Chapter 15: Into the Mountains

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Lin Xia thought about Lin Qiu's temperament and couldn't help wanting to impart some wisdom she had only realized after working for years, "Work hard! But Xiaoqiu, when you're at work, you can't be too naive. You must do your own duties, and when others push tasks onto you, you must learn to refuse!" Otherwise, she would surely be overburdened.

Lin Qiu listened earnestly and with an open mind, then immediately became a bit timid as she asked, "Sister, will you accompany me tomorrow? I'm a little scared to go alone."

Lin Xia knew that Lin Qiu wasn't much of an adventurer and had poor adaptability to unfamiliar environments.

"Then I'll take you there tomorrow morning, even if we arrive at the office a bit late!"

"Sister! That's great!" Lin Qiu's face burst into a smile at once.

At this time, Lin Dong let down his guard, and she seized the opportunity to grab his arm. The siblings immediately started horsing around together.

Lin Chun watched his brother and sister frolicking and laughing, and he couldn't stop his lips from curling into a smile.

When Lin Xia sat down next to him on the long bench, he whispered, "Xiaoxia, I'm really useless! It's all thanks to you that Xiaoqiu found work! Otherwise, we would still be waiting for some good news."

Lin Xia didn't want Lin Chun to feel discouraged or to lose confidence. She chuckled and leaned closer to whisper, "Big brother, what are you talking about? All the money for gifts and buying stuff came from you! I just ran errands. The greatest credit still belongs to you!"

This incident had made a big impact on Lin Chun.

It could be said that ever since his younger sister fell ill and awoke, every event that followed shook him profoundly.

He shook his head and said, "Xiaoxia, it's not like that at all! I'm still burdened by old ways of thinking, too proud to ask for help!" He paused before continuing, "But, Xiaoxia, why do I feel that you've changed in the way you speak and handle things after your illness? It's as if you've become a completely different person, but no matter how I look at you, I know you are my older sister."

How could Lin Xia possibly tell him the truth! But she had to provide a reasonable explanation.

"Big brother! After I recovered from the illness, it's like my mind suddenly became clearer! How should I put it, like I've had an epiphany!"

Lin Chun didn't doubt her words.

Thinking about the incident at noon, he couldn't help but sigh and advise, "Xiaoxia, now that Xiaoqiu's job is settled, I don't have many worries. I just hope that you and Xiaoqiu can find a good husband, and once Dongzi goes to college, we'll all be fine.

So, try to avoid conflicts with those at the Eastern House if possible! When you can bear it, just bear it. You still have to stay in this house for a few more years!

Think about what happened at noon. Aunt Jin heard everything, and once the neighbors start gossiping, the story will change. Even if some say that Lin Qiang is a worthless man, others might still blame you for causing trouble. Without a good reputation, how can you and Xiaoqiu ever find a good husband?"

Lin Chun took the opportunity to speak out the worries he had harbored all afternoon. He couldn't stand to watch his sisters continue to be reckless!

Lin Xia looked at her big brother with wide eyes, feeling waves of discomfort in her heart!

She didn't argue with her brother during lunch because they were in a rush, and secondly, she didn't want to distract her big brother from work in case something else happened.

But now, she had to have a proper talk with him.

It wasn't about whether or not she wanted to conflict with those people, but rather that too many things would gradually happen in the future.

If she was to live her life again, could she just let history repeat itself? That would mean she lived in vain, wouldn't it?

"Big brother! If you put it that way, I think you're wrong! In the past, we tolerated their bullying because we were little and couldn't talk back, but we're not young anymore, are we? Do we still have to let others boss us around in the future? With things the way they are, how can anyone have a good life?

You say that Xiaoqiu and I need a good reputation to find a good husband, but what counts as good? Why can't we fight for ourselves instead of depending on others? Can we really rely on them?

Lin Xia grew more and more impassioned as she spoke. Since her return, she had kept everything bottled up inside. She understood that her big brother hadn't lived a second time around, so he still held onto old ways of thinking, and she was willing to understand him!

Moreover, her feelings of having regained what was lost made her hate to do anything other than please him and make him happy.

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But when she heard her eldest brother still persuading them to endure in silence, to place all their hopes in someone else's hands, she couldn't bear it!

The scenes from her past life passed before her eyes like a movie, and she was determined not to let them suffer like that ever again—no matter what it might take!

Lin Qiu and Lin Dong had long since stopped making a fuss, both sitting silently with the corners of their mouths drooping on the edge of the kang, listening to the two of them talk.

"Xiaoxia! You shouldn't say that! You and Xiaoqiu are girls, what need is there for such high aspirations? In the end, you're going to get married, and finding a good husband's family is better than anything else—it's something to rely on for the rest of your life!" Lin Chun had never thought otherwise; he had always believed that a woman should ultimately have a good place to belong to.

"Something to rely on? Brother, do you really want us to live the kind of life where we have to serve an entire family and then suffer and bear hardship? Is that what's 'good'? Haven't you seen the kind of life our mother has lived?

And how have those old women treated us all these years? Can they really help us find a good husband's family? When did our father ever consider our futures?"

Lin Chun, rendered speechless by Lin Xia's questioning, hugged his head in frustration and sighed. But that was their father! What could he do about it?

Lin Xia knew she had been too impulsive, blurting everything out and pushing her eldest brother into a corner like this, but she really couldn't control herself just a moment ago...

Lin Xia stood up and softened her tone, "Big brother, perhaps I was too harsh just now. But think about it, we can't go on like we did before!

I'll go talk to Sister Hongmei and ask her to help me take some time off when she goes to work tomorrow morning!"

"Okay! Go ahead!" Lin Chun also stood up, "Come back early!"

"Alright!"

Lin Qiu and Lin Dong hesitated to speak, but Lin Xia winked at them, "You two go on and do whatever you were doing!"

As Lin Xia left the house, she happened to see Qian Chunli pushing a bicycle in through the gate, with Lin Yu and Lin Qiang, who seemed like her left and right hands, following beside her.

Qian Chunli pursed her lips and turned her face away, ignoring Lin Xia. Lin Xia felt this was for the best, to avoid any pointless chatter.

Lin Yu pursed her lips and pulled at Lin Qiang, who was glaring, and only after Lin Xia walked out of the gate did they quietly snort.

Lin Xia came out partly as an excuse to take a walk and calm herself down. Looking at the row upon row of dilapidated bungalows, her heart gradually settled. It was only 1981; she still had time, so she couldn't be hasty. Everything had to be done step by step!

Walking past two streets, Lin Xia arrived at Yu Hongmei's house.

The gate was wide open, and Lin Xia walked straight in, seeing her uncle Yu Changbai and Yu Hongli spreading hairy hazelnuts with a fresh green skin on a sack in the courtyard.

Lin Xia's eyes lit up at the sight, and she greeted them, "Uncle! Brother Hongli!"

Yu Changbai smiled warmly at her, "Lin Xia, you came?"

Lin Xia responded and inquired, "Are there many hazelnuts this year?

Yu Hongli scratched the back of his head, "There's a ton of hairy hazelnuts and fiery hazelnuts up in the mountains, just too difficult to bring down! I hauled two sacks back. Lin Xia, when you leave later, take some with you to dry and roast for eating!"

"No need! Brother Hongli, if we want some we can just go pick them!" Lin Xia's mind started to race. Right now, in this autumn, the mountains were full of hazelnuts, pine cones, and all sorts of wild goods like mushrooms and tree ears.

In her village, these mountain goods were worth little, but in places without them, they could surely be sold for some money.

She was wholeheartedly focused on making money—wasn't this a good way to earn?

Gathering goods was easy; the real challenge was carrying them down the mountain. But now, with the convenient existence of the 'Jade' room, what did she have to fear?

However, if she wanted to go up the mountain, she needed to make some preparations first.