Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Chapter 103: Chapter 10: A Youth’s Delight Lies in the Future (Part 2)

Lin Family Ancestral Residence.

The age spots on Lin Chaoyang’s face were extremely prominent, almost covering the entire old face. His temples had turned white, and he was lying in the courtyard, sunbathing. The commotion outside startled him, and he opened his murky old eyes.

”Eldest, what’s going on outside?”

”Dad, I just heard Gu Fei shout that Lin Chen won first place in this martial arts competition. The village chief is going to bring Lin Chen back to pay respects to the ancestors, and our village is going to hold a flowing banquet.”

Eldest Uncle Lin Hai walked out from outside the courtyard and answered truthfully.

”Lin Chen won first place in the martial arts competition?”

Aunt came out from inside the house, showing a hint of jealousy on her face, but quickly covered it up: ”That’s great news. You didn’t go to the ancestral rites last spring, but you must go this time. No matter what, Lin Chen is your grandson, isn’t he? I heard that the Martial Affairs Office has very strict requirements for students. If a student is disrespectful to elders or doesn’t observe filial piety, they will also be punished.”

”What nonsense are you talking about!”

Eldest Uncle Lin Hai glared at his wife disapprovingly: ”Dad, if you don’t want to go, then don’t.”

Lin Hai knew his father had unresolved issues, and if he went to the ancestral hall, there was no telling how the village people might ridicule.

”Does the Martial Affairs Office really have such regulations?”

Lin Chaoyang was thinking more. Over these days, he had come to terms with many things. Indeed, he had made mistakes in the past. Lin Chen, his grandson, not recognizing him as a grandfather didn’t make him resentful anymore.

He was now worried that if Lin Chen was labeled ”unfilial,” would it bring negative impacts on him.

”Dad, why would I lie to you? If you go to the ancestral hall, Lin Chen will definitely have to personally assist you. His status is different now, and he can’t act like before.”

Lin Chaoyang pondered for a moment: ”Then go, Eldest, get me that set of clothes from the house.”

”Dad, you really shouldn’t go.”

Just as Lin Hai was about to fetch the clothes, the silhouette of Second Aunt appeared at the courtyard gate.

”Second daughter-in-law, what do you mean by that? If Dad doesn’t go, what will people think of Lin Chen, not even seeing his grandfather when returning home to pay respects to the ancestors?”

Aunt immediately protested upon hearing Second Aunt’s words. Second Aunt scoffed: ”Some things are being covered up by the village chief for the sake of Chen’Er, but if you don’t want people to know, unless you do nothing yourself, are you not aware of the good deeds Lin Ming has done as a mother?”

Second Aunt didn’t care about Aunt being upset. Her visit was at the village chief’s instructions before he left, to prevent their father from going to the ancestral hall.

In the village chief’s eyes, Lin Chen standing on the stage was already a great affair. Regardless of the final ranking, he would bring Lin Chen back to the village to pay respects to the ancestors.

Without Lin Ming’s affair, no one would stop their father from going to the ancestral hall, signifying that he had come to terms and was willing to bow his head.

”What about Lin Ming? Lin Ming he...”

”Shut up!”

Lin Chaoyang suddenly intervened, his old eyes showing authority for the first time, interrupting Aunt: ”Second daughter-in-law, clarify, what did Lin Ming do?”

”Dad, not long ago, Qianqian from our village was abducted, and Lin Ming was the one who left the village the same day.”

”Second daughter-in-law, what does Qianqian being abducted have to do with Ming’Er? Besides, wasn’t Qianqian found, already proven unrelated to Ming’Er, and the gossip in the village has stopped.”

”Hmph, that’s because the village chief is concerned about Chen’Er’s reputation and our entire Lin Family’s reputation. It was Chen’Er who found her, and the guards at the city gate confirmed that when Qianqian entered the city, she was accompanied by a man identical to Lin Ming.”

Second Aunt looked at Lin Chaoyang and Lin Hai: ”Dad, Brother, the village chief didn’t spread this news, including why Qianqian’s mother took her to stay with distant relatives for a while, fearing that being young, if villagers asked her, she might mention Lin Ming’s name, ruining our Lin Family’s reputation for good.”

Lin Chaoyang and Lin Hai, both father and son, were utterly shocked, one for the grandson he greatly favored, the other for the son he never thought would do such disgraceful things.

According to Linhu Village’s rules, their whole family would be expelled from the village.

”Eldest daughter-in-law, did you know about this?”

Lin Chaoyang’s withered hand tightly gripped the armrest of the rattan chair, staring intensely at Aunt.

Aunt’s expression was flustered, her eyes lowering.

”Of course, she knew. The village chief told her when he returned but didn’t tell Dad because he was worried about your health at your age.”

Second Aunt directly took over the conversation. She realized now that Lin Chen was the future backbone of the Lin Family, while Lin Ming was a poison. This nephew wasted so much money on martial arts and achieved nothing, while creating trouble. If not clarified, it would implicate the entire Lin Family.

”How could I, Lin Hai, have fathered such a beastly son.”

Eldest Uncle Lin Hai was very emotional, and in the next moment, he knelt down hard, prostrating in front of Lin Chaoyang: ”Dad, it’s my incompetence.”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He knocked three loud kowtows, then stood up from the ground and headed towards the door.

”Dad, I’m going to find that beast.”

Lin Chaoyang did not stop his son from leaving. When he saw his eldest daughter-in-law about to speak, he immediately rebuked: ”You keep quiet. Lin Ming ended up like this partly because of responsibilities of a mother and me, as a grandfather. From now on, you should stay away from the village.”