Chapter 119: A Few Flaws

The Five Tigers looked at Lu Chuan, worried about his intelligence. “I’m starting to think I was too impulsive deciding to follow you and stir things up. Brother-in-law, what I trust is your brain. If you just listen to everything Fang Yuan says, I’m a little scared.”

Fang Yuan retorted, “What’s that supposed to mean? What about me? My brain works just fine! My mixer has made plenty of money—am I worse than you guys?”

Five Tigers replied, “That’s true, who can compare to you? But still, if Lu Chuan’s brain worked like yours, I’d have to seriously reconsider.”

Lu Chuan didn’t dare chime in. But when he wasn’t around Fang Yuan, his brain was still pretty sharp.

Hearing Five Tigers’ words, Fang Yuan got annoyed. “I have money. I can buy whatever I want.”

Five Tigers couldn’t really comment on how she spent her own money. “Sure, but maybe you should save up for that crane you want.”

Fang Yuan glared at him. He kind of had a point. She really did love both the mixer and the crane—couldn’t bear to part with either.

Seeing that the siblings had calmed down, Lu Chuan finally spoke up. “Let’s save up slowly. Sooner or later, we’ll all be able to buy what we want.”

Fang Yuan said, “See? My man supports me. He hasn’t said a word against it. What’s it got to do with you?”

Five Tigers laughed from the side. “Oh really? Nothing to do with me? Brother-in-law, let’s say Fang Yuan had to choose between her mixer and her crane—she can’t bear to give up either. But if it was you versus the crane and the mixer, which would she pick?”

Now that was just stirring the pot—Five Tigers was out of line.

Lu Chuan immediately got upset, because it was obvious Fang Yuan wouldn’t pick him. That was a painful truth.

Before Fang Yuan could answer, Lu Chuan shouted at her, “You heartless woman!” Then he stormed out to buy snacks for his wife. Clearly, Five Tigers had gotten to him.

Fang Yuan complained, “What did I do? He just yells at me. Five Tigers, you’re just going to stand there and watch him scold me?”

Five Tigers was delighted. It was obvious her brother-in-law was just teasing her, but Fang Yuan didn’t get it. She thought, “I set him up for you to scold, not for me to hit.”

Five Tigers, still not giving up, asked, “Which is more important, the mixer or your brother-in-law?”

Fang Yuan snorted, “Only an idiot would choose between the two.”

Well, now Five Tigers realized he was the idiot. The couple were both too clever for him.

The three of them hadn’t chatted together in a long time. Lu Chuan brought back snacks for Fang Yuan, which she really liked.

Five Tigers looked at the snacks—all the kinds girls liked. “How do you know what to buy?”

Fang Yuan’s face changed, and the food lost its flavor. “How would you know?” Lu Chuan really shouldn’t know these things.

Lu Chuan glanced at Five Tigers, hoping he’d stop stirring things up. “I just remembered what you liked when others ate it.”

Five Tigers wanted to ask, “Who did you see eating it?” That could be a big problem.

But Fang Yuan said, “I’ll give you more money from now on. Don’t just watch what others eat—you look so pitiful.”

Then she added, “Eat properly at school. Things like rent shouldn’t come out of your living expenses.”

Five Tigers swallowed his words, realizing he was a bit redundant.

Lu Chuan felt a warm glow in his heart. “Got it. I know what to do.”

Fang Yuan replied, “What do you know? You’re always watching what others eat.”

She stuffed a sugar triangle into Lu Chuan’s mouth. Five Tigers watched as his brother-in-law’s face instantly turned pink, even his ears. Now he finally understood why Lu Chuan was always blushing—he himself was the real fool here.

Five Tigers looked around the one-bedroom apartment and finally understood just how unnecessary he was.

Five Tigers coughed. “This place isn’t very big. Maybe I should go find a guesthouse to stay at.”

Fang Yuan said, “Why waste money? It’s not like it’s smaller than the work shed.”

Lu Chuan grinned, pulled Five Tigers over, and brought in a simple single bed from outside. “I pieced this together from the school’s old storeroom. Five Tigers, you and I will share the big bed, and Fang Yuan can have this one.”

He really wasn’t brushing Five Tigers off. At last, Five Tigers felt a bit of sincerity in his brother-in-law’s invitation to the provincial capital.

Lu Chuan added, “The bedding on our bed is old—just for us guys. The new stuff is for Fang Yuan.”

Five Tigers looked around the room. “You’ve got everything pretty well set up.”

Lu Chuan glanced at Fang Yuan and quickly said, “There’s not much to do on Sundays, so I just mess around a bit. Didn’t spend much money.”

That hit the right note with Fang Yuan. Otherwise, with her fiery temper, she’d have done the math first.

Fang Yuan said, “If this were back in the village, all this would cost money. No way you could get it for next to nothing. The provincial capital really is a good place—almost feels like you can just pick up money off the ground.”

Lu Chuan thought to himself, “If only.”

To set up this little home, he’d scavenged all over the school for these things. College students had it tough—there was no such thing as money falling from the sky.

Could he tell Fang Yuan that? Of course not—she’d just say he wasn’t studying hard and was slacking off. Lu Chuan just smiled calmly, neither admitting nor denying anything.

Look at him—just a month into college and he’d already become so steady and experienced, even handling his wife with ease. The provincial capital really did bring out the best in people.

That night, the two guys slept on the big bed Lu Chuan had prepared for his wife, while Fang Yuan slept alone on the small bed. She didn’t feel the least bit wronged and slept soundly.

Lu Chuan listened to Five Tigers talk about his dreams for the future and thought to himself that Five Tigers really was a bit extra.

This bed really wasn’t meant for Five Tigers.

When Lu Chuan rented the place, he’d been clever about it, thinking a smaller place would be cozier for two people—newlyweds and all. But he hadn’t counted on having a third person around, and sometimes even more.

If he’d known, he’d have rented a bigger place.

With Fang Yuan’s temper, it wouldn’t be easy to negotiate moving.

Lu Chuan sighed, realizing he’d miscalculated. Five Tigers, meanwhile, was happily talking about his plans for the future, then suddenly heard the sigh and asked, “Brother-in-law, you don’t think my ideas will work?”

Lu Chuan hadn’t really been paying attention. “No, not at all.”

Five Tigers said, “You scared me. So why the sigh?” He almost started rethinking his whole plan, wondering where he’d gone wrong.

Lu Chuan replied, “Just got lost in thought. Five Tigers, your ideas are great—I just didn’t catch the deeper meaning.”

Five Tigers blinked. “So I was talking for nothing?”

Lu Chuan said, “Not at all. Say it a few more times and the plan will get more refined. When you first mentioned it, it was just an idea. The more you talk it through, the more you can spot any flaws.”

Five Tigers nodded. “Makes sense. No wonder you’re the one in college.”

Lu Chuan felt a bit ashamed, thinking he was giving college students a bad name.

Five Tigers really did have a plan to put down roots in the provincial capital. He said the people he brought could endure hardship and work hard—that was their strength.

Lu Chuan said, “That’s right. Anyone you bring is bound to be skilled and hardworking.”

Five Tigers said, “I’ve made up my mind. Once things wrap up in the county, I’ll come over here myself. I’ll lead the team, learn as we go, and make money. Once we’ve mastered the skills, you and I can do whatever we want—nothing will hold us back.”

Lu Chuan nodded. “Opportunities always favor those who are prepared.”"