was basically her responsibility.
Lin Jinghong first went into the Spatial Dimension to drink some Spirit Spring Water, then washed the wound on her forehead. She discovered it had already started to scab over.
She raised an eyebrow slightly. This Spirit Spring Water was something else.
She’d put some in the family water vat later.
“Lin Da Ya! You buy meat and don’t offer any to your grandparents, hiding away to eat it all yourself—aren’t you afraid your heart will rot?!”
Just as she came out of the Spatial Dimension and was about to close her eyes, she was startled by a shrill, cursing voice.
In the yard, a skinny old woman in a dark blue jacket pushed open the gate and came in, her eyes vicious.
Her graying hair was pinned up at the back of her head with a tarnished silver hairpin.
Her cheekbones were high, giving her a harsh look. Her murky eyes seemed to want to devour you when they fixed on you.
“Mother, Da Ya didn’t buy any meat…” Father Lin immediately shielded Mother Lin behind him.
“I smelled meat the moment I walked in! A whole family of black-hearted, rotten-lunged people, hiding away to eat alone—aren’t you afraid of choking to death? You have parents above you and don’t show filial respect—aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?!” The old woman’s finger nearly poked Father Lin in the face.
Father Lin shielded Mother Lin and backed away.
Lin Xiaodi was furious. “Grandma, we’ve already split the family! Why should we give you everything?!”
Lin Xiaomei shrank back a little, but still stood beside Lin Xiaodi.
“Second Uncle, Da Ya even swindled five yuan from the Wu family yesterday. You have money to buy meat but won’t send any to Grandpa and Grandma. Look how thin they’ve gotten.” Lin Chunhua, who had come with Old Mrs. Lin, poured fuel on the fire.
She was Lin Laoda’s daughter, sweet-tongued and a favorite of Old Mrs. Lin.
“Heartless ingrates!” Old Mrs. Lin grew even angrier.
“Second Uncle, why don’t you bring out the leftover meat? Grandma’s really going to get mad in a minute.” Lin Chunhua swallowed at the thought of meat.
She might get a bite too.
“Lin Chunhua!” Lin Xiaodi clenched his fists, ready to throw a punch.
Father Lin held him back.
His face was red with rage.
“Second Son, bring out the meat!” Old Mrs. Lin glared at Father Lin.
Father Lin opened his mouth. “Mother, the meat… it’s gone.”
“Smack!”
Old Mrs. Lin jumped up and slapped Father Lin hard across the face.
Getting hit was nothing new to him. He froze for a moment, then shrank his neck.
“Her father!” Mother Lin hurried over to check on him.
“Is it you who wouldn’t let Second Son give me the meat? You little vixen—I always knew you weren’t a decent woman, you troublemaker!” Old Mrs. Lin grabbed hold of Mother Lin and raised her hand to slap her.
“Smack!”
A crisp slap rang out—but it was Old Mrs. Lin who got hit.
She fell straight to the ground, one side of her face swelling red in an instant. Her teeth, already loose, now wobbled precariously.
Lin Jinghong curled her lips, her eyes full of cold indifference. “You old hag, do you want to die?”
Old Mrs. Lin snapped back to her senses and let out a wail. “Lin Da Ya, you lightning-struck good-for-nothing! You dare hit your own grandmother!”
“Smack!”
Lin Jinghong answered with action whether she dared or not.
“Lin Da Ya, you—” Lin Chunhua beside her was stunned.
Lin Jinghong sneered, turned around, grabbed her by the hair, delivered several slaps, and kicked her aside so hard she couldn’t get up.
This flurry of blows stunned everyone.
Father Lin and Mother Lin snapped back to reality and tried to hold Lin Jinghong back, but she went straight to the kitchen and came out carrying a cleaver.
Then she grabbed Lin Chunhua and strode out of the yard.
“Da Ya, Da Ya, don’t do anything foolish!” Mother Lin’s face turned pale with fright.
She slapped her thigh and chased after her.
“I’ll go kill the rest of the Lin family.” A calm yet crazed voice drifted lightly into the yard.
Father Lin rushed out, and Lin Xiaodi and Lin Xiaomei, forgetting their own concerns, hurried to follow.
Old Mrs. Lin, who had been moaning and groaning, scrambled up as fast as she could upon hearing Lin Jinghong’s words. “Damned Lin Daya, how dare you!”
They had just finished dinner and were still cooling off in the yard when, in the blink of an eye, they saw a thin figure carrying a cleaver, charging across the bridge with murderous intent.
“That seems to be the Lin family’s Da Ya…”
“Oh no, she’s having another episode!”
Many people cautiously trailed behind, some pulling aside Mother Lin and the others to ask questions.
Their faces were all pale.
They shook off the crowd and gave chase.
Lin Jinghong’s target was crystal clear—she headed straight for the old Lin family residence.
Kill one, count one.
“Isn’t that Lin Jinghong?” Passing by the entrance to the educated youth point, the educated youths who had just set down their bowls and chopsticks were shocked to see her murderous demeanor.
“What is she doing?”
Bai Ruoxue had been sobbing just moments before, but now she too saw Lin Jinghong looking like she had murder in her eyes, and it was as if her throat had been squeezed like a chicken’s neck.
“She’s carrying a cleaver—quick, let’s go see what’s happening!”
The educated youths rushed out in a flurry.
Su Zhaoying, hearing the commotion from inside the house, quickly came out too. Carrying a knife?
He frowned and quickened his pace to follow.
In no time, a string of people had gathered behind Lin Jinghong, but none of them could catch up to her.
Mother Lin wailed loudly behind her.
Someone hurried off to fetch the brigade leader and the party secretary.
“Bang!” Lin Jinghong had already reached the old Lin residence, kicking the rickety courtyard gate until it collapsed.
A crowd of people was in the yard, and Lin Laoda was the first to snap out of it. “Lin Daya, what madness has gotten into you?!”
In his fury, he didn’t even notice the cleaver in Lin Jinghong’s hand.
“Whoosh!” Lin Jinghong hurled the knife directly at her cousin, who had just stepped out of the house.