Chapter 3: An Accident Happens

She was still feeling aggrieved when Lin Chaoxia quietly slipped into the kitchen.

“Big Sis, why is Big Brother treating us like this?”

With a splash, Lin Chaoyun tossed the loofah sponge she was washing dishes with into the basin, her face sullen.

“How would I know?”

Lin Chaoxia’s eyes darted around before she asked, “Big Sis, don’t you want to stay home and not go to work?”

Hearing that, Lin Chaoyun gave her an impatient glance. “Who doesn’t? But if you’ve got the guts, go convince Big Brother.”

Lin Chaoxia leaned in and whispered a few words into her ear, making Lin Chaoyun’s eyes light up.

“You’re clever. Let’s do it this afternoon. I don’t believe Big Brother will still make us go up the mountain.”

The two sisters whispered back and forth a little longer, then wiped their hands clean and got ready to head out to work.

Just then, Lin Chaoyang came out of his room and reminded them again not to forget to dig up wild vegetables before heading back to the fields.

In the afternoon, while Lin Chaoyang was weeding, he had just paused to drink some water when he saw Aunt Zhang’s daughter running toward him in a panic.

“Brother Yangzi! Something’s happened! Sister Yun fell down the mountain!”

Zhang’s daughter had sprinted all the way, panting heavily as she stopped in front of Lin Chaoyang, her forehead soaked with sweat from anxiety.

“Brother Yangzi, you’ve got to come quick! Sister Yun isn’t waking up!”

Lin Chaoyang frowned. Lin Chaoyun falling off a mountain was no small matter.

Medical care was poor these days—if she hit her head, she might not survive.

“Oh my, Yangzi, hurry and go look. If it’s serious, borrow money from the brigade leader and get her to a hospital.”

For minor illnesses, rural folks would usually just tough it out. But for serious injuries, there was no choice but to seek hospital treatment.

But as Lin Chaoyang followed the girl toward the mountain base, the villagers watching from afar began shaking their heads and sighing.

The Lin family was already struggling, and now this? That poor kid Yangzi just couldn’t catch a break.

When Lin Chaoyang arrived at the base of the mountain, he saw Lin Chaoxia kneeling beside Lin Chaoyun, weeping.

Seeing the blood covering Lin Chaoyun’s head, Lin Chaoyang didn’t hesitate—he picked her up and ran toward the clinic.

Lin Chaoxia sobbed the whole way, trailing behind as they rushed to the health station.

The doctor was startled at the sight of Lin Chaoyun, her head covered in blood, and hurriedly pulled her into the treatment room.

Only after that did Lin Chaoyang have a moment to turn and look at Lin Chaoxia, who was still crying non-stop.

“What exactly happened? She’s not a kid. She’s been up the mountain countless times. How did she just fall?”

Terrified and not daring to tell the truth, Lin Chaoxia sniffled and lied.

“I—I don’t know. I was digging for wild veggies, then suddenly I heard Big Sis yelling for help. By the time I turned around, she was already rolling down…”

Then, she started sobbing harder, “Big Brother, do you think Big Sis might not wake up?”

Lin Chaoyang shot her an impatient glare. “How would I know? Wait for the doctor to come out first!”

At that moment, Lin Chaoyang truly had no patience left. His mind was a mess.

If the clinic couldn’t treat Lin Chaoyun and they had to go to the hospital, they didn’t have the money for that!

They could barely feed themselves—how could they afford medical bills? And aside from him, who else could he rely on?

And what if he spent all that money and still couldn’t save her—what then?

Lin Chaoyang suddenly realized his heart had grown harder than stone.

Even with Lin Chaoyun’s life hanging in the balance, all he could think about was the money.

Just as his thoughts were spiraling, the doctor came out of the room.

“You’re in luck. She’s regained consciousness. Keep her under observation until tomorrow morning. If nothing changes, she can go home.”

Lin Chaoxia instantly let out a breath of relief and ran sobbing into the room.

Lin Chaoyang also let out a sigh and followed her in after thanking the doctor.

With her head wrapped in gauze, Lin Chaoyun sat dazedly on the bed, staring blankly at Lin Chaoxia without saying a word.

Just as Lin Chaoyang was about to speak, her eyes suddenly lit up and she shouted excitedly, “Big Brother?!”

The sudden outburst stunned Lin Chaoxia.

What was that supposed to mean? She could see Big Brother but not herself?

Lin Chaoyang, however, looked at Lin Chaoyun with a hint of suspicion.

Her expression and gaze didn’t seem quite right.

Why was she so emotional just from seeing him right after waking up?

“You just woke up—don’t shout like that.”

Still in a rush to get back to work, Lin Chaoyang added, “The doctor said you need to be observed for a night. Let Xia accompany you. I’m heading back to the fields.”

With that, he left without another word.

Seeing Lin Chaoyang react that way, Lin Chaoyun was stunned at first, then her expression turned confused.

“Big Sis, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Lin Chaoxia asked.

Lin Chaoyun shook her head, then cautiously asked, “Xia, your big sister hit her head pretty hard… I can’t remember much. How old are you again?”

Lin Chaoxia was shocked—Big Sis had really hurt her head! She didn’t even remember her age?

Realizing her sister might have become mentally impaired, Lin Chaoxia was terrified and on the verge of tears again.

She deeply regretted it. If she’d known this would happen, she would never have gone along with the scheme.

But then she had another thought: if Big Sis had hit her head badly, maybe she wouldn’t remember that she was pushed down the mountain…

With that in mind, Lin Chaoxia felt a bit more at ease.

“Big Sis, I’m thirteen, and you’re seventeen. You really don’t remember?”

Lin Chaoyun nodded vaguely and stopped talking. She soon found an excuse to lie down again.

Back in the fields, Lin Chaoyang couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong—Lin Chaoyun’s behavior had been too strange.

Could it be that she really had hit her head so hard she became mentally slow?

If Lin Chaoyun really had turned into a fool… was this karma?

But given their family’s situation, taking care of someone mentally impaired would make things even harder.

The more Lin Chaoyang thought about it, the more his head hurt. In the end, he forced the thoughts away and focused entirely on weeding.

When work ended and he got home, he saw Lin Chaoyu crouching in the yard with Lin Chaoxing, both staring hopefully at him.

“Big Brother, Second Sis and Third Sis aren’t back yet. There’s nothing to eat at home.”

Lin Chaoyang went straight into the kitchen without even looking at him.

“They’re at the clinic. You can bring them food later.”

Lin Chaoyu was the kind who only cared about himself. As soon as he heard there was food, he shut up immediately.

He didn’t even bother asking why his sisters were at the clinic. He just squatted back down in the yard, waiting to eat.

It was Lin Chaoxing, the youngest, who quickly followed him into the kitchen and asked about what happened at the clinic.

Looking at his youngest brother, Lin Chaoyang let out a long sigh.

This whole family of siblings was selfish—each of them only cared about themselves.

Only the youngest still seemed to have a good heart.

If he raised him right, maybe he wouldn’t grow up to be like Lin Chaoyun and the others.

Because of Lin Chaoxing, Lin Chaoyang softened a bit. He took out some coarse rice and made a thin rice porridge.

Once it was ready, Lin Chaoyu impatiently tried to drink some, but Lin Chaoyang slapped his hand.

“Take it to the clinic first. You can eat after you come back.”

Lin Chaoyu was starving, his stomach cramping, but one look at his brother’s cold face was enough to make him back off. He obediently picked up the clay pot and left.