CHAPTER 24: CHAPTER 24: HE’S NOT AN ORPHAN, HE HAS A SISTER-IN-LAW

Looking at Madam Tingfan’s slightly moist eyes, Song Tingfan suddenly felt a bit guilty and regretful. Maybe at night, Madam Tingfan wasn’t necessarily...

It could be something else.

"Madam Tingfan, do you want to eat bird eggs? I’ll go fetch some."

Lin Qiao knew she managed to coax him, and she reached out to touch his head affectionately, saying, "Tomorrow, I’ll accompany you to go together; it’s too late today."

Song Tingfan nodded obediently, "Okay."

...

With some silver coins at home, Lin Qiao wasn’t stingy and let Song Tingfan buy a pound of meat.

She thought for a moment and cut half of it. She looked at Song Tingfan, who was stoking the fire, and said, "Uncle, I’d like to share half with my family. Is that okay?"

Unexpectedly, Song Tingfan, who did not expect Madam Tingfan to ask, scratched his head, nodded, and said without hesitation, "Madam Tingfan can decide whatever you think best."

Lin Qiao smiled, handed the meat to him, and said, "Alright, Uncle, help deliver it and be careful."

"Okay, Madam Tingfan, I’ll be back soon."

Song Tingfan ran out with the meat. At this time, the Lin family men were still busy in the fields, leaving only Li Guifen, her two daughters-in-law, and two children at home.

Li Guifen saw him and exclaimed happily, "Tingfan is here." She looked behind him but, not seeing her daughter, felt a bit disappointed.

Though young, Song Tingfan could already read adult expressions. He quickly explained, "Madam Tingfan is cooking at home; she asked me to bring some meat to you." As he spoke, he handed her the meat.

The elder grandson Lin Ping and Lin An saw the meat and exclaimed happily, "Grandma, meat, meat!"

"Grandma, I want to eat meat!"

Mrs. Lin Wu and Mrs. Lin Xu were stunned, probably because they didn’t expect Lin Qiao to send them meat.

The sun didn’t rise from the west after all.

Even Li Guifen was taken aback for a moment but then declined, "No need, we have some at home. You should eat it yourselves."

Lin Ping and Lin An gathered around her, insisting, "Grandma, we want to eat meat."

Li Guifen was in a bit of a pickle and softly coaxed them, saying, "I’ll buy some for you later."

Though young, Lin Ping and Lin An knew that meat wasn’t something they got to eat often and wouldn’t let it drop so easily. Lin Ping fussed, "Grandma, no, only want this meat."

Seeing this, Song Tingfan handed the meat to Lin Ping and then said to Li He, "Aunt Li, I’m going home now; Madam Tingfan is waiting for me to eat." Then he left.

"Tingfan!"

Li Guifen quickly called out, but soon lost sight of him and couldn’t help but chuckle.

She had no choice but to accept the meat and glanced at her two daughters-in-law, "Go ahead and fry it all."

Mrs. Lin Wu and Mrs. Lin Xu nodded.

Lin An and Lin Ping jumped up and down happily, "Eating meat."

"Eating meat."

Meanwhile, at a nearby household, someone was picking pomegranates. Song Tingfan initially ran past but then turned back and looked up at the old man above, saying, "Grandpa Zhao, let me help you pick them."

This Zhao family had only the elderly couple; their only daughter married into another village and could only return once a year.

Grandpa Zhao held on to the tree trunk, nodded at him, and said, "That would be helpful, Tingfan." He cautiously climbed down the tree.

Song Tingfan quickly supported him and worriedly said, "Grandpa Zhao, you shouldn’t climb trees anymore. You can just call me next time."

"Alright, alright, Tingfan, you’re such a kind child." Old Zhao chuckled, patting him on the shoulder.

Song Tingfan felt a little embarrassed, scratched his head, and rolled up his sleeves to deftly climb the tree.

...

It had been two periods already, and Lin Qiao had finished cooking, but there was still no sign of Song Tingfan coming back, making her a bit worried. She extinguished the fire in the stove, took the key, and went out.

She had just crossed the field dike when she saw Song Tingfan in the pomegranate tree. Relieved, she walked over and called out, "Uncle."

Upon hearing her voice, Song Tingfan suddenly remembered that he forgot to inform Madam Tingfan, assuming a guilty expression, "Madam Tingfan."

Old Zhao, afraid she might scold Song Tingfan, quickly explained, "Madam Tingfan, my legs aren’t what they used to be. I just asked Tingfan to help pick some; don’t blame him."

Lin Qiao gave a gentle smile, "Grandpa, why would I blame Uncle? Neighbors should help each other."

Grandpa Zhao was taken aback for a moment but quickly laughed, "Thank you, Madam Tingfan."

Lin Qiao waved her hand, "I didn’t help you, Grandpa; it was Uncle."

She then looked at Song Tingfan again and said, "Uncle, pass me the basket so I can help you. The pomegranate branches are too thin to hold too much weight."

Finally, she reminded him, "Be careful."

Song Tingfan nodded promptly, then carefully took down the basket and handed it to her. Lin Qiao received it, then asked Old Zhao, "Grandpa, where should I put it?"

Old Zhao quickly pointed to an open basket on the ground, "Put it in there."

Lin Qiao poured the contents in, then handed the basket back to Song Tingfan. They did this three times before all the pomegranates on the tree were picked.

Old Zhao packed ten for them, gratefully saying, "Thank you both, nephew and niece."

Lin Qiao declined, knowing the pomegranates were likely meant to be sold in town for money. "Grandpa, there’s no need. Just give one to Tingfan."

"That won’t do; take them. Otherwise, I’d feel bad," Old Zhao insisted, pushing them towards Song Tingfan.

Song Tingfan took just one, politely saying, "Grandpa Zhao, I’ll just take one. Thank you, Grandpa Zhao."

"No need to thank me, take them all!"

Seeing them leaving, Old Zhao quickly shouted again, "Take them already."

When they were far enough, he shouted once more, "Thank you, nephew and niece!"

On the field dike, Song Tingfan peeked again at his sister-in-law ahead, worried she might be upset. "Madam Tingfan, I’m sorry for not telling you earlier."

Lin Qiao glanced back at him, playfully pretending to be stern, "Why didn’t you think of that?"

Thinking she was truly angry, Song Tingfan hurriedly promised, "Madam Tingfan, I’ll remember next time for sure."

"If you forget again next time, I’ll have you do the laundry as punishment," Lin Qiao began to laugh before finishing her sentence, obviously teasing him.

She continued, "Uncle, do you think I’m someone who gets upset over everything?"

"As long as what Uncle does is right, I won’t get mad."

Song Tingfan’s eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help but move a little closer, "Madam Tingfan, you’re not mad?"

"I don’t want to be an old hag," Lin Qiao teasingly glared at him.

"Madam Tingfan isn’t old; she’s the most beautiful,"

Song Tingfan nodded earnestly. After crossing the field dike, he stepped forward and handed her a pomegranate, cheerfully saying, "Madam Tingfan, have some." His eyes were somewhat cautious, afraid she might decline.

Lin Qiao took it with a smile, blinked at him, "Uncle, we’ll eat it together when we get home."

The young girl’s silhouette was aglow in the setting sun, with strands of hair shining like gold.

Madam Tingfan was so gentle.

Song Tingfan gazed at her for a while, fondly.

He wasn’t an orphan; he had Madam Tingfan, he had a home.

...

Lately, during the daytime, Song Tingfan was rarely home, sometimes skipping lunch. Lin Qiao caught him a few times to ask where he had been, and he said he was searching for medicinal herbs.

That noon, after washing the dishes, he was about to leave again when Lin Qiao noticed his visibly sun-tanned face, "Uncle, don’t go, take care not to get heatstroke."

"When the sun is less harsh in the afternoon, I’ll come with you."

Song Tingfan quickly waved his hand, "Madam Tingfan, I’ll go by myself; you should stay home and do your embroidery." With that, he picked up his basket and ran out.

Lin Qiao could only remind from the doorway, "Uncle, be careful."

Just as she was about to turn back to the house, she saw Mrs. Lin Wu approaching, which puzzled her a bit, but she greeted her anyway, "Second Sister-in-law."

As the saying goes, when you eat someone’s offering, you cannot be harsh on them. After that time receiving pork from Lin Qiao, Mrs. Lin Wu’s attitude had softened significantly, "Little sister-in-law, are you still using the sifter? We don’t have enough back home for drying things."

A sifter?

Lin Qiao was puzzled since they hadn’t borrowed a sifter. "Second Sister-in-law, how long ago did we borrow a sifter?"