Chapter 223 - 196: Inviting the Gods

Chapter 223: Chapter 196: Inviting the Gods

Ye Qingmei and Zhao Chuanhe cheerfully pulled Zhao Wendong over, lavishing praise on him in front of Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu. They painted him as a peerless prodigy, even claiming he was so honest he’d never gotten into a single fight growing up. Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu, who already knew what kind of person Zhao Wendong was, didn’t expose the two elders’ exaggerations and simply smiled and played along.

After chatting for a while longer, Zhao Wendong finally took his leave with Lin Huaimin and his wife. On the way back, Lin Huaimin was filled with emotion.

"Wendong, your family are truly wonderful people. You’re all so close!"

As he spoke, he seemed to recall something, and a flicker of pain appeared in his eyes. Wang Lulu quickly took his hand. Zhao Wendong, however, didn’t notice Lin Huaimin’s odd reaction. He was walking slightly ahead, leading the way and telling them about the village. ’My relatives really are quite decent,’ he thought to himself, ’aside from those three annoying ones in the east room earlier.’

"Ah, we came empty-handed. Visiting elders with nothing but words... it’s so rude of us!"

"Haha, around here, if you actually brought a gift, people would probably be afraid to accept it! We don’t have that custom."

"That won’t do. Your aunt and I are still young and able-bodied. We don’t want to be freeloaders. Is there any work we can do, Wendong? Let us help out."

"That’s right, Wendong. Let us help. We know how to farm, too."

Seeing how serious they both looked, Zhao Wendong’s heart stirred. ’It seems my future in-laws can’t stand the thought of being idle. They just can’t sit still.’ But having them do farm work would be a waste of their talents. An idea began to form in his mind, but it wasn’t fully developed yet. He could only smile and reassure them for now.

"Of course, Uncle, Auntie. Right now, everyone’s just holing up for the winter. Once spring comes, I’ll definitely call on you. But you two need to use this winter to really build up your strength. You won’t be able to work if you’re not in good health."

"Hahaha, don’t you worry about that! After your aunt and I made soup with that ginseng you gave us, we feel perfectly fine! Oh, right, there’s still more than half of it left. We’re not in dire straits anymore, so you should keep it."

"No, you two keep eating it. You need to get your health back. You’ve suffered so much these past two years, it must have taken a huge toll on your bodies. That’s not something you can recover from in just a few days."

"Then let’s share it with your parents."

Zhao Wendong had originally planned to make some ginseng-steeped wine for his own parents, but seeing their resolute expressions, he nodded in agreement. ’As long as they’re using it to get healthier, it’s fine. The sooner they take it, the better. How they take it doesn’t really matter.’

When the three of them got back, smoke was already curling from the chimney. Lunch at Zhao Wendong’s home was almost ready. After feeding Xiaojin, Zhao Wendong petted it for a good while before moving on to pet Gouzi. He’d only just started when Lin Zhiyin came over to call him for lunch.

’She has Master’s scent on her. This is the mistress.’

Zhao Wendong had just poured some water to wash his hands when he heard Dahuang’s thought and froze. ’Damn, this dog Dahuang... he’s really something else.’ When Lin Zhiyin saw Zhao Wendong proactively washing his hands, she was immensely pleased. Even the educated youths from the city didn’t have hygiene habits as good as his. At times, Zhao Wendong’s cleanliness seemed completely at odds with the era.

Lunch was another feast of fish, meat, and all the white rice they could eat. Although they were mentally prepared for it, Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu were once again struck by the fact that the standard of living in Zhao Wendong’s home was among the very best in the entire county.

In the afternoon, the snow outside began to taper off. Wang Lulu and Lin Huaimin wanted to see the house Zhao Wendong was building. Even if it was a temporary residence, they considered it their daughter’s new home. By then, Lin Zhiyin and Jin Xiuying were feeling much better, so Lin Zhiyin went along with them.

They walked toward the sea, stopping a short distance away to take in the view. It was their first time seeing the ocean. Looking out at the vast, boundless surface of the water, Lin Huaimin was moved to speak.

"This truly is a blessed land. With mountains behind and the sea in front, as long as you’re diligent in the summer, you’ll never have to worry about food."

"Mm, you’re right. I wonder if we’ll ever be able to go back to Beijing. We might end up living here for the rest of our lives."

"Is it so bad here? Why would we go back to that place? Just thinking about certain people there makes me sick."

At Wang Lulu’s words, Lin Huaimin’s expression instantly darkened. Lin Zhiyin and Wang Lulu rushed to comfort him in low voices. Zhao Wendong stayed back; he could guess what had happened.

’Lin Zhiyin’s family once had such a large estate; there’s no way it was just the three of them. It’s easy to imagine what must have happened. Countless novels, TV dramas, and historical accounts have shown that at certain times, bonds between spouses, parents and children, and relatives can’t withstand the darker side of human nature. Besides, if I remember correctly, they won’t be able to go back for another twenty years.’

’Then there was what Lin Huaimin said about Dragon King Pond being a blessed land. In theory, he’s right. The natural resources here are more abundant, but there has never been any large-scale, organized development. The geographical advantages have never been properly utilized.’

’In my past life, after the country opened up, this place, being so close to a neighboring country, seemed to get stuck in time. Even as the outside world filled with skyscrapers, subways, and high-speed trains, this village remained as it was decades ago. All that was left was a group of old-timers like me, guarding mountains where most hunting was forbidden and a sea that yielded few fish.’

’So, since I’ve been reborn, is it possible for me to change the future of this blessed land?’ Zhao Wendong fell into deep thought. He felt a pang of fear; he already felt like changing his family’s fate was an act against the will of Heaven. But for some reason, the four words an old man had once given him suddenly popped into his head: Man will conquer fate!