I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Lin Zhiyin

Lin Zhiyin crouched on a large rock by the sea, her head lowered as she used the surging seawater to wash the clothes in her basin. Her hands, once so fair and delicate they seemed like they would break at a touch, were now covered in small, chapped cracks. Each time the saltwater touched them, she would suck in a sharp breath from the stinging pain, but her face remained impassive. She had grown used to such minor hardships.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from behind her. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly stood up to look.

It was a young man bundled up in a thick cotton coat, only his fair face, with its thick brows and large eyes, was visible. Following behind him was a towering man, well over six feet tall, pulling a sled.

She recognized them both: the hooligan Zhao Wendong and his simple-minded second brother, Zhao Wenwu.

Lin Zhiyin subconsciously took two steps back, warily watching Zhao Wendong as he ran to her side.

Her face was grimy, and her dull, yellow hair was a tangled mess. She wore tattered clothes covered in patches, with cotton wadding poking out in many places, making her look like a beggar fleeing a famine. Her body was so thin it seemed a gust of wind could blow her over. Only her eyes were exceptionally large and bright.

Now that the person he had dreamed of day and night was standing right beside him, Zhao Wendong suddenly found himself at a loss.

In his past life, aside from his family, it was Lin Zhiyin’s smile that had appeared most often in his dreams.

But thinking back carefully now, Zhao Wendong realized he knew almost nothing about her. Other than her name and her status as a "capitalist’s daughter," he was completely ignorant. He didn’t even know her age or where she came from.

Seeing that she was just staring at him, Zhao Wendong felt he had to say something.

"Uh, what a coincidence. You out for a walk, too?"

The moment he said it, Zhao Wendong wanted to slap himself. He quickly corrected his words.

"Wa-washing clothes, I see. You’re busy, go on, you’re busy!"

Lin Zhiyin said nothing, the wariness in her eyes only growing stronger.

’It wasn’t like she didn’t know what kind of person Zhao Wendong was. He was the village’s infamous idler and hooligan. One look at his face, a good two shades paler than any other villager’s, told you he’d never known much hardship. For him to suddenly run over and try to make small talk with her was just too suspicious.’

’Besides, Zhao Wendong had joined the other educated youth and some of the villagers in mocking and bullying her before. His sudden appearance today, coupled with his bizarre words and actions, filled her with unease. He wasn’t going to expose her for deliberately washing their clothes in seawater, was he?’

Seeing that he had frightened Lin Zhiyin, Zhao Wendong quickly took two steps back and held up his open hands.

"I don’t mean any harm, believe me!"

Lin Zhiyin was silent for a moment, then picked up her basin and walked a dozen or so steps away. She crouched down again to resume her washing, not saying a single word the entire time. Besides making herself look ugly, playing deaf and dumb was one of her key self-preservation tactics.

"Third, she’s a capitalist’s child! She’s a bad person! Everyone says we’re not supposed to play with her!"

Zhao Wenwu had also recognized Lin Zhiyin and hurriedly reminded his third younger brother.

’Even my second brother knows to judge people by their class background.’ Zhao Wendong felt a pang of sorrow as he looked at Lin Zhiyin’s figure. He spoke, his voice low.

"Second Brother, it’s not just the capitalists who are bad people!"

After saying something Zhao Wenwu couldn’t possibly understand, Zhao Wendong strode toward Lin Zhiyin again.

’After all, he’d lived for several extra decades and had even experienced the internet age. He had calmed down now.’

’I acted too rashly just now. Lin Zhiyin is wary of anyone who approaches her. What I need to do is create an intersection between our lives, then slowly break down her psychological defenses. And to create that intersection, the only way right now is through forceful pressure. Otherwise, she’ll run as far away from me as she can.’

Hearing the footsteps, Lin Zhiyin shot to her feet again in a panic, her mind racing to guess Zhao Wendong’s intentions.

"Have you eaten yet?"

Seeing that Zhao Wendong had dropped the feigned gentleness of the Big Bad Wolf from a moment ago, Lin Zhiyin actually felt a little more at ease. Hearing his question, she silently shook her head.

"Are all these clothes yours?"

Zhao Wendong asked, pointing to the few items in the basin.

Lin Zhiyin simply shook her head again.

"Are any of them yours?"

Lin Zhiyin’s movements paused. After a moment’s hesitation, she shook her head once more.

Looking at her hands, red raw from the cold and covered with chapped cracks, a rage ignited in Zhao Wendong’s heart that he couldn’t begin to suppress.

"Stop washing. Grab your things and come with me!"

The chill in his voice was one part heartache for her, and the rest was pure fury at those who bullied her.

Lin Zhiyin’s small mouth fell slightly open as if to say something, but when she met Zhao Wendong’s icy gaze, she ultimately chose to obediently pick up the clothes.

Over the years, she had learned to avoid getting entangled in any trouble. She just wanted to live long enough to see her parents again, so her family could be together and live freely once more. To that end, she endured whatever was demanded of her, all to minimize complications.

Zhao Wenwu could also feel the rage in his younger brother’s heart. He didn’t know why his brother was suddenly like this, but his own gaze turned fierce. ’My brother is so good to me,’ he thought. ’These past few days, he’s fed me and played with me. Whoever messes with my brother is messing with me, Zhao Wenwu.’

Soon, the three of them arrived at the door to the women’s educated youth quarters. Just as Zhao Wendong was about to call out, he heard a conversation coming from inside.

"How come our ’Young Miss’ isn’t back yet today?"

"Maybe she fell into the sea and drowned, or starved to death? Should we go take a look?"

"Hehe, she can’t die. If she did, who would wash our clothes for us? Who would get us that extra portion of rations?"

Trailing behind, Lin Zhiyin also heard the words from inside, but she acted as if she hadn’t heard a thing, as if the people inside were talking about someone else entirely.

She could endure it, but Zhao Wendong could not. The vicious, cutting words instantly sent him into a rage.

He could only imagine how they must treat Lin Zhiyin on a daily basis from just those few sentences. Zhao Wendong could no longer control himself. He lifted his leg and kicked the door to the women’s quarters with all his might.

BANG—!

"Ahh—!"

The door crashed inward, followed by several ear-piercing screams from inside.

"Fuck! What the hell are you screaming for?! Get the fuck out here, all of you!"

The three young women inside heard Zhao Wendong’s shouts and tentatively poked their heads out. When they saw it was just the village hooligan, Zhao Wendong, their fear vanished, replaced by indignation.

"Zhao Wendong, are you insane?! If you’re going to throw a fit, do it at your own home!"

"That’s right! Why did you kick down our door?!"

"Are you trying to assault us? Somebody help! Zhao Wendong is trying to assault us!"

The shouting alerted the men’s educated youth quarters next door. The door flew open and several young men rushed out.

"Who is it? Who’s assaulting someone?"

"What’s going on?!"

Lin Zhiyin’s eyes were wide and round, her small mouth agape. She simply couldn’t fathom what had gotten into Zhao Wendong. First, he suddenly showed up and told her to stop washing clothes and follow him, and now he had kicked the door to their quarters clean off its hinges. She didn’t want to cause any trouble, but it seemed trouble had only multiplied. Noticing that no one was paying attention to her, she tried to shrink even further into the background.

Zhao Wendong didn’t even glance at the male educated youths. His eyes were locked on the three women.

"Let me ask you, what did you have for your afternoon meal?"

"Cornbread and wolf meat soup, what’s it to you? It’s not like we ate your family’s rice!"

"How many cornbread buns?"

"Seriously, Zhao Wendong, are you sick in the head? You..."

One of the young women had only gotten halfway through her sentence when she met Zhao Wendong’s bloodshot eyes and was too frightened to continue.

Another one of the women answered hesitantly.

"S-six... six buns."

"And how many are left?"

"There... there are none left!"

Zhao Wendong laughed, but it was a laugh born of fury. These people hadn’t even left Lin Zhiyin a single bite of cornbread.

"So the three of you had two buns each, right?"

The three young women nodded, completely bewildered.

"What about the wolf meat soup? The three of you drank all of that, too?"

The three young women nodded again.

"Then you tell me, why didn’t she get a single sip of soup or a single bite of a bun to eat?! You three are hiding in your room, avoiding the cold and hunger, while she—having had nothing to eat or drink—has to go down to the sea to wash your clothes!"

"Washing clothes in seawater... Aren’t you worried your clothes will get ruined too quickly?"

Zhao Wendong turned and pointed to Lin Zhiyin, who had already retreated five or six meters away.

As soon as these words left his mouth, the other educated youths finally understood what was happening. Zhao Wendong was actually here to stand up for Lin Zhiyin!

"Zhao Wendong, are you out of your mind? Sticking up for the capitalist’s daughter? I heard you just woke up from a high fever. Did it fry your brain and make you stupid like your second brother?"

The one who spoke was a male educated youth named Sun Zhiguo. He had a drinker’s nose and often boasted about having attended junior high, considering himself the most cultured man in Dragon King Pond.

"Shut your mouth and get the hell out of my way!"

Zhao Wendong cursed, pointing right at his nose without holding back. After yelling at him, he turned his attention back to the three young women.

"Well? Speak up! Tell me why you treat Lin Zhiyin like this!"

"It’s... it’s always been this way, hasn’t it?" one of the young women muttered.

Another, with her hands on her hips and a look of self-righteousness on her face, retorted, "Lin Zhiyin is a capitalist’s daughter! If she isn’t the one to go hungry, is she supposed to eat the same as us? We are the glorious laboring people!"

"That’s right! She doesn’t deserve to eat!"

"Making her wash clothes is to make her work hard, to recognize her mistakes and reform herself! We’re helping her!"

Having been cursed out by Zhao Wendong, an indignant Sun Zhiguo led the other male educated youths in chiming in to heckle.

"That’s right!"

"Lin Zhiyin, if you don’t have enough clothes to wash, we’ve got some dirty ones here you can take! Wash them nice and slow!"

"Hahaha! That hooligan Zhao Wendong must have eaten something that addled his brain. He’s actually sympathizing with a capitalist’s daughter."

"Zhao Wendong, do you have any idea? A single meal she used to eat could feed you for a year! The things she used to eat and use, you’ve never even laid eyes on them!"

The sun was about to set. Zhao Wendong said nothing. He stood there quietly, listening to all the sneers and accusations. Then, he turned his head and looked at the slender figure standing silently behind him under the darkening sky.

’So this was the kind of psychological torment she had to endure every single day, every single moment.’

Zhao Wendong knew what breathtaking beauty and what a pure soul were hidden beneath that grimy exterior. He also knew what a powerful energy and spirit lay dormant within her small frame.

But Zhao Wendong never knew she had it this hard. In that instant, the memory of the girl at the stern of the boat—all pretense washed away, flashing him a brilliant smile—merged with the humble, downtrodden figure standing before him.

His heart felt as if it were being squeezed tight by an invisible hand, causing his breath to catch in his throat. All that remained was an empathetic pain so sharp it felt carved into his very bones.