Early the next morning.
Furong from Third Aunt’s family also came running over.
The young girl was a year younger than Da Nier, having just turned 17 after the New Year, but she was quite tall—even half a head taller than Lin Ting, who stood at 165 cm.
Looking at those long legs that even thick cotton pants couldn’t conceal, Lin Ting felt a genuine pang of envy.
Zhang Meihua had an honest, simple, and somewhat dull personality, but her daughter Huo Furong was the complete opposite—even at a young age, she had a strong mind of her own.
That morning, when Second Aunt had come to their home to complain to her mother about how Eldest Cousin didn’t appreciate a mother’s kindness, Furong had sensed something was off.
After all, Eldest Cousin had always been gentle and soft-hearted since childhood. For someone with such a good temper to be so upset with Second Aunt that she didn’t want to go home—it definitely wasn’t a trivial matter. So, after finishing breakfast, Furong had hurried over to find out more.
To be honest, Huo Furong wasn’t very familiar with her elder cousin’s wife, Lin Ting. They had hardly spoken before, and Furong had always felt that Lin Ting didn’t seem like someone from the countryside—aloof and hard to approach.
But now, seeing how Lin Ting offered them snacks, poured them drinks, and thoughtfully gave up her room so they could have a private chat, Huo Furong couldn’t help but whisper to her cousin, “Eldest Cousin’s wife seems pretty nice after all.”
Da Nier replied shyly, “She really is.” Then she recounted how Eldest Cousin’s wife had offered to let her stay the night before and had comforted her in detail.
Huo Furong was hugging a mug, sipping malt extract with her eyes narrowed—such a luxury wasn’t available at her home. Upon hearing this, she remarked with an air of worldly wisdom, “No wonder the old saying goes, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’… Wait, no, Sis, you still haven’t told me what exactly happened with that blind date yesterday?”
At this, a look of disgust crossed Da Nier’s delicate face.
She hadn’t wanted to talk about it—the memory was just too repulsive—but then she thought that Furong would soon be going on blind dates herself and ought to be cautious, so she ended up recounting the whole story in detail.
By the end, Huo Furong’s bright, pretty face was filled with rage. She slapped the table and fumed, “Why didn’t you give that short stump a good slap at the time?!”
Da Nier… She had wanted to, but she didn’t dare.
Seeing this, Huo Furong felt exasperated at her cousin’s lack of backbone and, acting more like the older sister, declared, “If you ever see that guy again, you have to slap him!”
Da Nier… How unlucky would she have to be to run into that kind of scum again?
“Are you starting to pack already?” Having given her bedroom to the two young cousins, Lin Ting had gone to the west room, where she found her mother-in-law sorting through clothes.
“Since I’m free anyway, I thought I’d start organizing early.” Hu Xiu felt a little embarrassed—just a few days ago, she had said she wouldn’t be joining the army camp, and now here she was, eagerly packing.
Lin Ting didn’t think much of it. Looking at the clothes on the kang, she suggested, “If there’s too much stuff, we can mail some of it first.”
Hu Xiu was reluctant. “Mailing things costs quite a bit. I’ll sort through them for now and only consider that if it’s really necessary.”
In truth, there weren’t many clothes. It was more the bottles and jars—things accumulated over the years—that she couldn’t bear to part with.
Hearing this, Lin Ting didn’t press further. Just as she was about to sit down and help with the packing, a little figure latched onto her leg.
She looked down and met Guo Guo’s gaze as he tilted his head back, revealing a mouthful of tiny millet-like teeth. Amused, she pinched his chubby cheek. “Looking so ingratiating—what do you want?”
Guo Guo’s eyes lit up. “Mom, let’s go out and play! I want to go skiing!”
What he called “skiing” was sitting in a wooden basin with a rope tied to the front, while an adult pulled him along as he slid.
Playing with the child, Lin Ting didn’t mind acting as a sled dog for once, but her physical strength probably wouldn’t last more than a few steps.
Hu Xiu smiled and came to her daughter-in-law’s rescue: “How could Mom have the strength to pull you? Later, Grandma will ask your cousins to play with you, okay?”
Guo Guo wasn’t picky about who she played with and eagerly tugged at her grandmother instead: “Then… let’s go now!”
Children are full of energy, and keeping them cooped up at home every day is indeed a bit tough. Hu Xiu kindly set down the work in her hands: “Alright, Grandma will take you right now.”
Seeing this, Lin Ting breathed a sigh of relief, picked up the thick coat from the end of the kang, and put it on the little one.
She then crouched down to help adjust the pant legs and noticed that the pants were a bit too short.
They looked fine when standing, but sitting down would likely leave the ankles exposed: “Mom, Guo Guo’s pants are a little short.”
Hu Xiu leaned over in surprise: “Already too short? Later, I’ll find some scissors to undo the hem and let down another section.”
In those days, fine cotton fabric was precious, and children grew quickly. Most families would make clothes a size larger for their kids, with cuffs and sleeves rolled and stitched, ready to be let out when they grew taller.
Guo Guo also lifted her little foot to take a look, but with all the layers she was wearing, she couldn’t see anything. She sighed and said: “Guo Guo is 4 years old, but the pants are only 3 years old. Of course they’re too small!”
Lin Ting was amused and pinched the little one’s nose, chiding gently: “You’re quite the logical thinker… Wait, Mom will let down the pant legs and then take you out.”
The little one, whose heart was already set on going out, grew impatient: “How long will it take to undo them?”
Lin Ting: “Just two minutes.”
“How long is two minutes?”
“…Very soon.”
“How soon is very soon?”
Lin Ting…
In the end, Lin Ting didn’t get to take the child out herself.
Because Secretary Wang from the Commune came looking for her.
After inviting him inside, Lin Ting didn’t rush to speak. First, she saw her mother-in-law and the children off, then prepared tea for him: “You’re here about the rabbit farming, right?”
Wang Chunling, who was initially inclined to exchange pleasantries out of habit, saw that the other party was direct and decided not to beat around the bush either: “That’s right. I’ve been thinking about the feasibility these past few days and even contacted an export company in Huacheng through connections. It’s confirmed to be true.”
In those days, information was scarce. It was only after making contact that Wang Chunling learned that Huacheng had been exporting rabbit fur for three or four years.
By now, half the households in the entire county were already involved, and there were plans to continue expanding.
What did this mean? It meant there was still a significant gap in the market, that they wouldn’t have to worry about sales, that they could generate more foreign exchange certificates for the country, and that they could increase the people’s income.
Moreover, Wang Chunling thought that if she could handle this matter well, she would surely be promoted.
With so many benefits stacked together, how could she sit still?
She had already decided to take a few trusted aides and personally visit Huacheng to investigate the market.
But before going, she wanted to meet with Lin Ting once more to ask if she had any other suggestions.
Wang Chunling had come to realize that college graduates were indeed different—their vision far surpassed that of the high school graduates under her command.
Just look at how a single idea from her could potentially boost the entire county’s economy. Such a person was truly worth befriending.
Of course, Wang Chunling had another motive for this visit: she hoped Lin Ting would not disclose the rabbit farming plan to anyone else. She absolutely did not want the political achievements she was about to secure to be snatched away by others.
Lin Ting naturally agreed without hesitation, but on the condition that when the factory opened later, members of the Huo and Lin families would be given jobs there.
“No problem at all.” The other party was straightforward, and Wang Chunling’s agreement was even more decisive, as this matter truly meant little to her.
However… “If we decide to start breeding, it won’t happen overnight. The earliest it could be set up is probably six months from now.”
This was within Lin Ting’s expectations, so she readily shared all the detailed knowledge she had with the other party…
Time flew by, and another week passed.
During this period, aside from Huo Xiao calling to report his safe arrival at his new post, life for the four women—the mother-in-law and daughters-in-law—remained largely uneventful.
But this day was different. When Lin Ting returned home with the increasingly restless Guo Guo, who was always running outside, she mentioned something she had overheard by chance to her mother-in-law.
Hu Xiu, who had been sitting at the loom, stopped her work upon hearing this and looked around the meticulously kept house.
Lin Ting knew she was reluctant to leave. If it were her own house, she would feel the same way, so she suggested, “Why not give the key to Third Aunt later and ask her to air the place out from time to time?”
Hu Xiu shook her head with a smile. “A house like this needs people living in it. Even if it’s a brick-and-tile structure, leaving it empty for two or three years will lead to decay.”
In fact, one reason she had been unwilling to follow her son to the military base was her attachment to this house.
After all, it had been built as a wedding home—not only were the materials chosen with care, but every detail was meticulously planned.
Even all the furniture in the house was made of fine wood.
Moreover, this was the place where she had lived her entire life.
It was her roots!
Lin Ting also understood the truth in her mother-in-law’s words. After feeding the little one, who had shed his thick coat, half a bowl of warm water, she asked, “Has Second Aunt approached you about this?”
Ever since the news spread that all four of them would be leaving to join the military, many villagers had been discussing what would happen to the house.
In the short time she had been out, Lin Ting had already heard several versions of the rumors.
As for not asking Third Aunt, she felt it unnecessary—Zhang Meihua was the type who would rather suffer a loss herself than take advantage of others.
Surprisingly, Hu Xiu shook her head. “Although Guilan loves to take small advantages, she wouldn’t bring up something as significant as the house.”
But she must have been thinking about it a lot. Lin Ting didn’t voice this thought aloud, instead suggesting, “Why don’t you call Huo Xiao and ask him?”
Hu Xiu replied, “No need. That boy said it’s up to you and me to decide.”
By now, Lin Ting had sat down beside her mother-in-law. Surprised, she asked, “Up to me?”
“You’re part of the family too—why so surprised? By the way, what do you think about this?”
Lin Ting was genuinely taken aback but also pleased. After thinking for a few seconds, she still shook her head. “You decide. Do what feels right to you.”
Hu Xiu sighed. “I’m asking you because I don’t know what to do.”
Seeing her genuine dilemma, Lin Ting approached it from another angle. “Then tell me, what exactly is troubling you?”
Hu Xiu explained, “I feel it’s a pity to sell it. If we want to come back and visit, we won’t even have a place to stay… But if we don’t sell it, we can’t just leave it empty. If we let the second or third family live here temporarily, should we charge them rent or not? And if we do, how much is appropriate?”
Truthfully, Hu Xiu wasn’t keen on charging, but having lived a long life, she knew human nature couldn’t withstand tests. A small favor could foster gratitude, but excessive generosity might breed resentment. Over time, it could become unclear who the house truly belonged to.
Another thing is, these families have had few conflicts over the years and have always gotten along well. She genuinely didn’t want to fall out over a single house.
In fact, in Lin Ting’s opinion, it would be better to sell it outright, even if for a few dozen yuan less than the market price. Whoever bought it would be happy.
After all, Huo Xiao was only 29 in nominal age after the New Year and was already a regiment commander. His ability and future prospects were clear for all to see.
So, the likelihood of him being transferred to civilian work was slim. In the future, even if he just accumulated seniority, he could rise to the brigade level.
If he was lucky, reaching the division level wasn’t out of the question either.
Therefore, the chances of him returning to the village were truly minimal.
Even for visits, it would probably only happen once every few years. There was really no need to keep the house.
It would be better to take the money from selling the house, add a bit more, and buy a place in Tianjing. That would be far more valuable than a house in the village.
Even as a last resort, if Huo Xiao were transferred to civilian work, given his current rank, he would most likely settle in the county town.
Thinking this, Lin Ting shared her analysis with her mother-in-law one by one. Then, while the other was deep in thought, she added, “If it really doesn’t work out, you could rent it out for a year or two. Once we’re settled in Tianjing, selling the house then would be just the same.”
She figured that after being away for a long time and getting used to it, it would be easier to part with the house.
Her daughter-in-law’s suggestion struck a chord with Hu Xiu, but she didn’t rush to a decision, saying only, “Let me think it over for a few more days.”
This was a big matter, and Lin Ting understood. “There’s no hurry. We still have plenty of time anyway.”
A few more days passed.
While her mother-in-law was torn over whether to sell the house or not, Lin Ting wasn’t idle either.
She had developed a fondness for weaving.
Because cloth coupons were scarce these days, it took a family several years to save up enough for a single set of clothes. So, most households in the village wove homespun cloth.
The kind… with a narrow width, few patterns, mostly checkered or printed blue homespun cloth.
When the original host got married, her family had given her a whole trunk of it as a dowry.
The Lin family doted on their daughter, and inside each roll of cloth, they had tucked money.
The amounts weren’t large—all in fifty-cent or one-yuan notes—adding up to about twenty yuan in total, meant as a nest egg and not to be touched lightly.
As a native girl, the original host had learned weaving skills from a young age, but she rarely engaged in it.
Lin Ting, however, had no idea how to do it. With nothing much to do these days, she tried weaving based on memory and found it surprisingly enjoyable.
Just as she was getting into it, her second brother, Lin Wei, braved the wind and snow on his bicycle to deliver six red eggs.
After her brother carefully wheeled his bicycle inside and propped it up, Lin Ting brushed the snow off him with her apron and asked, “Did Big Sister give birth? A boy or a girl?”
Though she asked, it was most likely a boy. Six eggs were no small gift.
And in her memory, no eggs had been sent when the first two daughters were born.
Sure enough, Lin Wei rubbed his frozen hands and sat down by the stove to warm up before replying, “A boy. Mom asked me to see if you want to visit Big Sister.”
Feeling sorry for her brother braving the harsh weather, Lin Ting turned to make him a cup of malt extract. “I’d rather not go. Later, help me take a gift of money instead.”
Seeing the malt extract in the mug, Lin Wei thought to himself that he hadn’t doted on his little sister for nothing. But hearing her flat refusal, he was taken aback. So, he decided to try a roundabout approach: “What about your mother-in-law and the little nephews?”
Lin Ting saw right through her brother’s intentions and rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t even think about it. They’ve all gone to Third Uncle’s house.”
Hearing this, Lin Wei didn’t feel embarrassed either. He went on to talk about their eldest brother’s situation after starting work, and only after a while did he persuade again: “Brother has time today, how about accompanying you to our eldest sister’s place?”
“Weren’t you the one who never used to persuade me before?”
Lin Wei tapped his sister’s forehead, his Peach Blossom Eyes curving: “I’d rather not meddle, but aren’t you about to join the army? Who knows how many years you’ll be gone. Do you think Mom would be pleased with you two staying like this forever?”
“Got it. You didn’t come to deliver red eggs today—you came as a peacemaker, didn’t you?”
Lin Wei didn’t deny it: “So, are you going?”
Lin Ting: “Might as well. It’s not like we have some deep-seated hatred.” Her previous refusals were only to stay in character with the original owner’s personality anyway.
Lin Xiang had married into a town family.
Though it couldn’t compare to the county town, in the eyes of villagers, it was considered a good match.
As for brother-in-law Zhao Kai, after failing the college entrance exam two or three times, he pulled some strings and secured a position as a Chinese language teacher at the town’s elementary school.
Since Zhao Kai was somewhat the trigger for the sisters’ fallout, the original owner hadn’t thought much of him either.
Of course, after the original owner’s university plans fell through, Zhao Kai became less polite toward his sister-in-law. During their rare meetings on holidays, they basically ignored each other.
But this time was different.
The moment Lin Ting jumped off the bicycle’s rear seat, Zhao Kai came out smiling, repeatedly saying, “Second Brother, you’ve worked hard,” and “Second Sister, are you cold? Come inside quickly and sit.”
Brother-in-law Zhao Kai was of average height but had quite pleasant features—refined and fair-skinned, with a very approachable smile when he laughed.
Faced with such attitude, even knowing it was because of Huo Xiao, Lin Ting couldn’t bring herself to be cold. She exchanged a few pleasantries with him.
But when entering the house, Lin Ting seized the chance to kick her second brother.
If initially she hadn’t wanted to come to stay true to the original owner’s character, now she genuinely felt disgusted.
Clearly, after the original owner’s university plans fell through, brother-in-law’s attitude had turned cold.
But now, because she’d married well, he was all enthusiasm again.
The ulterior motives were too transparent, too unsightly. She might as well not have come.
Lin Wei glanced at the footprint on his calf, well aware his sister was displeased.
So after entering, he cheerfully took on the Zhao family’s enthusiastic attention, telling Tingting to go see their eldest sister and her newborn nephew.
Thus, Lin Ting gave each of her two nieces a New Year’s red envelope, teased them for a bit, then went straight into the west room.
As for why it wasn’t the east room—simple. The Zhao parents were strict about rules; the east room, representing the head of household, must be occupied by the elders.
Of course, not all west rooms are the same.
Like the Huo family, which only had three rooms total—their west room was nearly twenty square meters, quite spacious.
But the Zhao family had more than just Zhao Kai. With three brothers, the rooms were divided and subdivided.
So when Lin Ting stepped into the cramped bedroom, she felt it was a struggle even to turn around.
Though she knew this was the reality for most people nowadays, the small space was still stifling.
“You’re here. Sit on the bed—there’s no room for stools.” Lin Xiang, with a scarf tied around her head, half-reclined on the bed and greeted her sister indifferently.
Since she came to see the child, Lin Ting first leaned over to look at the baby when she reached the bedside.
Hmm… a red little monkey.
Having reached this conclusion inwardly, Lin Ting took out a red paper envelope from her pocket, tucked it into the baby’s swaddle, then looked up to study her sister.
With Lin Ting’s striking beauty, her elder sister was naturally no less attractive.
However, Lin Xiang leaned more towards an elegant and gentle demeanor, while Lin Ting was comparatively more enchanting and alluring.
Strictly speaking, the elder sister Lin Xiang better aligned with the aesthetic preferences of elders in this era.
The two sisters were five years apart in age, but the 27-year-old Lin Xiang was already a mother of three children.
Perhaps because she had just given birth, her lips were pale, and she appeared quite haggard.
Lin Ting furrowed her brow and couldn’t hold back: “How has your diet been during the postpartum month?”
Hearing this, Lin Xiang glanced at her younger sister in surprise. Seeing the genuine concern in her eyes, she felt a pang of emotion but didn’t want to show it. Turning to look at her son beside her, she replied, “It’s been quite good. Dad has been stewing soup and bringing it over every day.”
Lin Ting twitched her lips… Just how unreliable must her in-laws be for someone as honest as Comrade Lin Shengli to take such precautions?
Could they really be competing with a postpartum woman for food?
Wait… it actually seemed possible.
But Lin Ting still remembered why the two sisters had fallen out. Both were proud girls, so she decided not to press the issue.
But… what topic should she bring up next? She couldn’t just leave now, could she?
Fortunately, Lin Xiang composed herself and took the initiative to ask, “When are you joining your husband at the army base?”
Lin Ting: “Probably in about half a month. I’m not sure of the exact date yet.”
Lin Xiang: “That’s good. Live your life well. I heard… from Mom and Dad that your husband values you greatly.”
Lin Ting raised an eyebrow: “I will.”
Hearing this, Lin Xiang finally managed a faint smile: “Right, you’ve always known what you wanted since you were little.”
Lin Ting didn’t know how to respond to that and simply smiled.
After a few more minutes of small talk, both ran out of topics, and Lin Ting took the opportunity to say her goodbyes.
Lin Xiang nodded. But just as her sister opened the door to leave, she couldn’t help calling out, “Tingting.”
Lin Ting turned back.
Lin Xiang tried to force a smile but failed, so she gave up: “It was my fault in the past. You were right—a woman should still have her own capabilities even after marriage.”
Lin Ting frowned: “What did that Zhao guy do?”
Lin Xiang’s heart sank, but she retorted, “What ‘Zhao guy’? He’s your brother-in-law.”
Hearing this, Lin Ting studied her for a moment longer. Finding nothing amiss, she simply said, “Take good care of yourself,” and left, pulling the door shut behind her.
After seeing off his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, who adamantly refused to stay for a meal, Zhao Kai hurried back into the room and asked anxiously, “Well? What did Tingting say?”
Lin Xiang replied indifferently, “She refused.”
Zhao Kai’s expression darkened: “How could she refuse? It’s just asking her husband to put in a word with the Cultural and Education Bureau. He already got your older brother into the furniture factory—why can’t he pull some strings for me too? It’s just a matter of saying a few words.”
Her older brother was her brother-in-law’s actual brother-in-law, and it was out of regard for his wife that he was willing to use his connections. What was Zhao Kai in comparison? How could he measure up to her older brother? Lin Xiang felt scornful inwardly but maintained a neutral expression: “You know my relationship with my second sister has been strained all these years. It’s normal for her to refuse.”
“Then why can’t you coax her properly and apologize? Do sisters really hold grudges for life?”
“Why should I apologize?”
Zhao Kai, exasperated, snapped, “Why apologize? Because her husband has influence!”
Hearing this, Lin Xiang simply fell silent, turning away to pick up her son, who had been woken by the noise and was starting to fuss, and began soothing him.
Seeing this, Zhao Kai took several deep breaths to calm the irritation in his heart, then coaxed in a placating tone, “Comrade Wang Meimei and I are truly innocent. How long are you going to keep this up? You can’t ruin your husband’s future over baseless suspicions, can you? Besides, once I enter the Cultural and Education Bureau, I’ll be a cadre. Not only will my salary increase, but we’ll also get allocated housing. Wouldn’t it be nice for our family of five to move out and live on our own?”
So innocent—just chatting and laughing, just holding hands while hiding in a corner. Recalling the scene she had accidentally witnessed while heavily pregnant, Lin Xiang felt a renewed surge of sarcasm but still remained silent.
Frustrated, Zhao Kai reached out to shake her.
Unexpectedly, Lin Xiang frantically shrank back, screaming, “Don’t touch me!”
At this, Zhao Kai froze in place, his face dark with anger.
The two little girls who had been secretly crouching by the door immediately rushed in, using their small bodies to separate their parents. The older girl even snapped fiercely, “Don’t touch Mom!”
Zhao Kai was so furious he nearly fell backward.
Meanwhile.
Not long after leaving the Zhao residence, Lin Ting tugged at her second brother’s sleeve. “Brother, could you ask someone to look into Zhao Kai?”
Surprised that Tingting had also noticed their elder sister’s unusual behavior, Lin Wei’s eyes flickered. “Did Big Sister say something to you?”
“When we were leaving, she apologized to me out of the blue and said I was right—that women should have skills even after marriage, or something like that…” Here, Lin Ting paused before adding, “Maybe I’m overthinking it. Perhaps Big Sister has just matured.”
Pedaling his bicycle, Lin Wei replied in an unchanged tone, “Alright, I’ll ask around.”
But in a place his sister couldn’t see, those usually smiling Peach Blossom Eyes were chillingly profound.