🌸Chapter 24. A Clash with Relatives
1013 Words
The aroma of pan-fried sweet potatoes still lingered in the Lin household. For the first time in months, laughter had filled the dimly lit room, and Madam Lin’s stern face had softened—if only slightly—over the evening meal.
But peace never lasted long.
By the next morning, whispers had spread. Someone had seen the Lin children eating golden-crisp sweet potatoes. Someone else swore they’d caught the scent of savory broth drifting from their house. In a village where most families lived from one meager bowl of porridge to the next, such news traveled faster than wildfire.
And wildfire always attracted scavengers.
It began with the thud of footsteps outside their door. Xiaoyun had just finished sweeping the yard when sharp voices cut through the morning air.
“Second Brother! Open up!”
Her brows furrowed. That voice belonged to Madam Lin’s elder sister-in-law, Zhang Shufen—a woman known for her sharp tongue and greed.
Before Xiaoyun could stop her, Madam Lin opened the door. In swept Zhang Shufen, plump from years of hoarding food, followed closely by her son, Lin Dahu, a lazy oaf with a smirk permanently plastered on his face.
“Oh my, the smell yesterday nearly drove me mad!” Zhang Shufen exclaimed dramatically, fanning herself as though she’d endured great suffering. Her eyes darted greedily around the room, landing on the clay pot where leftover broth still sat cooling. “I thought you were dirt poor, Sister. Who knew you were hiding such treasures?”
Madam Lin stiffened, her face darkening. “We’ve hidden nothing. It was just scraps from the market.”
“Scraps?” Zhang Shufen scoffed, stepping forward and lifting the lid of the pot without permission. Steam curled upward, carrying the rich fragrance of herbs and tofu. Her eyes gleamed. “Scraps that smell better than my whole week’s meals. Since we’re family, surely you wouldn’t mind sharing?”
Lin Yan darted forward, her small arms outstretched protectively. “That’s ours! Jiejie worked hard for it!”
Zhang Shufen sneered, swatting at the child. “Don’t be unfilial. What’s yours is also your uncle’s family’s. Or are you saying we’re not kin?”
Lin Tao clenched his fists, anger flashing in his eyes, but one look from Xiaoyun kept him silent.
Calmly, Xiaoyun stepped forward, her gaze steady. “Aunt, the market is for those who know how to trade. If you want food, why not try your hand there yourself?”
The room fell silent at her boldness. Zhang Shufen blinked, then let out a shrill laugh. “Listen to this! The girl who was once too lazy to wash her own clothes now lectures me about work? Don’t forget your place, Xiaoyun. Without family ties, you’d starve!”
Xiaoyun’s lips curved in a faint smile. “And yet, Aunt, it seems you’re the one standing in our house begging.”
Gasps filled the small yard. Lin Dahu’s smirk faltered, replaced with an ugly scowl. “You dare talk to my mother like that?”
He made to step forward, but Xiaoyun’s sharp gaze stopped him cold. She didn’t raise her voice, but the quiet steel in her tone cut sharper than any blade.
“If you take one more step, I’ll make sure the whole village hears how the great Zhang family bullies children for scraps of food. Do you think your face will survive that shame?”
Zhang Shufen froze, her cheeks burning red. She had expected the old Xiaoyun—weak, timid, and easily cowed. Instead, this girl before her radiated a confidence she couldn’t quite challenge.
Madam Lin, usually meek before her in-laws, found her courage in her daughter’s words. She stepped forward, her expression hard. “Shufen, our family may be poor, but we don’t owe you anything. If you’ve come for food, you can leave.”
Zhang Shufen’s eyes narrowed. “You’ll regret this, Sister. Don’t think a few sweet potatoes make you better than the rest of us.” With a huff, she yanked her son’s arm and stormed out.
But not before muttering darkly, “Let’s see how long your luck lasts.”
When the door slammed shut, Lin Yan burst into tears, clutching Xiaoyun’s hand. “Jiejie, will they come back to steal from us?”
Xiaoyun knelt, wiping her sister’s tears gently. “Let them try. We’re not the same as before. From now on, no one bullies our family without a fight.”
Lin Tao nodded fiercely, determination burning in his young eyes.
Even Madam Lin, still shaken, regarded Xiaoyun with something close to pride. This daughter, once the family’s greatest shame, had become their shield.
That afternoon, whispers spread through the village again.
“Did you hear? The Lin girl stood up to her aunt!”
“Impossible! That useless thing?”
“They say she shamed Zhang Shufen in front of everyone.”
“Tch, it won’t end well. Relatives don’t forget insults easily.”
But for every whisper of doubt, there was a spark of curiosity, even respect. The lazy girl was no longer easy prey.
And somewhere, watching from the shadows beyond the fields, a tall figure stood quietly. His eyes traced the Lin household, a glint of interest flickering within.
“She fights not only the land, but her kin,” he murmured to himself. “Perhaps… this girl truly is different.”
The wind rustled the fields, carrying away his words.
That night, as the family gathered around their modest meal, Xiaoyun’s gaze lingered on the flickering oil lamp. The clash with her relatives had been only the beginning. If envy could drive kin to their door, what of outsiders?
She clenched her chopsticks, her heart steady with resolve.
*Let them come. This time, I won’t bow. This time, I’ll protect my family—even if it means turning the whole village against me.*
The shadows danced along the cracked walls, but within the Lin household, the fire of determination burned brighter than ever.
✨ End of Chapter 24: A Clash with Relatives
- Writer
