CHAPTER 63: CHAPTER 58: GROWING TALLER MEANS I CAN PROTECT SISTER-IN-LAW

"Going to Aunt Lin’s for dinner?" Song Tingfan was stunned for a moment.

Lin Qiao was washing her hands and said, "Yeah, Uncle, don’t you want to go?"

Song Tingfan shook his head, "It’s not that..."

He suddenly said, "Sister-in-law, wait for me a moment."

"Where are you going?" Lin Qiao looked at him in confusion, but could only see his back.

"Grandma, where’s Uncle going?"

"I don’t know, this kid always does things quietly." Song Qin shook her head.

Lin Qiao didn’t ask further, she shook her hands dry and went into the house to get the things she bought today.

After a while, without seeing Song Tingfan return, she glanced outside but still saw no one. "Grandma, you and Grandpa go first, I’ll wait for Uncle."

Song Qin thought it wouldn’t be polite to keep the Lin family waiting, but she was also embarrassed to go first, "Qiao’er, you go ahead, we’ll wait for Tingfan."

"Grandma, you two go on, Uncle and I will be there soon." Lin Qiao thought that with the daylight, the old couple could see their way clearly.

In the end, Song Qin and Song Rong went to the Lin family first. Lin Qiao waited for a while, and the young man came running in, panting, his clothing filled with something.

"Sister-in-law."

After calling out, he opened up his clothes to reveal the eggs inside, "Sister-in-law, this was all I could buy."

It turned out he had gone to buy things for the Lin family. Lin Qiao was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled softly, "Silly Uncle, I’ve already bought things."

"Did you spend all your Copper Coins?"

Hearing "Silly Uncle," though it was an insult, when said by his sister-in-law, it felt like affection. Song Tingfan grinned foolishly, "Yes."

"Later I’ll give you some more, leave the eggs for Grandpa to build up his strength." Lin Qiao indicated he should put them in the kitchen.

Song Tingfan went into the kitchen, took the clothes from the courtyard, went into the house to change, and soon came out tugging at the hem of his shirt.

This outfit was old, with the trouser legs even more exposed than before.

Lin Qiao reached out and patted the creased sleeves, "Next time we go to town, I’ll get you a new outfit, Uncle."

"Uncle’s grown taller, even half a head taller than Sister-in-law."

"Sister-in-law, I don’t want it, it’s not worn out yet." Song Tingfan glanced at the top of her head and earnestly said, "When I grow taller, I can protect Sister-in-law."

Lin Qiao, while closing the door, half-joked, "And protect your wife."

"Sister-in-law!" Song Tingfan said, slightly embarrassed and annoyed.

Lin Qiao couldn’t help but laugh, "Alright, alright, I won’t say it."

After crossing the bridge, Song Tingfan suddenly called out softly, "Sister-in-law."

Lin Qiao responded, looking at him inquiringly, "What’s up?"

Song Tingfan hesitated for a moment, then cautiously asked, "Sister-in-law, did someone come by this afternoon?" He bit his lip after speaking.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his sister-in-law, he just couldn’t explain...

Lin Qiao thought for a moment before realizing what he was asking about, "Zhang Dong."

She paused and explained, "I heard someone knocking and thought it was my mom, so I let him in."

Hearing the explanation, Song Tingfan inexplicably felt a bit happy, and obediently nodded.

"Uncle, there won’t be anything between Zhang Dong and me."

Lin Qiao wasn’t sure if what the women said was true or false. If it were true that Song Tingfan saw her hugging Zhang Dong...

That would indeed be troublesome.

So she carefully observed the antagonist’s expression and saw him grinning, "I trust Sister-in-law."

As they talked, they walked, and soon arrived at the Lin family.

Li Guifen had been watching at the door for a while, and upon seeing the two of them arrive, she hurriedly called to the kitchen, "Elder daughter-in-law, second daughter-in-law, stir fry the dishes, Qiao’er and Tingfan are here."

After entering the Lin family, Lin Qiao handed the items to Li Guifen, "Uncle bought them."

Though Song Tingfan was young, he was still considered the head of the household, so gifts needed to be tied to his name.

Well, she could earn a good reputation and gain the antagonist’s goodwill.

"No, it was Sister-in-law who bought it." Song Tingfan shook his head without thinking.

Li Guifen looked at Lin Qiao, not taking it, "You girl, why buy things when you come over? Are you treating us as outsiders? Next time, if you bring things, don’t bother coming."

Lin Qiao handed it to Lin Ping, "Ping’er, there’s malt sugar inside, hurry and eat."

"Thank you, Aunt, you’re the best." Lin Ping, being young, didn’t understand adult thoughts. Hearing about malt sugar, he eagerly accepted it without thinking.

Lin Qiao chuckled, reached out to pinch his cheek, enjoying the softness, she pinched Lin An’s face too, "You’re welcome, share it, but don’t eat too much, or your teeth will fall out."

Song Tingfan’s gaze fell beside her hand, he pursed his lips and went to stand beside Song Qin and Song Rong.

Kitchen

Both Lin Wu and Lin Xu heard the commotion outside, Lin Wu said quietly, "The little sister seems like she’s changed recently."

"That’s right." Lin Xu flipped the vegetables in the pan and said, "We shouldn’t talk about it, though, in case mom hears us."

Lin Wu said no more, took a food steamer to the main room, then went to the bamboo grove behind the courtyard and shouted, "Dad, Big Brother, Shanzi, time to eat."

Soon Lin Han and the others returned with bamboo, Lin Sheng and Lin Shan greeted cheerfully, "Little sister."

Upon seeing Song Qin and Song Rong, they also greeted, "Grandpa Song, Grandma Song."

Song Qin and Song Rong nodded lovingly, and Song Tingfan obediently called out, "Uncle Lin, Big Brother, Second Brother."

Lin Shan patted his head, "Tingfan’s grown taller, soon he might catch up with me."

Lin Sheng interjected, "Tingfan’s only twelve, he’ll keep growing and definitely surpass you."

"Alright, alright, let’s wash our hands and eat." Lin Han shouted, glancing at Lin Qiao as if waiting for her to call him dad.

Lin Qiao didn’t notice it; she was focused on Song Tingfan, who seemed a bit displeased.

What’s wrong now?

He was fine earlier on the road, fine when they entered; could it be because he didn’t get any malt sugar?

Thinking about it, she mused that the antagonist was still a child, how could he not like malt sugar?

She moved closer and quietly said, "Uncle, I bought some malt sugar for you, it’s in your room, you can have it when we get home."

Song Tingfan paused for a moment, tugged at his clothes, and nodded.

Sister-in-law, it’s not because of the malt sugar.

He didn’t say it out loud; Sister-in-law wasn’t just his alone.

Lin Qiao habitually patted his head, but before she could say more, Li Guifen happily called out with bowls and chopsticks, "Time to eat, Aunt Song, Uncle Song, have a seat on the upper side."

Song Rong gently replied with his cane, "It doesn’t matter where I sit."

"But it does, seniors should sit at the head." Lin Han helped him sit, then also seated Song Qin.

Li Guifen pulled Lin Qiao and Song Tingfan over to sit on a long bench together.

The square table couldn’t seat twelve, so the two little ones needed to be carried.

Seeing this, Lin Qiao pulled Song Tingfan closer, "Sister-in-law, Ping’er can sit with us."

Lin Wu laughed, "No need, don’t crowd Tingfan."

Song Tingfan waved his hand, "It’s not crowded." Then he casually pulled Ping’er over, moving unknowingly closer to Lin Qiao again, and glanced sideways to see his sister-in-law handing him chopsticks.