Chapter 17

The Captain alo has his own little plan in mind if he doesn’t cancel the engagement.

Instead of forcing Lin Qing to go to work, he asked Lin Dahua, “The Zhao family isn’t acting right. What do you and your wife think? Are you going to break off the engagement or not?”

Of course, Lin Dahua wanted to break it off, but his daughter had said they should stall for now.

So he kept his mouth shut.

I won’t say anything, you figure it out yourself.

The brigade leader thought the Lin family didn’t want to break off the engagement, shook his head, and left.

He turned around and scolded those gossiping women in the field,

“You’re only staring at other people’s children, not your own. From tomorrow onwards, your children will go to work every day.”

The gossiping woman stopped complaining, “My child has been feeling unwell these past few days.”

“What’s wrong with them?” The brigade leader glared, “I think it’s their lazy flesh that’s feeling unwell.”

The brigade leader’s outburst ended the discussion about Lin Qing going to work.

The brigade leader wasn’t stupid, he couldn’t let the members think he was siding with the Lin family.

He complained to a few of his confidants, “These old women don’t know the gravity of the situation. Dahua’s third daughter is being rejected, what if she hears some gossip while working and gets stimulated and jumps into the river again, who will compensate Dahua for his daughter?”

This word spread unknowingly.

Many old women realized that this was the truth, they almost got themselves into trouble.

They were a little scared.

No one mentioned Lin Qing going to work anymore.

Besides, how much work could a delicate girl do?

Zhao Laopo was grinding her teeth at home.

She couldn’t understand,

Why did Lin Dahua, who had always been honest and simple, suddenly become so talkative?

Since she couldn’t force him out, she sent Zhao Huoyan to keep an eye on the Lin family.

Zhao Huoyan watched for a morning and refused to do it anymore.

It was a hot day, and the sun was baking her, she was already dark, now she felt even darker.

Zhao Laopo’s face was black with anger, she couldn’t do anything right, and she couldn’t finish anything she ate.

She was already getting dark?

Now she was almost invisible. Referring to the time when it was dark.

She gritted her teeth and used her trump card, offering a dime for a day of watching.

Zhao Huoyan: Deal.

For money, what was a little darkness?

Then she happily went back to squatting near the Lin family.

She actually did find something.

She watched for five extra days before telling Old Zhao Laopo, “Mother, Lin Qing hasn’t been staying at home, she’s been going to the mountain to collect herbs every day.”

She had seen it, a whole courtyard full of herbs.

Zhao Huoyan had complicated feelings towards Lin Qing.

When they were young, she played with Lin Qing because she had a brother, and Lin Qing didn’t, she could find a sense of superiority from Lin Qing.

That’s why they played well together.

Later, Lin Qing became more and more beautiful, and she felt uncomfortable.

Then she became her brother’s wife, and her mood became even worse.

Originally, her brother being an officer was something to be proud of.

But when she thought about her brother being an officer, and Lin Qing also becoming a cadre’s wife, she felt uncomfortable.

For a while, she had a malicious thought, if her brother could make a mistake in the army and stop being an officer, how great that would be.

Then Lin Qing would still be a country girl.

She wouldn’t be any more noble than her.

Anyway, she couldn’t stand seeing Lin Qing, who was originally inferior to her, living better than her.

These past two days, her family had been making a fuss about breaking off the engagement, and Zhao Huoyan was secretly happy.

Now seeing Lin Qing not caring, and even having the time to collect herbs, she wasn’t so happy anymore.

She felt suffocated.

She wanted Lin Qing to go back to being the way she was when they were young, always looking at her with envy.

“Lin San’ya is quite clever, she doesn’t go to work, she goes to the mountain to collect herbs and earn money. Mother, why don’t you go to the Lin family and say that as long as they give you the money earned from collecting herbs, you will agree not to break off the engagement.”

“That way, it’s like you’re getting back the original betrothal gift and everything my brother has given them over the years.”

Zhao Laopo’s heart skipped a beat, she suddenly had an idea.

She could use this as an excuse to make Lin Dahua and his wife relax their guard.

Not only did she want to get back the money from selling the herbs, but she also wanted that stinky girl, Lin Qing, to explain in front of the villagers that her son didn’t have anyone else outside.

Once these two things were settled, she would find another family to get engaged to.

This would be following her son’s plan.

The more Zhao Laopo thought about it, the smarter she felt.

This could work.

When it was time to make dinner, Old Zhao Laopo went to the Lin family when there were few people in the village.

Wang Lanfeng and Lin Dahua looked at her with a face full of displeasure.

They were on high alert.

Old Zhao Laopo felt disdain in her heart, but she said on the surface, “It’s not good for our two families to be at odds like this, we need to talk about this engagement clearly.”

It was like she wanted to have a peaceful conversation.

Lin Dahua and Wang Lanfeng looked at each other, what did Old Zhao Laopo mean?

Over there, Old Zhao Laopo was still talking to herself, “I thought San’ya was too delicate, so I wanted to break off the engagement, but now it seems she’s quite good, I misunderstood the child.”

Wang Lanfeng and Lin Dahua looked at each other again, what did Old Zhao Laopo mean?

Over there, Old Zhao Laopo was still talking to herself, “Since the child isn’t delicate, we can also not break off the engagement, but San’ya chased me around the village with a urine bucket, making me lose face, she has to apologize to me.”

“She also has to apologize to me in front of the whole village, and explain to everyone that my son doesn’t have anyone else outside.”

“Furthermore, since she is my Zhao family’s daughter-in-law, the herbs she collects on the mountain should belong to my Zhao family. Later, you bring these herbs to my house, and we’ll consider this matter settled.”

After finishing her words, Old Zhao Laopo sat upright, sneering in her heart, Lin Dahua and Wang Lanfeng must be overjoyed now.

Let them be happy for now.

Lin Dahua: Oh I understand, Old Zhao Laopo is trying to cheat us out of the herbs.

Wang Lanfeng: Not only the herbs, but she also wants San’ya to apologize to her!

Lin Dahua: Is the urine bucket at home full?

Wang Lanfeng: Yes, because she hasn’t even dared to use it.

Lin Dahua: I’ll go get the urine bucket.

Wang Lanfeng: You’re amazing, honey.

Lin Dahua suddenly felt like he had endless energy.

At this time, Lin Qing came out, Father, Mother, don’t be impulsive.

Lin Dahua and Wang Lanfeng’s restless hearts settled down.

They were definitely going to listen to their daughter’s instructions.

Lin Qing had heard Old Zhao Laopo’s words clearly in the inner room.

Her mind raced and she had an idea, “Aunt, what you said makes me feel at ease, isn’t it just apologizing in front of the whole village? As long as you gather everyone, I’ll apologize to you in front of everyone.”

Old Zhao Laopo heard this, great, I’ll call everyone over right now.

Shanglin Village had a stage.

The art troupe from the county would perform on the stage when they came to the countryside.

Sometimes, the village leaders would hold village meetings on the stage.

Old Zhao Laopo had been feeling suffocated for days because of the urine incident.

If she didn’t vent this anger, she would lose years of her life.

Now that Lin Qing had agreed to apologize to her in front of the whole village, she had to set up the stage.

And she had to do it big.

Half an hour later.

The stage was surrounded by villagers.

Everyone was talking curiously.

“What did Old Zhao Laopo call us here for?”

“She said Lin family’s third daughter is going to apologize to her in front of everyone.”

“Hey, she’s really causing trouble, she’s bullying the Lin family to death.”

“Isn’t Lin San’ya also quite capable, why hasn’t she retaliated against Old Zhao Laopo?”

“Since she’s coming out to apologize, does it mean the Zhao family isn’t breaking off the engagement?”