Chapter 2: Returning Home with a Hatchet

The Lin family never cared for Lin Bingwei, who wasn’t their biological daughter. They demanded a bride price of 888 yuan from the Zhang family, and as soon as the Zhangs agreed, they married her off without hesitation.

The original Lin Bingwei, raised under constant beatings and scoldings, had a meek and submissive personality. But she? She was different.

Letting herself suffer such a huge loss? Impossible. She wasn’t some pushover.

After finishing the last sip of her porridge, Lin Bingwei went into the kitchen, grabbed a hatchet, and picked up a bundle of straw before heading out.

Her mother-in-law, Li Yurong, was still muttering about whether bringing two extra slabs of cured meat would be enough as an apology or if she should add another jin of white sugar.

Turning around, she saw Lin Bingwei walking out with a hatchet in one hand and a bundle of straw in the other.

Normally, people carrying these two things were heading into the mountains to chop firewood. The straw could be tied up and used as rope to bundle the wood.

So Li Yurong called out loudly, “Hey, Weiwei, it’s already ten o’clock! Why are you going to chop firewood now? We have enough at home—don’t go! We need to head to your maternal family first.”

Lin Bingwei replied, “Mom, just stay home and take care of Jianguo. I’ll be back soon.”

Her in-laws were born in the 1930s, while she and Zhang Tingyuan were born in the 1950s. Their names still carried a distinct Republic-era elegance.

But when it came to her little nephew, the naming trend had completely changed. He was born in 1977 and was named Zhang Jianguo.

His childhood playmates all had names like Jianjun (Building the Army), Jiandang (Building the Party), Hongying (Red Hero), and Hongxia (Red Glow).

In Lin Bingwei’s memory, these were names typical of her parents’ generation. Now, walking through the village and seeing a bunch of kids named Jianjun and Jiandang still playing in the mud was quite amusing.

Li Yurong put down the two slabs of cured meat and rushed after her, only to find that Lin Bingwei had already disappeared.

It was already quite late, and she already felt guilty that her son couldn’t accompany his wife home.

If they arrived even later… Frustrated and anxious, she hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to put the previously debated bag of white sugar into the basket.

“Jianguo, go sit at the door and keep watch. When your little aunt comes back, call me right away.”

Zhang Jianguo didn’t respond, but he wasn’t dumb. He obediently carried his small stool to the door and sat down.

The Lin family lived in the neighboring village, not far away. A short trek over a small hill, about four or five li, and she’d be there.

Lin Yaozu, the youngest son of the Lin family, spotted Lin Bingwei descending the hill from a distance and immediately ran back to report.

“Mom! Lin Bingwei is coming back.”

Bihua spat angrily. “She still dares to come back? Did she time it just right to mooch lunch off us? Hah! As if I owe her anything.”

Lin Wangsheng took a drag from his cigarette and smacked his lips. “Whatever, as long as she’s back. Go fetch the stuff from her and send her straight to the kitchen to cook.”

They hadn’t even started a fire, deliberately waiting for Lin Bingwei to return and prepare the meal.

Since she was five or six years old, Bihua had assigned her to cook for the entire family. Back then, she wasn’t even tall enough to reach the stove and had to stand on a stool.

A child that small was naturally afraid of fire. If she wasn’t careful and let the flames die out, she’d need to relight it using matches—something that cost money.

For letting the fire go out, she had been beaten countless times.

From the age of six, Lin Bingwei had been nothing but a servant to the Lin family, handling all the cooking and laundry until she got married.

For over a decade, the Lin family had eaten meals she prepared, and Bihua had never needed to learn how to cook.

Yesterday, they had feasted at her wedding banquet. This morning, Bihua had cooked breakfast, and she had even managed to burn the porridge.

By now, the whole family was starving.

Bihua eagerly stepped out to greet Lin Bingwei, but the moment she saw that she was only carrying a single slab of cured meat, her face immediately darkened.

In reality, Lin Bingwei had wrapped the hatchet in the straw.

To preserve cured meat and prevent mold, it was often wrapped in straw, so Bihua assumed she was holding just a piece of meat.

“Why are you alone? Where’s Zhang Tingyuan?”

She was still hoping that maybe the rest of the gifts were with him.

Lin Bingwei sneered coldly. “Just me. He couldn’t come.”

“Hah?” Bihua crossed her arms, her tone dripping with contempt. “This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a bride returning home alone. In the old days, only concubines weren’t qualified to have their husbands accompany them. Looks like he doesn’t care about you much.”

She glanced at the so-called “cured meat” in Lin Bingwei’s hand and scoffed, “No wonder all you got for your return visit is a single slab of meat.”

She didn’t even bother reaching out to take it and simply said, “Alright, go make lunch. And cook that piece of cured meat while you’re at it.”

Lin Bingwei quietly followed behind her.

Bihua felt like something was off. Walking ahead, she had the eerie sensation of needles pricking her back, making her hair stand on end.

But when she turned around, Lin Bingwei still had that same timid, submissive look, head lowered and obedient as ever. Nothing seemed out of place.

Bihua quickened her pace.

The two of them entered the house one after the other. Lin Bingwei, walking behind, shut the door as soon as she stepped inside.

Everyone was baffled.

“It’s broad daylight, why are you closing the door? You wretched thing, coming back alone like this—our neighbors will laugh us to death. Open the door and let your bad luck out!”

Lin Wangsheng was startled. “Zhang Tingyuan didn’t come back with her?”

Bihua said, “Nope, just her, carrying a piece of cured meat. Ungrateful thing—raising her all these years was a waste!”

Cured meat?

Lin Wangsheng stared blankly as Lin Bingwei untied the straw, revealing the ‘cured meat’ inside.

“You… you ungrateful wretch, what are you trying to do?”

Noticing Lin Wangsheng’s strange reaction, Bihua turned around—only to see Lin Bingwei gripping a hatchet, grabbing Lin Yaozu, who was making faces beside her, and pressing the blade against his neck.

Lin Yaozu was so terrified that he burst into loud wails.

Lin Wangsheng and Bihua were both dumbfounded, too shocked to speak.

What the hell is going on?

What just happened?

How did this little pushover, who used to let them bully her, suddenly have the guts to pull a knife on someone?

She was only married off yesterday—it’s just been a day.

Did she eat something wrong?

The two of them were scared out of their wits.

“Bingwei, did the Zhang family bully you?”

“If something happened, tell Mom and Dad. Don’t take it out on your brother.”

“Yes, yes, just tell us. We’ll stand up for you. Just put the knife down first.”

“That Zhang Tingyuan didn’t even come with you—did he mistreat you? Don’t be rash. If something’s wrong, tell us. Mom and Dad won’t let that Zhang bastard bully you.”

“Bingwei, put the knife down. Let’s talk this through properly.”

Lin Bingwei sneered. Well, well, after more than twenty years, this was the first time these two had ever spoken to her so gently.

Turns out, in this world, only honest people get stepped on.

“Hah, you sold me off and still expect me to talk nicely?”

The two of them: “……”

“What are you saying? We didn’t sell you—we married you off!”

“That’s right, girls have to get married when they grow up. Keeping you at home and letting you turn into an old spinster—that would’ve been doing you wrong.”

Lin Bingwei applied a little pressure, and the hatchet nicked Lin Yaozu’s neck.

It was just a small cut, barely breaking the skin. The blood would clot in no time.

But Lin Yaozu didn’t know that. The moment he felt pain, he thought his neck was about to be sliced open. Terrified, he peed himself.

The stench of urine filled the room.

Lin Wangsheng and Bihua were so scared that their legs gave out, and with a loud thud, they both dropped to their knees.