The man looked back at Jindou and patted his chest, "Kid, the heavens decide when it rains, and a mother decides when to remarry. Who are you to interfere as a son? If your mother can bear sons, then I lack none. I heard from your uncle that your old man won’t live long. Why don’t you and your brother follow your mother to marry into my family? I promise I won’t treat you badly—"
Jindou’s eyes turned bloodshot, and he bit his lips until they bled. Hearing this, he glanced at Lady Lin and then picked up a stool and smashed it towards the man, "Get lost—"
The man dodged nimbly, not getting angry, laughing loudly while the swearing matchmaker walked away with him.
Meanwhile, Eldest Uncle Lin faced Jindou’s murderous glare with some discomfort; he didn’t want to confront such a hot-headed youngster, so he quickly made his escape, "Ah, Jindou’s here, your mother was just thinking of you. You two should have a good talk."
With that, he pulled his wife into the inner room.
Jindou took a deep breath, "Mother, why?"
Lady Lin, having been caught by her son, was ready to face the consequences and scoffed coldly, "Why? Your father’s a cripple now. Should I spend the second half of my life serving a crippled man, living like a widow?"
"But, you still have us, don’t you?" Jindou truly didn’t understand.
Lady Lin had never intended to keep the matter secret from her eldest son, and since Jindou asked,
she recalled what her brother and sister-in-law had said about not being too harsh on the children, as she might need Jindou and his brothers to support her in the future.
Therefore, she softened her expression and sighed, "Jindou, you aren’t a mother; you don’t know what kind of life I’ve had all these years married to your father. Your father listens to your grandma in everything. Our main house does the most work and gets the least in return. I toil in the fields just like a man, and I gave birth to you three brothers. Yet, in your grandma’s eyes, not even a strand of my hair compares to your aunt. Nothing I do is ever right in your grandma’s eyes; I’m scolded daily, and I can’t even eat my fill. If it weren’t for the sake of your father and you three brothers, this life would have become unbearable long ago."
"Now, don’t you even think about father and us three brothers anymore? In the end, you disdain father because he’s a cripple, don’t you? Mother, do you know why I came to fetch you today? Because Uncle found a divine doctor for father, who’s prescribed a new medicine. Dad’s getting better by the day—he can sit up and eat by himself now! The divine doctor says there’s hope for his recovery, that he could get well! As soon as dad showed signs of improvement, he missed you and Jinguan, so he sent me to bring you both back so you could share our joy. But what about you, Mother? You’re actually in the process of screening suitors! You haven’t even divorced father, and you can’t wait; you’re already sizing up your next prospects!" Jindou said hoarsely, pained as he looked at Lady Lin.
Lady Lin was initially stunned. Could her husband’s health be improving? Could it be true?
"You’re not lying to me? Father’s health can actually get better?" Lady Lin, having been married to Wang Yongfu for so many years, did have feelings for him. She became excited upon hearing the news.
"Of course, it’s true. Uncle invited a divine doctor from the capital specifically to see father! Could that be false?" Jindou replied coldly.
Lady Lin’s first reaction was, "Uncle invited him? Would he be so kind? It’s not some fraud, is it?"
Those words turned Jindou’s face dark!
Did Mother really not want Father to get better?
Seeing the change in Jindou’s expression, Lady Lin knew she had misspoken and hastily tried to fix it, "I didn’t mean that, just that your uncle, your uncle has always looked down on us, right? How could he find a divine doctor for your father? Of course, it’s great if he did; if your father’s health improves, I would be happy—"
Jindou cut off her words, "Then will you come back home with us? I can pretend to know nothing, and I can have Jinguan return home without saying a word. Are you coming home with me or not?"
If the head of the household could recover, in fact, it would be good to return to the Wang Family, after all, they are the original married couple, and they have their own child.
Inside the room, Eldest Uncle Lin and his wife were getting anxious.
How could Wang Jiafu, that man with a tough fate, be so lucky? He was almost at death’s door but the Wang Family resolutely spent silver to save his life.
When it seemed that he was going to be disabled for life, his younger brother found a Divine Doctor, and he might actually be cured!
If Lady Lin’s heart was swayed, and she was taken back to the Wang Family by Jindou and the others, she was naturally their birth mother and would keep secrets from the Wang Family, but what about the Lin Family?
Once Jindou and others inevitably prevented Lady Lin from interacting with the Lin Family, how would they continue to benefit from her?
No! They absolutely could not let Lady Lin go back with them!
They had already inquired about the market conditions: a woman like Lady Lin, considering a second marriage, although older, could still bear sons. In the countryside, some were desperate for sons and would pay a high price for such a daughter-in-law who could bear sons.
With Lady Lin’s situation, she could sell for at least two or three Taels of Silver.
If they let Lady Lin return to the Wang Family, wouldn’t that silver go to waste?
Seeing Lady Lin beginning to waver, Eldest Uncle Lin jumped out immediately, "Younger sister, think it through! Jindou speaks sweetly, but Jinguan is just a child. If he blabbers when he returns, you will not be able to hold your head high in the Wang Family, and everyone will trample you down! Don’t be confused and go back only to suffer. If the Wang Family harbors malice, they might coddle you into taking care of Wang Yongfu until he recovers, then divorce you and marry someone young and beautiful. What would you do then? You must think this through! Your brother wouldn’t harm you——"
Lady Lin thought about her in-laws and her husband’s temper. Just as a small wish began to form, it was immediately snuffed out.
Indeed, her brother’s words made sense. Having taken this step forward, to go back with such a reputation, who would respect her? She was afraid even Lady Jiang might step on her.
If she really tended to her husband wholeheartedly and he brought up past grievances afterward, by the time she wanted to come back and remarry, it would probably be too difficult.
If she hadn’t returned to her family home, or if the matchmaking hadn’t been seen by others, it would be different, but such a secret could never be kept!
She couldn’t go back! Lady Lin’s heart alternated between sadness and relief.
Jindou glared fiercely at Eldest Uncle Lin. He only hated that he had been blind—how could he have ever thought his maternal uncle was good? Wasn’t this his uncle scheming to tear his family apart?
Recalling how his grandmother used to curse his maternal family, Jindou felt his grandmother had seen more clearly.
However, to keep his family together, Jindou still suppressed his anger and persuaded, "Mother, don’t worry, if I say I won’t tell when we go back, I won’t! I will also find a way to make Jinguan keep quiet! Mother, can’t our family still be as good as before?"
Lady Lin had already made up her mind and would not turn back.
Standing up, she said, "Jindou, you’re grown up now! Take more care of your younger brothers in the future, and your mother will be at ease! Go back!" She was telling Jindou to go back.