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  The dark sky suddenly flashed a bright light, followed by a dull thunder rumbling from afar, almost simultaneously, a cold wind picked up, and pea-sized raindrops pattered down, bringing with it a damp chill that hit me in the face. In an instant, everything was a white blur, and the rainwater on the roof flowed down the eaves like a curtain of water.

  Lin Jinyue stood under the corridor, letting the rainwater splash and soak her shoes and clothes, listening to her parents quarreling loudly in the house.

  Mr. Lin shouted loudly: "Tell me clearly, such a big thing, why didn't you inform me at all? What do I count as in your brother and sister's eyes?" Mrs. Tao said sharply: "You're so strange, it's not like you used the Lin family's money, my brother used his own money, why does he need to get your permission? Are you surnamed Tao?"

  Mr. Lin San yelled, "He's really good to you! He often sends you things for no reason, why doesn't he send some to me? It's clear that you have an ulterior motive, taking so much money to throw it away, and still hiding it from me!" This sentence was like stirring up a hornet's nest, Tao Shi scolded: "My brother gives me things, what business is it of yours?"

  Not giving you things is because you don't deserve them! Lin Rukong, if you dare to smash my things again, I'll burn your worthless paintings! Do you believe me? You still know they're part of my dowry? Why don't you just say it's your money?!

  "Want face don't want face!"

  Mr. Lin's self-esteem was severely hurt, his voice trembling: "Do you think your dowry came from nowhere? It was exchanged for the betrothal gift from my family!" Mrs. Tao's voice became even louder: "How dare you say that! The dowry from my family is three times more than yours, and the betrothal gift list written by your family is still kept until now, do you want to take it out and see? The money spent on marrying off our daughter was less than one-third of what we paid, and I had to make up for the rest. There are several more below that, can your family's share cover it?! If you have the ability, don't use my dowry, take out your own money instead!"

  "I won't argue with you about these things!" Lin Sanlao began to lose his temper. "According to the law, a woman's dowry and property acquired through her dowry are under the control of her husband. The three obediences and four virtues, after marriage she follows her husband. Did I ask you? No matter where we go, it's all because you're unreasonable!"

  "What law? Bah!" Tao spat, "You dare to say such a thing? If you have the ability, come and take my dowry! See if the saliva of the Pingzhou people can drown you to death! The Lin family has produced a good son, who will snatch his wife's dowry! You're so capable!" Indeed, the law is stipulated in this way, but customarily it belongs to the woman's name, and only she has the right to dispose of it. This is how it is among the people, even if it goes to court, it still favors the woman. Lin San couldn't refute, and shouted hoarsely: "Tao Cailian, you shrew! Who snatched your dowry? He gave you things, can't you return the favor? You're using my money to repay him! I should teach you a lesson, you don't even know what it means to be humble!"

  "Where did the money and that pile of rotten paper and stones in your house come from? Repay the favors, they send gifts during holidays, how many favors have we repaid?" Tao's family refused to back down: "Lin Rukong, if you have the guts, kill me, if you can't kill me, then wait for death!" "His son wants to marry my daughter, shouldn't he send gifts? Oh, right" Back then, my family sent your family a lot of gifts, that should also be included in the betrothal gifts!"

  "You're good at calculating, calculating precisely!" A loud noise was heard, and it was unclear who had hit whom. The two people were silent, with their heads down. Lin Jinyan felt sad and hurt when she heard her dowry being mentioned, and when she heard her parents mention old affairs from the past, comparing whose family's betrothal gifts were more or less valuable, she felt embarrassed and couldn't bear to listen anymore. Just as she was about to go knock on the door recklessly, Lin Jinyan, who was soaked from head to toe, rushed over and started banging on the door: "Open the door! Open the door! Why are you still closing the door? There's a big rain outside, and people are squatting down to listen to the excitement, listening with relish. It would be better to open the door and let them see it directly!"

  Inside suddenly quiet and still.

  It took a long time before the door finally opened, and Tao stood at the entrance with a sullen face, scolding Lin Jingrong: "Look at you! Not even a bit of discipline! Hurry up and come in to change your clothes!"

  Lin Jianrong saw that she was neatly dressed, but her face had a flush of anger and she was panting slightly. He knew it was another case of "thunder loud but rain small", no big deal. He glanced into the house and saw that everything was in disarray - books, pillows, cushions, feather dusters were all over the place. Lin Sanlaoye was standing by the window, wearing a Taoist robe, his hair disheveled, panting heavily, his eyes still shooting daggers at Tao Shi's body.

  Lin Jinyong took the cloak handed over by Gong Mama and wrapped it around himself, lowering his eyes to say: "Just now when I came in, there were two or three people squatting at the gate of the courtyard who didn't fear the rain, listening to jokes and watching jokes. They only ran away after seeing me come! Who knows which courtyard they're from?"

  Taoshi was furious in her heart, resenting the onlookers hiding outside, knowing that it was one of her sisters-in-law who was secretly instigating, and wanting to tear them apart to vent her anger. She coldly sneered: "Who could it be? It's just someone who can't bear me having a good brother, intentionally coming to make trouble for me. Some people are foolish, listening to others' words, and rushing over to be the hatchet man. This time, others have indeed had their fun, getting what they wanted."

  Mr. Lin also came to his senses, and his face couldn't hold on. He said angrily: ... You didn't tell me, that's not right! I don't want to quarrel with you in front of my daughter.

  "Don't come and provoke me!"

  What's the point of your family sending things and telling you? What business is it of yours? Tao Shi hummed, saying: "Nang Nang, you tell me, who bought this land, did they swindle my money or not?"

  Lin Jinyong said, "It was Uncle who gave it to me. He bought a total of 80 mu of land, half for me and half for Seventh Brother. He said that even if it's abandoned, it might become good land someday, and we'll make a profit." This matter couldn't be hidden anymore, so there was no need to hide it further, but she never mentioned that she had insisted on buying it herself, using her own money, and secretly wanted to push all the credit for buying the saline-alkali land onto Tao Shunqin's shoulders.

  Mr. Lin thought for half a day and suddenly said, "Is it really profitable?" Tao Shunqin's mind was quick-witted. "Doing business basically won't lose money, even if it's Old Master Lin, although he often scolds him for not being serious about his career, but every time Tao Shunqin comes to the door, he also gives face."

  Tao rolled her eyes and ignored him.

  "Or we can buy some more?" said Old Master Lin with a thick face.

  Tao's wife yielded to one side: "No money! Third Master use his own money to buy."

  "Are you stupid?" Lin Sanlao said with a straight face: "Use my money to buy it, won't everyone benefit from it later? Are you willing for your brother and sister-in-law to share with us? Just use your dowry to pay."

  Actually, isn't it just to give Lin Yizhi's cheap thing some property? Tao Shi coldly smiled and didn't speak.

  Mr. Lin sat for a moment, seeing that the rain outside had subsided, stood up and said: "It's settled then, I'll go see the land tomorrow."

  Mrs. Tao's anger reached her throat." Just as she was about to erupt, she saw her two daughters making eyes at her, and with great difficulty, she swallowed her temper. After a moment's thought, she realized that if she wrote it in her own name, it would be her own property, and even if she left it to Lin Sheng in the future, no one could do anything about it. So she smiled: "Third Master is going to buy it, but I'll say this first, I don't have any money." My money has to be kept for my three children's dowry and betrothal gifts.

  I want my daughter's dowry to be two or three times higher than others', and my son's betrothal gifts not to be looked down upon by others.

  Old Master Lin got angry: "I have money! Don't want yours!"

  Lin Jianyin hastily reminded him: "Dad, be careful, Uncle said he's not sure either. The cost isn't much, it's nothing if we lose it. He has money, we're different... What if that happens, you..." Lin San was looked down upon by his daughter and hated to say: "I'm going to buy! I can afford the loss!"

  Lin Jianrong then glanced at Lin Jianyin with a look that meant "don't mind him, let him go". She felt that even if it was beneficial to everyone in the world, don't let Lu Xian be the last one to benefit.

  Lin Jinyan remained silent. Although she had covered up many things for Lin Jinyong, she felt very conflicted and did not agree with Lin Jinyong's behavior, which was too enthusiastic about money and wealth, as if he had gone mad. But Tao Shunchen, whom she had always admired and trusted, seemed to approve of Lin Jinyong's actions, which made her even more uncertain and unsure of how to face Lin Jinyong's behavior for the time being.

  Lin Jinyong saw her conflict and hesitation, changed his clothes, drank the ginger soup sent by Chun Ya, sat beside her, gently touched her shoulder, and whispered: "I didn't expect Uncle to be so generous, nor did I want to owe him too much, losing face in front of my cousins. It was an emergency measure. I promise not to do such a shameful thing as selling jewelry again."

  Lin Jinyan ignored her, but the corners of his lips curved up slightly.

  Lin Jiner plucked up the courage to push forward, and the two sisters fell onto the couch together. Lin Jin'er flipped over and pinned Lin Jiner down, her eyes blazing with anger as she whispered, "Why didn't you come find me?" Lin Jiner whispered back in her ear, "Isn't your money just the same as Uncle's family's money?

  "What's the difference?"

  Lin Jinyu was even more merciless, and the two sisters rolled into a ball, laughing until they couldn't catch their breath.

  Tao was originally full of resentment and anger, but seeing this, he couldn't help but lose his temper. He walked forward and lightly slapped someone: "Go, go, you're still acting like a spoiled brat?" The next day, Lin San Old Master indeed stormed off to inspect the salt fields. Originally planning to buy at least 80 mu of land, when it came down to it, he changed his mind to 40 mu. The officials in the government office were stubbornly demanding a price of 100 wen per mu, and in a fit of anger, he again changed his mind to 10 mu. He barely managed to scrape together 100 guan of money, repeatedly cursing the officials for being heartless.

  "Still thinks he has a lot of money."

  Mr. Lin San shouted: "My family already has so many, why do we need to buy so many more? With so much salt land all over the world, can we really afford it all? I ask you, what do you think of Yi's marriage now? His father asked about it earlier."

  Tao said lightly, "There are a few houses in Pingzhou that have been mentioned, and there are also suitable ones in Qingzhou. I plan to stay in Qingzhou for a few more days when I go to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday, and take a look around. After it's settled, I'll report back to the elders."

  The husband and wife had formed a tacit understanding over the years, which was evident in their reluctance to quarrel. Old Master Lin didn't ask any more questions and instead instructed them in a pretentious manner: "You'd better be careful not to make fools of yourselves." He then swaggered out to boast about how much land the Tao family had bought, and how it would become good arable land in the future, only to be ridiculed by everyone. Infuriated, he gritted his teeth and said they were all just jealous and didn't have the guts.

  The news soon reached Old Man Lin's ears.

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