Chapter 8: False Kindness

An unexpected surprise.

She didn’t expect there to be an aunt in the village who understood these things.

Lin Su smiled gratefully at the aunt who spoke, then looked at Qin’s mother, “Mother, are you really not afraid of being reported?”

Qin’s mother’s lips trembled, and she angrily scolded, “Without any evidence, who would dare to report it? I curse them to have no sons and grandsons!”

“I don’t care, shameless troublemaker, if you want to go back to your mother’s house, go ahead, but you won’t get any food!”

“Qin Sui is blind to marry such a terrible woman. As soon as you get married, you dare to be so arrogant…”

Qin’s mother scolded as she went into the courtyard, her voice fading but still audible, and quite vulgar.

Lin Su pretended not to hear.

Arguing was very draining. Lin Su felt a little tightness in her chest and struggled to thank the aunts who spoke for her.

Seeing her looking like she could fall over with a gust of wind, the aunts quickly asked her to go in and rest.

Lin Su smiled weakly and went inside.

Although her body was very uncomfortable, the result was good. Qin’s mother only glared at her with a gloomy face, but she didn’t dare to slander her anymore.

Afraid that something would happen if she delayed any longer, Lin Su quickly went into the room to pack up. Unexpectedly, when she entered, she found that everything had been packed by Qin Yao and the others. All she needed to do was carry it away.

“Let’s go then.”

Lin Su didn’t need to bring anything because she had everything at her mother’s house. But after going out, she still locked their room door with the key, afraid that Qin’s mother would vent her anger or take things randomly.

Seeing her guarding against thieves, Qin’s mother was angered again. She wanted to scold Lin Su a few more times, but the dead girl was weak but walked extremely fast.

Outside the door.

Qin Yao took the things from Lin Su’s hands and didn’t let her carry Qin Keke. Instead, he let Qin Ni carry him.

Lin Su was about to feel touched, but Qin Yao, as if he knew what she was going to say, said with a cold face, “Don’t get any ideas. I’m just afraid you’ll fall on the ground, and then I’ll have to help you.”

Although he said it mercilessly, Lin Su knew it wasn’t like that.

Qin Yao was a tough-mouthed, soft-hearted little guy.

So cute.

Seeing that Lin Su not only didn’t get angry but also smiled with relief, Qin Yao turned his head without a word.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Qin Ni and Qin Keke secretly looked at Lin Su.

She was so weak, yet so strong. She was a really strange stepmother.

After they left, the onlookers started to discuss.

Some said that Qin’s mother was inhuman, forcing her newly married daughter-in-law back to her mother’s house. Others said that Qin’s mother was heartless, even abandoning her own grandsons and granddaughters.

A small number of people said that Lin Su seemed like a good stepmother, and Qin Sui had married well. However, there were also discordant voices, with some people saying that Lin Su was too weak and easy to bully, sickly, and wouldn’t live long.

Lin Su didn’t know she was being discussed. At this moment, she was grateful that she met an old man from the village who was passing by with a bullock cart. They got a “free ride.”

Otherwise, if they had to walk back on their two legs, she would definitely be severely weakened again.

After saying goodbye to the old man who sent them home, Lin Su opened the yard gate and happened to meet Grandma Lin, who was opening the door.

Seeing them back again, Grandma Lin asked in surprise, “What happened?”

“We had a quarrel with them. Grandma, can you let us stay for a few days?” Lin Su smiled.

Grandma Lin affectionately patted her arm a few times, “This is your home. What are you saying about staying or not staying?”

Lin Su smiled and asked, “Grandma, where are you going?”

“There are a lot of wild vegetables growing at the foot of the mountain. I thought I’d go pick some to eat.”

Seeing that Lin Su’s complexion wasn’t very good, Grandma Lin said, “Are you tired? Go lie down.”

Lin Su didn’t insist anymore, nodded, and went in to rest.

After Qin Yao put down his things, he let Qin Ni watch Qin Keke while he went to pick wild vegetables with Grandma Lin.

Grandma Lin didn’t want him to tire himself, but this child was very stubborn and silently insisted on following her.

Grandma Lin had no choice but to give up. On the way, they greeted people from the village. Seeing Qin Yao behind her, they specifically asked who he was.

Grandma Lin answered without thinking, “My great-grandson.”

The villagers understood that they were the children of her granddaughter’s husband. Hearing that Grandma Lin had changed her words so quickly, the villagers smiled meaningfully.

Qin Yao had a look of indifference, but when he suddenly heard Grandma Lin’s address for him, his breathing seemed to stop for a moment.

His hand in his pocket unconsciously clenched, suppressing the urge to look at Grandma Lin. He just lowered his head and stared at the ground, as if he wanted to stare a hole in it.

…

Before resting, Lin Su drank a few drops of the spiritual spring water. After waking up, she felt her breathing was smoother. Seeing that there were a few drops left, she mixed them into the water tank, thinking that the whole family drinking it would also improve their constitution.

At this time, Grandma Lin came back, followed by Qin Yao carrying a basket of wild vegetables.

Seeing him carrying the basket, Lin Su raised her eyebrows.

This kid has become enlightened today?

“The wild vegetables are growing well this year. Grandma will make you some cold wild vegetables later.” Grandma Lin said happily.

Thinking of Grandma’s cold wild vegetables, which were bitter and astringent and didn’t have any seasoning, Lin Su quickly said, “Grandma, I’m feeling better. Let me handle the vegetables. I’ve learned a new wild vegetable dish. How about you try it?”

Grandma Lin saw that her face was indeed a little rosy and agreed, but she insisted on washing the vegetables herself.

Lin Su didn’t insist.

After the vegetables were washed, Lin Su went to the kitchen to look for ingredients. Seeing that there was still flour, she decided to make wild vegetable dumplings.

First, she mixed the water from the water tank with the flour to make a thick paste. She put a little salt in the pot, blanched the washed wild vegetables, then took them out and chopped them up and mixed them with seasonings. Finally, she mixed the mixed vegetables into the thick batter.

Lin Su didn’t skimp on the seasonings and lard. The wild vegetable dumplings she made had a fragrant aroma that made Qin Ni, a foodie, unable to sit still. Her thin figure frequently appeared at the kitchen door.

Lin Su watched and smiled. When she appeared at the door for the fourth time, Lin Su beckoned to her.

Qin Ni hesitated for a moment, then succumbed to the temptation of the food and actively stepped into the kitchen to Lin Su.

“Open your mouth.”

Lin Su spoke softly, and Qin Ni subconsciously did as she was told.

The next second, a warm wild vegetable dumpling was stuffed into her mouth.

Qin Ni wasn’t used to this kind of intimate feeding, but the salty and fragrant deliciousness made her stop in her tracks.

Qin Ni had never eaten such delicious wild vegetable dumplings. They were so delicious that she didn’t know how to describe them. For a moment, she suddenly wanted to eat while stamping her feet, and she wanted to cry.

In front of delicious food, whether the stepmother was wicked or not was no longer important.

Qin Ni ate without raising her head. Lin Su saw that her messy hair was like a bird’s nest and couldn’t help but reach out to tidy it. The sudden touch startled Qin Ni like a startled bird, and she immediately jumped to the side.

She stared at Lin Su warily. When Lin Su wanted to explain, she quickly ran away and never appeared at the kitchen door again.

Lin Su patted her head in annoyance.

She should have taken it slowly. Now, Qin Ni would be more wary of her. It was a loss, sigh.

…

The wild vegetable dumplings received everyone’s praise. The three children ate until they licked their fingers. Even Grandma Lin, who didn’t usually like this kind of food, ate five, not to mention the three children, whose stomachs were round.

Lin Su nodded in satisfaction.

This is how they should eat. Eating deliciously is good for their health.

After dinner, Lin Su asked Qin Yao to take his younger siblings for a walk to digest their food, while she helped Grandma wash the dishes.

Grandma Lin didn’t want Lin Su to wash the dishes, but she couldn’t stop her.

After washing the dishes, Lin Su wanted to mend the children’s clothes, but her skills were poor, so she had to ask Grandma for help.

Grandma Lin didn’t take over, mainly wanting the three children to see this, which would help improve their relationship.

The three children’s clothes were worn out and patched all over.

Qin Sui had bought them good clothes, but the biased Qin’s mother had directly given them to Qin’s eldest brother’s three children, while they wore the clothes that Qin’s eldest brother’s three children didn’t want.

Qin Yao and Qin Keke were boys, so it was better. Qin Ni, being a girl, was wearing boys’ clothes, which was particularly pitiful.

Lin Su thought that there were still some cloth coupons at home, and Qin Sui had also brought some. She would go to town tomorrow to buy some cloth for the three children to make some clothes.

Lost in thought, she suddenly felt a sting on her fingertip. Lin Su instantly came to her senses, saw that her fingertip was pricked by a needle and was bleeding, and quickly put her finger in her mouth.

Grandma Lin said distressedly, “Be careful.”

“It’s okay,” Lin Su changed the subject, “These clothes can only be worn at home. Grandma, tomorrow let’s go to town to buy some better cloth to make them some clothes, okay?”

Grandma Lin wasn’t stingy and nodded, “Do we have enough cloth coupons at home?”

“It should be enough with Qin Sui’s.”

“Okay, let’s get up early tomorrow and take your uncle’s bullock cart.”

“Okay.”

Lin Su and the others were mending clothes in the yard, and Qin Yao and the others naturally heard their conversation. It was impossible not to be moved, but it wasn’t to the point of being touched.

Qin Yao’s view of Lin Su was very pure. He always felt that Lin Su’s actions must have a purpose. For example, buying them clothes this time was to buy them over.

Qin Ni and Qin Keke were young and easy to fool, but he was already a little adult and not easy to fool.

The wicked stepmother wanted to use sugar-coated bullets to win him over. Don’t even think about it!

Night fell.

This time, Qin Yao and Qin Ni slept separately on the kang, and Qin Keke slept with Lin Su.

Qin Keke was lured by the nice stories and was easily coaxed to sleep by Lin Su.

In the middle of the night, Lin Su was woken up by Qin Keke kicking the covers off. After getting up to cover him with a blanket, she thought that the two children in the next room might also kick the covers off, so she went to check on them.

The door wasn’t locked, and she easily pushed it open. As soon as she stepped into the room, she heard Qin Yao crying.

Thinking he was awake, Lin Su quickly walked over with a candle. Unexpectedly, when she arrived at the kang, she found that his eyes were still closed.

Qin Yao was sweating profusely, his features wrinkled into a ball, his hands waving in the air, clearly having a nightmare.

He was also shouting “Don’t die, don’t hit me, Mother,” and other words.

Was he missing his mother?

Lin Su took out a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe his sweat. Seeing that he hadn’t woken up yet, she grabbed his constantly waving arms.

Unexpectedly, the next second, Qin Yao suddenly grabbed Lin Su’s palm tightly and cried, “Mother!”

The voice was mournful, like a little poor child who had been abandoned.

Lin Su’s heart softened. She didn’t let go but sat by the kang, letting him hold her hand. After thinking for a while, she put the candle aside, freed her hand, and gently stroked his head.

Gradually waking up from his dream, Qin Yao thought it was his mother stroking him, and unconsciously murmured, “Mother.” With teary eyes, he became slightly more awake, then saw Lin Su’s face.

Qin Yao was completely awake, realizing that he was still holding the wicked stepmother’s hand, his face changed drastically, and he violently threw her hand away.

Lin Su explained, “I saw you having a nightmare, so I wanted to comfort you.”

“Who needs your false kindness!” Qin Yao had just dreamed of his mother, and his mood was very bad. Even hearing her explanation, he didn’t appreciate it.

Lin Su understood his feelings, but having her kindness treated with disdain made her angry too.

Seeing the wicked stepmother raise her hand, memories of all kinds of beatings came flooding back, causing Qin Yao to have a conditioned reflex, subconsciously protecting his head with both hands.