“Auntie, look at the bib Juan’er embroidered. Isn’t it pretty?”
“Auntie, Auntie, Xia’er wrote some big characters!”
“You two! I was wondering where you’d disappeared to all this time. So you were just fetching things to show off.”
“Mother, this isn’t showing off! Auntie hasn’t visited in so long, and I didn’t want to go to the front courtyard. If I don’t take this chance to ask for her advice, when else will I get the opportunity? You never have the patience to teach me anyway.”
“Haha, Juan’er, it’s not that your mother lacks patience. Let me tell you, your grandmother thinks your embroidery might already be better than hers.”
“Ah, Mother! How could you expose my shortcomings in front of Juan’er? She’ll just use it as an excuse to defy me in the future!”
“Good is good, bad is bad. Do you think you can pretend forever?”
“Juan’er, Xia’er, come here to Auntie.”
Perhaps it was just psychological, but Lin Fang didn’t fall asleep immediately after finishing her milk this time. Still, she didn’t dare try opening her eyes, so she just lay there quietly. Lin Juan wanted to show her mother her embroidery, Lin Xia wanted to show off her calligraphy, Aunt Hong was quick to tease, but her daughter Lin Juan fired back, and Grandma didn’t hesitate to expose flaws. Heh, this scene was truly amusing.
“Juan’er, the color of the flower’s pistil is too similar to the petals. Up close, it’s distinguishable, but from afar, it just looks like a big red blur. Also, the center of the bib is where the baby’s chin rubs most. Even if the embroidery is smooth, a baby’s skin is delicate—it’ll still feel uncomfortable.”
“Thank you, Auntie. Juan’er will undo it and redo it.”
“Auntie, how are Xia’er’s characters?”
The soft, sweet voice made Lin Fang’s heart itch. She imagined a fair, doll-like little girl and couldn’t resist the urge to pinch those chubby cheeks—though, of course, she could only imagine it. Her hands wouldn’t move.
“Hmm, Xia’er’s handwriting has improved since last time, and your clothes are much cleaner than after your last writing session. Xia’er is so capable.”
Huh? Clothes? Clean? Did this second sister turn into a mess after writing? Heh, must’ve been quite the sight. Before Lin Fang could let her imagination run wild, Second Grandma scolded:
“Meng’er! You enter without greeting your elders first, whispering nonsense to Wen’er instead—what kind of behavior is that? Come here at once!”
“Yes, Grandmother.”
Oh? Another little boy. But his voice sounded listless.
“What happened to your face? Why is your hair such a mess? Did you get into another fight? Wen’er always finishes his recitations after school before coming home, yet dinner is nearly over—where have you been all this time?”
“I—I was just playing with Gou Dan for a while. I’m back now, aren’t I?”
“Still lying? Gou Dan is always careful. If you were playing with him, how did you get those scratches?”
“I—I got them wrestling with Gou Dan.”
“Wrestling? Even a three-year-old could tell these are scratches. Don’t forget what I used to be—out with the truth!”
“Fine, Grandmother. I got into a fight.”
“With whom?”
“Uh—well—”
“Speak!”
“Lin Shilang! That grown man didn’t even fight properly—he used women’s tricks, pinching and scratching! Hmph, I, Lin Meng, despise men like that!”
“Silence! How dare you call him ‘Lin Shilang’? How many times must I tell you—though he’s young, he’s your elder! You must never raise a hand against him! If you ever hope to take the imperial exams, someone could accuse you of assaulting a senior—your career would be ruined before it even began! A moment’s impatience can ruin a lifetime’s plans. Why must you always be so reckless?”
“I didn’t want to hit him! I’d dirty my hands touching him! But he was unbearable—he was spreading vile rumors about Auntie at school! I couldn’t take it anymore!”
“He spoke ill of your aunt? What did he say?” That was Li Cuihong’s voice, tense with worry.
“He said—”
“Second Grandmother, Aunt Hong, Uncle Shilang was just joking. Don’t take it seriously. Big Brother hasn’t eaten yet—we can discuss this after dinner.”
Lin Fang, with her adult instincts, sensed Lin Wen’s interruption was an obvious cover-up. What had started as idle curiosity now sharpened into genuine interest—why had Lin Meng fought Lin Shilang?
“Wen’er, step aside. Let Meng’er finish. Meng’er, out with it—what did your uncle say?” Clearly, Second Grandma wouldn’t let this go.
Lin Meng steeled himself: “Lin Shilang said Auntie is ugly, that she’s a toad who forced herself on a swan by clinging shamelessly to Uncle. But what good did it do? She still sleeps alone—Uncle stays away because he can’t stand her!”
“Big Brother!”
“Wen’er, let him finish. Given your uncle’s nature, there’s surely more.”
Lin Fang noticed her mother’s voice, though calm, trembled faintly—as if holding back fury.
Lin Meng continued: “He also said Fang’er looks freakish, that she’s a demon reborn. That her near-drowning was Heaven’s punishment, but she escaped. That her month of half-dead stupor is Heaven’s way of suppressing her soul—sooner or later, she’ll die. And once she does, peace will return.”
What? This involved her? Freakish looks? A demon’s rebirth? Strictly speaking, she was a transmigrator—far from a demon. If she were truly a demon, would she have died so miserably in her past life? And “freakish”? How? Was it because this body’s appearance was unusual—was that why Grandma tried to drown her?
Before she could ponder further, Madam Tong snapped: “Meng’er, fetch the whip. As his junior, you can’t strike Lin Shilang—but as his aunt, I have every right. If Lin Boshi won’t discipline his son, I’ll do it for him!”
After a few jostling steps, Lin Fang was deposited into her mother’s arms.
“Aunt, no! Shilang is frail—he can’t take a whipping! He’s still young, he needs guidance!”
Lin Fang couldn’t believe it—even after such venom, her mother still defended Lin Shilang. She seemed even weaker than Lin Fang had been in her past life.
“Cuimei, don’t stop me this time. Shilang wasn’t even born when you married—you raised him like your own! The whole village says you’re more his mother than his birth parents! And this is how he repays you? Your in-laws are unreasonable—if you keep shielding him, he’ll bring disaster upon this family!”
“But Aunt, he won’t survive it!”
“He won’t survive? Have you considered how his words will haunt Fang’er? How they’ll damage Wen’er and Wu’er’s futures? If word spreads of a ‘demon girl’ in the house, who’ll hire your husband? Liu’er Cuiping already struggles to find a match—who’d propose after this? And Cuie—she’s of marriageable age! What decent family would want her now? You fret over Shilang, but have you thought of the harm his words will do?”
Madam Tong’s questions left Li Cuimei trembling, her face ashen. Ordering Li Cuihong to tend to her sister, Madam Tong stormed out, whip in hand.
Lin Fang longed to hear the rest, but her body betrayed her—at this critical moment, she sank into deep sleep. Before darkness took her, she vowed: *I must recover soon.*
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