Chapter 151: The Hot Commodity

Fang Daleng said, “We’re all men here. If a man doesn’t put his heart into it, there are plenty of ways a woman can end up feeling wronged.”

My father-in-law’s words were really down-to-earth. But what could Lu Chuan say? That I care about Fang Yuan, but she doesn’t really appreciate it? Even if I wanted to confess, it’s not like I could do it in front of my father-in-law. This was a tough spot to be in.

But my father-in-law wasn’t about to let it go, looking like he was ready to keep talking all night.

Lu Chuan said, “Dad, I can see how good Fang Yuan is. She’s straightforward, doesn’t beat around the bush, and is focused on building a life together. I may be young and inexperienced, maybe my thoughts still wander a bit, but I come from hardship, so I know a stable life isn’t easy to come by.”

He was being tactful—couldn’t just talk about love and romance, so he spoke from reality. “And ever since I married Fang Yuan, my days have been happy. I laugh every day. Dad, you must have noticed how much I’ve changed since we got married. It’s not because I moved to the provincial capital, or because I’m going to school or anything like that—it’s because Fang Yuan is by my side.”

Fang Daleng didn’t really get all of it, but he summed it up: “So, seeing my daughter makes you happy, right?”

Lu Chuan nodded modestly and gave a quiet “Mm.”

Fang Daleng’s reaction was to slap his son-in-law on the shoulder, all excited: “Looks like we’re on the same page! Ever since my girl was born, just seeing her makes me happy. No matter when I see her, I’m always delighted. Ah, this is good, this is good.”

And then he fell asleep. Really, not a care in the world, snoring away.

Lu Chuan just lay there, half-dozing. Even though what he said wasn’t exactly what his father-in-law meant, and his feelings were kind of confessed in a roundabout way, in the end, it all worked out. As long as his father-in-law was at ease, that’s what mattered. See, now that they were in sync, the old man didn’t have a single worry left.

In his father-in-law’s heart, probably anyone who saw Fang Yuan should feel the same way he did—just delighted to see her.

The next morning at breakfast, the whole family gathered. Not just Lu Chuan—even Fang Yuan noticed that her sisters-in-law were being unusually warm to him.

Even more so than yesterday. But Fang Yuan didn’t have time to bicker with them—she was anxious to get home, since tomorrow was New Year’s Eve. The Lu family must be getting anxious.

At the table, the eldest, second, and third sisters-in-law were all piling food into Wu Hu’s bowl, so enthusiastically that even the people sitting nearby took notice.

But it was early, and there wasn’t much on the table besides pickles and soybean paste. They weren’t worried about giving Wu Hu too much salty food.

Fang Yuan, who always spoke her mind, didn’t bother to spare anyone’s feelings: “What, are you all trying to set my fifth brother up with a wife?”

Wu Hu quietly picked up his bowl, not daring to let his sisters-in-law add any more pickles.

The eldest sister-in-law’s face darkened, and she lowered her head to eat, not daring to provoke her sharp-tongued sister-in-law.

The second sister-in-law smiled, “That’s not what we meant.”

The third sister-in-law looked around and spoke the truth: “If I’m the only one not being nice, that’d look bad.”

So she was just following the crowd. Wu Hu said, “Third sister-in-law, if I get salted to death, that’d be a real injustice. Don’t just follow along.”

Finally, the table quieted down.

After breakfast, Lu Chuan took Fang Yuan home. The second sister-in-law stood at the door and called out from afar, “Little sister, take it easy!”

Sitting in the car, Fang Yuan said to Lu Chuan, “Why do I feel so creeped out? My second sister-in-law must’ve taken the wrong medicine.”

Lu Chuan figured that last night, Wan Shun and the others who came back with them must’ve said something while chatting.

Big brother’s face this morning looked forced, and the eldest sister-in-law’s expression was all over the place. Lu Chuan noticed it all.

Lu Chuan said, “Just ask Wu Hu later and you’ll know. You haven’t been back in a while, it’s normal for your sisters-in-law to miss you.”

He even praised his wife with a smile: “Our Fang Yuan is welcome wherever she goes.”

Fang Yuan rolled her eyes, “I know myself—I’m not that popular.”

Lu Chuan said, “Who says so? Mom misses you all the time.”

Fang Yuan replied, “But my sisters-in-law definitely don’t miss me. Did you see the forced smile on the eldest’s face? I felt embarrassed for her.”

Lu Chuan couldn’t help but nod, “It’s tough on the eldest, for sure.” Fang Yuan could read people’s faces, after all—it wasn’t easy.

Fang Yuan said, “Serves her right. If she’d just managed things better at home, if she’d meddled less, my big brother wouldn’t have gone half a year without making any money.”

Lu Chuan didn’t agree: “But big brother is the most popular. Even fourth brother says there’s never a shortage of people supporting him.”

Fang Yuan didn’t buy it: “Losing money just for show—how stupid is that?”

Then she added angrily, “And they want to set my fifth brother up with their relatives? Dream on. One of my brothers marrying into their family is more than enough.”

Lu Chuan said, “Wu Hu knows what’s up. Big brother knows even more, but I can’t say it to you.”

Fang Yuan snorted and dropped the subject.

From a distance, Lu Xiaosan was already waiting at the village entrance. When he saw his brother and sister-in-law, he greeted them happily, “Second brother, second sister-in-law!”

Fang Yuan walked up, “It’s so cold, you didn’t have to wait for us out here.”

Lu Xiaosan replied, “It’s not cold, I had nothing else to do. If you hadn’t come back soon, Dad would’ve sent me to town to pick you up.”

He helped Lu Chuan push the car along.

Fang Yuan and Lu Chuan walked behind Xiaosan, and from afar, they could see the tall walls and six big rooms in a row—really eye-catching, bright and spacious, the talk of the village. And there was even a courtyard wall around it.

Lu Xiaosan led them into the three rooms on the west side: “This way, Mom and Dad are staying here with me. We eat and celebrate the New Year here.”

Fang Yuan pointed at her own family’s three rooms: “So those are empty?”

Lu Xiaosan said, “No, Mom’s raising chickens for you there. She goes over every day, it’s never lonely.”

Before he finished, Lu’s father and mother came out together. One pulled Fang Yuan into the house, the other followed behind: “Why are you back so late? It’s almost New Year’s, you’re never idle all year—come inside, quick.”

Lu’s father even asked, “Was it cold on the way?”

Lu Chuan and Lu Xiaosan were left behind in the yard—no one even noticed them, let alone said a word.

Lu Chuan asked Lu Xiaosan, “Am I really that unimportant? I haven’t been back in months either, you know?”

Lu Xiaosan said, “Second brother, be content. When Mom chats with people outside, it’s always ‘my second daughter-in-law’ this, ‘my second daughter-in-law’ that. Now hardly anyone in the village talks to her.”

Lu Chuan asked bluntly, “Is it that your second sister-in-law isn’t popular, or Mom isn’t popular?”

On this topic, Lu Xiaosan sighed, “Second brother, let me tell you—when you’re poor, people look down on you. When you get ahead, you stand out too much and people resent you. I’ve figured it out—there’s just never a good time.”

Lu Chuan said, “That’s because you’re not high enough yet. When people feel like they can’t catch up to you, that’s when they’ll start treating you well.”

Lu Xiaosan shook his head, not understanding.

Lu Chuan said deeply, “When you get to that level, you’ll understand.”

Lu Xiaosan, the rascal, said, “When you talk like that, does second sister-in-law get it?”

Lu Chuan answered honestly, “Do you think I’d dare talk to your second sister-in-law like that?”

A reply that was both humble and frank.

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