Even Lu Shaotang, at such a young age, knew to protect the family’s reputation.

When someone spoke ill of the family, he would fight back, and he had even given a good thrashing to boys who bullied his sister.

Heaven owes me a brother like Lu Shaotang!

You despicable dog!

Sun Xiaohong dares to bully my child, and it’s you, this worthless dog, who’s to blame!

Sun Xiaohong avoided me. If I can’t hit her, can’t I hit you?

Lin Shu slapped him twice more, making him jump in pain.

Lin’s mother watched her son being beaten, heartbroken, and scolded Lin Shu, “Have you gone mad or come back with bad intentions?”

Lin Yue immediately pulled Lin’s mother to the yard, hiding by the pigsty, and whispered, “Mother, this definitely isn’t my sister. Look at her fierce appearance. How could she be my sister? She looks more like her mother-in-law!”

Lin’s mother whispered back, “I also think she seems a bit sinister. What if she’s been…”

Lin Yue asked, “Should we call someone to… drive it out?”

Lin’s mother said, “If it can’t be driven out, our whole family will suffer. How about you just give her the sewing machine? We originally said we’d use it for marrying a wife, so after marrying, we can return it.”

Lin Yue replied, “Mother, if Sun Xiaohong causes trouble, are you responsible for putting out the fire?”

Lin’s father, Lin’s mother, and Lin Yue together couldn’t match even a drop of Lu Shaotang’s spirit.

Otherwise, the village busybodies wouldn’t dare to insult the original owner to her face, calling her grandmother a fox spirit, and not a single Lin family member would retaliate.

In the past, the original owner was soft and weak, easier to deal with compared to Sun Xiaohong.

So when Sun Xiaohong wanted the sewing machine, Lin’s mother, in order to avoid trouble, said that the sewing machine was still Lin’s property even if it was in Sun Xiaohong’s house, and not to be given to outsiders.

The original owner felt too embarrassed to ask for it.

Now, seeing Lin Shu’s fierce and even somewhat… aggressive demeanor, Lin’s mother became scared.

Despite seeming tough when speaking to her daughter, she was actually controlling her.

If her daughter really went mad and became unrecognizable, she would be genuinely afraid.

She feared trouble the most.

Otherwise, why was she unable to confront her dissatisfaction over her daughter’s marriage being controlled by her mother-in-law?

She couldn’t help but blame her mother-in-law again, insisting on finding such a tough family for Lin Shu, which was impossible to get along with.

The intense glare from Lin Shu made Lin Yue’s legs go weak.

Before Lin Shu traveled through time, due to her poor health, she couldn’t engage in strenuous activities or handle emotional fluctuations.

However, her gentle appearance didn’t command respect, so she practiced various intimidating looks in front of the mirror to enhance her authority.

She perfected the “glare of death,” “side-eye death stare,” and “sneer of death”…

When combined with a twitch of her lips, the effect was truly formidable.

It wasn’t about authority but a sinister vibe that unsettled people and made them feel that something was off about her mental state.

Lin’s father, who had been playing with Tiantian and Panpan, came over and said, “That sewing machine was originally bought by your brother-in-law for your sister. Open the door and give it to her.”

Lin Yue replied, “I would give it, but I don’t have the key. Sun Xiaohong took it back to her family.”

Lin Yue was also at fault because Sun Xiaohong locked the door to prevent the third sister from getting in.

Lin Shu said, “The sewing machine might be used up by Sun Xiaohong. If not, you can give me two hundred yuan to compensate for a new one.”

Lin Yue grimaced, “Sister, just kill me. Do you think I’m worth two hundred yuan?”

Lin’s mother, frightened, dared not scold Lin Shu anymore.

Earlier, she had argued with Lin Shu because she thought of her as her own daughter.

But seeing Lin Shu’s sinister demeanor now made her feel uneasy. “Well, when you married, we used the sewing machine as part of the bride price. Our family saved money by using yours. Now, we need to collect money, so shouldn’t you sisters contribute?”

Seeing Lin Shu’s cold stare, Lin’s mother immediately added, “Your father and I… we can contribute a bit. Let’s have the four families pitch in.”

Lin Shu, fully in character, played along, “What four families? You’ve already received three bride prices. Is it still not enough to marry one daughter-in-law? How expensive is Sun Xiaohong? Are the bride prices of three sisters not enough to marry her?”

Lin Shu reflected on the fact that the Sun family had converted all the bride prices into cash to get more money.

The sewing machine, flashlight, and even new clothes for the daughter were all converted into cash!

The Lin family, fearing that their daughter-in-law would come in looking shabby, made new clothes for her and used the original host’s sewing machine to make a good impression.

After making an impression, the sewing machine should have been returned to the original host.

Thinking back, Lin Yue was the real issue.

When he was young, he and Sun Er, another scoundrel, took a bath in the river in the middle of the day and ended up sleeping in an open shed.

When they woke up, Sun Xiaohong was in their arms.

Lin Yue, unable to resist temptation, had a fling with Sun Xiaohong, was caught in the act by Sun Er, and eventually, the Sun family forced a marriage, claiming that Sun Xiaohong was pregnant.

Sun Er’s intention was clear: they had set up a trap.

Lin’s mother was afraid that if they pressed charges, her son would be accused of using underhanded means.

Lin Yue just wanted to avoid trouble and stubbornly accepted the marriage.

Later, Sun Xiaohong claimed that the child was lost!

Lin Yue, the fool, actually believed her and sincerely married Sun Xiaohong.

If it weren’t for the Sun family’s schemes, with Lin Yue’s good looks and stature, what kind of wife wouldn’t he be able to find?

Fool!

Lin Shu was furious and jumped up to hit him again.

‘If you weren’t so stupid, the original owner’s maternal family wouldn’t be in such distress. The original owner’s children wouldn’t have suffered psychological trauma in their youth and then been harmed by Sun Xiaohong’s emotional abuse later on.’

Beating this dog would not even relieve my hatred!

Lin Shu didn’t hate Sun Xiaohong as much, after all, it was understandable to be exclusionary when interests are in conflict.

But Lin Yue was different.

At such a young age, he was tricked and even complacent about how much Sun Xiaohong loved him.

Big fool!

The Lin family, except for the eldest and second sisters, had faces that were exchanged for brains.

Not unjust at all.

Lin Shu was furious, Lin’s mother was scared, Lin Yue was scared, and Lin’s father, who always felt that the sewing machine should be returned to his daughter, was particularly upset.

Sun Xiaohong had monopolized the sewing machine but hardly used it—she barely made any clothes all year, and it was mostly Lin’s mother who did the sewing.

Lin Yue had also long thought that the sewing machine should be returned to his sister, but he was afraid of trouble and the fact that Sun Xiaohong had the final say at home.

Lin Shu decided to have Lin’s father remove the door from the west room directly.

Locks were useless in those days; removing the door was more convenient.

After removing the door, Lin’s father and Lin Yue carried out the sewing machine.

Lin Shu took a look and found it still brand new.

Her mood immediately improved.

She felt the sewing machine, smiling, and said to Lin’s mother and Lin Yue, “You don’t know, ever since I received that unfortunate news, I’ve been dreaming every day about this sewing machine.

In my dreams, Lin Yue is being beaten by Sun Xiaohong with this sewing machine, stuffed in everywhere—arms, legs, head, chest, stomach—everywhere she’s poked and jabbed.

She’s jabbed him all over, making him bleed everywhere.”

Lin Yue immediately felt pain all over his body. “Sister, stop talking.”

Lin Shu laughed, “Brother, I’m doing this to save you.”

Lin’s mother was already muttering prayers to the Kitchen God and the Door Gods, and even Lin’s grandmother was being mentioned in a rush.

Lin’s father found it normal.

His daughter had always been soft and bullied.

Now that the man was gone, she must have suffered a lot.

For a mother, it was right to stand up when there were still two children left.

How could she not fight back?

Thinking of this, Lin’s father started wiping tears again, holding the two children, and said, “Mother…”

Tiantian and Panpan immediately wiped his tears.

Panpan said, “Grandpa, my grandparents treat my mother really well.”

He couldn’t tell Grandpa about the secret concerning his father and didn’t want to make him worry.

Originally, Lin Shu had intended to hold a grudge against Lin Yue for the suffering the children endured in the original plot.

She thought that if Lin’s family returned the sewing machine today, she would continue to have contact with her maternal family.

If they didn’t return it, she would cut ties with them.

She didn’t expect… that the intimidation wouldn’t work.

Lin Shu was pleased and responded to Lin’s mother with ease, “If you have any work for Lin Yue, just send it to me, and I’ll handle it for you. Are you and Dad making cotton shoes this year? Bring them over, and I’ll take them back to make them for you. You are my parents; of course, I will take care of you.”

She then said to Lin Yue, “Don’t worry, you won’t be the only one taking care of our parents. When they get older, my two sisters and I will take turns looking after them. You won’t have to rely on your wife for that.”

Lin’s mother no longer thought Lin Shu was sinister or possessed; her eyes were filled with tears. “That’s my daughter, my daughter.”

Lin Shu was speechless.

This family is so easy to deceive; they believe whatever you say.

It’s no wonder Sun Xiaohong was able to deceive them back then.

She took the initiative to help Lin’s mother with the cooking.

After hearing Lin Shu’s words, Lin Yue felt relieved.

Lin Shu had used a sweet carrot after a stick to soothe her original family’s parents and brother.

To prevent any further issues, Lin Shu asked Lin Yue to find some young men to help deliver the sewing machine to Lu Jia Village after dinner.