Impotent
“Let’s head into the house first. You should rest a bit before going to the back courtyard,” Su Su suggested, considering the large number of things she’d brought back and wanting Lin Chuan to relax indoors while chatting with his parents.
Lin Chuan blinked in surprise. When did his little wife become so authoritative in the family? His three brothers were notoriously hard to manage, but now they all seemed to respect her.
“Mom, can you put a soft quilt on the kang? He needs to lie down for a bit. Sitting too long isn’t good for him.”
“Sure, I’ll go right away,” Mother Lin agreed.
Mother Lin hurried inside to prepare the kang, while Su Su and Lin Hai helped Lin Chuan into the house. Lin Donghe carried the rest of the luggage inside before heading home. The young soldier who’d brought Lin Chuan wanted to leave, but Su Su called out to him.
“Wait a moment. Mom, do we have frozen dumplings left? Can we cook a batch?” she asked. They hadn’t had a proper breakfast, and she couldn’t let the soldier walk back on an empty stomach.
Mother Lin, who wasn’t stingy in the least, nodded. “Alright, I’ll have your father boil some dumplings.”
While Father Lin prepared the fire, the young soldier ate some dumplings outside, said a quick farewell to Lin Chuan, and then left. Su Su escorted him to the door, reminding him, “Drive carefully!”
The young soldier left feeling incredibly grateful. The “commander’s wife” was so kind-hearted and thoughtful, even toward low-ranking soldiers like himself.
Mother Lin and Father Lin, meanwhile, were quite pleased. In their eyes, Su Su was savvy and good with people—exactly the kind of daughter-in-law who could handle herself well outside the family.
Once it was just the family inside, Mother Lin asked Lin Chuan directly, “Where are you hurt?”
“My leg,” Lin Chuan replied quickly.
“Which leg? And where on the leg?” Mother Lin pressed, as Lin Chuan’s limping gait had been too subtle to tell.
Lin Chuan clammed up, his mouth set in a firm line. Even in front of his mother, he couldn’t bring himself to admit exactly where the injury was.
Seeing his stubbornness, Su Su stepped in, saying, “It’s just… a little above his thigh. It’s already healing well.”
Mother Lin trusted Su Su completely. If her daughter-in-law said it was fine, then it must be fine. After everyone finished eating dumplings, the family moved Lin Chuan and Su Su to the back courtyard, where the kang stove had already been heated.
Lin Chuan lay down to rest, as sitting for too long was out of the question. Soon after, villagers began arriving to visit him—a common tradition for those recovering from injuries or illnesses.
Su Su had built up quite a good reputation in the village. Many of the women still remembered the white flour she had secured for them during the holidays, which had let them eat dumplings for the new year. Their gratitude ran deep, so the visitors came in waves, filling the house for two days straight.
Su Su kept a large pot of boiling water ready to make tea for everyone. She served each visitor with tea, cakes, and sweets. The sweets were store-bought, while the cakes seemed endless—thanks to the magical backpack she had brought with her.
Naturally, the visitors asked Lin Chuan where he was hurt. Lin Chuan, face dark as a storm cloud, would curtly answer, “My leg.” But he never elaborated, leaving their imaginations to run wild.
Lin Donghe, however, knew the truth. When Mother Lin and Father Lin asked him for details, he’d vaguely gestured toward his upper thigh—a place that seemed embarrassingly close to *certain* areas.
And so, a rumour spread like wildfire: Lin Chuan’s injury had rendered him a man in name only.
—
In small villages during idle winter months, imagination knows no bounds. With the help of some mischief-makers, the story twisted further. Lin Chuan had allegedly lost his “manhood,” leaving his beautiful, young wife to a life of loneliness.
This rumour reached the ears of a village troublemaker—a notorious rogue who fancied himself a ladies’ man. He decided that Su Su, too young and lovely to endure such a fate, would surely be susceptible to his charms.
And so, Su Su inexplicably found herself being flirted with in her own courtyard.
“Teacher Su, when are we starting classes again? I can’t wait!” the rogue began, feigning innocence.
“After the fifteenth,” Su Su replied warily.
“Teacher Su, when is your husband leaving again?”
“In a while. Why do you ask?” she frowned, noticing his slicked-back hair. What was he up to?
“Teacher Su, look at me—I’m perfectly healthy, with no injuries anywhere,” he said, puffing out his chest. “How about we go out to the little shed outside the village and… talk?”
Before he could finish suggesting his scandalous plan, the door to the house creaked open. Lin Chuan emerged, gripping a walking stick in one hand. His cold, piercing gaze locked onto the rogue, freezing him in place.
Lin Chuan’s voice, icy and dangerous, cut through the air. “Who are you calling ‘not healthy’?”
The rogue gulped audibly but tried to maintain his bravado. “W-What are you looking at? You can’t… do anything anymore, so what’s wrong with me taking a look?”
Lin Chuan’s grip on his walking stick tightened, and he took a threatening step forward. “Oh? Care to repeat that?”
Fear flooded the rogue as memories of Lin Chuan’s past dominance resurfaced. Unable to withstand the pressure, he turned and bolted, yelling over his shoulder, “You’re useless now! Why make her suffer with you? Shameless!”
His voice echoed loudly, ensuring that the neighbours heard everything.
Su Su, stunned, looked between the retreating rogue and Lin Chuan, muttering, “This village life is getting harder every day…”
She fully expected Lin Chuan to lose his temper, but instead, he turned to her with a hurt, puppy-dog expression and mumbled, “I…”
“What?” Su Su blinked.
He didn’t finish the thought, but when they returned inside, Lin Chuan suddenly trapped her against the wall. His face was serious as he declared, “I’m fine. I can. I’ll be fully recovered soon, so you don’t have to worry about… anything.”
“Y-You’re the one who’s in a hurry!” Su Su sputtered, flustered. “I didn’t say anything about that! Let me go—this isn’t proper!”
She tried to push him away, but her efforts were pitiful against his strength. Her small hands pressing against his chest only seemed to make him more flustered.
Just as things were getting dangerously awkward, the door creaked open again. Lin Hai, halfway into the room, froze at the sight. His face flushed red as he stammered, “I-I didn’t see anything!” Then he spun on his heel and ran, slamming the door behind him.
Su Su escaped Lin Chuan’s grasp, glaring at him as she adjusted her clothes. “You don’t need to explain anything—I know.” How could I not know? she thought, cheeks burning. She’d seen the truth while applying his medicine—there was nothing wrong with him, except for the fact that his “little brother” was clearly alive and well.
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