Lin Zhen listened to Heidan talk, but his mind was filled with one repetitive phrase: “Sister Song this, Sister Song that.”
Every sentence his little brother uttered seemed to include her.
Finally, Lin Zhen nodded to interrupt him before he could continue.
“I get it. After I’ve rested…”
He trailed off without finishing, but his expression made it clear—he planned to settle accounts with the Lin family soon. Lin Zhen wasn’t the kind of person to let things slide.
Just then, Aunt Xinghua came to call everyone for dinner.
At the table, the atmosphere was lively, with Aunt Xinghua’s grandchildren sneaking curious and envious glances at the three soldiers in uniform.
After the meal, Lin Zhen sat deep in thought, frowning as he considered the Lin family. He wanted to kick them out and take back his childhood home, but he knew it wouldn’t be that simple. The team leader certainly wouldn’t approve of such an action.
The two soldiers with him looked equally concerned. It was their duty to ensure Lin Zhen was properly settled, but the current situation was anything but ideal.
The team leader took a long drag from his pipe and broke the silence:
“Kicking out Lin Lao Hei right now wouldn’t be appropriate. After all, he did pay for that house when he bought it.”
Lin Lao Hei, the local bachelor, had been living in Lin Zhen’s childhood home since old lady Lin sold it off.
Lin Zhen crossed his arms and responded in a low voice:
“How is that my problem? Neither my brother nor I saw a single penny of that money. If he didn’t know the house was stolen from us when he bought it, that’s on him.”
The team leader glared at him. “You think I don’t understand how you feel? But what are you going to do? March over there and force him out?”
Lin Zhen’s gaze darkened. “If I can’t, I’ll go to the Lin family and make their lives miserable instead.”
The team leader sighed. “Still so hot-headed, just like when you were younger.”
He relented, offering a solution:
“For now, I’ll give you a place to stay. The old landlord’s house—it’s a bit rundown, but with some repairs, you can make it livable.”
The old landlord’s house had once been the grandest in the village. But during the land reforms, villagers had looted and destroyed much of it. Though the structure was damaged, some bricks and tiles could still be salvaged, and repairs could be made using mud bricks if necessary.
Lin Zhen nodded in agreement and got up to leave.
“Where are you going? Sit down! In your condition, you shouldn’t be wandering around.”
Lin Zhen replied stubbornly, “I’m going to see the house. Why stay here any longer?”
Despite his injured leg, Lin Zhen moved quickly, almost hopping his way out.
Aunt Xinghua scolded him, “You’re still the same reckless boy! Rest up properly; look at those dark circles under your eyes.”
Lin Zhen protested, “I don’t want to sleep.”
But Aunt Xinghua ignored him, firmly ordering him to the bedroom.
Defeated, Lin Zhen trudged off to bed, his face a mix of annoyance and resignation.
As he lay down, Heidan waddled over on his short legs.
Lin Zhen glanced at him. “What now?”
Heidan patted his brother’s shoulder with his tiny hand and said seriously, “Rest well, Brother. I’m going to see Sister Song now.”
With that, he darted off, leaving Lin Zhen speechless.
Lin Zhen: Why does everything this little brat says sound so irritating?!
Heidan, however, was all smiles. His little legs moved quickly as he ran, eager to share his happiness with Sister Song.
On his way, he bumped into his friend Shuanzi.
“Your brother’s back? What’s he like? I heard soldiers are all super tall and powerful. Is that true?”
Heidan thought about his brother and nodded enthusiastically.
“He’s really tall!”
He puffed out his chest proudly. “I have to look way up to talk to him, and he’s bigger than anyone else in the village!”
“Does he wear a uniform? Those military clothes that look so cool?”
Heidan nodded again, recalling how imposing his brother looked in his uniform.
The two boys chatted excitedly, with Heidan in an unusually talkative mood. But their joy was cut short when they encountered the Lin family blocking the road.
Old lady Lin had even been carried out by her son due to the news of Lin Zhen’s return.
“Stop right there, Heidan!” she screeched.
Heidan frowned and tried to avoid them, but Lin Youfu suddenly lunged forward, grabbing and shoving him.
“When your grandmother calls you, you listen! No manners, just like your useless father!”
Lin Youfu had always looked down on Heidan, treating him with disdain and violence. Now, seeing Heidan well-dressed and clean only fueled his jealousy.
“You’ve been living well at that Song woman’s place, huh? What a stupid woman, wasting her resources on a brat who’s not even related to her. I thought she looked decent enough to be my wife, but clearly, she’s just an idiot.”
Heidan’s face turned red with anger.
“Don’t you dare insult Sister Song!”
Like a tiny cannonball, he charged forward, headbutting Lin Youfu in the stomach and knocking him to the ground.
Lin Youfu groaned in pain, clutching his stomach, while old lady Lin screamed in rage.
Deng Chunhua lunged at Heidan to hit him, but Shuanzi pushed her away. The two boys, taking advantage of their small size and agility, quickly ran off.
“Catch that little brat!” old lady Lin shrieked. “How dare he disrespect his elders! When I get my hands on him, I’ll teach him a lesson!”
Though the Lin family often squabbled internally, they always united when it came to oppressing Heidan.
Their greed had been reignited by Lin Zhen’s return—they were certain he had money saved up after years in the army.
As the Lin family chased the boys, Zhuanzi yelled at the top of his lungs:
“Help! The Lin family’s trying to beat up Heidan! Someone, save us!”
The boys ran fast, but the adults’ longer strides were closing the gap.
Just as Lin Lao Si’s hand reached out to grab Heidan, a thick wooden stick suddenly came crashing down on his arm.
“Ahhh!” Lin Lao Si screamed in pain, clutching his arm.
The force of the blow had left his bones throbbing.
From the other end of the path, Song Wei strode toward them, each step radiating anger.
“Sister Song!”
The two boys lit up with joy upon seeing her.
Deng Chunhua, however, wasn’t deterred. She planted her hands on her hips and began yelling:
“Song Wei, what do you think you’re doing? Disciplining our Lin family’s child is none of your business! Just because you’ve been raising Heidan for a few days doesn’t make him yours. If you want a child so badly, why don’t you find a man to marry and have one of your own?
“We’ve got plenty of bachelors in this village who’d love a fox-faced woman like you!”
Her shrill voice carried across the path, thick with venom.
With so many people in the Lin family around her, she was not afraid of Song Wei.
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