CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23: THE WHOLE PLOT FALLS APART

Lin Sheng didn’t think much, he just grinned and said with concern, "It’s already dark, why not come to get it early in the morning."

"I’ll go get it and take you home later."

Soon he came out with a dustpan and responded while walking, "It’s Tingfan who came to borrow the dustpan."

Probably someone was asking him.

Song Tingfan took the dustpan, "Big brother, no need, I’ll go back on my own, thank you." With that, he left.

In the blink of an eye, he was out of sight. Lin Sheng had no choice but to shout, "Tingfan, be careful, don’t fall into the field."

Less than a quarter of an hour later, Song Tingfan returned home, gazing at the pitch-black house, he called out hopefully, "Sister-in-law."

The response he got was the rustling of the jujube tree, and he lowered his eyes in disappointment.

Over here, under the faint moonlight, Lin Qiao saw a figure from afar, she paused for a moment and finally picked up a stick for self-defense.

Hearing the footsteps, Zhang Dong looked at the shadow, lowered his voice joyfully, "Qiao’er."

"Don’t come over, you stay right there." Lin Qiao pointed at him, her voice soft and weak, with a bit of sobbing, as if she was complaining and feeling wronged.

Zhang Dong obediently stood still, anxious to soothe her, "Okay, okay, Qiao’er, I won’t move, don’t cry, it’s all my fault."

"Don’t come looking for me anymore in the future."

The girl’s low voice revealed her sadness, she continued, "Luckily, nothing happened between us, otherwise I would have jumped into the river and died tonight."

"Qiao’er, let me explain, I’ll tell my mom, I must marry you, just wait for me."

Hearing her trying to sever ties, Zhang Dong’s tone turned anxious, not realizing he was being led on.

He couldn’t help but move a little closer and added, "Qiao’er, how about I tell my mom I touched you, then she’ll definitely let me marry you."

Lin Qiao rolled her eyes, continuing to lead him on, she said softly and weakly, "Don’t talk nonsense, clearly nothing happened between us, do you want me to die immediately?"

"No, no, no, Qiao’er, I’m just at my wit’s end, I really want to marry you, but mom doesn’t agree."

Lin Qiao felt relieved, he hadn’t touched the original body, she heaved a sigh of relief.

Well, that’s easier to handle.

Before Zhang Dong could say another word, his neck suddenly throbbed with pain, letting out a muffled grunt, he collapsed onto the ground.

Lin Qiao raised her eyebrows, wanting to marry her? With his cowardly manner, he was an eyesore, she’d rather look at her family’s villainous little uncle.

Obedient and pure.

She threw the stick away and went home, not worried at all that anything fatal would happen here, at most he’d catch a cold from the night wind.

She wasn’t aware the villain had already discovered she hadn’t gone to the Lin Family, the whole plot had a tendency to "fall apart."

...

Pushing open the wooden door, there was no sound in the courtyard, Lin Qiao assumed Song Tingfan had gone to sleep, so she tiptoed into the house.

Hearing the sound of the door closing, Song Tingfan next door almost bit his lower lip through, he couldn’t quite describe his emotions, it was as if he had just acquired something good, yet it was "bad."

The next day, the news that Zhang Dong had been knocked out spread throughout the village, but no one knew who did it. The Zhang Family went around shouting, asking about the beater’s ancestry.

The person involved hadn’t heard a word about it, he had already gone to town to exchange for silver coins, Lin Qiao found it odd, the villain hadn’t called her sister-in-law all morning, as she exchanged for silver coins at the fabric store, she glanced at him several times.

She touched the tip of her nose, "Little uncle, do you want to have a pancake?"

Song Tingfan didn’t look at her, he just shook his head with his head down.

"Little uncle, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

Lin Qiao reached out, intending to touch his head, he instinctively stepped back a pace, and said in a low voice, "No."

Lin Qiao’s hand froze in mid-air, she quickly withdrew it, looked at the villain a few more times, and wondered what was going on?

Everything was fine yesterday.

Her eyes rolled a bit, she went to buy a meat pancake, "Auntie, please add an extra cent of meat."

"Okay."

The aunt greeted with a smile, "You two are here again to buy things in town?"

"Why haven’t I seen your husband?"

She didn’t know Widow Song, but she remembered the two from buying meat pancakes last time.

There was a trace of sadness in Lin Qiao’s eyes, but she quickly returned to normal, "My husband is gone."

Her gentle voice made people feel a bit of pity.

Next to her, Song Tingfan raised his eyes and stared at her, biting his lower lip.

The pancake-selling aunt apologized quickly upon hearing this, "Sister, I’m sorry, Auntie didn’t mean it."

"Auntie, it’s okay." Lin Qiao shook her head, took the meat pancake, and handed it to Song Tingfan, "Little uncle, you eat."

"Why are you unhappy? Did sister-in-law do something wrong? If so, tell sister-in-law, she’ll change."

Song Tingfan kept his eyes lowered, he wanted to ask, sister-in-law, where did you go last night, why did you lie to me?

But he didn’t ask anything, he shook his head, "Sister-in-law, I’m fine."

He clearly didn’t want to say anything, and Lin Qiao didn’t press further.

This time, they returned from town early, the sun hadn’t set yet, at the village entrance some older women sat around chatting (gossiping).

"How did Zhang Dong get beaten up?"

"Don’t know, but what was he doing going to the back mountain so late?"

"Who knows, probably nothing good."

A woman suddenly spotted the pair returning from town, she crossed her leg, raised her chin and called out, "Widow Song, you and Little Uncle went to town?"

Lin Qiao smiled and nodded, "Hmm, went to buy some things."

The woman in gray turned her eyes, wanting to stir up trouble, "Widow Song, do you know? Zhang Dong got beaten up, his neck is all bruised."

Lin Qiao let out an "ah," quite surprised, "How did he get beaten? Did some villain enter the village?"

She turned her head and reminded Song Tingfan, "Little uncle, don’t go out at night anymore."

Her words didn’t show any intention of caring about Zhang Dong at all.

Not seeing the excitement she expected, the woman teased, "Widow Song, aren’t you going to take a look?"

Lin Qiao pretended not to understand her ill-intentions, "Auntie, stop joking, what would I go see, we’re neither related nor connected."

She glanced at the hot sky, "Don’t let me interrupt your talk, my little uncle is hungry, need to make dinner."

After they walked away, the group of women chattered, "Has Widow Song changed her nature recently?"

"I heard from the Wang family’s second daughter-in-law, she used to be mentally unstable, had a crazy spell, didn’t know what she was doing."

"Ah, a crazy spell? That’s serious, my distant aunt went crazy after having a child, took a knife to her husband, if not for people being around, she would’ve killed him."

"Oh my god, that’s scary, I’d better stay away from Widow Song."

"Better stay away."

...

Country folks gossip loudly, fear the person involved might not hear, Lin Qiao heard every word, her mouth twitched, when she suddenly caught Song Tingfan’s gaze from the corner of her eye.

She slowly lowered her head, pursed her lips, seemingly a bit upset by the gossiping.

Song Tingfan felt deeply troubled seeing this, he bit his lip and clumsily comforted her, "Sister-in-law, I’m not afraid."

It’s safe to say, the pure little white rabbit was completely under Lin Qiao’s control.

Her eyes brightened slightly, her eyes a bit moist, but the corners of her lips rose, "Hmm, I know Little Uncle isn’t afraid."