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Lu Chenyuan had been in the room, automatically blocking out the conversation from outside.
He did not want to get involved in these matters, and by not driving people away, he had already shown her extraordinary grace.
"He probably doesn't want to go, I can go by myself," Lin Yan said, anxious to see her father.
Her father had a heavy heart, fearing that he would come back with burdens on his mind, in despair, feeling that even the little respect he could muster in the village would be trampled even further.
Zhou Ping sneered, "The old bachelor is putting on airs now, a poor son-in-law will have to meet his father-in-law sooner or later."
Inside the room, Lu Chenyuan's hand, holding a cigarette, stiffened. The term "old bachelor" grated on his ears, and the corners of his thin, cool lips lifted helplessly in a slight smile.
When had he ever lacked women?
"It's too sudden, next time, next time I'll meet him," Lin Yan said, hurriedly trying to get rid of Zhou Ping, afraid that Lu Chenyuan would hear her.
Men also have their pride, and although Zhou Ping spoke the truth, there was no need to shout about it. If Lu Chenyuan heard, he would feel terrible.
Zhou Ping, also aware that the man in the room was not to be trifled with, did not continue to curse. She still muttered under her breath, "It's as if it's not sudden, as if you could prepare a proper gift for a visit."
Lu Chenyuan stood by the window, watching two figures, one plump and one slender, leave the courtyard.
Finally, there was peace again. The people had finally left; let them never come back.
Lin Guoping sat on the threshold, looking out. When he saw Lin Yan return, he did not get up.
Seeing her father, who had lost weight, Lin Yan felt self-reproach. It was all her fault.
If it hadn't been for her affair with Xiang Qingyuan, her father, who always got along peacefully and never had disputes with anyone, would not have suffered this ordeal.
Lin Guoping asked, "Where did you spend last night?"
"In..." Lin Yan was too ashamed to speak.
"I went to that old bachelor's house to bring the person over, you tell me where she spent the night," Zhou Ping said with mockery twinkling in her triangular eyes.
Lin Guoping held his head in his hands, rubbing his scalp and sighing heavily, "It's done, just live well together. Don't provoke the Xiang Family anymore; they're not someone our family can afford to offend. When you see Uncle Xiang, you should take a detour."
Lin Yan was stunned, thinking her father would oppose the marriage if he knew the truth, yet he had said this instead.
Noticing the bruise beneath her father's eye, she understood what had happened.
"They hit you? Dad, let's call the police," Lin Yan said, both angry and annoyed.
Lin Guoping did not say a word as he got up from the threshold and silently returned to the courtyard, sitting on a small stool, husking corn cobs into a basket.
"Dad, let's call the police. We can't be bullied like this," Lin Yan gathered her courage to insist.
The spineless Lin Guoping suddenly erupted in anger, "Yan'er, go back to your life. The family's affairs are no longer your concern. You've closed the door and started a life with him, you're no longer a part of the Lin Family."
"Dad..." Lin Yan's eyes reddened, her emotions suppressed, and her voice nasal.
Lin Guoping was frightened by the beating, too scared to look at his daughter, admitting to himself that he was spineless and didn't want trouble, just wanting to live a stable life, waiting for Yangyang to grow up.
His son was the only one who could uphold the family; if Yangyang could make something of himself one day, taking him to the city, that would be the only way to a better life.
Lin Yan exhaled, suddenly feeling as if even the air was painful, stabbing her throat like a knife.
She didn't want to go anywhere; this was her home.
"You can go," Lin Guoping said as he got up and went back into the house, ignoring Lin Yan calling to him, "Dad," time and again.
Zhou Ping, who had watched the drama unfold, regretted, "If I had known she was messing around with that Xiang boy, I would've broken it up. She tried to seduce a man and didn't do it properly, ending up mired herself. What will we do when Yangyang gets married, where will we get the money for the bride price?"
Lin Xue, who was packing her things to go into the city from her room, noticeably slowed her movements, feeling uneasy.
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She was scared that Zhou Ping was scheming against her, wanting her to exchange her bridal dowry so that her brother could get married. She wanted to move to the city, just like Zhou Ping's daughter, to marry someone from the city.
Zhou Ping was also on her second marriage, bringing her daughter with her into the Lin Family. Her daughter was lucky, dropping out of junior high school to work in the city and later marrying a junior manager, leading a prosperous life.
Whenever Zhou Ping talked down to her and Lin Yan, she never forgot to mention how outstanding her own daughter was, as if she had fallen into a pile of luck.
Lin Xue finished packing her suitcase and interjected, "There's a market for second marriages now. Once the fuss dies down, we can separate you from that old bachelor, it won't be a hindrance."
Zhou Ping glared at Lin Xue; sometimes this girl was nowhere near as good as Lin Yan. She was crafty and clever, with eyes that darted all over the place.
Zhou Ping couldn't stand it, "It's outrageous how well your sister treats you and how cunningly you've calculated everything."
Lin Xue bowed her head in silence, wondering why Zhou Ping was suddenly defending Lin Yan.
Lin Yan, acting like the lady of the house, pushed the door open without knocking, certain that Lu Chenyuan was at home.
"Why have you come back again?" Lu Chenyuan looked at Lin Yan with the same expression one would have upon seeing the god of plague.
"We agreed that I would return this afternoon to shop in the county. Of course, I had to come back." Lin Yan maintained her composure, tense all over, for fear of shedding tears in front of Lu Chenyuan again. She already felt unwelcome everywhere.
When she cried, it only irritated him.
Lu Chenyuan did not respond, which meant he refused; he didn't need to buy anything.
Lin Yan shamelessly persisted, "It will be cold at night without a blanket. How about we just share one blanket?"
She was so timid that after these words, her cheeks blushed fiercely, and she touched her burning face.
On the bus to the county, Lin Yan sat next to Lu Chenyuan, stomach grumbling with hunger. Taking advantage of the moment he looked out the window, she quietly rubbed her belly with her hands.
"The person who came today is my stepmother. She has a sharp tongue and a bad temper. Don't take to heart anything she says," Lin Yan spoke gently in her soft Wu dialect, comforting Lu Chenyuan.
She always spoke like this, gentle and unhurried.
"Calling me an old bachelor? Do I look that old to you?" It was this that Lu Chenyuan actually cared about.
Lin Yan, with her head lowered and her voice soft and sticky, replied, "You're not old, and you're not a bachelor. From now on, you have me."
Lu Chenyuan had a ruggedly handsome appearance, and Lin Yan couldn't tell his age.
He was indeed older compared to her age, but her expectations of Lu Chenyuan were not high; her only wish was that he wouldn't lay a hand on her.
After having fallen on such hard times, she had no right to be choosy.
Lu Chenyuan found this woman to be like rice cake – soft, glutinous, and sticky.
When had he ever said he would allow her to live here? And yet, she was already thinking about setting up camp.
When they arrived at the county, Lin Yan's legs gave way as she got off the bus and she almost knelt on the ground.
Just as she was about to fall, her slim waist was firmly held by a large hand from behind, which lifted her up by the arm.
Lin Yan's cheeks flushed, "You hurt my arm when you pulled it."
Despite the seemingly innocuous gesture, Lin Yan's embarrassment and nervousness did not escape Lu Chenyuan's notice.
Lu Chenyuan wondered if a woman like her would think that even a kiss could get her pregnant.
Lu Chenyuan let go, and Lin Yan's wrist turned red, the pale pink against her fair skin rather conspicuous.
Lu Chenyuan didn't feel that he had used much force. It was she who was being delicate.
Lin Yan went to the wholesale market to buy a quilt. She couldn't afford to waste money, reluctant to spend on cotton batting to stuff a new quilt, which was too expensive.
When she turned around after paying, she realized that Lu Chenyuan had disappeared.