After returning the cup to Lin Xiang, Lin Yun realized that he still held a partially eaten compressed cookie in his hand.
He hesitated for a long time, then with a look of resignation, handed over the compressed cookie, "Here, take it."
Lin Xiang shook her head, "Forget it, I don't like eating this!"
The texture of compressed cookies, yuck!
"Will you eat these cornbreads?" Lin Xiang took out the two leftover cornbreads from last night, along with a portion of shredded cabbage.
There's so little food available at home, she could only use the limited ingredients to satisfy her taste buds as much as possible.
Lin Yun looked at the cornbread that Lin Xiang handed over, recalling the sweetness from last night, frowned and asked Lin Xiang, "What exactly do you want to do?"
Yesterday, she deviated from her normal behavior by not sending food to Wen Siyuan, but gave it to him instead. Although he didn't eat it since he was sick, the event did happen.
Last night and today at noon, she also delivered food to him.
Lin Yun was too familiar with his sister's character, fearing that behind this goodwill lay a bigger scheme.
Lin Xiang saw the expression on Lin Yun's face and knew what he was thinking.
Yet she couldn't say anything, for who made the original owner commit evil deeds? She was now in the original owner's body and had to endure this karma.
"Brother, you might not believe it, but I had a dream while sleeping yesterday. I dreamed that I married Wen Siyuan, but he turned out to be a complete scoundrel. After marriage, he didn't settle down, flirting with women outside. Whenever he was dissatisfied, he'd come home to beat me up."
"In the dream, whenever Wen Siyuan bullied me, it was you, brother, who stood up for me, whipping that scoundrel into submission so he'd no longer dare to bully me."
Lin Xiang paused, looked up at Lin Yun, her eyes shimmering with tears.
"After waking from the dream, I realized I was wrong. Brother, you didn't want to match me with Wen Siyuan, not because you didn't want to help, but because you saw through Wen Siyuan's scoundrel nature, fearing your beloved sister wouldn't have a good ending with him and afraid I would suffer, right?"
Lin Yun silently looked at Lin Xiang, not responding.
She had a tendency to flatter herself.
Since when did he admit she was his most beloved sister?
Lin Xiang continued to pinch her thigh forcefully, the pain bringing tears down her cheeks to her lips.
"Brother, from childhood to now, you've always gone easy on me. Even if I committed huge mistakes, you'd cover for me. You are my confidence for acting recklessly, relying on your affection, I developed a lawless personality. But this dream made me realize I was wrong to do so, I shouldn't take your unconditional love for granted, disregarding your feelings and bullying you."
Lin Xiang was almost moved to tears by her own words.
Look at her little brain, it even came up with such a perfect explanation.
Turned the original owner's arrogance and lack of manners into an image pampered unconditionally by a brother.
Could Lin Yun refute?
He couldn't!
Because it was he who spoiled the original owner and Mrs. Lin into acting this way!
This was also Lin Yun's karma.
"Brother, I know I was wrong. I truly want to change now. Can you give me another chance?"
Lin Yun stared into Lin Xiang's eyes, trying to discern any signs of deception from her expression and gaze.
But after a long gaze, he didn't see any guilt, instead, he was moved by the earnestness in her eyes.
"Even with me covering for you, you shouldn't act recklessly."
Lin Xiang nodded vigorously, "Brother's teachings are right, I know I was wrong, I will definitely change from now on. Brother, do you want to eat cornbread?"
With Lin Xiang offering the cornbread with both hands, Lin Yun couldn't refuse, accepting it and taking a bite.
Mm, it's sweet.
After eating the cornbread, it was about time to start work.
Lin Xiang, worrying about Lin Yun's health, wanted to persuade him to rest for a day, but Lin Yun shook his head, "Seeing the weather cooling, without farm work, we can't earn work points. I need to earn as much as I can now."
In a three-person family, he was the only labor force, with mom and sister both loving comfort and laziness. If he didn't earn more work points, they'd be in debt to the team by year-end.
Lin Xiang couldn't persuade him, so she had to return home.
Lying on the bed, Lin Xiang forced herself to sleep.
Clearly, Lin Yun's attitude towards her had already shifted, gaining goodwill was steadied!
She wanted to verify if she could return to her own timeline.
But even before she fell asleep, Lin Xiang was awakened by Mrs. Lin.
"Girl, someone's here to see you!"
"Who is it?"
"Dunno, but they're dressed rather grand, clearly city folks. Since when did you know someone from the city?"
The original owner's connections to city folks were unknown to Lin Xiang, she only knew Imperial Chef Shen from the state-owned restaurant.
But the agreed time was still a few days away, Chef Shen couldn't be seeking her now.
Lin Xiang didn't dally, put on her coat and went out the door, immediately spotting the waiter from the state-owned restaurant.
"Comrade Lin Xiang, I finally found you!"
The waiter, who had a lofty air yesterday, today had a complete attitude change towards Lin Xiang, being so warm it made Lin Xiang a bit uneasy.
"Brother Shen is looking for me?"
"Yes, yes, it's something urgent. Are you available now?"
"Please wait for me a moment!"
Lin Xiang pulled the curious Mrs. Lin to the side, "Mom, I have to go out for a while, it might be a bit late by the time I return today. If I'm not back by nightfall, could you walk up to the village entrance to pick me up? Not too far, just two or three hundred meters will do!"
Lin Xiang wasn't afraid of the dark, but she feared gossip.
Coming home alone late at night, if spotted by the village blabbermouths, who knows what stories they'd spread.
"Girl, tell Mom, what are you doing going out in broad daylight?"
"Mom, you might not believe it, but I found myself a job, at the state-run restaurant cooking Western food. Though I might only work a few days a year, I earn a dollar each day. The meat buns and sliced meat soup you ate yesterday weren't brought by Smartie Liu, but taken from the state-run restaurant!"
Mrs. Lin widened her eyes incredulously, stared at Lin Xiang for a long time, "Girl, when did you learn to cook Western food?"
Lin Xiang glanced around, seeing no one nearby, she lowered her voice and told Mrs. Lin, "Remember the people back then? One of them was a descendant of an Imperial Chef, my culinary skills were learned from him. I kept quiet earlier because I didn't want to scare you, but now, I can earn money with this skill, you could benefit and enjoy too isn't it?"
All those who were assigned to the Li Hua Team had returned home, Lin Xiang's words couldn't be verified, so she wasn't afraid of being exposed.
Knowing Lin Xiang would earn clean money, Mrs. Lin could only be happy, how could she be picky at all.
"Then, can you bring Mom another meat bun when you return today? I don't ask for much, just one will do!"
"Alright, I promise you. I'm heading out now!"