TATLC Chapter 03 – I don’t care if he dies.

Lu Lin lay in bed, feeling so weak he couldn’t muster any strength.

He secretly took out a pack of biscuits from the convenience store and ate them.

Lu Lin had already secretly looked at his current appearance in a mirror. His current appearance resembled his previous life by about fifty percent.

This person was pale and thin, looking terribly haggard. If he were well taken care of and grow a bit fatter, he would look more similar to his previous life.

In his dazed state, Lu Lin sensed someone entering the room.

“The Lin boy doesn’t look too good! Is it really okay to send him over like this?”

First Aunt Tang’s¹ voice suddenly rang out, “Why wouldn’t he be? He’s fine! Maybe the happy event will drive away his bad luck², and he might become lively and energetic.”

Lu Lin kept his eyes closed and didn’t say a word. He was unfamiliar with the place and people, and fearing his identity would be exposed, Lu Lin had been pretending to be mute since regaining consciousness.

Hearing the original’s aunt mention “the happy event driving away his bad luck,” Lu Lin couldn’t help but roll his eyes internally. He didn’t know that bringing good fortune worked this way here.

“Are we just sending him over like this? Shouldn’t we bring something for him?” a villager hesitantly asked.

Although he was marrying into another family, he should still bring something.

“Oh, we can barely afford to eat at home, where would we find things for him to take? Chen Xiaomi is a good hunter. Once he gets there, he’ll live a good life, and maybe he would get to eat meat.”

After hearing Tang’s words, everyone’s expressions turned strange.

The news of Lu Lin marrying into Chen Xiaomi’s family had spread throughout the village. Everyone gossiped that Lu Lin was marrying such a fierce Shuang’er, and he would be treated as a slave in the future.

People reasoned that since Chen Xiaomi went into the mountains, Lu Lin would probably have to follow. Chen Xiaomi had that brute strength so it didn’t matter, but as for Lu Lin, he might accidentally die in the mountains.

Something so terrifying somehow became a blessing of good food and comfort in Tang’s mouth.

Thinking that this was, after all, the Lu family’s business, no one said much more.

Several people placed Lu Lin on a door panel and shakily carried him toward Chen Xiaomi’s residence.

Lu Lin was too weak and drifted back to sleep in his confused state.

After Lu Lin was sent away, several people in the Lu household breathed sighs of relief.

“Mom, that jinx has been sent away!” Lu Tong exclaimed with disgust.

After Lu Lin fell ill, many of the tasks originally done by him were assigned to Lu Tong, who had long despised Lu Lin.

Tang sullenly said, “Yes! This little waste, he doesn’t even consider his own condition. It’s already good enough that someone’s willing to take him, but he made a scene by jumping into the lake, as if we elders mistreated him.”

Lu Tong smiled and said, “It’s good that guy’s been sent away. Grandma said he brings bad luck to relatives. Maybe it’s because of him that Eldest Brother still hasn’t passed the Xiucai examination³.”

Tang smiled and said, “Yes! The fortune-teller said your eldest brother’s face shows he’s destined for high office. I suppose it’s this little bastard who’s been holding him back.”

…

Lu Lin slept for a long time and finally began to recover a bit.

The voices of two strangers reached his ears.

“Da-ge, the Lu family has sent the person over. He looks sickly. He’s not going to die, is he?”

Chen Xiaocai was very dissatisfied with Lu Lin. In his eyes, his eldest brother Chen Xiaomi was the most powerful person in the world. Those in the village who ruined his brother’s reputation were all scums. This Lu Lin actually jumped into the lake attempting suicide after hearing he would marry into his brother’s family. He’s too much.

If it weren’t for that wretched head tax from the authorities, how could a coward like Lu Lin be worthy of his brother?

Chen Xiaomi commented indifferently, “If he dies, then he dies. Anyway, we’ve already registered at the yamen⁴. I no longer need to pay the head tax since we already went through the formalities.”

“Should we get a doctor for this guy?” Chen Xiaocai asked.

Chen Xiaomi narrowed his eyes and said, “No need. If he really wants to die, even if we find him a doctor, he’ll still find a way to kill himself. There’s no point in wasting silver.” Besides, there wasn’t much money left in the family.

Chen Xiaomi reasoned: Autumn had already begun, and once heavy snow blocked the mountains, hunting would become extremely difficult. The remaining silver needed to be used to buy more blankets, repair the house, and stockpile grain. Chen Xiaomi cared more about his brother and had limited feelings for a stranger like Lu Lin.

Now that the person had entered the household, his task was essentially complete.

“They were probably afraid of the cost of a doctor and sent him over early. Da-ge, if this guy dies, will the Lu family come looking for trouble?”

“We agreed he would marry into our family. Also, he didn’t bring even a bolt of cloth when he arrived. They obviously already cut ties with them. What trouble could there be? If they dare cause problems, I’ll beat them away,” Chen Xiaomi said disdainfully.

Chen Xiaocai looked at him with admiration. “Da-ge, you’re so amazing.”

Chen Xiaomi stared at Lu Lin for a while, then said coldly, “I don’t care if he dies, we’ll have one less mouth to feed.”

Chen Xiaocai disagreed, “We paid ten taels of silver to marry him in. Dying like this would be too easy for him. He should at least help with some work.”

Lu Lin had regained consciousness, and the brothers’ words had all reached his ears. Lu Lin thought to himself that there was clearly a reason why the original owner committed suicide. He was actually married to such a fierce Shuang’er.

What Chen Xiaomi needed wasn’t a husband at all, but a tax exemption tool.

Lu Lin suddenly felt a sense of a bleak future. Others who transmigrated became marquises and generals, reaching the highest positions. He had transmigrated only to be married off to such a fierce Shuang’er. Looking at the situation, he became worries about his authority in this family in the future.