Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Injured (2)_1 Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Injured (2)_1 Upon hearing that the residue was for feeding pigs, Sister Bai turned to stone.
However, Mrs. Bai reacted quickly, “Thank you.”
Upon hearing that the bean residue could be used to make buns, she responded immediately. The Lin family was already having a hard time. The fact that they thought of her family when they had food made Mrs. Bai very happy. Besides, beans were also used to feed pigs. Wasn’t that what they usually ate?
Therefore, she did not take to heart what Lin Ziyin said.
“Offal isn’t such a delicacy either. Take some home for your child to try,” said Lin Ziyin. She then casually took out a piece of pork liver from the basket to give to Mrs. Bai.
“No, I can’t accept this,” Mrs. Bai insisted, waving her hands in refusal, “You guys earn a little money from this. It wouldn’t be nice if I accepted it.”
After that, she quickly pulled Sis Bai along with the bean residue and practically jogged away, fearing Ziyin would give her more.
“The Bai family is quite straight-forward. They helped us a lot in our time of hardship,” the old man began.
Lin Ziyin nodded, “I know.”
There was no more discussion.
Everyone knew well enough of Ziyin’s resourcefulness. Seeing that she didn’t wish to further comment, they refrained from discussing Bai’s family.
As soon as Mrs. Bai left Lin’s residence, the villagers soon found out the reason behind the smell of meat coming from Lin’s house. They became aware that the Lins were making a small business out of offal and beans.
“The Ma family is truly intolerable,” people gossiped, “Back when the Lin family was doing well, they were eager to propose a marriage. They even sworn promises about treating Lin Zige well, but now that the Lins are down, they kick them while they’re vulnerable. They’re not afraid of divine retribution.”
“They had high hopes for their son’s future.” added someone else begrudgingly.
…
This conversation soon reached the ears of the Ma family.
“Mom, stop gossiping like a cackling hen,” Ma Zhicai started, furrowing his brows.
On hearing her most adored son comparing her to a cackling hen, Mrs. Yan’s face immediately clouded over.
“I’ll be scrutinized in the future,” Ma Zhicai added. These words quickly deflated her anger. True, she couldn’t ruin her son’s reputation over the Lin family. Her son was to be an official one day. If his reputation was ruined, everything would be over.
“Listen to Zhicai,” Ma-er-lang added with a furrowed brow.
“Understood.” said Mrs. Yan, huffily. “What are you doing standing around? Are you expecting me to cook for you?”
Unable to vent her anger on her husband or son, she turned to see her eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Huang, who had just returned from the fields. Now she had found her scapegoat.
Mrs. Huang was always terrified of her mother-in-law. Hearing Mrs. Yan’s rebukes, she immediately responded in a flustered panic, “Mom, I’ll do it right away.”
Having said that, she quickly rushed into the kitchen.
The Lin family, completely unconcerned about the goings-on outside, was busily working with Wu Dayou.
The next day, before daybreak, Wu Dayou had breakfast with Lin Changshu and left with his goods.
Lin Ziyin was pondering to herself, aside from making more tofu that day, her elder brother and the others also took along a good amount of braised meat. They should be able to bring back quite a few copper coins when they returned.
Combining that with their recent earnings, it was possible that within two to three days they would be able to buy the new grindstone.
“Brother, Brother Wu, what happened?” Just as Ziyin was lost in her thoughts, she suddenly heard Lin Zige’s panicked voice, accompanied by a “thump” sound.
Ziyin quickly recognized it as the sound of a wooden basin falling to the ground. Just a moment ago, Guo Huiniang and Lin Zige had gone out to fetch water.
Uncertain of what had happened outside, Ziyin quickly got to her feet and dashed out the door.
Upon stepping outside, she was shocked to see that the two men, who had left in the morning to deliver goods, had returned within half a day, battered and bruised.