When Lin Zhen and Heidan arrived, Song Wei was thoroughly engrossed in gossip.
Hearing someone call her, she turned her head. Torn between eating melon and eating lunch, she hesitated for only two seconds before sprinting toward Lin Zhen.
“What did you bring? Let me see.”
Her hands were muddy, unwashed from work, but her bright eyes sparkled with curiosity as they darted to the lunch container.
“Pork lard buns, mixed-grain steamed bread, pancakes, fried tofu, and a fish,” Lin Zhen replied.
The fish had been caught earlier by Lin Zhen at the river. Even though he couldn’t wade into the water, he managed to fish comfortably from the shore.
Lin Zhen didn’t skimp on oil, so his cooking was especially flavorful, easily rivaling dishes from state-owned restaurants. Compared to the simple food brought by others, Lin Zhen’s meals were practically gourmet.
Around this time, other families were also delivering meals to their loved ones working in the fields. Most brought steamed cornbread, mixed-grain buns, or simply boiled sweet potatoes. To save time, everyone ate in the fields.
Song Wei’s lunch stood out as particularly extravagant. Unfortunately, the Lin family members also happened to arrive with their food at this moment.
Since the incident with Lin Zhen and Song Wei, the Lin family harbored deep resentment toward the pair. They blamed them for the chaos in their family, including the ongoing arguments over dividing the household.
The second son’s branch of the Lin family had been shirking work entirely, ignoring old lady Lin scolding. Meanwhile, the fourth son, though traditionally raised to respect his parents and elder brother, had started scheming to avoid extra work, especially since the second son’s family had checked out.
By now, the entire family had earned fewer than ten work points, a source of great frustration for old lady Lin.
“Mom, how can you expect us to work hard when you feed us like this?” the fourth son complained, glaring at the boiled sweet potatoes and oil-free vegetable soup. “We eat this watery slop, and our stomachs feel like they’re burning. How are we supposed to work?”
He couldn’t help but glance at Lin Zhen’s fragrant food, the aroma of the pork lard wafting into his nose. He took a deep breath, his expression filled with envy.
Old lady Lin, humiliated and furious, also noticed the meal Lin Zhen had prepared for Song Wei. Her face twisted with resentment, and she nearly lunged forward to snatch it for herself.
“You’re lucky I even cook for you!” old lady Lin snapped. “Look at what you’ve done this morning. All of you combined haven’t earned ten points! Do you want to starve to death?”
She shot a venomous glare at Lin Zhen and Song Wei. “And as for those ungrateful brats, they don’t even know who their elders are anymore. That shameless little tramp—hasn’t even married yet, and she’s already got a man cooking for her. Such wastefulness! She’ll starve to death one day.”
The target of her tirade was obvious, drawing the attention of others eating nearby. Many paused to watch the spectacle unfold.
Lin Zhen turned, his face cold and his fists clenched, ready to act, but Song Wei grabbed his wrist to stop him.
“Lin Zhen,” she said calmly, her movements graceful as she ate. “Did you hear the story going around lately?”
Lin Zhen frowned, recognizing her tone.
“I heard there was a girl who was engaged but jumped to marry someone else the moment the man’s family had trouble. Because of it, the man’s family had a falling out and eventually split up. Do you think people like that are still recognized by their ancestors?”
Lin Zhen snorted, catching her implication. “If my son ever did something like that for a woman, I’d break his legs and kick him out of the family register. Why keep someone like that to anger me?”
Song Wei rolled her eyes. “Are you cursing your future son? What kind of father are you?”
The pair bantered loudly, their voices unrestrained.
Some older folks immediately understood who they were referencing, as the incident had been a major gossip topic years ago. Younger people, curious but unaware, began questioning their elders.
Old lady Lin, however, trembled all over, her hands shaking as she gripped her bowl. Her face contorted with rage, and she opened her mouth to retort but was interrupted.
An elderly woman with white hair approached.
“Lin Zhen, bringing lunch for Song Wei, huh? A man should take good care of his woman,” she said with a smile.
Lin Zhen greeted her warmly. “Great-Auntie, you’re here. Where are Uncle and the others?”
“They’re over at the inner plots,” she replied.
Lin Zhen handed her a few large steamed buns. “Take these to share with them.”
The old woman tried to refuse. “You keep these. We’ve got plenty at home.”
“I made too much. It’ll go to waste if you don’t take it,” Lin Zhen insisted.
Song Wei chimed in to persuade her, and the old woman finally accepted, praising them both.
“Good kids, truly good kids. Girl, you should visit us sometime.”
She turned to Heidan, her expression softening. “Sweet boy, it’s our fault. I shouldn’t have let them take you back then.”
Little Heidan shook his head solemnly. “It’s not your fault. You took care of me until I was two.”
Though the great-aunt’s family occasionally visited and brought him food, old lady Lin and her family would always seize anything left for him, using it as an excuse to berate the great-aunt’s family.
Not wanting them to suffer, Little Heidan eventually asked them to stop visiting. Despite his young age, he remembered their kindness and remained grateful.
Meanwhile, old lady Lin and the fourth son stared at the buns and dumplings Lin Zhen handed over, their eyes blazing with jealousy.
Unable to hold back, the fourth son strode over and accused Lin Zhen.
“Lin Zhen, how dare you give food to outsiders while your real family is here? Your grandmother and uncle are starving, and you’re feeding others? What kind of ungrateful son are you?”
Old lady Lin, emboldened by her son’s words, joined in. “You ungrateful brat! Hand those over to your real grandmother!”
Her venomous gaze turned to the great-aunt. “And you’re shameless enough to accept? I’m his real grandma. How dare you take what’s mine?”
“Shut up!” Lin Zhen roared, his voice like a thunderclap.
His commanding presence was like an enraged tiger. Even old lady Lin froze in place, the rest of her words stuck in her throat. A flicker of fear flashed in her clouded eyes.
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