The Princess of Northern Land
Chapter 608: Never Give Up (3)_1

Chapter 608: Chapter 608: Never Give Up (3)_1

"Here." Chu Suifeng handed her a soup bun, clearly unsatisfied with her decision to get out of the carriage before reaching her front door.

"Is everything fine at the workshop?" Lin Ziyin asked with a beaming smile. She hadn’t been home in a long time, and seeing the villagers again made her feel grounded.

"It’s doing great."

"Business has been good—as always. Even in snowy weather, we have customers."

...An offhand question elicited enthusiastic responses from many.

Everyone crowded around Lin Ziyin and Chu Suifeng as they walked towards the Lin Family’s home, the journey punctuated by frequent bursts of laughter and cheerful chatter.

Da Gouzi and Ergouzi, witnessing the festive atmosphere in the village, also peeked out to join the excitement.

"What are you looking at?" The Bao family matriarch said with a stern face, "Get back inside before you freeze."

Da Gouzi, now in his teens, immediately retreated indoors at her reprimand. But Ergouzi, being younger, stood at the doorway, watching a feudal lord lead away his black-armored soldiers. Only once they had disappeared did he reluctantly step back inside.

"All you ever do is rubberneck. Starting tomorrow, you’re in charge of feeding the chickens," the Bao family matriarch scolded Ergouzi while maintaining a stern face.

Ergouzi grumbled and reluctantly agreed. Although Ma Erlang disappeared due to the Lin family, they were relatively benevolent. They did not torment the Bao family and her two children because of Ma Erlang’s issues.

On the contrary, the Lin family purchased all the chickens, ducks, and sheep raised by the Bao family, as well as the beans harvested from their fields, at market price.

Consequently, the Bao family and her two children didn’t lead a difficult life.

The return of Lin Ziyin was a grand affair, and the Ma family naturally heard it.

The Yan Family matriarch was quietly expressing her jealousy and resentment. However, her grumblings were so soft that it was unclear who she was cursing at.

Her eldest son, Ma Xincai, and his wife, Mrs. Huang, had just returned after a long day’s work. But they felt too ashamed to join the village’s merrymaking. Therefore, as soon as they came back, the couple went straight into their house.

"Dad, Mom," in a little while, the two children, elatedly holding snacks, entered from outside, "The Lin family gave us some desserts."

The little girl, being young, was so excited about her desserts that she immediately ran back to show her parents.

"All you know is eat, you unlucky child, you’re nothing but a jinx," the Yan family matriarch raged. Seeing the little girl beaming with joy was the breaking point for her simmering anger. She backhanded the young girl across her left cheek, causing the dessert in her hand to drop onto the ground.

"Wah!" Seeing her dessert fall, the little girl immediately began to cry.

"Grandma, why did you hit my sister?" Her big brother stepped in, his pitch-black eyes gleaming with hostility towards the Yan family matriarch.

Normally, the Yan family matriarch was quite kind to her grandson. However, on seeing his defiance, her temper flared up and she raised her hand to smack him as well.

Upon hearing the commotion, Ma Xincai and Mrs. Huang rushed out from the house. Upon seeing the matriarch about to hit their son, Mrs. Huang immediately intervened. After her time working in the Lin Family’s fields, she’d learned a lot from the village women, and was now more assertive than ever.

The two kids were her life, and she wouldn’t stand by while the Yan family matriarch hit them. She quickly moved to shove the elder woman away and shielded the children in her arms. "Mother, what did the children do wrong that you should hit them?" she asked.

"She hit her sister," the elder son tattled.

Meanwhile, the smacked little girl was wailing uncontrollably in the courtyard.