Chapter 602: A Huge Gap
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In the early morning, Lin Laoda, accompanied by his wife and two grandchildren, arrived at Little Lin Village. They had been directed to a red-brick house, but upon arrival, they found the area in front of the house teeming with people. A few tables of mahjong were set up by the door, and the crowd was engrossed in their games. The sounds of chatter and laughter mingled with the clatter of mahjong tiles, creating a lively atmosphere. Looking down, they saw the ground covered in firecracker remnants, reminiscent of a red carpet. It was a display of prosperity.
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Inside the house, Lin Cheng and his wife, Li Hua, were tidying up the kitchen after preparing breakfast. They were also preparing tea and snacks to serve to the guests outside.
Lin Laoâer had been ushered out by Mother Lin to bask in the warm sun early in the morning. He was now entertaining the guests with a game of mahjong. As for Su Shen, he had taken the children to the ancestral hall early in the morning to visit the elderly caretaker, and was not at home.
At this time, only Gu Zi and Mother Lin were attending to the guests outside. However, these guests hardly needed any attention. Both women were surrounded by people, each forming a center of conversation, leaving them no time to attend to the newly arrived visitors.
Lin Laoda and his wife stood outside the door for a while, watching the lively scene but feeling the chill of the wind. They couldnât help but feel a bit stifled. Lin Laodaâs wife snorted coldly and turned to leave, but was stopped by Lin Laoda. âWe havenât been in contact for so long, and they didnât know we were coming today. Letâs not be so formal. Letâs go and greet them. They canât ignore us. Now is not the time to be angry.â
Lin Laodaâs wife pouted, showing her impatience. Originally, Lin Laoâerâs family was the poorest. Now that they had risen in status, she was not pleased. Today, they had taken the initiative to visit, but no one had come to greet them. Not even a glance was cast their way. What did this mean?
Their daughter had married a rich man, so what?
âLook at us, has anyone even noticed us? What does this mean?â Lin Laodaâs wife lamented.
Lin Laoda hadnât expected that so many people would now be rushing to curry favor with his younger brotherâs family. Although he had moved his family to the town and settled there, his visits to the village had become less frequent. Last year, he hadnât returned to the village at all.
However, as one of the three brothers who had done well for themselves, every time he returned to the village, he would receive a lot of attention.
But this time, the difference was stark. Not just his wife, even Lin Laoda himself was finding it hard to adjust. He felt a sense of suffocation in his heart, but he didnât want to show it. He didnât respond to his wifeâs questioning, but instead picked up the box of cookies he had brought as a gift and walked up to his brother, Lin Laoâer. âSecond brother, are you busy?â
Lin Laoâer had just won a round of mahjong. He looked up to see his long-lost elder brother and felt a bit dazed. âElder brother, why are you here? And sister-in-law too. Please, have a seat. You can take my place, I was just about to take a break.â
Lin Laoâer called someone to take his place at the mahjong table. He got up, leaning on his crutch, his face calm. There was no hint of surprise. Seeing his reaction, Lin Laodaâs wife became even more displeased. She immediately complained to her husband, mocking, âSee, I told you today was not a good day to go out, but you didnât believe me. Look at your brother, he doesnât even recognize you. Yet, you insisted on coming out in this cold.â
Lin Laoda felt that his wifeâs words were damaging his dignity. He scolded her in a low voice, âWhat nonsense are you talking about on New Yearâs Day? Isnât everyone gathered outside? Are you the only one who canât stand the cold?â
By this time, many people had noticed the presence of Lin Laoda and his wife. Gu Zi and Mother Lin also looked over. After exchanging greetings with the couple, the others showed surprised expressions. Why had Lin Laoda and his wife come? Hadnât they stopped associating with Lin Laoâerâs family a long time ago?
Lin Laoâer knew that his sister-in-law had always looked down on them. Now that she saw the prosperity of their family, she must be feeling uncomfortable. If she wanted to mock, let her. He didnât feel anything. After all, they were the ones who had said they wouldnât associate with them. Now they had come of their own accord, and if they felt the cold, who could they blame? Lin Laoâer remained silent, watching Lin Laoda and his wife argue.
Mother Lin pulled Gu Zi over and exchanged a glance with her husband. She introduced them politely, âThis is your uncle and aunt. These two children are their grandchildren. They live in the town and donât visit often, so this is your first time meeting them.â
Gu Zi inwardly praised her motherâs tact. She had directly stated that they didnât visit often, not giving them any face. She put on a polite smile and greeted them, âHello, uncle and aunt. Happy New Year!â
Lin Laoda and his wife stopped arguing and turned to look at Gu Zi. Seeing her well-dressed appearance, they immediately felt a pang of envy.