Chapter 30: Follow Me

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The second daughter-in-law sneered. “Of course! I was wondering why an outsider like you kept obstructing us. So it turns out you’ve taken a liking to our younger sister. You’re merely a drifter who washed up here—what could you possibly compare with the Jin family’s Third Young Master?! The Jin family has already said they’re prepared to offer a bride price of one hundred taels of silver. As for you? The combined possessions of the three of you probably don’t even amount to a hundred taels.”

“Who are you looking down on?” Xiaodie protested. “Just one jade pendant belonging to Big Brother is worth a thousand taels!”

Lin Feng’s brows knitted together, and he glared fiercely at Xiaodie.

Realizing she had let the secret slip, Xiaodie hurriedly shut her mouth.

“A jade pendant worth a thousand taels? Bring it out! Let us have a look! I’d like to see what a thousand-tael jade pendant looks like!” The second daughter-in-law held out her hand.

Lin Feng smiled. “There is no jade pendant. She was only joking.”

The second daughter-in-law curled her lip disdainfully. “I knew you were boasting!”

Lin Feng said calmly, “I didn’t finish what I was saying earlier. A few days ago, Aunt Tian suggested that Xiaodie learn a trade from me and follow me into business. Although she hasn’t formally become my apprentice, she can still be considered half an apprentice. I only settled temporarily in Leaning Mountain Village because I was ill. Now that I’ve recovered, I’ll have to leave…”

Madam Tian interrupted, asking, “Where are you planning to go, young brother?”

“I’m going to Jiangzhou City to do business. Compulsory marriage arrangements are currently enforced only in the villages and small towns. Once we reach Jiangzhou City, no one will be able to force her into marriage. There are plenty of good men in Jiangzhou City. With Xi’er’s character and appearance, would she really have trouble finding a good match?”

So that was what Big Brother Lin had been thinking. A flicker of disappointment crossed Tian Xi’er’s eyes, but it truly was a good solution—and she would still be able to remain with Big Brother Lin…

Tian Xi’er gazed eagerly at Madam Tian. “Mother! I want to go with Big Brother Lin to Jiangzhou City. He’s a capable man, and I’ll certainly be able to learn from him and earn money! Haven’t you always wanted to return to the life you had in the city? Once I’ve made enough money, I’ll buy a house and bring you and Father to live in Jiangzhou City!”

Lin Feng smiled inwardly. Tian Xi’er really was clever—she had seized the opportunity to paint them a bright future.

Madam Tian and Tian Zhenggen both showed signs of wavering. Clearly, Tian Xi’er’s words had touched them.

“Mother, you can’t let Little Sister leave!” the second daughter-in-law cried. “If she marries the Jin family in the county seat, she’ll remain close to home and can come back to visit her parents whenever she wishes! But if she goes to Jiangzhou City, it’s so far away. Once she leaves, we may never hear from her again. Wouldn’t you miss her if you couldn’t see her? Besides, can you really feel safe letting her follow this man of unknown origins to another place? What if she’s kidnapped or deceived?!”

Xiaodie grew angry again. “What are you saying? What kind of people do you take us for? We come from a prominent family in the capital city of Chu. Why would we ever do something so vile?”

The second daughter-in-law sneered with pursed lips. “Then what are the children of a prominent family doing in our Leaning Mountain Village? I heard they can’t even afford medicine. Hmph! Anyone can boast!”

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Xiaodie planted her hands on her hips. “You’ve spent all these days with Big Brother. Don’t you know what kind of person he is? If it weren’t for him, would you be able to live in that house of yours?! And Big Brother Tian Zhong helps him farm, yet Big Brother pays him five hundred copper coins a month! Where else could you find someone so generous?”

Tian Xi’er said, “I believe Big Brother Lin! He isn’t a bad person. When he teaches me his skills, he never holds anything back, and he has helped our family so much.”

“Hmph! You can know a person’s face without knowing their heart! His intentions must be impure. He’s clearly trying to deceive you!”

Lin Feng had never felt such a strong urge to slap someone a hundred times.

There was simply no reasoning with a crude village woman like this. She was utterly impossible.

“You can know a person’s face without knowing their heart?” Lin Feng sneered. “At least I’m a man whose face and heart you know. But that Third Young Master of the Jin family you keep talking about—you haven’t even seen his face, let alone know his heart. Why should anyone believe what you say? You’re so eager to marry Xi’er to him. Could it be that you owe the Jin family money and want to use Xi’er to repay the debt? Or perhaps they have some hold over you?”

The second daughter-in-law’s expression changed. She turned to Madam Tian and began wailing theatrically. “Mother! I’m only thinking of our family and Little Sister Xi’er’s welfare! Yet this outsider is slandering me like this! I don’t want to live anymore…!”

Lin Feng thought that he had probably hit the truth. There was definitely something wrong with this woman.

But Tian Zhenggen and Madam Tian both looked troubled, unable to say anything.

Lin Feng understood. Naturally, they trusted their own family more. That was only human nature.

Besides, if he really took Tian Xi’er away, her parents would certainly be uneasy. They needed time to think it over carefully.

Lin Feng rose to his feet. “Thank you for your hospitality, Uncle Tian and Aunt Tian. We’ve eaten and drunk our fill, so we should be going. Come on, Xiaodie, Liuxi.”

“Brother Lin, have a little more,” Madam Tian urged.

“If I drink any more, I’ll be drunk,” Lin Feng said with a laugh. “Otherwise, how could I have said so much nonsense?”

“Then we’ll drink again next time,” Tian Zhenggen said. “Eldest Son, see Brother Lin out.”

“All right, Father.”

Tian Xi’er also wanted to stand and see him off.

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“Sit down!” Madam Tian glared at her.

Tian Xi’er pouted, but reluctantly sat back down.

Tian Zhong escorted the three of them to the side gate. “Brother Lin, please don’t be angry. I know you’re only thinking of Little Sister’s welfare. It was just that what you brought up came rather suddenly for our parents.”

Why had everyone remained silent?

Lin Feng nodded. “I understand. Besides, I never said we had to leave immediately. Your parents still have time to consider it. And it would be best if you went to the county seat and personally investigated this Third Young Master of the Jin family. Even if your parents refuse to let Xi’er leave with me, they still shouldn’t hastily marry her to that man.”

“I’ll go to the county tomorrow and ask around.”

Lin Feng nodded. “If he really is as good as your second sister-in-law claims, I can help persuade Xi’er. But if she truly refuses, there’s nothing we can do. Chief Li said that his son has also been thinking about Xi’er for quite some time.”

“There are plenty of men who are interested in her, but my sister looks down on all of them. That she has been associating with Li He already surprised me. Still, it seems they simply aren’t destined for each other. Sigh! She’s read too many books and has grown too proud…”

After sighing and bidding Lin Feng farewell, Tian Zhong left.

Lin Feng looked at Xiaodie and Liuxi. “You mustn’t mention the jade pendant to outsiders. If the two people we rescued happen to be wanted criminals, we could be dragged into trouble as well.”

Xiaodie stuck out her little tongue. “I definitely won’t mention it again.”

But inwardly she thought, Since it’s so dangerous, Big Brother must have rescued them because of that beautiful woman.

The three of them returned to the farmhouse. After washing up, they went to their respective rooms and went to sleep.

Lin Feng wondered whether it would rain again the next day. The greatest drawback of setting up a food stall in the open air was clearly the weather. The Jiangnan region received far too much rain. Things were still manageable for now, but once May and June arrived and the plum-rain season began, doing business would become nearly impossible.

This had been a miscalculation on his part. He would have to consider leaving as soon as possible. It would be better to settle temporarily in Jiangzhou City and rent a shop there; then he would no longer have to worry about wind and sun.

In a small town like this, the flow of customers was limited, and most of them came from the surrounding villages. If he made anything too refined or upscale, people would be reluctant to buy it. Jiangzhou City was different. There were plenty of wealthy people there. With a shop of his own, he could finally give full rein to his ambitions.