Chapter 60 - 49: The Lin Family Arrives (Part 5)

Chapter 49: Visitors from the Lin Family (Part Five) This personality really isn’t suited for being a soldier, but he’s a good guy, not like some other privileged kids who look down on people. With this kind of friend, even the Lin family doesn’t have much to say about that type of person. After feeling reassured, National Day went in through the back door. There were only a few people left at the entrance of the big courtyard—just his uncles—most had already left. Everyone in the family hadn’t even had a proper lunch when that crazy person showed up. "Dad, Uncle, Little Uncle, please come in and sit. Let’s sit in the hall room. Dad, where are my buddies?" Mr. Zhang pulled his two brothers and closed the door, entering the hall. National Day poured three bowls of water and placed them on the table. "Drink, thank you, Uncle and Little Uncle. Only our family jumps in to help when something happens. Come have dinner with us tonight. I’ll have mom cook some good dishes for you three brothers. How about it?" Mr. Zhang patted his son with a smile; his son sure knew how to talk. "Where did you go just now? Your second brother was looking for you. Your big brother and sister-in-law went to pick up the kids. Earlier, the team leader went to a meeting in the township. I see there’s nothing much this afternoon, just chatting with your uncle and little uncle about the house. Your cousins will help, and it’ll speed things up." "Thanks so much to Uncle and Little Uncle. I’ll have to thank my brothers later. As the youngest, I’m the one taking advantage, haven’t helped them much. Always calling on my brothers whenever something happens, hehe. Just when a guest is coming over tonight, I’ll call everyone over for a gathering later. No need for Uncle and Little Uncle to go back, I can tell you about this. Dad, you asked where I went, right? A soldier buddy pulled me outside to talk earlier, during that chaotic time in the afternoon. He managed to find me and told me Jiao Jiao’s grandpa and her mom would be visiting us this afternoon. Dad, do you know where mom is? I’ll go tell her about that in-law of hers who hasn’t been seen since the baby’s three-day wash, hehe." "Oh, they haven’t shown up for years, now suddenly coming to see the grandson. I guess he’ll hear about today’s events too, huh? It’s quite a coincidence, bumping into each other like this. The Old Zhou family is really unbelievable; even now, Old Sir Zhou hasn’t come over to say a word. Just saw him leave without speaking; such close ties just cut off. As long as Jiao Jiao’s grandparents are taken care of, that’s fine." Zhang Youfu said. Uncle Zhang, Zhang Youcai, agreed: "It’s better to cut ties. Look at how their family was yelling today, anyone unaware would think Xiao Wu’s family was in the wrong. They’ve taken advantage so much yet still pretend to be innocent. Now that the Lin family is here, let’s see what face he has left. If he didn’t come inside and just walked off, does he even have the face to come back in? Do you think he doesn’t know these things? Living in the same courtyard, he’d have to know, it’s Jiao Jiao covering for him, that old rascal." Mr. Zhang couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of his mouth, this brother of his is so straightforward. Looking at Xiao Wu and his wife, they have gone through so much. Now a lot of people praise that kid for his benevolence; they’ve endured this family for years before finally snapping today. Jiao Jiao really held her ground in front of hundreds; seeing that crowd made his feet go numb, her words were so piercing, handled things better than the commune secretary. "Your mother is in your room watching over Jiao Jiao, worried that the child might get upset. Earlier, your aunt and little aunt, along with the village women, were consoling her. The baby’s only a couple of days old, and the Zhou family’s already stirring things up. When you talk to Jiao Jiao, speak slowly, she hasn’t seen her mother in so many years, must have grievances, or maybe some reasons. Comfort her well." National Day found his father’s serious face amusing. "Alright, I understand. You all chat, I’ll go tell them first." He went off too; still needed to arrange for those people’s food and stay. "Second brother, the kid left. It’s just the three of us now, no outsiders, tell me, were you afraid with so many people outside? My feet were going numb, nearly a thousand, to be honest. Geez, you didn’t even notice, the whole North Mountain Foot was filled with people, more than at the movies." Uncle Zhang clutched his chest, letting out a breath. Uncle Zhang shot him a glare. "What’s there to be afraid of? When did our Old Zhang’s family ever fear anything? Plus, they’re here to see the excitement, not to go against our family. That girl must have bullied Jiao Jiao before, thinking she’d be scared this time. Still clueless, Jiao Jiao said not to air family scandals. She used to endure, but now she’s part of the Old Zhang family, and being cowardly now would be foolish. You think she’s foolish? Wow, that aura, her words, slowly and steadily, suppressing many men, better than those skills of the commune’s secretary. Who doesn’t say this child has had tough luck with Old Zhou’s family? They say she’s loyal and righteous. I say Zhou Xiaozheng’s progeny isn’t too bad." Mr. Zhang picked up his pipe, lighting it and taking a few puffs: "Honestly, I was worried. With so many people, who knows if someone with ill intentions would throw oil on the fire? But Jiao Jiao, true to the Old Zhang’s spirit, I was worried about the separation, whether these two can handle big matters, but now I’m reassured. She seemed soft-spoken, like a pushover, but seeing her rage today, though still gentle, not as fierce as the village women, she held the ground. No one will bully her in the future." "Enough, we’re all siblings, grew up together, don’t I know your nature? Secretly gloating, aren’t you? She isn’t weak, better at quarreling than those old ladies. See how she just quietly watched at first, not bothered much, then said each sentence like ’I know you’re jealous of me,’ lightly exposing Old Huang’s dirty laundry. Even after people dispersed, many were still repeating those words. Old Huang’s family’s finished, deserved it, brought harm to Old Zhou’s family. Her words were sharp with no wasted chatter, like a knife but not stab-in-the-heart kind." Uncle Zhang nodded repeatedly: "Yeah, second brother, you don’t even know how many people are in trouble. Chunming’s dad told me, just with what Jiao Jiao said today, Zhou Family Village’s leader is a goner, the post office’s signatory is done for, even Wang Family’s leader can’t hold his position, not to mention there’ll be dealings with Huang’s family. If things are taken seriously, with Jiao Jiao leading all these people, unintentionally or not, it’ll be counted as rallying a crowd to come, and once the county knows, even the township officials will face consequences. He didn’t even know Jiao Jiao’s grandpa came back and said, based on her words today, if she chooses to spare the township officials, they’d probably thank her for it. Listen, Chunming’s dad is sharp, everyone knows he’s crafty and clever." "She’ll choose the lighter route, you know Jiao Jiao’s character, she doesn’t easily make enemies, always saying life isn’t easy for anyone. Even with her grandpa here, she’ll take the lighter approach and heed township officials’ suggestions. She grew up under my watch; I know how she handles things." Mr. Zhang thought it over. He knew well that with their personalities, they wouldn’t implicate innocents. Those who achieve great things aren’t without planning; he figured those two would maintain good relations with the township officials. Uncle Zhang picked up a bowl and took a swig. "Let’s leave it at that. Our Old Zhang’s family isn’t afraid of anyone, but we do things and treat people with a clear conscience, so there’s less for others to gossip about. We’ll head off first; it’s not convenient to talk with those people coming over, haven’t chatted in over a decade, no need to join that bustle. We’ll head back to rest, no need to call our families over tonight. Later, I’ll have your sister-in-law send over some venison to add to your dishes. You should check what else is needed; if anything’s missing, just take it from our two places. Youngest, let’s go." Mr. Zhang followed them out. He too wanted to see where the wife was, see if she needed him to do anything. It’s rare for them to visit here, they must be treated well.