CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 57: SEEING YOU HUGGING ZHANG DONG

Lin Sheng didn’t have a good impression of the group of women, always gossiping and spreading rumors that made his little sister look bad.

He didn’t bother with them either, just shouldered his basket and reached out to touch Lin Xushi’s hand, which was a bit cold, and he rubbed it.

Doing this outside made Lin Xushi a little embarrassed, so she withdrew her hand and whispered, "It’s nothing."

Lin Shan and Mrs. Lin Wu walked behind them, and once they were a little distance away from the riverside, Mrs. Lin Wu told him about Lin Qiao giving her money, "Little sister gave me twenty cents, I didn’t want it, but she shoved it at me and left."

Afraid he’d read too much into it, she tucked it into his waistband, "You return it to little sister yourself, I didn’t mean to take her money."

Lin Shan gave a straightforward smile, "Wife, why don’t we invite little sister and the others over for dinner tonight? I’ll buy a couple of pig’s feet to stew."

Little sister truly doesn’t want his money anymore.

Sigh.

It feels distant now.

"It’s up to you, it’s not my earned money anyway," Mrs. Lin Wu said, sounding a bit annoyed, but her expression remained normal.

"What I earn is all my wife’s."

"Quit joking, now hurry up and buy the pig’s feet, or they’ll be gone. Get some pig liver too; Dad said he felt dizzy yesterday."

"Alrighty."

Once home, he told Li Guifen about this, and she couldn’t hide her happiness, "Second son, take some money from Mom and buy more, it’s been a while since our family had meat. Let Ping’er and An’er enjoy a good meal."

Although she was happy for her daughter to have dinner, she genuinely cared about her two grandsons too.

Even Lin Xushi and Mrs. Lin Wu couldn’t say anything negative about it.

While hanging clothes, Mrs. Lin Wu commented, "Mom, let Shanzi pay for it himself. He earned a bit of money, he won’t feel comfortable if he doesn’t spend it."

"No matter how much you earn, it’s yours to keep," Li Guifen said, not wanting the oldest and second households to help their sister, just wanting them all to have a lively meal together without giving her any attitude.

Lin Shan went to the room to get the money and said sincerely, "Mom, I’ll pay, I’m the one who suggested inviting little sister for dinner. Mom, go pick some green peppers, little sister likes them."

Li Guifen said nothing more, "Once I called your sister over." With that, she was out the door faster than Lin Shan.

Lin Shan grinned broadly and was about to head out when Lin Sheng stopped him, stuffing a hundred copper coins into his hand, "Buy a little more."

"Big brother, I know, I don’t need your money, I have some." Lin Shan didn’t want to take it, keeping his hands behind his back.

Before Lin Sheng could say anything, Lin Xushi interjected, "Second brother, let your big brother give it; if he doesn’t, he won’t sleep well at night, and I’ll be bothered."

Mrs. Lin Wu couldn’t help but laugh, "Shanzi, take it from your big brother, just give back what’s left over later."

At this moment, Lin Xushi added, "Da Sheng, why don’t you go with him and lend a hand."

"Sure." Lin Sheng agreed immediately.

Once they left, Lin Xushi couldn’t help but laugh, "The two brothers are just alike; it’s obvious what they’re up to."

Mrs. Lin Wu nodded, amused, "Isn’t that so? But it’s a good thing, no hidden agendas."

...

When Li Guifen arrived, Lin Qiao was chatting with Mrs. Wang Xu from the third Wang Family, "Stir it with oil first, then add soup ingredients to the pot, garlic..."

Before she could finish, she saw Li Guifen arrive. She stood up and said, "Mom."

She’d been reluctant to call her original parents "mom" and "dad," leaving a knot in their hearts that made things difficult.

Hearing her finally call her mom, Li Guifen was stunned for a moment, then smiled so broadly her eyes became slits, "Come with your grandpa and grandma for dinner tonight. Your second brother went to buy pig’s feet."

Perhaps afraid she’d refuse, she turned to Song Qin and Song Rong in the main room and said, "Uncle Song, Aunt Song, you must come, I have things to take care of, I’m off now."

"You must come."

Before Lin Qiao could say anything, she picked up her empty basket and left.

Mrs. Wang Xu laughed, "Isn’t it nice to have family close by? Unlike mine, who aren’t around, I don’t have anyone to visit."

"Aunt Wang, come chat at my place whenever you have time," Lin Qiao replied.

"Alright, I’ll leave you to it, I’m off now." Though it was still early for dinner, Mrs. Wang Xu didn’t want to intrude as there might be family chatting between houses.

Lin Qiao saw her to the door, and then turned to the wood stacked at the corner, "Grandma, Grandpa, I’m going to the village entrance to buy some things."

Going to the Li family for dinner, it wouldn’t be right to go empty-handed. Building relationships requires reciprocity.

"Qiao’er, here’s some saved money from Grandma, take it to buy something," Song Qin said, having felt uneasy at first, but now she trusted her and even treated her like a daughter.

They could clearly see her kindness; they weren’t blind.

Lin Qiao pushed it back, smiling, "Grandma, I have money; I sold more than a hundred cents worth of fruit yesterday."

Seeing her grandma still wanting to give it, she pretended to be angry, "Grandma, I’m getting upset."