Turning Antagonist to Protagonist: He is Both Soft and Fierce-Chapter 182 - 177: The Lin Family’s Concern

Li Guifen couldn’t help but understand her daughter’s good intentions, so she restrained herself from crying, "Qiaoqiao, your father and mother will surely take care of you. Even if one day we are gone, we’ll leave you with enough silver and money to live on."

Her only worry was that no one would care for her daughter.

This was the first time she called the original owner Qiaoqiao, filled with a mother’s deep love for her daughter, Lin Qiao felt a pang of sadness at the tip of her nose.

Would they break down if they knew the original body was no longer in this world?

After that, the room fell silent.

The first crow of a rooster broke the village’s tranquility, and the red sun gradually rose.

Possibly because she wasn’t feeling well, Lin Qiao slept until dawn, and upon opening the door, she saw Li Guifen hanging clothes, while Lin Sheng had just carried water in from the entrance of the yard.

Li Guifen, seeing her, smiled and said, "Daughter, you’re awake. I’ll go get your meal." She put down her work and went to the kitchen to get food, quickly returning.

"I steamed a few sweet buns for you to try."

"Thank you, mom. Have you all eaten? Where did Grandpa and Grandma go?" Lin Qiao took a bite of a sweet bun and looked around, not seeing Song Rong and Song Qin.

Li Guifen nodded, "I saw Grandpa and Grandma were anxious, so I asked Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang next door to talk to them."

"Alright." Lin Qiao glanced at the sky, not knowing how Song Tingfan was doing.

How could the brothels dare to forcibly take good women as prostitutes?

In her past life, Song Tingfan was sold, but she wasn’t.

The only ones who could sell her were the Song Family, but she was Song Er’s wife, and the only one who could really decide was Song Tingfan.

Otherwise, at the beginning, Mrs. Song wouldn’t have had the original body stamp the seal together.

Lin Sheng, wiping sweat with his sleeve, sincerely said, "Little sister, I’ve got a rice cake for you." As he spoke, he took out a paper package from his chest and handed it to her.

"I’ve had enough sweet buns. Save it for Xiao Ping, big brother." Lin Qiao gave him a bun and added, "Big brother, have a bun."

Lin Sheng waved his hand, "I’ve already eaten. You eat more, little sister, you’re too skinny."

"You eat the cake. Don’t cook lunch today; your sister-in-law went to town to weigh out meat to make braised pork."

"Alright." Lin Qiao nodded.

After breakfast, Li Guifen came out after washing the dishes and said, "Daughter, I saw that you have soaked petals in the kitchen, and they’re about to rot. What are you using them for?"

"To make peach blossom cake."

Lin Qiao got up and slowly moved into the kitchen. The petals were slightly wilted but still usable for making peach blossom cake. "Mom, I’m going to make peach blossom cake. Can you help me with the fire?"

Upon hearing this, Li Guifen glanced outside, "Should I pick those as well?"

Seeing Lin Qiao nod, she called to Lin Sheng, who was chopping firewood outside, "Dashan, go wash your hands and pick some peach blossoms."

"Alright." Lin Sheng didn’t ask much; he just did what his mother told him to do.

Who knows how long it took to finish picking the peach blossoms, and the peach blossom cake was steaming.

Mrs. Lin Xushi and Mrs. Lin Wu carried baskets and came to the door. Lin Sheng hurriedly went over to help them with the baskets.

Sitting in a donkey cart all the way under the sun, Mrs. Lin Xushi was sweating profusely, "Today Grandpa Zhou wasn’t around, so my sister-in-law and I took the neighbors’ donkey cart. We waited a long time to get on, and one woman was extremely annoying, constantly squeezing us, but my sister-in-law pinched her and she stopped." She couldn’t help but laugh as she said it.

Mrs. Lin Wu chimed in, "Bullies the weak and fears the strong. Once pinched, she didn’t dare to squeeze anymore."

She raised her hand to fan herself and lowered her voice, "Brother, how’s little sister doing?"

"She’s fine. She ate a few sweet buns this morning and is now in the kitchen with mom. You both spend some time with her. I heard from mom that she tossed and turned last night without sleeping." Lin Shan’s tone was somewhat worried.

Mrs. Lin Wu and Mrs. Lin Xushi both nodded. Mrs. Lin Xushi took something out of the basket and looked at Lin Shan with a smile, "My sister-in-law and I pooled together to buy little sister a pair of cloth shoes. It cost fifty-six cents."

Seeing his wife buying shoes for his little sister, Lin Sheng smiled sheepishly, "Didn’t you and sister-in-law buy any?"

"Buy what for ourselves? It’s not like we have nothing to wear. Okay, you continue chopping wood while we go help in the kitchen."

Mrs. Lin Wu and Mrs. Lin Xushi took the shoes to the kitchen, and as soon as they entered, they were greeted by a fragrant aroma. Mrs. Lin Wu asked, "Little sister, are you making peach blossom cake? It smells so good."

"You and second sister-in-law should eat more later." Lin Qiao glanced at the two of them, noticing their sweat-drenched hair at their temples. She turned to hand them a handkerchief to wipe off the sweat.

Mrs. Lin Wu handed the handkerchief to Mrs. Lin Xushi, "Little sister, my sister-in-law and I saw a nice pair of shoes and bought them for you. Please try them on and see if they fit."

Perhaps fearing that Li Guifen might mind, she quickly explained, "We originally wanted to get mom a pair, too, but there wasn’t anything suitable. The boss said they would get more stock in a few days, so we’ll go back and buy them for mom then."

"I have shoes. You should buy them for yourselves instead." Li Guifen wasn’t upset at all. As long as both daughters-in-law and her daughter got along, she’d be content.

"My sister-in-law and I have shoes to wear." Mrs. Lin Wu handed the shoes to Lin Qiao, motioning her to try them on.

Ever since that incident with Mrs. Lin Wu, the relationship between the two had eased a bit, and Lin Qiao shook her head, "Sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, you both have about the same shoe size as me. You wear them. I still have shoes; Tingfan bought me two pairs."

Song Tingfan, saving a little silver money, liked to buy things for her and Grandpa and Grandma, but was frugal with himself, mending his worn socks again and again instead of replacing them.

Mrs. Lin Xushi pretended to be unhappy, "Are you looking down on what my sister-in-law and I bought?"

"No."

"If not, then try them on. After all, it’s your big brother’s money."

Lin Sheng, having arrived at the door without being noticed, sincerely stated, "Little sister, if we bought it, you should wear it. Your big brother can still earn the money to buy you a few pairs of shoes."

Unable to refuse further, Lin Qiao had no choice but to try on the shoes. They were a bit tight, but cloth shoes tended to loosen as they were worn.

When Lin Shan came in, he found everyone crowded around admiring the shoes Lin Qiao was trying on, "Little sister, those shoes look good on you. We should buy a few more pairs."

Mrs. Lin Wu playfully extended her hand, "Then bring over today’s wages so I can buy more for little sister and mom."

Lin Shan readily handed over today’s wages, "Buy more pairs. If it’s not enough, I’ll give you more tomorrow."

Mrs. Lin Wu looked at Lin Qiao, half-joking, "Little sister, your big brother handed over the money, so we’ll be going to town to buy them tomorrow."

"Okay." Lin Qiao nodded in agreement.

At noon, everyone had a meal together at the Song Family. The ingredients were bought by Mrs. Lin Xushi and others from the town, and any leftover meat was shared with them by Mrs. Lin Xushi.

The peach blossom cake had only been partially steamed; the steaming would continue in the afternoon with a small fire burning in the stove. Lin Qiao was in the yard tending to three soaked and ruined silver notes, spreading them out on a wooden plank.

Thinking of asking the shopkeeper from Fulaoyun for help exchanging them at the Money Shop, or reporting them as lost, since silver deposits have records.

Avoiding the annoyance of the dogs, she intended to rise and place them on the table in the room when suddenly a commotion of footsteps approached from outside. She turned her head to look and saw a tall, slender young man, his face masking an undeniable weariness, as if enduring something more.

She involuntarily called out in delight, "Little Uncle."