Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity
Chapter 33 - 29 Lin Wu

Chapter 33: Chapter 29 Lin Wu

Gu Chengyu almost wanted to curse. Where did this piece of work come from? His family was poor, but did they eat her family’s rice? Or wear her family’s clothes? Was it necessary to mock them at first sight, with every sentence full of derision and poverty on her lips? She was just a young girl, but her words were so venomous, it really broadened his horizons.

"Xiao Bao, why are you here? Go back quickly! I’ll come back later, you go first." At this moment, Gu Chengchi saw his little brother had come and hurriedly asked him to go back, afraid that he would be scolded too. He placed the teapot on the table, ready to make more tea. In fact, the water was already boiled, having just been poured into the teapot, it must be hot. He didn’t know why they said he didn’t make it well and even spilled the tea, scalding his pants. Now his thigh still burned with pain! After Gu Chengchi spoke, he was eager to go boil water, and there was a slight awkwardness in his gait.

Gu Chengyu understood immediately when he saw his fourth brother’s gait. He felt both heartache and guilt, and also anger.

"Fourth Brother, what happened to your leg?" Gu Chengyu screamed. From the time he came in until now, no one from the Lin Family appeared. He didn’t believe no one was home, but they let Lin Liuliu bully his fourth brother without saying a word.

The ancients often said: only the mean and the women are hard to raise! Does he count as petty now? If so, then don’t blame him for being impolite.

"Fourth Brother, is your leg burned? Nothing can happen to your leg! Fourth Brother! Mother is still waiting for you to get married! What will we do if your leg is injured?" Gu Chengyu, being a young child, naturally had a sharp voice. Although the Lin Family wasn’t very close to other families, it wasn’t far either. It was right during dinner time, and every household had people around, so his shout naturally attracted the nosy people to come out and see.

The courtyard wall of the Lin Family was over one person’s height, made of earth bricks. Usually, the courtyard door was locked, and people naturally couldn’t see inside. But when Gu Chengyu came in, he didn’t close the courtyard door.

"Yo! What’s going on? Isn’t this the fifth from the Gu Family? Didn’t he just go back? Is he here to call your fourth brother back for dinner?" Gu Chengyu had to say, it was really a coincidence. Wasn’t the woman speaking at the courtyard door the Aunt Wang who just spoke in the fields?

"Aunt Wang, I’m here to call Fourth Brother back for dinner," Gu Chengyu immediately acted obedient.

"Liuliu, my brother’s health just got better, how about I boil the water for you? The water I boil is fragrant! It must be better than what my fourth brother boils." Saying this, he was about to step forward to lift the teapot.

"Oh! Xiao Bao, your mouth is really sweet! Isn’t boiled water all the same taste? How can it be fragrant?" Aunt Wang’s heart bloomed with joy when Gu Chengyu called her Auntie, and she found the little child’s words amusing and quite adorable.

"But Liuliu said my brother’s water doesn’t taste good, and asked him to boil it again! I just thought it’s my brother who didn’t boil it well." Gu Chengyu looked at Aunt Wang with aggrieved eyes.

Aunt Wang, receiving Gu Chengyu’s aggrieved little glance, immediately overflowed with maternal love. "Lin girl, that’s not right, is it? How could water taste good or not? Isn’t it all the same? These days, everyone knows Gu Family’s fourth is here to be an apprentice, right? If this kind of reputation spreads about a big girl like you, it wouldn’t be good!"

Actually, Aunt Wang was also a bit unable to stand by. It’s just that this was the village chief’s family, and she didn’t want to offend them, right? If it wasn’t too much, they would turn a blind eye. But today, seeing that Gu Chengchi’s leg was scalded, and no one from the Lin Family came out to say a word, letting a little girl act domineering over Gu Fourth daily. Gu Fourth had been here seven or eight days and hadn’t learned anything, only learned to serve people. If they really didn’t want to take him as an apprentice, they shouldn’t have coveted Gu Family’s half liang of silver at the start.

"Where is this coming from? Am I not teaching him how to work?" Lin Liuliu’s face flushed red, biting her teeth and resentfully looking at Aunt Wang. This old hag always meddling and trying to ruin her reputation.

At this time, a man and an older woman came out of the main house of the Lin Family.

"What’s going on? How come it involves my granddaughter Liuliu?" This woman was likely the Li Zheng’s wife.

"Gu Family’s fourth, it was your father who begged me to take you as an apprentice. Since I became your master, I have to temper your character a bit. As the saying goes, once a teacher, always a father. Can’t you even boil a pot of water? If you don’t want to, just refuse. Why make things so difficult and ruin my niece’s reputation?" The one who spoke was Gu Chengchi’s master, Lin the Second, Lin Wu.

These words made Gu Chengchi wish he could dig a hole to hide in. He was stuck halfway to the kitchen, neither retreating nor advancing, even more unsure of how to reply.

Seeing her backup had arrived, Lin Liuliu immediately put on a different face. Initially a bit scared, she now straightened her back, as if she was in the right all along.

Hearing this, Gu Chengyu felt bad. Since ancient times, respect for teachers and the path was valued. If this kind of reputation about his fourth brother spread, how would he live in the future? He was also a bit puzzled, as Lin the Second seemed discontented with his fourth brother, but his fourth brother could not have offended him. Gu Chengchi’s nature was something he knew; maybe due to poor health since childhood, he usually talked less, but he was honest and sincere.

If Lin the Second didn’t want to teach his fourth brother, he could simply refuse. Why ruin his fourth brother’s reputation?

As Gu Chengyu was puzzled and preparing to speak, another voice interrupted.

"In my opinion, isn’t this how apprenticeships usually go? The Li Zheng family is already considering the village, seeing that there are many brothers in your family, your father came to plead, and that’s why the spot was given to your Gu Family’s fourth. It’s just boiling a pot of water, why make excuses? If you don’t want to be an apprentice, there are plenty of people in the village who do!" This statement resonated with the hearts of most villagers. They all had sons who wanted to be apprentices but didn’t have as much tuition money as the Gu Family. At this moment, whispers arose among the crowd.

Hearing this, Lin Wu straightened his back immediately, placing his hands behind him with a proud expression.

Gu Chengyu listened and thought, "Great! Another familiar face." Looking back, who else but Wang Yue? She subtly glanced at Lin Wu; her gaze seemed slightly flirtatious. Gu Chengyu quickly turned to Lin Wu, who, receiving the glance, lightly nodded.

Now Gu Chengyu understood. Many in the village wanted to learn carpentry, and Mr. Gu offered the highest apprenticeship fee, so they chose his Gu Family. But Lin the Second probably didn’t want to teach Fourth Brother; who he actually wanted to teach was Wang Yue’s son. However, he couldn’t bear to part with Gu Family’s five hundred coins, so he devised a plan to have Lin Family’s Liuliu insult Gu Chengchi daily, not teaching him the trade, only making him serve tea, carry wood, and do rough work, just to make the Gu Family withdraw, so he could change apprentices.