After being bested by Song Wei and Lin Zhen, old lady Lin vented her frustrations on her daughters-in-law, turning the Lin family’s dinner table into a battlefield of bickering.
Meanwhile, old man Lin had no such concerns. With his thick skin and single-minded focus, he ensured every bite he took contained chicken. He even pulled a large drumstick into his bowl, content to ignore the chaos as long as he had meat to eat.
Back at Lin Zhen’s house, the mood was cheerful as they prepared for the meal.
Song Wei doesn’t know if others were affected by the earlier drama, but she certainly wasn’t. She felt no loss—after all, they hadn’t suffered anything tangible. While being cursed on her engagement day wasn’t ideal, she had thrown Deng Chunhua and others out and even dismantled the Lin family’s door and windows.
Nevertheless, Aunt Xinghua and old Man Lin’s wife worried about Song Wei’s mood. It was her engagement day, an important milestone, and they feared the disruption might upset her.
To ease any discomfort, they tried to lift her spirits by sharing amusing stories. But when they saw how carefree and happy Song Wei was, they realized she wasn’t one to dwell on troubles. Their admiration for her grew.
Everyone enjoyed a lively and lavish meal. There were plenty of dishes, including meat and vegetables, many sourced from the greenhouse. Fresh greens like lettuce and Shanghai bok choy were harvested, along with ripe tomatoes, eggplants, and bell peppers grown by Song Wei.
The engagement banquet was so plentiful that it rivaled, or even surpassed, the feasts some villagers had for weddings.
After cleaning up, everyone sat around the fire, inevitably chatting about the shamelessness of the Lin family.
Old Man Lin huffed. “Lin Zhen, you handled it well. You’ve got to teach them a lesson. If you let them off easy, they’ll keep showing up every few days. Why would a good girl like Song Wei want to marry into such trouble?”
Lin Zhen immediately responded, “I’ve got everything under control. I won’t let them keep causing trouble.”
The only way to deal with old lady Lin was to hit her where it hurt, ensuring she stayed away for good. Lin Zhen had been planning this for a while, and the time for action was approaching.
As he thought, he absentmindedly shelled sunflower seeds and handed the kernels to Song Wei, their affectionate interaction bringing smiles to the elders’ faces.
After staying for a second meal that afternoon, the engagement day came to a close. Song Wei and Lin Zhen’s relationship was now openly acknowledged, and all that remained was their wedding day, when they could finally live together without concern.
The following day, both the educated youth dormitory and Lin Zhen’s house were buzzing with visitors.
A group of nosy older women stopped by to chat with Song Wei.
“It’s freezing out, but since you’re engaged, we had to come out. Besides, it’s been so long since we’ve had a proper chat,” one said.
“That’s right. Congratulations, Song Zhiqing! So, when’s the wedding?”
“We haven’t decided yet,” Song Wei replied. “Probably next year. My brother’s leave is hard to arrange, and he’s my only family. I have to wait until he can attend my wedding.”
The women nodded in understanding.
“I heard old Lin’s family caused trouble again yesterday?” one asked, prompting the others to lean in with interest.
Song Wei nodded. “You know Lin Zhen retired due to an injury, right? The authorities provided compensation, and since he was a battalion commander, they also arranged a job for him. But because his leg hasn’t fully healed, he hasn’t taken it yet.
“Well, they think he should give half the money and the job to Lin Youfu instead.”
Rather than hide the situation, Song Wei preferred to share it openly. Letting others speculate would only fuel curiosity, and this way, the truth was clear.
The women were stunned into silence before expressing their disbelief.
“Can you believe the nerve? Eyeing money meant for treating a veteran’s injuries—how greedy can they get?”
“And Lin Youfu? He’s not even part of the Lin family! How could old lady Lin expect Lin Zhen to hand over his job? Is she out of her mind?”
“So the retirement job is real. I’d heard rumors but wasn’t sure.”
“It’s not like every veteran gets a job. The military can’t hand out positions to everyone—they’re limited and precious.”
“I heard Lin Zhen dismantled their doors and windows, too. Well done!”
The women, who got along well with Song Wei, shared similar straightforward personalities. While some had minor flaws like being stingy or nosy, they were generally agreeable and fair-minded.
“I won’t lie,” one said. “When I was younger, I dreamed of tearing down my mother-in-law’s house. She made my life miserable, but thankfully, she passed away early.”
This naturally led to a discussion about mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships.
The conversation eventually shifted to local news, with one woman sharing an update on Xu Laidi.
“You won’t believe how chaotic things are at the Liu household. That old lady is no pushover, but neither is Xu Laidi. They’ve already fought several times.”
“Apparently, the old lady accuses Xu Laidi of being lazy and eating too much. She even guards the hen’s nest to snatch the eggs and cook them for herself. The commotion is constant, even late at night. Poor neighbors!”
Another woman turned to Su Fang. “You’d better watch out. The Luo family is probably going to ask you to go back again.”
The women looked at Su Fang with pity.
“They can’t cope without you,” one said. “Everyone says their house is filthy and smells awful now. None of their clothes are washed, and old lady Luo’s cooking is terrible.”
Simply put, after Su Fang got married, she spoiled the family’s appetites, and they were not able to adapt to this person’s sudden departure. Though fear and guilt had initially kept the Luo family from confronting Song Wei and Su Fang, desperation was driving them to act.
Su Fang smiled softly. “Thank you for the warning, but I’m not worried. My health has improved, and I can handle myself.”
Although still thin, Su Fang looked noticeably healthier, with a fuller face and a rosy complexion.
Satisfied with their gossip session and after enjoying some celebratory candies and sunflower seeds, the older women finally left in high spirits.
Leave a Reply