Chapter 16: Foresight

The next day, Lin Dalang shared Li Cuimei’s idea with his aunt and asked if she would be willing to invest money for him to manage and then share the profits. Tongshi listened with a faint smile but didn’t respond, leaving Dalang and his wife puzzled. Li Cuimei asked, “Aunt, what exactly is your plan? Have you agreed or not?”

Only then did Tongshi speak: “You two are a bit late. I’ve already spent all my money.”

“Spent it?” Lin Dalang was confused. “Aunt, did you make some big business deal?”

“Hehe, go ask whose name the land on both sides of the main road outside Liangping Town is under now.”

Li Cuimei caught on quickly: “Is it under the Lin family?”

“Exactly. Cuimei is as sharp as ever.”

As Tongshi spoke, she was setting Lin Meng’s dislocated arm. The boy was too mischievous, constantly getting into fights. That morning, not long after he arrived at school, he was sent back by the teacher’s servant. This time, he’d met his match—his arm had been dislocated.

“Ah—” Lin Fang was startled by Lin Meng’s scream, but when she looked around, no one else seemed fazed.

“Quiet! It’s already set. What are you howling for?”

Wow, a true expert! Lin Fang once again resolved to learn from her great-aunt.

Lin Meng shook his arm. “Huh? Grandmother, it doesn’t hurt at all. How did you do that? Teach me!”

Tongshi waved him off like shooing a fly. “Humph, shame on you for getting your arm dislocated so easily. Clearly, you’ve been slacking off lately. Starting today, you’ll practice an extra hour every day.”

“Yes, Grandmother.”

For Lin Meng, extra practice wasn’t a punishment—it was a reward. But before he could celebrate, his aunt’s next words wiped the smile off his face.

“Reckless and impulsive. Starting today, you’ll write an extra hundred characters daily.”

“What? No, please, Aunt! I’ll be more careful from now on. Can’t we skip the extra writing?”

No one paid him any heed. Lin Meng had no choice but to return to school, knowing full well he’d face punishment there too. But since the punishment was inevitable, he figured it was better to get it over with sooner rather than later.

The conversation returned to the earlier topic. Tongshi explained, “The moment Dalang mentioned building houses, I saw an opportunity. I immediately contacted the town’s middlemen and bought most of the land along the main road near the town. I didn’t even think about what to do with it—money sitting idle is wasted money. Land is always a good investment. If Dalang’s land can be used for housing, then this land, being similarly located, will surely turn a profit.”

Wow, an ancient real estate developer! Lin Fang’s eyes sparkled with admiration. She was utterly in awe of her great-aunt.

Lin Dalang and Li Cuimei were surprised by how quickly Tongshi had acted and couldn’t help but praise her foresight. Tongshi, however, brushed it off casually: “Though I don’t care much for business, my parents were merchants. Some things just rub off on you.”

History proved Tongshi right. She had acted swiftly, and as more and more people inquired about purchasing the land along the main road, Lin Dalang grew increasingly impressed by his aunt’s vision and decisiveness. When Li Cuimei suggested building a few simple eateries opposite the new housing, Dalang was completely won over. He had always dismissed the saying “a woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent” as nonsense, but when his wife laid out her reasoning, he bowed deeply to her in admiration.

Lin Dalang knew his limits. He was aware that while he had good looks, he wasn’t particularly clever. His success in business over the years was largely due to his broad experience. Back in the day, he couldn’t even keep accounts straight—it was his wife who patiently taught him how to use an abacus. To this day, he could use the abacus fluently, but the mnemonics still tripped him up. If his wife had traveled as extensively as he had, her achievements would likely far surpass his.

“Cuimei, once our shops are up and running, come with me to town.”

“What would I do there? With my looks, I’d only embarrass you.”

Lin Fang’s heart ached at her mother’s words. Standing side by side, her parents looked less like a couple and more like mother and son—one as elegant as a celestial being, the other as plain as Dong Shi. The mismatch was glaring.

“Cuimei, don’t say such things. To me, you’re the best. If you’re uncomfortable, you can stay in the shop’s backyard, teach the children, and oversee things for me.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

Li Cuimei was touched by her husband’s words, but her in-laws had never liked her and were just waiting for an excuse to divorce her. If she followed her husband to town, how could she justify not serving her elderly in-laws? If her father-in-law accused her of filial impiety and took her to court, even if her brother’s influence could get her off the hook, the scandal would tarnish her children’s reputations—her son’s future prospects and her daughter’s marriage prospects would suffer.

While Li Cuimei enjoyed her peaceful life in the backyard, Lin Cui’e was miserable. Originally, Lin Bosi hadn’t wanted her to work in the fields for fear she’d tan, but with his daughter-in-law recuperating and Dalang unwilling to disrupt his son Lin Wen’s studies, Bosi was overwhelmed and had no choice but to send his youngest daughter to help in the fields. Lin Cuiping, with her bound feet, stayed home to cook and tend to the chickens and pigs.

Lin Cui’e didn’t mind hard work, but she was lively and hated being cooped up. When her sister-in-law was home, her parents would keep her from running around, but at least she could chat with her sister-in-law and play with her nieces and nephews. Even if Wen, the little bookworm, mostly ignored her, teasing him now and then was fun. Plus, her sister-in-law taught her to read, sew, and embroider. Though she lacked playmates her own age, her days were at least fulfilling.

Now that her sister-in-law had moved to her aunt’s house, taking the children with her, her mother’s nagging and cursing had intensified. The chores her sister-in-law used to handle—feeding the chickens and pigs—had fallen to her seventh sister, who was already short-tempered and now never smiled. Her tenth brother, after being beaten by their aunt, had quieted down for a while but was back to his old troublemaking ways. The house was constantly noisy, and Lin Cui’e was utterly fed up.

“Sister-in-law, when are you coming back to the front courtyard?”

“Haha, Cui’e, what’s the matter? Do you need your sister-in-law to nurse you?”

“Second Sister-in-law, don’t say that. I’m just really bored.”

“Alright, alright, I won’t tease. But your sister-in-law isn’t fully recovered yet. Do you really want her to come back and work while she’s still sick?”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

To Li Cuimei, Lin Cui’e was like her own daughter. She had raised her youngest sister-in-law since birth, changing her diapers and tending to her every need. Seeing the girl’s face scrunch up like a little bun pained her. She knew Cui’e had sneaked over—if her in-laws found out, she’d at least get a scolding—so she asked, “Aren’t you afraid your mother will find out you’re here?”

Lin Cui’e shook her head. “I came back from the fields. Mother doesn’t know. Father said he’d cut some grass for the cows before coming home, so he won’t be back soon. I slipped in when no one was looking. As long as Tenth Brother doesn’t see me, it’ll be fine.”

Li Cuihong brought out a plate of meat buns from the kitchen. Though Dalang and Sixth Brother handed almost all their earnings to Lin Bosi, the family wasn’t short on money. Bosi, however, was notoriously stingy—meat was a rare treat, appearing on the table maybe once a month. Li Cuihong wasn’t as close to Cui’e as Third Sister was, but the girl’s cheerful personality made it hard not to dote on her.

“Mmm, delicious! Second Sister-in-law, you’re so talented!” The girl gobbled up the buns while praising her sister-in-law.

“Haha, my hands may be skilled, but your mouth is even more so.”

Li Cuimei wiped her sister-in-law’s mouth with a handkerchief and chided gently, “Slow down. No one’s fighting you for them.”

When Lin Cui’e arrived, Lin Fang had been awake but pretended to sleep. She liked her lively aunt, but there was one thing she couldn’t stand—the way Cui’e always poked her cheeks. Since she was just a baby now, expected to eat and sleep all day, she figured she might as well feign sleep to avoid the annoyance.

As the saying goes, hope is beautiful, but reality is harsh. Ignoring her aunt didn’t mean her aunt would ignore her. After devouring two meat buns, Lin Cui’e patted her full belly, burped, and noticed the “sleeping” baby. She raised her hand to poke Lin Fang’s cheek but stopped mid-air. Instead, she leaned over Lin Fang, her breath tickling the baby’s face.

After a moment of scrutiny, Lin Cui’e asked Li Cuimei, “Huh? Sister-in-law, have the birthmarks on Fang’er’s face faded a bit?”

Li Cuimei sat on the edge of the bed and studied her daughter closely before shaking her head. “They look the same to me.”

Hearing this, Li Cuihong also came over for a look. “I don’t see any change either. But Third Sister, we see Fang’er every day. Subtle changes might escape our notice. Cui’e hasn’t seen her in a while. If she says there’s a difference, it’s probably true.”

Li Cuimei pondered this, then nodded happily. “You’re right. If they’re really fading, these marks might disappear completely someday. Then we won’t have to worry about Fang’er’s appearance anymore. That’s wonderful news!”

The sorrow in her voice wasn’t lost on Li Cuihong—or Lin Fang, who could well imagine her mother’s pain. Still, she was thrilled. She didn’t mind being ugly, but if she could become pretty, who wouldn’t want that? Since her aunt had noticed the change, Lin Fang decided then and there that she’d forgive all future cheek-poking. Whether it was “the petty not holding grudges” or “the magnanimous not bearing grudges,” she wouldn’t take it to heart anymore.

Before winter arrived, merchants buying medicinal herbs began streaming into Liangping Town. Lin Dalang’s twelve small courtyards were completed. Some came just to look, strolling around the area and asking questions, but once they stepped inside for a tour, many decided to rent on the spot.

The courtyards were laid out exactly as Dalang had planned: three main rooms, with side rooms and storage spaces, all furnished simply but elegantly. The walls and floors were meticulously finished, making them suitable for living. Those with families particularly favored these courtyards, as staying in inns was far less convenient.

Across the road stood a small eatery. Though its tables and chairs were made of ordinary wood, the craftsmanship was fine, creating a welcoming atmosphere that made patrons want to sit and stay awhile. The food wasn’t as elaborately presented as in high-end restaurants, but the homely flavors were excellent, and delivery was available—a godsend for those too busy to stop for meals.

Within days, all twelve courtyards were rented out. Their popularity sparked interest in buying land to build similar housing, but it was too late—most of the suitable plots nearby already belonged to the Lin family.