Chapter 298 - 296: Talking Nonsense

Chapter 298: Chapter 296: Talking Nonsense

「Yingkou Village.」

"Qiaoqiao, you’re back?"

"Isn’t that the Lin family’s eldest girl? Home for the break?"

"Oh my, you’re on break but only brought back this little?"

...

Lin Qiao walked happily on her way home, greeted by quite a few people along the path. Some she knew, some she didn’t, and others were just vaguely familiar. Some people just smiled and said hello as they passed by. Others, more enthusiastic, would pull her aside to chat for a bit and throw in a compliment or two... No matter who it was, Lin Qiao maintained a polite smile and responded to each of them.

She knew her sudden popularity in the village wasn’t entirely because her parents had started raising chickens and ducks and were making money. It also wasn’t because her mother had just given birth to a son, meaning their family now had a male heir to carry on the line in everyone’s eyes, which earned them more respect. The most important reason was that her family had gotten in with the Zhang family.

After the Ye Family spread the word that Gu Nuan Nuan herself had called her "her best friend," the Lin family’s social standing in the village improved overnight. People who had been skeptical had their doubts completely erased after Gu Nuan Nuan and her maternal grandfather, the old master of the Zhang family, visited their home a few times. They’d also heard that Gu Nuan Nuan had lent them the money to start their chicken and duck farm.

Many people, of course, approached them with ulterior motives. Her parents had said several times that their family couldn’t possibly help anyone get a job at the Zhang Group, but the number of people trying to get close to them didn’t decrease. This was especially true after people saw the Zhang family’s old master frequently visiting their bamboo forest. Even though they hadn’t recommended a single person to the Zhang family, more and more people were still eager to cozy up to them.

Lin Qiao recalled her mother’s words: even if people have ulterior motives, as long as they’re willing to be friendly, their family couldn’t act disgusted or arrogant. Otherwise, their reputation would be ruined, and they’d be buried under gossip. When dealing with people, keeping up appearances is what matters most of the time, isn’t it? As for the families they were genuinely close with, they knew who they were. The two couldn’t be compared.

"Hey, stop right there."

Just as Lin Qiao was about to reach her front door, someone behind her yelled rudely.

"..."

Lin Qiao could, of course, tell that the person yelling at her was her older cousin, Lin Yan. Rolling her eyes dramatically, she pretended not to hear and kept walking. Inside, however, she was already cursing. ’This is ridiculous! What kind of bad luck did I run into today, getting one after another? First, I ran into Weng Liwen at school, who seems to have a case of princess syndrome, and now I run into the confirmed case, Lin Yan, at my own doorstep.’

’Thinking about it, Nuannuan’s old method was much better: if you don’t want to deal with someone, then just don’t. Besides, while my mom did say to be polite to people and at least keep up appearances, she also added another part: if someone is rude to you first, you don’t have to maintain a polite facade. You’re allowed to fight back a little.’

’It’s not like I’m a glutton for punishment. Why should I go over and let someone order me around and yell at me?’

’A person has to have some self-respect, right?’

So, Lin Qiao walked on calmly, feeling not a single thing was wrong with pretending she hadn’t heard Lin Yan call her. But while her plan was perfect in her head, Lin Yan wasn’t about to let her go so easily. Seeing Lin Qiao ignore her, she dashed forward furiously, blocked her path, and started yelling, "Lin Qiao, I called you! Didn’t you hear me? Are you deaf?"

"You called me? When?" Lin Qiao frowned.

"Just now! You were just pretending not to hear. Don’t think you can fool me," Lin Yan said, absolutely furious.

"Impossible. I didn’t hear anyone call my name just now at all. Are you sure you actually said it out loud?"

Lin Qiao looked at Lin Yan with obviously fake concern and started spouting nonsense. "I heard that people who are starting to have hearing problems actually go through a phase like this. Take you, for example. You probably didn’t make a sound at all, but you just don’t realize it and mistakenly think you did. Then, when other people don’t hear you, you get really angry and think they’re deliberately ignoring you."

She shook her head pitifully and said with endless regret, "Lin Yan, I think you should have Uncle and Auntie take you to the hospital soon. You have to treat illnesses early. If you keep delaying it, your little ear problem will slowly turn into a big one. You’re still so young! If you really go deaf one day, probably only the old bachelors in the village, the ones in their fifties or sixties who are crippled either physically or mentally, will have you. Tsk tsk... When that time comes, let me be clear, I will not be calling a person like that my cousin-in-law. Don’t you dare blame me for ignoring you then."

"Lin Qiao... Don’t you stand there spouting nonsense and trying to scare me..." Lin Yan was so angry her hands were shaking, yet a nervous, worried look appeared on her face. "I... I really did yell loudly, just two steps behind you. How... how could you not have heard me?"

’Idiot—’

Lin Qiao scoffed inwardly, but her expression became as serious as could be. "I swear on my family’s bamboo forest, I really didn’t hear you call my name."

"Impossible..." Lin Yan was truly stunned, her lips trembling as if she were about to burst into tears.

"Why don’t you go back and have a few other people listen? I’m really just trying to be nice. If you’re going to mistake my good intentions for malice, then I have nothing more to say." Lin Qiao was practically cramping from holding in her laughter, but she put on a straight face and confirmed again, "Anyway, I really didn’t hear anyone call my name just now. Believe it or not, it’s your ears, not mine. Or you could just pretend this never happened and that I was just worrying for nothing."

Lin Qiao turned and walked away, entering her house in just a few steps. Hiding behind the door, she watched as Lin Yan stood outside, dazed for a long while. Lin Yan completely forgot why she had come looking for Lin Qiao in the first place. The more she thought about it, the more worried she became, until finally, with a loud "WAAAH!", she ran off crying. Only then did Lin Qiao finally break into a grin. HAHAHA—

Putting down her luggage, Lin Qiao clutched her stomach, laughing so hard and so happily that tears streamed down her face, but she couldn’t stop.

Lin Qiao’s mother, who had come out to wash diapers, looked at her quizzically. "You’re back, but you haven’t even put your things in your room. What’s so funny that you’re laughing like this? You’re acting all crazy, not like a girl at all."

"It’s... HA... HA... HA... Mom, I just can’t help it! I can’t! Let me laugh a little more and then I’ll tell you." Lin Qiao laughed for a while longer before she managed to haltingly recount what had just happened to her mother, still unable to suppress her giggles. Lin Qiao’s mother put on a stern face, but before she could even start scolding her, she started laughing too. "You’re so mischievous, swearing on our family’s bamboo forest! I ought to spank you. I’m warning you, don’t you ever, ever bring up the bamboo forest like that again. Otherwise, don’t think I won’t be willing to give you a good spanking..."