Chapter 3: Rumors

“Baoni, why aren’t you talking to second brother?” Lin Tao asked. Lin Tao was lively and loved to joke around.

Big Brother Lin, after the incident where he had been replaced, had become much more calm. He knew that many things weren’t under their control on the island, and sometimes, one just had to soften up.

He pushed Lin Tao aside and spoke to Baoni: “Baoni, rest for a few more days this time. Don’t rush to get on the boat. Our mission is complete, and there’s nothing urgent for now.”

Lin Baoni was strong, her strength comparable to several adult men, and she had a natural talent for swimming.

After graduating from high school, she followed Father Lin and the others to the sea, where she could be of great help. She only went out with the Lin family; other people still thought it was unlucky for a woman to be on a boat.

Except for Lin Bo, who was studying outside, the whole family was there. Even Dabao, who was not yet three years old, knew to cling to his aunt’s leg.

“Alright, stop crowding around Baoni. Everyone go on and do your own thing.” Grandpa Lin, the head of the family, said. Everyone obediently dispersed.

Baoni also went to the kitchen to see what Grandma Lin was cooking.

Grandpa Lin, looking at his capable eldest granddaughter, couldn’t help but feel even more worried.

That day, when Baoni was rescuing people at the seaside, there were not only people from their team watching, but also from other teams, Educated Youths, and townspeople who came to exchange fish… With so many people around, gossip was inevitable.

Grandpa Lin suppressed his worry. The most important thing was that Baoni had returned safely, and everything else could be dealt with later.

At dinner, Grandma Lin’s cooking received high praise from Baoni. She showered her with compliments, saying: “Grandma, your cooking skills are top-notch, way better than any State-Owned Restaurant chef!”

“Grandma, I want to eat your food for the rest of my life. It’s so delicious.”

The family watched as Baoni joked around, and everyone felt reassured. It was clear that she was truly fine.

Baoni secretly sighed in relief. She had passed the test.

But the food was indeed delicious.

Using only natural ingredients and simple cooking techniques, the freshest flavors were brought out. It was unbeatable.

That night, listening to the sound of the waves crashing and smelling the salty sea air, Lin Baoni slept deeply and soundly.

For the past two days, Lin Baoni had stayed at home, wandering around and studying the seaweed house.

Outside, rumors were flying.

“Did you hear? Lin Baoni from the first team kissed a People’s Liberation Army soldier by the sea. Tsk tsk, it was so… something. Just thinking about it makes me blush.” someone said.

The speaker was Wang Daya, who had argued with Mother Lin that day. She was the wife of the second team’s leader and didn’t get along with Mother Lin.

“Did you see it, Auntie? Did they really kiss?” asked a black, thin woman, clearly interested. Her bright white teeth made her dark face look even darker.

“Yeah, they really kissed. Lin Baoni is strong, and brave too. That was a People’s Liberation Army soldier! She really dared to kiss him! My goodness, I’d have been scared to death.” Wang Daya replied, her spittle flying as she talked.

“So, who is Lin Baoni anyway? All the boys on the island, hasn’t she dealt with them all? In the past, she was a fierce woman. Who would dare to marry her?”

“This time, in broad daylight, kissing a man, no one will dare to marry her in the future.”

Wang Daya spoke as if she were a fortune-teller, full of confidence.

A few people, while mending fishing nets, continued gossiping about Lin Baoni, laughing heartily, sounding like a group of quacking ducks, their voices grating to the ear.

“Wang Daya, you disaster, speaking with such bad words! My Baoni was saving people, and here you are spewing filth. Just wait until I tear your mouth off!”

Mother Lin shouted as she ran toward Wang Daya, aiming straight for her mouth.

She and a few of her sisters-in-law and neighbors were mending fishing nets when they heard Wang Daya’s duck-like laughter.

Their laughter was grating, but when they listened closely, they realized she was slandering Baoni, and saying such nasty things.

This couldn’t be tolerated. Everyone dropped their fishing nets and ran over.

Mother Lin grabbed Wang Daya by the mouth and started pulling.

“Ow, ow… let go, it hurts…”

Wang Daya, hurt by the tearing, could barely speak.

The two women who had been gossiping with her saw the other Lin family women glaring at them and took a few steps back.

Wang Daya regained her senses and began fighting back, grabbing at Mother Lin. They each pulled at each other, and soon they were in a fierce struggle.

Seeing their team leader’s wife being at a disadvantage, the women from the second team of the island let out a shout and rushed to help.

Mother Lin and her group didn’t back down either and stood their ground.

In an instant, a group of women on the beach began a fierce battle.

There were women grabbing hair, pinching ears, scratching faces, and even biting with their upper teeth…

The scene was too much to watch, every possible tactic was used.

When Baoni arrived, she froze for a moment, staring at the scene before running over to rescue her mother.

“Let go, everyone let go…” she shouted, pulling apart the hands that were grabbing her mother’s hair, and with one powerful shove, she sent the people flying several meters.

With a thud, one of them landed on the sand.

Lin Baoni looked at her hands, realizing just how strong she was.

“Lin Baoni, you’re biased, you’re helping your mother!” Wang Daya spat, her lips cracked, her hair scattered, and her face scratched and bruised—she looked utterly miserable.

Lin Baoni was also stunned. Was her mother really the one who had made her act like this? How could she not side with her own mother and side with someone else’s?

Everyone was amused by Wang Daya’s words and loosened their grip. They stood facing each other.

“Looks like all of you aunts are quite free, huh? Got nothing better to do than gossip about me. Feels good, doesn’t it?” As soon as Lin Baoni arrived, she overheard a few words and immediately understood why her mother had gotten into a fight.

She hadn’t expected that one act of saving someone would cause such a stir, and even days later, people were still talking about it.

She knew her family had been keeping her at home these past few days to prevent her from hearing these rumors.

“Never expected, after so many years since the country was founded, that you’d still be acting like this.

You didn’t say anything to praise me for saving someone, but all you saw was lips meeting lips, huh?”

“What’s the point of your eyes if you can only see filth? People with dirty hearts see everything as dirty.”

“I, Lin Baoni, solemnly declare, from now on, if I hear anyone spreading rumors about me, I’ll drag their son out and give him a good beating.”

“Let’s see if their son’s mouth is tougher or my fist is stronger. Try me if you don’t believe it!”

“Mom, aunts, let’s go home. It’s not worth fighting with them.” Lin Baoni supported her mother and arrogantly started walking back.

After walking a few steps, she stopped, turned around, and waved her fist.

The group of women was so scared they took several steps back.

When they returned to where Mother Lin and the others were mending nets, Lin Baoni took a quick look and was relieved—no one was hurt on their side, no one was injured. They were all true warriors!

“Everyone, you’ve worked hard. Baoni thanks you, aunts. Next time, wait until I’m around before you start swinging your fists. What if someone gets their face hurt?” Lin Baoni’s playful tone made the aunts laugh.

“It’s fine. Baoni, even if you’re not here, we can still teach them a lesson and make their faces all swollen!” This was Baoni’s Aunt, who lived near the mountain on the island and whose family was skilled in hunting.

“Exactly. Who’s afraid of them? A bunch of old women, with their sharp tongues, gossiping about you, a young girl. They deserve a beating.” This was Baoni’s younger aunt, who had a quiet face but a fiery personality.

Her uncle sometimes said he had been deceived by her aunt’s face. He originally thought she was a delicate woman, but turned out she was quite bold and fiery.

“Baoni, you don’t need to tolerate them.”

“Yes, if they keep talking nonsense, beat them up.”

…

The voices of concern and love filled Lin Baoni’s heart with warmth.

In the end, Grandpa Lin and the others found out about the incident.

“Old man, come here for a minute.” After dinner, Grandpa Lin called Father Lin away.

“Father, what’s wrong?” Father Lin was also troubled by Baoni’s situation, unable to stop the gossip from spreading.

“Tomorrow, I’ll go to the Military Unit. I have to get some kind of proof that Baoni was saving someone. It would be best if Baoni could go to the Military Unit. If she stays away for a while, people will forget about it.” Grandpa Lin had been thinking about this for several days. He felt the need to talk to the Military Unit.

“Do you think that will work?” Father Lin asked his father with some hesitation.

“Whether it works or not, it’s worth a try. We’ll know once we give it a shot.” Grandpa Lin made the final decision. He would go tomorrow. “Don’t tell anyone else about this for now. We’ll talk after I get back.” Grandpa Lin instructed.

“Got it.”

After the conversation, the two of them returned to their rooms.

Others wanted to know what Grandpa Lin had discussed with Father Lin, but seeing the old man’s dark face, no one dared to speak.