Since ancient times, winter has been met with melancholy and desolation, yet I say winter days surpass spring mornings.
A solitary crane ascends through the clear sky, inspiring poetic feelings to soar to the azure heavens.
Lin Chen felt a surge of warmth in his heart, even his steps were light and brisk.
Compared to half a year ago, his mood was entirely different.
Half a year ago, he returned home with hopeful anticipation, excited yet uncertain about his path in the martial arts. But now, having embarked on the true path of martial arts, his eagerness to return home was fueled more by longing for his family and an urgency to share his joy with his parents and elder brother.
He reached the entrance of the village.
Lin Chen slowed his pace.
Gu Fei had returned to the village earlier, and with Gu Fei's propensity for gossip, Lin Chen's outstanding performance at the Martial Hall had likely spread throughout the entire village.
Who can be without a sense of vanity!
Lin Chen admitted that he was no exception. Vanity isn't necessarily a bad thing; in some ways, vanity and the desire to maintain one's image can be a driving force for progress.
As long as one isn't blinded by vanity, a moderate degree of it is acceptable.
Soon, Lin Chen encountered a villager.
"Lin Chen?"
The villager saw Lin Chen but was unsure. A few months ago, Lin Chen had returned home briefly and left in a hurry the next day, so many villagers hadn't seen him.
During his year at the Martial Hall, due to the rapid increase in Qi Blood, Lin Chen's height and appearance had changed significantly from before.
His eyes were bright, his complexion rosy, and he exuded strength, completely different from the other youths in the village.
"Uncle Li, it's me."
Lin Chen nodded slightly, waiting for Uncle Li's imminent words of exaggeration.
"Lin Chen, you came back at the right time, it seems something happened at your house, someone came to cause trouble, your father…"
Before the villager finished speaking, he realized that Lin Chen had already dashed more than a dozen yards away.
His speed stunned him.
At this moment, Lin Chen was anxious, could it really be such a melodramatic situation?
He had just embarked on the Martial Path, and his family was already in trouble.
This plot was so melodramatic that even current web novel authors wouldn't write like this anymore.
...
...
Rushing home in one breath, Lin Chen saw a gathering of villagers not far ahead and felt a bit relieved.
The villagers weren't gathered at his door, but at the Lin Family Ancestral Residence.
The trouble wasn't at his house.
Slightly relieved, Lin Chen walked into the crowd. With his current height, he was already considered tall in the village and could see the situation at the front of the crowd at a glance.
Father Lin and his two uncles, along with his elder brother, were holding hoes and carrying poles, facing off against several strong men.
Behind them stood his grandfather and mother, while his second aunt was holding Lin Hui, who had collapsed on the ground, with tearful eyes, his mother was holding his cousin Cheng Xi, but his aunt was nowhere to be seen.
"Repaying debts is a matter of course. Your family borrowed ten taels, and now with interest, it's fifteen taels. Either repay the money or hand over the land deeds, otherwise taking it to the government office won't do any good."
The leading strong man on the opposing side, his face full of muscle, had a mocking expression: "If you don't have money, don't pretend to be martial artists, think about what kind of family you really are."
Hearing this conversation, Lin Chen frowned. Were these strong men from the Money Shop?
Grandfather borrowed ten taels from the Money Shop?
If it wasn't for his father, Lin Chen wouldn't have wanted to get involved. Since they had already split from the main family, grandfather and the eldest uncle's debts had nothing to do with him. But now that his father was involved, he couldn't simply turn a blind eye.
"Uncle Zhang, please step aside."
"Uncle Xu, let me through."
Lin Chen patted the shoulders of the villagers in front of him. The villagers, upon seeing Lin Chen, were somewhat surprised but soon made way for him.
"It's Lin Chen back."
"Lin Chen? The youngest son of the Lin family's youngest? I heard he's doing well in martial training at the Martial Hall."
"Seems like the Gu family boy wasn't lying, indeed, he's grown tall. My son stayed at the Martial Hall for a year and only grew half a head taller. He's grown a whole foot taller."
As they saw Lin Chen, the villagers whispered among themselves. Mrs. Lin, upon seeing her son's return, was very excited and started to approach while holding Cheng Xi: "Why did you come back at this time? Gu Fei said you needed to practice at the Martial Hall for another month."
"Came back to see you, Mom."
If not for the current situation, Lin Chen could have satisfied his mother's vanity by proclaiming, "Your son has practiced Essence Qi," but now he wanted to know what exactly had happened.
"Mom, what's going on here?"
Upon hearing her son's question, Mrs. Lin pursed her lips: "Last month Lin Ming came back asking for money again. You know your grandfather. He's always obliging to the eldest grandson's requests. He secretly borrowed ten taels from the money shop, with an agreement to pay five taels in interest after one month. If unpaid, they would take the land deed as collateral."
Lin Chen's mouth twitched slightly, looking at his grandfather standing behind his father, he sneered at himself.
Such high interest, and he dared to borrow it!
No wonder he's the only grandson of the Lin Family. Ten taels weren't enough, so he borrowed another ten taels from the money shop.
"This matter has nothing to do with our family, right, Dad and Second Uncle?"
Since it was Grandfather who borrowed the money, and the land was allocated to Uncle when they divided the family property, it had nothing to do with their own family or the second uncle who got the fishing boat.
"Someone came to our door asking for money, and your grandfather didn't want to pay, which led to a conflict. Lin Hui happened to come home and saw this, thinking they were bullying your grandfather, he rushed over and got beaten up..."
Lin Chen understood now. Grandfather didn't want to give up the land deed, and the people who came to collect the debt beat up Lin Hui. His father and the others came upon hearing the news, and the villagers also gathered around.
If outsiders come to make trouble, Linhu Village is usually quite united.
But now the problem is that the money shop is collecting a legitimate debt, backed by written agreements. The Lin Family had no justification, and the village had no reason to intervene. Moreover, those who run money shops are not to be trifled with, and just the physique of those strong men was enough to intimidate the villagers.
Mrs. Lin explained the situation and then softly said: "This is a matter between your grandfather and Uncle's family, don't act impulsively."
"Mom, don't worry."
Lin Chen knew his mother was worried he might soften his heart and take on this debt for his grandfather.
He wouldn't soften his heart.
Since the moment the family divided, he had lost all familial affection for his grandfather and uncle's family.
"Dad, they have a promissory note to collect the debt, which is entirely reasonable. If we block them today, they can still take the land deed through the government office tomorrow, so there's no point in stopping them."
Lin Chen took the initiative to speak to Father Lin. As soon as he spoke, before Father Lin could respond, the aunt standing behind was already upset:
"Chen'Er, how could you side with outsiders? This is the fertile land passed down from our Lin Family ancestors. If it's gone, how can we face the Lin ancestors?"
"As long as the money is repaid, who would care for your few acres of infertile land. We all live in the same town. Our money shop has always been reasonable, and the amount borrowed and the interest were all agreed upon in advance. Linhu Village isn't the only place where people have borrowed from us. Have we ever caused trouble?"
The leading strong man let out a snort, his eyes falling on Lin Chen: "This young man seems to understand reason. If this matter drags on until the government office handles it, you'll end up paying even more in fees."
The county government officials don't usually come to the countryside. For them to come handle something would require additional travel fees.
So generally, any disputes in a village or town are resolved by the village chief or some respected elders, rather than taking the matter to the government, which is extremely rare.
"We can't hand it over. That land is our Lin family's root," Grandfather Lin Chaoyang said. "My eldest grandson wrote just the other day; he's already cultivated Essence Qi. We can repay this money in a few more days."
Cultivated Essence Qi?
Upon hearing the grandfather's words, the gathering villagers started to murmur among themselves.
"Lin Ming has cultivated Essence Qi?"
"It should be true. Lin Ming has been training for almost three years. Look at the Lin family's situation three years ago and look at it now; it's even led to dividing the family, so after spending so much money, he should have achieved it by now."
"With Lin Ming cultivating Essence Qi, the Lin family's life will surely improve."
The villagers' envious words brought a smile to grandfather's old face, and the aunt beside him also showed a look of pride.
Her son's achievement of cultivating Essence Qi was not something she had shared. She had planned to announce it dramatically when her son returned, but it seemed grandfather had spilled the beans.
But now, with so many villagers around, it might as well be said today.
"Delay? Bah!"
The leading strong man's expression didn't change, as he spat a thick glob of phlegm on the ground, instantly freezing the smiles on the aunt's and grandfather's faces.
"It took nearly three years to cultivate Essence Qi. Who knows if he can even open the acupoints in this lifetime? Either pay today or hand over the land deed; there's no other choice."
"You... you..."
"What about me? Do you really think our money shop didn't investigate your family's situation when lending the money?"
The leading strong man sneered. How could he not know about Lin Ming's situation?
Lin Ming spent all of the family's savings and accrued a mountain of debt to cultivate Essence Qi. People like him have no potential on the Martial Path, and he won't even have money for further martial arts training.
Since they're already at odds, they might as well burn the bridges and ruin their financial resources.
Grandfather Lin Chaoyang was trembling all over with anger due to the strong man's words. The pride of his family, who used so much money to cultivate Essence Qi, was now being disparaged as worthless in front of the entire village. How could he possibly bear it?
"Old second, old third, this is the fertile land passed down from our Lin family ancestors, it can't be lost just like that. They want money, you three brothers gather some and pay them first. Once Ming'er has cultivated Essence Qi, he can repay you soon enough."
Grandfather Lin Chaoyang looked at Father Lin and Second Uncle. It was supposed to be a joyous occasion for the Lin family, and now it's turned into this.
Second Uncle seemed a bit moved; he didn't understand what it meant to be a martial artist, but he often heard Lin Ming talk about what a grand life it would be after cultivating Essence Qi. Lending a hand now would surely make Lin Ming grateful for his uncle's help.
Father Lin's eyes turned to Mrs. Lin and Lin Chen. Currently, the family's financial authority was in his wife's hands, and she listened mostly to their youngest son.
"We're not going to gather the money."
Lin Chen looked at grandfather's high-handed attitude and gave a cold laugh: "I think this person wasn't wrong. Taking three years to cultivate Essence Qi, given Uncle's family's current situation, it's questionable if eldest cousin will even have money for further martial arts training."