Chapter 4, Lin Erdan

So you think that someone is trying to set my family up

Grandfather has been buried once again

After three rounds of drinks, I began to recount the events I had encountered in the past few days

I have considered another aspect; if it is not my family who has offended someone, then the issue may lie with me.

However, Lin Sanshui's wife is different. In his early years, Lin Sanshui cultivated greenhouses and earned a bit of money, so their life is relatively comfortable. He also dotes on his wife, and in addition, this woman naturally has good skin, so fair and tender that one could almost squeeze water from it

I nodded; the village chief's words were indeed very reasonable, and he even clarified the motives. Not everyone in the mountains is ignorant.

One is Lin Sanshui's wife, Wu Miaoke. Just this name alone sets her apart from the people in the village.

Bai Zhenzhu smiled at me again, releasing Er Dan. Er Dan, perhaps emboldened by a bit of alcohol and my presence as an outsider, shouted, "Who the hell said I was drunk? Everything I said is the truth. If you don't believe me, just randomly pull someone in to ask. It's just that my brother is too honest to know. Xiao Fan, I’ll tell you, the poverty alleviation funds allocated from above have all been embezzled by those bastards!"

However, if that is the case, the motivation behind the matter becomes untenable. If it is man-made, why would he do such a thing? Is it purely out of boredom?

After much contemplation, I do not believe in the supernatural, nor can my enemies be found. The situation is akin to an unsolvable equation

Everyone might think that there is nothing remarkable about a woman from a mountain village taking a bath, but Lin Sanshui's wife is different; she is very beautiful. The local environment nurtures its people, and Lin Sanshui's wife's village is known for producing both beautiful women and scholars. The other women in the village, due to their labor in the fields, have very rough skin.

The time I saw her taking a shower was when I went to her house to play with Lin Xiaoyao. Since we were just kids, I didn't knock on the door and pushed it open directly, only to see her in a state of panic.

But who would I offend? I am a complete recluse and a loser; apart from school, my father does not allow me to get involved in the farm work at home, so I generally just stay at home. Who would I offend?

He squinted his eyes and said to me: "Xiao Fan, to be honest, I think your second uncle is the most suspicious in this matter. He has a very masculine appearance and looks wealthy at first glance. How could he possibly come to acknowledge a poor relative like your family? Moreover, at such an old age, he still doesn't have a wife? In short, I find him quite strange."

Not at all! Er Dan is already drunk; he has consumed almost the entire bottle of white liquor by himself

I am pondering the words of Er Dan, did Lin San Shui really cheat me out of 500 yuan? I suspect this matter is not without basis, yet I feel embarrassed to ask. After all, I came to the village to teach, and those who do not understand might think I am ungrateful to the one who provided for me, but only I know the truth. For me, this is still a favorable position, as I know that after three years of teaching, there is hope for a permanent position.

One is my mother

In our village, there are two women who are the most beautiful

What I mean is that I don't believe in the idea of souls returning at all. If someone were to rob a tomb, what does it mean to place a corpse on your bed? Do grave robbers want to play with you? Moreover, in this remote and impoverished area, who would come here to dig up graves?

The news we wished to conceal spread rapidly, filling the entire village with rumors and tales. After all, it is just a village of a few dozen households, and during the funeral, we did not take care to avoid others. Thus, it was impossible to keep this news hidden.

I have a childhood friend, who can also be considered a cousin, named Lin Erdan. He is about the same age as I am, but he chose to graduate from middle school early and then wandered around the village. Later, he married a wife, and their child is already over one year old. He has been persistently asking me to drink with him, but due to his heavy drinking capacity, I have always been hesitant to go.

I am now furious. Because I do not believe in the supernatural, I swear to uncover the person responsible for this immoral act

Yes, go back and discuss this with your father. Don't let your grandmother know about it; I'm afraid she won't be able to handle it. Find out if you've offended someone. This matter is quite obvious; someone wants to tarnish your family's reputation, especially yours. You're already of the age to find a wife. If anyone finds out that you've slept with a corpse, who would dare to marry you

The only thing to be thankful for is that no one knows that my grandfather's body was found on my bed; they all believe it was on my grandmother's bed

At that moment, Er Dan's wife rushed over and covered his mouth, slapping him on the head. She scolded, "I told you not to speak recklessly"

Brother, you are drunk. You and sister-in-law should rest first. I will head back and we can talk another day. I find that Er Dan is becoming increasingly unreliable, so I stood up to take my leave. If I let him say a few more words, Bai Zhenzhu will probably break one of his legs after I leave

Upon hearing this person speak, I found it quite convincing, so I said: "Come on, continue. If you can clarify this matter for my brother, I will come to find you for a drink at Tianhe and Tushutian."

I stood up; the sky had already darkened

I also feel it is impossible, because my father is indeed a good person. He does not have the time to argue with others; my mother at home needs his care, and my grandfather was also in poor health before he passed away. The entire family is supported by him alone

Lin Sanshui is the village head of our village. He has been actively involved in matters concerning my family, and I have a good impression of him. Although I do not understand why Er Dan asked this question, I still replied: "I think he is a decent person."

"Wait a moment! Xiaofan, my brother has one more thing to say to you. What do you think of Lin Sanshui as a person?" Erdan suddenly made a big turn in the conversation.

The white pearl glared, and if I weren't here today, it is likely that Er Dan would have received a good beating

Others say you have high standards, but they should also consider their own circumstances. Xiaofan, I must tell you, since you haven't returned, are others suggesting girls to you? In our village, given the conditions, even those with a bit of beauty are reluctant to come. However, you are different; you are a university student and a cultured person, which makes me envious. Yet, you seem to look down on everyone, regardless of their appearance. How can that not invite jealousy?

As for the village chief Lin Sanshui mentioned by Er Dan, who allegedly obtained his position because his wife slept with the township chief, I find that quite intriguing

I nodded and smiled, saying, "It's alright, sister-in-law, I know the importance of moderation. Let go of Er Dan, don't suffocate him."

There is nothing else, it's just that I heard those old women say this about you. They also said that if you keep being so picky, even college students will end up single. However, I feel that just because of https://www.hetushu.com, it doesn't mean others would go so far as to not dig up Grandpa Lin's grave and place the remains next to you. This is clearly an attempt to tarnish your reputation

Who have we offended in our family? Impossible, it simply cannot be. Don't you know me yet?" my father said when I asked him.

Brother, don't go. I need to tell you something. The girl from Lin Sanshui's family, Lin Xiaoyao, likes you. If you think this is to tarnish your reputation, it might just be her doing!

In the mountains, there are no recreational activities. After finishing the farm work, it is normal to engage in discussions about the Zhang and Li families. I did not take it to heart. My grandmother used to be one of the many voices in such discussions, but this time she unexpectedly became the focus. The topic was about the matter that pained her the most. She has a fiery temper, and when she couldn't catch her breath, she fell ill

"You want to say this, I actually heard someone mention you," Er Dan said with a burp, "Come on, let's have another one!"

"Have you never quarreled with others over trivial matters?" I asked

I stood up and walked away, and Bai Zhenzhu could no longer hold back; she grabbed Er Dan's collar and pulled him into the inner room

My thought at that time was pure white, damn white, as white as snow

Now, because I am feeling troubled, the school has indefinitely suspended classes due to my situation. I bought a bottle of Erguotou and brought a handful of peanuts from home, intending to have a chat with him

This may have been an impulsive act from my youth, as I had seen Lin Sanshui's wife bathing. That year, I was eleven years old, still at an age of complete ignorance.

Er Dan's wife probably weighs more than him by a hundred. She is a person with a dark complexion, yet ironically, she has a name that means "White Pearl". Outsiders have speculated that if it came to a physical confrontation, Er Dan might not be a match for his wife. This woman smiled at me and said, "Xiao Fan, Er Dan is just talking nonsense when he's drunk. You mustn't believe him. If you go out, you can't say that this is what he said to you."

"What the hell, hurry up and tell me, what did others say about me?" As soon as I heard this, I immediately became interested

I have thought about what you said, but looking at that face, which is just like my father's, no one can deny that he is my grandfather's child. I suspect he might have committed a crime in the city and fled here to seek refuge, but you say he did this, which is impossible; after all, my grandfather is his biological father. I am not familiar with the village and do not understand the ways of the world. I am afraid that I might have inadvertently offended someone. Haven't you heard anyone speak ill of my family?

"Not at all. I said, Xiaofan, don't overthink it. It's just that your grandfather misses you and wants to come back to see you. Even if that's not the case, let's think of it that way. As neighbors, who would do such a thing?" The old man was somewhat annoyed

"What is it? Do you have an opinion about him?" I asked

There are even well-meaning people spreading rumors, saying that my grandfather couldn't bear to part with my grandmother and wanted to take her along. Moreover, some go so far as to say that Old Lin was killed by that shoehorn, and he has come back for revenge

"The situation has escalated! Let me tell you, Xiaofan, I have heard that the village has allocated funds for you as a teacher, which amounts to 1,500 yuan per month, but that rascal has deducted 500 yuan from you. And that's not all; do you know how he became the village chief? People say that his wife slept with the township head to secure that position!" Er-Dan said to me mysteriously.