CHAPTER 25: CHAPTER 25: ROUNDING UP—SHE WAS THE ONE SOLD

The water in the basin instantly soaked the floor, and the freshly cleaned clothes also fell to the ground.

She pointed at the nose of the team leader and cursed, "You’ve never cooked a meal, so how would you know our situation? Not only has the sugar jar seen its bottom, but there isn’t even salt and oil! We used up our oil quota at the beginning of the month, and the hard-earned sugar tickets were taken by your good daughter-in-law back to her family. I’d love to entertain guests, but where am I supposed to get sugar for you?"

"Look at you, you’re still the team leader and yet you can’t see the predicament at home! I’ve had enough of this life; from now on, whoever eats has to cook, whoever wears dirty clothes has to wash them, I’m done serving!"

The team leader frowned and held back his angry wife, "Alright, I just said one thing, why are you nagging so much? Huifang is heavily pregnant; it’s not convenient for her to do these chores! Besides, the child huifang will have will be your grandchild; why can’t you take better care?"

"The child Huifang will have won’t bear my last name Huang! That’s Zhao Family’s blood, someone from Zhao’s family should serve them!"

Lin Xiang wasn’t aware of the team leader’s family affairs.

At this moment, she was lying in bed, continuing to think about opening a sweet potato starch workshop.

Lin Xiang read this book quite seriously; she still had some vague impressions of certain key points.

She remembered after the male protagonist recovered from his illness; he was eager to repay Liu Pei for the anti-inflammatory drugs she bought him and made a little money during the year-end market fair.

But he didn’t get a chance to enjoy the money; it was taken by Mrs. Lin as soon as he got home.

Lin Xiang knew that the correct timeline should be the announcement of the resumption of college entrance exams in mid-77, with exams in December, and the end of the year bringing reform and opening up to allow free trade.

At least, there was another year to wait.

It was unclear whether, during this year, small businesses within a specific range, such as those at a quarterly market fair, would be allowed, or if the policy was simply loosened without fanfare.

Only by understanding this can Lin Xiang decide what to do next.

After all, this is the book’s world, and many timelines are based on the author’s settings which differ from reality.

She planned to ask around tomorrow to get a preliminary understanding so that when she went to town, she could subtly probe the leaders.

Thinking about it, Lin Xiang fell asleep.

In her dream, that unfamiliar male voice came to find her again.

She originally thought she finally earned the male lead’s satisfaction and could return, but she was told that although the male lead had grown fond of her, it wasn’t enough for her to return; she needed to make further effort.

Lin Xiang almost cried in her dream.

Next morning, Lin Xiang rarely slept in.

She was still dawdling in bed when the door to her room was violently pushed open from the outside, and she was aggressively pulled up from the bed.

The drowsy Lin Xiang barely opened her eyes, "What are you doing at my house this early?"

"Early? It’s already past eight o’clock; take a look at which young women are still lying in bed like you?" Aunt Lin started with a tirade, belittling Lin Xiang altogether.

"Your mom always brags to me about how amazing you are, saying you’ll definitely marry into a worker’s family in town. But looking at you, even the decent young men in the village might not fancy you!"

Lin Xiang’s sleepiness vanished instantly, she rolled up her sleeves, and said, "Zhao-surnamed one, if you talk like that, I’ve got to argue back!"

"I, Lin Xiang, have been lazy since childhood. Before, my dad spoiled me, now my brother loves me; they don’t want me to work, so what? I haven’t eaten your family’s rice, so you don’t get to boss me around!"

"You, you..." Aunt Lin’s finger trembled uncontrollably as she pointed at Lin Xiang, her eyes accusing, as if Lin Xiang’s rebuttal was some unforgivable crime.

Sure, respecting elders and caring for the young is a traditional virtue in Hua Country, and as a model citizen, Lin Xiang abides by this principle.

But only for those elders who deserve it. For the disrespectful ones, rolling up her sleeves and saying a couple of retorts is already her being kind enough, as she hasn’t laid hands on anyone!

Because Aunt Lin is the epitome of disrespectful elders!

Lin Xiang let out a cold snort from her nose and forcefully pushed Aunt Lin’s finger pointing at her down; she didn’t control her strength well, causing Aunt Lin’s face to twist in pain.

"Lin Xiang, you’re really defying the heavens!"

While saying this, Aunt Lin swung her other hand, aiming a slap at Lin Xiang, but halfway through, she was stopped by someone.

Lin Xiang was all prepared for her counterattack, but unexpectedly someone interrupted.

"Aunt, Xiangxiang merely overslept a bit, she hasn’t committed any principle mistake, as a senior, you shouldn’t slap her the moment you speak, isn’t that quite unreasonable?"

The male lead is really handsome!

Lin Xiang scrambles up from her bed to hide behind Lin Yun, sneakily extending her right index finger to point at Aunt Lin, "Brother, she just insulted me, called me worthless and said... in short, her words were harsh, totally belittled me! Brother, am I really as terrible as she said?"

Knowing full well Lin Xiang’s behavior was an act, seeing her almost tearful appearance, Lin Yun felt a surge of protection, tightly shielding Lin Xiang behind him, leveraging his height to stare down at Aunt Lin.

"I explained before that our families aren’t related anymore and should stop interactions; you came over today to provoke, so don’t blame me for not showing you the respect due to elders!"

Aunt Lin didn’t expect Lin Yun, usually compliant, to say such things today.

She turned her finger upon herself, "Lin Yun, do you know who I am?"

Who talks to elders like this!

Lin Yun was expressionless, "Of course I know; you are the one who, right after my brother-in-law passed, wanted to sell your widowed sister to an old widower for dowry, worse than a beast."

"Oh, and you’re jealous your niece is prettier than your daughter, secretly received bridal money from Limp Wang in the neighboring village trying to marry off your niece! If mom hadn’t found out in time and saved Xiangxiang, there’s no telling what kind of life she’d be leading now!"

What?

She was sold?

Though it was the previous owner who was "sold," she was now using that body, rounding it up meant she was the one sold!

Lin Xiang knew Aunt Lin tried to persuade Mrs. Lin to marry the village old widower right after Mr. Lin died, but didn’t expect this situation too?

She initially hated Aunt Lin because of the previous owner’s memories, but now, she genuinely hated Aunt Lin!