81-90

Chapter 81

The first belated snow covered the sky and the earth as soon as it appeared.

The Lin family still had fertilizer for the last two fields that had not been piled up, and now they had to take a forced rest and wait for the snow to melt. If that didn't work, they could only use some from other fields.

At the end of the year, the atmosphere of the New Year in the village became stronger and stronger. The adults were busy cleaning the house, inviting the kitchen god, and steaming cakes for the ancestors. The children were wearing new clothes and running around with all kinds of snacks given by their parents.

This year, Liyu Village used compost, and the harvest was more than doubled compared to last year. Everyone had more spare money and was willing to do these things.

On New Year's Eve, Lin Zhen showed off his skills and cooked more than a dozen dishes, which made the whole family give thumbs up.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, according to custom, those who have relatives in their mother's family should go out to visit relatives and pay New Year's greetings. Lin Adie's father, Lin Zhen's maternal grandmother, was still alive, so Lin Adie naturally had to go to pay New Year's greetings. He packed two pieces of bacon, a bacon pig's foot, and rice cakes, cakes and other things early in the morning.

In Lin Zhen's memory, there was almost no trace of maternal grandmother's family. First, the two families lived far away, and second, maternal grandmother did not like them to visit relatives. When he was a child, Lin Adie almost went alone.

Lin Zhen looked at the full backpack, "Dad, are you going alone this year?"

"Yes, your eldest brother and second brother will accompany your eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law to their mother's home, so it's just right for you to stay at home and take care of the little ones." Lin Adie has walked the road to her mother's home for many years and is not afraid.

"I'll go with you, carry things for you, and recognize your relatives by the way." Lin Zhen was a little depressed because he had to stay at home after opening a business in the town every day and wanted to go out for a walk.

Besides, there was still some unmelted snow on the mountain outside. He was a little worried that Lin Adie would go on the road alone and no one would help him if something happened.

Lin Adie looked at him and said, "You finally came back, take a few days off. Besides, your grandmother doesn't like relatives to visit, and she will make you angry when the time comes."

"I am your father's son, not an outsider. Can grandmother pick up a broom and drive me out no matter how angry she is?"

"Besides, I just want to go out for a walk because I'm bored at home."

"Okay, go back to the house and put on more clothes." Lin Adie thought about something but didn't refute it.

Lin Zhen got what he wanted. He walked briskly back to the house and put on an extra shirt with thin cotton inside. He carried the full backpack and said to Gu Shuanzi in the cabin: "Shuanzi, your mother and I are going to your grandmother's house. Don't read for too long to avoid hurting your eyes."

Gu Shuanzi, who was reciting an article, heard the voice, opened the door and stood there: "When will you be back?"

The cabin was the same as when he lived there before, but Lin Zhen knew the harm of myopia, so he asked Brother Lin and his friends to open two large windows on the wall and bought high-quality window paper to cover them, so that the room was bright.

Lin Zhen stood beside Lin's father, "I don't know yet, no later than three days, maybe I will stay at my grandmother's house for a day or two."

It's rare to go there in a year, so he must rest. My grandmother was born to Lin's father after several years of marriage. She is over 60 years old this year. In this era, she is already buried up to her neck in the earth. One less sight of her means one less.

After saying hello to Gu Shuanzi, Lin Zhen followed Lin Adie out of the house. The light gray sky had just faded, and occasionally a few roosters could be heard crowing late.

When they were still in the village, the road under their feet was a little sparse, but the snow had melted away. However, as they walked down the mountain road on the side of Liyu Village, the sparse remaining snow was spread on the withered grass in clumps, and the wind was even colder.

Lin Adie's mother's family was in Xiaogang Village next to Wayao Village. There were more households than Wayao Village, and it was considered a relatively large village in their surroundings.

But this size was also compared with their scattered small villages. The total population was less than a hundred, scattered on the slightly flatter mountainside, foot of the mountain, and in the valley.

It took Lin Zhen and Lin Adie more than four hours to get there. The backpack, which was not heavy for him, became the biggest burden, and hot steam came out of his head.

He stood on the ridge and looked at the sparsely distributed families. He put the backpack on a protruding stone next to him and took a breath: "Where does my grandma live?"

Father Lin looked at his red face and pointed to a small hill in front of him: "It's just below the hill. We'll get there in half an hour."

"You refused to give me the backpack all the way. You're so stubborn."

When Lin Zhen heard that it would take another half an hour, he completely understood the meaning of the saying "If you want to see the mountain, you'll die." He could clearly see the place here, but he had to walk so long.

He put the backpack on his back and walked towards the weed-covered mountain path: "There's no reason for me to let you carry it. Anyway, I've rested several times along the way. It's okay."

"By the way, father, there are several children in our uncle's family." As he walked, Lin Zhen talked to father Lin. He really didn't want to look at the road under his feet. Chatting could distract his attention.

Because Lin Zhen's grandma didn't like people visiting relatives, even father Lin hadn't come for seven or eight years. Father Lin came alone.

He said, "Your uncle is also a boy. He was married from Wayao Village and had a boy and two boys."

"The boy is nineteen years old this year. The oldest is seventeen and already has his own family. The youngest is fourteen this year. I was looking for someone when I came here last year. I don't know if it worked out."

"Then let's go to my grandmother's house today. It's quite lively. Not only will my cousin's children be there, but my second cousin who is married will also come back to pay New Year's greetings."

"Yes, although there are fewer people than in our family, it's still lively."

"...If you go, remember not to talk to your cousin's great grandmother. She has a very strange temper and I'm afraid you can't stand it."

Cousin's grandmother?

Isn't that my grandmother's mother-in-law?

"Is my cousin's great grandmother still alive?!" My grandmother is over sixty years old, so she must be in her eighties or nineties. In this age where people generally only live to their sixties and seventies are considered old, it's really enviable.

Lin's father didn't like this grandma very much. He would never forget what he saw his father suffer. Every time he went there, he would just say hello in a hurry, and then sit with his father and chat about some family matters.

But his father always urged him to go back, saying that he was fine and didn't need him to come.

He said, "It's still there, but my legs and feet are not as agile as before, and I still keep nagging people."

Lin's father was calm and rarely said bad things about people. Hearing this sentence "I still keep nagging people" from his mouth showed how annoying this grandma was.

Lin Zhen nodded immediately: "I will definitely be your little tail when the time comes, and I will never take the initiative to provoke this mountain."

"Poor." Lin's father liked his energetic look very much. The two walked along the weed-covered mountain path, and it took them half an hour to reach the front of the hill.

They saw a thatched house with mud and grass outer walls and thatched roof standing on the flat part of the hill. Smoke was coming out of the roof, and there was a mud road as wide as an arm going up.

Father Lin took him over. As soon as he emerged from the courtyard, a skinny, dark-skinned child who looked only about ten years old, who was washing radishes, tilted his head to look at them. After a moment of hesitation, he recognized Father Lin and said, "Uncle."

Father Lin walked over and said, "Xiaohua, where are your father and dad? Are they here?"

"Yes," the child named Xiaohua stood up and ran in, "Dad and father, uncle is here."

Father Lin said to Lin Zhen from behind, "He is your third cousin, Xiaohua."

Lin Zhen frowned. He had not forgotten what his father Lin had just said. This third cousin was already fourteen years old this year. He had already started discussing marriage last year, but he looked too thin and too small. He was even shorter than Gu Shuanzi, who was just nine years old. He looked like a child.

It was obvious that he had been malnourished for a long time and his body had not developed at all.

Chapter 82

A short, skinny man who was older than Lin Adie and his husband who was about the same age walked out of the house quickly.

"Brother, you are here, come in and sit down." Lin Adie's original surname was Guo, and his name was Guo Xiao. His uncle was called Guo Fu. The two brothers were five years apart in age, and he was his father's late-born son.

But looking at his appearance, no one would doubt that he was Lin Adie's elder brother.

Lin Adie was very happy to see his younger brother, and walked forward with Lin Zhen: "This is my third son, named Lin Zhen, Zhen'er, call uncle uncle and daddy."

"Uncle, uncle." Lin Zhen was not an introvert, and he immediately called him sweetly. Guo Fu and his husband had heard from Lin Adie before that he had a brother named Lin Zhen, who was born handsome, but they didn't expect him to be so handsome, different from everyone they had seen.

"Hey, you must be tired from walking all the way. Come sit down and rest for a while. You can eat in a while." According to the rules, the uncle and his father-in-law had to take the things brought by Lin's father. The couple looked at the backpack full of things on Lin Zhen's back and trembled in their hearts.

Guo Fu rubbed his hands and said to Lin's father, "Why do you bring so many things? You have so many children at home."

Lin's father waved his hands, "The family has been much better in the past two years. This is also your brother-in-law's idea. If our father didn't like relatives to disturb him, he would have come too."

"Hurry up and take the things. Zhen'er has been carrying them all the way and is about to collapse."

There is no reason to carry the things back after bringing them. Lin's father knew the character of his younger brother. Although his family was poor, he never thought of taking advantage of him. Every time he came to pay New Year's greetings, he would find ways to give him gifts in return, fearing that Lin's father would treat him badly because of this.

Guo Fu and his husband heard it, and looked at Lin Zhen's red face, and quickly took the backpack and brought it into the house.

Guo Yu, who was in the house with the helper who came back to pay New Year's greetings, looked at the basket brought in by her father, and saw two generous pieces of bacon and a bacon pig's foot with its trotter exposed. She was so shocked that she forgot the tofu in her hand: "Father, who sent it?"

"Your uncle came to pay New Year's greetings, and brought his real brother with him." Guo Fulang had been married to Guo Fu for decades, and she knew a little about Lin's father's family situation. Two sons and two brothers, the family squeezed into two thatched houses, which was only a little better than her own family. Who would have thought that this year he would bring so much meat to pay New Year's greetings.

And that real brother, his skin is really white, I don't know how he raised it.

He thought for a moment, took out a piece of bacon, and handed it to his brother: "There are not many vegetables at home, you wash this piece of bacon, cut a piece to stir-fry, remember to put more cabbage stalks."

Guo Yu married in the village. Everyone's life is similar. Even during the New Year, there is no meat. The last time he ate meat was when he got married two years ago. Now seeing such a large piece of fat and lean bacon, his mouth quickly secreted saliva.

He couldn't help but wonder what kind of life his uncle's family is living now. Even such good bacon is used for New Year's greetings.

While washing the bacon, he looked outside the door and saw a man who looked a bit like his father, but a few years younger than his father, following his father in, followed by a brother.

Guo Yu unconsciously stopped the work in his hands and stared at Lin Zhen blankly.

Guo Yu had never seen such a handsome boy. His skin was as white as the soft snow on the mountain, his eyebrows were long and curved, his eyes were round, his nose was straight and delicate, and his lips were slightly red.

Moreover, his waist was different from that of the boys and girls in their village. It was too thin, as if it was only as wide as his palm.

Guo Xiaohua, who was washing vegetables in the yard just now, also stared at Lin Zhen blankly, holding her hand stiffly.

Guo Fu personally carried two stools and placed them against the wall, and asked Guo Xiaohua and Guo Yu to call people: "This is your uncle, and this is Zhen Ge'er."

Guo Yu and Guo Xiaohua hurriedly greeted them. Lin Adie looked at Guo Yu, who had just got married last year and now had a one-year-old child on his back: "Xiaoyu has given birth to a child, why didn't you go and tell me something."

Guo Fu invited Lin Adie and Lin Zhen to sit down, and said: "It was the busy farming season then, and you had a lot of work to do, so I didn't want to delay you."

"What are you saying? No matter how busy I am, as an uncle, I can't miss my nephew's good thing."

Guo Fu is not good at speaking, so he just sat there after hearing him say that. He said that Guo Yu is pregnant again and he will definitely tell him this year.

When Lin Zhen heard that Guo Yu, who was cooking there, had a baby on his back and another in his belly, he stood up and walked to Guo Yu: "Brother Yu, you go and rest and let me do it. I'm used to doing these things at home."

"That won't work, you're a guest." Guo Yu didn't expect that Lin Zhen, who was so good-looking, would be easy to get along with. He waved his hands repeatedly and refused to give in no matter what Lin Zhen said.

Looking at his slightly bulging belly, Lin Zhen had to take a step back: "Then I'll hold the baby for you while you cook."

Lin Zhen wore the new clothes made by Aunt Ma today, a light blue cotton robe, black cotton trousers, and black cotton shoes.

They were all made of the finest cotton cloth, and the material was thick. It looked like it cost a lot of money.

Guo Yu looked at his clean clothes, wiped his hands with a towel unnaturally, and pursed his lips a little shyly: "Thank you, Zhen brother."

He untied the baby carrier, and Lin Zhen took the child to his arms. He saw the red mole at the corner of the not-so-fair child's mouth at a glance. It was a little boy: "So good, he didn't cry even when I put him down."

Guo Yu rolled up the straps of the baby carrier and handed it to Lin Zhen: "I am usually busy taking care of him at home, whoever is free can hold him, he doesn't recognize anyone."

"...Zhen brother, why don't you let Xiaohua hold him? Children can't be controlled by eating, drinking, defecating and urinating. If they accidentally get on you, it will be bad."

Lin Zhen's clothes were so good, if they got dirty, he really couldn't afford to pay.

Lin Zhen held the little boy not very skillfully, "It's okay, we'll wash it if it gets on us. I think there is no shortage of water in the village, it's just a little effort." As he said that, he held the child and sat back next to Lin Adie. The little boy, who couldn't speak yet and could only hum, opened his black eyes and clenched his fists to look at him.

Lin Zhen shook his fist. Even though such a young child was not as pampered as a rich family, his skin was smooth and very nice to touch.

He looked at Guo Yu's bulging belly and felt that he was becoming more and more accepting of his brother's ability to have children.

Guo Yu, Guo Xiaohua and Guo Fulang cooked together to entertain the guests. Lin Zhen was playing with the child, while Lin's father and Guo Fuze soon started chatting together.

Father Lin looked around and asked Guo Fu, "Where's Father?" "

He went to the mountain to find firewood." Seeing his brother's face change a little, he hurriedly said, "You also know Father's temper. Even if there is no shortage of firewood at home, he can't sit still. If you stop him, he will be scolded."

"He went to the back mountain to pick it up. It's okay."

Father Lin was relieved and then asked about something he had been worried about but had no time to ask in detail: "I met Uncle Ping from the village in the town before and told him about composting. Did he tell you?"

Xiaogang Village is the same as Wayao Village. They also find soil in the corners of the mountain to grow crops. There is no flat land. Everyone is digging for food in the limited land, and life is naturally difficult.

If there is compost, the family's food supply will not be so tight.

Guo Fu scratched his head: "He said it, but Uncle Ping said it was unreliable, so I didn't ask." What was involved was the livelihood of the whole family. He didn't dare to change the farming method that had been passed down for many years by the older generation based on a few words.

"You really are..." Father Lin was almost furious. He had clearly explained it to Uncle Ping again and again, and explained the role of compost so clearly, but who would have thought that it was completely useless.

If he hadn't been too busy at the time and couldn't spare the time, and if he hadn't trusted Uncle Ping, he would have gone there in person.

Father Lin said, "My family has been using compost on more than ten acres of land for two years. Originally, one acre of land could only produce more than 100 kilograms of grain, but now it can produce more than 300 kilograms, almost 400 kilograms."

"Bang..." Guo Fu's body softened and he leaned against the wall, "More, how much?!"

"If the harvest at home wasn't good, how could I have brought so many New Year gifts."

The family looked at the New Year gift pot brought by Father Lin, and it was not fake at all. They had just been muttering in their hearts, guessing when the Lin family got rich.

Guo Fulang didn't know what he was thinking in his mind. He just ran over and stood in front of Father Lin: "It's really so much! Three hundred kilograms! All grain!"

That was grain, enough to fill his stomach. Guo Fulang stared at Father Lin.

Father Lin patted his chest and promised: "Really, my family has been using it for two years, no problem."

Guo Yu and Guo Xiaohua were also shocked. They were both farmers and knew the grain production very well. If there was really so much grain, they wouldn't have to tighten their belts in the spring. They would eat a bowl of sorghum rice for a day, and most of the pot was full of wild vegetables, which made people swollen.

Father Lin looked at his brother and sister-in-law with burning eyes, and hurriedly explained the composting process over and over again. He looked at the two and said: "It's too late to compost this year. If the time is short, the seedlings will be burned. However, you can use manure water to water the seedlings. Although it is not as good as composting, it is also effective."

Lin's second sister-in-law Zhao Xiu asked her mother's family to use manure water the year before last. The yield was not as much as 300 or 400 kilograms, but it was more than 200 kilograms, which made the Zhao family have a good year.

For a moment, the whole room was filled with the sound of Lin Adie telling them how to make manure water, when to water it, and how to weed diligently after watering. Not only Guo Fu, Guo Fulang, Guo Yu and Guo Xiaohua also pricked up their ears.

Only Lin Zhen was holding the child, teasing him from time to time.

Suddenly, just as Lin Adie was talking about how much manure and water to add, an old man with a cane and a hunched back almost parallel to the ground walked into the yard with a bundle of firewood under his arms. Lin Adie hurried over and said, "Dad."

Chapter 83

"Why come here if you don't want to live your life properly?" He looked too old, with wrinkles all over his face and skinny hands covered with skin. Although he was only in his sixties, he looked like he was in his seventies or eighties. Moreover,

his bent back made him look at people only with his head tilted and out of the corner of his eyes.

On the way here, Lin Zhen had heard from Lin's father that this grandma was a miserable person. She had not gotten pregnant for several years after getting married. She was scolded by her husband's family and pointed at by the villagers. She did the most work every day but did not get any respect. She was hungry one day and full the next.

Later, she gave birth to Lin's father, but because it was a boy, her situation did not change much. People began to say that boys were useless and would have to marry someone else in the future, and the Guo family would be exterminated.

So he could only live a more difficult life with the unappreciated Lin's father. According to Lin's father, Lin's father was young and had not been weaned at that time. Seeing that he was crying with hunger, this grandma could only bite her finger to give him blood to drink.

Later, uncle Guo Fu was born. Although the situation was a little better, the Guo family was still in a bad situation and was just barely able to make a living.

Over the years, grandma's waist was bent by years of hard work and she became almost half the size.

Father Lin felt sorry for his father and held him up with his hand: "You only come once or twice a year to see you and your brother and sister-in-law, and I feel at ease."

"Dad, this is my third son, Lin Zhen. Zhen'er, this is your grandma."

"Grandma." Lin Zhen stood up holding Guo Yu's child and greeted the grandma.

Guo A-mo tilted her head and looked at Lin Zhen with eyes that he could only see from below: "This child doesn't look like you at all. Eat this meal and go home quickly. I'm fine here, and your brother is fine too. Live your life well and don't always think about running here."

As he said this, he didn't want anyone to help him. He used a branch crutch he picked up from the mountain to put the firewood under his arm next to the fire pit, then shakily scooped water into the basin, leaned against the wall to wash his face, hands and arms.

In fact, Lin A-die understood that his father just didn't want his brother to subsidize the family and make Lin Zhen's father feel difficult. The Lin family had a hard time for so many years, and he was afraid that he would not live well.

Father Lin looked at his father, turned his back and wiped his eyes with his sleeve, and rushed to pour out the water for washing his face: "I will stay for two more days this time. I want to teach my younger brothers how to make compost and how to flush manure."

"Father, my family has used compost in the past two years, and we have harvested a lot of grain. We are no longer short of food."

Mother Guo didn't know what compost and manure were, but she had eyes and naturally saw what her brother and grandson were wearing. The clothes were very good, without patches, and it was obvious that life had improved.

He was very happy but also worried: "Do you have to pay for compost and manure? Does your family know?"

"No money, just my little brother's hard work," Lin's father struck while the iron was hot and said to his own father, "After my family used compost for the first year, one acre of land produced more than 300 to 400 kilograms of sorghum and buckwheat, a total of 49 bags. You don't know, many people in the village went to watch the fun, and we couldn't even make tea."

Guo's mother's hands trembled, and her sunken eyes stared at Lin's father: "How much, how much do you say!"

"More than 300 kilograms, almost 400 kilograms."

"Really not wanting money to buy expensive things? It's impossible, there can't be such a good thing!"

"Dad, how could I lie to you and your brother? Originally, I asked Uncle Ping in the village to give you a message last year, but I didn't expect your brother didn't do it."

Don't say anymore, Guo Fu regretted it so much. If he had taken Uncle Ping's words seriously, the family would have had more than half more food in the autumn harvest last year, and now he wouldn't have to worry about how the family would survive until this year's autumn harvest.

Father Lin repeated what he had just said to his brother Guo Fu to Grandma Guo. After a while, the meal was ready. The table was pulled and the bowls and chopsticks were taken.

Grandma Guo, Guo Fu and Guo Fulang, as well as Guo Yu, Guo Xiaohua, and the two sons and a younger brother of Guo Fu's son Guo Cheng. Guo Cheng's husband had gone to visit his mother's family, and Guo Cheng was not at home either. Together with Lin Zhen and Father Lin, there were ten people in total. The table could not accommodate them all, so they could only ask Guo Yu, Guo Xiaohua, and the younger brother of Guo Cheng to pick up the dishes and put them on the rice and take them to the side to eat.

Father Lin picked up the dishes for Grandma Guo and whispered, "The youngest... won't come to eat..."

Grandma Guo said without any fluctuation in her voice, "He fell down on the 10th day of the twelfth lunar month and can't get up now. I just asked your sister-in-law to bring him food."

Suddenly, there was a sound of something being smashed in the house, accompanied by curses that almost overturned the house.

What a bastard, a little slut, a bitch, these are the most complete curse words Lin Zhen has ever heard, and they are all directed at Guo Amo.

Lin Adie was immediately so angry that his neck hurt. Guo Amo said, "It's like this every day. He doesn't cry or make a fuss before he's full, but he takes it out on others after he's full."

"But it's better than before when he could run and hit people."

After so many years, Guo Amo simply couldn't let go of the past. He let Guo Laomo still have food to eat because he was thinking about the children at home.

But he couldn't ask him to serve wholeheartedly. He was not a bodhisattva who could tolerate the past.

When Lin Adie heard that Guo Lao'er, who had tortured his father for decades, was paralyzed in bed and couldn't get up, he began to think that others might think he was disrespectful.

Everyone in the room pretended not to hear Guo Lao'er's scolding and ate and drank soup. After eating, Lin Adie casually asked Guo Fu's eldest son: "Where is Guo Cheng? He didn't come back for lunch?"

Guo Fu said: "Someone in the village wants to build a house, so he went to help. He doesn't take any money but has two meals."

Anyway, he has to consume food at home, so he might as well go out and find something to eat and save some food.

However, such good deeds can only be done by strong young men like Guo Cheng who are strong and can work. Middle-aged men like Guo Fu are not often asked, because the host family is afraid of being at a disadvantage.

Several people were talking here. Lin Zhen saw Guo Yu was a little absent-minded, and his hands on his knees were twisted into a knot. He took the initiative to move a stool and walked over to tease the boy in Guo Yu's arms: "Brother Yu, what's the matter? I see you seem to want to say something?"

Guo Yu married in the village. He came to pay New Year's greetings in the morning and would go back later. He looked at Lin Zhen and gritted his teeth to say what was suppressed in his heart: "Brother Zhen, can I... can I use the composting and manure watering method in my family..." "Do

n't worry, I will never tell anyone else. It's really that the family's income is too little. In another half a month, we will run out of food. If we can harvest more food this year, my wife won't have to look for work everywhere. She will be at home for less than ten days a year."

Guo Yu is two years younger than Lin Zhen. He is seventeen this year, but his skin is dark and two fine lines have already appeared at the corners of his eyes. He looks ten years older than Lin Zhen.

He is also short, half a head shorter than Lin Zhen, with thick bones but no flesh.

Lin Zhen felt a little uncomfortable. He straightened up and said, "Brother Yu, don't worry. My father and I originally planned to teach you how to make compost and manure water. Not only you, but also other families in Xiaogang Village."

Lin Zhen felt that he was not a good person who saved people from difficulties, but he had never intended to hide the methods of composting and pouring manure water from others from the beginning. He just provided the method and others provided the labor.

The other people chatting in the room looked at him. Even Guo Fu, Mr. Guo, and Guo's mother did not expect that he had such a plan.

"Brother Zhen, are you really going to teach these methods to the people in our Xiaogang Village?" Guo Fu stuttered.

Lin Zhen nodded: "With more food, everyone will be better off. There's nothing wrong with that. I just need to trouble my uncle to go to the village and ask other families. Those who are willing can come and listen. Those who are not willing can't be forced

." Just like in Liyu Village, when the Lin family made compost in the first year, few people dared to make a decision before seeing the actual effect. But in the second year, they realized that compost was indeed a good thing and rushed to make it.

Guo Fu's heart was trembling. He couldn't tell Lin Zhen any other feelings. He just felt that his nephew was different from them. Although he was a brother, he was really promising.

He stood up excitedly and said, "I'll go tell them right away!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he walked down and went to other families along the mountain path of the hill.

Guo Fulang said, "Your uncle is a warm-hearted man. He has a few good friends in the village. He can't help but tell others about his good things."

It was just as Guo Fulang said. Guo Fu was popular in the village and had good relations with several families. He was thinking about what to say if his friends asked him about the fact that his family had obtained more grain with the help of his brother's family.

Now that Lin Zhen had made the promise himself, he didn't have to think too much.

Guo Fu strolled around the village with fast steps. After a while, he climbed up a small hill which was seven or eight minutes away from his home. He shouted to the people in the house: "Old Fang, I have good news for you!"

His voice was so loud that the people in the house were shocked. They came out to look at him with their hands behind their backs. They were a little surprised to see his rosy face: "Good things have happened to you, right? Why do you look like you are going to give birth to a big fat boy?"

"Hey!" Guo Fu took three or two steps forward and patted him on the shoulder. "It's good news for both you and me!"

Old Fang's wife took a bowl and poured water for the two of them, then sat next to them to add firewood. The two families were not far away from each other, and they often visited each other on weekdays. Their relationship was closer than that of ordinary neighbors.

Guo Fu took two sips of water from the bowl, his voice full of excitement and excitement: "You know that my brother married in Liyu Village, right? He brought his brother back today to pay New Year's greetings."

"I know, I was also in the wedding procession that year. What, is the good news you mentioned related to your brother's family?"

"That's right!" Guo Fu was trying to save face in front of Lin Adie and Lin Zhen, but he didn't care about it in front of his old friend. He danced with joy and said, "My brother and his brother brought a way to increase grain production. One acre of land can produce 300 kilograms of grain!"

Chapter 84

: The first thing that Old Man Fang did not do was to delve into this sentence. Instead, he touched Guo Fu's head and

said, "You are not crazy, are you? What are you dreaming about?" The grains that have been planted by our ancestors for generations are all known to everyone. One mu of land can produce more than 100 kilograms of grain when the weather is good and the crops are well managed. If it is a bad year, it may be 70, 80, or even 50 or 60 kilograms.

Old Man Fang remembered that there were a few years when it was either drought or too much rain, and his second and fourth brothers all starved to death.

Guo Fu's face was firm, "It's true, I would never use this to trick you. My brother's family has been using this method for two years, and they have harvested forty-nine sacks of grain from more than ten acres of land. Life has become better all of a sudden."

Old Man Fang looked at him, "You...you are serious...you are not trying to make me happy?"

"It's true, harder than money. My nephew said that anyone who wants to learn the method can go to my house, he will teach you on the spot, and you can go back after teaching."

Even though Old Man Fang's reason told himself that this was impossible and fake, he still held out a little hope. What if it was true? If there really was such a method, wouldn't his family no longer have to worry about the next meal?

He immediately stood up and pulled Guo Fu out: "Let's go to your house now and ask your nephew for a clear answer!"

Guo Fu straightened his back: "Why are you in such a hurry, old man? There are also old man Zhang and old man Li and other people in the village. I will go and tell them all. As for whether they go or not, it depends on themselves."

Old man Fang couldn't wait any longer and grabbed Guo Fu's hand: "I'll go with you. We're fast!"

As they said that, the two old men ran to the foot of the mountain like being chased by dogs. Old man Fang's wife also heard what Guo Fu said just now. Her heart was beating as if someone was holding a drum inside. She couldn't help but follow him and wanted to listen.

More and more people followed Guo Fu, both men and women, young and old, but some did not believe it and thought Guo Fu was talking nonsense. There were also those who had some grudges against Guo Fu and didn't even let him in.

In total, only a small part of the people came to Xiaogang Village.

Guo Fu took them straight to his home and said to Lin Zhen: "Brother Zhen, these people are interested in the method you mentioned. Let's see what happens next--"

Lin Zhen didn't expect so many people to come. They were much more receptive than the people in Liyu Village at that time. But after a little thought, he understood that although Liyu Village was not rich, the fields were flat and the water source was convenient. Although life was a little hard, they could still withstand it with persistence.

It was different in Xiaogang Village. It was all mountainous. There was too little land to grow sorghum and buckwheat. Even if they were busy to death, they still couldn't have enough food.

Even if the news Guo Fu said was false, they wanted to try.

At this moment, they looked at Lin Zhen, who looked a little weird, and kept muttering in their hearts. They looked at each other, and the hope that was already small was reduced by half.

Lin Zhen stood under the eaves in the middle of the house, glanced at the more than 30 villagers of Xiaogang Village, and said loudly: "Hello everyone, I am the nephew of Guo Fu from your village, my name is Lin Zhen, and I live in Liyu Village."

"I think everyone has already heard from my uncle why you were called here." "

Yes," a voice came from the crowd, "your uncle said you know a way to help us harvest more grain, is that true?"

For a moment, everyone's heart was in their throats, and their eyes were all looking at Lin Zhen who was standing in the front.

Guo Fu was no exception. In order to call these people here, he had made a promise.

Lin Zhen nodded: "Yes, I do have such a method here. My family has used this method for two years. In addition to planting, it is a bit troublesome when the seedlings grow up, but it really helped my family harvest more than half of the grain."

"In the past year, not only my family, but also people in our Liyu Village, the neighboring Datianzi Village, Tianwan Village, and Wayao Village, which is closer to you, have used it. The harvests are all the same as I said, with as little as 300 kilograms and as much as almost 400 kilograms."

Boom, the crowd exploded completely!

It's actually true!

The news that it can increase grain harvest is actually true!

Xiaogang Village is too remote, only slightly better than those small villages deep in the mountains, but they also know the existence of Datianzi Village, Tianwan Village, Wayao Village and other villages. If Lin Zhen is lying, they can spend some time to find people from these villages to verify and find out the truth.

They were immediately very excited and asked Lin Zhen what he was going to do.

There were more than thirty of them. Lin Zhen couldn't win the argument. He shouted several times before he could barely silence them. He said, "There are two ways. One is composting, and the other is to fertilize the crop seedlings according to a certain ratio. However, composting needs to be fermented for two or three months. Insufficient time will burn the seedlings and kill them. So Xiaogang Village can't use composting this year."

When the villagers heard that they couldn't use composting, they got anxious: "What should we do?!"

"Can't we have a good harvest this year?"

"Brother Zhen, is there really no other way?!"

Lin Zhen pressed his hand and said, "Composting can't be used, but the other one can be used. Everyone has a manure pit at home. Not only human and livestock manure, but you can also go to the mountains to cut Artemisia annua and pig grass and throw it in. It will be usable in ten days or half a month."

"But these fresh manure water has fire properties, so you need to add water to it. Mix one bucket of manure with four buckets of water. Pour it once when the seedlings are only as high as your fingers, and then pour it again when the seedlings grow to as high as your knees."

"Remember, every time you water, you must use a hoe to clear the weeds in the field, especially those next to the crop seedlings, otherwise the manure water will be eaten by the weeds, which in turn will squeeze the crop seedlings to death."

At this time, the farming method of every household was still very simple. They dug the land, plowed it, threw seeds, and then covered it with soil. They did not apply fertilizers or weed very carefully. They relied entirely on the vitality of the seeds themselves.

Originally, the seeds at this time were not cultivated, and the yield was low. If they were malnourished, it would be even worse. It was normal to harvest more than 100 kilograms per mu of land.

When the villagers heard that they were using things from the manure pit, they were a little surprised. Can the grain watered with such a pickled thing be eaten?

But seeing that Lin Zhen was not joking, they immediately remembered his words carefully.

After watering them with the proportion of manure water, Lin Zhen began to teach them how to compost. It was too late this year, but crops were not only planted for one year. After the autumn harvest, they could prepare for planting next year.

Lin Zhen demonstrated to them directly on the hillside next to Guo Fu's house what the sieved soil should look like, how much manure water to put in, and then wait for the compost to ferment until the soil inside changes color, and becomes loose, crisp, and a little oily. Only then is the compost truly fermented.

The crowd surrounded him in three layers, and he could only ask the people in front to squat so that the people behind could see. After

more than an hour, these people returned from Guo Fu's house. Lin Zhen's throat was about to smoke, and he drank two bowls of water before he recovered. He looked at Guo Fu and Guo Amo and said, "The method is simple, and you should all know how to do it. As long as you don't rush and don't add too much manure water, the crop seedlings won't be bad."

Guo Fu and the others looked at Lin Zhen with a different look. Surrounded by so many people, Lin Zhen was so calm and composed, different from anyone they had ever met.

Guo Fu even lowered his voice unconsciously: "Brother Zhen, I will thank you very much after the autumn harvest this year."

Lin Zhen sat on the stool and waved his hands: "Uncle, you are too polite. You are my father's only relative. Only when you are well can he be well."

Guo Fu and Lin's father have had a good relationship since childhood. He looked at his brother: "No matter what, I have to thank you. Tell uncle what you want to eat and uncle will go find it now."

"My uncle's food is the best. Let's eat!" Just kidding. Lin Zhen has not forgotten the lunch this year. Except for the fried bacon and cabbage, the rest are the standard of poor families, buckwheat dumplings, boiled radish, and a plate of fried bitter bamboo shoots.

He dare not ask for anything, because he might empty the family's coffers with just a casual mention.

After finishing his work, Lin's father came to find Lin Zhen and said that he planned to go back tomorrow and rest here for a night.

Lin Zhen naturally agreed. He looked at the sky outside which was a little dim with sunshine, and said to Guo Fu: "Uncle, are there any dangerous animals on the mountain behind your house?"

Guo Fu shook his head: "No, it's just a small hill with sparse trees. Those big animals don't come. What's the matter, brother Zhen, you want to go and have a look?"

"Yeah, I want to stretch my arms and legs." " Then

ask Xiaohua to go with you." Guo Yu's father-in-law and mother-in-law were also in the crowd who came to listen to Lin Zhen's explanation of composting and manure water. Guo Yu went back with them. Only Guo Xiaohua was left in the family who could go with Lin Zhen. "Xiaohua, go for a walk behind with your cousin. Remember to take care of your cousin and don't let him bump into anything."

Guo Xiaohua immediately stood up: "Okay."

"..." Lin Zhen wanted to say that he was a 19-year-old man and didn't need a child's protection. Looking at Xiaohua, who was skinny and almost a stick figure, he walked to the yard, "Then Xiaohua and I will go out to play for a while. Grandma, uncle, and father, you guys can talk slowly."

Grandma Guo's attitude of letting them go home changed. He looked at Lin Zhen, who looked like Guanyin Bodhisattva, sat on the stool and nodded, talking to Lin's father.

Lin Zhen and Guo Xiaohua walked side by side to the back mountain. There was still a little bit of snow on the mountain, which made the grass wet.

Lin Zhen, who was just out for a stroll, didn't expect to encounter anything. He just asked Guo Xiaohua, "Does this hill have a name?"

Guo Xiaohua was very introverted. He almost kept his mouth shut at all times and did whatever the adults asked him to do. He looked at Lin Zhen, who was dressed cleanly and looked good, with some trepidation and said, "No name. Many hills here don't have names."

As he spoke, his voice became smaller and smaller, and it disappeared completely as he lowered his head.

Lin Zhen looked at this 14-year-old cousin who was not as tall as Gu Shuanzi, and thought of what Lin's father said about him having arranged marriage last year. He licked his lips and said, "I heard from my father that you arranged marriage last year. Where are you going?"

Chapter 85

Guo Xiaohua's expression was a little stiff and a little confused: "Before, my father said to find someone in the village, close to home, but later it didn't happen. It seems that he said to go to a village in the mountains."

Xiaogang Village is already very remote. Going further into the mountains is a village like the one where Lin Dasao lives.

Lin Zhen didn't expect it to be so far away. If Guo Xiaohua married in such a place, the chances of coming back to visit in her lifetime would be less than ten fingers. Moreover, he looked too young, not to mention that he might get pregnant a few months after getting married, and then have a big belly.

Just thinking about it, Lin Zhen found it hard to accept.

He looked at Guo Xiaohua: "Then do you want to get married?"

"I don't know." Guo Xiaohua didn't dare to look him in the eye, and answered hesitantly. Many people in the village lived like this. He had several friends who either got married last year or planned to get married this year. They were all about the same age as him.

Even his brother was like this. He had a boy just one year after getting married, and now he was pregnant with another.

Suddenly, Guo Xiaohua had no idea what he was thinking, and he had the courage to look Lin Zhen in the face: "Cousin Zhenzhen, are you married? Are you living well after marriage?"

This question was a sure-fire way to kill.

The original body's marriage history could be described as a wonderful one, and he still had to clean up the mess.

He said to Guo Xiaohua: "I've been married twice before, and now I'm a widower, living with this son."

"Twice..." This was amazing in Guo Xiaohua's eyes, because he had never met anyone who had been married twice. It was totally unimaginable that a guy could be married twice.

Lin Zhen could only give a simple description of his marriage history, of course, leaving out the part of the original body's calculations, and only saying that they got married because they fell in love, and then they had personality conflicts the first time, and Gu Da died of drinking the second time.

He finally said to Guo Xiaohua: "If I had to choose, I might not have married yet. I was too young at that time, and I was confused to decide on such an important matter as marriage."

"But I am already fourteen years old this year. In two years, I will be too old and it will be difficult to find a husband." Guo Xiaohua didn't say that he couldn't find a suitable one now. The families with boys in the village thought that he was too thin and too young, and his pregnancy was not deep. It would be difficult to have children after marrying him.

So his father had no choice but to marry him to the mountains, at least the boys there didn't dislike him.

Lin Zhen said, "In two years, you will only be sixteen, not too old."

Guo Xiaohua listened to him, lowered her head, and said after a long time, "Actually, I don't want to marry in the mountains. I heard that it's far from my home and it takes several days to walk. In the future, if my father is sick, I won't be able to hear from him, and I won't be able to rush back."

"Brother Zhenzhen, do you think I told my father and father that we will get married in two years?"

"They are your father and father. As long as you say it, they will listen." At this point, Lin Zhen finally breathed a sigh of relief. He said those words to Guo Xiaohua just to see this child come up with his own ideas.

Although he felt pity for Guo Xiaohua, if Guo Xiaohua insisted on doing it herself, he couldn't jump out and be the one to interfere in other people's affairs.

Fortunately, Guo Xiaohua still had some ideas of her own and would say the three words "I don't want".

Lin Zhen looked at Guo Xiaohua, who finally had a little smile on his face. He bent down and grabbed the remaining snow on the haystack. He quickly pinched a little rabbit and handed it to him: "Let's go up, and when we reach the top of the hill, we'll go down and go home."

"Okay." The little rabbit pinched out of the snow was only slightly bigger than a thumb. Guo Xiaohua spread his hands, afraid that he would crush it.

He looked at Lin Zhen who was walking in front of him, and touched the little rabbit carefully. He felt that cousin Zhenzhen was really handsome, just like this little rabbit, white and icy, and he wanted to hold it in his palm at first sight.

The two walked to the top of the hill, looked at the other hills around, and then came down. The little rabbit also melted into water because of the temperature in his palm.

Guo Xiaohua took a deep breath and walked to Guo Fulang: "Father, I want to tell you something."

He was also introverted at home. Guo Fulang and Guo Fu were used to his silent nature. Suddenly, when they heard him say that he had something to say, they couldn't help but soften their voices, "What is it, Xiaohua?"

Guo Fulang's softer tone than usual gave Guo Xiaohua some courage. He looked up at Guo Fulang and said, "I want to get married in two years, is that okay?"

Guo Fulang frowned, "Why do you suddenly have this plan? Before the New Year, I asked the people in the village to inquire about the opinions of several families in the mountains for you. Two families also have the idea of ​​​​marriage, and they are planning to visit after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month."

After the words were out, Guo Xiaohua broke the jar and said, "I don't want to marry in the mountains. It's too far away from our home. I want to come back to see you in the future, but you and father can't come."

"But you are not young anymore. Your brother was about the same age as you when he got engaged, so he had a boy smoothly and now he is pregnant again." In Guo's opinion, the younger you are, the easier it is to have a child. It will be difficult when you are older. And it is harder for a boy to get pregnant than a girl. If you don't get married at a good age, what will you do in the future? Under

Guo's continuous bad offensive, Guo Xiaohua was a little confused. He didn't know how to refute his father. He felt that his idea was not wrong, but his father's argument was also right.

Lin Zhen sighed and said, "Uncle, I can understand Xiaohua's idea. My eldest sister-in-law was married in the mountains. It has been almost ten years now, and she has only been back three times. She can't even hear the news from home. She wants to go back, but she can't leave the things here."

"Xiaohua is only fourteen, it's appropriate to raise her for another two years before getting married. Besides, isn't the family planning to use compost and manure? This year and beyond will be a bumper year, and he can be raised to be plump and white. Maybe the marriage can be settled in the village, just like Yu Ge'er, who can be seen from time to time."

After teaching the villagers to compost manure, and knowing from Lin's father that Lin Zhen actually opened a shop in the town by himself and sent his stepson to school, Lin Zhen's words became very useful to Guo Fulang.

Listening to Lin Zhen's words, he couldn't help but put his thoughts aside and thought carefully.

Indeed, the mountains are too far away, and Xiaohua can't even see her once all year round. Besides, Xiaohua is short and small, and she will definitely suffer in the mountains.

Just as Lin Zhen said, since we have to use compost and manure this year, there will definitely be more food at home. Then we can take good care of Xiaohua and increase her dowry. Even if she can't marry into the village, she can marry somewhere closer to her.

After thinking it over again and again, Guo Fulang gritted his teeth and agreed to Guo Xiaohua, but he also said that they must get married before the age of seventeen in two years at the latest.

Guo Xiaohua couldn't help but smile, and he turned to look at Lin Zhen and smiled.

-

After resting for a night at Guo's house, Lin Zhen and Lin's father were about to set off for home after lunch the next day. Seeing Guo Fu and Guo Fulang stuffing things into their backpacks, the two refused again and again.

But Guo Fu was stubborn and insisted that Lin Adie accept it. Lin Adie had no choice but to accept the bag of sorghum cakes, which weighed about three or four pounds, and the jar of pickled fruits in a pottery jar that Guo Amo stuffed in.

If it weren't for the custom that he couldn't take back the things he brought, Guo Fu and the others would probably have given them the pork trotters and bacon. What they could give was really too little to be presented.

"Uncle and aunt, you should go back soon. Don't send me off." Lin Zhen, carrying a backpack, looked at Guo Fu and Guo Fulang beside him. The couple had already sent them to the ridge leading to Xiaogang Village, and they were already half an hour away from home.

Guo Fu and Guo Fulang, who were persuaded again and again, said, "Then we will send them here. Be careful on the road and don't fall."

"Yes, I'll wait for the good news about your autumn harvest this year." This was the happiest time for Lin's father to go home. He didn't have to face the sad expressions of his father and brother forever. The whole family had a goal and their faces were bright.

Guo Fu laughed heartily: "I will pick up my brother to play when the time comes, and Zhen Ge'er and the others will come too."

"Okay, then we'll go." Lin's father and Lin Zhen waved to the two of them and turned to walk towards the mountain road.

It took almost the same time as when they came here. It was already dark when they entered Liyu Village. Fortunately, they walked in a hurry and got down from the winding mountain road at the last second before dark.

As soon as Lin Zhen and Lin's father entered Xialiyu Village, Uncle Ji, who lived in Xialiyu Village, suddenly called them: "Zhen Ge'er Lin Fulang, why are you back at this time?" "

?"

Lin Zhen and Lin's father looked at each other. What's wrong with coming back at this time? What's wrong?

Uncle Ji said hurriedly: "Li Zhaodi brought a matchmaker to your house today. The matchmaker was so good at talking that she said Xiaoyao and Li Jiu were a perfect match. Many people who watched the fun said that the two were a good match."

"But your family doesn't seem to like this marriage, and they can't drive the matchmaker away, which makes the villagers confused." Uncle Ji is a person in the village who likes to go to crowded places. Today, he also went to the Lin family to watch the fun, but he and many people thought that the Li and Lin families had agreed and just wanted to get some of the joy.

Who would have thought that something was wrong as they watched. Lin Xiaoyao didn't want to marry Li Jiu at all. After Sister Lin couldn't convince the matchmaker and Li Zhaodi, she directly said that she had never had any relationship with Li Jiu, so that the Li family gave up.

But the previous affairs of the two families were known to everyone, and Lin Xiaoyao's sudden regret was simply shocking. Combined with some of the rumors that had been spread in the village before, everyone was muttering in their hearts, could it be that Lin Xiaoyao had become rich and looked down on Li Jiu after he became successful in the town?

But no matter what, the two families had given each other tokens, and this would not harm the Li family and Li Jiu.

Due to the reputation of the Lin family in the village, everyone dared not say it openly, but they could not help but talk about it behind their backs.

If it were before, Uncle Ji would also be one of these people, but he had been dealing with Lin Zhen and Lin Xiaoyao for so long, and he knew Lin Zhen's temper best. With a brother like Lin Zhen, Lin Xiaoyao would definitely not be that kind of person, and I'm afraid there is some misunderstanding. .

Chapter 86

"The Li family invited a matchmaker to my house?" Lin Zhen's voice was frighteningly cold. If you were to ask who was closest to him and the most important in the Lin family, besides Lin Adie, it was Lin Xiaoyao.

He taught the child to read and write, and took him to the town to do business. He had already included the child in his circle. As for the other people in the Lin family, it was not that Lin Zhen was cold-blooded, but that they did not stay together for a long time. They only saw each other once every two or three months, so naturally their feelings were not as deep as Lin Xiaoyao's.

Uncle Ji felt that Lin Zhen in front of him was frighteningly cold, and said, "Yes, he went there at noon today, and didn't leave until the afternoon. He left the betrothal gifts at your house, and then Xiaoyao threw them outside, and no one dared to pick them up."

After asking, Lin Zhen took the already anxious Lin Adie back home. When they walked outside the yard, they saw things scattered all over the ground with the help of a little light from the window, including sugar cakes, dried red dates, raw peanuts, two pieces of cloth, and a piece of pork.

This is the rule here. When you visit for the first time, you only need to bring these. The bulk of the betrothal gifts should be brought in the day before the official wedding. That day happens to be the main wedding banquet, and each item should be brought out for everyone to see. Whether

a boy or girl will marry gloriously or not depends on this day.

The Li family has a lot of betrothal gifts, even more generous than many other families, but they should never do anything to force someone to drink water.

"Knock knock knock," knocking on the gate, Lin Zhen called for someone, "My father and I are back, come and open the door."

Several people walked out of the house, and their faces looked unhappy. Lin Xiaoyao ran over to open the door for him, raised his head and looked at him, his eyes a little red, but he looked energetic: "Third brother..."

"Let's talk inside."

"Yes." Lin Xiaoyao nodded and walked into the house shoulder to shoulder with him.

Father Lin was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead. He even gasped for breath and asked: "We just entered the village and heard Ji Fulang say that the Li family brought a matchmaker to propose marriage. What's going on?!"

As soon as he said that, Sister Lin stood up and said: "The Li family is really too much. They didn't inform anyone in advance and came directly with a matchmaker and a betrothal gift to propose Xiaoyao. They also said that Xiaoyao and Li Jiu's relationship is a done deal and asked our family to agree quickly to avoid ruining Xiaoyao's reputation!"

Sister Lin was the first to stand it when the Li family came today. She argued with Li Zhaodi and the matchmaker, but Li Zhaodi and the matchmaker were both good at talking. Sister Lin was speechless

. Brother Lin, Brother Lin and Sister Lin were not good at speaking. After finding out that Lin Xiaoyao had no relationship with the Li family, they gritted their teeth and refused to give in. The younger ones were even more helpless.

When Father Lin thought of the scene at that time, he was so furious that he turned around and walked out: "I'm going to ask Li Zhaodi if she felt guilty about doing this! I always talk to her nicely every time she comes!"

"Father, if she pretends to be asleep when you go there late at night, you won't even be able to get in the door."

"Then just swallow your anger and accept this marriage!?" Father Lin was so angry that his chest heaved violently. If Li Zhaodi were here, she would probably kick him and slap him.

Lin Zhen comforted him: "If you want to make trouble, you should find a time when there are many people around, just like she came here at noon today."

"But father, the Li family has done this. Even if Xiaoyao and Li Jiu have no relationship at all, they will inevitably be talked about, and the marriage may be hindered." In fact, the Li family is so unscrupulous, betting that the Lin family dare not make decisions with Xiaoyao's reputation and marriage. A little boy, before getting married, is involved with a little boy. In the future, there will be few people who come to propose marriage. Even if there are, they may grumble about Xiaoyao's past.

And because of the Li family's year-long preparation, this situation will only become more serious, which is also the part that Lin Zhen is most worried about.

Lin Xiaoyao stiffened her neck, and her red eyes were firm: "Even if I go to the nunnery to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddha in this life, I will never marry Li Jiu!"

"What are you talking about? You are already sixteen this year." Lin's father did not want Lin Xiaoyao to marry Li Jiu, but he also hoped that Lin Xiaoyao would live a prosperous life. What about eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddha is simply digging into his heart.

"Dad, what I make in a month with my third brother is more than any other boy or man can make. I can live well without them, so what's the point of getting married?"

"Getting married means finding someone to spend the rest of your life with. You two will have a place to talk to each other, and if you have a few children in the future, life will be better ."

Seeing that the father and son couldn't convince each other and were getting a little excited, Lin Zhen quickly interrupted: "As long as Xiaoyao can stand on his own, he is not afraid of anything. Dad, if someone like Li Zhaodi becomes our in-law, our future life will be restless."

"After breakfast tomorrow, our family will all go to the door of the Li family. We won't be satisfied until we call them out."

"Is this okay?"

"We have to do it anyway. Since it has come to this, if we don't go back, others will just think that we have acquiesced to her words and have made some kind of agreement with their family."

"Now let's see who has the loudest voice and who yells the most fiercely." Lin Zhen patted Lin Xiaoyao on the shoulder and told him not to worry. After all, Lin Xiaoyao was still young and had never experienced anything like this. If his family was not strong enough, he would probably feel bad in his heart and in the future. As soon as

Lin Zhen spoke, the atmosphere, which had been somewhat depressed, finally stopped falling. It was strange to say that although there were still Lin's father, elder brother Lin and second brother Lin at home, everyone was used to seeing him, as if as long as he was there, there was nothing to worry about.

After discussing together for a while, everyone washed their faces and feet and went to sleep. Lin Zhen looked at Lin Xiaoyao, who was lying in the bed with his eyes wide open. He folded his cotton robe and put it on the table, then opened the quilt and lay down in it: "Go to bed quickly. There are a lot of things to do tomorrow and you will be busy."

Lin Xiaoyao suddenly reached out and hugged his waist, rubbing her head against his shoulder: "Third brother, is a person's reputation really that important? Is it that important whether or not to get married?"

The two are of the same gender, both are brothers, and look like men. If it were when he first got here, Lin Zhen would also have goose bumps all over the floor, feeling like he was doing something bad.

But now he has slowly gotten used to it. He pulled up the quilt that Lin Xiaoyao had opened, covering his shoulders and back: "Let's talk about the first question you asked. Is a person's reputation important? Of course it is important. It's very important. Let's not talk about the distant past. Take the case where Cai Jinzhu falsely accused me of having an affair with Qian Jingyuan. Although I won, didn't our shop's business decline as much as before, with half of the income reduced?"

"Because in the eyes of those people, I am no longer the same person as them. I have a "stain" on me. They think that what I do is not worthy of them."

"And when they encounter the same thing, they will think of me first and say something about me." Lin Zhen had never experienced this before. Everyone used to praise him so much, even mythical him, talking about his milk tea, his spicy hot pot, his "Mei Niang" and "Xun Xian", as if they would not keep up with the trend if they did not discuss things related to Zhen Youwei Xiaoshizhai.

When they found that he could not be so perfect, they completely denied everything about him, as if the things they had discussed before did not exist.

This group of people even stepped on them more harshly than those who joined in halfway.

He said, "So you see how important reputation is. It can bring things, but when you lose it, you will also lose a lot, perhaps gold and silver, or perhaps the comfort of your survival in this place." "But

Xiaoyao, it's not that important either. Do what you think is right. Even if other people's eyes and words are sharp, don't be scared by them. Time will give you the answer."

Lin Xiaoyao leaned on Lin Zhen's shoulder. The flesh on his face felt soft as his body moved slightly when he spoke. He liked the third brother talking to him so much. No matter how scared or uncomfortable he was, it would be soothed one by one.

He said, "What if I had four or five years, or even seven or eight years?"Lin Jin looked down at him: "After four or five years you were twenty-one, twenty-three in seven or eight years, when all the friends around you should have become relatives, and the children were seven or eight years old."

Actually, according to Lin's true idea, this age is still young, Twenty-seven eight not late, but the different requirements of the times are also different, Little has been affected by his own life, have a vague idea of what you're going to do, If he could become a relative at the age of twenty-seven eighty-three, He was ostracized by the times and missed some good people, He will suffer in the latter half of his life.

So he folded, "Each of us does one thing, And some of those things will come true in the future, You want to understand, if you become a parent at the age of twenty-two, What questions do you have to really solve, What are the consequences that you can solve, what are the consequences that you can't solve. "

"If you feel you can bear the consequences, do it as you wish.""If you can't take it, think twice."

This is also Lin Zhen's own work guidelines, whether to Gu Dao after the death of the back home, or to take the embolism back to live, or in the town, he is well thought out.So far, the only accident is the County Governor because of Cai Jinzhu Roaring Public Hall of ten plates...

"Sometimes I wonder if you are my brother or not," said Lin, rubbing his face on his shoulder and muttering.Lin was stiff: "Yes?""Yeah, you're not like anything else, You haven't been in love with Jing Yuan for a while, It always hurts you, often lazy, Turn my affairs to me, and often play with several children in the village, there is something to eat every day. "

"But I hope you will always be the same, and I like you now."

To be honest, Lin is still a bit of a dumb fire, and how, he also used the original body, the original soul is inexplicable.

He patted Lin on the shoulder: "Know you like me, go to bed."Lin Xiaoyu Well, nod, not only the head from his shoulder, but also arched his chest arches, hands placed on his waist.

Lin caught his hand: "You're going to sleep a little bit, too hot!""Hey," Lin laughed a little inexplicably, with two hands pinching his waist, looking up to him and saying, "Brother, your waist is really fine, my two hands are almost finished."

"......"Lin Zhen's brains came out, he didn't want to be so thin!What a great gentleman wants to do with such a thin waist, let alone his ass...What yingdang ass!

When he took a bath, he never looked at it, afraid of spitting blood.Lin Xiaoyu passed two hands, quickly rolled back to the original position to sleep, Lin really hurried to roll to the belly on the underwear down, the quilt pulled to the chin.The next day, Lin Zhen was still asleep half-dreamed, and heard Lin Ate calling him: "True, awake?"

He did not know what he had dreamed of, his waist leg sour and soft, and heard Lin's voice gently, "Wake up, I get up immediately."

The little forest that slept beside him was no longer there, and it was not known when it had started.

Lin Zhen dressed in his trousers and went out of bed to the stove room, and saw that the dark-eyed Lin Ate was scooping hot water into the basin, and saw him out: "The water has been scooped up for you, you go out and add some cold water."

"Oh, well," said Lin, who had not slept well all night, and was worried about going to Li's house in the meantime, Lin went out, pouring water from a bamboo cup and washing his face.

And all the men of the house rose up, and in the courtyard stood the Father, And Lin Zhiko dressed his youngest child under the eaves, Only two years old, talking very well, The face is chubby because it eats at home, She is lifting her feet under the guidance of Lin Zhiko.

When Lin had finished washing, she set the basin by the wall and returned to the stove: "Adie, cook the noodles and eat the others."

"I have no appetite. I don't want to eat. Look at your brothers."

"People are iron rice is steel, do not eat or drink how, I look, "Lin opened the cupboard next to the stove head and looked, See the bowl full of chopped fresh meat foam, "Have an idea," eat dumplings, You go and cut some leeks in the ground, The sister-in-law you stripped the two shoots of the corner of the wall, me and my face. "

"Well, this is to be cut." Lin Daisuo said, "Get up and take a sickle to cut the leek, Lin Yosuo took the two shoots from the corner of the wall to the yard, and Lishuo peeled the shell."

Lin really scooped a large laden wheat flour, added water and opened.There are few local cultivated wheat, these wheat flour is still bought when Lin Zhen came back, more than sorghum rice and buckwheat is more than half expensive, but the taste is also rough sorghum rice and buckwheat is not comparable.

When his face was reconciled, Lin's sister-in-law and Lin's sister-in-law had taken the cut leek festival and shoots, Lin Jin boiled the water, first of all sprinkled the shoots, Pick it up and drain, then take a large bowl and put the shoots and mince inside, Stir clockwise with seasoning, Then there's another leek stuffed.

Then put the rolled dumpling skin on the palm, add the stuffing, the water boil after the dumpling skin, cooked until the dumpling skin floats up and cooked."Come for breakfast," Lin said.

Chapter 87

The fillings in the dumpling wrappers are not as much as the dumplings themselves, so they taste different. Although everyone is still worried about Lin Xiaoyao, they still eat a lot.

After breakfast, Lin Zhen saw that it was about nine or ten o'clock, so he called the Lin family members who were all gathered together: "Let's go to the Li family to find Li Zhaodi."

"Let's go!"

"We must make this clear today. Why are you bullying our Xiaoyao?"

"That's right."

Everyone was actually waiting for this sentence. Lin Ersao asked Lin Zhen very directly: "Third brother, do you want to carry the hoe?!"

Lin Zhen looked at his second sister-in-law, who was a head taller than him, and his expression that said "if you say you can carry me, I will carry it immediately", and hurriedly said: "We are going to reason, not to fight, so there is no need for a hoe. There may be a shoveling at that time. Second sister-in-law, please take care of Dad and the little ones."

"Don't worry, leave it to me!" Lin Ersao patted her chest. The muscles on her strong and powerful arms were firm, and she looked very safe.

Lin Zhen sat at the front, followed by father Lin and father Lin, then elder brother Lin, second brother Lin, elder sister-in-law Lin, second sister-in-law Lin, and behind them were youngest Lin, Lin Zhuzi, Lin Shitou and others.

At this time, everyone in the village got up. After breakfast, the family sat together and chatted. Those who lived next to the Lin family were the first to notice the mighty Lin family. The words were on the tip of their tongues and they couldn't get them out. They pulled their head and said, "Look, where are the Lin family going?"

The man he pulled looked in the direction of his finger and said, "Are they going to Li Zhaodi's house to ask for an explanation? It was clear from the Lin family's behavior yesterday that they didn't want to marry youngest to them."

"When did the two families decide to exchange the message for the token? Didn't they say they were going to get married, but suddenly they're making a fuss again?" The aunt didn't understand why the Lin family accepted the token but regretted it. Although Li Zhaodi was a little annoying, the Li family was a wealthy family in the village, and Li Jiu was not bad, and he was a good match for youngest.

Her husband said, "The Li family said it all. What can we outsiders know?"

Auntie stood up and walked out: "I'll go and see."

Lin Zhen and the Lin family did not intend to hide anything. When they met those who asked, they said directly: "Aunt Li is vying to be my brother-in-law. I want to ask him how he got such a big face. First, he did not discuss it with my father and second, he did not ask for our family's opinion. On the third day of the third lunar month, he brought the matchmaker to forcibly throw those rags to my house. Did he think that my family was easy to bully or did Aunt Li think that no one would punish her for doing such a forced sale?"

Lin Zhen's words were so tactful that people were shocked and doubted the rumor that the two families had a good relationship and were about to become in-laws.

No matter what, we must go and see this excitement!

More and more people followed the Lin family. When they arrived at the Li family, it was already crowded.

Lin Zhen looked at the gate of the Li family's courtyard and knocked on it: "Aunt Li, I'm Lin Zhen. I have something to ask Aunt Li. Please open the door for me."

Li Zhaodi in the room was cracking melon seeds and talking to her sister-in-law. They talked about waiting for Lin Xiaoyao to come in and asking Li Jiu to coax him to get the shop and the recipe, and then marry Li Jiu a good girl to have two children in three years.

Suddenly, she heard a sound from outside, and the melon seeds she was about to throw into her mouth deviated and fell to the ground in the corner of her mouth.

She paused and looked at her sister-in-law: "Let me hear who it is and why she is so rude."

Li Zhaodi's sister-in-law crossed her legs, spitting out melon seed shells, and raised her hands painted with Kou Dan: "Oh, sister, you won't be beaten by the Lin family, will you? I told you not to be so hasty about this, but you didn't listen to me."

"It's okay. The Lin family is a well-known honest family in the village. They can't cause any trouble. Besides, Lin Xiaoyao's pregnancy mole is so light. It's a huge advantage for his family to marry my son. How could they cause trouble to me?"

"The other people in his family are honest. Lin Zhen, who runs a shop in the town, is different. He stirs up trouble in the town. Even Madam Qian from the capital couldn't get away with it."

"I've heard about that, too. Madam Qian just made a fuss based on some hearsay. No wonder she is no match for Lin Zhen," Li Zhaodi was confident of victory. "But Lin Xiaoyao is his younger brother. If the fight is too ugly, it will be very detrimental to Lin Xiaoyao's reputation."

"Lin Xiaoyao is sixteen this year. Boys are not as easy to marry as girls. If he is two years later, he can only marry some widowers, lame or dumb ones. Can Lin really ignore his brother's life or death?" "

I am afraid that even if he agrees, his father and father will not agree, and Lin Xiaoyao will not agree either."

Li Zhaodi's sister-in-law thought about it and felt that Li Zhaodi's method was really good. She could easily take down the Lin family without doing anything.

She said, "It's okay if you have your own ideas. Remember what we agreed. You will want the spicy hot pot recipe and I will want the milk tea recipe."

"Remember, you will definitely not be deprived of any benefits."

Li Zhaodi was satisfied. If her sister-in-law's family had not opened a restaurant in the town and forced her brother to marry into the family, she would not have shared even a little bit of the benefits.

She had already thought about it. The milk tea recipe could only belong to her Li family. When this woman gave birth to her brother's child and could no longer jump, she would let her brother take this woman back to her hometown. When the child was older, she would send him to the restaurant to learn some skills from the accountant. In the future, he would take over the accountant's position. The restaurant would still be named after her Li family.

Li Zhaodi was smart since she was a child. She would do everything she could to get what she wanted. From small things like the best grass to food to big things like marriage with Li Jiu's father, she fought for everything.

She clapped her hands, threw the melon seeds back into the basket, straightened her back, and opened the courtyard door with a smile on her face: "I was wondering why the magpies on the tree were chirping so early in the morning. It turned out that there were distinguished guests. Come in and have a couple of cups of light tea."

Farmers all drank plain water. Tea was precious and not a necessity. Few families could afford it. When Li Zhaodi opened her mouth, the wealth of the Li family was revealed.

Seeing that she treated him as if he did not exist, Lin Zhen went to greet Lin's father and Lin's father beside him and said, "Aunt Li, there's no need to bother so much. I've got more than ten people here to ask you a few questions today. You can leave after you've answered clearly. We won't bother you for a moment."

Seeing that Lin Zhen was so aggressive, Li Zhaodi's expression did not change, but there was something different in her eyes, "Brother Zhen, what you said is right. We are almost relatives. We still have a lot of time to talk."

"Relatives?" Lin Zhen said loudly, "Everyone in the village knows my family's background. The only real relatives are my second uncle's family, but we haven't visited each other for many years. Besides, Aunt Li, your surname is Li, and mine is Lin. We are not even remotely related."

"Aunt Li, let's be frank. You deliberately spread the news of your family and my family's marriage in the village before, making people in the village mistakenly think that Xiaoyao was going to marry the son of the Li family. What on earth were you thinking!" Having

said this, her face was completely torn.

Li Zhaodi's face darkened instantly. This was not what he thought. How could the Lin family allow him to do whatever he wanted? Did they not care about Lin Xiaoyao's life or death? !

She stared at Lin Zhen, "Brother Zhen, what you said is really unpleasant to the ear. When I went to your house to propose marriage that day, your father personally agreed. The next day, he gave me two bags of sugar cakes as a token of trust. I also distributed the sugar cakes to the people in the village. Everyone can testify to this."

Lin's father did not expect Li Zhaodi to be so confused. He said angrily, "I didn't give you a clear answer when you came to propose..."

Before Lin's father finished speaking, Li Zhaodi interrupted him, "When I proposed to find a husband for Xiaojiu and mentioned your Xiaoyao, you looked so happy and said that you also watched Xiaojiu grow up and trusted him very much. It would be the best if Xiaoyao and he were destined to be together."

"Mr. Lin, we should be honest in our conduct. I am not forcing you to say these words, am I?"

Father Lin moved his lips and said, "Yes, I was also arranging the marriage of Xiaoyao at that time. You came to my house in person and took the initiative to propose, which made me interested, but I rejected you the next day."

Li Zhaodi looked as if you were lying, and said to the villagers who followed them, "Mr. Lin, how could you reject me? Not only did you agree, you also sent me two bags of sugar cakes as a souvenir, and said that you would let my family propose marriage in two months and arrange the marriage of the two children."

"But soon your family sent Lin Xiaoyao to town to do business with his brother Lin Zhen, and gradually stopped talking about this marriage. I guess Xiaoyao saw too many dignitaries in town, so he didn't take my Xiaojiu seriously and wanted to find another high-ranking man." When

Lin's father heard Li Zhaodi slandering his son in front of him, he immediately yelled back, "You are such a scary person. I felt sorry for you after I rejected you that day, so I gave you two bags of sweets and cakes and personally sent you out. I didn't expect you to--"

Li Zhaodi suddenly changed the subject and knelt down in front of Lin's father with a grievance, "My dear, if your family hadn't refused to recognize this marriage, I wouldn't have come to your house with a betrothal gift on the third day of the New Year."

"Xiao Jiu has been waiting for Xiao Yao for a year. Now they are grown up. Do we have to ask him to wait for another year or two?"

She knelt so hard that people who were close to her could hear the sound of bones hitting the ground. Father Lin was disgusted by her and didn't want her to kneel to him at all. He turned his body to one side and tried to turn away.

Lin Zhen held Father Lin's shoulders to prevent him from turning around: "Since Aunt Li wants to kneel, Father, you have to bear it. It's not that you can't bear it."

Li Zhaodi's legs twitched as she knelt on the ground. She couldn't believe what she heard. She was of the same generation as Mr. Lin, and her family background was much better than Mr. Lin's. If it wasn't for a show, she would never kowtow to Mr. Lin even if she was crazy.

She looked at Lin Zhen with resentment, almost wanting to tear his skin off.

Lin Zhen said, "Aunt Li, I heard what you said just now. You said that my father did not reject you, and even used the sugar cake as a token of trust to verbally settle the marriage between the two families?"

"Yes, that was the decision made by your father!"

"You also said that my family took Xiaoyao to the town to do business and did not allow him to marry Li Jiu, so you had to resort to this desperate measure. Not only did you spread rumors about the two families' planned marriage in the village, but you also brought betrothal gifts to force the marriage, right?"

"I had no choice!" Li Zhaodi said firmly, "If your family had not seen that Lin Xiaoyao could do business in the town and had some prospects, and did not marry her into our Li family, how could I not take into account our years of friendship!"

"Well, since Aunt Li thinks that my Lin family is a family that doesn't keep its word and despises the poor and loves the rich, then I have to make a few excuses."

Li Zhaodi knew that Lin Zhen was not as soft as Lin's father, and she didn't want Lin Zhen to say anything unfavorable to her, so she opened her mouth and interrupted him.

Lin Zhen immediately said, "Sister-in-law, hold her down and cover her mouth. Don't let her foam at the mouth like she did just now, when my father didn't finish a word!"

My goodness, when this sentence came out, not to mention the onlookers, even Sister-in-law Lin and Sister-in-law who were called by name were a little stunned.

They were going to take action now!

Li Zhaodi didn't expect Lin Zhen to be so arrogant. He dared to ask people to press him in front of so many people in broad daylight. She looked at Lin Zhen fiercely and pointed at his nose: "Lin Zhen, you little bitch, how dare you!"

"Sister-in-law, do it." Sister-in-law

Lin was still a little hesitant. Oh my God, she used to think that the third brother was the most polite and gentle in the family. He would discuss everything with others. She didn't expect that the third brother was so wild. She couldn't keep up!

If the eldest and second brothers Lin, who had seen Lin Zhen chopping Ma's and Zhou Tao's houses with an axe, heard her voice, they would definitely shake their heads violently. No, no, no, they are just big brothers! Sister-in-law Lin

didn't care so much. After hearing Lin Zhen say it for the second time, she immediately grabbed Li Zhaodi's hand. Sister-in-law Lin also reacted and asked for help.

Li Zhaodi started to curse fiercely. Second Sister Lin, who thought her third brother was good in every way, frowned when she heard it. She didn't care about anything else. Relying on her height which was taller than that of ordinary men, she grabbed Li Zhaodi tightly and tied her hands behind her back.

Li Zhaodi cried and screamed: "Why did you touch me, brother? I am innocent. I want to jump into the river and die. I want the King of Hell to give me justice!"

Zhao Xiu said in a tiger-like voice: "Why is my innocence not innocent? This is the first time I have been touched by a woman. Before, it was only my second sister Lin."

"..."

Lin Zhen couldn't help but give a thumbs up to his second sister-in-law in his heart. This sentence was invincible.

With Second Sister Lin in charge, First Sister Lin just covered Li Zhaodi's mouth tightly with her hand.

Lin Zhen looked at the speechless Li Zhaodi, glanced at the onlookers and said, "Uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters-in-law in the village, it's not that I'm bullying you, it's my Lin family that's been wronged."

"This Li Zhaodi tells both truth and lies. It's true that she did come to my house during the Chinese New Year last year, and talked to my father about Xiaoyao's marriage to her son Li Jiu. At that time, my father thought that the Li family had more than 20 acres of land and a well-off family. It would be perfect for Xiaoyao to marry into their family, so he was very happy and called Xiaoyao to talk to him."

Lin Xiaoyao said from the side, "My father came to me at that time and told me about this."

The onlookers felt that Lin Zhen was a little too strong, and according to Li Zhaodi's words, the Lin family did do something wrong, but with the credit of composting and the fact that Lin Zhen was a promising man in the village and opened a shop in town, they did not completely ignore what he said.

Chapter 88

"At that time, Xiaoyao also told me about this. What he meant was that he was not too old and wanted to learn business from me and earn some money to support himself. The marriage could be discussed in two years. Then he told my father this clearly."

"After thinking it over, my father agreed to his suggestion. When Li Zhaodi came to the door the next day, he rejected her and gave her two bags of cakes."

"Our family thought that the matter was over. After all, the Li family is a well-known family in the village. Why would they insist on Xiaoyao? Unexpectedly, when we learned about this again, it turned out that our two families were going to get married? Marriage, what kind of marriage?"

Lin Zhen explained the dispute between the two families in just a few words. He looked at the villagers who didn't know whether to believe it or not, and looked at Li Zhaodi whose eyes were about to burst into fire: "All of you fellow villagers should have heard what Li Zhaodi said before, that she wanted to find a good girl for her son. Why did she suddenly change her mind and find a boy?"

"Besides, Xiaoyao was fifteen last year, and Li Jiu is two years older than him. If Li Zhaodi really wanted to get married, why didn't she come to my house to propose a year earlier, but only now?"

"Not to mention the nonsense that my father used sugar cakes as a token of love. No matter how poor our Lin family is, it wouldn't be so shabby." The reason

why rumors are rumors is that there are people who believe them. Lin Zhen has already seen this in his own case. He doesn't expect that his words can completely reverse the situation and make everyone believe him.

He just wants to plant a seed of doubt in everyone's heart. It is true that Li Zhaodi said that she wanted to find a girl, and it is true that the time when she went to the Lin family to propose marriage happened to be when the Lin family had some momentum. It is also true that she used sugar cakes that are not worth much money as a token of love. What he has to do is to keep watering this seed and wait for it to break through the ground and grow into a towering tree.

After saying what he wanted to say, Lin Zhen said to the eldest and second sister-in-law Lin: "Let Aunt Li go. We have come to this point and our attitudes are clear. Anyway, the Lin and Li families will never become relatives, and Xiaoyao will never marry Li Jiu. We will go our separate ways in the future." As soon as

she was let go, the furious Li Zhaodi suddenly rushed up to hit Lin Zhen, cursing: "What right does a little whore who was divorced by her husband have to speak nonsense here? All the men in the Lin family are dead, there is no one left!"

"I tell you, Lin Xiaoyao has to marry whether she wants to or not. He is a member of my Li family in life and a ghost of my Li family in death. If anyone dares to propose marriage to your family, I will ruin it."

She jumped up so quickly that the eldest and second sister-in-law Lin, who were pulling her, didn't react. Lin Zhen was standing in the front again, and the others behind her were too late to make a move.

Suddenly, Gu Shuanzi, who was standing next to Lin Zhen, kicked Li Zhaodi in the chest. It was unknown how much force he used, but Li Zhaodi sat on the ground with her buttocks, holding her chest and screaming.

Lin Zhen was shocked, thinking that this boy's reaction speed was too fast and his strength was too fierce. He was simply born to fight.

He pulled Gu Shuanzi behind him and said to Li Zhaodi on the ground: "Li Zhaodi, you are so stubborn that you are holding on to my brother of the Lin family. People who don't know would think that your son has some hidden illness and you have to find someone to fill the hole."

"Bullshit!" Li Zhaodi would never let others think that there was anything wrong with her son. "My son is fine. He will have many children and grandchildren in the future!"

Lin Xiaoyao, who was standing behind Lin Zhen, said: "Since he wants to have many children and grandchildren, why do you insist that he marry me? My pregnancy mole is so light that it is destined to be difficult to have children. I am afraid that I will not be able to have children in my whole life. How can he have many children and grandchildren?"

"Xiaoyao..." Lin Zhen didn't want him to say this. It was tantamount to exposing his shortcomings that could not be changed in front of others.

Lin Xiaoyao shook his hand and said, "Third brother, it is a fact that my pregnancy mole is light. Do they really think we don't know what the Li family is planning? Isn't it just because we have compost and you have opened a shop in town, and they want to marry me to get these things for free?"

The crowd was discussing again. Some people who had been shaken by Lin Zhen's words thought that this statement was true. After all, the Li family was a rich family in the village, and there was no reason to help the poor and marry Lin Xiaoyao.

Just as Lin Xiaoyao said, his pregnancy mole was too light, similar to his third brother Lin Zhen. Lin Zhen had no children in the Qian family for a year, and had been married to Gu Da for two years without getting pregnant. Maybe he would never have his own children in his life.

What can the Li family want?

After thinking about it, they can only want the shop and the prescription in Lin Zhen's hands.

Suddenly, just when everyone was wavering, Li Jiu, who had gone somewhere, appeared. He looked at Li Zhaodi on the ground, then looked at the aggressive Lin family, especially Lin Zhen, and walked over to help Li Zhaodi up.

Li Zhaodi slapped him on the back: "Where are you and your father? I was bullied to death, and they still don't recognize your marriage with Xiaoyao, so you waited for a year in vain!"

She told Li Jiu last night that if the Lin family sent someone to talk, he would insist that he had waited for Lin Xiaoyao for a year, and not say anything else.

Seeing that the situation was not favorable to her, Li Zhaodi was glad that Li Jiu came and could turn the tables for her. After all, her Xiaojiu was a famous good boy in the village, and everyone would feel sorry for a good boy being bullied.

Li Jiu knew what his mother meant, but looking at Lin Zhen, he couldn't say what his mother told him, and couldn't help but say: "Mom, I never wanted to marry Xiaoyao, I like Zhen Ge'er."

"Mom, let's forget about Xiaoyao's marriage, let me marry Zhen Ge'er!"

"!!!"

"Oh my God!"

"Hey, this, this, what is this kid talking about, who is he going to marry!"

"Isn't his family engaged to Xiaoyao of the Lin family, why is he going to marry Zhen Ge'er again!?"

Everyone's eyes shifted to Lin Zhen in an instant. Lin Zhen looked at Li Jiu in front of him, thinking that he had heard it wrong. Li Jiu wanted to marry him, what a joke, just a boiled chicken?

Li Zhaodi froze, she didn't expect that the help she thought was coming to stab her, she slapped Li Jiu in the face: "You were blinded by this slut, weren't you? You treat a little slut who has been married twice as a treasure, and I was thinking of marrying you a good girl--"

Lin Zhen raised his eyebrows, and the people around him also heard it. Li Zhaodi suddenly realized what she said, and her hand softened a little when she hit Li Jiufa.

Lin Zhen smiled and said: "You are going to marry a good girl for your son, so don't think about other people's things. Although our Lin family doesn't like to cause trouble, we are not afraid of it. If there is a next time, I don't mind doing it again today."

The people around him were fools if they didn't understand it at this moment. It was clear which family was lying and which family was muddying the water. They looked at Li Zhaodi with inquiry and displeasure.

It's over, it's all over.

Li Zhaodi knew that her plan had failed, and her shop and recipes were all gone.

This matter has been a hot topic in the village for several days. Aunt Ma, Uncle Ji and Aunt Liu, who are familiar with the Lin family, have all come to ask about it. After learning the whole story, they all applauded. This is how it should be, so that villains like Li Zhaodi won't succeed in their evil schemes. Aunt Ma

treats Lin Zhen as her own child, and she also loves Lin Xiaoyao. She whispered: "But Li Zhaodi will definitely not be reconciled. With his temper, it will be difficult for Xiaoyao to get married in the future."

There is no need to do much. As long as Li Zhaodi publicizes that Lin Xiaoyao herself admitted that her pregnancy mole was light and she might not have children in her life, and that she was involved with Li Jiu, no good boy would come to visit. Those

who come may be physically disabled or widows whose husbands or wives have died.

Lin Zhen looked at Lin Xiaoyao. There was no discouragement on Lin Xiaoyao's face: "I have been doing business with my third brother for the past few years. I have saved more money and started a small business on my own in the future. Many men may not be as good as me."

"It's good that you think this way." Aunt Ma was relieved to see Lin Xiaoyao like this. A person is most afraid of losing his spirit and energy. That is when he really sinks into the mud. No matter how others try to persuade

him, it will be useless. After a few days at home, Lin Zhen took Lin Xiaoyao, Lin Shitou and Gu Shuanzi back to the town. Before leaving, he talked to Lin's father and Lin's father for a while, asking them how much money they had and whether they wanted to demolish the house and rebuild it. When

he mentioned this, Lin's father and Lin's father had never thought about this problem. The family was used to living in two houses and were used to poverty. They had no idea of ​​building a house. Seeing that

they were not unwilling to move, Lin Zhen said that as a married brother who returned home to live, he was willing to pay the same amount of money as his two brothers to buy a house, and then leave two houses for him and Gu Shuanzi to come back for convenience. Lin

's father and Lin's father were excited by what he said, and without saying a word, they immediately called the eldest brother Lin, the second brother Lin, the eldest sister-in-law Lin and the second sister-in-law Lin to ask them what they thought.

In fact, the two families had long wanted to have a place of their own, so they immediately made a decision. Lin Zhen asked them how much silver they had, and then estimated it and said, "Since we are going to build a house, let's build a big one. Seeing that Zhuzi Shitou, Huaixiang, and Chunxiang have grown up, they should have their own houses."

"In this way, my eldest brother, second brother, and I will each contribute 20 taels of silver. First, we will build a house with stone walls and thatched roofs. When my eldest brother and second brother have more money, they can remove the thatch and replace it with tiles."

Adding up to 60 taels of silver, it is not a problem to build a large house in Liyu Village. According to what he said, it is more than enough to use thatch instead of tiles.

Lin Adie, who was standing next to him, wanted to say something, but Lin Zhen quietly held his hand under the table.

He knew what Lin Adie wanted to say. According to what he said, the three brothers contributed the same amount of silver to build a house, and the one who suffered the most was Lin Zhen. He was the only brother and only had one stepson. His future fate was uncertain. The house he built would most likely belong to the eldest and second brothers Lin.

But Lin Zhen didn't think he was at a disadvantage. He didn't need the 20 taels of silver. He just thought of it as a share for the two old people. A harmonious family is the most important thing.

Besides, his elder brother, second brother and two sisters-in-law were all good people. He didn't need to hold back on these things.

After explaining everything, Lin Zhen took the three of them back to town.

The news that the Lin family was going to build a house caused a tornado in the village. Who could have thought that two years ago, the Lin family was a lower-middle-class family in their village. They had no food to eat after this meal, and were even worse than them. Now they were actually going to build a house. It was really a matter of time.

Brother Lin, second brother, and sister-in-law Lin were also very emotional. They all understood that they could live such a good life and take out 20 taels of silver to build a house. It was all Lin Zhen's credit.

In the early days, they paid them to send a cart to the town. The two took turns to deliver it once a day, and they could get 15 coins each time. Sister-in-law Lin and sister-in-law Lin also followed to collect vegetables and got 10 coins.

Last year, the business of the shop was better than the pushcart. The busier they were, the more they earned. In addition, the harvest of grain in the fields was abundant, so they had this little wealth.

On a good day, the Lin family demolished the old house, and the family temporarily built a shack to live in, and began to dig the foundation and build the house.

In a blink of an eye, Lin Zhen had been in the town for two months to open the shop. In these two months, Gu Shuanzi almost never put down his pen and eyes on the book for the upcoming county exam in February. If Lin Zhen hadn't been watching him all the time and told him to pay attention to protecting his eyes, he could have spent the whole day in it.

At the end of January, the county exam that attracted the attention of several schools in the town finally had a notice. In previous years, you only needed to pass the county exam to be granted the status of a Tongsheng, but this year there was a change from the top, requiring five county exams, and the top 60 of the five county exams would go to the prefectural city to take three exams. Only after passing them could they become Tongsheng.

As soon as he heard it, he knew how difficult it was. Lin Zhen was a little nervous, thinking that his kid was unlucky.

Gu Shuanzi was quite calm. He said, "There are still about ten days before the county exam. After it, we will probably have to go to the provincial capital immediately. Uncle Lin... stay in town."

"Hey, what are you thinking about, kid? There is no way I can let a kid like you go to the provincial capital. I must go with you. Your little uncle is very efficient now. It's okay for me to be away for a month or two."

"Besides, I also want to go to the provincial capital to take a look. Maybe I can do business there in the future."

"Uncle Lin, I'm nine years old, ten years old in terms of age. I'm not a child anymore." Gu Shuanzi looked at Lin Zhen and said.

Only ten years old, even eighteen years old is still a child in his eyes, but Lin Zhen, in line with the idea of ​​not discouraging children, nodded: "Okay, our Shuanzi has grown up and is a big boy now. Here, this is a small cake made for you. Take it to the school to eat with Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen and others. They especially liked this small cake when they came last time."

"Okay." There are several people who will take the Tongsheng exam this year, Gu Shuanzi himself, Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen, Chen Xing, Liang Pinxiu, and the student surnamed Yu. They study together every day. Gu Shuanzi spends more time with them than before, and they can barely be considered acquaintances.

Soon, the county exam kicked off in full swing. All the candidates had to enter the examination room in the county government to take the exam. There were two exams every day in the first two days, and one exam on the last day.

Lin Zhen got up early that day and prepared a breakfast for Gu Shuanzi that was neither spicy nor cold. He added warm water to his bamboo cup with a lace and said, "Don't drink too much water in the examination room later, okay? I looked at the time for your exam, and it's not too much. It would be bad if you were delayed to go to the toilet."

"Also, don't be nervous when answering questions. Skip the difficult ones first, do the ones you know first, and then go back to think about the ones you don't know."

Lin Zhen's birthday was in mid-January. He was already twenty years old this year, and he looked the same as when Gu Shuanzi first met him.

Gu Shuanzi ate the breakfast he made for him, looking at him filling water for himself, and his voice was very different from that to others: "Yeah, I know."

"Okay, I checked the pens, inkstones, and there's no problem." Lin Zhen looked back and saw that he had finished his breakfast, and said, "Let's go, we can't be late."

Gu Shuanzi took the things himself and walked out shoulder to shoulder with him.

At this moment, the morning light was dim, and there was a faint golden line on the horizon. The author

has something to say: Gu Shuanzi

's legendary life has begun .

Chapter 89

When the two arrived at the gate of the county government, they found that there were more people here than they thought. Some were in their fifties and sixties, and some were in their twenties and thirties. Most of them were in the same age group as Gu Shuanzi. The expressions on everyone's faces were also different.

Lin Zhen saw that the student in his twenties who was closest to them was very nervous. His face was like a hard mask on his head.

Suddenly, Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen came with two servants. Seeing Gu Shuanzi jumping and waving, he said, "I have been looking for you for a long time. Why did you come just now?"

After that, Wang Qin saluted Lin Zhen, "Hello, Uncle Lin."

"Uncle Lin, the small cakes you make are so delicious. Why don't you sell them in the shop?"

Lin Zhen was deeply impressed by this kid. As long as he was with Gu Shuanzi, he was like a little tail. He always regarded himself as Gu Shuanzi's brother and didn't get angry when Gu Shuanzi gave him a cold face.

He also often saw Huang Yuwen, Chen Xing, Liang Pinxiu, etc., but they were all led by Wang Qin and didn't stand out.

Lin Zhen looked at his face, which was obviously rounder than a few months ago, and pinched the flesh on his face: "Uncle Lin has too much to do every day, and he is too busy."

After the New Year, he returned to the town from Liyu Village. He was craving for cakes, so he made a big one and many small ones for Gu Shuanzi, Lin Xiaoyao and others to eat.

But now making cakes is too troublesome. The cream needs to be whipped by hand, the oven needs to be made by yourself, and the temperature of the charcoal fire needs to be monitored all the time. It takes half a day to make a cake, and the cost is even greater than milk tea.

Of course, if he manages it carefully, there will be no problem making money, but Lin Zhen thinks that at this stage, he should take it step by step. The business of spicy hot pot and milk tea is already very conspicuous, and he doesn't want to attract more people's covetousness and add unnecessary trouble to himself.

When Wang Qin heard Lin Zhen say that he was too busy to sell cakes, he looked disappointed. Huang Yuwen and Liang Pinxiu behind him also raised their heads. It was a pity that they could not eat such delicious cakes every day. Only Chen Xing, who was from a poor family, did not say anything. Anyway, he could not buy cakes in the shop.

Suddenly, the yamen's oppression took a gong and knocked three times rhythmically. The students gathered at the gate of the county yamen immediately quieted down. The county magistrate walked out of the gate of the county yamen and said, "I think you all know the rules of the county exam this year. From today to the end of the exam, there are three days in total. There will be two exams today and tomorrow, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each exam will last for one hour. The last exam will be held on the morning of the third day."

"This official has said in advance that you must not have the idea of ​​cheating. Anyone who is caught cheating will be expelled from the examination room immediately and will not be allowed to participate in any imperial examinations within ten years."

"Okay, come in one by one according to the list."

The county exam is supervised by the county magistrates of various places. If a major accident occurs, the county magistrates will not be able to escape.

But what could possibly happen in such a small place? The county magistrate was just here to act as a mascot.

After saying that, the county magistrate lazily turned around and went back. The county magistrate glanced at the huge crowd, opened the booklet and began to call out names, "Mr. Luo."

"I'm here." The student whose name was called was a young man of seventeen or eighteen years old, with short hair, looking older than his actual age. He walked over with his things and bowed to the county magistrate in a proper manner, "I greet you, sir."

Although the etiquette was correct, the look looked a bit fawning.

The county magistrate had worked here for twenty or thirty years and had long had an impression of the student in front of him. He had come to participate in the county examination every year since four years ago, but had never passed. This time he came again. He nodded and said, "Before you enter the examination room, all your belongings need to be carefully searched. If you are found to be carrying cheating tools, you don't need to enter the examination room. We can deal with you here."

After saying that, he signaled the yamen runners to come over and search you.

The yamen runner immediately searched the student named Luo Sheng, and after confirming that there was nothing suspicious, he said to the county magistrate: "Master, there is no problem."

"Okay, Luo Sheng, go in."

"Yes." Luo Sheng looked happy and stepped over the threshold of the county yamen gate with his things.

Then, the county magistrate began to read out the names of the people below.

Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen were both experiencing the Tongsheng exam for the first time. Seeing such a scene, they were inexplicably nervous and kept saying: "What should I do? My father and mother have been eating chickens, ducks, abalone and shark fins every day these days. They think that my passing the Tongsheng exam is a sure thing. What if I fail the exam?"

Huang Yuwen's grades were better than his, and he was also a little sad, but seeing Wang Qin's look, he couldn't help but say: "Who told you to go back and tell Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang how well you studied today, and what books you read the next day, so that Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang would think you are a child prodigy."

"Look at Gu Lin, you never tell Uncle Lin."

Wang Qin frowned: "I didn't..."

"You just want to show off." Huang Yuwen exposed him without any hesitation.

"..." Wang Qin's heart was beating like a villain in his heart. If possible, he wanted to go back to the time before he entered the school, and not let himself show that cleverness. His father and mother would not send him to Master Xu's school. Now he can play everywhere every day, and he doesn't have to worry so much about the bamboo whip and the slap on the butt that will come after the exam.

Gu Shuanzi stood beside Lin Zhen and said, "With your current knowledge, it is difficult to pass the Tongsheng exam, but it is not without any chance."

Gu Shuanzi is now the envy and jealousy of everyone in the school. What Master Xu taught once, before everyone else could read it fluently, he could recite it, and he could apply it to other situations after reciting it twice. Although Master Xu didn't say it, everyone knew that Gu Shuanzi would definitely pass the Tongsheng exam this time. If he couldn't pass it, they should not even think about it.

Wang Qin looked at him eagerly: "Really, Gu Lin, you are not lying to me, I can really pass."

Huang Yuwen also looked at Gu Shuanzi: "What about me? I am a little better than him, can I pass too?"

Chen Xing was a well-known lackey of Wang Qin. Even though they were playing together now, his relationship with Gu Shuanzi had not eased much, but now he couldn't help but look at Gu Shuanzi, licked his lips and wanted to say something but restrained himself.

Suddenly, the county magistrate called Gu Shuanzi's name: "Gu Lin."

Gu Shuanzi took the things in his hand, glanced at the few people and said: "You must believe in the books and poems you recite day and night, and believe in the pens in your hands." Then he raised his head and said to Lin Zhen, "Uncle Lin, I'm going in."

"Well, I'll wait for you outside." In front of him, Gu Shuanzi seemed to have always been a child who was overly mature but needed him. It was the first time that Lin Zhen saw him in front of his classmates. He had a natural dignity and the clarity of a scholar, as if this child had become excellent in a place he didn't see, and he couldn't treat him the same way as before.

In addition to Master Xu's school, there are several other schools in the town, but because Master Xu is so famous, everyone wants to send their children to him. Those who are rejected by Master Xu can only choose other schools.

Gu Lin has been studying there for more than half a year. Not only in their school, but also in other schools, people have vaguely heard of his name. When they heard the county magistrate calling him, many eyes fell on him.

Some asked in confusion: "Whose family is this young master?"

"Young master?" The person being asked happened to have heard a little about Gu Lin, and said, "He is the stepson of the owner of Zhenyouwei Snack Shop on Zhazi Street. He became Master Xu's disciple last year. Our master and Master Xu have some friendship. When the two were drinking, Master Xu once said that his talent is not inferior to Zhong Yan, and he will definitely have a place in this year's Tongsheng exam."

"Impossible, is he worthy of being compared to Mr. Zhong?" The student who asked the question was almost thirty years old, and he still came to take the Tongsheng exam. They didn't know that anyone could take it, but they knew everything about Zhong Yan. He

started to study at the age of six, but the teacher was average in knowledge and didn't do his job. He delayed him for a whole year until Mr. Xu saw Zhong Yan's handwriting by chance, and then he came to test him in person and accepted him into his own school. After studying with Mr. Xu for a year, he took the Tongsheng exam and became a formal Tongsheng with the title of the first place in the county exam. That year, Zhong Yan was only seven years old, less than eight years old.

Then, because the Xiucai exam was held every three years, he was delayed for three years. At the age of ten, he officially entered the ranks of scholars with the good results of the first place in the prefectural exam. If it weren't for the fact that that year was the first year of the provincial exam, he would have to wait two years before he could take the Juren exam. Maybe he could have passed it then.

In the town, almost everyone tacitly agreed that Zhong Yan's knowledge had already surpassed Master Xu's, and Master Xu was just his enlightenment teacher.

The person who responded said: "This is what Master Xu said himself, it can't be false. And he is not very old, only nine years old."

"Monster..." The person who asked the question felt a little depressed when he thought about how he had failed the exam for more than ten years, while Zhong Yan and Gu Lin had easily obtained what they had always dreamed of, and might even go higher and further.

However, he suddenly realized: "You mean his stepfather is the owner of Zhenyouwei Snack Shop, the one who caused the young master of the Qian family to turn against his mother for him, marry Miss Cai and still miss him?" "

That's right." The person who spoke smiled. In fact, Gu Lin's reputation among scholars was not very big. There were more rumors about his stepfather Lin Zhen. After all, everyone still didn't believe that he could be compared with Zhong Yan. Some even thought that he spread these words himself in order to gild himself so that people would not look down on him because of his stepfather's bad reputation.

After all, they were scholars and valued reputation the most.

The two had only heard rumors before and had never met Lin Zhen properly. At this moment, they both wanted to meet the famous boy. They stretched their necks to look around, and soon, they found him.

They had no doubt that it was not Lin Zhen, because among the hundreds of people present, he was like a jewel with a lot of brilliance, radiating his pearly light without any scruples. His neck and wrists, which were not covered by his clothes, were white and his face was very beautiful. Not only them, but many others could not help but look at him.

Some people had already recognized him. Men could not help but look at him, and because of his reputation, they also had a little contempt. Women and husbands were afraid that their husbands would also cause a scandal with them because of him like Qian Shao and Qian Jingyuan, so they stared at him and took their men away.

Lin Zhen had already gotten used to these looks and voices. He saw with his own eyes that Gu Shuanzi passed the inspection and walked into the gate of the county government office. He greeted Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen and others whose names had not been called yet, walked to the side where there were steps, and sat down against the wall.

The time for the exam was fixed, and the county magistrate read the names very quickly. After a while, only men and women who sent their children or husbands to take the exam were left at the gate of the county government office. Like Lin Zhen, everyone found a place to sit and lean on, and those who had more money went to restaurants and teahouses to kill time.

Suddenly, a loud gong sounded from the county government office, followed by a vague reminder, and the first Tongsheng exam began.

After Gu Shuanzi came in, he found that the examination room in the county government office was not wide. There were tables lined up horizontally and vertically. In the front sat the county magistrate, the legal advisor, and the chief clerk. These three were the chief examiners of this Tongsheng exam, and they inexplicably felt majestic.

The county magistrate also had a list in his hand. He looked at Gu Shuanzi, then at the list: "Gu Lin?"

"My lord, this student is Gu Lin." Gu Lin was taller than the average child, and he looked very pleasing in his long gown.

The county magistrate had never seen him, so he naturally would not pay special attention to a student like him who was still taking the Tongsheng exam. He said, "You are at table 36, sit down, and don't make any noise."

The county magistrate didn't remember him, and took money from Cai Jinzhu to let her cause trouble for Lin Zhen. In the end, the lawyer who failed to achieve Cai Jinzhu's goal remembered him. At that time, he specially asked someone to check Lin Zhen's background to make sure that there was no one behind Lin Zhen before agreeing to help Cai Jinzhu. Who would have thought that Lin Zhen was very cunning, and Cai Jinzhu was really stupid, so he let him escape.

Afterwards, Cai Jinzhu came to trouble him, saying that he was useless.

If he hadn't been concerned about Cai Jinzhu's father, he wouldn't bother to pay attention to that crazy woman.

The lawyer looked at Gu Shuanzi and said to the county magistrate casually, "Sir, he is the stepson of Lin Zhen who hooked up with Qian Jingyuan in the town last year and had a dispute with Qian Jingyuan's wife in court. How can such a person learn the sage book well?"

The county magistrate had some impression of Lin Zhen. Even when he was young in the capital, he had never seen such a face. He slightly widened his lazy half-open eyes and looked at Gu Shuanzi. After a moment, he said, "He doesn't look like his stepfather at all."

"..." The lawyer almost vomited blood. This was not what he wanted to hear. He couldn't swallow the fact that he didn't push Lin Zhen down in court. He didn't want to ask Lin Zhen's son to take the Tongsheng exam at all.

But he knew that the county magistrate with a backstage was not afraid of these petty officials at all. He would listen to what they said if they wanted to, and not listen to what they didn't want to. About 80% of his thoughts would not be affected by them.

So he could only swallow his anger and think that he still had many opportunities.

Chapter 90

Gu Shuanzi was a silent person. He could easily detect other people's emotions. So when he came in, he found that the lawyer standing next to the county magistrate had ill intentions towards him. He also recognized that this lawyer was the one who deliberately spoke in court last year to drag Uncle Lin into the trap. He looked at the lawyer, then retracted his gaze, found his desk No. 36, checked the things on the desk first, and then put his things on it.

Soon, more and more people came in, and the seats around them had their own owners.

Gu Shuanzi saw Wang Qin and Chen Xing, Liang Pinxiu and Huang Yuwen, and the students with the surname Yu were not there. It seems that there is more than one examination room here, and there are other places.

"Ding--" The sound of the gong sounded, and the county magistrate stood at the front with his hands behind his back. He said some encouraging words as a routine, and then asked his men to hand out the test papers. As soon as the test papers were received, someone couldn't help but make an annoyed sound. Gu Shuanzi looked at it, raised his hand to grind the ink, and wrote the first word.

An hour was neither long nor short. Gu Shuanzi finished answering the questions, checked it twice, and raised his hand: "Sir, I hand in my paper."

Some students who were writing furiously in the examination room and sweating on their foreheads heard this and almost gritted their teeth. Who is this person? He must have handed in a blank paper. For a moment, everyone's eyes were on Gu Shuanzi who raised his hand. The

county magistrate did not expect that someone would hand in a paper so quickly. He became interested and raised his hand to stop the lawyer who was going to check the papers. He walked over slowly step by step and picked up the paper on Gu Shuanzi's desk.

In his opinion, Gu Shuanzi's handwriting was neither good nor bad. The neat and square official script was spread on the rice paper paper, but after looking at the content carefully, he could not help but look at Gu Shuanzi several times.

He was the invigilator of the Tongsheng exam every year, and he was the first to see the test papers brought from the prefectural capital. This year's test paper was the most difficult in history, and it was a bit too difficult for the students in the town, but the one in front of him actually answered all the questions, and occasionally there were some surprising words or sentences, which were more profound than the actual age of the students, and did not seem like something that a child of this age could write.

The county magistrate could not help but glance at the name on the test paper, Gu Lin.

Oh, he remembered, it was the stepson of Lin Zhen that the lawyer had just mentioned.

He took the test paper in his hand, "But, let's leave the examination room."

"Thank you, sir." Gu Shuanzi quietly put away his things and quietly walked out of the county government office. He stood at the door of the county government office and looked around. He saw Lin Zhen sitting against the wall and walked over.

Before he got close, he heard Lin Zhen's voice talking to the person next to him. The tail tone of his voice with unique charm passed through the wind and diffused in all directions. Gu Shuanzi had already noticed that many people around him secretly cast their eyes on him. He walked past these people: "Uncle Lin."

Lin Zhen, who was talking to someone, saw him. Just as he was about to stand up by supporting himself with the wall behind him, he saw his hand stretched out. It was thin and long, and his skin was not very white, but not black either. It was the color of a normal boy's hand, and with the bony feel unique to a boy who was about to develop. He put his hand in Gu Shuanzi's, stood up and patted his butt: "Are you out alone?"

Lin Zhen glanced at the gate of the county government office. Indeed, Gu Shuanzi was the only one there.

Gu Shuanzi's hand was not as big as his, so he held it with difficulty: "I'll finish writing first and then come out. This is..." Gu Shuanzi looked at the woman who was chatting with Lin Zhen. The woman was wearing a clean dress with four or five patches on it, and the shoes on her feet had been patched several times. There was a little boy of five or six years old sitting in her arms. The little boy was thin, and his face was not the healthy red, but gray.

Gu Shuanzi was not unfamiliar with such a face. He was tied up and locked in the house by Ma and Zhou Tao's family. When he was not given food for three or five days, his skin was also this color. This is what happens when you don't have enough food for a long time.

Lin Zhen smiled and said: "If you don't say it's fate, this is the mother of your classmate Chen Xing, and this is his youngest brother."

"Hello, aunt." Gu Shuanzi immediately bowed to the woman.

Chen Xing's mother didn't expect to meet the father of her son's classmate. She thought that today was the day for Chen Xing to take the Tongsheng exam, and since she had nothing to do at home, she could just come and see him. But when she arrived, all the seats were full, and she was harassed by two women who looked like they had some money. Fortunately, Lin Zhen spoke up to help her and gave her half of his seat.

And it was a coincidence that their children were classmates. When Gu Shuanzi didn't come, they had been chatting for a while.

Seeing that Gu Shuanzi was dressed neatly, Chen Xing's mother hurriedly waved her hand: "You are too polite, Mr. Lin, your child is really promising. He is finished so quickly. I don't know when my little Xing will come out."

The two women who made things difficult for her were sitting next to them. They didn't like Lin Zhen, the vixen with a seductive look. Before Chen Xing's mother finished speaking, she said in a sarcastic tone: "My son, the examination for becoming a student is very difficult. He comes out so early, I'm afraid he can't even recognize all the words on it. What you mean by promising? It's shameful."

Lin Zhen glanced at them and was too lazy to pay attention to them. He said to Chen Xing's mother: "We'll go first. We'll talk again when we have time."

"Okay, okay, Mr. Lin, take care." Chen Xing's mother stood up and saw Lin Zhen off, holding the child.

Lin Zhen took Gu Shuanzi away from the gate of the county government office and walked towards Zhazi Street. He didn't ask him how he did in the exam, but asked, "Did you drink the water I brought with you?"

Gu Shuanzi said, "No. I was in there for a short time and I'm not thirsty."

Lin Zhen nodded, "Then I'll get you a new one later. It's still cold outside and it won't be good to catch a cold."

The county government office was not far from Zhazi Street and they arrived there in a short while. There were three customers in the shop, all eating spicy hot pot and mixed noodles. The fragrant and rich aroma unscrupulously penetrated people's noses.

Lin Zhen greeted the old customer, Shopkeeper Cen: "Shopkeeper Cen, didn't you bring your wife with you today?" Shopkeeper

Cen, who couldn't stop eating, wiped the sweat from his forehead due to the spicy food: "She wants to eat something light today, so I came alone. Has your kid Gu finished the Tongsheng exam?"

"He finished the exam. He came back to eat and rest for a while, and will go again in the afternoon."

"He is still young, it doesn't matter if he takes the exam twice more." Before those things happened, Shopkeeper Cen always came to take care of the business of the small restaurant, especially after the court with Cai Jinzhu, when he first opened the shop to do business, he came every day. Lin Zhen still remembered what he said, he saw himself from a small cart to what he is now, he has eyes for what kind of person he is, and he doesn't need other things to prove it.

Even his wife was the same, she trusted Shopkeeper Cen's vision, and after a few visits, the two families became friends, and Lin Zhen made small cakes and sent them to them twice.