Lin Lao Si (Fourth Son) was so frightened by Lin Zhen’s outburst that he stumbled backward, cowardly hiding behind his mother.
Not only the Lin family but even the surrounding onlookers were startled by Lin Zhen’s fury, trembling in fear.
Lin Zhen’s sharp eyes locked onto old lady Lin, and for the first time, everyone truly understood what it meant for Lin Zhen to have been a soldier.
He had taken lives on the battlefield. Enemy or not, it was still a person.
Even the wolf cub in Heidan’s arms seemed to sense Lin Zhen’s anger. Despite being small, it bared its teeth menacingly in old lady Lin’s direction.
The little wolf knew exactly which side it belonged to.
Old lady Lin felt a deep fear rising but refused to believe that Lin Zhen would dare hit her.
“You… What do you want? I… I’m your real grandmother!”
Lin Zhen’s voice was rough and filled with menace. “You think you’re my real grandmother? I’ve been holding back, but if you keep provoking me, don’t blame me for not being patient. Have you forgotten the past already?”
He continued coldly, “Granny, your beloved eldest son is in town now. My leg isn’t healed yet, so he’s lucky. But soon, I’ll make a trip to town and pay him a visit.”
Old lady Lin panicked. “What do you want to do? Lin Zhen, that’s your uncle!
What are you planning?”
Before Lin Zhen could answer, an elderly voice interrupted. “Just a bastard child! Who does Lin Dahai think he is? If the second son doesn’t care about his dignity, that’s his business. But our Lin family will never let a bastard into the family register!”
Everyone turned to see an elderly man with white hair and a beard approaching.
“Great-uncle.”
Lin Zhen greeted the old man respectfully.
Old lady Lin’s expression flickered with panic and guilt, but she quickly masked it by bursting into exaggerated sobs.
“Oh, the Lin family is bullying me! I’ve been married to old man Lin for so many years, gave him children, and carried on the family line. Now I’m being slandered in my old age! My Dahai isn’t Lin family blood? How dare you say that? You’re his elder brother! Instead of protecting your younger brother, you’re spreading lies about me! I must’ve been cursed to marry into this family!”
Her voice was dramatic, each cry more impassioned than the last, as if she were performing an opera.
But Great-uncle Lin, who had endured her antics for years, finally snapped. Grabbing his cane, he struck her without hesitation.
“You shameless shrew! Back then, we all knew why you were so desperate to marry second brother. My mother saw through you at a glance-you were already pregnant!
“You didn’t even wait for marriage before fooling around with a man, and that idiot still wanted to marry you, even breaking ties with the family for it. For the sake of the Lin family’s reputation, we kept it a secret.
“But you-your schemes led to the death of the third son’s entire family! How could such a vile and shameless woman marry into the Lin family?”
Old lady Lin was caught off guard by the sudden attack. She screamed and scrambled away, hiding behind her son, Lin Lao Si, who unfortunately took the brunt of the cane strikes.
Lin Lao Si grimaced in pain, his body twisting with each blow. He dared not retaliate, especially under Lin Zhen’s icy, warning glare.
Lin Zhen’s gaze clearly conveyed: “Try it, and see what happens.”
Lin Lao Si didn’t dare. After all, even their eldest brother had fled in humiliation after being beaten by Lin Zhen. There was no way Lin Lao Si believed he would be spared.
“Mom, please step away! Don’t get me into trouble too!” he begged internally, enduring the hits.
But his heart was in turmoil as he listened to the Great-uncle’s furious accusations.
So it’s true? Eldest Brother isn’t even part of the Lin family?!
The surrounding villagers were equally stunned. Although rumors had circulated for years, old lady Lin’s staunch denials had kept it all as mere gossip. Now, the truth was out.
No wonder old lady Lin had fought tooth and nail to marry into the Lin family.
Old man Lin’s actions were baffling- raising another man’s child, allowing his own children to be bullied, and even forcing the third son’s family to their deaths.
What kind of person does this?
With old lady Lin’s long-held secret exposed, the crowd erupted in murmurs, pointing fingers at her as she fled. Overwhelmed, she collapsed and faint.
“Mom!” Lin Lao Si exclaimed, panicked.
Great-uncle Lin was also momentarily startled but quickly composed himself.
Lin Zhen stepped forward, checking old lady Lin’s pulse. “She’s fine. Just fainted from the shock of her secret being revealed. Besides, Great-uncle, most of your strikes landed on Lao Si. It has nothing to do with you.”
His blatant favoritism was obvious, even refusing to address old lady Lin as his grandmother or Lao Si as his uncle.
Though some old-fashioned villagers muttered criticisms of Lin Zhen’s behavior, none dared speak up. His earlier outburst was far too intimidating.
Relieved that old lady Lin had only fainted, Great-uncle Lin calmed down. “Good, good. I don’t want her death on my conscience. But she deserved a lesson.”
The commotion ended with old lady Lin being carried away by her family to the hospital.
Old man Lin, hearing the news, rushed over in anger. Though his feelings for old lady Lin had faded, decades of marriage had left some lingering attachment.
“Who did this?”
Before anyone could answer, Great-uncle Lin’s cane came down hard on old man Lin.
Even Lin Zhen and Song Wei were stunned by the scene.
Apparently, Great-uncle Lin had been holding back a lot of pent-up frustration.
“You ungrateful, heartless bastard! You let your wife run wild for years, driving your third son’s family to their deaths!
“And what about Heidan? Look what you did to that child! When he lived with us, he was healthy and happy. In your hands, he was nearly starved to death!
“If I hadn’t held back out of fear that you’d treat Heidan even worse, I’d have beaten you long ago!”
Old man Lin cowered under the blows, not daring to fight back. He knew he deserved it, and his reputation in the village was already in shambles.
The villagers, especially the older ones, watched approvingly. Old man Lin’s actions had been disgraceful, and seeing him punished felt like justice.
Exhausted but satisfied, Great-uncle Lin finally stopped. Lin Zhen hurriedly offered him water and soft buns to regain his strength.
After taking a few bites, the old man sighed. “Lin Zhen, if that shrew ever bullies you again, come to me. Don’t go confronting them yourself-it’s bad for your reputation.”
Lin Zhen chuckled. “What reputation? It’s not worth compromising myself over.”
He was planning to smash a few things at their house this afternoon anyway.
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