This stubborn attitude made Lady Liu laugh in exasperation.
"Even if you could fool her, do you think you can fool everyone else? Your father may be gone, but your mother is still alive. How can you just casually find yourself a stepmother like this? Do you think that's appropriate?"
"What's not appropriate about it?"
A flash of defiance glinted in Lin You'an's eyes.
"Zhou Yuhe has already remarried! She abandoned me and Wanwan to marry someone else, so why can't I find myself a new mother?"
Lady Liu paused for a moment, her voice softening when she spoke again.
"But you're deceiving Miss Chu."
"An'an isn't deceiving me. Everything An'an said is true. Wanwan really is my child, she came here with me."
Chu Chi's capricious mind suddenly had an oddly clever moment as she opened her mouth to refute Lady Liu's words.
"Don't separate us and sell us off. A mother and child should always be together."
Yes, that's right!
Everything An'an said was spot on. These people were indeed questioning the legitimacy of my having a child. Chu Chi was starting to feel annoyed. As an intelligent, noble zombie who had risen above base interests, wasn't it only right that I should have a child?
I've heard enough!
She reached out and slapped the doorframe beside her. With a loud bang, the thick wooden door immediately fell to the ground.
"..."
Father and son Lin's eyelids twitched, their hearts pounding in alarm. Had they angered this mentally challenged expert?
Lady Liu, holding Lin Wanwan, involuntarily took a step back. Good advice is useless to those bent on destruction. If you're willing to fall for this boy's trick, then I won't try to persuade you anymore.
Chu Chi, coming to her senses, blinked her eyes guiltily.
"The door... broke."
Yes, we can see that.
The Lin family nodded.
Wasn't that because you hit it when you were threatening us?
"It fell on its own, I didn't touch it! I didn't touch it! I didn't touch it!"
Important things must be said three times. I really didn't touch it. I hit the doorframe, the door panel fell down on its own.
Chu Chi blinked at Lin You'an. She couldn't explain these twists and turns in words, but her meaning was all over her face.
His newly acquired son was giving him quite a headache.
"I know you didn't mean to, but now can you please sit quietly to the side and not say anything?"
"Oh."
She obediently ran back to the stool and sat down. Looking at her docile appearance now, who would believe that just moments ago, this girl had knocked down the Lin family's solid wooden door with a single slap?
A calculating look flashed in Lin Yuanshan's shrewd eyes.
Judging by the girl's attire, although it was dirty and messy, the style and fabric of her clothes were clearly not something an ordinary family could afford at first glance.
Her good looks aside, she also possessed such high martial arts skills. Apart from her mental deficiency, there was absolutely nothing wrong with her. If they really kept her, the benefits should outweigh the drawbacks.
Madam Zhou had already remarried, which was a fatal blow to his brother's reputation. So what if his brother was already dead? Wasn't a dead person's reputation still a reputation?
Moreover, the woman remarrying so quickly made it hard for Lin Yuanshan not to suspect whether she had been involved with someone else long before.
And what about his nephew and niece? In the future, when these two children grow up, once people inquire and learn about their mother, it would likely become a topic of gossip affecting their marriage prospects.
In an instant, he thought of many things.
"It's your capability that you managed to lure her here, making her wholeheartedly willing to be a stepmother to you siblings. I won't forcibly stop you. But I want to ask, how old is this Miss Chu, and where does she live?"
"My mother is eighteen this year, and she's from Yingzhou Prefecture. Her family encountered bandits, and then right after that, they were hit by a flood. All her relatives and friends died, leaving only her. She traveled thousands of miles to Anfeng Prefecture to seek refuge with my father, but then my father died too. In the end, my mother took pity on me and my sister for being young and losing both parents, so she was willing to marry my father posthumously and look after us until we grow up!"
Except for the kind-hearted Lin Youwen, who cast several sympathetic glances at the ill-fated young woman, the rest of the Lin family stared at Lin You'an, speechless.
Lin Yuanshan felt he was enduring with great difficulty, his toes almost cramping. If he wasn't certain he couldn't beat this Miss Chu, he would have definitely kicked this little brat a few times.
Do you even believe the lies you're spinning?!
I do believe it.
Lin You'an, understanding the look in his eyes, nodded vigorously. The highest level of lying is to first convince yourself to believe it; otherwise, how can you deceive others?
"If you tell this to the clan, do you think the clan leader and elders will believe it?"
Lin You'an shook his head.
Lin Yuanshan felt slightly less angry.
Although this boy was now full of mischief, at least he still had some sense in his head. Just as he was about to heave a long, weary sigh, he heard his wretched nephew say in a fawning tone:
"No one would believe me if I said it, but it's different with you, Uncle. If you tell the clan, they definitely won't doubt it!"
"Me? Tell them?"
"Yes. You're my father's elder brother, grandfather's eldest son. You must remember this matter of the betrothal arrangement made before birth, right, Uncle?"
"... Well, I really must thank you. This is the first time you've ever thought so highly of me. Whoever came up with this damaging idea should handle it themselves. Don't try to drag me down with you. I won't do it!"
"Uncle, it was all my fault before. I was stupid, blind, and misguided, mistaking the Zhou family wolves for my own kin. Uncle, I beg you, for the sake of my father, please take pity on your nephew! Please!"
Lin You'an brought up his father, instantly hitting Lin Yuanshan's weak spot.
This nephew of his resembled his brother in every way, both in appearance and intelligence. If his brother hadn't been unlucky enough to be killed by bandits on his way to the imperial examinations, who knows what achievements this clever boy might have had?
Alas, fate is predetermined by heaven, not by man's will.
The tough man didn't agree verbally, but he also didn't refuse. A flash of deep gratitude appeared in Lin You'an's eyes.
He took a step back and knelt down again, sincerely kowtowing.
"Your nephew thanks you, Uncle!"
"Stop with all this empty show. Just tell me what to do about the Zhou family? Do you still want the money and property they took away?"
"Of course! Those are all belongings of our Lin family. Why should we give them to the Zhou family?"
"Good! You better remember what you just said, boy. If you dare to turn on me again, you can go die outside and never step foot in our Lin family home again!"
"Don't worry, I've learned my lesson! I'm a descendant of the Lin family, I will absolutely not side with outsiders against my own family."
"Come on, let's go find the clan leader!"
Lin Yuanshan grabbed his nephew and left. Lady Liu hurriedly asked from behind:
"Why are you in such a rush to take the child to see the clan leader? At least let him change his clothes and have something to eat first."
"It's better to go like this! When we get there, don't say anything. Just cry your heart out. Let your great-granduncle see how Zhou Chengguang, his cousin's grandson, has mistreated our Lin family's descendants!"
