Chapter 12: Stirring Up Trouble with the Leaders

“I don’t know what you’re talking about—don’t come here acting crazy,” Lin Chaoyang said flatly.

He had no interest in getting into some long-winded discussion about reincarnation. He denied it outright.

But Lin Chaoyun wasn’t ready to give up. “I know you’ve come back too. Otherwise, you’d never treat us like this.”

“But have you ever thought that maybe you failed to raise us properly, and that’s why we turned out this way?”

“If you’d been a responsible big brother, would we really have only thought of ourselves?”

Lin Chaoyang’s eyes grew colder. “Lin Chaoyun, the three of you were born selfish. That has nothing to do with how you were raised.”

“I was actually planning to leave you some food. But since you say I was never responsible, then go figure it out on your own—since you’re all so capable.”

With that, Lin Chaoyang shut the door in her face, ignoring the curses she muttered outside.

After this confrontation, things between him and Lin Chaoyun were completely broken.

He immediately took the food he had portioned out earlier and stored it in his space—he no longer planned to leave even a grain of rice for them.

He was done supporting these ungrateful siblings.

The next morning, Lin Chaoyang packed his things and took Lin Chaoxing by the hand, ready to leave.

Lin Chaoyun had been waiting for him and now stared at him with eyes full of venom.

“Big Brother, are you really not going to leave us any food? You want us to starve to death?”

Lin Chaoyang looked calm. “What food? There’s no food in the house.”

Lin Chaoyun clenched her teeth. “The food the county rewarded you with! Stop pretending you don’t know!”

Lin Chaoyang didn’t want to waste words. “Move. You must be delirious from hunger.”

He shoved past her and carried Lin Chaoxing out of the house quickly.

Unwilling to let it go, Lin Chaoyun chased after him.

Seeing some villagers coming out to fetch water, she dropped to her knees in front of Lin Chaoyang.

“Big Brother! I’m begging you! Please leave us some food! We’re your siblings! You can’t just let us starve!”

Her voice was so loud that it attracted many villagers, who came out to see what was happening.

Curious onlookers started gathering, whispering and watching closely.

Lin Chaoyang remained calm. “You think I have food, and that shouting will magically make it appear? You know exactly what’s in the house. You think you can force it out of me?”

Lin Chaoyun no longer cared about keeping secrets. At this point, her only hope was to expose that county officials had given him food—so others could pressure him into sharing.

“The county did give you food! And you didn’t leave us even a single bite!”

“We’re your real siblings! How could you treat us this way? Do you want Mom and Dad to watch from the heavens as we starve to death?!”

The onlookers were in an uproar. Wait, didn’t the county just reward him with a job? They also gave him food? And he hid it?

Lin Chaoyang immediately shot back, raising his voice, “The county gave me a job! And you’re still thinking about food? Have you no shame?”

“You think I’m hiding food? Fine! Everyone look! Look inside this basket—how much food is there?!”

He threw the basket to the ground with a dramatic look of grief.

“Lin Chaoyun! You’re the one who said we’re siblings—so are you trying to drive me to death now?”

“You know exactly what our family’s been through all these years. What food?! There’s nothing!”

At that moment, the usually quiet Lin Chaoxing suddenly spoke up.

“There’s no food at home… we eat wild vegetables every day. We’re always hungry.”

Lin Chaoyang gently patted his head. “Good boy, Xingxing. Big Brother will work hard from now on to make sure you’re full.”

Some of the aunties watching couldn’t hold back any longer and began to scold her.

“Xiao Yun, you’re old enough now. Show some understanding to your brother!”

“She’s right. Ever since your parents passed, your big brother’s been raising you all—it’s not easy!”

“There’s nothing in that basket but clothes and bedding—your big brother didn’t even take any food with him. What county rations are you talking about?” one of the aunties said.

Lin Chaoyun’s eyes turned red with frustration. She had seen it with her own eyes! The team leader had clearly delivered two big sacks of grain that night!

They had even eaten braised rice with cured meat the next day!

How could Lin Chaoyang not have taken a single grain?

Could it be that he secretly hid the food in the middle of the night?

“There were two big bags of grain! You must have hidden them last night!”

Seeing how unrelenting she was, the surrounding neighbors could only shake their heads helplessly.

The girl looked like she had completely lost it. Nothing anyone said got through to her.

“I don’t have time to deal with your madness. I have to report to the coal mine,” Lin Chaoyang said.

He picked up his basket, carried Lin Chaoxing in his arms, and walked away, circling around the crowd.

Lin Chaoyun tried to chase him, but a few aunties stopped her.

Trapped and unable to leave, Lin Chaoyun could only shout at the top of her lungs:

“Lin Chaoyang! Treating us like this—you’re going to get what’s coming to you!”

“If we starve to death, even as ghosts we won’t let you off!”

Hearing her shout such crazy things, the aunties no longer wanted to be near her.

This girl really seemed to have lost her mind. What if she snapped and hurt someone?

The neighbors quickly scattered, leaving Lin Chaoyun standing there alone in helpless rage.

After she vented enough and returned home, she found Lin Chaoxia and Lin Chaoyu rummaging through the house.

They still couldn’t believe their big brother had left without leaving behind a single grain of food.

“Stop searching. Lin Chaoyang’s not going to leave us any food—he’s just waiting for us to starve,” Lin Chaoyun said coldly.

Lin Chaoxia was still in disbelief. Could their big brother really be that heartless?

“Then… now that he’s gone to the city, does that mean he’s never going to care about us again?”

Lin Chaoyu jumped up in anger. “He took that brat Lin Chaoxing into the city to enjoy a good life and left us here to suffer?”

Lin Chaoyun’s expression was dark. “We’re not going to suffer here forever. If he thinks he can shake us off by moving to the city, he’s dreaming.”

Hearing her tone, Lin Chaoxia and Lin Chaoyu quickly came over. “Second Sister, you have a plan?”

“He’s going to work at the coal mine, right? We’ll go cause a scene in a few days—raise enough hell that the leadership finds out. Let’s see what he does then!”

When they heard the idea of making a scene at the coal mine, both Lin Chaoxia and Lin Chaoyu flinched.

The biggest authority they had ever dealt with was the village team leader. Going to confront coal mine officials? That was terrifying.

Lin Chaoyun gave them both a fierce glare. Useless fools—scared of even this?

“If you’re too scared to cause a scene, then stay here and starve. But if I manage to get food by stirring things up, don’t even think about getting a bite.”

Hearing that, Lin Chaoxia and Lin Chaoyu exchanged a look. Gritting their teeth, they both nodded.

“Second Sister, we’ll listen to you. No way we’re letting Big Brother ditch us like this!”

Meanwhile, Lin Chaoyang had already anticipated that the three of them wouldn’t give up so easily—that they’d definitely come to make trouble.

Especially Lin Chaoyun. Since she had been reborn, she was bold and utterly fearless.

He didn’t know when the three ungrateful siblings would show up to cause trouble, but once he finished his onboarding at the coal mine, he needed to act fast.

As long as he got ahead of things and laid some groundwork, no matter how much trouble they stirred up, it would amount to nothing.

Lin Chaoyang’s mind was already turning fast. Even before he reached the coal mine, he had a strategy in place for how to deal with those three leeches.