Chapter 25

The house had a lot of large glass windows, and with some lights on and green lamps installed in the courtyard, the area was brightly lit, making it easy to see inside.

Small trees had been planted, and in the middle of the courtyard stood a small fountain. Various colors of blooming roses adorned the iron fence nearby.

The house exterior was entirely white, keeping it minimalist, while the interior was decorated with warm tones. The flooring was made of gray ceramic tiles, chosen for their durability against dirt. To the right of the entrance was the living room, where a cabinet was placed—its lower section serving as a shoe rack and the upper section as a shelf.

—-

On the cabinet sat several succulents, a money tree, and some small porcelain toys. Behind it was the living room and bedrooms, while the kitchen and dining area were to the left.

The living room wasn’t too large. A 180*40 electric stove was placed there, surrounded by a semi-circle of sofas. Opposite the seating area stood a white cabinet with a 38-inch LCD TV on top, and the walls were adorned with warm-colored wallpaper.

Both the furniture and flooring were made of ceramic tiles, which greatly surprised the elderly couple.

Lin Nanxun eagerly introduced everything to them while Lin Nanzhi set the table, and Lin Nanxuan helped the elderly couple prepare their beds.

As they sat at the dining table, Lin’s grandfather noticed that the dining area had its own separate table. He couldn’t help but ask Lin Nanzhi, “Xiao Zhi, how much did this house cost?”

“Not much, forty thousand.”

Yes, forty thousand. Lin Nanzhi wasn’t lying.

However, that was only for one section of the house. The total for both sections was eighty thousand, and with renovations and furniture, the final cost was over 130,000. But there was no need to mention that.

Even forty thousand seemed too expensive for Lin’s grandfather and grandmother. Back in their time, building a house was much cheaper. Neighbors helped each other, so the only cost was for roof tiles, which were just a few hundred yuan.

When it came to Lin’s mother’s generation, construction costs had increased, but at most, it was only a few thousand yuan. But forty thousand? That was an unimaginable amount.

“Grandpa, Grandma, don’t worry. We can afford it, and the fruit trees and vegetables we grow will bring in some income when we sell them.”

Thanks to the spiritual spring water, the fruit trees had grown much larger than before, and the fruits were abundant. Though they weren’t in season yet, Lin Nanzhi had only watered them once, planning to do it again when they ripened.

Additionally, a large portion of the land had been turned into a greenhouse.

Because of the greenhouse conditions and the spiritual spring water used on the seeds, the vegetables and fruits grew exceptionally well. They were larger than market produce, vibrant in color, and of top quality.

When Lin’s father took some to sell, they quickly gained popularity. Many villagers saw the business potential and started purchasing from the Lin family to resell, earning some money in the process.

“Can these fruits and vegetables really make money?”

“Yes.”

“Grandpa, Grandma, let’s eat first. We haven’t had dinner yet.”

“Alright. The food tastes really good.”

“It’s homegrown, and Lin Nanxun cooked it.”

“Great skills—takes after his father.”

Lu Nanzhi simply smiled without saying anything.

These vegetables were all grown from seeds soaked in the spiritual spring water, making them different from regular produce. They looked better and tasted better, turning everyone in the family into excellent cooks.

However, since they only grew vegetables, they still had to buy meat. Compared to the enhanced vegetables, ordinary meat seemed less appealing.

The first floor had three bedrooms. The master bedroom was occupied by Lin’s mother, while the other rooms were empty. Lin Nanxuan prepared a sunlit room for the elderly couple.

—-

After dinner, Lin Nanzhi took out a green fruit from her special space and cut it into quarters, offering a piece to each of them.

This green fruit was especially beneficial for the elderly. It helped reduce osteoporosis, slowed internal aging, and was particularly effective for healing broken bones.

However, since older people had weaker bodies and lacked proper nutrition before, eating an entire fruit at once might be too much. A quarter each was enough to provide benefits without overwhelming their systems. Eating a piece every few days would gradually improve their health.

“Grandpa, this is the bathroom. This is the light switch, and here is the hot water… If you’re not used to it, I’ve put a flashlight in this cabinet, and you can also leave this light on—it’s not too bright.”

Lin Nanzhi patiently taught Lin’s grandfather how to use everything, repeating it several times before heading back to the old house with Lin Nanxun. Lin Nanxuan stayed behind, as her room was on the second floor, ensuring she wouldn’t disturb the elders.

Back at the old house, Lin’s father was still awake, chatting and watching TV with two other elderly people.

These two were none other than Lin Nanye’s maternal grandparents.

They were even older than Lin Nanzhi’s grandparents and quite short in stature. Lin’s grandmother, in particular, had bound feet. (From now on, they will be referred to as Lin Laoye and Lin Laolao.)

Ever since their daughter passed away, they had rarely visited the Lin family.

They deeply loved their daughter, but she died in childbirth. Rumor had it that Lin’s grandmother argued with her, which triggered labor. She wasn’t allowed to go to the hospital and ultimately passed away on the way there. Worse still, the baby, left unattended, was tragically attacked by stray dogs.

Furious, the elderly couple had hit Lin’s grandmother and even slapped Lin’s father twice.

They had originally planned to cut ties with the Lin family completely. However, since their eldest daughter’s son was still with the Lin family, and their youngest daughter had also married into the Lin family, they had no choice but to swallow their anger.

Later, when they heard that Lin’s father remarried, they were frustrated but didn’t say anything, knowing the kind of person he was.

Lin’s grandmother had seven children in total. Their grandfather had passed away when Lin’s father was just ten years old, so she had struggled to raise them all alone. As the eldest, Lin’s father had to quit school to support the family.

Although Lin’s father was still young back then, he took on the responsibility of being the head of the household.

Unfortunately, his siblings weren’t academically inclined. Most of them didn’t even finish primary school. Lin’s father, who was exceptionally good at studying, had to give up his education, which was a pity.

Because they understood his hardships, Lin Nanye’s grandparents didn’t hold any grudges. They occasionally sent their son to bring Lin Nanye to stay with them, fearing that his stepmother would mistreat him. When they learned that Lin’s mother treated him well, they felt relieved but still kept their distance from the Lin family.

It wasn’t until Lin’s grandmother passed away that they started visiting occasionally.

This time, they came after hearing from their son that Lin Nanye was sick. Their main purpose was to take care of him.

However, Lin Nanye wasn’t at the old house. Since he was in poor health and the old house might not be suitable for him, he stayed in a second-floor room at Lin’s mother’s house.

“Second Grandma, Second Grandpa.” (Interestingly, Lin Laolao and Lin’s grandfather were actually cousins, so this form of address wasn’t unusual.)

“Oh my, is that Nan Zhi and Nan Xun? You’ve both grown so much!”

The two smiled without saying anything, and the three elders continued watching TV.

The TV in their home was over a year old, but for some reason, one corner of the screen was damaged. Lin’s father originally wanted to move it to the new house, but Lin Nanzhi suggested selling it instead.

If someone needed it, they could sell it at a low price. As for giving it away for free—it might not be worth the trouble.

Sometimes, giving things away made people feel like you were dumping junk on them, and they might even see you as treating them like scavengers.