My Beloved Super Fierce Wife
Chapter 472 Sweet to the heart

Chapter 472: 472 Sweet to the heart

Zhang Hongyan guessed it was about time, stood up, and said, "It’s getting late, I should get busy. You all do whatever you need to do."

Her tasks for re-education were different from the labor tasks of other members in terms of time and content.

Lin Shou hurried to his feet, looking at her eagerly, "Wife, I’ll go with you."

Zhang Hongyan shook her head decisively, refusing him for what must have been the umpteenth time.

"No need, I can manage on my own."

After saying that, the woman picked up the shoulder pole leaning against the corner of the wall and slowly left the courtyard.

Lin Shou and the other two had grown accustomed to this scene.

But watching Zhang Hongyan’s retreating figure still made their hearts ache unbearably.

Lin Xiaojing’s nose tingled with sadness, "Dad, why is Mom so distant? If we did it together, wouldn’t it be finished quickly? Why won’t she let us help..."

She couldn’t understand her mother’s stubbornness.

Lin Shou, having been married to Zhang Hongyan for many years, understood his wife’s thoughts well.

He knew that Hongyan felt guilty and didn’t want the Lin Family to become the center of gossip in the Shuangshan Brigade again, fearing that people would seize upon this issue as a stain to criticize the Captain with, so she insisted on doing everything by the book.

Collecting manure when told to collect manure, reclaiming land when told to reclaim land, digging canals when told to dig canals...

She didn’t slack off at all!

Some in the brigade who didn’t like the Lin Family couldn’t complain when they saw how honest Zhang Hongyan was, and so they had to avert their gaze from her.

Yet, they were always lurking in the dark... waiting to catch the Lin Family in the wrong.

Where there is light, there are shadows; the Shuangshan Brigade was no exception to people who harboured ill-will, who couldn’t stand to see others doing well.

Zhang Hongyan knew this, and so did Lin Shou.

Lin Shou patted Lin Xiaojing on the shoulder, suppressing the complex sourness in his heart, and said:

"Let it be, it’s your mother’s task. If she doesn’t want us to do it, then we won’t. Taking care of our own chores is just as important; don’t overthink it."

Lin Xiaojing felt a lump in her throat, her nose slightly red.

"How is that the same? Mom’s shoulders have been rubbed raw. My brother gets weary doing those tasks, and Mom is a woman after all."

Lin Shou, seeing his daughter going overboard with her words, became stern.

"Xiaojing, such words should only be said at home, don’t repeat them outside."

"Those being ’reformed’ are not distinguished by gender. Your mom’s current situation is still better compared to what it could have been, thanks to Tangtang running around; she just has to bear it."

Bear it and it will be alright!

Did he not feel pained seeing his daughter-in-law suffer? No, it hurt him more than anyone else.

But the world doesn’t revolve around you. To live in this world, one must abide by its established rules.

If you make mistakes, you must accept the punishment.

Otherwise, the world would be in chaos.

Lin Xiaojing understood her father’s point; she just felt sorry for her mother.

She and her brother had finally made progress, but her mother was enduring great hardship.

How could any conscientious child watch such a thing unemotionally?!

Swallowing the discomfort welling up inside her, Lin Xiaojing bit the inside of her lip and said, "Dad, I understand, don’t worry. I won’t talk about it outside."

Lin Shou let out a deep sigh and rubbed his daughter’s head with his broad palm, "Go on then, cook some Sour Plum Soup for your mom and take it to her."

Lin Xiaojing’s attention was immediately diverted.

"I’ll do it right now."

Seeing his daughter perked up again, Lin Shou felt relieved.

Noticing Lin Qingya still standing there, he adopted a stern fatherly demeanor, "You don’t have anything to do?"

"Yes, I do. I still have to go with Qingshui and the others to collect beans and mushrooms from the surrounding brigades," Lin Qingya hurriedly explained.

"Then what are you waiting for? Get moving."

Lin Qingya stood frozen in place.

What’s going on?! As if he’s wasting air just standing in his own courtyard.

He dared not speak to his own father like that, for fear of being hit.

"...I’m leaving."

After finishing his words, Lin Qingya felt the weight of the broken water jug as he packed it with his departing belongings and turned to leave the house.

Lin Xiaojing had prepared the Sour Plum Soup and came out to find her brother gone, with Lin Qingya’s distinctive broken jug missing as well.

She muttered to herself, "What’s the hurry? He knows I’m making Sour Plum Soup."

Lin Shou, who was repairing a hoe in the courtyard, stiffened and looked somewhat uncomfortable.

Lin Xiaojing mumbled under her breath and then let the matter go.

Anyway, her brother was rough, and cold water would do just as well for him.

"Dad, there’s more Sour Plum Soup in the kitchen. I’m going to take some to Tangtang now, and then I’ll head over to Mom’s place."

Lin Shou readily agreed, "Okay, go ahead."

Lin Xiaojing carried a small wooden bucket as she headed to her second uncle’s.

When she arrived, Lin Lu was whispering something to Mu Sheng in the courtyard.

Hearing footsteps, Lin Lu stopped talking, turned around, and seeing it was Xiaojing, his face lit up with a smile.

"Xiaojing is here. Looking for Tangtang, right? She’s inside, go ahead."

Lin Xiaojing smiled, "I’ve been here before, I know. Second Uncle, I’ve made some Sour Plum Soup for you."

As she spoke, she filled two empty bowls with Sour Plum Soup for them.

Mu Sheng’s gaze shifted, glancing at Lin Xiaojing, then quickly contained his expression.

No one noticed.

Lin Lu smiled, "Sour Plum Soup, huh? We just ran out at home, this is perfect timing."

Lin Xiaojing looked towards Mu Sheng.

He never raised his head, busying himself with the work in his hands, expressionless.

A tinge of disappointment crossed Lin Xiaojing’s eyes, but quickly she smiled again, "Second Uncle, I’m going to find Tangtang in the house."

After saying that, she turned and headed to Lin Tang’s room.

Lin Lu noticed his apprentice still dutifully planing the wood, paused, then gestured with his hand.

"Asheng, come and take a break. It’s okay to rest a bit. No need to be so formal in your own home. If you’re tired, you should rest.

Tangtang always says health is the capital for revolution. If you have good health, you’ll have everything; without it, you’ll have nothing."

Mu Sheng always listened attentively when his master spoke.

He took Lin Lu’s words to heart.

After washing his hands at the water basin, he sat down on a stool next to Lin Lu.

He took a sip from the bowl, tasting Sour Plum Soup for the first time.

Suddenly, Mu Sheng’s eyes and brows relaxed.

The Sour Plum Soup was more sour than sweet, yet he found it unexpectedly sweet to the heart.

"Tastes good, right? If you put it in the well to chill, it’ll taste even better," Lin Lu said with a smile. "Your master was going to make some today, but she got busy with something in the village. If you wanted to try hers, you’d have to wait."

In front of Mu Sheng, he was always patient, sharing family matters and never treating Mu Sheng like a stranger.

Mu Sheng felt the warmth of family and grew closer to the Lin Family, never saying it aloud but feeling it deeply in his heart.

Even the feeling that this world could be relied upon began to dawn on him.

Someone from the depths of hell, upon seeing even the slightest light, would want to move toward it... even if it meant dragging a body riddled with decay.

The time he spent with the Lin Family greatly influenced Mu Sheng’s later life.

He held onto his kindness, not wanting to sink deeper into the mire, and eventually, his affections were fulfilled and he even accomplished something significant in his career.

But these are stories for another time and shall not be mentioned here.

Mu Sheng, tasting Sour Plum Soup for the first time, showed a slight movement in his eyes.

He suppressed the swell of emotions in his heart, listened earnestly to his master’s words, and occasionally responded.

Inside the house.

Lin Tang was deeply focused on finishing her report when she heard the bamboo curtain move. She looked up, "Sister Xiaojing, you’ve come again. Want to hear more about Sea City?"