Chapter 144: Chapter 141: Bullying One’s Own

Yang Liying finally understood that someone was spreading rumors. She stared at her sister, her face flushed with anger. “So you’re saying Lin Lan has been hooking up with someone for a while now? Do you have any idea who sells pork in the Eucalyptus Forest? It’s Ding Bang’s good friend, Li Xiangyang!”

“Our great-aunt was perfectly clear on the situation when Lin Lan first started her business in the Eucalyptus Forest. When their neighbor, Zhang Yazhen, reported her, it was our great-aunt who went to ask Master Li for help. She got Xiangyang to run the stall for two days to help out. Then Zhang Yazhen reported them to the neighborhood watch. The person whispering in your ear is probably that bitch.”

Yang Lirong pursed her lips. “There’s no smoke without fire. Why would people talk about them for no reason? You’re all making money with her now, so of course you’d stick up for her!”

Yang Liying exploded with rage. “Are you nuts? Why can’t you stand to see your own family succeed? You’re a grown woman, but you’re still as competitive and spiteful as ever. You only know how to throw your weight around at home.”

Yang Lirong sneered, “You pig-brain. I can’t be bothered with you. I’m going to find our eldest sister. You should come home later, too. We have to get a clear answer from Lin Lan. Is she going to marry out, or is she going to have a man marry in? If she marries out, how will the house and things be divided? If a man marries in, what will the children’s surname be, and how will the family property be split when they grow up?”

Yang Liying looked at her with utter scorn. “You’re unbelievable! When our youngest brother died, he left Lin Lan with a mountain of debt. Have you forgotten, or what? Let me tell you, even if Lin Lan marries out someday, everything in this house belongs to Little Douzi.”

’As if Lin Lan would care about that rundown old house. She worked her butt off for half a year and bought several storefronts in the city. Even if she really does marry Xiangyang and have kids, they won’t fight with Little Douzi over the old house.’

Yang Lirong flew into a rage from the humiliation. “Can’t you understand what I’m saying? Did I say I wanted to go back and divide up Little Douzi’s things? What I mean is, we need to ask Lin Lan for a clear answer. Is she marrying out, or is she having a man marry in? Her decision will change our plans.”

Yang Liying held up a hand. “I know exactly what you mean. You’re just hoping Lin Lan will take Little Douzi and marry out, so the house can be carved up, right? Well, I’ll tell you this loud and clear: whether Lin Lan marries out or has a man marry in, that old house belongs to Little Douzi! Even if she marries a man into the family and has more kids, the village has plenty of land for building a new house.”

Yang Lirong scoffed coldly. “Oh, right. You’re the good guy, and I’m the villain. Why are you sucking up to Lin Lan? Don’t think I don’t know. You and your husband are using the family’s stone mill and tofu molds. You don’t have to buy any of your own equipment, so it’s all pure profit for you!”

Furious, Yang Liying grabbed her sister and pointed at the stone mill by the woodshed. “I don’t buy my own equipment and just rake in pure profit? Open your eyes and take a good look! What do you think that is over there!”

Seeing that their voices were getting louder and that people were peeking into the courtyard, Zhao Dehai quickly stood up and pulled Yang Liying into the kitchen. “Liying, go and start cooking. Little Li and the others will be home from school soon.”

Yang Liying glanced at the nosy onlookers. “What a fool,” she muttered. “All it takes is a few words from an outsider to make you come home and put on a show for everyone.”

Yang Lirong curled her lip in a self-mocking sneer. “Of course. I’m the stupid one. I can’t compare to you, so clever and good at sucking up to people.”

After pulling Yang Liying into the kitchen, Zhao Dehai came back out to reason with Lirong. “Second Sister, let’s talk this out calmly. As the saying goes, you’re only sisters in this life, not the next. If we’re all harmonious, outsiders won’t dare to bully us. Don’t you think that makes sense?”

Yang Lirong glanced at him. “You’re the ones who don’t treat me like a sister! Lin Lan started taking you all out to make money before the Dragon Boat Festival. She even got Zhixue and Zhilin set up with stalls. Now even Eldest Sister has gone to Dongzikou to sell tofu. I’m your own flesh-and-blood sister, so how come none of you said a word to me?”

From the kitchen, Yang Liying called out, “You know how to make tofu too. If you want to sell it, just make some and sell it! It’s not like anyone is stopping you.” ’As for why we didn’t ask you, don’t you have a clue?’

Yang Lirong retorted furiously, “Fine, I will! I’m going home right now to soak the beans, and I’ll make it at home too.” With that, she stormed off.

Yang Liying came to the kitchen door and saw that she had really left. She figured that if they were going to be in the tofu business for the long haul, doing it at Lin Lan’s house wasn’t a sustainable solution.

She turned to Zhao Dehai and said, “Go to the brick factory and buy some bricks. We’ll build a wall around our courtyard, and we can grind the beans at our own place from now on. I’m going to head over to Lin Lan’s and tell her about this.”

Zhao Dehai thought for a moment and nodded. “Okay. I’ll go first thing tomorrow morning.”

****

Meanwhile, Lin Lan had arrived at her parents’ home. Seeing Wu Shufen on the steps under the eaves stitching a shoe sole, she called out with a smile, “Mom, I’m back.”

Wu Shufen looked up, and her face lit up as she stood. “Did you catch a cold? Your voice sounds hoarse.”

“It’s nothing, I’m already better!” Lin Lan said as she pushed her bicycle into the courtyard. “Where are Dad and my brothers?”

Wu Shufen smiled. “Guoliang and Guodong went into the mountains to gather things, and your father is still at the brigade office.”

Lin Lan grinned and took her mother’s arm. “Mom, let’s go into the main hall. I have something to show you!”

“Alright, alright. Let’s see what this wonderful thing is.” Wu Shufen chuckled and followed her into the main hall.

Once inside, Lin Lan took out the property deeds and handed them to her mother. “I had them registered separately when I bought them. It’ll be more convenient to divide them up in the future.”

Wu Shufen’s hands trembled slightly as she held the thin deeds. “How much did you spend on three storefronts?”

“A little over four thousand. They’re on Vegetable Market Street in the East Market, right next to the co-op.”

“But we don’t have enough money at home!” Wu Shufen said, her face clouded with worry. “Little Lan, will spending so much money on these properties really be worth it?”

’She felt it would be more practical to use that money to build a few proper brick-and-tile rooms than to spend so much on property in the East Market.’

Lin Lan took her mother’s hand and had her sit down. “Mom, trust me. In three or four years at most, a single year’s rent will be enough to earn back the initial investment. Ding Bang, Xiuyun, and Xiangyang all bought properties. We bought…”

“I never would have guessed Xiangyang’s family was so well-off!” Wu Shufen felt a little more at ease after hearing that. Then she remembered Lin Lan had just bought property herself. “You bought more property? Where did the money for this come from?”

Lin Lan lowered her gaze. “Xiangyang fronted the money. I don’t want to be in his debt for too long, so I came back to get the money to pay him back.”

Wu Shufen thought about their cash on hand. “We only have a little over two thousand at home. Even with what your brother has, it’s not enough!”

Lin Lan mulled it over for a moment. “I’ll pay him back in part first. I’ll have the rest next month.”

“Alright, you cover the rest for now,” Wu Shufen said, then added after a thought, “There are over a dozen pigs in the pen that will be ready for market by the end of the year. Once we sell them, we’ll pay you back.”

Lin Lan nodded and checked the time. “Mom, I haven’t prepared any of the goods for this afternoon’s sales yet. I need to hurry to catch the bus back.”

Wu Shufen looked at her, reluctant to see her go. “I don’t feel safe with you carrying so much money by yourself. Paying Xiangyang back can wait a few more days. In about ten days, the piglets will be weaned. When your brother brings them to you, he can bring the money over then.”

“Okay! Then I’ll get going,” Lin Lan said, walking into the courtyard to get her bike.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep