After the Scholar Rejected Me, I Married the Rogue and Got Rich - Chapter 48

Lin Laoda reached out and gently stroked the ox’s sturdy back and broad forehead with his rough palm, his face showing undisguised affection and reassurance.

“Good heavens, what a fine animal,” he murmured, as if speaking to his son, or perhaps to himself. “Look at that build, those hooves, just the right size for him to work.”

Lin Bai curiously circled the ox, carefully touching its horns: “Dad, with it pulling the cart, it will be much easier for us to go to town! Mom and my sister won’t have to work so hard anymore.”

“Yes,” Lin said with a simple and satisfied smile, “Zhou Han is just the kind of kid we need.”

This ox is not just a means of transportation, but also represents the future son-in-law’s heartfelt wishes and guarantee for the whole family.

The family carefully loaded the tools they had packed the day before onto the cart.

Lin Laoda personally harnessed the ox and sat on the cart shaft, while Wang Shi, along with Lin Sang, Lin Song, and Lin Miao, also got on.

With a soft shout from Boss Lin, the old ox began to move steadily, pulling the heavy cart smoothly out of the village.

The wind was still biting on that winter morning, but the thick and sturdy carport played a vital role.

The tarpaulin kept the cold wind out completely. The family sat in the carport, and although they could still hear the howling wind outside, they didn’t feel much cold. It was so much better than the past when they had to brave the wind and snow and hunch their necks to keep warm.

The wheels crunched on the still-wet snow, accompanied by the steady breathing of the old ox, giving one an unprecedented sense of peace and security.

Seeing that the children nestled beside her were no longer shivering from the cold, Wang’s satisfaction with Zhou Han reached its peak.

———

Upon arriving at the familiar spot at the dock, I had barely set up my stall, and before the mutton bone soup in the pot had even started to boil and the familiar aroma had fully filled the air, sharp-eyed regulars began to gather around.

“Oh! Mr. Lin, Mrs. Lin! You’re finally back!”

“Exactly! I haven’t had this soup for days, and I feel terrible!”

“We thought you guys had quit!”

Everyone expressed their longing in a flurry of voices, their attention quickly drawn to the old yellow ox tethered to the side, leisurely swishing its tail, and the covered cart.

Hey! Did you get a big purchase? This cow looks really energetic!

“This carport is great, it looks so warm! I won’t be afraid of wind and rain anymore!”

“The Lin family has really struck it rich! They’ve even bought an oxcart!”

As Wang skillfully started the fire, she listened to everyone’s praise, her face beaming with joy.

She took out a bag of candies she had prepared beforehand, grabbed a handful, and stuffed them into the hands of the first few regular customers who gathered around, her voice brimming with undisguised joy:

“Thanks to everyone’s blessings! We had a happy occasion at home a few days ago, so we took a break for a few days. Come on, everyone, have some candy and share in the joy!”

“Good news? What good news?” Everyone asked curiously as they took the candy.

Wang glanced at Lin Sang, who was busy beside her with slightly flushed cheeks, and said in a louder voice, “It’s our Sang Sang, she’s officially engaged!”

“Wow! Congratulations!”

“This is wonderful news! Sang is such a lovely girl, which young man has she chosen?”

Wang smiled, a hint of pride in her eyes, and pointed to the old ox and cart: “Look, these are the gifts from our future son-in-law, the owner of this ox and cart! He said the children have a hard time traveling back and forth, so he wanted to make things convenient for the family!”

These words immediately drew even greater astonishment and praise.

“My goodness! What a generous son-in-law!”

“They’re already sending her off on an oxcart before she’s even married into the family? That’s a truly heartfelt gesture!”

“Sang girl is so lucky! She found someone who knows how to cherish her!”

“Sister-in-law Lin, you’ve found a wonderful in-law! This young man is capable and reliable!”

“No wonder you were closed a few days ago, you were busy with your engagement! Congratulations!”

Hearing everyone’s sincere blessings and praise, the smiles on Wang’s and Lin’s faces never faded.

Even though Lin Sang was busy and embarrassed to look up, she still had a faint, sweet smile on her lips.

A new day began amidst the convenience brought by the new oxcart and the blessings of the crowd. The Lin family’s stall quickly returned to its usual bustling state, filled with the aroma of mutton soup, the tantalizing scent of baked flatbread, and a rich, hopeful atmosphere.

The old ox leisurely swung its tail, while a brand-new covered cart sat to the side, silently showcasing the family’s thriving and prosperous life.

However, not far from this bustling scene, in a shop called “Yang’s Noodle Shop,” the owner, Yang Laowu, was leaning against the door frame, squinting his cloudy eyes and staring intently in the direction of Lin’s stall.

He was clutching a rag in his hand, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

He watched as the Lin family mother and son worked together seamlessly, their feet barely touching the ground. He also saw that the laborers who might have come to his shop for a bowl of vegetarian noodles were now holding the Lin family’s large bowls, drinking with sweat pouring down their faces, their expressions of satisfaction almost blinding.

His gaze finally settled on the brand-new oxcart, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned down, his eyes filled with a mixture of jealousy, anger, and a hint of malice.

“Hmph, mutton offal soup… You’ve certainly got some ideas. You’ve stolen a lot of my business, and now you’ve even bought an oxcart. Your family has really prospered!” Yang Laowu thought viciously to himself.

His noodle shop has been open for several years, the taste is ordinary, but thanks to its unique location at the dock, the business is still passable.

But ever since the Lin family set up their stall, his already meager business has become even worse.

In the past, we could at least say that the other party had a stall and we had a shop, which gave us a sense of superiority. But now that the other party even has an oxcart, our status is about to catch up with his!

A strong sense of crisis and resentment clung to his heart like poisonous vines; he couldn’t just stand by and watch an outsider squeeze him out of business.

The oxcart and the commotion were, in his eyes, nothing but blatant provocation!