Turning Antagonist to Protagonist: He is Both Soft and Fierce-Chapter 161 - 156: Tingfan, Do You Agree to Let Your Sister-in-Law Remarry?

Chapter 161: Chapter 156: Tingfan, Do You Agree to Let Your Sister-in-Law Remarry?

Today’s weather is nice, the sun is shining. Lin Qiao went inside to take out the quilt for sun-drying. When she entered Song Tingfan’s room, she saw the box on the table, already completed.

She picked it up for a glance. It was really well-made, with a lotus flower carved on it.

Earlier, she casually commented about liking lotus flowers, and the villain sincerely believed she liked them.

The villain’s character was somewhat obsessive; if they treated you well, they would go all out to be nice to you without a second thought. If they weren’t, the opposite was true as well.

Sigh, she must wholeheartedly fool—no, treat the villain well.

She put down the box, then picked up the folded quilt and went outside. Just as she was struggling to hang it on the line, Li Guifen arrived, clearly to comfort her daughter.

After greeting the old couple, Li Guifen worriedly glanced at Lin Qiao a few times, "Are you okay, daughter?"

Lin Qiao could see her goodness. She responded sincerely, "I’m fine."

But Li Guifen didn’t believe her, helping to hang the quilt as she glanced at Song Qin and Song Rong in the main room, whispering, "Daughter, why not go back home, and return to the Song Family during the day."

Previously, Song Tingfan was young, and there were already rumors in the village. Now that Song Tingfan was turning thirteen, he was seen as a young man by outsiders.

Meanwhile, her daughter was a widow, indeed giving vile people reasons to speak ill.

Compared to the Lin Family, Lin Qiao still preferred staying with the Song Family. Sigh, her life was with the Song Family. Wherever her life was, that’s where she would be, "No need, I’m fine. Just let it go in one ear and out the other."

Though she spoke casually, Li Guifen knew she was hurting inside. Holding the quilt, her eyes turned red.

Lin Qiao naturally knew where her thoughts went, feeling she was overthinking, "Mom, really, I’m fine."

"You can’t fool me; I know it in my heart." Li Guifen was increasingly determined to find her daughter a new husband. She planned to ask Tingfan when she got a chance.

After all, he ran this household.

Just how much did she know?

Lin Qiao: "..."

Realizing the conversation wasn’t going anywhere, she gave up.

The argument between Mrs. Li and Song’s Second Family wasn’t uncommon in the village. Soon after, the villagers brushed it aside and returned to work in the fields.

At noon, the school let out.

A group of children ran out, making noise. Song Tingfan lagged behind, carefully packing his brushes and ink before leaving.

As soon as he stepped out of the school, he saw Li Guifen holding Lin An and Lin Ping by the hand. He walked over and politely said, "Auntie."

Li Guifen gave him a puffed rice cake, "Is studying tiring you out?"

Song Tingfan held it but didn’t eat it, saving it to bring home to his sister-in-law. "Not tiring."

"Not tiring, huh."

Li Guifen hesitated to say more, but Song Tingfan noticed, "Auntie, is there something you want to ask?"

"No big deal, just that..."

Looking at the only heir of Song’s Second Family, Li Guifen struggled to speak, but thinking of her daughter, she bit her lip, "Tingfan, Auntie has some questions for you. But don’t take it the wrong way; we mean no harm to your family."

"I know, Auntie. Go ahead and ask."

"Then Auntie will ask, do you agree with your sister-in-law remarrying?"

Song Tingfan was stunned, holding the puffed rice cake a little tighter. Did he agree with his sister-in-law remarrying?

He agreed.

But he didn’t want it, he didn’t want his sister-in-law to leave him.

After a while, he lowered his head, "I agree."

Hearing his agreement, Li Guifen was somewhat overjoyed, reassuring him, "Tingfan, don’t worry. Even if your sister-in-law remarries, Uncle Lin and I will still take care of you, just like back then..."

She stopped abruptly, avoiding the painful issues of Song’s Second Family.

...

Normally, he’d return around half an hour past noon, but today it was a full quarter of an hour later. As Lin Qiao set the tableware, she smiled and asked him, "Why are you back late?"

"On the way... I played for a bit." Song Tingfan didn’t want to tell his sister-in-law what his aunt asked, thinking as long as she didn’t know, she wouldn’t leave.

It’s normal for kids to play, so Lin Qiao didn’t question further, "Quickly, put your bag away. We’re having fried meat pies for lunch."

Song Tingfan nodded, went into the house to put away his bag, then fetched water to wash his hands.

Perhaps due to the ruckus Mrs. Li caused that morning, everyone was a little out of sorts. They ate in silence, without a word spoken.

Lin Qiao sighed inwardly, trying to lighten the mood with a funny story, "Granny, Grandpa, Little Uncle, I just went to fetch water by the river. Lai Cai and Jinbao followed me, but they ran too fast and fell into the river." She couldn’t help but laugh.

At this, Song Tingfan and the others looked under the table at the two dogs wagging their tongues, waiting for food, still slightly damp.

Song Qin got distracted, "A few days ago when I fetched water, they did the same. Luckily the weather is warm, or they’d catch a cold."

Lin Qiao gently nudged Lai Cai with her toe, biting into a meat pie as she looked at Song Tingfan, "Little Uncle, are the pies good? I mixed some greens in them."

"Delicious, everything Sister-in-law makes is delicious." Song Tingfan nodded without hesitation.

"Then eat more, you’ve gotten thinner lately."

Lin Qiao wasn’t wrong; recently, Song Tingfan didn’t seem well, especially in the mornings, looking unusually pale.

"Okay." Song Tingfan nodded.

Ever since dreaming of his sister-in-law selling him, he frequently had nightmares, frightening nightmares.

Sister-in-law was so scary...

Sometimes he couldn’t distinguish dreams from reality.

Lin Qiao sensed something wrong, wondering if he might be unwell, "Little Uncle, are you feeling unwell?"

"No," Song Tingfan shook his head, not wanting her to worry, and smiled, "Sister-in-law, I’d like another meat pie."

Hearing that, Lin Qiao placed another pie on his plate, "Eat more."

After eating, Lin Qiao still felt uneasy and called for the village doctor. After a lengthy check, the doctor found nothing wrong, and Lin Qiao paid two cents for the consultation.

After seeing the doctor out, Lin Qiao returned to Song Tingfan’s room, scrutinizing him carefully. He indeed seemed thinner, with slight dark circles under his eyes. Her expression grew stern, "Little Uncle, have you been working late at night?"

Song Tingfan indeed had been, and her words struck a nerve, prompting a flustered denial, "No."

His reaction made it clear. Lin Qiao decided to be a strict sister-in-law for once, "No? Is that a real ’no’ or a fake ’no’?"

She hadn’t realized she was showing concern for him.

His sister-in-law was angry; Song Tingfan dared not lie again, "Yes."

"Show me your hand."

Lin Qiao looked at him. He extended his palm, and she gently slapped it a few times, "Do you know what you did wrong?"

It was his first time being ’hit’ by his sister-in-law, but it didn’t hurt. Instead, it felt warm inside, "I know I was wrong," he said obediently.

"If you stay up again, I’ll use a stick next time."

Lin Qiao glanced at his palm, then her own. His wasn’t red, but hers was.

Song Tingfan nodded, noticing her palm, "Sister-in-law, does it hurt?"

"Next time use a stick on me, don’t use your hand."