Chapter 111: Really Not Very Open-Minded

Fang Yuan: “You’re a grown man, gossiping like a woman. Pah! What a disgrace. You think you can get lucky just by scheming? Dream on, you jealous fool.”

She was so furious with Oldest Lu that she didn’t even bother arguing anymore. She just grabbed a broom and chased him all around the yard, making him dodge for his life.

Even Old Dad Lu felt embarrassed by the scene.

Lu Chuan pulled Fang Yuan aside. “Let’s go. As long as he’s not eyeing our house, who cares? You said it yourself, he’s a disgrace. Why stoop to his level?”

Lu Feng shouted from the side, “Lu Chuan, you think you’re better than everyone else just because you went to school. You’ve taken all the advantages, and now you look down on me for being embarrassing.”

Lu Chuan replied, “I do think I’m better than you, but not because I went to school. You really don’t know why?”

Lu Feng: “I don’t know. Don’t get cocky. Don’t think you’re something just because you have a little money.”

Lu Chuan: “I think I’m better than you because I can stand by what I do. Oldest Lu, can you say the same? Do you dare stand up and tell everyone what you’ve done? My little bit of money isn’t much, but hasn’t it already made you jumpy?”

Then he added, “I can’t make decisions about Mom and Dad’s things, but as for my stuff, and Little Third’s stuff, don’t even think about it. You’re not clever enough to outsmart me or Little Third. You just don’t have the brains.”

Lu Xiaosan muttered from the side, “Why does it sound like he’s not really complimenting me?”

Fang Yuan said, “Doesn’t sound like it to me either. But at least you’ve got more sense than that shameless one, so that’s something.”

Oldest Lu, fuming, pointed at his two brothers. “None of you are any good! Lu Xiaosan, you’re the worst. Clinging to Second, you think you’ll get some benefit?”

Lu Xiaosan replied, “Better than clinging to you and letting you take advantage.”

Old Dad Lu felt like crying. How did the family end up like this? Life is clearly better now, but it’s become a joke for outsiders. It was almost better when they were poor.

He worked hard outside, his wife managed the home—what was it all for?

The most surprising was Li Meng, who didn’t say a word through all of this.

Staring at the rundown little house, she felt lost. Was the “richest person’s” vision really this narrow? Was her ambition really that small? When would she ever get her act together?

On the way home, Fang Yuan even mentioned to Lu Chuan that Li Meng’s reaction was odd.

“That’s not like her at all. She didn’t even join in the commotion, and she didn’t stand up for her ‘Brother Feng’ either.”

Lu Chuan laughed. That “Brother Feng” really said it all: “Those two are a match made in heaven, birds of a feather. You think Li Meng makes a fuss on her own? If Oldest Lu didn’t egg her on behind the scenes, would she even bother?”

Fang Yuan: “So you’re saying the root of the problem is your brother.”

Lu Chuan: “Isn’t it obvious? If Oldest Lu had behaved himself back then, no matter how much trouble Li Meng made, could she have ruined the engagement?”

What man would let a woman mess things up like that? Wasn’t it his own fault for being careless?

He kept his words vague, not wanting to dirty Fang Yuan’s ears, and he certainly didn’t want to bring up Oldest Lu and Fang Yuan’s past engagement himself.

Fang Yuan said, “You think I’m that kind of person? Whether the engagement worked out or not, it wasn’t up to Oldest Lu and Li Meng.”

Lu Chuan thought to himself, “It was up to you. Didn’t you and Oldest Lu get matched up before? That fact still stings. Maybe it would be better if you really didn’t have the final say.”

If Li Meng hadn’t interfered, maybe you’d be chasing me with a broom right now.

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. The thought made Lu Chuan lose his mood. He muttered, “I’m going to check the fields.”

Fang Yuan could tell Lu Chuan wasn’t happy, but she really didn’t know why.

Maybe it was because Oldest Lu was so unfilial. Who would be happy with such a troublesome son or brother in the family?

When Old Mom Lu came over, Fang Yuan tried to comfort her. “I don’t know what’s gotten into Lu Chuan. So what if Oldest Lu is unfilial? There are still two other sons. It’s not like you’re relying on him.”

Old Mom Lu thought, “I only have three sons. I can’t just write any of them off. Even if they’re disappointing, I still have to pull them along.”

Remembering how Fang Yuan smacked Oldest Lu with the broom, she didn’t dare say this out loud.

Instead, she asked, “Did Second get into a fight with you? Why is he so sensible all of a sudden? Is he up to something?”

A mother-in-law’s thoughts are always on her daughter-in-law, always worrying about her son’s possible mischief.

Fang Yuan didn’t overthink it at all. “What could he be up to?”

Old Mom Lu looked at her daughter-in-law and thought, “If I say what I’m worried about, I’ll just upset her.”

She decided to go talk to her son instead. “I’ll go find him and set things straight. Whatever he’s thinking, he shouldn’t be.”

Her son had only been away at school for less than a month, and now he dared to sulk with Fang Yuan? Look at how capable he thinks he is.

He’d only spent a few days in the provincial capital—was he already looking down on his country wife? That wouldn’t do.

Fang Yuan watched her mother-in-law march off in a hurry, having no idea why.

Inside, Lu Xiaosan and Old Dad Lu were cleaning pig’s head and offal, a gift from the Five Tigers gang for the festival.

With the holiday atmosphere in the air, Fang Yuan helped out a bit. The three men chatted happily.

But Old Dad Lu felt sorry for his daughter-in-law and couldn’t bear to make her work. After a while, he told her to go rest.

Lu Chuan hadn’t even calmed down yet when Old Mom Lu caught up with him.

She dragged him all around the new house, inside and out.

Lu Chuan looked around for a long time. “Mom, we’ve seen it already. What are you getting at? Do you want to buy furniture?”

Old Mom Lu: “If I want to buy something, your dad can help me. I want you to look at this house and see that everything, inside and out, is thanks to Fang Yuan’s hard work at home.”

Lu Chuan really didn’t get what his mother meant. “Didn’t Fourth Brother help out?”

Old Mom Lu: “Without Fang Yuan, would her fourth brother even know who you are? Would this house be any different if Fang Yuan hadn’t managed things?”

Lu Chuan thought, “It would be different. If Fang Yuan was in charge, it wouldn’t be so fancy—she’d be too thrifty. She’s saving up to buy a crane, after all.”

Old Mom Lu said, “Second, I want you to see how good and dependable Fang Yuan is. We may be country folk, but you’re from here too. Others may look down on us, but you can’t.”

The conversation was drifting, but Lu Chuan sensed something was up. “Mom, what are you trying to say?”

Old Mom Lu: “Your big brother has already made our family a laughingstock. Second, if you turn into another Chen Shimei*, your dad and I won’t even be able to rest in our graves.”

Lu Chuan: “Come on, Mom, isn’t that a bit harsh?”

Old Mom Lu: “Second, it has to be harsh. Fang Yuan is truly good. I’m not shallow, and it’s not about the house. You went off to school for a few days and now you’re sulking with Fang Yuan. Are you seeing someone else out there?”

*Chen Shimei: a byword in Chinese culture for a man who betrays his wife for wealth and status.

[End of Chapter 111]"

"Chapter 112: The Honest Man’s Schemes