Chapter 316 - 314: New Year’s Visit

Chapter 316: Chapter 314: New Year’s Visit

Lin Fu turned to Lin Shouyi, Lin Ding, and Shi Xiuhua. "I’ve done my best," he said. "And I’ve already told you, this is the one and only time I’ll ask the Zhang Family for anything. I don’t care if Yan Zi goes or not, but there won’t be a next time. It’s fine if she doesn’t go. More than a few people in the village who are on good terms with us have been asking me and my wife for help. Now that I’ve secured this position, there’s no reason to let it go to waste. If she doesn’t want it, plenty of other people do."

Lin Qiao’s spirits soared with joy and pride at her father’s words. She lifted her chin, gazing at him with pure adoration.

She might have been happy, but to the rest of the Lin family, Lin Fu’s words struck like a bolt from the blue. They all stared wide-eyed, unable to process what they were hearing. The reason was simple: they weren’t used to it. This was the first time Lin Fu had ever spoken to them with such a tone. The man who had always been so obedient was suddenly refusing to be controlled. Who could possibly have been prepared for that?

’After all, these were the kinds of things only Yao Hui Chun would dare to say. That woman has clearly been a bad influence on Lin Fu,’ they thought.

Regardless of what the others thought, after saying his piece, Lin Fu ignored their stunned expressions, took Lin Qiao by the hand, and turned to leave.

His heart had grown colder and harder toward his adoptive parents than ever before. Yet, he no longer felt even a trace of the sadness or grief he used to. All that remained was a deeper guilt—not only for his wife, but now, for his eldest daughter as well.

He knew this sudden change in him stemmed from what his eldest daughter had just said.

’How could I ever forget?’

That year, when his wife was pregnant with their second child, she couldn’t rest, just like when she’d been pregnant with their first. She still had to work in the fields every day. Their eldest daughter had fallen ill, and before leaving for work that day, he had personally begged Liu Xiaoya to let the girl rest and not do any chores. But when he returned that evening, he found that his daughter, who had been on the mend, had suddenly taken a turn for the worse. She was so ill she had fallen unconscious and couldn’t be woken up, leaving them no choice but to rush her to the hospital. But when it was a matter of life and death, his adoptive mother refused to give them a single cent. She just kept repeating that the girl was "unlucky" anyway... In the end, he and his wife had to wipe away their tears, knock on their neighbors’ doors in the middle of the night, and borrow money just to get their daughter to the hospital.

His eldest daughter thought they had insisted on splitting from the extended family because his adoptive parents refused to pay for her education. But that wasn’t the truth. The real reason he and his wife had been so adamant about separating the households was this incident. Neither of them could ever forget it: the two of them on their knees, kowtowing desperately, yet failing to move the stone-cold hearts of his adoptive parents. They were terrified of ever having to go through something like that again.

They weren’t afraid of toiling through bitter, exhausting work. They weren’t afraid of eating scraps while others feasted on meat. But they were terrified of reliving the agony of watching their child on the brink of death, utterly helpless because his adoptive mother wouldn’t give them the money to save her...

He had resented his adoptive parents for what happened back then, but he had never truly hated them. Today, however, after his daughter unintentionally revealed the full story, real hatred finally took root in his heart.

His heart twisted in pain. He didn’t dare to imagine what might have happened. If his daughter hadn’t been so sensible at such a young age, so considerate of her mother’s condition—if she had revealed the truth back then, would the shock have caused his pregnant wife to miscarry, or worse, damaged her health permanently?

He owed his wife and children far too much—so much more than he had ever imagined.

’Maybe this is for the best.’ He no longer needed to feel anything at all for his adoptive parents. It was better this way, for all his feelings—be it hope or disappointment—to have vanished completely. From now on, they would be like strangers. He would fulfill his basic obligations, and not a single thing more.

Watching Lin Fu’s determined back as he walked away, Lin Yan stomped her foot. She opened her mouth to call him back, but stopped, feeling it would be too humiliating.

Lin Shouyi, Liu Xiaoya, Lin Ding, and Shi Xiuhua exchanged a look, all too stunned by Lin Fu’s attitude to react properly. It wasn’t until he was about to step out the main gate that Shi Xiuhua grew anxious. She quickly tugged on Lin Ding’s sleeve, and the two of them hurried to block Lin Fu’s path, putting on apologetic smiles. After exhausting every pleasantry they could think of, they finally managed to secure the cafeteria job for Lin Yan after all.

As they walked, Lin Qiao noticed her father wasn’t heading toward the bamboo forest as they’d planned, nor was he going home. Instead, he was walking silently toward the village entrance, his face grim. Finally, feeling uneasy, she tugged on his arm. "Dad, where are you going?" she asked, confused.

"?"

Lin Fu stopped. After a long moment, as if waking from a dream, he turned and started walking toward the bamboo forest.

Lin Qiao stood there, mouth agape, stunned for a long moment. Then, snapping out of her daze, she hurried after him. "Dad, wait for me—!"

Lin Fu went to the Upper Zhang Family alone to repay his debt and deliver their New Year’s gifts. It was a busy time of year at home, and with a heavy heart, he found himself alone with Zhang Dazhuang. He ended up holding nothing back, telling him not only about the reactions of Lin Yan and the Lin family, but also the truth Lin Qiao had unintentionally revealed... For the first time, he broke down and wept uncontrollably in front of Zhang Dazhuang.

"You’re lucky to have a wife and children like yours. Just focus on treating them well from now on," Zhang Dazhuang said, sighing as he patted Lin Fu’s shoulder. "As for your adoptive parents, it’s good that you’ve finally seen them for who they are. You have to live with ambition. The worse they treat you, the better you should live. That’s the best way to show them."

Choking back sobs, Lin Fu could only nod again and again.

There were certain things he couldn’t say at home, certain emotions he couldn’t express. But with Zhang Dazhuang, he found he could speak his mind freely. He saw him as both an elder and a confidant. The gap between their ages seemed to matter less and less.

--

「The third day of the Lunar New Year.」

「Beijing. The Shao family residence.」

Sitting in the Shao family’s spacious living room with her maternal grandparents, parents, eldest uncle and his wife, and her two older cousins, Gu Nuan Nuan listened quietly as the others chatted away.

The annual tradition of coming to Beijing to pay New Year’s respects to Mr. Shao of the Shao family and Mr. Mu of the Mu Family had all started when the Zhang family, following Gu Nuan Nuan’s advice, began looking to purchase property in the city. They had taken a particular liking to the traditional courtyard homes, or siheyuans, with the goal for each branch of their family to acquire one of their own.

Although the Zhang family had been close with the Shao family and the Mu Family before, their relationship hadn’t been so intimate as to warrant making special trips for New Year’s visits every year.

Houses, land, and especially the desirable siheyuans in Beijing weren’t things that could be easily bought with money alone.

But what the Zhang Family hadn’t expected was how unbelievably smooth their acquisitions were. It seemed that any property they set their sights on, they were able to purchase without a hitch. When this happened an unusual number of times, they naturally realized the Shao family must be helping them behind the scenes. Naturally, this called for a visit to express their gratitude.

Over time, their relationship with the Shao family grew as close as their bond with the Mu Family, eventually leading to the annual New Year’s visits.