Chapter 146: There’s Always Someone Better

Back at the rental, Lu Chuan knocked on his neighbor’s door and brought over two bottles of good liquor.

If it weren’t for the old man’s help, they’d still be wandering around aimlessly in the provincial capital. He’d come over especially to thank him.

The old man saw Lu Chuan and the bottles in his hand, and happily accepted them without the slightest pretense. “This is the kind of drink I like! Judging by how your wife snatched up that place, I can tell you two aren’t short on cash.”

Lu Chuan was modest. “We’re still short, actually.”

The old man just laughed. This kid really hid his talents well—who would’ve thought this young couple had such ability? “Not short on that little bit, anyway.”

Lu Chuan couldn’t help but laugh too. There was no hiding anything from this sharp old man. “You better hold onto these, because if we really run out of money, we’ll be in trouble.”

The old man said, “Don’t worry, I can keep my mouth shut. But if someone else spreads the word, that’s out of my hands. You have no idea how capable your wife is. She bought three courtyards in one go! Everyone’s been asking me about your background.”

Lu Chuan hurried to clarify, “That’s a misunderstanding, really. Not all of those are my wife’s.”

The old man was amused. “You might fool others, but you can’t fool me. Come on, you think you can hide that from the housing office?”

Lu Chuan felt the old man’s mouth really needed to be ‘sealed’. “I’ll bring you a couple more bottles next time.”

The old man laughed even harder. “No need. My mouth’s not that easy to seal, but this’ll do for now.”

There was no need for more words of thanks—it was all in the liquor.

Lu Chuan left the old man’s place with a smile, realizing just how capable the old man was. If not for him, they’d still be wandering around the city.

Then Lu Chuan noticed the old man was even more impressive than he thought. The house Lu Chuan decided not to rent was immediately snapped up by the old man, along with all the stuff Lu Chuan had left behind—the old man happily took it all.

For once, Lu Chuan felt a little unsure of himself. He muttered to Fang Yuan, “Do you think I just got played? Feels like…”

Fang Yuan didn’t think much of it. She kept things simple. “What’s there to feel? Isn’t the new house nice? Isn’t the courtyard big enough?”

Well, Lu Chuan couldn’t argue with that. At least he’d gotten what he wanted.

Fang Yuan added, “Why are you so attached to that junk? Didn’t you just pick it up from the school’s warehouse?”

Lu Chuan didn’t dare admit that half of it was picked up, but the other half he’d actually paid for. He didn’t dare tell her that.

Now he finally understood what it meant to shoot yourself in the foot. Some things, you’re just destined to carry.

Fang Yuan said, “Let me tell you, there’s even more junk in our new courtyard. Seriously, the abandoned yard is full of sheds packed with stuff. Didn’t I just pull the same trick on someone else?”

Lu Chuan hadn’t thought much of it at the time. “You thought you were getting a bargain, huh? Cleaning all that out will cost time and effort, even if it doesn’t cost money.”

Fang Yuan replied, “No need. I checked—let’s keep it for firewood. We won’t need to buy any for years.”

Lu Chuan found it hard to believe. “Really? Who sells a courtyard and leaves so much behind? Around here, there’s nothing you don’t have to buy.”

Fang Yuan looked at him, “Would I lie to you?”

Lu Chuan hadn’t expected such a bonus. “Good thing we moved. Otherwise, we’d have to buy coal briquettes soon.”

Fang Yuan said, “There’s coal too. I saw a pile of it in a corner of the old yard, covered by all that junk.”

Lu Chuan was finally impressed. “This ‘junkyard’ of yours sounds like a real treasure trove.”

Fang Yuan said, “I’ve changed all the locks on the courtyard. When we have time, let’s go over and sort through it. It’s an even better deal than what the old man got.”

Lu Chuan felt comforted. During the day, the two of them went to work at the construction site. Fang Yuan worked on site, while Lu Chuan and Wu Hu were busy fixing up houses all over the place.

At night, it was like treasure hunting—digging through the drafty, open sheds in the old courtyard. One day they’d find a couple of old books, the next a couple of rusty pipes.

They even found a dismantled iron bed. Lu Chuan bought a can of paint and fixed it up like new.

Fang Yuan was so happy she said if there’s ever another junkyard for sale, she’d buy it again. Lu Chuan thought to himself, you’re lucky to come across something like this once in a lifetime. He wouldn’t dare dream of it happening again.

Besides, they were out of money now—couldn’t afford it anyway.

The coal briquettes Fang Yuan found were buried under rotten wood. The wood was useless, but the coal was still good.

Lu Chuan figured they wouldn’t need to buy coal for three or four winters. That was worth more than the stuff he’d left behind.

Every day, rummaging through the old courtyard, they’d find little surprises. Lu Chuan really enjoyed it.

At first, they’d thought about hiring someone to clear out the junk, but in the end, the two of them sorted it bit by bit themselves—afraid they might throw out something valuable.

When Wu Hu came over and saw the pile of stuff, he looked at Fang Yuan with suspicion. “Did you know about all this ahead of time? Seriously…”

Fang Yuan denied it. “How could I? Just lucky, I guess.”

Wu Hu said, “That’s some luck. Why don’t I ever get that lucky?”

He asked for the key to his own courtyard. “No way, where’s my key? I need to go check mine too.”

Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan were happy to join in the fun. Who knows, maybe Wu Hu’s courtyard had some hidden treasures too. So they all went over to take a look.

But Wu Hu’s courtyard was spotless. The house was clean, every nook and cranny tidy.

Wu Hu was not pleased. “Why is there such a big difference?”

Fang Yuan said, “You forgot? You bought it because it was clean—and you paid extra for that.”

Lu Chuan quickly pulled Fang Yuan away—now was not the time to say that. Really not.

Wu Hu grumbled, “Showing off, huh?”

Fang Yuan said honestly, “I paid to have the place cleaned, too. I just wanted a bargain.”

Wu Hu wasn’t happy at all. He’d paid more, but didn’t get any extra stuff. Who would’ve thought junk could be worth something?

Fang Yuan wanted to say, this was a lesson learned from their time renting.

Lu Chuan, seeing Wu Hu’s face, said, “Wu Ge, back in our village, you’re definitely top of the heap now. This courtyard is so spacious—never mind the countryside, even in the city, it’s first-class.”

Then he added, “Wu Ge, you’ve got a house in the city now. Not to brag, but if word gets out, you’ll have matchmakers lining up at your door. I’ll bring some fruit for Mom—she’s been busy fending off matchmakers every day, her mouth’s worn out.”

Wu Hu couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear, forgetting all about being mad at Fang Yuan. “You’re right. I guess I’ve really made something of myself now.”

Fang Yuan asked, “Why are you flattering him?”

Lu Chuan thought, I’m just trying to smooth things over for you.

Then Lu Chuan praised Wu Hu’s house inside and out until Wu Hu was satisfied. Spending more did have its perks.

On the way home with Fang Yuan, Wu Hu glanced at their old courtyard and frowned, tossing out, “Only you two would be interested in that dump.” He was all high and mighty now.

Lu Chuan quietly closed the gate to their courtyard—no need for Wu Hu to see it and get annoyed."

"Chapter 147: Putting in the Work

After sending off Fifth Brother, the two of them continued rummaging for good stuff. In these days, with no TV and no real entertainment, the couple treated it as a bit of fun.

Fang Yuan might not have understood, but Lu Chuan had seen it at school—if you really found something good, you could take some scrap wood and piece together a bookshelf, and the few books you put on it would already feel quite meaningful.

Fang Yuan was sentimental, too—she kept all sorts of useless things at home.

She said, anyway, the place was big, and it was just the two of them living there. There was plenty of room for all this stuff.

Somehow, they dug out two big jars from some corner. The grain inside was so moldy you couldn’t even tell what it was anymore. Lu Chuan just set the jars out in the yard and, with a few quick moves, found a spot where they looked just right.

Fang Yuan said, “They look impressive just sitting there. No wonder you went to college—even the way you arrange things looks good.”

Lu Chuan took it as a compliment. Once the yard over there was tidied up, this yard was already full without needing to buy anything new.

Some of the wood they picked out was piled in the yard. Lu Chuan said that come spring, he’d help Fang Yuan build a flower trellis or something.

Fang Yuan said, “What’s the use of that? Wouldn’t it be better to make a couple of vegetable plots?”

Lu Chuan just smiled and didn’t say anything, but he wouldn’t let Fang Yuan mess with the wood.

Even with all this busyness, Fang Yuan still went back and brought three or five people over—folks who did odd jobs and fixed houses.

Fifth Tiger was all about all-around development—no job too big or small, and he said the key was that they had the skills.

Lu Chuan spent the whole winter break helping out, and by now he was practically a seasoned hand.

Busy from morning till night, sometimes coming home looking a mess—no one would guess he was a student.

The workers who worked with Lu Chuan would say, “Brother-in-law, why are you working so hard with us? You’re a college student—even if you do well, we won’t need you next year.”

Lu Chuan would reply, “Just think of me as a temp. It’s almost New Year’s, and my family’s short on money.”

Fifth Tiger would burst out laughing and give Lu Chuan a kick. “Who’d believe that?” But honestly, the brother-in-law had been doing a great job lately.

Lu Chuan would even add, “Seriously, I’m short on cash.”

A few of the others would laugh along, “Brother-in-law, we’re all short on money. Telling us won’t help—no one’s going to lend you any.”

Lu Chuan never expected anyone to lend him money, but being brushed off like that made him feel a bit left out. “You guys are kind of excluding me here.”

Wan Shun laughed, “That’s not it. The thing is, Fang Yuan already said you’re not allowed to borrow money.”

Lu Chuan was genuinely surprised. “When did that happen?”

Fifth Tiger said, “Back when you borrowed money from your uncle to buy her clothes and shoes—anyone she knew, Fang Yuan told them not to lend you money. Later, when you rented a place in the provincial capital, she told us again.”

So basically, it was to stop Lu Chuan from borrowing and spending behind her back.

Wan Shun nudged Fifth Tiger, telling him to ease up—what if the couple got mad? Didn’t brother-in-law care about his pride?

But Fifth Tiger didn’t think much of it—he just said whatever came to mind. He knew the couple got along fine.

Lu Chuan joked, “Am I really that much of a spendthrift that she has to guard against me like this?”

Fifth Tiger replied, “Who can outspend her? And yet she’s guarding against you borrowing money outside.”

Wan Shun couldn’t help but say, “Fifth Brother, whose side are you on?”

Fifth Tiger said, “Me? I think I got a bit off track. Brother-in-law, even if you have no money, no one’s going to lend you any.”

Everyone burst out laughing. They all said Lu Chuan, with his wife keeping him in line, didn’t have the freedom Fifth Brother did.

A bunch of young guys working together every day—of course they got along well.

Everyone said, this college student brother-in-law didn’t put on any airs.

Lu Chuan didn’t mind at all. “I’m just a student, living off my wife and hanging onto my brother-in-law’s coattails. Why would I act all high and mighty? Who would I be putting on a show for?”

Fifth Tiger said, “Don’t say that—you’re not that bad.”

Lu Chuan joked, “Fifth Brother, if you feel sorry for me, just pay me a bit more. I can’t even borrow money if I wanted to.”

Another round of laughter. They were tired, sure, but genuinely happy. Everyone figured they’d have enough money to take home for New Year’s.

Lately, Lu Chuan’s mind wasn’t on the house anymore. After work, he’d hang out with Fifth Tiger, and no one knew what they were up to all day.

Sometimes they’d even go out drinking at night. If Fifth Tiger wasn’t with him, Fang Yuan might have thought Lu Chuan was up to no good.

At the end of the year, Zhang Wei came by and settled all the accounts—quick and straightforward.

Everyone working in this neighborhood envied their crew—getting paid so promptly.

Some people even tried to cozy up to them, hoping to work together next year.

That’s where Fifth Tiger’s loyalty really showed its value. He’d boast, “Of course! We work for the little boss. Who’d dare mess up the boss’s business? As for pay, as long as you work hard and do a good job, our little boss never shortchanges anyone.”

Zhang Wei, overhearing this, felt a bit embarrassed.

But Fifth Tiger knew how to use his reputation to build up the crew’s name.

People really did come to ask if they could join them next year. Lu Chuan and the others didn’t even go home—they were busy with this, bragging all over the place.

All those idle chats among the guys finally came in handy—they knew who worked hard, who slacked off, who was skilled and who wasn’t. They’d get together, discuss, and jot down the contact info of the reliable ones.

The ones they couldn’t use, they politely turned away.

Because of this, even when there was no more work, Fifth Tiger and his crew stuck around.

Whether they could keep a few reliable old hands next year depended on how much effort they put in now.

Even Lu Chuan stayed to help out, hanging around the work shed, chatting with all sorts of craftsmen.

When Fifth Tiger was in a good mood, he’d even treat people to wontons—his way of wooing the craftsmen he liked.

They were all migrant workers—there really wasn’t any fancier treatment.

Every day, Fang Yuan would bring over steamed buns and hot soup, just to collect a few more contacts.

That’s youth for you—full of energy. Anyone else would’ve quit by now.

Zhang Wei admired Fifth Tiger to no end, calling him “Fifth Brother” at every turn. Though he felt a bit embarrassed by all the boasting, only Fifth Brother ever talked him up like that.

Before, it was Lu Chuan who smiled and negotiated with Zhang Wei about work. Now, it was Zhang Wei bowing and coaxing Fifth Tiger, hoping to work together next year.

Zhang Wei knew full well—Fifth Brother had the people now.

Watching from the side, Lu Chuan felt a bit bitter. After all he’d said, Zhang Wei never believed he had what it took.

But looking at Fifth Brother, you had to admit—he really had the presence of a foreman.

Fifth Tiger was completely satisfied. Next year, he’d have the people and the work. All thanks to the solid foundation they’d laid now.

148."

"Chapter 148: A Family Full of Schemes

By the time the three brothers finally made it home, it was already the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month. The long-distance buses to the provincial capital were about to stop running.

Wang Cuixiang said, “If you hadn’t come back now, your dad would’ve gone to the city to drag you home himself.”

She looked Fang Yuan up and down, clearly pleased at how much more striking she’d become. “The city really does bring out the best in people.”

The three of them came home with cold faces, and Wang Cuixiang hurried to get dinner ready for the family.

At the dinner table, Second Sister-in-law piped up, “Back when Fang Yuan found herself a college student, we were all worried that her husband would just leave her at home and not care about her. But look at him now—he’s not only taking care of her, he even dragged our fifth brother to the city too! So, brother-in-law, when are you going to take the whole family to the city with you?”

She said it with a smile, but there was plenty of meaning behind those words.

Fang Yuan didn’t take it to heart. “You think you can just say ‘take us’ and it’ll happen?”

Wu Hu (Fifth Brother) didn’t let Lu Chuan get put on the spot, and jumped right in, “Second Sister-in-law, what, when our family marries off a daughter, the brothers have to go along as part of the dowry too?”

Second Sister-in-law grinned and teased, “Fifth Brother, you already went as part of the dowry. We just need a few more brothers to go along next time.”

Wang Cuixiang snapped, “What are you saying? You think you’re the only one with a mouth around here? My sons are yours to order around now?”

Second Sister-in-law whined, “Mom, come on, it’s just our little sister we’re talking about, not an outsider.”

Fang Yuan finally spoke up, “Whether someone goes as dowry depends on whether I care about them. Don’t compare anyone else to my Fifth Brother—no one else can measure up.”

She wasn’t afraid of offending anyone, just bluntly putting her Fifth Brother’s special status out there.

Wu Hu was touched right then and there, thinking, “If I don’t let Fang Yuan handle my money, who else would I trust? I wouldn’t even trust my own wife with it.”

Second Brother’s face was a bit stiff; he shot his wife a look, “Can’t even keep your mouth shut at the dinner table.”

Second Sister-in-law finally quieted down. She knew her little sister-in-law and little brother-in-law were always of one mind.

Fourth Brother was in a good mood today. Ever since he’d split from the eldest, he’d been doing well and made some money, though there was no work in winter so he’d been laying low. “Fifth Brother, don’t keep all the good stuff to yourself. If there’s really money to be made in the city, just say the word—taking one more person is no big deal.”

Wu Hu thought, “If I take you, I’ll be so broke next year I’ll be eating dirt.” But he just said, “Fourth Brother, you just finished building your house. I was just worried you’d be too busy.”

Fourth Brother immediately shut up. Wu Hu had helped him a lot with the house, and had made it clear from the start that the two of them shouldn’t get too tangled up in each other’s business.

Fourth Brother said, “That’s true. I’m not in a rush to make money—I need to get myself a wife first.”

Second and Third Brothers thought to themselves, “Fourth Brother’s been spoiled by Wu Hu.” The eldest just ate his food and stayed out of it.

Fang Daleng, the father, didn’t worry about how much money his kids made anymore—he was more concerned about their marriages. “Wu Hu, do you have someone in mind? If you do, your dad will help you get her.”

He grew proud as he continued, “You built your own house. In our village, even in our whole township, that makes you a real catch. You’ve outdone all those guys who rely on their parents to get married. We’ve had a lot of matchmakers coming to our house lately.”

After he said that, the eldest, second, and third brothers all felt a little uncomfortable, feeling like their own dad had just thrown them under the bus.

Wang Cuixiang couldn’t help but admire how, after all these years, Fang Daleng could still manage to say things that rubbed everyone the wrong way. If he weren’t their father, someone would’ve beaten him up by now. Didn’t he realize he was putting down several of his own sons?

This topic got the eldest sister-in-law talking, her enthusiasm over the top, “Wu Hu, since you’re home, let’s have a look at some girls. I know a few good ones I’ve been keeping in mind for you.”

Fang Yuan snorted, and Lu Chuan could tell this wasn’t going anywhere good. He tried to distract Fang Yuan by serving her some food, hoping to shut her up, but he was too slow—her mouth was faster.

Fang Yuan spoke up, “Just make sure you’re not introducing me to someone with a troublesome little brother.”

Lu Chuan’s chopsticks, with the piece of meat, were already at Fang Yuan’s mouth, but he still couldn’t stop her from saying it.

Fourth Brother, who never cared about saving face, burst out laughing. Only Fang Yuan dared tease the eldest sister-in-law like that. She deserved it.

Fourth Brother thought to himself, “I’ve been home all this time, but I’ve never seen the eldest sister-in-law so eager to introduce me to anyone. What, am I not good enough?”

He grinned, “Wu Hu, you’ve got a point. Only someone who’s suffered at the hands of a little brother-in-law would know.”

Wu Hu said, “Don’t talk nonsense. I don’t even have a wife yet—where would I get a little brother-in-law?”

Fourth Brother said, “Mom, when I get married, that’s going on the list too—no little brothers-in-law. They’re worse than thieves.”

The eldest sister-in-law and eldest brother looked absolutely mortified. That was a direct jab at them, calling the brother-in-law useless.

Second sister-in-law, on the other hand, felt a bit better. Her own awkwardness was nothing compared to the eldest sister-in-law’s.

Third sister-in-law just kept her head down and ate, while Third Brother, always the honest one, said, “Better to be shrewd than clueless.” He didn’t mention the brother-in-law, but his words implied the eldest was clueless.

Wu Hu shot Fang Yuan a resentful look. “You want to get married? Why’d you have to bring it up first?”

Fang Yuan, annoyed by his stare, just shrugged it off and said to Wu Hu, “What are you looking at me for? Didn’t you say it yourself?”

Wu Hu glared, thinking, “It’s not enough for you to set me up, now you’re burying me too? Thanks a lot.”

Lu Chuan quickly stuffed the meat into Fang Yuan’s mouth. Time to end this topic.

Wang Cuixiang wanted to smack all her kids—none of them were easy to deal with.

Fang Daleng watched his son-in-law serve his daughter food and was delighted. “Look at that, boys. See how your brother-in-law takes care of his wife? You should all learn from him.”

Wang Cuixiang and Lu Chuan both glanced at Fang Daleng, who looked so pleased with himself.

Lu Chuan finally understood where Fang Yuan’s bluntness came from. At times like this, only Fang Daleng could be so oblivious to the subtext, just happy to see his son-in-law treat his daughter well.

Wang Cuixiang felt exhausted. How could a man be so thick-skinned?

Only now did the family notice that Lu Chuan had been putting all the meat into Fang Yuan’s mouth. The two of them were so lovey-dovey, it was hard to watch.

Lu Chuan felt awkward. This was supposed to lighten the mood, but he hadn’t meant to put himself in the spotlight.

Wu Hu, ever the troublemaker, said, “We know you two are close. Our family’s never let our girl go hungry—no need to be so protective.”

Lu Chuan was about to say something modest, but Fang Yuan cut in, “I don’t eat fatty meat.”

Well, so much for showing off their affection.

Lu Chuan awkwardly pulled his chopsticks back. “I didn’t notice just now.”

Then he exchanged a helpless look with his mother-in-law, both feeling a bit world-weary.

Fang Daleng scolded his daughter, “Fatty meat is good—don’t be picky. But son-in-law, next time, make sure you give Fang Yuan what she likes.”

Lu Chuan replied, “Dad, I know what Fang Yuan likes. I just didn’t see clearly just now.”

Fang Daleng put a chicken drumstick in his son-in-law’s bowl. “Good son-in-law, eat more.”

Wang Cuixiang muttered, “From now on, I’ll make sure to prepare everyone’s favorite dishes.”

Fang Daleng’s eyes widened, “Life’s gotten this good?”

Fang Yuan chimed in, “Mom, are you giving up on life?”

Wang Cuixiang snorted, Lu Chuan kept his head down and ate, thinking his mother-in-law sure thought they talked too much at the table.

Wu Hu gloomily reminded them, “She probably means you should eat more and talk less.”

149."

"Chapter 149: Fooled Again

Wang Cuixiang thought to herself, “There are only a few smart people at this table.” She looked at her fifth son and said, “Old Five, whether you make money or not, it’s good that you’re following your brother-in-law. You’ve learned to read the room.”

Over on Lu Chuan’s side, he choked on his food and couldn’t help but cough. He was losing his appetite.

The brothers at the other end of the table quieted down too. No point in stirring things up—they wouldn’t get anything good out of it.

After the meal, Fang Yuan and Lu Chuan didn’t rush home.

Lu Chuan had taken Fang Yuan out for several months already, so it was only right to stay a night at his mother-in-law’s place. Let Fang Yuan chat with her mom and put her mind at ease.

Besides, the mother-in-law’s house was spacious now. Fourth and Fifth Brothers each had their own rooms, so there was plenty of space for them to stay.

Eldest Brother Fang was at Fang Daleng’s place for a while, but soon realized there wasn’t much point in sticking around, so he took his wife and kids home. He didn’t get involved in his brothers-in-law’s conversations.

Second, Third, and Fourth Brothers all left, and Fifth Brother went off to meet friends. Only the four of them were left.

Wang Cuixiang started asking her daughter, “You’ve been away so long—has your Fifth Brother found a girlfriend? Has he saved any money?”

Fang Yuan replied, “No girlfriend, but he’s saved a bit. At least he’s doing better than Big Brother.”

She left it at that, and Wang Cuixiang didn’t press Lu Chuan, not wanting to put him on the spot.

Fang Daleng asked, “Chuan’er, how’s your schooling? You haven’t fallen behind, have you?”

Lu Chuan replied, “No, Dad, I haven’t fallen behind. It’s all thanks to Fifth Brother working hard to take care of things. He leads a group of people every day. Even if he doesn’t make money, he’s there to learn some skills.”

With that one sentence, he explained why they hadn’t made much money after being in the provincial capital for so long. It was also an answer for Fang Yuan’s mother.

Fang Daleng said, “Even if you don’t make money, it’s worth it. That’s a promising thing to do. Besides, it’s the provincial capital—being able to stand your ground there is a skill in itself.”

Fang Yuan added, “Mom, I bought a house in the provincial capital. You and Dad should come stay with me for a few days sometime.”

Lu Chuan felt like Fang Yuan was deliberately undermining him. She just said they weren’t making money, and he tried to smooth things over, but then she immediately said she’d bought a house in the provincial capital. How was he supposed to cover for that? What, did the house just appear out of thin air?

She really was his wife—how could she be so irresponsible with her words?

Wang Cuixiang glanced at her embarrassed son-in-law and said, “It’s fine. Fang Yuan said she and Fifth Brother pooled their money. I believe her.”

Lu Chuan’s face turned red. His mother-in-law was clearly teasing him.

But Fang Yuan wouldn’t let it go. “It’s my own money, nothing to do with him,” she said. What if someone tried to claim her money later?

Fang Daleng, straightforward as always, was happy for his daughter. “My daughter and son-in-law are doing well! Bought a house already!”

Fang Yuan said proudly, “I think that counts as a bit of an achievement.”

Lu Chuan couldn’t help but laugh in front of his in-laws. Suddenly, he didn’t feel embarrassed anymore. He wanted to hold Fang Yuan’s hand and be proud together.

Seeing the way her son-in-law looked at Fang Yuan, Wang Cuixiang felt reassured. Her son-in-law didn’t think her daughter was foolish.

Wang Cuixiang couldn’t help but snicker.

Fang Daleng grinned and said to Fang Yuan, “See? Your mom’s happy.”

Lu Chuan had to hold back his laughter, worried his mother-in-law would think he was laughing at his father-in-law.

Fang Yuan said, “Dad, it’s lively where I am. If you get tired of Big Brother and the others, come with me to the provincial capital. Selling meat there makes more money than here.”

Fang Daleng nodded immediately. “If anyone ticks me off, I’ll go with my daughter.”

Wang Cuixiang didn’t ask about the money anymore. She knew her daughter wouldn’t tell the truth, and she had a good sense of her sons’ situations anyway. “Do you think your Fifth Brother can find a girlfriend in the provincial capital?” she asked, clearly directing the question at Lu Chuan.

Lu Chuan replied, “Mom, there’s no rush. These things depend on fate. Look at me and Fang Yuan—it just happened.”

In other words, there was no need for his mother-in-law to worry about finding someone for Fifth Brother back in the village.

Fang Yuan, face drooping, said, “What, Mom, aren’t you planning to introduce Big Sister-in-law’s relative to Fifth Brother?”

Wang Cuixiang snapped, “Mind your own business! Who told you that?”

Fang Yuan said, “Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on just because I’m not home. Doesn’t Big Sister-in-law want to move her whole family in with us?”

Wang Cuixiang felt exhausted. This troublesome child—always meddling. She’d be lucky if she could just take care of herself.

“Is your Big Brother an idiot?” Wang Cuixiang said. “He doesn’t care, so why should you?”

Fang Yuan was bold. “Then let them come over and discuss it. Have Big Brother marry into their family.”

Fang Daleng protested, “No way! Don’t go making trouble. I won’t allow it.”

Fang Yuan said, “If you’re too embarrassed to bring it up, I will. I’m not afraid of offending her.”

Then she added, “Dad, as long as Big Brother is willing, what’s the difference? If he doesn’t marry into their family, isn’t he still working for his father-in-law?”

Fang Daleng was successfully provoked by his daughter. “Useless! And he calls himself a tiger?”

Lu Chuan was exasperated. He’d never seen such a troublemaking sister-in-law. And his own Big Brother—could he really marry into someone else’s family?

Was he really that clueless? Compared to Fang Yuan, Big Brother was on another level.

Wang Cuixiang said, “You’re still holding a grudge over that little thing? Your Big Sister-in-law is clueless—she hasn’t suffered enough yet.”

Lu Chuan admired his mother-in-law. After all this time, she still hadn’t learned her lesson. Did the family have enough to withstand all this drama?

Fang Daleng said, “Even my daughter heard about this in the provincial capital. If he keeps this up, I’ll have to knock some sense into him. Wasn’t I right to want to hit him before? You insisted they sort it out themselves—did they?”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “You’re so capable—you’ve put up with it this long. Give it another couple of months. If they still don’t get it, I won’t stop you from hitting him.”

Fang Daleng said, “I don’t have that much patience. If he’d just worked honestly with Fifth Tiger, would things be like this today? Look at how Fourth Brother looks at Big Brother, and look at Second Brother’s attitude. Third Brother’s no good either.”

Wang Cuixiang asked Fang Daleng directly, “You raised these sons. Which one do you think turned out well?”

Fang Daleng fell silent. None of them, really.

Lu Chuan thought, “If even the mother-in-law admits her sons aren’t much, would she really open her heart to her sons-in-law?” So he decided not to get involved in this topic.

Fang Daleng said, “I’m just saying, having my daughter makes my life complete.”

Lu Chuan finally understood how Fang Yuan got her name.

Suddenly, Wang Cuixiang asked, “How’s your Fifth Brother’s house in the provincial capital?”

Lu Chuan instinctively wanted to stop Fang Yuan, but it was too late.

Fang Yuan said, “It’s bigger than mine—enough space for you all.” Then she bit her tongue.

She glared at Wang Cuixiang, “How could you do this? I didn’t say anything!”

Fang Daleng looked shocked and proud. “Damn, Old Five bought a place too? Why didn’t you say so? I should set off firecrackers for him!”

Lu Chuan finally understood his mother-in-law’s skills. All that preamble was just to steer the conversation. With her smarts, how could she not see through her eldest son’s tricks?

150."

"Chapter 150: Who Holds the Power