Chapter 38: Don’t Mention This Matter Again From Now On
“Sis, don’t you like Tutor Meng?” In the courtyard, Lin Nan sensitively wrapped his arms around Lin Xin’s neck and asked.
Lin Xin shook her head. “I like him. Didn’t sis tell you? He’s going to teach Nan Nan to read, not teach sis. As long as Nan Nan likes it, that’s fine.”
“But Nan Nan doesn’t want sis to be unhappy.” Lin Nan lowered his head, tugging at Lin Xin’s collar with his little hand and saying softly.
“Sis isn’t unhappy!” Lin Xin pinched Lin Nan’s little cheek. “Do you know you’re only a little over three, not even four yet? These aren’t things you should worry about, got it? If you keep thinking so much, watch out or you’ll turn into a little old man!”
“Sis~” Lin Nan coquettishly buried his face in Lin Xin’s neck.
“Xin Yatou, Xin Yatou, are you home?” The siblings had just finished their heart-to-heart when Uncle Jing’s voice sounded from outside the door.
“Yes, Uncle Jing, what’s up? Come in first.” Lin Xin put Lin Nan in the room, went out to open the door, and let Uncle Jing in.
“Uncle Jing.” Lin Nan sat on the kang and, seeing Uncle Jing come in, obediently greeted him.
“Hey, Nan Nan’s a good boy.” Uncle Jing walked over, touched his little head, and sat down beside him.
“Xin Yatou, I heard from my dad that the doctor in town wants to take Nan Nan as a disciple. Did you go handle that today? How’d it go?” Uncle Jing got straight to the point.
“Yeah, we already did the apprenticeship ceremony today. Uncle Cui took Nan Nan as his last disciple.” Anyway, everyone would know about this soon, so Lin Xin had nothing to hide.
“Really! That’s great. Now you siblings have some backing, and your days will be better.” Uncle Jing sincerely rejoiced for them and then earnestly said to Lin Nan, “Nan Nan, you have to study hard with your master, got it? When you succeed later, remember to be filial to your sister. She’s sacrificed a lot for you.”
“I know. Later, Nan Nan will also honor Uncle Jing and Clan Leader Grandfather.” Lin Nan’s little mouth was sweet as honey, coaxing Uncle Jing to laugh heartily and say “good” repeatedly.
After instructing Lin Nan a few more times, Uncle Jing went home, saying he was going to tell his own old man the good news so he could be happy too.
It didn’t even take until the next day—the news that the doctor from the medical hall in town had taken Lin Nan as a disciple spread like it had grown wings throughout the whole village. When it reached the Old Lin Family, the whole family was furious.
“How does that little brat Lin Nan have such good luck? He actually caught the eye of the doctor from the medical hall in town.” Lin Laoda squatted sullenly at the courtyard entrance and said gruffly.
“Yeah, if only it had been Yang Ge’er who was chosen, then our family’s situation in the village would improve.” Lin Laosan sighed in agreement. No choice, the Old Lin Family’s days had been too tough lately. The villagers had started distancing themselves, and the folks who used to gather for little drinks and chats were gone. Occasionally, they’d even run into people spitting at them.
Luckily, the village gossip hadn’t reached Yang Ge’er’s academy yet, or he’d surely be isolated by his classmates.
“I say, just make that little brat give the spot to our Yang Ge’er. He’s just a little kid not even four—does he understand medical skill? Would he even get what the doctor teaches?” Xu Shi’s eyes turned as she said this.
Lin Laoda was very tempted and looked up at Old Man Lin, who was sitting there silently puffing on his tobacco pipe.
Zhou Shi moved her lips a couple times but said nothing, silently lowering her head and gently stroking her belly with her right hand.
“Dad, say something!” Lin Laoda hadn’t wanted to speak at first, but with Old Man Lin staying silent, he couldn’t resist the temptation of his own son becoming the town doctor’s disciple and finally urged him.
“Don’t mention this matter again. It’s late—go to sleep!” Old Man Lin was silent for a long time before saying this, then knocked out his pipe on his shoe sole a few times, stood up, and went back to his room. His back looked somewhat hunched.
The people in the courtyard looked at each other, none of them understanding why Old Man Lin wouldn’t agree.
“Since Dad doesn’t agree, forget it. We still have to get up for work tomorrow, so we’ll go sleep first. Big Brother, you rest early too!” Lin Laosan yawned, called Zhou Shi, and went back to their room.
“Wait, you…” Lin Laoda watched Lin Laosan close the room door, spat furiously, then stood up and stomped heavily back to his room.
“You weren’t counting on Third Brother to speak up for you in front of Dad, were you?” After following Lin Laoda into the room, Xu Shi said to him, who was lying on the kang sullenly not making a sound. “Third Brother won’t help us. If this really happens, it’ll benefit our big branch. They get nothing out of it and might even offend Dad—why would they help us?”
“Then what do you say we do? Just watch this huge opportunity fall on that jinx Lin Nan’s head?” Lin Laoda sat up abruptly, irritably looking at Xu Shi and asking.
“Of course not. That little bitch Lin Xin already doesn’t take us seriously and is inciting the whole village to isolate us. If that dead brat Lin Nan also gets picked by the town doctor, no one in the village will bother with our family anymore. For this, I think we still need to handle it ourselves.” Greed swirled in Xu Shi’s eyes.
“How do we handle it ourselves? Don’t forget, that bitch girl has already severed ties with our family. What can you do to her?” Lin Laoda couldn’t figure out Xu Shi’s idea.
“We really can’t go to that little bitch, but we can go to the doctor who took the dead brat as a disciple. He’s the town doctor— he definitely cares a lot about reputation. As long as we tell him that Lin Xin and Lin Nan have already severed ties with our family, do you think he’d still take an ungrateful person as a disciple? Once he gives up on Lin Nan, we take Yang Ge’er to him. With our Yang Ge’er’s smarts, how could he not pick him?”
Xu Shi’s words swayed Lin Laoda’s heart; it was already floating in the clouds, his mind full of visions of the villagers’ envious gazes after his son became the town doctor’s disciple. He immediately slapped his decision: “We’ll do as you say. Tomorrow, I’ll have Eldest secretly follow that pair of bastards. Once we know where that doctor lives, we’ll go find him.”
“That’s the plan!” Xu Shi agreed enthusiastically.
After lying down, the couple painted many more rosy pictures for each other, then drifted off to sleep with dreams of a bright future.
They slept soundly, but the couple next door in Lin Laosan’s room did not.
“Husband, do you think the one in my belly might be a girl again?” Zhou Shi touched her belly and asked Lin Laosan anxiously.
“Don’t talk nonsense. What girl? This is clearly a son. I’m telling you, if you keep overthinking and turn my son into a daughter, I’ll divorce you.” Lin Laosan glared viciously at Zhou Shi, his eyes red as if he wanted to devour her.
“I got it. I won’t overthink anymore.” Zhou Shi responded submissively. Ever since Lin Laosan learned she was pregnant again, he’d become a different person. He’d fly into a rage at any mention of having a daughter and sometimes even hit her. Her two daughters were already terrified of him and hid far away at the sight of him like he was a ghost.
“Hmph!” Lin Laosan stared at her for a while longer. Seeing her smiling placatingly at him, he finally huffed and lay down to sleep.
Zhou Shi had originally wanted to talk to him about Lin Nan’s apprenticeship, but now she didn’t dare. After lying down, she secretly stroked her belly and prayed to all the gods in heaven that it was a boy.
Dear reader darlings, the book is now on shelves! Thank you all for your support. I’ll keep working hard to write stories you love—hope you’ll continue supporting me!
