Lin Chang had been doing her best to maintain her composure, but the words that spilled from Gao Fa's lips were enough to make her blood boil. She was about to unleash her fury when a sudden, sharp sound pierced the air - the unmistakable sound of a slap.
Turning her head, Lin Chang saw that it was her own mother, Lin Lisha, who had delivered the blow. Her lips were still trembling with anger, her hands clenched into fists as she glared at Gao Fa with a fierce intensity.
"Don't you dare drag my daughter into this, Gao Fa," Lin Lisha spat, her voice thick with fury. "My daughter is my limit, and I won't stand for anyone disrespecting her."
Gao Fa stood there, frozen in disbelief. Her hand rested gingerly on her stinging cheek, where Lin Lisha had just slapped. She couldn't quite comprehend what had just happened. Lin Lisha, the timid mouse who always cowered at her insults, had just struck back with a slap. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of this unexpected turn of events. Had she misjudged Lin Lisha all along? Or was this just a fluke, a momentary lapse in Lin Lisha's meek demeanor? Either way, Gao Fa was left reeling, unsure of how to react to this sudden shift in power dynamics.
Lin Bao and Lin Quin were taken aback as they gazed upon their once meek and mild sister, now transformed into a fierce tigress, poised to strike at anyone who dared to harm her precious cub.
Lin Quin's mind was in a haze as he slowly regained his senses. Suddenly, a wave of fury washed over him. How dare someone lay a hand on his wife in his presence? Even he, Gao FA's husband had never dared to touch a single strand of her hair.
"Lin Lisha, have you lost your mind? How could you slap your own sister-in-law?" Lin Quin's voice was laced with anger and disbelief.
"I'll do it again if she dares to speak ill of my daughter. And if you dare to stop me, I'll slap you too!" Lin Lisha's voice was filled with rage, her eyes blazing with fury.
Lin Quin was at a loss for words as he stared at his younger sister. He had never seen her so angry before. It was as if she was seeing red and nothing could stop her.
"Lin Lisha, this is not going to end well," Gao Fa said with a slow, deliberate tone as she pointed a finger at Lin Lisha before storming out of the stall in a fit of fury. Lin Quin followed suit, leaving Lin Lisha standing there like a warrior, but her composure quickly crumbled as she collapsed to the ground in tears. Lin Bao and Lin Chang rushed to her side, asking if she was okay.
"I'm sorry, Chang. You shouldn't have to bear witness to this. Do you think I'm a failure?" Lin Lisha sobbed, looking at her daughter with pained eyes.
"Mom, don't worry about me. You're the best mother anyone could ask for," Lin Chang replied, her own emotions taking over as tears streamed down her face. This wasn't the first time she had cried for her mother, but she couldn't explain why it hurt her so much. All she knew was that she had to protect her mother at all costs.
"Do you hate me?" Lin Lisha asked, her face suddenly turning red, and her eyes dropping.
"No, Mom. I could never hate you," Lin Chang reassured her, glancing at her uncle with concern. "Uncle, what's wrong with her? Why is her face turning red?"
Lin Bao looked at his sister with worry etched on his face. "This has been happening for months, but she always says it's just a heat stroke."
Lin Chang, who had been a doctor in her past life, knew that it was more than just a heat stroke. But she didn't want to worry her uncle or her mother, so she took Lin Lisha home, determined to find a solution to this mysterious ailment.
Lin Chang gently tucked her mother into bed, making sure she was comfortable before stepping out into the living room. Her eyes fell upon her uncle, who sat on the sofa with a tired expression etched onto his face.
"Why didn't you take her to the hospital, Uncle?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"It's not that simple, Chang," he replied, his eyes brimming with tears. "Our family struggles to make ends meet, and your mother's medical care is just another expense she doesn't want to add, we had been arguing about this for a long time but she just doesn't let me win."
Lin Chang's heart sank at the thought of her mother's health being compromised due to financial constraints. "But how can that be? Today, the business was booming. If things continue like this, we should have enough to feed four more people," she exclaimed, her disbelief evident in her voice.
"Today was an exception, my dear. We hardly make 300-400 yuan daily, including profit. The food industry is cutthroat, with countless stalls and restaurants boasting culinary arts graduates on that street. Sister Lisha may be a fantastic cook, but we simply can't compete with them," he explained with a heavy sigh.
Lin Chang presented his argument, "Uncle, you also earn some additional income, and with the food stall, our family's financial situation should be fine."
However, Lin Bao responded with anger, "It would be fine if not for those money suckers."
Perplexed, Lin Chang inquired, "Money suckers?"
Lin Bao gritted his teeth and replied, "I'm referring to our parents. My parents have four children - the eldest being Lin Quin, followed by Sister Lisha, then another sister, Lin Jing, and finally me. My parents live with my elder brother, and although my sister Jing is married, I, being their son, am obligated to provide them with a monthly allowance. Additionally, since my sister is unmarried and still bears our family name, she too is required to pay a monthly allowance. That conniving woman, Gao FA, tricked us into signing an agreement that mandates we pay a combined monthly allowance of 10,000 yuan to them."
Lin Bao finished his statement as he began to cry.
"But Uncle, surely there must be a way to break this agreement," Lin Chang said, his mind racing with ideas.
"No, there isn't Chang, even if there was no agreement we had to pay allowance, but it wouldn't be this huge. Because in our country there is a law to pay allowance to the old parents. Truth to be told, me and Sister Lisha are not against paying the allowance, but they are simply looting us, because our parents actually don't need this small allowance at all, they have their enough savings for lifetime, after all my father was working under a big official before retiring"
"Let's offer up our stone-gambling winnings to mom, and reassure her that we can now cover her medical expenses," Lin Lisha declared as she rose from her seat, retrieving her uncle's bank card that he had given her just the day before.
"Chang, my sister is a woman of great pride. She won't take this money, she won't ask for help even if she suffers. And to make matters worse, the money we have is from gambling. If she finds out, she'll be even more furious," Lin Bao lamented with a heavy heart.
"Is there no other way?" Lin Chang asked.
"If the food stall keeps a better sale like it did today, we might pursue her into seeking medical attention," Lin Bao suggested.
Lin Chang gazed into the emptiness, her mind wandering aimlessly until a spark of inspiration ignited within her. With a sudden burst of energy, she leapt from her seat and exclaimed with fervor, "It's not a difficult task after all!"