Chapter 12 : separation
Lin Lin was dumb struck at the guys speech .
She doesn't remember how she got home after that . She only knows that whether he was saying the truth or lying , she would still trust him . She needs someone like zhang li who is loyal and capable especially now .
On the way home , she saw zhou zhi and zhou zi walking ahead of her .
These two are as skinny as ever , they are too small and weak . Her heart started hurting for them .
" Zhou zhi , zhou zi did you two finish your work?"
Zhou zhi eyes sparkled at the sight of Lin Lin
" Lin Lin , we just finished and are going to have lunch "
"Good , once you finish make sure you come to my room without alerting the others . I have some food "
"Really ?"exclaimed zhou zi with drool falling from her mouth .
"Yes yes but don't tell anyone "
"En I won't "
"Sister Lin , where did you get the food ?"
Lin Lin paused looking at zhou zhi sparkling eyes then she chuckled a bit saying
"This is a secret . One day I will share it with you "
Zhou zhi was disappointed for a moment before she was back to normal
"Lin Lin , do you think ... that we .. we can separate from grandma?"
Lin Lin was shocked by this question. Her third aunt wouldn't tell zhou zhi about this but she must've heard them talking
"Zhou zhi , if third uncle wants to he will be able to . The problem is that this matter is hard to do . Grandpa won't agree no matter what"
"I see "
"Zhou zhi even if we don't separate we must never allow them to treat us like slaves .
We earn twice as much as their work points , we don't need them . They need us . Never forget that "
Zhou zhi eyes were filled with tears, that she didn't let fall . No , she needs to be strong .
Lin Lin smiled at the little zhou zhi . She is a fighter ah .
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Back at home , they were shocked by their milk who dropped a bomb at them while eating
"Zhou San , butcher li's wife wants to marry zhou zhi to her only son li bo and I accepted. Tomorrow, she will bring the bride price home"
Silence .
Dead silence.
Jin wei and zhou San looked at peng shi with wide eyes trying to process what just happened.
Their 11 year daughter, married ? Tomorrow ?
Lui zan took the chance to break the silence with a gentle laugh
"Zhou zhi is lucky to marry in the li's . Don't forget your aunt later ah "
Jin wei snapped at lui zan yelling
"Who is getting married? Zhou zhi is just 11 years old , she is still young !!"
"What young at her age I hade zhou ba . Shut your trap you useless bitch . This is final "
"Mother , you can't! Zhou zhi can't marry li bo.."
Lui zan intercepted smoothly
"Sister , li bo is the li's only son . Zhou zhi will be treated like a treasure and you will be in laws with butcher li . You can't stand in the way of your daughter's happiness ah "
Jin wei looked around helplessly at the people sitting on the table .
None of them , looked her in the eyes . She felt powerless and defeated.
Zhou San looked at his father whose face was as black as coal and asked
"What about you father ? "
Before Zhou fa opens his mouth , peng shi yelled
"What does he have to say ? We already fixed the deal ! I tell you zhou fa , I kept quite all those years after you got those bastards back and put them in my zhou ba's room but now if you dare stand of the way of my son's marriage, see if I don't deal with you "
Everyone understood what was going on now. the price bride of zhou zhi is going to be used for old fourth marriage.
This old women is truly viscous ah .
She would do everything to get her son married even if it meant marrying her young granddaughter out .
Lin Lin narrowed her eyes before she straightened her back saying
"How much ?"
No one understood what she meant so she added
"How much did they give you to sell zhou zhi to them ?"
Peng shi proudly said
"40 yuans !"
Then she suddenly glared at Lin Lin before yelling
"Don't ever think about taking a cent ! Do you hear me ?! None of you will get anything, this is for zhou bai's marriage I tell you "
Lin Lin paid no heed to the old women .
Instead she turned to her grandfather who was staring at her intently.
The old man had dark deep eyes , that makes you scared to look at . But this didn't stop Lin Lin . She had to do this now or never .
"Grandpa, the final say is yours so please hear me out . Zhang li gave me my bride price which is also 40 yuan so there is no need to marry zhou zhi out ."
Peng shi eye's sparkled at the mention of the money but Lui zan and zhou ha were fuming inside . This bitch is ruining their plans .
She needs to stop this .
"Lin Lin of course we will take your bride price but is there any need to annul zhou zhi marriage? Actually it's even better to keep it. In this way we will pay your uncle's bride price and have money for the family . You are young and don't know how hard it is right now for us"
Everyone's eyes sparkled with obvious greed . 40 yuans ah .
They can live lavishly for years with this sum .
Lin Lin smirked at those people. Greedy materialistic ones . She needs to burst their bubble before it gets bigger.
"Aunt , grandma if you do marry zhou zhi out , the red army will arrest you for encouraging the old values . They will put you in prison and punish the whole family ."
Peng shi's face paled and she muttered in disbelief
"No , no , you are lying, this is not true "
Lin Lin shrugged " believe it or not , this is called child bride . If anyone reported this you will be in jail in no time ."
"we are just engaging them for now .."
Then she ignored the stupefied relatives and turned back to her third uncle
"Third uncle I think it's time to make a decision concerning my proposal. This is what they repaid you with for all of those years , by selling your daughter "
The third uncle eye's were blood shot , while Jin wei was already crying.
At Lin Lin's words she shot up and looked at her husband
"I'm with Lin Lin whether you came with us or not is up to you but I will never look back "
Zhou San looked at his wife who went threw thick and thin with him , so skinny , tired but with soul piercing determination that made him nod "yes , never look back "
Linlin smiled at the couple then looked zhou fa who was quite during the whole exchange.
" grandpa I will never forget what you had done for us all of those years but now we need to go our way . Me and my siblings and third uncle family want to separate from the family . I will give the 40 yuan for uncle bai's marriage but whether we live or die after this has nothing to do with the zhou's "she finished her speech and without waiting for his reply , she added
"I already sent for the bridge leader to witness this . Whether you agree or not won't change anything "
Zhou fa , who was quite all along sighed out loud then smiled a little
"You are really like her , fierce and determined"
Lin Lin frowned at this . Is he talking about her mother ? How come ?
"Well I have no objection. As you said it won't change anything. But Lin Lin , zhou San both of you can't go back no Matter what . For filial pity each of you will bring back 200 cooper coins every new year "
Lui zan smirked inside. She finally got rid of those pests . She never thought they will leave on their own but it's even better than she thought.
Peng shi was also happy that she finally had the room to her son .
He can finally marry ah .
After the brigade leader came both grandpa, third uncle and Lin Lin stamped on the three separating certificates with brigade leader as witnesse . The three families are now separated.
Lin Lin only had her rags like clothes and few jars and the run down quilt to take .
The third family also only have these anyway .
Peng shi bited her mouth and forced out one catty of coarse grain and 2 catty's Of wild veggies each .this pitiful amount can't get them past the month but it doesn't matter anyway .
She has her way .
Lin Lin then went after the brigade leader to talk with him . He was also a zhou . He is the son of grandpa's brother ,Zhou shing .
"Uncle , can you help us look for an empty house in the village for all of us please ?"
Zhou shing had long pitied those two families and after he heard what happened earlier he couldn't help but want to help them out .
"Huang Lin , there is an old house far from the village . It was hunter feng house before he died but you can all live there for now "
"Thank you so much leader . I also wanted to ask you to change all of our work points for the past month from the zhou family to ours please"
"Of course, I can change those "
"Thank you !"
Then she went back to pack everything and head to the house without looking back .
On the way , jin wei turned to her saying
"Lin Lin, I will never forget what you did for zhou zhi just now . Thanks to you we are finally free . Even if we die now we will do so with pride . We will never bow down to those people ever again "
Zhou zhi and zhou zi nodded at their mother's words . From now on they will work even harder than before.
"Auntie, you don't have to thank me just don't fall in their traps after they come begging for help . You know that we earn most work points but now they will find themselves alone . So the first thing they will do is ask for our food "
The quite zhou San frowned saying
"Whether they die or live is none of our business "
"Yes , they can ask the su's or the li's to feed them "Humphed Jin wei .
See if she doesn't teach them a lesson if they come at her .