Chapter 2: Refusing the Marriage

“I won’t marry! My parents left thirty silver taels for me and my brother. That’s enough for us to live on. I don’t care about fancy clothes and fine food. If you try to take me away by force, that’s human trafficking. If I report you to the authorities, you’ll go to prison. Think it over yourselves!”

Old Madam Lin was livid. This wretched girl really was thinking about her dead father’s money. The money was already in her own pocket. No way she’d give it up.

“You’re rebelling! You’re my granddaughter. How can finding you a match be considered human trafficking? I’m going to teach you a lesson today!”

Old Madam Lin turned and grabbed a thumb-thick stick.

Lin Qinghuan’s eyes darkened at the sight of the stick. In her memory, whenever Old Madam Lin took out this stick, she and her brother would end up with not a single patch of good skin on their bodies.

To be precise, this stick was prepared especially for the two of them. The other children in the family had never been beaten so viciously.

Perhaps it was dizziness from hitting her head, but Lin Qinghuan’s vision went dark for a moment. She steadied herself.

She raised her hand and blocked Old Madam Lin’s stick, then snatched it away while the old woman was off guard, and struck her on the ankle with it. This damned old hag. She really wanted to dig out her heart to see if it was black.

Old Madam Lin never expected Lin Qinghuan to block her, nor did she expect her to fight back. The burning pain from the solid hit on her leg instantly sobered her up.

She collapsed onto the ground and began wailing, “Aiyo, I can’t live anymore! My own granddaughter dares to ride on top of me and even hit me! Is there no justice?”

Seeing this, the Matchmaker quickly turned and fled. “I’ll come back tomorrow. Tomorrow is Master Liu’s final deadline. If you don’t send the girl over, you’ll face the consequences.”

She said this to Old Madam Lin, with some resentment. If she couldn’t even pacify the girl, why call her over? She almost got dragged into it.

Since marrying Lin Qinghuan to Master Liu was not something honorable, Old Madam Lin had sent the family away early in the morning. So no one heard her wailing immediately.

Sensing someone approaching, Lin Qinghuan threw the stick away and hugged Old Madam Lin, shouting.

“Grandma, am I not your granddaughter? All these years I’ve worked like a beast of burden, doing all the household chores. You say I’m wasting food at home, but didn’t my parents leave me thirty silver taels? At worst, my brother and I can use less. Please don’t marry me off to Master Liu, okay?”

The Lin family members returning from the fields heard the earth-shaking shouts. The neighbors who came back with them wore curious expressions, clearly eager to watch the drama.

Everyone knew that the Lin family had taken the money Lin San left for his children. Now they were heartless enough to marry Lin Qinghuan to Master Liu.

If her parents had spirits in heaven, how sad they must be. Old Madam Lin was dumbfounded. How did this dead girl suddenly become so clever today? Had hitting her head on graphite made her see through everything?

“What’s all this noise?”

Lin Daguo slammed his hoe onto the ground. That not only stopped Old Madam Lin’s crying, but also quieted the onlookers.

“Grandpa, you have to stand up for me! Didn’t my parents leave thirty silver taels for me and my brother? Why does Grandma say we’re eating for free?”

Lin Daguo shot a fierce glare at Old Madam Lin. The old woman was so scared she didn’t dare speak.

“And Grandma wants to marry me off to Master Liu in town. I don’t want to marry him. Grandma says I’d enjoy wealth and luxury there, so why doesn’t she marry off Eldest Sister and Second Sister instead?”

Everyone’s gaze toward Old Madam Lin changed. Everyone knew Master Liu’s situation. And she was supposed to be a grandmother. She was simply too black-hearted.

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