Chapter 39: Lin Duo, Your Face Is Really Thick
In the small room next to the wood shed, Lin Duo and her younger sister Lin Zhi lay side by side on a broken bed made of wooden boards. Lin Zhi had already fallen asleep, but Lin Duo tossed and turned, unable to muster any sleepiness.
Later, thinking that she couldn’t sleep anyway, she simply rolled over and sat up, hugging her knees and staring blankly at the ceiling.
The room was very small, so small that besides the bed the sisters slept on, there was only a narrow path allowing them to move around. The bed was pieced together from broken wooden boards, creaking every time they lay down or turned over. Beneath them was straw, and two thin cotton quilts served as their bedding—one underneath and one on top.
This used to be the room where Lin Xin and Lin Nan lived. What was she thinking back then when she watched the siblings struggling in the Lin Family’s cesspool?
Oh, right, she was happy—especially when she pushed all her chores onto Lin Xin; especially when she watched Lin Xin being punished by their mom with no dinner for not finishing the work; especially when she saw Lin Xin’s perpetually furrowed brows and Lin Nan’s shriveled, skinny body. She was so happy!
But now it was all her turn. Every day, all the chores fell on her and her seven-year-old sister. She had lost count of how many meals she had been punished into skipping for not finishing her work. Before, mom would secretly save her a little, but now she was pregnant and firmly believed the child in her belly was a son.
So, the secretly saved meals for her were gone. Mom said she needed to eat more herself to nourish her body and give birth to a son. As long as she gave birth to a son, their second branch’s days would get better.
She used to believe it, but now she understood it was pure nonsense. Wasn’t Lin Nan a son? Look at what his life had become!
In three more days, the busy farming season would end. Five days after that was her wedding date. From then on, she would have to be married to a man not much younger than her dad—a man who got drunk and had beaten someone to death.
Lin Duo buried her face in her knees. Lately, just thinking about it made her tremble with fear all over.
No! I can’t go on like this. I absolutely cannot live such a life.
Lin Xin, as long as Lin Xin is willing to help me, I can definitely escape Zheng Tuhu. As long as Lin Xin is willing to give me silver to return the betrothal gifts Zheng Tuhu sent, I won’t have to marry him.
Yes, find Lin Xin!
Lin Duo suddenly got out of bed. The rickety wooden board bed creaked several times from her movement, startling Lin Zhi awake. She opened her sleepy eyes and looked hazily at Lin Duo, calling out softly, “Sis?”
“I’m going out for a bit. You go back to sleep,” Lin Duo waved her hand impatiently, glaring at her with wide eyes and lowering her voice threateningly: “Don’t tell anyone about tonight, or I’ll send you to the back mountain to feed the wolves. Got it?”
Lin Zhi looked at Lin Duo’s twisted face in terror, tears swirling in her eyes but not daring to fall. She bit her lip and nodded vigorously, her small body shrinking back until her back pressed against the cold wall.
“Hmph!” Lin Duo glanced at her, then turned and opened the room door to go out.
Lin Zhi listened to her lightened footsteps and the creaking of the courtyard gate opening and closing. Once everything quieted down, she pulled the quilt up over her head with slightly trembling little hands, blocking out the moonlight and chilly air, as if that would make her less afraid.
Lin Duo ran all the way to Lin Xin’s home under the cover of night. Looking at the courtyard gate that was barely functional, she hesitated several times but didn’t dare knock—not because she feared disturbing Lin Xin and Lin Nan’s sleep, but because she was afraid of alerting the village dogs. If one started barking, all the dogs in the village would join in, and if they found out she was the culprit, she’d probably get a beating when she got home.
After thinking it over, she unwillingly squatted in the corner by Lin Xin’s courtyard wall, finding a spot where she could see the courtyard gate as soon as it opened. Hugging her knees, she waited for Lin Xin to get up or for dawn.
As long as she saw Lin Xin, she could definitely get money from her.
She never considered that Lin Xin didn’t owe her anything—why should she give her money? She had completely forgotten what happened the last time she asked Lin Xin to lend money.
Actually, as soon as someone approached her home, Lin Xin knew. When she realized it was Lin Duo, she closed her eyes again. No matter why Lin Duo had come, she had no intention of dealing with her. The Old Lin Family were just a bunch of sticky plasters—once they latched on, they wouldn’t let go. So annoying.
Later, seeing that she wasn’t knocking but squatting in the corner, Lin Xin curved her lips in a smile. At least she had some self-awareness. If she had tried to force her way in or knocked, the devil vine inside the gate would definitely teach her what it meant to “be polite.”
After a good night’s sleep, Lin Xin woke up and first went to check on Lin Nan. She found him still sprawled out like a little pig, snoring away, with his slightly open little mouth revealing a pink little tongue and tiny rice-grain-like teeth.
So cute! This is the kid I raised! Hmm, I’m awesome!
After her daily routine of patting herself on the back, Lin Xin got out of bed full of energy, washed up, and went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She also glanced at Lin Duo in the corner by the courtyard wall, surprised to find she was still squatting there—this was a full night squatting outside her door!
Lin Xin slightly furrowed her brows. It wasn’t that she admired Lin Duo’s perseverance and felt sorry for her; she just purely thought that since she was waiting so persistently for her to appear, she must want something big—definitely another trouble.
As the sky grew brighter, Lin Xin finished making breakfast and went inside to call Lin Nan to get up. As for Lin Duo outside, she had no intention of dealing with her. Best if she could read her attitude and not come bothering her, or don’t blame her for getting itchy hands and wanting to beat someone.
Anyway, it was a test of patience, and Lin Xin felt she wouldn’t lose.
Sure enough, halfway through breakfast for Lin Xin and her brother, a heavy knocking sounded at the door.
“Sis!” Lin Nan put down his spoon and turned to look at Lin Xin.
“It’s nothing, Nan Nan. Eat your food. Sis will go see who it is.”
“Okay, I’ll wait for sis to come back and eat together.”
“No need, Nan Nan. Eat by yourself first. The steamed egg custard won’t taste good if it cools—it’ll be fishy. Be good!” Rubbing Lin Nan’s hair, which had grown a bit shinier, Lin Xin quickly went to open the door. Her face, turned away from Lin Nan, was full of impatience.
“Lin Xin, why did you get up so late? Making me wait so long to open the door,” Lin Duo, having waited a night and a morning, had run out of patience. Without waiting for Lin Xin to speak, she started complaining.
Then she suddenly sniffed hard, her eyes lighting up as she said: “Are you eating breakfast? Perfect, I’m still hungry. Let’s eat together!”
With that, she lifted her foot to step into the courtyard.
“Lin Duo, your face is really thick! Who do you think you are, barging into my home without permission and wanting to eat breakfast together? Do you deserve my family’s breakfast? If you’re hungry, go back to the Old Lin Family to eat. Get lost, don’t ruin my appetite and mood.” Lin Xin grabbed her arm and flung her outward, not only stopping her from entering but shoving her far away.
“Lin Xin, how can you be like this? I was waiting here last night, a full night, and only now do you get up and open the door. Look at any young lady in the village as lazy as you. And after waiting so long, why can’t I eat a meal at your place?”
Lin Duo gritted her teeth in anger, wanting to lash out, but her stomach was truly hungry. She could only put on a wronged expression, saying ambiguous words in hopes that a villager would come by and speak up for her—better yet if she could mooch a meal.
Dear treasures, move your little money-making hands and cast a vote!
