Chapter 134: For the Children

Lu Chuan tried to comfort Fifth Brother, “Fifth Brother, you have to look at it this way—by leaving the family affairs to Fourth Brother, you’ll finally have your hands free to do other things. You’ve already made so much money.”

That’s true. Otherwise, there’s no way Fourth Tiger would get off so easily.

Fifth Tiger grunted, “Hmph.” Then he said, “I’ve made up my mind. As long as I can earn money and learn something, I’ll just keep my head down here in the provincial capital. Don’t say there’s nowhere for me to stay here—even if there was, I wouldn’t go. I need to keep an eye on the construction site. I have to seize this opportunity.”

Lu Chuan said, “Fifth Brother, why don’t we properly learn from someone? We could hire a master to teach us.”

Fifth Tiger shook his head, “That won’t work. If you don’t know the ins and outs, you’re just learning blindly. We should first get familiar with this business, figure out how things work. Then, whether we hire someone or do it ourselves in the future, at least we’ll know what’s what and won’t get taken for a ride.”

Lu Chuan thought Fifth Brother made sense, but it really wasn’t easy. “Back in the village or the county, the reason things went so smoothly was all thanks to you, Fifth Brother. Otherwise, how would we know all the tricks of the trade?”

Fifth Tiger was definitely proud. The reason they could jump right into this line of work was because he’d spent so long on construction sites and knew all the ropes. His brother-in-law knew this well, but Fifth Tiger felt a bit embarrassed. “Oh, cut it out.”

Lu Chuan gave Fifth Brother his full recognition. “I’m serious.”

Fang Yuan, listening nearby to Lu Chuan’s flattery, snorted, “Don’t think you can sweet-talk money out of Fifth Brother. He’s even stingier than me.”

Lu Chuan protested, feeling wronged, “I’m not that kind of person. I’m genuinely praising him. Without Fifth Brother, the three of us wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Fifth Tiger was so happy he pounded the wall, only to have a neighbor call out, “What’s with the racket in the middle of the night? Are you crazy?”

Lu Chuan teased Fang Yuan quietly, “You’re not acting like Sixth Sister anymore. Even the neighbors aren’t afraid of you now.”

Since they’d disturbed the neighbors in the middle of the night, the three brothers didn’t dare make any more noise and settled down quietly.

Fifth Tiger hadn’t had a chance to ask what was going on, but the next day, when he went out and a bunch of kids started calling him “Fifth Brother” along with Fang Yuan, he was completely baffled. “Our Fang family is famous even here in the provincial capital?”

Fang Yuan didn’t take credit at all. Looking at the group of unlucky kids, she felt a headache coming on. “No, it only counts once you’re here.”

Fifth Tiger was surprised to hear Fang Yuan use a fancy phrase. “What did your brother-in-law feed you? You’re even using such cultured words now.”

Fang Yuan’s vocabulary impressed Fifth Tiger even more than being called “Fifth Brother” in the provincial capital.

Lu Chuan couldn’t help but laugh. Later, when the kids asked Fifth Tiger if he’d take them to seize the spot at the end of the next alley to play jump rope, Fifth Tiger—a big guy—patiently explained, “Fifth Brother is an honest man. I earn my living with hard work.”

The kids didn’t believe him. Fifth Brother was a leader, after all.

Fifth Tiger thought, well, that’s not entirely wrong, but it’s not quite right either. There was something odd about this place. He blamed Fang Yuan for leading the kids astray.

Fifth Tiger said, “Fang Yuan, listen, our dad always respected people who went to school. You can’t lead these kids astray, can’t do things that aren’t right. Our family may be called the Five Tigers, but we’re not hooligans. Don’t drag our family’s name through the mud here in the provincial capital.”

Fang Yuan scoffed, “I’m being wronged here! I was dragged into this by them. I was forced onto the roof!”

The misunderstanding couldn’t be cleared up. Even if they tried to explain, no one would believe them—not just the kids, but the adults too.

With Fifth Tiger’s aura and that domineering nickname, no one believed it was just a name his father gave him. Everyone thought he’d earned it, fair and square.

Fifth Tiger was frustrated. People in the provincial capital didn’t seem too bright.

But it did give him a sudden boost of confidence—maybe making a name for himself here wouldn’t be so hard after all.

The way the kids admired him and called him “Fifth Brother” made Fifth Tiger feel embarrassed even to come over to Fang Yuan’s place for meals.

Besides, Fifth Tiger was busy at the construction site, often coming late and not staying long. He was busy learning new things and making connections.

Lu Chuan said, “Just throw Fifth Brother into the mix, and next year we’ll be making money for sure.”

There wasn’t anyone Fifth Brother couldn’t get along with, or any problem he couldn’t figure out.

Fang Yuan said proudly, “My Fifth Brother has been a street-smart kid since he was little. As my dad used to say, he could outtalk even the kidnappers.”

Lu Chuan joked, “It’s a miracle Fifth Brother didn’t get taken away, and managed to become our big brother-in-law.”

Fang Yuan replied, “I think it was the kidnappers who had it tough.”

Lu Chuan thought to himself, “Are you really his sister? How can you talk about your own brother like that?”

Fang Yuan was about to head out with her tool bag, but Lu Chuan stopped her. “Fifth Brother is here now, so why are you still going to the construction site?”

Fang Yuan said, “Just because Fifth Brother’s here, I should stop working? Won’t you feel guilty when it’s time to split the money?”

Lu Chuan shamelessly replied, “Nope.”

Fang Yuan kicked him away in disgust. “Shameless! If I don’t go to the site, what am I supposed to do in the provincial capital?”

Lu Chuan said, “I’ll take you to eat in the canteen, and in the afternoon we’ll go look for a place to live.”

Fang Yuan said, “Fifth Brother isn’t that picky. He can just stay in the workers’ dorm.”

Lu Chuan tried to persuade her, “But our place is a bit small for us. What about when we have kids? There won’t be enough room for them.”

The real issue was that Lu Chuan didn’t feel comfortable letting Fang Yuan stay in this area. Who knew if some local thug would get the wrong idea and really mistake Fang Yuan for a gangster?

Fang Yuan didn’t say anything. If it was for the sake of their future children, it was better to think long-term.

After a while, she finally asked, “We built a new house in the village—aren’t we going back?” Even though it didn’t cost much, it was still a new house.

Fang Yuan didn’t object to looking for a new place, which made Lu Chuan very happy. He explained, “We’ll still go back during holidays. We have to go back for New Year and festivals. We need a house in the village. But if we’re busy with work here, would you really want to go back?”

He didn’t say whether they’d stay in the provincial capital or not—he just asked Fang Yuan if she herself would want to go back. Smart move.

Fang Yuan nodded. She really didn’t want to go back, but they still needed a house in the village. “Is rent expensive here?”

Lu Chuan said, “This place we’re in now is five yuan a month, and I only rented it short-term. If you rent long-term, it’s cheaper.”

But this place was only a dozen square meters. A bigger place would definitely cost more, but he didn’t mention that.

Fang Yuan frowned, “That’s not cheap. In the countryside, thirty yuan can rent a whole year, with a yard and your own gate.”

Lu Chuan said, “Well, this is the provincial capital. Prices are higher.”

He added, “If we’re going to stay long-term, it’s actually more cost-effective to buy. But that depends on whether there’s something suitable, and whether we have enough money.”

Lu Chuan said, “I heard that last year, you could buy a place for a few hundred yuan. But in just one year, prices have gone up. Now you can’t get anything for less than a thousand.”

Fang Yuan gasped, “A thousand? How big a place is that? That’s daylight robbery!”

Lu Chuan said, “We’ll have to ask around. If it’s an older place, maybe it’ll be cheaper.”

Fang Yuan was weighing the costs in her mind. “Do you really think we can settle down in the provincial capital?”"

"Chapter 135: The Most Tricks Walked Through

Lu Chuan followed alongside Fang Yuan, making casual conversation: “Do you think, now that I’m in college, I could find a job back in the village?”

But every word was a setup, leading Fang Yuan right into his trap.

Of course, that wouldn’t work. Fang Yuan looked up at Lu Chuan and earnestly suggested, “Why don’t you just live in the work shed with me? Isn’t that fine?”

Lu Chuan twitched his lips. Just to save up for a crane, his own wife had gone a bit crazy—both of them living in a work shed. Only Fang Yuan could come up with something like that.

But Lu Chuan didn’t say anything bad about living in the shed. After a moment’s thought, he said, “I’m mainly thinking about the kid. Wouldn’t it be a bit rough for a child to live in a shed?”

He even glanced deliberately at Fang Yuan’s still-flat stomach.

Fang Yuan looked at her own belly, which was just as empty. Of course, a child shouldn’t be wronged—and there definitely would be a child.

So in Fang Yuan’s plans, there was always a child. She steeled herself: “Some money just has to be spent.” For the sake of the child, Fang Yuan was willing.

She stomped her foot, grinding her back teeth: “Guess I worked for nothing these past months. Honestly, it would’ve been better to buy a cement mixer—at least that thing makes money.”

Lu Chuan didn’t mention money or the house, just circled back to the child: “Exactly. Raising a kid isn’t easy. Mothers are amazing—they’re stingy for themselves or their husbands, but when it comes to their children, they’re willing to spend anything.”

Fang Yuan glared at Lu Chuan: “We have to have one. It’s a child. We must.”

That’s right—when it came to wanting a child, Lu Chuan knew exactly how to handle Fang Yuan.

See? Lu Chuan had this all figured out. So when it came to spending money, who really had the final say? Hard to say for sure.

Even though they were willing to spend, they still had no idea where to actually buy a house.

Fang Yuan said, with prices this high, there was no way. Even buying a house had a price limit.

Lu Chuan thought to himself, we couldn’t afford one here anyway. And who knows what the real price is? Fang Yuan would find out when the time came.

As the two of them chattered on, an old man nearby had been listening for a while and finally figured out how this young man was coaxing his wife.

Good thing they were a married couple with a license. And seeing how well the brother-in-law and sister-in-law got along, otherwise the old man might have thought Lu Chuan was just a pretty boy living off a woman.

But buying a house was serious business, so the old man finally spoke up: “You two are doing pretty well, talking about buying a house already.”

Lu Chuan kept a low profile: “Uncle, we’re just making plans. We’re young, gotta have some hope for the future.”

The old man liked Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan, so he offered some advice: “You’ve got a hardworking wife. Your days will only get better.”

Then he added, “Houses here really are expensive, and it’s a hassle. If you buy one without knowing the background, with so many tenants, you can’t kick them out. It’ll just be endless trouble.”

Hearing this, Lu Chuan knew the old man was giving real advice. He quickly poured him some water and listened intently: “Uncle, please share more. We really don’t know the ins and outs.”

The old man was amused—finally, someone who understood. He hadn’t been this friendly a moment ago.

He gave them a rough overview: “Houses on the edge of the city are cheaper. Don’t mind if it’s remote or rundown. Fix it up yourself—it’s still better than living in a crowded compound. And it’s less trouble.”

Fang Yuan wasn’t scared off by the word “cheap”: “Uncle, we don’t mind cheap or remote. We have people who can fix up a house.”

The old man couldn’t help but laugh, teasing Fang Yuan: “I know you’ve got people.”

Lu Chuan cut in, not wanting the conversation to get out of hand: “Let’s not exaggerate. We don’t really have ‘people.’ And it can’t be too remote—what about the kid’s schooling in the future?”

The old man glanced at Lu Chuan: “You sure think ahead.”

Fang Yuan said, “Exactly. School’s still a few years off. Let’s go check out the city outskirts. We’ll pick one with no tenants, right, Uncle?”

The old man nodded, impressed by her focus, and teased, “Girl, with your attitude, even if someone was living there, they’d move out if you told them to. No one would dare argue.”

Fang Yuan turned to Lu Chuan and asked seriously, “That didn’t sound like a compliment, did it?”

The old man had already set down his cup and left—this young couple was pretty capable.

Lu Chuan hadn’t realized how effective the old man’s few words would be—they’d already decided where to look for a house.

Fang Yuan was definitely a woman of action. Lu Chuan had only just started trying to persuade her, and she was already on the move.

Lu Chuan wanted to say they actually had enough money to look for something closer to the city center.

But Fang Yuan never thought about spending as much as they had—she just wanted a bargain, any place would do. She had no higher expectations.

Lu Chuan coaxed her: “That’s as good as a compliment.” Then the young couple happily set off to look at houses.

He’d never thought that buying a house could be such a technical skill—not just a matter of having money and wanting to buy.

Lu Chuan rode his bike, taking Fang Yuan all around the provincial capital. Fang Yuan was focused on house-hunting, but without the right approach—even if she liked a place, the owner might not sell.

Lu Chuan, on the other hand, wasn’t in a hurry. He mainly wanted to take his wife out for a day in the city. Buying a house was a big deal—no one just buys one on a whim. No rush.

He’d never seen anyone as impatient as Fang Yuan—once she decided to buy, she had to go for it immediately.

So it was one impatient person dragging along someone who wasn’t really invested, wandering all over town.

Whenever they passed a snack they hadn’t tried, Lu Chuan would stop, buy it for Fang Yuan, and feed it to her like a treasure.

Fang Yuan couldn’t resist food, but after eating, she’d complain: “You just have too much pocket money. Why do you buy everything you see?”

She’d eat while complaining, the type who can’t resist buying food, but won’t admit it.

Lu Chuan didn’t mind. As long as Fang Yuan liked it, he’d remember for next time: “It’s fine, just give me less next time.”

He didn’t care how much money he had on hand—Fang Yuan would never let him go without.

Fang Yuan was a little annoyed—she’d let Lu Chuan get the better of her here. She’d given him extra money because she was worried he wouldn’t have enough, and now he was spending it everywhere.

Eating a tasty snack, Fang Yuan asked, “You don’t spend like this when you’re out on your own, do you?”

Lu Chuan replied, “You can check the accounts—how much you gave me, how I spent it, how much I ate, how much I spent. I’ll report it all to you tonight.”

Lu Chuan was easygoing about it—this way, he could talk more with Fang Yuan, and it showed how much she cared about him.

That was actually pretty nice. Fang Yuan was willing, and then, for once, she asked gently, “Doesn’t that make me seem stingy?”

Lu Chuan, ever the lovestruck fool, answered without hesitation, “It just shows you care about me.” Who cares about checking accounts, right? Lu Chuan never thought much about it.

Fang Yuan said, “Then forget it.” She really didn’t have the time for that anyway.

Lu Chuan wasn’t sure if he should feel a little disappointed—his wife didn’t want to care about him that much after all.

136."

"Chapter 136: This Guy’s Got Some Unusual Tricks

After lunch, Fang Yuan wanted to head back to the construction site, saying that if she didn’t, she’d never be able to buy a house. She wasn’t going to waste any more time messing around with Lu Chuan.

But Lu Chuan wasn’t having it. He’d brought Fang Yuan out with no intention of going back so soon.

Lu Chuan coaxed her, “It’s still necessary to look around, you know. At the very least, you should pick a place you like first. Once we find somewhere you like, then we can ask around to see if there’s a suitable house for us.”

Fang Yuan had to admit, that made sense. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? Didn’t we waste the whole morning for nothing?”

Lu Chuan replied, “Not really. This morning, you complained that one alley was too narrow. Another place, you said the price was too high. Somewhere else, you didn’t like the people. And there was one spot you thought was too low-lying and might flood. Isn’t that good? We’re being thorough.”

Fang Yuan was confused. “Really? I don’t remember. Am I that picky?”

Lu Chuan pulled out a little notebook. “I wrote down everything you said.” Fang Yuan couldn’t even remember saying all that. Was it really that much?

Fang Yuan asked, “Am I really that picky? There’s nowhere I like?” She honestly didn’t realize she’d said so much.

Lu Chuan said, “There was one place that was okay, but you thought it was too expensive. Plus, there was a bit of a smell around there because of the farmers’ market. You said if Dad came over, he could set up a meat stall there, and it’s close to the school, so when the kid goes to school, they could just come home for lunch.”

As soon as Fang Yuan heard “expensive,” she shot it down. “No way. That’s too pricey. Lu Chuan, you’re not allowed to make decisions on your own and mess around.”

Then she added, “It’s good for kids to walk a bit more anyway.” So, between the kid and the money, she was willing to let the kid take a small step back.

She continued, “When I was in school, my dad would always be waiting at the gate. I was so annoyed.”

Whenever Fang Yuan started talking about kids, Lu Chuan’s brain basically stopped working—he was totally entranced. “Fang Yuan, you’re such a good mom, already thinking about the kid.”

When it came to spending money, Fang Yuan was always sharp. “Don’t try to fool me. When it comes to money, you can’t get around me. I’m not falling for it.”

Lu Chuan thought to himself, She really blocked all my paths. He immediately promised, “Of course I’ll listen to you. What the kid thinks doesn’t matter—what you think is most important.”

Fang Yuan didn’t hesitate, cutting straight to the point: “I just want to buy something cheap.”

Lu Chuan grinned, “Our Fang Yuan is so good at managing the household. I’ll listen to you.”

Then he hopped on his bike and continued taking his wife all over the provincial capital for their “date.” Fang Yuan was a bit puzzled—if he really listened to her, they’d be living in a construction shed by now.

So, when it came to Lu Chuan, Fang Yuan knew what was up.

This time, Lu Chuan wasn’t just showing her houses; he even took her to see old sights, including an abandoned temple.

Fang Yuan’s face darkened. Why couldn’t he just do something proper? Who would want a place like this?

She didn’t find any charm in this rundown spot. She told Lu Chuan straight up, “No matter how much I want to save money, I’d never buy a place like this.”

Lu Chuan squatted down and laughed. Even if you had money, you couldn’t buy this place. No one’s watching it now, but it’s not for sale.

Fang Yuan insisted, “What are you laughing at? Even if the sky fell, I still wouldn’t buy this place.”

Lu Chuan replied, “Nothing, just since we’re here, let’s look around. I heard this place used to be really spiritual—whatever you prayed for would come true.”

Fang Yuan finally looked around carefully. “There’s actually a place like this?” Was it okay to say that? Was it even safe to come here? Wouldn’t they get caught?

Lu Chuan said, “I heard that in recent years, some people have started coming back, but most still sneak in.”

Fang Yuan asked, “Didn’t you go to school? You actually believe in this stuff? Coming here to pray for a house? Does it really work?”

Fang Yuan figured Lu Chuan came here just to pray for good luck with buying a house.

Lu Chuan looked at her, blushing. That wasn’t his real reason. “I could pray for something else, too.”

Fang Yuan was a practical person. “Getting rich? No need to pray for that. We just need to work hard and earn it.”

Then she lectured Lu Chuan, “Money is earned, not wished for. You need to have the right mindset.” She had to make this clear to him—don’t even think about getting something for nothing.

Lu Chuan was helpless. His wife was so upright—it was great, but she lacked a bit of girlish sentimentality. He spat out a few words to shut her up: “I’m here to pray for our relationship…”

Without thinking, Fang Yuan glared at him like he was a cheating husband and punched him. “You’re already married and you’re still thinking about that?”

Lu Chuan struggled to get out the last two words: “To go smoothly.” If he’d known, he would’ve let Fang Yuan keep talking instead of getting punched.

Put together, he was praying for their relationship to go smoothly, which had nothing to do with being unfaithful. Fang Yuan felt guilty and started rubbing Lu Chuan’s stomach. “Sorry, I hit you too soon.”

Lu Chuan clutched his stomach and pleaded, “It’s my fault for talking too slow. Next time, can you let me finish?”

Fang Yuan nodded, feeling bad. “I’ll try.”

Lu Chuan rarely got to enjoy his wife’s gentle side, so even though he’d taken a punch, he felt it was worth it.

But Fang Yuan’s guilt didn’t last long. She asked Lu Chuan, “If I pray again now, will it still work?”

Lu Chuan looked at the desolate place—so bleak—and didn’t know how to answer. In the end, the two of them still made their wishes. Whether it worked or not, who could say?

Lu Chuan left the place feeling a bit down. After all that fuss, he’d basically come here just to get punched by his wife.

It was a less-than-perfect end to their date.

Still, even after all that, on the way home Lu Chuan bought Fang Yuan her favorite sweet rice dumplings, showing just how much he truly cared about her.

Anyone else might have been discouraged.

Fang Yuan’s guilt only lasted a moment. Once they got home, she started grumbling at Lu Chuan, “What a waste of a day. I’ve decided, from now on you can go look at houses by yourself. It’s all the same anyway. I’m not going with you anymore.”

But Lu Chuan was still pretty slick at getting her to go along. “When the time comes, don’t complain about how much money I spend.”

This time, Fang Yuan held her ground. “It’s not like I have enough money to buy a crane anyway, so whether it’s a little more or less doesn’t matter. Besides, even if I bought a crane, I wouldn’t have a chance to rent it out. There’s still plenty of time to prepare.”

Lu Chuan thought to himself, Wow, that trick didn’t work this time. “You’ve really thought it through.”

Fang Yuan said, “But that doesn’t mean you can just spend however you want. Don’t go over a thousand—two thousand at most.”

Lu Chuan burst out laughing. “Didn’t expect my wife to be so generous, giving me such a big spending range—a whole thousand yuan of wiggle room!”

Fang Yuan didn’t want Lu Chuan getting any ideas. “That’s for buying a house, a big deal. For pocket money, the most you get is a five-yuan difference.”

Lu Chuan thought, No matter what, it’s a sign of her trust in me. He smiled, “Got it, got it.”

Don’t forget to vote for the monthly ticket, everyone. Thanks!

137."

"Chapter 137: An Auspicious Day

Fang Yuan just couldn’t believe it. The look on her face said, “Are you trying to make money out of thin air?” She said, “Listen, don’t think it’s so easy to save up a bit of money or to earn it. When my dad built our house back home, he only spent a little over two hundred yuan on labor. Even with materials, it was just five hundred. Sure, things are more expensive in the provincial capital, but it can’t be that much more. Do you get what I’m saying?”

Lu Chuan nodded. “I understand.”

Fang Yuan shot back, “Understand what? If you really did, you wouldn’t be so careless with money. That’s an outrageous price. I’d better go myself.”

Lu Chuan couldn’t help but laugh. Look at that—another date with his wife set for next week. “I really do understand.”

Fang Yuan said, “Spending that kind of money makes me feel awful. I’d rather not even know about it. Wait, didn’t you say before it would be around a thousand? But when we looked at houses today, none of them were that cheap.”

Lu Chuan acted like he hadn’t heard her, just chatting away, “Before we got married, forget a few thousand—even a few hundred, I never had more than a couple of yuan in my pocket.”

Fang Yuan let herself get swept along by the conversation, feeling sentimental. “Tell me about it. My mom never gave me that much money, either.”

Then she added, “Back then, my mom used to say, ‘Once you get married, money will come naturally.’”

She grinned and teased Lu Chuan, “You know, my mom was actually right.”

Lu Chuan wasn’t sure if he should tell Fang Yuan the truth: their fifth brother isn’t married, but he has money—her mom was just trying to comfort her. But since he was also trying to make his wife happy, he decided not to expose his mother-in-law. Honestly, how could his Fang Yuan be so wonderful? The more he looked at her, the more he liked her.

Lu Chuan gazed at Fang Yuan with such sweetness, it was almost syrupy.

Luckily, the old man they’d chatted with yesterday knocked on the door just then. Otherwise, who knows what Lu Chuan might have blurted out—and maybe gotten a punch or two from his wife.

Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan hurried to invite him in. They always called him a “master” behind his back.

The old man, hands behind his back, asked Lu Chuan, “So, how did it go? You were out all day—find a place you like?”

Lu Chuan replied, “We’re young, and we’ve only been in the provincial capital a few days. We haven’t found a place, and we don’t even know where to start.”

The old man said, “As long as you’ve found an area you like, that’s good enough. If there’s a place you think is nice, just ask around for the right people when the time comes. No need to rush.”

Fang Yuan sighed, “Exactly. You can look at houses all over town, but it doesn’t mean people will sell to you.”

The old man laughed along. This girl looked tough, but she was honest and straightforward.

Lu Chuan weeded out the places Fang Yuan didn’t like and the ones that were too expensive, then asked the old man if he knew anyone who could introduce them to the remaining options.

The old man nodded. “You two didn’t waste your day—you’ve already got a rough plan and know to ask me for advice. Not bad.”

He didn’t hold back, either. “You’re not completely clueless. Some of those places are too remote, but the rest are fine. Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye out. If something suitable comes up, I’ll let you know.”

Lu Chuan knew the old man had connections. “Sorry to trouble you. We’re new here, so we really appreciate your help.”

The old man, hands behind his back, headed out. As he left, he said, “I used to pull a rickshaw around here—knew every street.”

Then he was gone, leaving with the air of a true master.

Lu Chuan said, “We’ve got the right person. No one knows this area better than the old man. We’ll definitely find a good house.”

Fang Yuan replied, “See? It’s that simple. Our day wasn’t wasted after all.”

Lu Chuan thought to himself, how could a day like this be wasted? It was so much fun.

But he knew better than to say anything sentimental to Fang Yuan. Instead, he analyzed things with her: “Not really. If we didn’t find a place we liked, we can’t just settle for anything. And if we really handed everything over to someone else, you wouldn’t feel comfortable, would you?”

That hit home for Fang Yuan. “True. Even though we didn’t find a house, at least now we have an idea of the prices.”

Look at this young couple—so clear-headed and grounded.

The old man wanted them to look around first for this very reason. Otherwise, if he rushed to help, they might think he had some ulterior motive.

Lu Chuan said, “You rest at home. I’ll go check the construction site. Fifth Brother didn’t come by—he’s probably resting there today.”

Fang Yuan said, “You’ve been running around all day. Just rest. Fifth Brother’s a grown man—he’ll be fine.”

Lu Chuan smiled, touched that his wife cared about him. “I just don’t want you to worry about Fifth Brother. If you can sleep, I really won’t go.”

He was willing to make the trip just to put his wife’s mind at ease. Good men shouldn’t be called Zeng Xiaoxian anymore—they should be called Lu Chuan.

Fang Yuan had never seen a man with so many thoughts. “Why are you making such a fuss? You’re wasting Fifth Brother’s kindness toward his brother-in-law.”

Lu Chuan said, “Don’t say that. That doesn’t apply to me and Fifth Brother. My feelings are only for you.”

Fang Yuan wasn’t that sentimental. She just rolled her eyes at Lu Chuan, washed up, and went to bed.

Lu Chuan paced around the room until Fang Yuan snapped, “Aren’t you going to sleep yet?”

As soon as he heard that, Lu Chuan rushed to her side. He’d been waiting for those words.

Fang Yuan said, “How can a grown man be so fussy?”

Lu Chuan muttered, “I just treasure you.”

Fang Yuan didn’t bother arguing. Knowing Lu Chuan’s personality, the two of them would probably have to pick an auspicious day for even the smallest thing.

She might not be the sharpest, but after a few months together, she’d figured out Lu Chuan’s ways. He’d probably planned today’s running around, too. Fang Yuan grumbled to herself—what a waste of energy.

That’s why Fang Yuan was a bit brash and bold—much more straightforward than Lu Chuan.

Except for getting kicked out of bed by his wife once in the night, everything was pretty much perfect.

The next morning, Lu Chuan, acting like a newlywed, shyly bought breakfast for his wife and even fetched water for her to wash up.

Fang Yuan saw Lu Chuan still hanging around the house and asked, “Aren’t you going to class this morning?”

Lu Chuan blushed, his voice a little off, not daring to look her in the eye. “No, I’ll go in a bit.”

Fang Yuan didn’t ask why he was leaving late. She just tossed out, “I’m in a hurry. I’m leaving first.”

Lu Chuan hadn’t expected Fang Yuan to be so nonchalant. He tried to stop her, but she just said, “You’re going to the construction site? Don’t you need to rest?”

Fang Yuan didn’t see the need. “There’s not much money to be made here in the provincial capital, and there’s no work for the mixer at home. We can’t just sit around and do nothing. Don’t worry, Fifth Brother won’t let me do any heavy lifting.”

Lu Chuan said, “That won’t do. You can’t go. Fifth Brother won’t pay you.”

Fang Yuan had never seen such a wasteful man. “What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know anything?”

138."

"Chapter 138: Spending Money Isn’t Easy