A Good Country Wife
Chapter 571 - 565_1

Chapter 571: Chapter 565_1

Lin Qing knew he had to agree to his sister’s request or she would get angry, so he reluctantly consented, thinking to himself how he, as a brother, should not let his married sister keep subsidizing him. He needed to earn a scholarly title soon, to support the family, so his sister could rely on her natal family.

Lin Dayou knew Lin Qing’s illness was serious; otherwise, he would not have summoned Doctor Zheng. Seeing Lin Qing also come out, he was somewhat surprised, admiring the young man for being so sensible and mannerly, yet unluckily born into such a family. It was truly regrettable, and heaven did not seem fair, but he was also content. His two sons, although not extraordinary like Lin Qing, were sensible and filial, not mischievous or lazy. He looked forward to marrying them off, having a few grandsons, and living harmoniously and beautifully—a blessing indeed.

Lin Dayou had met Lin Qing and Lin Yue, handed over the items to Lin Yue’s care, expressed his gratitude, and then took his leave.

Lin Youfu and his wife were conflicted seeing the village chief treat Lin Yue with such respect. The girl who used to be at their beck and call was now someone even the village chief respected and fawned over. They felt respect and fear for the first time, with even his wife reconsidering if she had gone too far. What if Lin Yue held a grudge and sought revenge?

Although Lin Yue lived there, she never interacted with Lin Youfu and his wife directly; if there was any matter to deal with, she sent Xixi or a servant. Lin Qing understood that his little sister no longer wished to acknowledge their parents. Although this pained him, he also realized their parents had gone too far. If his sister had acknowledged them, it would only have held her back, so this was for the best.

"Little sister, I’ve taken the medicine Doctor Zheng prescribed and am much better now. You don’t need to take such care of me. Go about your business; don’t let me hold you back. I’ve heard your brother-in-law’s oldest sister is not doing well, and he’s not at home right now. You should go take care of things at Lin Genfa’s place," Lin Qing said the next day when Doctor Zheng brought the medicine. Feeling much better, he urged Lin Yue to leave. He didn’t want Lin Yue to waste money unjustly in this home, and he was also worried that if Lin Yue neglected Zhao Yunxiang’s situation, Erhu might be displeased, affecting their marital relationship.

Lin Yue knew that if she stayed, Lin Qing would not be at ease. Seeing Lin Qing looking much recovered, she was no longer concerned and nodded in agreement to go to Lin Genfa’s. In reality, she couldn’t do much there, but being present would show her intent.

Since Lin Yue had sent someone to send word yesterday, when she went to Lin Genfa’s today, Zhao Dahuo, third uncle, and others had also come over, including Zhao Anyu. Technically, Anyu and Yunxiang were cousins. Regardless of what he thought inside, being housed by Erhu meant he should at least show up for appearances. Lin Yue was also surprised to see Zhao Cheng and Li Xiaomei arriving, unlike Lin Yue and Erhu. Yunxiang had a notoriously bad relationship with Wei Family and Cheng, to the point of enmity, especially Xiaomei who never backed down from a confrontation with Yunxiang. Yet, she also came with the others this time.

Lin Yue even wondered if Yunxiang would leap up or pass away from rage upon seeing Xiaomei, but neither scenario happened in the end.

Zhao Yunxiang was quite lucid at the moment, watching as everyone came to see her, worrying about her, with tears shimmering in her eyes. All her past assertiveness and composure had vanished, and even while speaking to Li Xiaomei, she was polite, uttering words of gratitude. Li Xiaomei might have had a sharp tongue, but her heart was actually quite tender. Seeing Zhao Yunxiang, who was once well and healthy, now reduced to a frail, skinny figure, Li Xiaomei felt sorry for her. Even if Zhao Yunxiang had scolded her like before, Li Xiaomei would not have talked back, let alone now that Zhao Yunxiang was speaking kindly to her, which naturally made Li Xiaomei even more cordial. She even waited on Zhao Yunxiang, helping her drink water, appearing very affectionate.

On the other hand, Zhao Anyu’s wife, Mrs. Qian, seemed to look upon Zhao Yunxiang with a bit of disdain. Although Mrs. Qian had tried her best to conceal it, Lin Yue still noticed it and felt somewhat troubled by it. She remembered something the nanny had mentioned to her earlier: Mrs. Qian didn’t get along well with the servants, and was rather difficult to deal with, often acting like the lady of the house. After all, Zhao Anyu’s family used to be well-off and could afford to hire servants, but that was all in the past. Living as guests in someone else’s home, a short stay might pass without issue, but as time went on, nobody wanted to deal with her haughty demands, leading to conflicts.

Lin Yue didn’t bother to inquire too much about this matter—as long as it didn’t get too out of hand, it would be fine. After all, they were relatives, and Zhao Anyu’s family wouldn’t be staying in their home much longer. Moreover, Zhao Anyu seemed to have good character and learning, and he might have a bright future. Why stir up unpleasantness until the end? Therefore, Lin Yue even specifically instructed the nanny to restrain the servants a bit, so everyone could just endure and let things pass. However, Mrs. Qian’s behavior today made Lin Yue’s impression of her even worse.

Since everyone had come from far away, Lin Genfa naturally had to keep them for a meal. Fortunately, Lin Yue had brought a lot of ingredients to Lin Genfa’s house this time. They had used some the previous evening, and although there weren’t many vegetables left, there were still enough rice, flour, oil, and salt. They could purchase a little more from the village; it was just enough for a lunch, improvising if necessary. After all, Lin Yue was definitely going to return to Zhao Family Village today and would bring more ingredients the next day.

In Lin Genfa’s household, there was only his mother, Mrs. Lin Wu, whose vision was poor, and a few children who could work. It was alright to make simple meals on regular days, but with so many guests, Mrs. Lin Wu simply couldn’t manage, and Lin Genfa had to take care of Zhao Yunxiang. Lin Yue volunteered to cook the lunch with Xixi’s help, and Li Xiaomei, Dahu’s wife Mrs. Liu, and the third aunt-in-law all joined Lin Yue in the kitchen to help with the cooking.

It was Zhao Anyu’s wife, Mrs. Qian, who showed no inclination to help when she saw Lin Yue and the others heading to the kitchen. It was only after Zhao Anyu caught her eye and signaled to her that Mrs. Qian reluctantly made her way to the kitchen, frowning. Upon entering, the first thing she did was to express her disdain.

"Oh! This kitchen is so small and cramped, and it’s so dirty. Who knows how long it’s been since it was last cleaned? How can one cook in here? Honestly! What is that smell?" Mrs. Qian walked into the kitchen, first airing her grievances and then covering her nose with her hand, waving her handkerchief around as though she could barely stand it.

Though nobody else seemed to notice any unbearable odor—just a bit of dampness and a hint of earthy smell—Mrs. Qian appeared to be so affected by it. How could anyone expect her to be of any help with that kind of attitude?