A Good Country Wife

Lin Yue looked coldly at Lin Zhou, wondering what kind of heartless parents could sell their daughter for money. Perhaps they felt guilty too, but now, seeing Lin Zhou’s face, so self-assured, without the slightest trace of guilt or self-blame, it completely chilled her heart. Even for Lin Qing’s sake, Lin Yue decided not to have anything to do with these so-called parents any longer.

If it had been anyone else it might have been tolerable, but it was her own daughter, whom Lin Zhou had always bossed around and who had never dared to resist. Upon hearing Lin Yue’s words, Lin Zhou immediately flared up. "What are you saying, you ungrateful girl? No wonder they say that a married daughter is like spilled water. Look at your attitude. No matter what, I am still your mother, and now you’re defying me?"

"Lin Zhou, you are wrong. I wasn’t married off, I was sold! At that time, the deal was done, and you took all the benefits in one go. From then on, I was to act as if I were no longer your daughter, and I paid back your so-called kindness of raising me; we owed nothing to each other. We agreed that from then on, I would have nothing to do with your family. Have you forgotten that already?" Lin Yue’s words were full of sarcasm, and she felt more agitated than she had expected, perhaps because of the lingering resentment of the original owner of this body, which made it impossible for her to remain calm, especially given Lin Zhou’s infuriating attitude.

Zhao Erhu looked at his young wife with nothing but heartache. With such parents, the hardships his wife must have faced in the past were evident. The look he cast at Lin Zhou was like a blade of ice, filled with chill and frost.

Lin Zhou shrank under Zhao Erhu’s gaze. She was used to disciplining her daughter as she pleased, accustomed to berating and beating her for over a decade without feeling it was in any way inappropriate. But Zhao Erhu, this man, always gave her a sense of danger, especially when he was stern and unsmiling. Even Lin Yue felt intimidated by him, let alone Lin Zhou, who was a bully when strong and a coward when weak. Lin Zhou nervously clamped her mouth shut, not daring to act up in front of Zhao Erhu.

"Lin Zhou, my wife is right. When I married Yueyue, we signed a contract stating that she would no longer have anything to do with your Lin Family. That contract wasn’t just for show. From now on, do not talk of mother-daughter affection. We do not welcome you here. If you know what’s good for you, leave immediately, otherwise, I’ll have to throw you out."

Lin Zhou was both angry and embarrassed upon hearing Zhao Erhu’s words. If people found out she was chased away from her son-in-law’s home, she would become the laughingstock of the village. Despite her rage, she dared not direct it at Zhao Erhu and instead turned her fury toward Lin Yue. "Don’t be too much! Lin Yue, you ingrate, I raised you all these years for nothing."

"Not for nothing; didn’t you sell me for fifteen taels of silver? For a girl from a peasant family like ours, it’s already a good price. Lin Zhou, my husband has already said that you are not welcome here. He always means what he says. If you don’t leave on your own, don’t blame my husband for taking action."

Zhao Erhu never had much regard for Lin Yue’s parents, but he hadn’t known Lin Yue’s own feelings and had refrained from acting rashly. Seeing Lin Yue speak up for herself, he was no longer going to be polite. Lin Zhou, seeing Zhao Erhu look ready to act, backed away a few steps. "Xiaoyue, don’t be like this. I came today because your brother, Lin Qing, sent me."