Chapter 16: Don't Fall Into My Mouth

“Uncle……”

Liu Lao’er always felt something was off, but for a moment, he couldn’t put his finger on it. “You’re being too serious, Uncle. Big Brother and I are on the same work shift; how could we not look out for each other?”

“Liu Lao’er, being on the same work shift as you is my eldest son’s good fortune.”

The village work shifts were decided by the Party branch secretary, the village head, and the other cadres.

Who was capable and who wasn’t, the leaders knew clearly. For Liu Lao’er to blame his loss of a shift on Lin Yuandong was truly black-and-white inversion.

“Uncle, don’t be so polite with me. Isn’t it only right to run an errand for Big Brother?” Liu Lao’er’s dark, thin face wrinkled into a smile. The expression looked honest and simple, but his eyes darted around, betraying his ill intentions.

“I’ll be heading back now, I’ve got things to do at home.”

Not wanting to say more to Liu Lao’er, Lin Dawei licked the edge of his tobacco paper, skillfully rolled a cigarette, tucked it behind his ear, and walked away along the dirt road with his hands behind his back.

“Tsk.” Liu Lao’er’s expression shifted. “Lucky bastard.”

*‘Dad, that other ginseng must have been picked up by Auntie Wang. One less ginseng means one less room!’*

As that thought crossed his mind, Liu Lao’er spat on the ground and squatted down. “Rabbits, ginseng—fine, your family hasn’t stopped snatching things from mine.”

The good things his little lucky star daughter, Liu Mengmeng, had found had all been picked up by the Lin family, and his own work shift had been taken by Lin Yuandong. With old grudges and new ones, Liu Lao’er was so angry his teeth ached.

“Lin Yuandong, Lin Yuandong, you really have a miserable life!”

As soon as Lin Dawei reached the front courtyard, before he could even head to the back to check on his eldest son’s family, he heard crying coming from the east wing room, accompanied by the two grandsons crying along. The second son’s wife was leaning against the wall, watching the commotion. Seeing this, Lin Dawei could only shake his head.

The second daughter-in-law was fine in many ways, but she was stingy and loved to gossip. A simple sentence from her would have multiple meanings, enough to make anyone’s head spin. If it weren’t for his second son, Yuanxi, having poor eyesight, he never would have found such a wife.

“Finished your work?”

“Dad……” Zhang Miao straightened up and immediately offered a fawning smile. “The third daughter-in-law went over. Since she’s pregnant and hasn’t settled yet, she’s resting.”

The pigs and chickens in the back courtyard were fed, the big yellow dog was tied up, and the vegetable patch nearby had been turned over. Only a pile of clothes remained, being washed by Da Ni and Er Ni. The smell of food wafted from the front courtyard, making it clear who had done all the chores.

Considering the child in Zhang Miao’s womb, Lin Dawei didn’t say anything, only calling out, “Da Ni, go help your third aunt with the cooking!”

“Coming!” Da Ni threw down her hands, told Er Ni to go to the front courtyard to scrub shoes after finishing the laundry, and walked toward the front, swaying with every step.

“Second daughter-in-law, go back to your room. Don’t just stand out here.” After saying this, Lin Dawei ignored Zhang Miao’s ugly expression and pushed open the door to the east wing. As he entered, he was hit by a thick, medicinal smell.

Lin Yuandong was lying on the *kang*, with his two sons sprawled beside him. Fang Hongying was feeding him medicine while crying, but the medicine clearly wasn’t going down; as soon as she fed it to him, he spat it out, making Wang Cuilan curse in frustration.

“What, can’t get the medicine in?” Lin Dawei lit his tobacco, squinting as he looked at Lin Yuandong. “His complexion looks a bit better. He has to go back to change the dressing tomorrow, and the back-and-forth is too much of a hassle. We might as well go to the town to get him checked out, and sell the ginseng while we’re at it.”

Fang Hongying nodded quickly. “That’s right, Mom. Let’s take Lin Yuandong to town tomorrow. We won’t even need to bring money; we can just use the money from the ginseng.”

Wang Cuilan looked troubled. “Who’s going to take the eldest? He can’t handle the strain right now, and us womenfolk aren’t up to the task.”

“Tell the third and the fourth to go.”

The fourth son worked in town, earned a decent income, and had a stable job. He was currently discussing marriage, and as the youngest child, he was doted on by the family.

“Little Four?”

At the mention of her youngest son, Wang Cuilan’s smile became much more genuine. But then, thinking of where he worked, she shook her head. “Forget it, he’s worked to the bone at the factory. Let the third one go alone. With the two of us going along, that should be enough.”

“Fine.”

After settling it in a few words, Lin Dawei said to Fang Hongying, who was trying to pinch Lin Yuandong’s nose to force the medicine down, “If he can’t drink it, don’t force him. Let him drink it himself when he wakes up.”

“Dafu, Erfu, come with Grandpa to the front courtyard. Don’t disturb your father here.” Lin Dawei led his two grandsons away, and on the way, he bumped into Sanfu and took him along to the front courtyard as well.

As soon as they arrived, they saw Lin Yuannan happily holding Lin Xiangrong, who had just finished nursing.

“Third, tell the team leader tomorrow that you’re taking a day off. Take the eldest to the town clinic, and sell the ginseng while you’re at it. Exchange it for some milk powder coupons to get a couple of bags of milk powder for the little one.”

“Got it.”

Lin Yuannan nodded. It was only a day off, which wouldn’t affect much, and going to town would be a nice break. After asking a few questions, he carried Lin Xiangrong toward the front courtyard.

“Xiangrong is so bright-eyed.”

“She’ll definitely be a famous beauty in the surrounding villages when she grows up.”

“Ah-ah……” Lin Xiangrong opened her eyes wide, responding with a few sounds, turning her head to look around while blowing bubbles.

“So well-behaved.” Lin Yuannan hadn’t heard the inner voice he was hoping for, so he couldn’t help but say a few more things. His words were a bit silly, and as he looked down, he saw Lin Xiangrong looking at him like he was an idiot. He laughed immediately. “Yo, you’re not very old, but that little look of yours is quite intimidating.”

*‘The bird poop falling from the sky is sliding down my hair! Hurry and hold me away, don’t let it fall into my mouth!’*

Lin Xiangrong waved her hands frantically, her eyes staring in growing horror at the slightly runny bird poop sliding down from the top of Lin Yuannan’s hair. In her heart, she was screaming for him to take her away!

“Huh?” Lin Yuannan froze.

His daughter—his daughter spoke?!

She spoke directly in his mind!

So, the voice in the clinic wasn’t an auditory hallucination; it was his daughter’s warning.

For a moment, Lin Yuannan’s usually sharp brain shut down. His eyes glazed over as he stared ahead, completely unaware that the bird poop on his head was about to fall onto Lin Xiangrong’s face.

“What are you doing!”

Lin Dawei snatched Lin Xiangrong away and shoved Lin Yuannan aside with a *thwack*. “You brat, there’s bird poop on your head about to fall into my precious granddaughter’s mouth, and you’re just standing there dazed? Go wash your hair!”

Lin Dawei looked down at Lin Xiangrong intently for a moment. Seeing she was fine, though her face was a little flushed from holding her breath, he breathed a sigh of relief. He awkwardly rocked her, muttering, “Precious granddaughter, it’s okay, breathe now.”

Only then did Lin Xiangrong open her mouth and let out two “ah-ah” sounds, tucked her little hands back into her swaddling clothes, and stared at Lin Dawei with her round eyes, grinning at him—lively and adorable.

*‘Grandpa is the dearest!’*

Hearing the voice, Lin Dawei was instantly delighted.

“Grandpa’s precious granddaughter, the lucky doll of the Lin family.”

She truly was a little fairy descended from heaven, a lucky doll!

She brought good fortune with her; wherever she went, prosperity followed!

If it weren’t for the lucky doll today, his eldest son might have been done for.

*Lucky doll?*

Lin Xiangrong was happy. A lucky doll is great! From now on, there won’t be any loopholes in anything they do, because they will fix themselves!