Chapter 8: The Yan Family

Sunday was a day off. The Lin family arrived at the Yan household in the afternoon, as Aunt Yan had requested.

Compared to the Lin family’s apartment, the Yan house was a spacious courtyard home. Uncle Yan worked in a municipal office, Aunt Yan was a doctor, and their son was in the military. Their standard of living was clearly higher. Now with Yan Yingshu still around and Yan Qing back, they had one son and two daughters.

The moment they entered, Aunt Yan came out holding the hand of a pretty young girl. Beaming, she said, “This is Qingqing. Get to know each other, so you don’t walk past on the street without recognizing your own family.”

Yan Qing greeted everyone sweetly, calling out to each relative as introduced. Mama Lin handed her a red envelope, and Yan Qing naturally sat beside her, chatting warmly. Even the usually reserved Mama Lin was coaxed into smiling at her.

Watching from the side, Lin Yingwan thought to herself: Neither of these cousins are simple characters.

Zhou Donghong casually grabbed some candied kumquats from the coffee table. The sugar-coated fruit burst with sweet and sour flavor—surprisingly addictive. Her eyes lit up in delight, and she couldn’t stop eating.

Lin Yingwan watched her curiously. Is it really that good? She looks addicted like it’s opium. She picked one up herself—and was just as surprised.

The two kept reaching for more, drawing everyone’s attention.

“This is delicious, Auntie. Where did you buy it?” Lin Yingwan asked, unbothered by the stares.

Embarrassed, Zhou Donghong quickly added, “I’ve been having cravings lately. Sour and sweet stuff helps.”

Aunt Yan laughed, “It’s a house full of blessings—Donghong’s expecting, and Qingqing is back with us.”

She moved the dish of kumquats in front of them. “Qingqing made these herself. Eat as much as you like.”

Yan Qing beamed. “If you both like them, I’ll pack some for you to take home later.”

Everyone praised Yan Qing for her culinary skills.

But Lin Yingxian knew the truth.

Yan Qing had been a famous food blogger in her past life. After transmigrating to the 1970s, she’d gained access to a mysterious space. Anything grown or raised inside tasted better than normal. Her original cooking skills, paired with these superior ingredients, made her food irresistibly delicious.

Meanwhile, Yan Yingshu poured tea for everyone with her usual grace and composure. If not for the scar on her wrist, no one would’ve guessed she’d once tried to take her own life.

Soon after, Uncle Min’s family arrived too. After some small talk, Mama Lin pulled Uncle Min aside. “Let me ask you—how did Zhong Shucen find our house?”

Uncle Min looked baffled. “Who?”

“That guy from the engagement Mom arranged before she passed. He found us. If you didn’t tell him, who did? Mom always lived in the old place, and now your family lives there. Shouldn’t he have gone to your house instead?”

“I really don’t know anything.”

Seeing his confused face, Mama Lin frowned and turned her gaze to Aunt Min. “Then it must’ve been your wife who told him.”

Aunt Min felt guilty under Mother Lin’s gaze and quickly turned to speak with Yan Qing instead.

This only confirmed Mother Lin’s suspicions. “You better discipline your wife—she thrives on chaos. I could give those defective fabrics from the textile factory away cheap to others, and they’d still be grateful. But your wife? A thankless ingrate.”

Most of the defective fabric from the textile factory ended up being used by the workers themselves. Mother Lin would take some home to make clothes for her family, and Aunt Min would get her share too. As for Aunt Yan, she looked down on such materials and never took any.

When Zhong Shucen showed up at their doorstep, claiming to be engaged to Lin Yingxian, Mother Lin’s heart nearly stopped. She was terrified Lin Yingxian would find out and hate her even more.

Over the past year, Lin Yingxian had grown distant and polite with her family. Mother Lin could feel the bitterness in her heart. Yingxian had truly wanted to die back then—unlike Yan Yingshu’s dramatics, she had downed an entire bottle of pesticide and barely made it through after a long rescue. Her body had grown even weaker after that.

Mother Lin admitted she had been biased. She cared more for Lin Yingwei and Lin Yingwan, the two she had raised from birth. But she never wanted Lin Yingxian to die. Yingxian was still her flesh and blood.

After waking up, Lin Yingxian tried to take her life again, leaving Mother Lin anxious and heartbroken.

This past year, Mother Lin had done her best to treat her children equally, showing no favoritism.

Uncle Min felt his wife was out of line after hearing Mother Lin’s words. “There are too many people here now—I’ll talk to her when we get home. I won’t let her do this kind of thing again.”

No relatives from the Yan side showed up today—they’d already gathered two days prior. All the guests today were relatives from Aunt Yan’s side.

Aunt Min originally wanted to ask about Lin Yingxian’s engagement, but seeing how cold Mother Lin was, she held back. Both of her sisters-in-law were not easy to deal with, and every time she met them, she always felt inferior.

After Grandma Lin passed away, Mother Lin no longer held back around Uncle Min’s family. She became tougher. She had once pitied Grandma Lin—a widow who had raised three kids on her own—and had tried to be generous with Uncle Min’s family, hoping they’d treat Grandma Lin well in return.

As evening approached, Yan Qing said she had to go to the kitchen to cook and couldn’t keep sitting with everyone.

Aunt Min, ever eager to please the Yan family, took the opportunity to flatter Aunt Yan, “Qingqing is truly diligent and filial—today is her special day, and yet she’s still busy cooking in the kitchen. Come to think of it, I’ve never had the chance to taste my niece’s cooking.”

Her words were a backhanded swipe at three people: Lin Yingxian and Lin Yingwan for never cooking for her, and Yan Yingshu, whom she conveniently excluded from the category of “niece.”

Lin Yingwan, the master of exposing others, chimed in, “But I remember when we visited Aunt’s place before, Yingshu-jie cooked for everyone?”

At that, both Aunt Yan and Yan Yingshu’s expressions darkened. Aunt Min had clearly tried to suck up and failed miserably.

“I’ll go help my sister in the kitchen,” Yingshu said, standing up. “It’s not right for me to just sit here and do nothing.”

She walked off. Aunt Yan didn’t even glance at Aunt Min and directly told Uncle Min, “Tell your wife to watch her mouth. She spouts nonsense all day.”

Then she left to comfort Yingshu.

Uncle Min shot Aunt Min a sharp look. With just one sentence, she had managed to offend both his elder sisters.

Their daughter Min Qi glared at Lin Yingwan, who met her glare without backing down.