Soul Returns to Hong Kong: From Tailor Shop to Richest Woman

After a while, the chaotic atmosphere of the family reunion finally eased a bit; He Zhong said gruffly, "It's good that you're back. Get up, a man's knees are worth gold, why kneel in this cold weather?"

He Dazhu was helped up by his brothers. He quickly wiped his face and turned to pull Lin Lanying over: "Dad, Mom, this is Lanying, my wife. Back then... it was her family that took me in and gave me food, and that's how I am today."

Lin Lanying respectfully greeted, "Father, Mother."

He Dazhu then led the two children forward: "This is my eldest daughter, Lin Ying. This is my younger son, Lin Qian."

Lin Ying and Lin Qian called out together, "Grandpa, Grandma."

He Zhong, whose eyes were still red, changed his expression upon hearing the children's names: "Their surname is Lin?"

The lively atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly quieted down. The brothers and sisters-in-law who had been peeking around exchanged glances.

As if he had been prepared all along, He Dazhu immediately explained loudly, "Father, when I smuggled myself to Hong Kong, I only had a pair of underwear on me and almost died at sea; it was Lan Ying's father who saved me, and her family took me in. Her father made me marry into the Lin family, and that's how I got Hong Kong citizenship and survived. My life belongs to the Lin family, and it's only right that my two children take the Lin family name."

He Zhong puffed out his cheeks but didn't speak immediately. Clearly, this traditional rural old man was very unhappy about his son marrying into the family.

He Linshi paused in wiping away her tears, glanced at Lin Ying dressed in beautiful clothes, and muttered a local dialect, "Why does this little girl need to dress so nicely..."

What Mrs. He Lin didn't know was that when He Dazhu was in Hong Kong, he taught Lin Ying and Lin Qian the local dialect of their hometown from a young age.

Lin Qian glared at the old woman he had just met; Lin Ying, however, remained calm and reached down to press her younger brother's arm firmly, signaling him not to act impulsively.

Although Lin Lanying couldn't understand all the rural dialect, she could immediately tell from the expressions of her two children that what her mother-in-law was saying was definitely not a nice thing.

He Dazhu gritted his teeth and held back his anger: "Mom, the child just came from Hong Kong. It was cold on the way, so it's normal for him to dress warmly."

He Linshi pursed her lips, and seeing that her son's expression was not good, she did not continue the conversation.

Fourth Uncle quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Oh dear, come inside, come inside! Dazhu has been traveling for over thirty hours, he's exhausted, what's he doing standing in this yard in the cold wind!"

The group then crowded together and walked into the house.

The main room was small and dimly lit, with a rammed earth floor. An old wooden table, some years old, sat in the center, while two tattered bamboo baskets were piled in the corner.

Lin Lanying didn't mind. She opened her purse and took out the roast goose, biscuits, canned fruit, and fine preserved meats she had brought from Hong Kong, placing them one by one on the table. The children of the He brothers stared wide-eyed at these things, their mouths watering.

When He Linshi saw so much exquisite food, her expression finally improved, and she quickly told her daughters-in-law to take the food to the kitchen to heat it up and cut it into plates.

Before long, the table was filled with things. But most of them were things the Lin family had brought from Hong Kong. There was a large plate full of roast goose, the preserved meats were steamed until they were glistening with oil, all the canned goods were opened, and next to them there was only a pitiful bowl of boiled vegetables and a bowl of homemade pickled vegetables.

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As they prepared to eat, He Zhong sat steadily in the main seat, while He Dazhu was pulled aside by several of his brothers to sit down, and Lin Qian was also pushed onto the table by He Zhong.

But Lin Lanying stood there without moving, and Lin Ying didn't move either.

He Linshi, holding her bowl, glanced at Lin Ying and said matter-of-factly, "Girls should go eat by the stove with the women. This table is only so big; there's not enough room for everyone."

Lin Qian, who had already sat down, jumped up as if pricked by a needle upon hearing this, slamming his chopsticks on the table: "Then I'm not eating either!"

He Dazhu's face darkened completely, and the veins on his forehead throbbed.

Before he could react, Lin Ying spoke first, saying in Cantonese, "Old Dou, you stay here. My brother, Mommy, and I will stay at the guesthouse in town."

After hearing her daughter's words, Lin Lanying didn't ask the He family a single question. She turned around, grabbed her leather handbag, handed Lin Ying's small crossbody bag to her, and pulled Lin Qian with her other hand.

He turned to leave.

Mrs. He was completely stunned, holding her chopsticks at a loss: "What's going on? The food is all set out, why are you throwing a tantrum and leaving?"

Lin Lanying walked to the door, then turned around coldly and glanced at He Linshi: "If my daughter doesn't sit at the table, neither will I, as her mother. We people from Hong Kong don't understand your customs here, and we're afraid of ruining your precious He family's meal."

After saying that, he took the two children and stepped over the threshold to go outside.

He Dazhu panicked and rushed forward to block the doorway: "Lan Ying! Sister! Don't go!"

Lin Ying stopped in her tracks: "Old Dou, I'm not angry; I just feel there's no need to stay here and be disliked. You go home, we won't bother you."

These words pierced He Dazhu's heart even more than a loud argument.

"Father, Mother," He Dazhu's voice was filled with anger, "Do you look down on me?"

He Zhong slammed his fist on the table: "What nonsense are you spouting! You're my son, my eldest son, why would I look down on you!"

He Dazhu pointed at Lin Ying, who was standing by the door: "Then why did you treat my child like this?"

He Linshi looked embarrassed and tried to explain, "That's how it's done in the countryside. Women and girls don't sit at the main table..."

"She's not just anyone's daughter!" He Dazhu roared, interrupting his mother. "She's my own daughter, He Dazhu's daughter!"

All the adults and children in the room were stunned and dared not breathe.

"As I just said! Back then, I was kicked off a ship like a dog and swam to Hong Kong. I drank a bellyful of saltwater in the sea and almost died! It was the Lin family who gave me food, a identity, a wife, and these two children! Ah Ying taking the Lin family name was something I willingly agreed to!"

He pointed to the roast goose and cured meats on the table: "She studied at the best school in Hong Kong! Her grandparents doted on her like the apple of their eye, their precious darling! Today, I, He Dazhu, brought her back to show you that I have sons and daughters, not to bring her here to be mistreated by you!"

Mrs. He's face flushed red: "I didn't say anything nasty..."

"You said it!" He Dazhu immediately retorted loudly, "When I walked in, you were already muttering, 'Why is she, a mere girl, dressed so nicely!' Now, for our first meal, it's all food we brought back from Hong Kong, and you're not even letting her sit at the table!"

"Mom, I haven't come back to see you for fourteen years. I'm so sorry, I'm unfilial. But I can't just come back to fulfill my filial duty and then leave my wife and children to suffer this humiliation here!"

He Zhong's face was extremely grim; no one in this family had ever dared to overturn the table and speak like that. But he wasn't stupid; his eldest son's words were all reasonable, and the family depended on him!

He glared fiercely at Madam He: "You foul mouth! Dazhu has finally come back after fourteen years, can't you just shut up with a few more words of nonsense!"

After being yelled at by the old man, He Linshi muttered aggrievedly, "I was just saying it casually, that's how it's always been in the village..."

"Rules should be set by the people who make them!" He Zhong stood up with a stern face.

He walked to the door and looked at Lin Ying. The old man still had lingering embarrassment and the resentment of an elder on his face, but he had already forced himself to lower his tone.

"Ah Ying, it's just that your grandma is old and talkative, don't take it to heart. Come on, put your bag down and come to the big table to eat."

He Zhong sighed, then looked at He Dazhu and softened his tone: "Dazhu, what are you doing? We haven't seen each other for fourteen years. Don't ruin the family on our first meal together. Don't worry, the children can sit at the table, and Lan Ying can sit at the table too. From now on, there won't be any of those lousy rules in this house."

He Dazhu didn't immediately back down; he said firmly:

"Father, Mother. I, He Dazhu, have returned to this home out of filial piety and to fulfill my duty to my family. But I'm here to make things clear from the start."

He pointed to the ground beneath his feet.

"If anyone dares to say anything about my daughter being a girl in this house again, I'll buy a ticket and leave with my wife and kids! I, He Dazhu, will never set foot in this house again in my entire life!"

Upon hearing this, the brothers who had originally planned to wait for their elder brother to calm down before trying to get closer to him all shrank back and looked at each other in bewilderment.