Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Division of the Family (2)_1 Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Division of the Family (2)_1 “Exactly, as if this big family doesn’t need feeding.
Yet she opens her mouth asking for food and silver.” Lady Ma pursed her lips.
She wanted to say that even divine medicine couldn’t cure a paralytic and there was no use in grabbing any medicine, but she dared not speak out loud because of her in-laws’ presence, so she could only mutter to herself in her heart.
Li Feng’e also sneered in a mocking sing-song voice, “Oh, someone sure has gotten bold, strutting over here to demand food and silver.
Do you even care about the elders anymore?”
If she understood respect for elders, would she have taken a knife to me?” Lin Jiaxiao, keeping a safe distance from Lin Yuan with his wife’s hand in his, seemed to have been seriously traumatized by Lin Yuan’s earlier attack with the knife, as he brought it up several times in just a short span of time.
The group bickered back and forth, each taking their turn, but Lin Yuan remained silent, simply staring defiantly at the Lin family’s patriarch, Lin Jianling.
If she wasn’t wrong, the old man would give in to her demands—not out of familial affection, but to save face.
Laosan had caused quite a stir in the village by selling his niece, and if word got out that they neglected their own kin to the point of starvation or begging, the old man could kiss his reputation goodbye.
Sure enough, Lin Jianling knocked his tobacco pipe and, without even looking at the Lin Yuan Sisters, dismissively said, “Boss’s house, go take half a bushel of ground cornmeal and give it to her.”
“But Dad…” Lady Yang started to object but was silenced by a glare.
“However,” Lin Jianling added, pressing down the tobacco leaves, “there will be no silver.”
The indifference in his voice extinguished the last flicker of kinship in Lin Yuan’s heart.
The old man did indeed care more about his pride than his son.
If he truly loved his son, would he withhold the money for his medicine?
Lady Ma glanced sideways, swung her arm, and waddled out with her ample behind, that half-bushel of cornmeal was freshly milled, and she planned to surreptitiously skim some off for herself.
Lin Yuan paid no heed; she wasn’t there for a measly half bushel of cornmeal: “Grandfather, how can you be out of money?
Your granddaughter remembers, my dad used to bring home one tael of silver every month.
Sometimes, even two taels.
Accountant at Landlord Cao’s house, earning two taels of silver each month, not even counting the Reward Silver from the main house.
If you add the Reward Silver…”
“You little hussy, your uncle’s silver is all spent on networking.
He doesn’t have any silver left over, I haven’t even seen him bring home silver!” Lady Ma, who had just reached the door, rushed back in as soon as she heard Lin Yuan bring up her husband’s affairs, her sunburnt face turning beet red with anxiety.
Lin Yuan could tell from her defensive reaction that things were certainly not as Lady Ma claimed.
Laosan’s household wasn’t foolish either; they caught the hint in each other’s eyes, but said nothing.
After all, they hadn’t contributed any silver either.
However, if the old man was giving silver to the Boss’s house, they would not just stand by idly—they would also demand their share.
“What’s got you so riled up, Boss’s wife?
Go stand off to the side!” Lady Yang couldn’t tolerate any claim that their money was entirely earned by Boss’s family, as if they were penniless.
“Listen here, Little Disaster Star, the money your dad brought in has long been spent on his treatment.
Do you think his leg was spared by a stroke of divine luck?
If it weren’t for your grandmother here, running around begging every doctor in town, do you think those doctors would have bothered to treat a country bumpkin?
Hmph, now you come to me asking for silver?
There’s none, no matter what you say!”
“Grandfather, I think you misunderstood me.
I didn’t come just for food today; it’s also about the future.
That half-bushel of cornmeal will only last us three or four days.
So, we’ll be coming to get food every ten days, or we could make it fortnightly.
Or you could give us silver instead.
Grandfather, what do you think?”
“What do you mean?” Li Feng’e, the quickest to catch on, sensed something was up.
“What I mean is, just like Grandma said, my dad’s leg may have been spared, but he can’t move or work.
Our family has no one who can do labor and thus no source of food.
Therefore, we’ll need to collect food every ten days, or every half-month will do, too.
Or you could give us silver.
Grandfather, what do you think?”