Because she had lost consciousness due to her inability to tolerate chili peppers, Shi Binhua had caused her to be separated from her parents in this life and returned to her parents from her previous life. This inexplicable disappearance of her physical condition left Lin Fang unsure whether she was lucky or unlucky, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
In fact, during her time in the other world, Dalang and Li Cuimei had already noticed Lin Fang’s aversion to chili peppers, so there wasn’t even a trace of chili in their home. Lin Fang had also deliberately concealed this fact because her condition was carried over from her previous life. Subconsciously, she didn’t want others to know, fearing they might see her as a freak. She also sensed that her parents were aware of it. Both sides understood each other’s unspoken concerns but never voiced them.
Watching her parents and second brother’s excited smiles, Lin Fang missed her parents and two brothers from the other world intensely. She desperately wanted to tell them that she no longer had this condition—that they no longer had to avoid chili peppers for her sake when cooking, and the family could now fully enjoy the enhanced flavors of dishes with chili.
Afraid that dwelling on these thoughts would make her lose control of her emotions, Lin Fang changed the subject: “Mom, you’ve been at the restaurant all day. Even though villagers don’t usually eat there, they’ll stop by to chat when buying things. I heard from Rouqiu that the police came to the village today to investigate Lan Xiang’s beating. Did you hear anything about what happened?”
Dong Huixin replied, “I heard they didn’t find anything. The spot where Lan Xiang was beaten had already been trampled by villagers who came to gawk. As the police put it, the scene was severely compromised. Plus, last night’s heavy snowfall continued lightly all day today, covering any possible traces with thick snow.
The police coaxed and threatened the villagers into handing over some items they’d picked up from the scene—mostly fragments from Lan Xiang’s clothes and hair. But by the time they were collected, they were already ruined beyond recognition. The police said those things were useless.
According to Grandma Gao, the police also urged anyone who witnessed the beating to come forward. But Lan Xiang went out for her run too early—everyone was still in bed, so no one claimed to have seen anything. The police left empty-handed.”
As expected, the police had found nothing. Lin Fang asked, “Does anyone know how badly Lan Xiang was hurt?”
“According to Bajin’s mom, Lan Xiang’s mother is usually loud and brash but turns into a useless mess in a crisis, just crying without a clue. Bajin has been running around helping Lan Xiang’s father these past two days, even neglecting his own coal-selling business and leaving the charcoal-making to his parents and wife.
Yesterday, they first went to the township hospital. Since it doesn’t have an X-ray machine, the doctor assessed Lan Xiang’s injuries based on experience. He said her leg bones were severely shattered and required major surgery. Even with surgery, her legs might never fully recover. She’d survive, but she could end up disabled.
Lan Xiang was transferred to the county hospital yesterday afternoon. Bajin came back this morning to fetch some things and said they’d taken X-rays there. Both her legs were badly broken—whoever did it was ruthless. The doctor said the attacker must have been experienced, as the bones inside were crushed like rotten watermelon flesh, yet there wasn’t much external bleeding. The doctor insisted she be sent to the regional hospital immediately, as the county hospital couldn’t handle such a surgery.”
Lin Fang shuddered. Lan Xiang’s injuries ruled out Chen Dong as the culprit. Though Chen Dong fought fiercely, her goal was survival and self-defense. Even if she despised Lan Xiang and wanted to teach her a lesson, she wouldn’t go this far—nor did she have the skill to inflict such damage without obvious external signs.
Since it wasn’t Chen Dong, her days on the run would be less fraught with fear. Relieved, Lin Fang glanced at her second brother.
Lin Tuo stood by the stove, staring blankly at the dancing flames, his expression unreadable.
Her brother must have given up on Lan Xiang completely. With her family’s wealth and her own good looks, Lan Xiang had often been arrogant, and her mother’s loudmouthed foolishness had earned them plenty of enemies. This attack might have been the work of someone powerful. Even if she didn’t end up disabled, the unexplained beating would fuel endless gossip.
“What about Chen Dong’s eldest sister?”
Did she die? Chen Dong’s sister had her hand chopped off and was taken to the hospital by neighbors. Her parents and siblings showed no reaction—cold-blooded as robots, devoid of emotion. Lin Fang suspected Chen Dong’s parents were reincarnated machines, only good at procreation but indifferent afterward.
Dong Huixin shook her head. “No idea. Her family never interacts with outsiders. If even her own kin won’t help, others can only do so much. The person who took her to the hospital just came back shaking their head, saying nothing.”
Left to fate, then. Lin Fang dropped the subject.
While chatting, Dong Huixin had prepared the ingredients for chili oil: five-spice powder, chili flakes, cottonseed oil, and salt. The five-spice blend included Sichuan pepper, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and fennel seeds.
She mixed the spices and salt with the chili flakes, while Lin Yuanmin poured oil into a large ladle and carefully heated it over the stove. Once the oil was piping hot, he poured it into the chili mixture, stirring rapidly. The oil had to be added all at once—any delay would burn the spices.
As the oil heated, Lin Yuanmin warned, “Fang, once the oil’s ready, step outside. The fumes from hot oil and chili are strong. Even your mom and I have to be careful. Since you’ve just recovered, don’t risk overstimulating yourself.”
“Got it.” Lin Fang wouldn’t refuse her father’s concern and agreed readily.
She stepped out into the empty outer room, a wave of loneliness washing over her. After wrapping a scarf around her neck and donning a hooded coat, she told her parents, “I’m going for a walk.”
Lin Yuanmin objected. “Why now? It’s freezing. If you’re bored, ask your brother to play cards with you.”
“Train cards” was a mindless game with endless loops—unless the players were hopelessly inept or unlucky, there was no winner or loser.
Her father still treated her like a child. Lin Fang smiled helplessly. “It’s fine, Dad. I’ll just walk near the house.”
Lin Fang had a habit she didn’t quite understand: when lonely, she’d lean into it. Perhaps it was a case of extremes meeting—when the loneliness became unbearable, her heart would inexplicably find peace.
“Fang, I’ll go with you.”
Lin Tuo was already dressed, plopping his cotton hat onto Lin Fang’s head while he merely wrapped a scarf around his neck—something he wouldn’t have done without Dong Huixin’s insistence.
With her brother accompanying her, Lin Yuanmin didn’t stop her. The siblings stepped outside, Lin Tuo pulling Lin Fang’s hood up, leaving her with two hats weighing on her head. She didn’t remove them immediately, instead crossing the road toward a country path.
Lin Tuo followed silently. The snow’s glow cast the night in a translucent black veil, making the scenery faintly visible despite the haze.
They’d walked this path countless times. Even with snow masking the bumps, memory guided their steps effortlessly—especially with Lin Fang’s sharp night vision leading the way.
They walked in silence until reaching the threshing ground at the path’s end.
“Brother, let’s build a snowman. This is the first heavy snow this year—who knows when the next will come?” Lin Fang bent down, already shaping a snowball.
“Alright, I’ll do it. Don’t freeze your hands.” Lin Tuo joined her, crouching beside her.
Lin Fang kept working. “Let’s each make our own. You know how it is—your hands feel cold at first, but soon they warm up. I won’t freeze.”
“Fine.”
Usually overprotective, Lin Tuo didn’t argue this time. He simply rolled his own snowball while Lin Fang worked in the opposite direction. As their snowballs grew, the exposed ground behind them lengthened, a dark ribbon winding through the white snow.
After rolling a large cylinder for the body and a smaller ball for the head, Lin Fang paused, memories of her otherworldly family flashing through her mind. Unsure how to shape the snowman, she stood motionless before it.
“Done? Need help?”
Lin Tuo approached, his own exertion making him sweat. Lin Fang’s coat hood had slipped to her shoulders, her hat in hand, scarf loosely draped. She stood as still as a snowman herself.
He adjusted her scarf and pulled her hood up. “Need help? Yours is just a blank slate.”
Lin Fang stopped him. “Second Brother, let’s leave it like this. Some things are better left to nature.”
Lin Tuo froze. Lin Fang tugged him toward his own snowman, smiling. “Let’s see yours. You’ve always made whatever I asked for, perfectly. This one you made for yourself must be great.”
But Lin Tuo didn’t respond. When they reached his snowman, Lin Fang fell silent. His creation was identical to hers—a plain cylinder topped with an unadorned snowball.
“Second Brother?”
“Let’s go. You have school tomorrow. Mom’s probably done with the chili by now—you two should head back and rest.”
Lin Tuo knew what she wanted to ask. Though he’d always confided in her, this time he didn’t hesitate, pulling her away without explanation. Even he didn’t know what he was thinking.
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