Chapter 27

“Xiao Linlin…”

Lin Nanzhi’s head almost exploded with anger when she saw this scene. Just as she was about to speak up and reprimand them, she heard a woman’s voice.

A woman wearing a frilly apron rushed over, and upon seeing a child on the sofa, she immediately ran up, saying, “Where did you go? I’ve been looking for you for ages!”

Only after speaking did she seem to notice Lin Nanzhi. She smiled in surprise and greeted her, “Zhizhi, you’re here too!”

This is my house. Why would it be strange for me to be here?

Lin Nanzhi rolled her eyes internally.

“Big Sis, since you’re here, perfect timing. Your little Linlin and little Fufu have made a mess of my sofa. What do you have to say about that?”

“Uh…”

“On a normal day, I wouldn’t make a fuss, but today is my housewarming party. Everything is supposed to be new and clean—otherwise, it’s bad luck. Don’t you think so?”

Kids running around, all dirty, messing up someone else’s house, and causing chaos—it’s annoying enough on an ordinary day, let alone on an occasion like this.

A big part of this problem comes from how the parents raise them.

Just like now, the woman clearly saw the mess but said nothing. It was obvious she didn’t think it was a big deal.

“What do you mean by that?”

The woman suddenly raised her voice. Since the glass door was open, people downstairs could hear everything clearly and began looking up.

Seeing the woman tilt her head up protectively while shielding the two boys in her arms as if preparing for a full-blown argument, Lin Nanzhi remembered that they were celebrating a happy occasion and didn’t want to cause a scene. She couldn’t be bothered to argue.

Instead, she walked outside, looked down, and quickly spotted an elderly woman in her sixties. She called out, “Auntie!”

—-

In this village, most people could trace their lineage back to the same ancestors. Aside from a few families who had moved here during hardships, almost everyone had the surname Lin, making them all relatives. Moreover, the Lin family held a high status in the village, so many elders were of the same generation as Lin Nanzhi’s father. When she called out, several people looked up.

Lin Nanzhi continued, “Auntie, your little Linlin and little Fufu have dirtied my sofa. Come upstairs and take a look.”

Hearing Lin Nanzhi call out to her mother-in-law, the woman panicked and tried to stop her, but it was too late. Lin Nanzhi ignored her and simply grabbed a broom before heading to another room.

A housewarming party is a significant event, and dirtying the new furniture is bad luck. With so many people watching, the elderly woman had no choice but to deal with the situation. She felt a headache coming on but hurried upstairs.

Not long after, Lin Nanzhi heard the old woman scolding the younger woman, though she refrained from reprimanding the children. As for what happened afterward, Lin Nanzhi didn’t care. She knew that with so many witnesses, they would have no choice but to compensate her.

Luckily, the sofa wasn’t actually stained. Since she had anticipated cleaning difficulties, she had covered everything with protective slipcovers. She just needed to replace them and swap out the rug. There were spares at home, so it could be fixed right away.

—

There were too many people in the main area, so Lin Nanzhi and Lin Nanxuan each carried a tray of food over to Lin Mu’s side. Except for Lin Fu, the rest of Lin Mu’s family, including Lin Grandma and Lin Grandpa, all ate together there.

For one, the four elders weren’t very familiar with the guests in the main area, and at their age, noisy gatherings weren’t ideal. Secondly, Lin Mu wasn’t in a condition to go over. Thirdly, Lin Nanye’s health was poor, so he couldn’t be in crowded places. Lastly, Lin Nanzhi simply didn’t want to eat there—this side was peaceful and quiet.

Lin Fu was entertaining the guests, so that was enough.

“I heard you earlier. What happened?” Lin Nanye asked while eating.

Lin Nanzhi had no choice but to recount the incident.

“Such a hassle over something so trivial,” Lin Grandma sighed.

“With the way that family raises their children, this won’t be the last time something like this happens. If they don’t teach them properly now, they’ll regret it in the future,” Lin Mu added.

—-

In a village, everyone knew each other’s family situation and personalities. Lin Mu made her comment and didn’t say more.

Lin Nanzhi agreed.

That family, whether the mother or the grandmother, never bothered disciplining their children. The two boys had already developed a bratty attitude. Once they entered society, no one would treat them like little tyrants anymore, and then they’d truly regret it.

But that was their problem, not hers. There was no need to dwell on it.

“So how did it get resolved in the end?” Lin Grandma asked.

Lin Nanxuan replied, “They bought new slipcovers and a rug and apologized to my dad before it was settled. But honestly, what’s the point of an apology? It still ruined the mood.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

On a joyous occasion, having such a commotion really dampened the celebratory atmosphere. If it had been any other family, they might have just chased them out with a broom.

—

After lunch, Lin Nanzhi didn’t bother going to the main gathering. She stayed in the sunroom writing her novel, while Lin Nanxuan returned to her room. Lin Mu, along with Lin Grandpa and Lin Grandma, continued chatting in the living room. Lin Nanye, still unwell, remained in his room reading, dragging Lin Nanxun to read with him.

By mid-afternoon, a light drizzle began to fall. The sunroom remained warm and cozy.

After finishing another chapter, Lin Nanzhi stretched and got up to pour herself a glass of water. As she did, she noticed a few women approaching the house but didn’t pay them much attention. These women were on good terms with Lin Mu and had likely come over for a chat.

Lin Mu was talking with her parents when she heard a knock at the door. She grabbed an umbrella from the stand and went to open it. Upon seeing the visitors, she greeted them warmly, “Oh, it’s you! Come in! Why didn’t you bring an umbrella?”

“The rain isn’t that heavy,” one of them said with a smile.

“It’s not too bad, but it’s a little chilly. Come inside.”

It was early April, the heart of spring, and in Wumeng, it rained constantly. The drizzle wasn’t heavy, but the persistent rain made the air a bit cold.

The women followed Lin Mu inside, and she handed them slippers. As they changed shoes, one of them commented, “Your house is pretty spacious, just like my brother’s place.”

Of course, it was the same. The layout had simply been flipped for symmetry.

“Yeah, Zhizhi picked the design, and we built it symmetrically for balance,” Lin Mu said casually.

“Have a seat. I’ll go get you some tea.”

The guests sat down, smiling and greeting the two elderly family members.

“Zhizhi, the rain isn’t heavy. If you’re free, go pick some strawberries for us to eat,” Lin Mu called out.

Strawberries weren’t in season, but they were grown in a greenhouse and watered with spiritual spring water, making them one of the few available fruits.

“Okay.”

Lin Nanzhi put down her glass, put on a jacket, and went downstairs. She didn’t go through the living room, instead heading straight to the kitchen. The kitchen had two doors—one leading to the dining room, which was separated from the living room by a screen, and another leading to the courtyard.

She didn’t want to greet people, so this was the best route.

She grabbed a basket from the dining room shelf, changed into rain boots at the door, and stepped outside.