Chapter 83: When Doing Good Deeds, It’s Best Not To Do Them Grudgingly
After Lin Xin had slept her fill and found a place to eat lunch, she returned to the Meng Family feeling refreshed. The moment she entered the door, she was greeted by everyone’s sympathetic yet guilty strange gazes.
“What’s wrong with you all? Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked curiously.
The few of them looked at each other, none willing to speak first. Lin Xin looked toward Mo Ziyuan, who was holding the child.
Mo Ziyuan briefly recounted everyone’s previous conversation to her, adding at the end: “They’ve always felt I bully you too much, but they also don’t have the ability to raise the child well, so they feel sorry for you.”
“Pfft~” Lin Xin laughed and said generously: “Mo Ziyuan already told me about this, and I agreed. Anyway, I have to raise Nan Nan, and adding an Imperial Grandson shouldn’t be too much extra work. Besides, Nan Nan has grown up now and can help me take care of the child.”
“Let Nan Nan help you?” The big men looked at Mo Ziyuan with even more reproach in their gazes.
“Yeah, Nan Nan is also part of the family, so of course he should participate in family matters!”
“Miss Lin, don’t worry. Anyway, we’ll all move to the village soon, and we’ll all help you.” Ling Qing spoke up first.
“Yeah, yeah, we’ll all help. From now on, chopping firewood for your home in winter will be my job.” Chu Yu claimed the first task.
“Then I’ll take care of all your family’s meals.” Gao Yong was second.
“Then I’ll handle the miscellaneous chores for your house.” Ling Qing was third.
“Your home’s safety will be left to us brothers.” Zhou Qi made the final summary.
Lin Xin was somewhat amused but didn’t refuse. Her years of experience in the apocalypse told her that when doing good deeds, it was best not to act begrudging or complaining, or it would easily lead to suspicions of ulterior motives. She believed these people didn’t have such thoughts now, but it was hard to guarantee they wouldn’t later, so it was better to involve them all from the start.
“Great! Let’s head back to the village now to check on the house construction. I can’t wait to move in right away.” Gao Yong jumped for joy. Imperial Grandson! He wanted to watch the Imperial Grandson grow up, and in the future, he could boast to his own descendants, “I changed diapers for His Highness the Imperial Grandson!”
No one knew what he was giggling about foolishly. If they did, he probably couldn’t avoid a beating.
“You all go ahead. I’ll pick up Nan Nan from Old Cui and then head back.”
“Let’s go together! We’ll drive Yi Chen’s horse carriage over, so you won’t have to walk.”
Lin Xin thought about it and agreed. With a horse carriage, why bother using her own two legs!
And so, the group of six plus the Imperial Grandson set off from the Meng Family and headed grandly toward Cui Shi’s medical hall.
“Sis, you’re back!” Lin Nan quickly rushed into his older sister’s arms. After the initial excitement, he pouted aggrievedly. “Sis was gone for so long this time.”
“It was sis’s fault. It won’t happen again. Next time sis goes anywhere, I’ll bring Nan Nan along, okay? But this time sis didn’t go in vain—I brought back a toy for Nan Nan!” As Lin Xin spoke, she brought over the basket holding the Imperial Grandson and showed the chubby boy inside to Lin Nan.
Hearing it was a toy, Lin Nan was excited at first, but when he saw that his sister’s so-called toy was a little child, his mouth drooped, his eyes reddened, and tears actually welled up in them, startling Lin Xin. She quickly asked: “What’s wrong? Why are you crying all of a sudden!?”
“Wah~” At her question, Lin Nan pursed his little mouth and burst into loud cries. The Imperial Grandson had just woken up, and his pair of bright black eyes looked toward the sound. When he saw it was a child making the noise, he excitedly kicked his chubby little legs and clapped his little hands with a “clap clap” sound.
Seeing the Imperial Grandson who was eager to watch the excitement, the big men unanimously carried the basket into the courtyard, saying nobly: “Let Old Cui check His Highness the Imperial Grandson’s body. After such a long journey, better not let any issues arise.”
“Alright, now that everyone’s gone, you can talk. Why were you crying?” After wiping Lin Nan’s tears dry, Lin Xin held him in her arms and asked.
“Sis, do you dislike Nan Nan now? So you brought back a new younger brother. Will you not want Nan Nan anymore from now on? Wuwuwu~” Lin Nan grew more heartbroken as he spoke and couldn’t help crying again.
“Who told you that? Why can’t sis raise just one of you? Can’t it be you and sis raising this younger brother together? What on earth is going on in that little head of yours all day!” Learning the reason for Lin Nan’s sulking, Lin Xin was both exasperated and amused, and a bit heartbroken. This child Lin Nan really lacked a sense of security too much.
“Huh? Me and sis raising the younger brother together?” Lin Nan’s eyes widened round and big. “Really?”
“Of course it’s real! Didn’t sis say before? This is the toy I brought for you. We’ll raise him together. Sis will handle food and clothes, Nan Nan will play with him and teach him the things Master and Mister Meng taught you. We’ll strive to raise him chubby and capable. Think how fulfilling that will be!” Lin Xin unleashed her art of persuasion.
Lin Nan’s eyes lit up. “Okay, I’ll raise him with sis. Besides teaching him things, I’ll also protect him and not let bad people bully him.”
“Mm, sis believes Nan Nan can definitely do a great job.”
“Mm, I definitely can.” Lin Nan raised his palm in the air.
“Awesome,” Lin Xin high-fived him. “Then let’s start with step one. After your master finishes checking him, sis will teach you how to change his diaper. How’s that?”
“Okay!” Lin Nan happily agreed, completely unaware that his dear sister had dug for him a bottomless pit he could never fill later.
Things were going pleasantly on their side, and the results were good on Cui Shi’s side too. The Imperial Grandson’s body had no issues at all, which relieved Gao Yong and the others. They got Lin Xin and Lin Nan onto the horse carriage and headed toward Willow Forest Village.
“A round trip to the capital in a day and a night—you flew there?” Cui Shi asked curiously while checking Mo Ziyuan’s wound.
“That’s a secret. I can’t tell you, sir.” Mo Ziyuan smiled in reply.
“Fine, don’t tell me then!” Cui Shi examined Mo Ziyuan’s wound and found it basically healed, making him even more amazed by the suturing technique.
“By the way, we’ll all move to the village to live from now on. What about you, Old Cui?” Mo Ziyuan straightened his clothes and sat across from Cui Shi, asking seriously.
“If you’re all going, why would I stay? Do you want to leave this old man behind to enjoy the good life by yourselves?” Cui Shi huffed and glared.
“If Old Cui goes with us, we’d be thrilled!”
“Hmph! This old man is only going for the sake of my little disciple.”
“Right, we’re all riding on Nan Nan’s coattails.” Mo Ziyuan readily agreed, earning a roll of the eyes from Cui Shi.
