Zhou Yuanshen was momentarily stunned, then couldn't help but smile wryly. He patted his son's head with his large hand. "Go ahead and eat quickly, don't let it melt." Zhou Zedong furrowed his small eyebrows, a gesture reminiscent of Zhou Yuanshen's childhood. Director Li and the others beside him looked on in astonishment. When Zhou Yuanshen enlisted, he was barely in his teens, just a little older than this child. Although he was his sister's child, it was surprising how similar their temperaments were to his at that age. "I-I'll eat it later," Zhou Zedong said, then turned around and ran off with the candy in his arms.

"Such rudeness!" Watching Zhou Zedong, who had bumped into her daughter, leave without a word, Zhang Cuimei couldn't help but complain. They were supposed to be the foster parents of Lin Nian, yet this foster son didn't even bother to say hello. City kids were supposed to be more polite, greeting people whether they knew them or not. Despite his decent attire, Zhang Cuimei glanced in the direction Zhou Zedong had gone and then turned back, pulling her husband towards Lin Nian, not far away. "Nian Nian, what's wrong with you? Can't you see your father and I are here? You didn't even come over to say hello." Zhang Cuimei was in a bad mood. She hadn't expected her adopted daughter, whom she thought had a hard life, to marry someone so wealthy and live in such a big house. And the cheongsam she was wearing—wasn't it the one they saw last time when they went to the clothing store with some army wives, but didn't buy because it was too expensive? At that time, she had thought that when Sisi got married, she would buy her that cheongsam to wear at her wedding. It would surely be stunning. Who would have thought it would be so expensive.

She had planned to save up some money to buy it later, but unexpectedly, she saw it being worn by her adopted daughter! Not only was her life not as miserable as she had imagined—living in a broken house, with a sunburned face and a miserable appearance—but her complexion was rosy, her figure graceful, and she seemed to be doing even better! It was embarrassing to think that she had previously felt guilty for forcing her to marry into this Zhou family surname!

Lin Nian was also somewhat surprised. After the original owner left, the Lin family had completely severed ties with her, wanting nothing to do with her, feeling ashamed that she had married a rural man. Who would have thought they would show up today? She smiled with surprise and said, "Uncle, Auntie, why are you here! I thought you would be ashamed of me marrying into the countryside and wouldn't want to come to see me get married. I'm so happy."

Her words sounded cheerful, but they made the couple from the Lin family's expression change. Subconsciously scanning the expressions of the people around them, they became somewhat annoyed when they saw everyone looking at them with subtle expressions. "What nonsense are you talking about? When did we ever look down on you?"

This fool, does she speak without engaging her brain? "No? Then why didn't you want Lin Sisi to come over and instead let me marry for her?" Lin Nian innocently asked.

The people around sighed and murmured. "I told you so. Lin Sisi agreed to the marriage, why didn't she come over? Turns out, it's because she went to the city and looked down on our little Zhou family!"

"Goodness, not only did she not marry herself, but she also forced someone else to marry for her. This family is too selfish!"

"Poor Nian Nian, luckily she has a kind heart and willingly helps take care of the little Zhou family, which is why she's in a better position today. Otherwise, her life would have been much harder."

"Just so, someone used to say she's so beautiful, marrying little Zhou must have ulterior motives, coveting the Zhou family's wealth. Now we know, she was forced into it."

"What despicable behavior!"

"Everyone, don't say that. My foster parents aren't like that. They just couldn't bear to see their own daughter marry beneath her station, that's all. I understand." Lin Nian hurriedly defended her foster family.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, the crowd became even angrier.

"Don't want your own daughter to marry over, then have the guts to return the three thousand yuan dowry! Don't want to give money, don't want to marry off your daughter, where in the world does such a good deal exist?"

"Exactly, what's the point of forcing someone else's daughter to marry for her? You don't owe them anything!"

"In plain terms, it was the adults who got the child mixed up, it has nothing to do with you. Why should you have to repay the Lin family by supporting Lin Sisi's food, drink, and education? Even their own biological son doesn't care anymore. She can just leave whenever she wants, why haven't we seen her help out the Lin family now that she's well-off?"

"Truly heartless!"

"Not even family harmony!"

Fingers were nearly poking at the noses of the Lin family members.

The Lin parents were used to being flattered wherever they went, when were they ever cursed at? It was infuriating to be scolded by a bunch of rural people, and they were so angry that smoke seemed to come out of their heads.

"You, shut up!" Zhang Cuimei glared angrily at the increasingly blackened Lin Nian, wishing she could slap her.

The stubborn girl wouldn't shut up, didn't she know when to be quiet?

Lin Nian seemed frightened and immediately lowered her head, keeping silent with a face full of grievances.

The onlookers couldn't bear it anymore. They had already warmed up to Lin Nian, and now she was being scolded despite helping the Lin family speak up. They were angry too.

"What kind of people are these! They're even getting aggressive, poor Nian Nian was helping them and still got scolded!"

"What a terrible day to encounter such people, bringing bad luck!"

"Nian Nian, we're not talking about you. You don't need to speak up for people like them. They're simply not worthy!"

"They still have the nerve to come here. Whether it's me or them, I'd rather just bash my head against a wall!"

The Lin couple were seething with anger, their faces red with fury. They couldn't out-shout the crowd, and they didn't dare to resort to violence, so they were left choking with rage.

Seeing the expressions of the Lin family, Lin Nian felt secretly pleased. While she didn't like the Lin family, she hadn't planned on confronting them. But their arrogant behavior rubbed her the wrong way. If they were going to annoy her, she'd make sure they were annoyed too. She wasn't the same straightforward person she used to be.

Lin Sisi, still a bit dazed from witnessing the change in Zhou Zedong just now, saw her parents' faces turn livid with rage. She also noticed the disdainful glances from those around her, leaving her feeling bewildered. She couldn't understand why, ever since she was reborn and returned to the Lin family, everything had been going smoothly. But since Lin Nian returned to the countryside, everything had changed. She felt completely powerless.

Clearly, they had come here to mock Lin Nian and make her feel embarrassed. But now, it seemed that the ones feeling embarrassed were her own family. Her face darkened for a moment, then she looked aggrieved and said, "Sister, how could you say such things? Our parents are also helpless. And about that money, it's not that we don't want to repay it, but it was lost because of your parents. While my parents are grateful for your parents raising me for eighteen years, they can't come up with that much money in an instant to help you. How could you maliciously suspect them like this?"