Chapter 27 - A New Friend

By the time Su Wan and Lin Yan finished setting the dishes upon the dining table that Lin Chen and Lin Rui carried outside Lin Jing and mother Lin joined them as well. Lin Yu who was wiping the uneven dining table legs that croaked like a bull frog looked up at his eldest brother then turned his head at Su Wan before lowering his head once again.

Just like others Su Wan too saw Lin Jing coming to the dining area but she didn't say anything instead she just raised a brow and helped mother Lin settle down on a stool . 

" will it be fine ?" trying to ease the awkwardness Lin Rui asked Lin Yu pointing at the table legs that were shaking underneath the weight of the dishes

" no " shaking his head Lin Yu stood up with the help of Lin Chen before limping to the side " I..it can't be u..used f...for even a ye..ye..year , the woo..wood was lon..long eate..eaten by the term..termites . At m..most we can us..use it f..for this win..win..winter "

Lin Chen was the one who found this so called dining table of their family in the junk left by the old Ling family in the broken down shed . Currently they didn't have much money and could only make do with junk like this , in the old Lin family they had a dining table in the old residence of the Lin family but when they separated Grandma Lin sobbed like they were looting her family's treasure when they asked for their dining table . Thus , in the end they had no other choice but to leave it there most probably their uncle's family might be using it now .

" its fine " said Lin Yan waving a hand as he sat down on the stool next to mother Lin " we just need to use it until for a little while . Once we have enough money we will buy a new one "

" I'm afraid it won't last long " said Su Wan tapping on the wooden surface of the table " Lin Yu is right we can use it until this winter is over but that's on the premise that nothing goes wrong . I don't think we should take it lightly , if the table broke while we were eating then won't we have to purchase a new set of crockery ?"

Lin Yan pursed his lips , he rubbed his hand on the uneven surface lightly and felt the table tremble under its impact " I think you are right why don't one of us go to the mountain and bring some lumber to build a dining table from the scratch? "

" I will go " said Lin Jing after a short pause . Among the five brothers he was the only one who could identify which tree wood was good enough to make furniture and the one with the best wood were found at the very back of the forest on the mountain . Only he alone could navigate in that thick forest not to mention , he furtively glanced at Su Wan who was frowning at the shaking table and swallowed he too wanted to coax his wife and receive compliments from him . Since , he cannot coax her with words , he might as well coax her with his actions .

" will you be alright ?" asked Su Wan looking up at Lin Jing , though she knew that he was used to hunting in the mountain. She was still a bit worried about him , after all he was her eldest husband.

" En " said Lin Jing simply his face as stoic as ever in face of her worry but what she didn't know was that Lin Jing 's insides were dancing conga .

" I see -" a sudden knock at their entrance door interrupted Su Wan because of what happened this morning , Lin Chen closed their entrance door . Usually the villagers never closed their front door in the morning but then again the villagers don't have relatives like the old Lin family .

" Who might be at the door ? " asked mother Lin staring at the entrance door , this morning incident left such a big scare on her heart that she was even afraid to open the front door .

" It won't be the old Lin family right ?" said Lin Rui frowning

" no " lips pressed in thin line , Lin Yan refuted at once " The old Lin family just left, I don't they will rush back to trouble us again so soon ? " though he said that he sounded a bit hesistant .

" There is no point in siting here and discussing " said Su Wan as she strode towards the door , she wasn't someone who procrastinated dealing with their trouble . If the Old Lin family was here to trouble them , then she might as well deal with them again .

The Lin brothers exchanged a look with each other and rushed after Su Wan who opened the front door .

" Hello what do you want ?" seeing that it wasn't the old Lin family , Su Wan hurriedly changed her fierce expression to a cordial one .

" hello , good day Mrs . Lin ." greeted their guest , the other girl was a bit chubby and round but her face was kind and when she smiled at her , Su Wan thought that the girl looked cute like a little doll " My name is Fang Xiaolin , you can call me madam Fang or Mrs Fang , the house next to yours belongs to me and my husbands . Since , we are neighbours I thought that I should introduce myself " then with a little embarrassment on her face she asked " did I come at a wrong time ? Umm , I'm sorry .. I just returned from my natal home and heard from Eldest Fang that we have new neighbours - did I disturb you ?"

" no , no " waving a hand Su Wan hurriedly invited Madam Fang inside their house " you didn't disturb us " Su Wan though a bit distracted at first caught the words 'husbands 'in Fang Xiaolin 's introduction . It seemed that just like her Fang Xiaolin was a shared wife as well if that's the case wouldn't she be the only woman in the village who will willingly become friends with her ?

" Oh its you Madam Fang " Lin Rui greeted Fang Xiaolin when he saw her coming " you are back ?"

" Ah yes , I'm " answered Fang Xiaolin sounding a bit uncomfortable then as if she wanted to change the topic , she hurriedly shoved the basket filled with chicken eggs in Su Wan 's hands " My family don't earn much but our chickens laid quiet some eggs this week , so I brought you some ..Please don't refuse or I will think you don't want to befriend me "

" Aiya so much eggs " gasped mother Lin who just arrived with Lin Yan " you shouldn't have brought so much , Ah fang " she said to Fang Xiaolin kindly 

" its fine auntie.. I already said that our chicken laid quiet a few eggs this week so its not a big problem " Fang Xiaolin shook her head and assured mother Lin who's smile turned even more kinder " then I should be leaving -"

" Hey wait , We cannot just accept your sincerity and not repay " said Su Wan who shoved the egg filled basket at Lin Chen who hurriedly caught it and rushed inside and returning with a big bowl that was filled with Sainsbury fish balls/ steak ( whatever you want to call it ) 

" There is no need " Fang Xiaolin hurriedly refused but just as she shoved the egg basket in Su Wan 's hands , Su Wan shoved the bowl in her hands " of course there is sincerity should be repaid by sincerity " 

It was Fang Xiaolin 's first time when she was treated so kindly by someone . In her natal house she was treated as a slave , her family not only sold her as a shared wife but they didn't even cut off their relationship with her , every now and then they will call her and ask for money . For example this week , her brothers ended up gambling all the living expenses that she had somehow managed save and sent it back to her natal family but her mother didn't scold them instead she scolded her saying that it was her who was useless and couldn't send more money to her brothers so that they can enjoy their life. Fang Xiaolin who was already fed up because of being isolated by the village women for so many years finally blew up and determinedly cut off her relationship with her natal family . Her husbands were kind to her but they were too old fashioned , apart from eating and sleeping they hardly spent time with her , that was why Fang Xiaolin rushed to befriend Su Wan who was a shared wife just like her . In reality Fang Xiaolin came here with some hidden motives but when she saw Su Wan 's sincerity she was so moved that tears came to her eyes " I understand thank you very much " Fang Xiaolin didn't want Su Wan to see her tears thus she hurriedly bid goodbye to the the Lin family and left.