Chapter 133: Girls Are Outgoing

Lu Chuan sipped his soy milk, feeling sweetness all the way to his heart. It seemed like his relationship with Fang Yuan had changed.

When the Five Tigers came to the provincial capital, they immediately noticed something different between their brother-in-law and sister. Just looking at them made you feel a bit uneasy.

Lu Chuan was a bit clueless too. Things had just started to change, and he hadn’t even had a chance to get used to it before Fifth Brother showed up. Opportunities really do slip away in a flash.

Lu Chuan was just itching to find a bigger place for them. A married couple shouldn’t be living like just buddies.

But when it came to rent, he still had to discuss it with Fang Yuan. If he went ahead and did things without telling her, maybe once or twice she’d let it slide, but after that, it’d be knowingly crossing the line. Fang Yuan didn’t have the best temper.

Lu Chuan always had a good sense of things. He was always dancing right on Fang Yuan’s bottom line.

He really knew how to handle that balance.

When the Five Tigers arrived, the three brothers sat together and settled the accounts first. The income from the county was nothing to sneeze at.

When it came time to split the money, Lu Chuan tried to be polite with Fifth Brother.

But Fang Yuan grabbed the money first. “What are you doing?”

Fifth Tiger was even more direct: “I’m doing more work now, and you, brother-in-law, are doing less. You want to give me more money now—does that mean when you’re doing more later, you’ll want a bigger share?”

He was so blunt. Lu Chuan replied, “No, Fifth Brother, I’d never do that.”

Fifth Tiger said, “I’m your brother, would I do that? Who do you take me for?”

Then he added, “My sister’s working on the construction site too, she’s not slacking off. Don’t overthink it. From now on, we’ll split things this way: no matter how much we earn, it’s always two to one, with a little extra for you. And don’t say I’m taking advantage of you.”

Lu Chuan hadn’t expected Fifth Brother and Fang Yuan to be so loyal. It was obvious Fifth Brother was looking out for them. “Fifth Brother, then you’ll have to wait a few years for me to catch up.”

Fifth Tiger replied, “I don’t believe that. Without you, maybe I’d have come to the provincial capital eventually, but who knows how many years later that would be. Nothing’s for sure.”

Fang Yuan couldn’t stand the two of them going back and forth and cut to the point: “Let me be clear, the money from these past few years is all mine.”

Lu Chuan was self-aware: “You never planned to give it to me anyway. As if the money from the next few years would be mine?”

Fifth Tiger nodded. His brother-in-law had a good sense of things, so he didn’t have to worry about them fighting over money in the future.

Fang Yuan said, “What are you talking about? Aren’t you the one spending the money anyway?”

Lu Chuan pursed his lips. He could only listen to that. Was he the one who wanted to buy the crane? Then he asked, “Can we rent another place?”

Fang Yuan glared and punched him, all in one smooth move. “You’re still thinking about spending money?”

See? She could flip out in a second, and yet he still had the nerve to say he was the one spending the money.

Fifth Tiger turned away, pretending not to see. What else could he do? After all, it was his sister who was in the wrong.

Lu Chuan softened his tone and tried to negotiate with Fang Yuan. “I just want Fifth Brother to have a more comfortable place to rest.”

Fifth Tiger thought for a moment. “Sounds to me like you’re trying to get me out of your hair.”

Fang Yuan joined in, turning on Lu Chuan. “Really? Are you trying to get rid of my Fifth Brother?”

Fifth Tiger nodded, very sure. “I think you are.”

But then Fang Yuan changed her tune. “Fifth Brother, I actually think you shouldn’t be here getting in the way either.”

Fifth Tiger was shocked. This was his own blood sister—what was she saying? Whose side was she on?

Lu Chuan’s face turned bright red in an instant. He hadn’t expected Fang Yuan to react like that, so openly suggesting Fifth Brother was a third wheel.

Fifth Tiger said, “You—at least you’re a girl, don’t say things like that.”

Fang Yuan replied, “Wan Shun and the others are living at the construction site, and I’m already not comfortable with that. Now that you’re here, Fifth Brother, you should stay over there too.”

Lu Chuan quickly pulled Fang Yuan aside. They couldn’t treat Fifth Brother like that, and they definitely couldn’t say it so directly. “No, Fifth Brother, Fang Yuan’s just really worried about Wan Shun and the others. They’re young, and this is the provincial capital—everything’s new here.”

Fifth Tiger glanced at Lu Chuan and snorted. “I know Fang Yuan is genuinely worried, but you’re so eager to explain—are you sure you’re not just annoyed with me being in the way?”

Lu Chuan didn’t know Fifth Brother could be so unreasonable. Now he was taking the blame for nothing. “No, Fifth Brother, that’s not it. I just want you to be comfortable, to stay with us.”

But then he started to feel a little guilty. Maybe Fifth Brother was right. If the living conditions weren’t good, maybe it was better to stay apart.

Fifth Tiger looked at Lu Chuan and asked sincerely, “Do you believe that?”

Fang Yuan chimed in, stirring the pot. “I don’t believe it.”

Lu Chuan pulled Fang Yuan. “Nobody asked you.” She was the one who got him into this mess.

The thing was, he didn’t believe it himself. But he was trying to make up for it by wanting to rent a bigger place—wasn’t that for Fifth Brother too?

Fifth Tiger said, “Alright, it’s not a big deal. Brother-in-law, let me tell you, do your opinions even matter? Do they count? You’re not the head of the household, you don’t get to make the decisions. Why bother?”

Lu Chuan turned and walked out. He didn’t even get a chance to express his own preferences. So Fifth Brother wasn’t mad at him, because his opinion didn’t count anyway.

After that, it was just the siblings left. Fifth Tiger teased Fang Yuan, “Brother-in-law’s pretty self-aware—he didn’t touch the money.”

Fang Yuan happily counted the money, smiling. “It’s my money.”

Fifth Tiger said, “Looks to me like brother-in-law really cares about you.”

Fang Yuan replied, “Well, I am his wife. If he cared about someone else, that’d be improper.”

Fifth Tiger didn’t bother arguing with Fang Yuan. There were plenty of improper men out there.

The siblings chatted about things at the construction site. After a while, Lu Chuan came back with peanuts, sweet rice dumplings, and bean curd snacks.

The rest was all stuff Fifth Tiger had brought from home—pickled vegetables, salted eggs, meat sauce, and cabbage. They didn’t even need to cook; the three of them just ate a simple meal together.

Fifth Tiger praised Lu Chuan for finding good work in the provincial capital. “Even the eldest back home had to stop working. The fact that we have a place to hole up for the winter and earn a bit is pretty good. I didn’t even dare tell them.”

Lu Chuan never took credit. He was always humble. “Fifth Brother knows what’s up.”

Fifth Tiger laughed. His brother-in-law was always so tactful—he’d praise others and quietly get things done himself.

Fifth Tiger said, “By the way, I came a couple days late because I used that time to get people to fix up the courtyard walls for both our families and tidy up the houses. When we go home for New Year, we’ll all have new houses to live in.”

Fang Yuan was overjoyed to hear that. “Fifth Brother, I knew you were family.”

Fifth Tiger said, “Oh, cut it out. Your family’s wages were all paid by your uncle, you know.”

Fang Yuan said, “My dad said he didn’t spend money on Lu Chuan’s schooling, so he’ll pay for the house.”

Lu Chuan was happy too. Being able to go home for New Year and live in a new house—Fifth Brother really came through. Who paid didn’t matter. “As long as we have money and don’t owe anyone, Mom and Dad are happy. Let them do as they please.”

Fifth Tiger added, “Fourth Brother really lucked out. That bastard, all the money for building his house came from Mom and Dad, and all he did was show up and act busy.”

Fang Yuan wasn’t surprised at all. That’s just how her fourth brother was.

134."

"Chapter 134: For the Children