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墨書 Inktalez
Lin Sipin stared out at the dark window, gradually feeling a sense of fear rising within him. He was somewhat afraid to see the face of the children's mother; he... had no face to stand in front of her.
He fumbled for a cigarette in his pocket, trembling as he lit it and slowly brought it to his lips, taking a shallow puff before inhaling deeply.
"What are you staring at me for?" Lin Sipin threw the cigarette butt out the window and shouted irritably at Eldest Brother Lin.
"Dad, are you afraid to see Mom?"
This question struck a nerve with Lin Sipin, and he exploded, shouting, "Am I afraid to see her? Afraid? I'll go with you to Zhoujiatun!" After yelling, he reached for another cigarette.
Eldest Brother Lin felt helpless at this stubbornness. He thought to himself that the man was getting old, already half in the grave, yet still so fiery. If he didn't change his temper, he could forget about getting Mom's forgiveness and reuniting the family.
Eldest Brother Lin took out a cigarette as well. With their father being a ticking time bomb, he could only imagine how intense the younger brother's reaction would be. It was likely that Mom didn't want to see Dad either; it was just that somehow even he had been swept away by the broom.
He knew his younger brother had married a village girl but didn't realize she was so fierce. No wonder Hai Ping got angry every time she mentioned her sister-in-law.
"Mom, I've sent the old man and Eldest Brother away. It's just Sister-in-law and Yuan Yuan!"
"Grandma!" Yuan Yuan was already a young lady; she remembered that gentle grandmother who used to hug her and smelled nice while speaking softly.
Madwoman's eyes became moist as she gently caressed Yuan Yuan's face.
This feeling... Yuan Yuan smiled sweetly, "Grandma! Grandma! I missed you so much!"
The usually quiet Sister-in-law was no longer calm; her face flushed with excitement as she rushed into Madwoman's arms, "Mom!" Madwoman could no longer hold back and embraced Sister-in-law and Yuan Yuan, tears streaming down her face.
Yezhi, having tossed aside the broom, hurriedly wiped away their tears.
...
Accompanied by Aunt Zhou, who was investigating the Lin family, they quickly rushed back upon realizing someone had come to their home.
Lin Haiping was the most anxious. Her mother had forbidden her from mentioning her father; one had just recovered from a serious illness, and the other had heart problems. Sigh, she was almost worried to death.
From a distance, she saw her father standing straight outside the Zhou family's door. "Dad!" Lin Haiping ran over. "Your whole family is here too!" Then, Lin Sipin's gaze fell on Aunt Zhou's family, and he nodded at Aunt Zhou.
"Grandpa! Uncle!" At that moment, Ren Xiaowei emerged from behind Black Treasure's plump body. He had been running around with the kids from the mountains these past few days, playing wildly and having the time of his life. He had never been this happy before; Sister-in-law's home was truly a paradise for children. He particularly wanted to stay in Zhoujiatun, claiming it was to accompany his grandmother. His mother disagreed, but his father said as long as his mother agreed, he had no objections. If he could negotiate... Ren Xiaowei's eyes rolled around eagerly.
Lin Haitao nodded at his brother as a greeting. Eldest Brother Lin shook his head with a wry smile: this kid still had such a big temper.
"Kobayashi's Dad, let's go inside," the village messenger had already informed Aunt Zhou about Yezhi and Madwoman driving people away, but some things Aunt Zhou had to face head-on.
"Dad, let's go in!"
The four who had just wiped their tears and sat down hadn't even had a chance to speak when Aunt Zhou led everyone inside.
Yezhi rushed towards her husband. "What's going on!" She had just hurried people away and now entered boldly; hadn’t she just put on a show in front of the handsome brother for nothing?
Lin Haitao calmly assessed his father; he couldn’t understand how his father could stand in front of his mother with any dignity.
Lin Sipin greedily stared at Cui Ru; he hadn’t dared to look at her earlier.
She had aged; her hair was white, and her swollen red eyes looked at him without charm anymore, but rather with an icy coldness that made his heart tremble.
"Cui Ru." Everyone remained silent; the room was quiet except for their breathing.
Outside, Xiao Wei and Xiao Fan were laughing after being driven out by the adults. This seemed to be a signal for Lin Sipin to hurriedly say, "Cui Ru, I'm sorry!"
Lin Haitao clenched his fists: "I'm sorry, but the suffering his mother endured and the life of his grandfather are worth nothing more than an apology!"
Yezhi found it amusing; saying "I'm sorry" was so easy. Was Xiaobinzi's father not here to make things worse for them?
"I'm sorry!"
Madwoman stepped forward, staring at Lin Sipin, who was still saying sorry, and calmly said, "When I first saw you, I felt a bit of anger and didn't want to see you. Even your son, who spoke up for you, I don't like." Eldest Brother Lin touched his nose; where had his gentle mother gone? This bluntness was embarrassing for his son.
Lin Haitao glared at his brother without courtesy. What was he glaring at? He just wanted a resolution; as long as his mother was alive, he would have no regrets in this life.
"Lin Sipin, I know the dirt on my father wasn't given by you; you just knew he was going down and took advantage of it. I also know you aren't really eager to divorce me or sever ties; you're trying to protect yourself and your child." At that time, there were many people like Lin Sipin who survived, while those with strong wills, like his father, died early.
Lin Sipin could no longer pretend to be calm. He wanted to shut Cui Ru's mouth; he wished she would kick him out like before; he wanted her to curse at him.
"No!" His rebuttal was weak; in truth, he was a coward. He was afraid—afraid that his father-in-law would drag him down, afraid of being labeled a rightist, afraid of being locked up, afraid of being criticized, afraid… He thought carefully before speaking; how could he have the courage to face difficulties together? He had been terrified by that era!
"It doesn't matter anymore!"
"Cui Ru, I'm sorry!" Lin Sipin seemed only capable of saying that one phrase. Madwoman found it particularly meaningless; she had no strength left to be angry at someone like him. His apology was just for his own comfort. Fine! She would grant him that; Madwoman raised her hand and slapped Lin Sipin again and again… Lin Haiping was very anxious; her mother's mood changed too quickly, and her father was even stranger—why did he lean in for her mother to hit him? As a daughter, she couldn't understand but felt compelled to intervene, yet Ren Lizhang held her back tightly.
Eldest Brother Lin had spent the most time with their parents and had the deepest feelings for them. By the third count, he couldn't help but rush forward.
Yezhi snapped back to reality after being stunned and nudged her husband with her elbow: "Xiaobinzi, you're the least filial! Why aren't you stepping in to stop this?"
Lin Haitao felt a complex mix of emotions and finally uttered after a long pause, "He deserves it!"
Aunt Zhou disagreed; she stepped forward to block Madwoman. Madwoman readily withdrew her hand. "Lin Sipin, get lost!"
Lin Sipin fled in embarrassment but felt lighter than when he arrived; Cui Ru treating him this way was just right—she should have hit him harder.
Eldest Brother Lin chased after his father, "Dad, you...?" His father's face was swollen, and there were some things he, as a son, couldn't blame him for. Who was right and who was wrong? Having experienced life and death, Eldest Brother Lin had actually come to terms with it. He just wanted to cherish what he had in front of him. Just like the regret and guilt he felt after his mother's death, that kind of irreparable feeling made him forgive his father, even if he looked down on his actions. He didn't want to wait until later to regret and be filled with remorse. In this regard, he was indeed like his father—both selfish, both thinking of themselves.
...
Yuan Yuan carefully touched Black Treasure. "Sister Yuan Yuan, don't be afraid; Black Treasure won't bite you."
Black Treasure pouted in displeasure: how could its precious meat be touched by just anyone? If it were touched too much, it wouldn't be precious anymore; it cherished its feathers dearly.
Yuan Yuan was indeed a bit afraid of this silly black creature, but she also liked it very much. Wolf Child held the new sister's hand and reached for Black Treasure's plump rear. Black Treasure jumped up in surprise, its body jiggling in waves, making little Fan smack his lips.
Wolf Child handed Yuan Yuan a sweet date. This date had been pitted and cooked with white sugar, making it soft, sandy, and sweet. Actually, dates cooked with honey were even better, but Barefoot Aunt said that dates and honey were incompatible. She didn't understand what that meant; anyway, Yuan Yuan never made them again. Just thinking about it made her mouth water.
Black Treasure had a nose sharper than a dog's; at this moment, it was no longer reserved and leaned forward eagerly towards Yuan Yuan, saying: "Give me the good food! You can touch me; go ahead!"
The children were having a great time teasing Black Treasure, while the dining table on the third day of the New Year was originally filled with leftovers. However, with Sister-in-law and Yuan Yuan arriving, Madwoman was delighted to show off her skills. Madwoman was also an excellent cook; the Hawthorn cake she made for her elder sister was both beautiful and delicious. Yezhi was looking forward to what Madwoman would cook today.
Yu Jianhua happily chatted with Ren Lizhang, discussing everything under the sun. Aunt Zhou and Sister Luo went to borrow quilts from Barefoot Aunt, who followed along carrying a bundle of green garlic sprouts as if they were collectibles. Madwoman stir-fried a piece of Cured Meat with the green garlic sprouts that were white and green together. The aroma attracted villagers passing by, who came knocking at their door. Madwoman, pleased with herself, set aside a plate for everyone to taste; the Cured Meat was so delicious that they couldn't stop eating. Cart Master exclaimed in regret for not making all the meat into Cured Meat. "Less! Next year you have to help me smoke some more!"
Ren Lizhang joked, "Jianhua, your cooking skills could start a business." However, Yu Jianhua didn't think his skills were exceptional; he just knew how to use good ingredients.
Yezhi pulled along Xiaobinzi, bringing the stir-fried Cured Meat to the village chief's house where Xiaobinzi, his father, and his older brother were drinking with the village chief and Da Zhu.
Lin Sipin drank quickly and eagerly. "Yezhi, Little Lin is here!"
Yezhi placed the stir-fried Cured Meat on the table. The village uncle smiled and said, "This is perfect for drinking. Little Lin, sit down and have a couple of drinks."
Lin Haitao sat down as Da Zhu hurriedly poured him a drink. After downing it in one gulp, he said to his father: "Don't come here anymore; Mom will be well taken care of." He wasn't saying this out of anger; his mother was still alive. If she could let go of things, what did he have left to cling to?
Just like his sister and brother said: no matter how wrong his father was, he hadn't wronged him. "Take care of yourself," he said before pouring another drink for his father.
Eldest Brother Lin heavily patted him with moist eyes, and the village chief also patted his chest, assuring that he would take good care of the Madwoman.
Lin Sipin drank the wine poured by his son, feeling sentimental. "The last time you poured me wine was ten years ago, right?"
Lin Haitao nodded with a heavy heart, and Lin Sipin comforted him, "It's good that you're not like me. Take good care of your mother!" Some things, once wrong, cannot be undone. Seeing her still alive is better than anything; he should be grateful.
All the way, Xiaobinzi remained silent, which felt out of place in the lively and festive atmosphere of the Zhou family.
"What are you thinking about?"
Lin Haitao gazed into the distance. "He's old!"
"He's not doing well!" This was something he had always hoped for. "He probably feels he doesn't deserve to be forgiven!"
Who can truly forgive what his father did? Just like in a movie Yezhi watched that ended with: No one can forgive him except himself.
"Don't think about it! Mom's generous slaps might make him feel a bit better." Speaking of their mother warmed Lin Haitao's heart. "Let's hurry back!"
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