Grandma Lin was outside drying medicinal herbs. Hearing voices from inside the house, Liu Zhengying hurried out and asked, “Da Yang[1]Da Yang: An affectionate nickname. Da (大) means “big” or “elder” and is commonly used as a familiar prefix in Chinese nicknames, while Yang comes from the second character … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3438597_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3438597_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, are you going to the county today?”
Zuo Mingyang smiled. “Aunt Liu, do you want to come along and have a look around the county?”
“The family’s too busy.” Liu Zhengying said, “Since you’ll be passing through the town on your way, could you help me pick up two packages?”
Zuo Mingyang nodded. “Sure. Send me the pickup information.”
Ever since he had returned to his hometown and become a village official, the elderly villagers would ask him to collect their packages whenever he went to the town or county. He had long since gotten used to it.
“They’re things my Bao’er bought.” Liu Zhengying quickly turned to Lin Yi’an. “Bao’er, send him the pickup details. I’ve still got water boiling on the stove.”
Lin Yi’an nodded.
Looking at her with a smile, Zuo Mingyang said, “I don’t think I have your contact information. How about we add each other?”
Lin Yi’an looked a little surprised. “You don’t have my contact?”
“I don’t,” Zuo Mingyang said. “You changed your number after moving to the Imperial Capital.”
Lin Yi’an nodded. “Then let’s add each other again.”
After exchanging contact information, Lin Yi’an sent him the package pickup details. “Thanks.”
Zuo Mingyang chuckled. “What are you thanking me for?”
As the two of them were chatting, Zhou Mingshi came downstairs. Zuo Mingyang spotted him at once and paused for a moment before asking, “And this is…?”
Lin Yi’an introduced them.
“This is my fiancé, Zhou Mingshi.”
“This is our neighbor, Zuo Mingyang.”
Hearing the introduction, Zuo Mingyang froze for a moment. It was the first time he had heard that Lin Yi’an was engaged.
He instinctively sized up the man before him. Zhou Mingshi was handsome and distinguished, carrying himself with an air of nobility. Standing there tall and straight, he was even taller than Zuo Mingyang himself. His commanding presence made it obvious he was no ordinary person. A man who could become Lin Yi’an’s fiancé surely came from an extraordinary family.
With that thought, he extended his hand. “Hello, Mr. Zhou.”
Zhou Mingshi remained calm as he reached out and briefly shook it. “Hello.”
Zuo Mingyang had business to attend to and was in a hurry to get to the county. After exchanging greetings, he got into his car.
Seated behind the wheel, he didn’t start the engine right away. Instead, he looked toward the Lin family’s house through the half-open window.
Grandma Lin had said something, and Mr. Zhou’s expression, so indifferent when shaking hands with him moments ago, softened noticeably. A faint smile appeared on his face as he chatted with her…
The contrast in his attitude was unmistakable. Even before marrying Lin Yi’an, he had already treated the Lin family as his own.
Zuo Mingyang smiled bitterly to himself. A man like that wouldn’t even spare a glance at another decent man who appeared before his fiancée. The elegance and confidence that radiated from his very bones were enough for even another man to admire, let alone Lin Yi’an.
He rolled up the window, started the engine, and slowly drove onto the road.
Seated at the dining table, Zhou Mingshi noticed a cup of tea beside him and asked Lin Yi’an, “Is this for me?”
Lin Yi’an nodded.
Taking a sip, Zhou Mingshi said, “I can taste chrysanthemum and goji berries.”
Lin Yi’an gave a soft hum. “The dog days[2]Dog Days (伏天): The hottest and most humid period of summer in China, traditionally believed to be when the body is most susceptible to heat-related ailments. During this time, people often adjust … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3438597_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3438597_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); of summer are extremely hot, so it’s easy to develop excess internal heat. Grandma got up early this morning to make chrysanthemum and goji berry tea. It’s good for clearing liver heat, brightening the eyes, and dispelling summer heat. Have some breakfast first, then drink the tea.”
Zhou Mingshi looked up at her. “Grandma could tell I was suffering from excess internal heat?”
Lin Yi’an nodded but didn’t mention that she had noticed it too. “Eat breakfast first.”
Zhou Mingshi looked at the breakfast set before him and picked up an ear of corn from the plate.
Assistant Chen was out in the courtyard hanging up the laundry.
As President Zhou’s personal assistant, he was responsible for his daily needs. Normally, someone else took care of President Zhou’s clothes, but whenever they traveled, with only the two of them on the road, that responsibility naturally fell to him.
Listening to their conversation, Assistant Chen couldn’t help thinking that the Lin family was incredibly considerate. They had noticed not only that his boss was suffering from excess internal heat but also that he wasn’t sleeping well. They had even thoughtfully prepared food and tea suited to his condition. His boss really was fortunate.
But once his boss and Miss Lin got married, wouldn’t she be able to notice the slightest change in his health?
If that happened, would his boss have any secrets left in front of Miss Lin?
After breakfast, Zhou Mingshi stayed in the courtyard with Grandma Lin, helping her sort medicinal herbs. Meanwhile, Lin Yi’an took out the slicing machine and began cutting the herbs that needed to be sliced, while Ye Lingzhi helped beside her.
Zhou Mingshi glanced over. “Do you need a hand?”
Lin Yi’an shook her head. “These aren’t easy to slice.”
In the kitchen, Lin Shuhe and Liu Zhengying were busy preparing lunch. Although it hadn’t been long since breakfast, this was their future son-in-law’s first proper meal at their home. No matter what, they had to make it a lavish one.
Early that morning, Lin Shuhe had slaughtered one of the family’s geese. Along with the fish and eels they had bought yesterday, which were still being kept alive in the water basin, everything would be cleaned and cooked for lunch.
Just as they were busy, Lin Shuhe’s elder sister arrived with her grandson.
Aunt Lin said, “Yi’an’s back? Perfect. I have something to discuss with all of you.”
Grandma Lin looked up from the pile of medicinal herbs and asked her daughter, “What brings you here?”
Aunt Lin gently nudged the little boy in front of her. “Xinxin, hurry and greet your Great-Grandma, and your Auntie too… And this gentleman is…?”
She had noticed the young man sitting there helping her mother sort medicinal herbs the moment she walked in. His commanding presence made her hesitate slightly as she spoke.
Grandma Lin said, “This is Yi’an’s fiancé, Mingshi. Mingshi, this is your Aunt.”
“Hello, Aunt,” Zhou Mingshi greeted politely.
Aunt Lin hadn’t expected him to be Lin Yi’an’s fiancé, and her expression stiffened slightly. Before she could say anything, another elderly man in his seventies walked in.
Relieved, Aunt Lin called out, “Uncle, you’re here?”
Lin Yi’an followed with, “Great-Uncle.”
After greeting him, she introduced Zhou Mingshi as well.
Once everyone had exchanged greetings, Aunt Lin finally said, “Mom, now that Yi’an has found her biological parents, and my little brother doesn’t have any children, I was thinking…”
Grandma Lin cut her off with a frosty expression. “What exactly are you thinking?”
Aunt Lin frowned. “Mom, don’t get angry every time someone brings up the fact that my little brother doesn’t have children. Getting angry won’t change the truth. We can’t just let the Lin family line die out. What I mean is… let Xinxin change his surname to Lin…”
Grandma Lin fixed her with a hard stare. “What do you mean your little brother doesn’t have any children? Isn’t Bao’er his child? Do you think I don’t know what you’re really after? Why didn’t you ever think about changing Xinxin’s surname to Lin before? Now that your brother’s life has improved and the family has money, suddenly you want your grandson to bear the Lin surname?”
“When your father ran away, Shuhe couldn’t even walk yet. He went off to Lijia Village, moved in with a widow there, and became part of her family. Whatever happened to this family afterward had nothing to do with the Lin family anymore. If your father left no descendants, that has nothing to do with me or Shuhe. As for Shuhe, he hasn’t even had a father since he was little. Why should he worry about carrying on anyone’s family line?”
Aunt Lin’s face flushed bright red. What kind of reasoning was that? Just because their father had abandoned them, did that mean her little brother was no longer a member of the Lin family?
Great-Uncle Lin looked deeply ashamed. Turning to Grandma Lin, he said, “Yongzhen… about this matter… sigh…”
She sighed. In the end, it all came down to the fact that Shuhe didn’t have a biological child, while Yi’an had found her birth parents.
Lin Yi’an set down the slicing machine and looked at them. “Aunt, it doesn’t matter whether you want Xinxin to change his surname to Lin, Li, Zhang, Wang, or anything else. He can take whatever surname you like. There’s no need to discuss it with us.”
Aunt Lin froze. “What do you mean?”
Lin Yi’an replied, “He’s your grandson. He can have whatever surname you want. It has nothing to do with us, so there’s no reason to bring it up with us.”
Aunt Lin frowned. “If Xinxin takes the Lin surname, then he’ll be a descendant of the Lin family in the future and inherit the Lin family’s…”
“Inherit what?” Lin Yi’an interrupted. “This house was built by my eldest brother. The land for growing medicinal herbs was leased with my money.”
“As for those old houses next door, Grandma built them herself. You’re Grandma’s daughter, so you have the right to inherit Grandma’s property. Or are you planning to let Xinxin inherit half of those old brick houses?”
Aunt Lin said, “Yi’an, your grandparents and your parents worked so hard to raise you. You can’t be so overbearing. You should think about them…”
Lin Yi’an looked at her calmly. “You mean I should think about you, don’t you?”
“My parents and Grandma raised me, and I’ll take care of them in their old age. What about you? Grandma worked just as hard to raise you. As her daughter, what have you ever done for her? You came here today without even bringing Grandma a single gift.”
“If you’ve come to visit Grandma, you’re welcome here. But if you have some other agenda, then this family doesn’t welcome you. And it won’t matter who you ask to plead your case.”
References[+]