Chapter 154: Blisters on the Soles of the Feet

Fang Yuan was feeling a bit troubled. This man just wasn’t proactive when it came to having children. “Are you sure I don’t need to take any medicine? The secret recipe my second sister-in-law took was actually pretty effective.”

Clearly, her main concern wasn’t about Li Meng at all.

Lu Chuan understood Fang Yuan’s temperament by now. Telling her not to rush about having kids wouldn’t work. So he analyzed it from what she cared about: “We don’t have any money right now. If we had a child, could you bear to see them suffer?”

Fang Yuan nodded. “That’s true. We can’t let our child end up like those poor kids from their family, eating scraps even before they’re born. If I’d known, I would’ve kept a bit more money for myself. We spent so much on fixing up the house, now we really don’t have much left. Is it enough?”

Lu Chuan said, “Look, we need money for travel during New Year, my tuition… how much do we have left? Our child should grow up in a comfortable environment, right?”

Fang Yuan agreed with him, sighing, “Now we can’t even afford to have a kid.”

Seeing that Fang Yuan’s mind wasn’t on Li Meng at all and was just revolving around children, Lu Chuan finally said, “You get some rest. I’ll go take a look.”

Fang Yuan grabbed him. “What’s there to see? If you let her look at you one more time, I’ll feel like I’m losing out.”

Lu Chuan’s heart just burst with joy at that. See, in Fang Yuan’s heart, he really was special.

He replied shyly, “If you don’t want anyone to take advantage, I’ll wear a hat and cover my face with a scarf when I go out.”

Fang Yuan rolled her eyes. “What, you want the whole village to think you’re some kind of weirdo? That doesn’t count.”

Lu Chuan insisted, “Why doesn’t it count? Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone take advantage of me. I’ll protect myself.”

Fang Yuan got goosebumps from his words. Who even remembered who Li Meng was at this point?

Lu Chuan really had a knack for it—making his wife happy, making her forget the people and things that upset her.

He pulled Fang Yuan over to look at the wedding quilt Lu’s mother had prepared. “How about it? Doesn’t it feel like we’re newlyweds?”

Fang Yuan was a pro at ruining the mood. “Newlyweds? We’re both old news.”

Lu Chuan gritted his teeth. “You just rest, okay?”

Then he went out to find his childhood friends. But even after saying those harsh words, he still made sure his wife was settled in and waited until she dozed off before leaving.

That’s how soft he was.

Over at Lu’s mother’s place, Li Meng saw that the second son and Fang Yuan had both left, so she stopped crying and making a fuss. She knew by now that her money was as good as gone.

This woman was ruthless—hard-hearted and tight-fisted. Li Meng was no match for her.

Lu’s mother finally asked her eldest daughter-in-law, “Is something wrong? Are you having a hard time?”

Li Meng wiped her tears. “Mom, I just thought, since we’re all family and it’s almost New Year, we should all get along and not let others laugh at us. But look at the second son’s family. They don’t understand a thing, can’t see the bigger picture.”

Lu’s father and the third son couldn’t listen anymore. If you care so much about saving face, at least pick the right time. Do you really look like someone who cares about the bigger picture?

Lu’s mother said, “If you need help, just say so. Your dad and I are willing to help out if we can. As for Fang Yuan, like I’ve always said, if you can’t get along, then just don’t.”

Lu’s father added, “You’d better not provoke the second daughter-in-law. It’s good that you don’t hold grudges, but she doesn’t want to have anything to do with you.”

He continued, “Your mom and I just want you all to live well. That’s all we ask.”

Li Meng stood there awkwardly for a while before finally saying, “Mom, you know it’s not that I don’t have money—it’s just that the second son’s wife tricked it out of me.”

Lu’s mother replied, “You can’t say that. What you did back then didn’t hold water. You gave that money willingly—we all heard it.”

Then she asked, “You two don’t have many expenses. How could you be short on money? What do you need it for?”

Li Meng said, “Mom, now that we have a child, we can’t just rely on what we get from the fields. I want to do something, but you need capital for that.”

Lu’s father frowned. “Before winter, didn’t the eldest go out to find work?”

Honestly, all the men who went out with Old Fang, even the workers with the fifth son, made some money. Even the third son managed to save up despite building a house.

Li Meng said, “That’s too tiring. How could Feng handle that kind of hardship?”

The third son snorted and walked away. All his money came from hard work. No way he was lending any.

But you had to admit, the eldest son really did marry a wife who doted on him. The third son didn’t even know their family’s men could be so pampered.

Even Lu’s father hadn’t realized his eldest son was so precious.

Lu’s mother couldn’t help but ask, “So what can the eldest do to make money?”

Li Meng said, “Mom, don’t take this the wrong way, but just because the second son’s family has a bit of money now, don’t favor them and ignore everyone else. In the future, Feng is destined for great fortune. The second son’s bit of money now is nothing.”

Lu’s mother forced out a reply, “Then stop eyeing their money.”

The eldest daughter-in-law really knew how to rub people the wrong way. Lu’s mother was fed up. All about saving face, but suffering for it.

Li Meng’s face froze, but she was still thinking about that money. It’s just that they weren’t rich yet.

She started crying again, realizing she’d talked herself into a corner.

Lu’s father said, “The eldest is a grown man. Supporting the family and raising kids is his job. No matter his fate, hard work never hurt anyone, and it won’t stop him from being rich in the future. Daughter-in-law, you should talk to him.”

Li Meng said, “Dad, they’re brothers. Why does the second son get to go to school while Feng has to suffer? You’re just playing favorites.”

Lu’s mother replied, “If the eldest wanted to study, we would’ve supported him too. Ask him yourself—it was his own choice not to study and to come home and farm.”

Lu’s father said, “What’s the point of bringing up old history? The eldest knows what’s what. So, daughter-in-law, what kind of business do you want to do?”

There was really no reasoning with her. If she wanted to support her man, so be it.

Li Meng said, “I was thinking of opening a small shop in town, but we don’t even have money for rent or capital. Dad, if you have any money, maybe we could open a shop in the village first.”

Honestly, that sounded pretty practical. Lu’s father had seen a bit of the world and knew it was a good idea. Food and drink wouldn’t be a problem in the future.

Lu’s mother thought ahead, too. “Let’s not talk about money yet. You know what your family’s like. They’ve already taken everything from your house. If you open a shop, won’t it just be for them to take from?”

Lu’s father sighed. It was a good idea, but he worried they wouldn’t meet good people.

Li Meng’s face was awful. “Mom, that’s not true. My family is reasonable.”

Lu’s mother said, “Do you believe that yourself? If your family comes to take things and I help you beat your mother and sister-in-law, you’d end up resenting me. I really can’t help with that.”

Lu’s father took out fifty yuan. “Your mom and I can’t help much, but take this and do what you can. Daughter-in-law, a man’s fortune isn’t raised by being pampered.”

155."

"Chapter 155: A Bit Late to Wake Up

Li Meng couldn’t be bothered to listen to Old Man Lu’s rambling. She grabbed the money and left.

She thought to herself, “You two are his parents. No matter how rich or successful he gets, he’ll always acknowledge you. But if I don’t treat him well, when he’s rich in the future, will he even remember who I am?”

But for now, it seemed she needed to scrape together some start-up capital for this future tycoon. And all she had was fifty yuan.

Li Meng regretted it again—she’d let Fang Yuan sweet-talk her out of so much money before. Just thinking about that money made her want to smack herself for being so foolish.

She looked at the fifty yuan in her hand with some disdain. “What can I even do with this?”

Old Lady Lu watched her eldest daughter-in-law leave without so much as a backward glance, then looked at the thirty yuan left in her own hand. “There goes fifty yuan, just like that.”

Old Man Lu understood too. Their eldest daughter-in-law hadn’t listened to a word they’d said. “We’ll have to talk to our eldest son later. You can’t live life like this.”

Old Lady Lu sighed, “We used to be able to say a few words to him, but now, he won’t listen to anything. He really thinks he’s destined for wealth now.”

Just thinking about their eldest son and his wife was enough to make Old Lady Lu upset. “Forget it. We have grain and vegetables at home, and this thirty yuan is what we managed to save up all year. That’s something to be happy about. I’ll go cook and make something special for our second son’s family.”

Old Man Lu said, “Make something hot. They don’t get good food at the construction site, and it’s not easy for the kids out there.”

Old Lady Lu replied, “I know, I know. We’ve been raising all the chickens for them. I’ll save one for our eldest daughter-in-law’s confinement, and the rest we’ll slaughter tomorrow for New Year’s.”

Just because Li Meng came by didn’t mean they wouldn’t celebrate the New Year. Old Man Lu and Old Lady Lu started busying themselves at the stove.

Lu Chuan came back. He had to make the rounds, visit the village secretary, and there was also his classmate Zhang Xiaole.

People who make something of themselves are welcome everywhere. When Lu Chuan visited the village secretary’s house, he was warmly received.

Zhang Xiaole, his classmate, finally got a chance to talk to Lu Chuan. “A lot of my classmates come to see me, but look—when has my dad ever personally entertained anyone? I’ve figured it out. I really need to study hard and get into university.”

Who could disagree? Back when he’d come to see Zhang Xiaole, he hadn’t gotten this kind of treatment. It really was worth studying hard, so people would look at you differently. “Aren’t you in a technical college?”

At this point, Zhang Xiaole was determined to give it his all. “If I can get into university, why would I settle for technical college? Can’t I set my sights a bit higher?”

Lu Chuan said, “Alright, study hard. I’ll be waiting for you in the provincial capital. By the way, my family owes a lot to you all in the village. Come over to my place sometime, and I’ll invite everyone for a get-together.”

Zhang Xiaole replied, “I appreciate the thought, but let’s skip the gathering. Take my advice—keep things low-key for now. Let’s all just lay low for a while.”

Lu Chuan sensed there was more to it. “Why? My family really owes everyone here, and we’ll need everyone’s help in the future too. I’m truly grateful.”

Zhang Xiaole sighed, “You know Gong Er? The guy who was seeing Da Mei from the village? Gong Er’s no good. Da Mei’s been chasing him all over, and if something happens at your place, it’ll be a real headache.”

Lu Chuan was relieved it wasn’t some conflict within his own family. “Gong Er and Da Mei broke up?”

Zhang Xiaole said, “We’re all from the same village. It’s not right to talk about people behind their backs, but honestly, Gong Er’s not a good guy. Best to steer clear of him.”

Lu Chuan didn’t want to let one Gong Er stop him from doing anything. “Don’t worry about him. You should come. Just ignore him.”

Zhang Xiaole said, “I’m just worried he’ll show up if I go. Wouldn’t want to cause you trouble. I’d feel terrible.”

Lu Chuan replied, “Come on, we can’t just all stay home because of him.”

Zhang Xiaole said, “You don’t know—Da Mei’s been acting strange lately. I saw her throwing up in secret a few days ago. We really shouldn’t get involved in this.”

Lu Chuan realized this was serious. “That’s a big deal. Alright, better not come to my place then.” This really wasn’t something to get mixed up in.

Zhang Xiaole laughed at Lu Chuan, “It’s not your problem. Why are you so nervous?”

Lu Chuan said, “Don’t talk nonsense. Fang Yuan can’t stand to see anyone else have a baby these days.” He was thinking of his own wife’s feelings. As if Gong Er was worth worrying about.

Zhang Xiaole had never seen a man who talked about his wife all day long. “Aren’t you embarrassed?”

Lu Chuan said, “It’s the New Year. What’s wrong with wanting my wife to be happy?”

Zhang Xiaole wasn’t in a great mood. “If only Gong Er had half your conscience. Otherwise, Da Mei’s in for a tough time.”

Lu Chuan didn’t care much about Da Mei. He just thought, his own wife might not be the sharpest, but at least she’d never do something so foolish. Da Mei was clearly lacking in that department.

Zhang Xiaole punched Lu Chuan lightly. “You’re distracted. What are you thinking about?”

Lu Chuan said, “I’ve been out for a while. Fang Yuan’s probably awake by now. I’ll head back first—we’ll talk later.”

Zhang Xiaole said, “So what if she’s awake? Why do you need to go back?”

Lu Chuan replied, “My wife doesn’t know anyone in the village. It’s not right to leave her alone at home. I should go check on her.”

He turned and left. Zhang Xiaole snickered, “Your wife might not know anyone in the village, but everyone knows her. With Fang Yuan, it’s not just the village—even if she went up the mountain, the only thing she’d be afraid of is a tiger.”

Lu Chuan, this guy—he’s really learned how to care for his wife. Who would’ve thought the two of them would get along so well?

Back at home, Fang Yuan was sleeping soundly under the bright red double-happiness quilt.

Lu Chuan was a bit annoyed. He’d stormed out in anger, but Fang Yuan didn’t seem the least bit worried or anxious. She wasn’t even a little nervous about him.

Annoyed, he started to pester Fang Yuan, putting his cold hands on her face.

Back in the provincial capital, things had gotten better, but they were always so busy—there was never time to sleep in like this.

Now that they were home, with nothing to worry about, Fang Yuan just didn’t want to get up. She opened her eyes sleepily and said, “If you’ve got nothing to do, go help out in the other room. Don’t disturb my sleep.”

Lu Chuan asked, “You talked with Mom for so long last night. Why are you still so tired today?”

Fang Yuan pulled Lu Chuan’s hand under the quilt to warm it up. “You’re one to talk. Mom stayed up half the night, asking me all sorts of questions. It was exhausting.”

Lu Chuan was sharp—if her mother hadn’t been worried, she wouldn’t have kept her daughter up half the night. “What did she ask?” He asked, trying to sound casual.

Too bad he was dealing with the absent-minded Fang Yuan. “It was the middle of the night. How am I supposed to remember?”

Lu Chuan thought, “That’s just you being carefree. Otherwise, your mom wouldn’t have been up all night, asking questions.” He pressed, “Try to remember.”

Fang Yuan didn’t want to move, not even her brain. “What’s the point of remembering?”

Lu Chuan said, “I’m worried you didn’t answer sincerely and kept Mom up all night.”

Fang Yuan replied, looking innocent, “I don’t think so. I forgot.”

Lu Chuan didn’t even need to think to know why his mother-in-law was up all night, worried sick. But she just happened to have such a careless daughter—no wonder his mother-in-law was so anxious."

"Chapter 156: The Requirements Are a Bit Simple

Lu Chuan felt sorry for his mother-in-law and advised Fang Yuan, “We’re hardly ever home, so Mom must worry about us. In the future, whenever you come back, talk to Mom about both big and small things, just to put her mind at ease.”

Fang Yuan wasn’t lacking in smarts, but she usually used them to help others: “But what if I accidentally let something slip?”

Lu Chuan was straightforward: “Is there anything we’re afraid of Mom knowing?”

Fang Yuan replied, “There are still some things with Fifth Brother that aren’t really suitable for Mom to know.”

Lu Chuan laughed. The little secrets between his wife and Fifth Brother were useless in front of his mother-in-law: “Don’t worry, Mom’s a smart woman. You and Fifth Brother’s little tricks won’t work on her, so there’s no need to use them.”

Fang Yuan got a bit annoyed: “Are you looking down on us brothers?” She even pulled her hand away from Lu Chuan.

Lu Chuan teased her, “I’m actually envious of you and Fifth Brother, really. People with a lot of schemes don’t even have a partner.”

Fang Yuan was fooled by him and accidentally blurted out the truth: “That’s true. Honestly, if your brain wasn’t good at making money, I wouldn’t even want to hang out with you.”

If they weren’t married, Fang Yuan would definitely avoid Lu Chuan—she had so many little schemes, and he wasn’t one of them.

Lu Chuan didn’t know what expression to make: “So you really don’t think much of me? Besides my brains, can’t you at least look at my face?” He didn’t even dare hope she’d appreciate his inner qualities.

Fang Yuan looked at him with disdain, as if his looks were a negative: “Pretty boy. You don’t look reliable at all. Better not to look.”

If you think about it, does that mean if they’d met through a blind date, Fang Yuan wouldn’t have even considered him?

That realization was a bit hard to swallow.

Lu Chuan felt the room was getting hot, making him irritable: “Fang Yuan, I’m telling you, I don’t have a good temper. You can’t treat me like this. Be careful, I might get mad.”

Fang Yuan didn’t take it seriously. What’s the worst that could happen? He’s not going to fly to the moon: “Enough, I can’t even sleep now. Did you go out just now? Was it lively outside?”

Lu Chuan was easily led off topic: “It was alright. I thought about inviting some friends over to liven things up, but everyone’s struggling these days. We might as well just stay home and relax.”

Fang Yuan didn’t care how Lu Chuan arranged things: “Then let’s go to Mom’s place. It’s lively when the whole family sits and chats together.”

Then she added, “It’s fine to watch other people’s excitement, but don’t bring trouble home.”

Lu Chuan pulled Fang Yuan over, and the two of them lay quietly on the warm kang, chatting idly. This kind of peaceful scene never happened in the provincial capital—they were always busy with one thing or another.

Fang Yuan sighed contentedly, “No wonder people always long for a home.”

Lu Chuan nodded along. It seemed Fang Yuan was really enjoying herself. This was the warm, cozy home he’d worked so hard for.

Then he heard Fang Yuan say, “All that’s missing is a child.”

Lu Chuan almost laughed in exasperation. Couldn’t she let him be proud for just a moment? “Once we have a kid, do you think you’ll still be this relaxed?”

Fang Yuan replied, “Life’s like this—if you’re idle all day, wouldn’t you get bored?”

Lu Chuan thought to himself, I’m not bored.

Fang Yuan said, “Come on, get up. Go read a book if you’ve got nothing to do. I brought some back for you.”

Lu Chuan twitched his lips. The only reason he tried to better himself was because his wife couldn’t stand seeing him idle.

When they had nothing to do, the couple would even study with a dictionary together. Of course, Fang Yuan preferred reading joke books and the like.

Lu Xiaosan came to call them for dinner, and only then did Fang Yuan and Lu Chuan come out of the room.

Fang Yuan said, “Mom, since we’re only back for a short time, we haven’t been cooking at home. Sorry to trouble you and Dad.”

Lu’s mother replied, “What are you saying? Isn’t that how it should be? You’re only home for a few days a year—how could we let you cook?”

Lu Xiaosan chimed in, “Second Sister-in-law, I get to benefit too and improve my meals.”

So the whole family ate together, and it was lively with everyone around.

After dinner, Lu’s mother told Fang Yuan about giving Li Meng fifty yuan.

Fang Yuan was very understanding: “It’s your money, Mom and Dad. How you spend it is none of our business. You don’t have to tell us. But if she ever causes trouble, make sure to ask her to pay it back—don’t let her get away with it.”

Lu’s mother thought, if it were any other daughter-in-law, there’d be a fuss. Only Fang Yuan was so generous: “I’ll remember, I won’t let her take advantage.”

Lu’s father said, “After dinner, let Lu Chuan take you out for a walk. Even if you don’t live here, you’re still part of the village.”

Fang Yuan replied, “Okay, I’ll do whatever Dad says.”

Lu Xiaosan laughed, “Where could Second Brother take Second Sister-in-law? All these years, he’s been buried in his books and hardly visited anyone.”

Lu Chuan looked a bit embarrassed: “If I hadn’t gotten married, I’d still be a bookworm.” Between the lines, he was praising his wife.

Fang Yuan said, “It’s fine. Even if we visit someone, they can’t kick us out.”

Her generosity impressed the Lu family.

Fang Yuan looked up, a little apologetic: “It’s just that I might not get along with people very well.”

Lu Xiaosan and Lu Chuan both looked at her in surprise—they hadn’t expected Fang Yuan to be so self-aware.

Lu’s father and mother were surprised too, but reassured her, “Don’t worry, as long as you don’t suffer any losses, that’s enough.” Their expectations were simple.

Fang Yuan said, “Don’t worry about that. I can handle it.”

Lu Chuan turned his face away, looking toward the door, afraid he’d burst out laughing.

Lu Xiaosan said, “No way, Second Sister-in-law, don’t worry. Wherever you go, people will treat you like a guest of honor.”

He added, “Really, a lot of people know my second brother works in the provincial capital. There are plenty who want him to help them find work there.”

As soon as Fang Yuan heard that, she decided not to go out: “I don’t have that kind of ability. Forget it, let’s just stay home.”

Lu’s mother said, “You’re finally home—don’t just stay cooped up inside. If you want, I’ll take you out for a walk. If anyone asks for help, I’ll handle it.”

Lu Chuan said, “No need to worry, I’ll take care of it.”

Lu Chuan realized that his biggest rival for his wife’s attention at home was his own mother. Even spending time with his wife was something she wanted to do with him.

Then Lu’s mother realized she’d been wrong—she’d prepared so much for the kids, but they barely had time to eat at home. Her son and daughter-in-law were too busy to stay in.

That evening, someone came and invited Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan out. The couple was busy.

It was a worker from a neighboring village who’d worked in the provincial capital with Wu Hu.

The visitor was straightforward—without further ado, he dragged Fang Yuan out. Everyone was familiar with each other and knew that if Fang Yuan left, Lu Chuan would follow.

Lu’s mother was a bit frustrated—all her preparations had gone to waste.

The next day was New Year’s Eve. Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan went out with the group to the river and spent half the day there, bringing back several big fish.

157."

"**Chapter 157: Move Aside, Let Me Do It**

Old Lady Lu was overjoyed when she saw the fish. “Such a big fish! I don’t even know how to eat it. Our Fang Yuan is really something.”

She was even happier for her second son and daughter-in-law. To be invited over from so far away and treated so well—it showed that her second son and his wife were doing well out there.

Fang Yuan was having a great time too. “Mom, if you like it, next time they go, I’ll tag along again.”

Lu Chuan pulled Fang Yuan up onto the kang bed and helped her take off her shoes. “Enough, you’re not going again. Just look at how wild you played today. Do you even remember who I am? If I hadn’t kept an eye on you, you’d have both feet soaked in the river.”

Lu Chuan was busy chasing after Fang Yuan—his playful wife. This was the first time he realized just how mischievous she could be.

Lu Xiaosan watched his second brother’s smooth, practiced movements in surprise. When did he learn to take care of people like that?

He would never doubt his second brother’s feelings for his wife again. Just look at how naturally he did everything, not a trace of annoyance.

Old Man Lu simply dragged his wife outside. He couldn’t bear to watch what his second son was doing.

He also couldn’t stand seeing his wife fawning over their daughter-in-law. No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem right.

Outside, Old Lady Lu quickly fetched a basin of hot water and was about to head inside, but Old Man Lu stopped her.

Old Lady Lu said, “Why are you stopping me? Didn’t you see our second daughter-in-law fell into the river?”

Old Man Lu replied, “I saw. But isn’t our second son in there? Why are you fussing? You’re being silly.”

Old Lady Lu looked annoyed. “What does he know? Move aside, let me warm Fang Yuan’s feet.”

Old Man Lu blocked her from going in to make trouble. “Enough, our second son won’t let his wife freeze.”

Lu Xiaosan was impressed by his own mother too. It’s good to be nice to your daughter-in-law, but there’s a time and place. If you go in now, aren’t you just getting in my second brother’s way? “Mom, when I get married in the future, you really don’t need to treat us like this. Just keep your distance when you should.”

Old Lady Lu shot back, “You think I’ll care about you then?”

She grumbled at Old Man Lu, “Look, our second son hasn’t even come out to get hot water. I have to go.”

You really couldn’t stop a mother-in-law’s enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, Lu Chuan was rubbing Fang Yuan’s feet to get her blood circulating—otherwise, she might really suffer from the cold.

But Fang Yuan wasn’t very cooperative; her soles were ticklish and she kept squirming.

Old Lady Lu came in with the water, giving her second son a look of disdain. “Let go, I’ll do it.”

Lu Chuan held onto Fang Yuan’s feet, dodging his mother’s outstretched hand. “Mom, really, there’s no need.”

Old Lady Lu was anxious. What if Fang Yuan caught a chill? “Why are you being polite with me? Your technique is no good.”

Lu Chuan almost lost his temper. “Mom, I’m not being polite. Really, it’s fine.”

Fang Yuan felt she was fine too. “Mom, it’s nothing. I’ve fallen in the river plenty of times. No need to fuss. My feet are already warm.”

Lu Xiaosan came in and dragged their mother out. Old Lady Lu was not happy about it.

Lu Chuan finally continued rubbing his wife’s feet until they were bright red and hot to the touch before letting go.

Fang Yuan was sweating, a bit annoyed at Lu Chuan for making such a fuss. “I’ve fallen in the water plenty of times and never had to go through all this.”

Lu Chuan said, “Don’t take it lightly. If you catch a cold in winter, you could get sick.”

Fang Yuan didn’t think much of it. “What sickness?” Then she remembered—the doctor said if she wanted a child, she had to take care of her health.

Thinking of this, she quickly stuck her feet into the washbasin, only to yelp, “Ow!” from the heat.

Lu Chuan quickly pulled her feet out. “What are you doing? Did you get burned?”

Fang Yuan caught her breath. “It’s a bit hot. No, I’m fine. I’ll go slower.”

Then she asked, “Does this count as catching a chill? The doctor said I can’t get cold, or it’ll delay having a baby.”

Lu Chuan got off the kang, felt the water in the basin, and was relieved it wasn’t too hot. “Come on, soak your feet properly.”

Fang Yuan said seriously, “I mean it, I’m really anxious to have a baby.”

Lu Chuan pursed his lips, unable to be angry with her. “I know, I know. Don’t worry, listen to me and you won’t catch cold. The doctor checked you, there’s nothing wrong. Let’s save up so our child won’t have to suffer.”

Fang Yuan said, “I was going to leave a hundred yuan for Mom, but if she gives it to Li Meng again, I’ll be so mad. I’m not giving it anymore.”

So even though she had accepted it cheerfully when Old Lady Lu gave money to Li Meng, deep down she was still uncomfortable about it.

She only said this when no one else was around. In the past, she might have said it right to their faces.

Lu Chuan said, “Then don’t give it. Don’t dwell on it. Mom won’t pick sides.”

Fang Yuan replied, “I’m not dwelling on it. It’s their money, they can give it to whoever they want. But if it’s my money, and they give it to them, I can’t stand it. Next time, let’s just buy things for the house.”

Lu Chuan agreed, “My wife’s right. Otherwise, Mom would never spend the money on herself.”

Fang Yuan nodded, feeling much better. “Enough, I can’t soak anymore. I’m sweating.”

Lu Chuan helped her dry her feet, sounding a bit sour. “You sure had fun. You ran so fast, I couldn’t even catch up.”

Fang Yuan laughed, “I grew up running around with my brother. I’ve seen this kind of thing plenty of times. You, all you know is studying. That’s not enough.”

Lu Chuan wasn’t too happy about that. “One day, I’ll take you with me.”

Fang Yuan burst out laughing. “Amateur! In winter, there aren’t many people fishing. It wouldn’t work.”

Lu Chuan realized he’d shown his inexperience. As a country boy, he hadn’t seen much of the world, and had even fewer chances to learn. Getting into college was all down to hard work.

He’d never had the chance to run wild outside like this. It felt like Fang Yuan’s childhood was full of color, while his was black and white.

Fang Yuan didn’t notice Lu Chuan’s mood, but she was loyal. “I’ll take you out to have fun more often from now on.”

That offhand remark instantly healed Lu Chuan’s heart.

Outside, Lu Xiaosan was talking to Old Man Lu. “I’ll never say my second brother doesn’t care about his wife again. From now on, I’ll hold my head high in front of the Fang family.”

Old Man Lu glanced at his third son. “What’s it got to do with you?”

Lu Xiaosan replied with relief, “Dad, you don’t know. Ever since their marriage, I’ve been worried that if Second Brother and his wife didn’t get along, I’d never be able to find a wife in the village or the township. I was even ready to go far away to find one.”

Old Man Lu smacked him on the head. “You think too far ahead.”

Old Lady Lu said, “You’re still so young and already thinking about wives? Have some ambition. Your second brother and his wife are doing just fine.”

She finished with a prayer, thanking the ancestors for their blessing. She’d never expected her second son and daughter-in-law to get along so well.

Lu Xiaosan said, “You didn’t see how my second brother was. Why didn’t we notice before that he could be so good to his wife?”

158."

"Chapter 158: Right and Wrong

Old Man Lu didn’t have the heart to say it out loud, but his second son wasn’t just good to his wife—he was downright flirtatious with her.

As their father, he couldn’t very well criticize his own son, but he knew exactly how Lu Chuan coaxed Fang Yuan into leaning on him. The way he handled it—well, Old Man Lu had to admit, he never had that kind of skill when he was young.

He looked at his youngest son and earnestly suggested, “Xiao San, if you can’t find a wife, you might as well go to school.”

Lu Xiaosan was baffled by this out-of-the-blue comment. “Dad, what are you talking about? What’s going to school got to do with finding a wife?”

Old Man Lu gave his youngest a deep, meaningful look, his face full of “you don’t understand, you’re still young.” Your second brother learned all his tricks at school.

He figured, he and his wife had always been honest, straightforward people—never had any of those fancy ways to win over a wife. So where did his second son pick up those skills? Must’ve learned them at school.

See, it made perfect sense to him: send Xiao San to school, let him pick up what his second brother did, and finding a wife would be a piece of cake.

Unfortunately, Old Man Lu’s theory wasn’t something he could share with others, so it was destined to go unappreciated.

Lu Xiaosan grumbled, “I couldn’t get into college even if I tried. If I could study, I wouldn’t be in this situation now.”

It was New Year’s, and for lunch, Old Lady Lu had cooked up a feast. She had Lu Xiaosan bring half a chicken and a bowl of meat over to Lu Laoda’s place—nothing left after that.

As for the fish that Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan brought back, Old Lady Lu didn’t send out a single piece, nor did she even mention inviting Lu Laoda and his wife over for a meal.

Old Man Lu wanted to arrange something, but Old Lady Lu said, “Second’s only home for a few days all year. Let him have some peace and quiet.”

Old Man Lu just couldn’t figure it out—what did any of this have to do with Second needing peace? If anyone should be upset, shouldn’t it be Fang Yuan?

But for the sake of a peaceful New Year, Old Man Lu let it go. This was fine.

The good news was, Li Meng was busy and really didn’t have time to come over for a meal.

On the 29th, she took fifty yuan from Old Lady Lu and that very night, started selling sunflower seeds, candy, peanuts, soy sauce, vinegar, and the like at home. No one knew how she managed to get her hands on all that stuff.

It just so happened that everyone had some spare cash for the New Year, and wouldn’t you know it, she really seized the opportunity.

So much so that Li Meng could even skip meals. Lu Laoda got a taste of easy money too—it really did come fast.

One of the village women who came to buy seeds even said, “Laoda’s wife, you’re so busy. Doesn’t your mother-in-law help you out? Didn’t she invite you over for lunch?”

Li Meng, wanting to attract more customers, wasn’t afraid of a little gossip. Women loved to chat, after all. She answered cheerfully, “Oh, come on, you all know about me and Second’s family.”

Just like that, half the village’s women gathered around to chat. The kids bought candy, the adults picked up some odds and ends, and by the end of the day, Lu Laoda was so busy he didn’t even care what Li Meng was saying to the others.

So what if people gossiped? So what if he, a grown man, became the talk of the village? As long as the money came in.

If business was this good every day, he’d be happy to let people talk about his feelings.

Clearly, when it comes to making money, everyone’s got ambition. Lu Laoda was no exception—and he didn’t mind losing a little face.

Lu Xiaosan was well-connected in the village, so by lunchtime, he’d already gossiped about all this.

Old Man Lu was happy for his eldest son when he heard the news. “At least it’s a way to make a living. If he works hard, he can support a family.”

Old Lady Lu wasn’t so optimistic. “Just wait and see. With her family, they’re nothing but trouble. Who knows what kind of drama they’ll stir up.”

Lu Chuan said, “No need to worry about him. Laoda’s about to be a father. If he can’t even protect his wife and child, what can he do?”

Lu Xiaosan chimed in, “If he doesn’t stand up for himself, no one else can do it for him.”

Old Lady Lu understood, of course. She just worried for her eldest—what would happen when her mother-in-law came to visit?

That afternoon, Zhang Xiaole and Zhu Xiaosan snuck over to hang out with Lu Chuan, mostly to hear him talk about college life.

Lu Chuan said, “You guys could’ve just come over. Why sneak around like thieves?”

Zhang Xiaole replied, “We didn’t want to bring a bunch of idle people over and ruin your New Year.”

Fang Yuan, gracious as ever, brought out all the peanuts, seeds, and candy to treat the guests.

Watching them chat, she even went next door to help Old Lady Lu, giving Lu Chuan and his friends some space. She was so considerate that Zhang Xiaole and Zhu Xiaosan almost thought Lu Chuan had a new wife—this just wasn’t Fang Yuan’s usual style.

Lu Chuan pulled Fang Yuan over. “No need to be so polite with them. We’re not talking about anything serious, and there’s nothing you can’t hear. Just stay in the room, we’ll chat.”

He didn’t feel awkward at all. In fact, if Fang Yuan wasn’t around, he’d be the one feeling out of place.

The other two, on the other hand, were a bit uncomfortable. Fang Yuan glanced at them, thinking, “It’s my house, I’ll do as I please.”

Seeing how well the couple got along, Zhang Xiaole finally joked, “Chuan, Fang Yuan is really considerate.”

Lu Chuan puffed up with pride. “Of course! My wife’s always like this.”

Fang Yuan looked up at Lu Chuan—she didn’t even believe that herself.

Zhu Xiaosan teased Lu Chuan, “Even I, who only cares about studying, can see it. Lu Chuan, you’ve changed since you got married. You dare say anything now.”

Lu Chuan replied, “Well, yeah. Getting married isn’t the same as hanging out with you bachelors. I’ve got a family now, I have to be more careful. Besides, I’m not wrong, am I?”

The other two didn’t bother responding. So what if you’re married? Does that give you the right to call us bachelors?

Zhang Xiaole said, “Maybe I should get engaged too. Can’t let Lu Chuan show off like this.”

Zhu Xiaosan replied, “You think everyone can be like Lu Chuan?”

He didn’t finish the thought, but Zhang Xiaole understood. If you’re aiming for college, you’re not planning to marry a village girl.

So who would you get engaged to?

Did Fang Yuan pick up on this? Of course, but she didn’t care.

That was their business, not Lu Chuan’s. And even if it was, there was nothing she could do about it. Things between her and Lu Chuan were fine, weren’t they?

Lu Chuan said, “Sure, congratulations in advance. Hope you find a wife who makes you happy just by looking at her.”

Fang Yuan added, “Yeah, study hard and find a wife you really like.”

The couple didn’t even bat an eye at the awkwardness in the air.

Zhang Xiaole and Zhu Xiaosan felt a little embarrassed. “We get it—Chuan is happy just looking at his wife.”

Lu Chuan said, “I don’t even have to look at her. Just thinking about her makes me happy.” That was a pretty public confession.

The two young men were embarrassed, but Fang Yuan acted like she hadn’t heard a thing—no reaction at all.

Lu Chuan thought to himself, “There I go again.” His face flushed, and he kept sneaking glances at Fang Yuan.

Zhu Xiaosan said, “So calm—people from the city really are different.”

Lu Chuan thought, “That’s just Fang Yuan. Any other girl would be blushing.”

Just then, Gong Er shouted from outside as he came in, “What’s the deal, you guys? Getting together and not inviting me?”

Zhang Xiaole frowned and muttered, “Don’t tell me he brought Da Mei along…”"

"Chapter 159: Courting Trouble

Fang Yuan didn’t know what they were talking about, nor did she ask. She just listened quietly, sensing that the newcomer wasn’t very welcome.

Zhu Xiaosan frowned as well. This Gong Er was a bit of a buzzkill. “That won’t do, he’s hiding from Damei.”

Zhang Xiaole was exasperated. “He can’t avoid him now, he actually came here. I knew he was no good.”

Through the paper window, they could vaguely see two people entering the courtyard. As they came through the door, Lu Chuan, of course, greeted them with a smile. He hadn’t gone out, but spoke up first: “You were waiting for an invitation? Didn’t you just come on your own?”

Then he lifted the door curtain. When he saw who Gong Er had brought, Lu Chuan’s face darkened. Gong Er had brought a girl with him—an old classmate of Lu Chuan’s.

Gong Er immediately started teasing Lu Chuan: “Why are you standing there, classmate? Don’t you recognize Sun Hongyan? Didn’t expect this, huh? Too excited?”

Inside the house, Fang Yuan finally looked up. The tone was off. Sure enough, this Gong Er was no good—she didn’t like him much either.

Zhang Xiaole quickly glanced at Fang Yuan and explained, “Fang Yuan, Gong Er’s just no good. You don’t have to pay him any mind. You know what kind of person Lu Chuan is, right? Ha.”

He’d seen Fang Yuan’s fiery temper before, and was really worried that this would cause trouble between the couple during the New Year.

He added, “That Sun Hongyan is just a classmate. She and Lu Chuan barely ever spoke.”

Fang Yuan replied, “Oh, it’s fine. We’re not short on food at home—there are sunflower seeds and peanuts. If they want to come, let them come.”

Zhu Xiaosan looked at Zhang Xiaole in confusion. “What’s this got to do with Lu Chuan?”

Zhang Xiaole gave Zhu Xiaosan a kick, and the two of them went to invite Gong Er and Sun Hongyan inside, without waiting for Lu Chuan to say anything.

Sun Hongyan looked at Lu Chuan, her eyes soft and full of affection, standing shyly in front of him. Anyone could see she had feelings for him.

Gong Er egged her on from the side: “Why aren’t you saying anything? Just staring? Hongyan, are you embarrassed to see Lu Chuan?”

Lu Chuan shot Gong Er a look. You know I have a wife, and you’re still stirring things up? What, do you look down on my wife, or on me? “We’re not close. Nothing to say. Since you’re here, come in and sit.”

Fang Yuan was amused. She knew good men always attracted attention, but it was rare for someone to be so blatant about ignoring her presence.

Zhang Xiaole tried to smooth things over, mainly to get Lu Chuan out of the spotlight: “Gong Er, your house is shabby, so you bring classmates to Lu Chuan’s place? Not cool. Just so you know, Lu Chuan’s not footing the bill for dinner.”

Zhu Xiaosan scratched his head, not understanding, so he said nothing.

Gong Er strutted in, acting like he owned the place, and said generously, “Look how stingy you are. Lu Chuan’s not going to go broke over one meal.”

Zhang Xiaole retorted, “You’re generous with Lu Chuan’s money. Why don’t you ask if he’s willing?”

Lu Chuan went over to Fang Yuan and introduced her, “This is my wife, Fang Yuan. Let me introduce you.”

Gong Er looked a bit awkward. “Fang Yuan? No need for introductions, we all know each other.”

Lu Chuan addressed Fang Yuan and everyone else in the room, speaking very formally: “You see, back in school, I only focused on studying and never really talked to female classmates. I’m not good at hosting female guests. Fang Yuan, could you help out? You’re all women, you’ll get along.”

Zhu Xiaosan couldn’t help but laugh. He understood—Lu Chuan had a strong sense of self-preservation and was making his position clear.

Zhang Xiaole looked at Gong Er with a smirk. You think everyone’s as shameless as you? What are you up to, stirring the pot and getting shut down?

Fang Yuan glanced at Sun Hongyan. “Come in and have a seat.”

Then she asked bluntly, “By the way, Lu Chuan said he’s not close with any female classmates, so I don’t know who you’re here for. Mind telling me?”

Sun Hongyan was stunned. Who talks like that?

All the guys in the room, except Lu Chuan, were caught off guard. That was a bold move right out of the gate.

Fang Yuan continued naturally, “Otherwise, you’re a girl, not familiar with me, hanging out with a bunch of guys—what’s that about? Is this how things are in the village now? Or is it just the atmosphere at your school?”

Gong Er said, “Fang Yuan, that’s a bit old-fashioned. What’s the big deal? We’re all classmates. Isn’t it normal to hang out together?”

Zhang Xiaole added, “Don’t say that. Don’t badmouth the school. Our school’s atmosphere is pretty good.”

Zhu Xiaosan raised his hand, “I’ll say something too—the village atmosphere is good as well.”

Sun Hongyan looked up at Lu Chuan. “What do you mean by this? Lu Chuan, you just let your wife talk to me like that? Is this all you know?”

Lu Chuan wasn’t about to take the blame. He immediately said, “My wife’s from the countryside, she’s conservative. I’m from the countryside too, also conservative. Of course, city folks have their own ways, but everyone we’ve met has been proper. Don’t take it to heart—just say what you want. Maybe we can help you out.”

What’s that supposed to mean? Saying I’m not proper? Sun Hongyan felt like she was being pushed out, her eyes turning red with anger.

Gong Er quickly said, “Come on, Lu Chuan, can’t men and women just be classmates?”

Lu Chuan replied, “Of course we can be classmates, just not that close. Back then I only cared about studying, and now I focus on my wife. I haven’t had much to do with female classmates. When people come to my house, I have to let my wife know first. I can’t make her uncomfortable just for outsiders. If I say anything unpleasant, don’t take it personally.”

Zhang Xiaole and Zhu Xiaosan just sat back, cracking sunflower seeds and watching the show. Turns out Lu Chuan could handle himself just fine—no need to worry about him.

Sun Hongyan was on the verge of tears. “You… you…”

Fang Yuan said, “If you don’t want to say, that’s fine, but there’s no need to feel wronged. Let me be clear—I don’t know if you’ve heard, but not even men, let alone anything else that’s mine, have ever been taken from me. Just letting you know—don’t even think about my man.”

She made her position clear, then added generously, “As long as you’re not after my man, sit wherever you like, eat whatever you want.”

Lu Chuan looked at Fang Yuan with a bashful, admiring gaze, silently committing her declaration to memory—he’d have to write it down later.

This was definitely worth remembering: Fang Yuan’s man.

Gong Er had never seen such a straightforward woman before. Truly a country girl—clinging to a college student like he was a treasure.

Worried that Sun Hongyan would feel awkward, Gong Er tried to smooth things over: “Sit, sit. Fang Yuan didn’t go to school much, Hongyan, don’t mind her.” Anyone who didn’t know better would think this was Gong Er’s house.

Sun Hongyan’s face was about to crumble, but she couldn’t just leave. She found Fang Yuan more and more uncouth, and couldn’t see how she was worthy of a college-educated man like Lu Chuan.

She stared straight at Lu Chuan, trying to sit closer to him.

Lu Chuan immediately objected, “Gong Er, there’s nothing wrong with looking out for your classmates, but don’t put down my wife. Otherwise, we can’t be friends. My wife graduated from junior high and is still studying at home—she’s always improving.”"

"Chapter 160: Peach Blossom Calamity

Gong Er’s face was burning with embarrassment—he really had nowhere to put it. This group of people, why couldn’t they just give the girl a little face? “Yeah, yeah, we know you’re protective of your wife.”

Zhang Xiaole chimed in, “That’s already pretty impressive. In our village, not many even finished middle school. Fang Yuan, you’re still studying on your own now.”

Fang Yuan glanced at Lu Chuan. What he said was more or less true. “I just like reading, that’s all.”

Lu Chuan added, “She reads every day—whenever she has a spare moment. If it weren’t for marrying me and getting delayed, high school or college would be nothing for her.”

Everyone around them hadn’t gotten into college. They all looked at Lu Chuan—he was really bragging now. If just reading a few books could get you into college, then all their years of hard work would’ve been for nothing.

Luckily, the topic passed quickly, or it would’ve gotten awkward.

No one bothered with Gong Er and Sun Hongyan either. If they didn’t feel embarrassed, let them sit there.

Zhang Xiaole felt bad for Fang Yuan. That Sun Hongyan—her eyes were glued to Lu Chuan’s face. How shameless.

Zhu Xiaosan felt like they were making trouble for Lu Chuan and decided to take the lead. “It’s getting late, let’s get going.”

Gong Er was reluctant. “We just got here! Why are you all such killjoys?”

Zhang Xiaole said, “It’s New Year’s—who doesn’t make dumplings at home? You might have time to hang out, but we don’t. Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan are busy too.”

Gong Er replied, “You guys are really no fun. With Fang Yuan here, does Lu Chuan even need to help with this stuff?”

Then he looked at Fang Yuan. “Right?” He even wanted to play the ‘hostage’ game in front of Fang Yuan. Ha.

Fang Yuan really gave Lu Chuan, Zhang Xiaole, and Zhu Xiaosan face by not cursing him out. She just asked calmly, “Which dad?”

Gong Er thought to himself, This woman’s really slow—can’t even have a normal conversation. How does Lu Chuan put up with this country girl?

Fang Yuan continued, “At my house, my dad helps my mom make dumplings every year. Lu Chuan’s dad, after lunch, went next door to help my mom too.”

Then she looked at Gong Er. “No matter which dad taught him, Lu Chuan knows how to make dumplings. What did your dad teach you?”

It wasn’t that she couldn’t communicate—she was just waiting to call him out for having no manners.

Zhang Xiaole nudged Lu Chuan’s shoulder and mouthed, See? I told you your wife isn’t someone to mess with.

If Gong Er still couldn’t tell he was being scolded, he was just dumb. “What’s with your attitude?” he protested.

Fang Yuan replied, “I’m talking to you nicely. Otherwise, do you think you’d still be sitting here? Who gave you the nerve to come to my house and step all over me? Let me tell you, my man has standards. Just because you’re close with him, that’s exactly the kind of girl he’d never go for. Do you know what you are?”

Lu Chuan looked at Fang Yuan with stars in his eyes and pulled Zhang Xiaole aside. “See? All that reading really paid off. Listen to her—her arguments are way more substantial than back in the summer.”

Zhang Xiaole and Zhu Xiaosan looked at Lu Chuan. How are you so chill? You’re actually admiring your wife’s verbal skills at a time like this?

Lu Chuan wasn’t worried at all, so why should they be? Zhang Xiaole grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and settled in to watch the show. He asked Lu Chuan, “Aren’t you going to step in?”

Lu Chuan grabbed some seeds too. “Fang Yuan’s not the type to suffer losses. And tell me, don’t you think she looks especially good when she says ‘my man’?”

Zhu Xiaosan picked up on it. If Fang Yuan ever got the short end of the stick, the two of them would stand together against anyone. What a pair of cunning lovebirds.

Zhang Xiaole wanted to keep his distance from Lu Chuan—every word was just showing off his wife, rubbing it in that he didn’t have one.

Zhu Xiaosan was calmer than Zhang Xiaole. “She’s improved a lot. How did she do it?”

Lu Chuan puffed up with pride. “That’s my skill. I figured out how to get my wife to read. If she’d met me earlier, I’d have taken her to college with me.”

Zhang Xiaole and Zhu Xiaosan couldn’t help but kick Lu Chuan. “The point is, how did you teach her?”

Lu Chuan said, “I told her, the more you read, the better you are at fighting and arguing. You’ll have more words to use. That’s when Fang Yuan started reading.”

Zhang Xiaole was shocked. “She started reading just for that?”

Zhu Xiaosan muttered, “Talk about ambition. Guess her goals weren’t set right at first.”

Lu Chuan said, “What else? Fang Yuan doesn’t really need anything. Well, mainly it’s a hobby—no, mainly it’s convincing and you can see progress, right?”

What could anyone say to that? No one else’s dreams were on that level. This method only worked for Fang Yuan.

Sun Hongyan, hearing Fang Yuan drag her into it again, was fuming.

Ever since she entered this house, she’d been pushed aside at every turn. Was she really worse than this country woman? She couldn’t just keep taking it.

She stood up, chin held high. “I may have come with Gong Er, but I’m not dating him. I came to ask Lu Chuan about university in the provincial capital. Why do you keep targeting me? Do you think I’m a better match for Lu Chuan? What do you mean, ‘a girl like me’?”

She was just short of saying, Are you jealous?

Fang Yuan was straightforward—if you didn’t spell it out, she really didn’t know what you meant. “I don’t know about university in the provincial capital, but I do know Lu Chuan isn’t close to you. Coming to his house like this is presumptuous. A girl like you—thick-skinned.”

Sun Hongyan turned and grabbed Lu Chuan, who was still admiring his wife’s style. “Lu Chuan, you studied for so many years just to marry a woman like this? Rude, uneducated, suspicious, unreasonable? You’re going to spend your whole life with such a shrew?”

Lu Chuan quickly shook her off. “Let go, let go, let go!” He was desperate to clear his name—he almost jumped onto the kang in his shoes.

Sun Hongyan said, “Lu Chuan, I know this isn’t what you want. I know you’re the victim in this whole marriage.”

Fang Yuan stepped forward, pulled her away, and briskly shoved Sun Hongyan out the door. “I’ve had enough of you. Get out.”

When it came to action, Fang Yuan was second to none.

Sun Hongyan was tossed out, stumbling several steps, not even sure how she ended up outside. This woman was violent too.

Zhang Xiaole was stunned by the scene—he even dropped his sunflower seeds. “Lu Chuan, Fang Yuan’s studies are shaky—she’s back to her basics.”

Lu Chuan snapped, “Cut it out.” Now was not the time for jokes.

He went over to Fang Yuan and called out to Sun Hongyan, who was just steadying herself outside the door. “Stop talking nonsense. We’re doing just fine. I’m happy with her.”

Sun Hongyan said, “Lu Chuan, don’t say it. I get it. The Fang family is just bullying people. Fang Yuan, just wait—Lu Chuan will get tired of you and leave you sooner or later.”

Fang Yuan picked up the door bolt, almost rushing out after her. This woman was even more aggressive than she was. “Am I being too nice?”

Sun Hongyan had already pushed open the main gate and left. She just couldn’t swallow her anger—she wanted to disgust them.

That crush was over, and there was nothing beautiful about it. Lu Chuan was only a match for a country woman like this—he and Sun Hongyan were never meant to be. Hmph.

161."

"Chapter 161: Using Bad to Defeat Bad

Lu Chuan pulled Fang Yuan toward the wide-open door, looking even more incredulous than she was. “Did she come here just to disgust me on purpose? Fang Yuan, she must be my enemy, right?” Otherwise, how could someone be so malicious as to try to sow discord between husband and wife?

Fang Yuan angrily corrected him, “She was trying to disgust me.” She shot Lu Chuan a glare—why was he dragging her into his mess?

Then she turned to Lu Chuan and snapped, “Did my Fang family ever bully you?” That was a real blow to the gut.

Fang Yuan always zeroed in on the point, and Lu Chuan couldn’t help but admire her. “Let’s not fall for it. Calm down. Now’s the time to use our brains.”

Fang Yuan was fuming. “I don’t have that kind of thing.”

Pfft—Zhang Xiaole couldn’t help but laugh. Zhu Xiaosan, trying not to laugh, jumped in to smooth things over for Fang Yuan. “Who wouldn’t be upset? That woman really crossed the line just now. No wonder Fang Yuan lost her cool.”

Lu Chuan shot the two bystanders a glare, then tried to coax Fang Yuan, “Well, you can’t not have it. What you said just now was great. That woman is just angry because her scheme failed, so she’s trying to disgust us on purpose. That’s all she’s got.”

Fang Yuan was still seething. “And you think she could have more tricks up her sleeve?”

Lu Chuan replied, “Whatever tricks she has, it’s got nothing to do with us. Apart from us as a couple, everyone else is an outsider.”

Fang Yuan couldn’t stay mad at Lu Chuan after that. He was right—there was no point getting angry over an outsider.

She turned to Gong Er and snapped, “You’re no good either. Get lost.” Whatever patience she had was reserved for Lu Chuan.

Gong Er’s face darkened. He shouted at Lu Chuan, “Lu Chuan, this is your wife? How can she talk like that? If you keep spoiling her, we’re done as friends.”

Lu Chuan glanced at Gong Er, wishing he could kick him out. “We were never friends to begin with. Don’t come around anymore.”

Without a second’s hesitation, he kicked Gong Er out. Anyone who didn’t wish them well as a couple was no friend of his.

Gong Er was left humiliated, muttering curses in the yard, “Lu Chuan, now that you got into college, you look down on people.”

Fang Yuan retorted, “Don’t drag others into this. He just looks down on you. Don’t you know what kind of person you are?”

If I don’t spoil my wife, should I spoil you? Or do you think I’m as brainless as you are?

Gong Er stormed off. Zhu Xiaosan looked a bit worried. “Gong Er’s a petty man. Now that you’ve pissed him off, he might try something nasty.”

Zhang Xiaole scoffed, “He can’t even clean up his own mess, yet he’s out here playing matchmaker. What’s he going to do?”

He added bitterly, “Damei was looking for him all over at noon. He’s good at hiding, though.”

Fang Yuan asked, “What’s Damei got to do with him?”

Zhang Xiaole explained, focusing on how Gong Er was no good—flirting with girls at school while Damei from the village was devoted to him.

Damei didn’t even dare tell her family. She’d already turned down several matches her family suggested.

Fang Yuan snorted at that and walked out. Gong Er wanted to mess with her? Did he really think she was someone to be trifled with? She’d show him first.

Zhang Xiaole watched Fang Yuan’s back, getting anxious. “What’s she up to now?”

Then he worried, “I didn’t say anything wrong, did I? She’s not going to go tell Damei, is she? I don’t want to be the village gossip.”

Zhu Xiaosan glanced at Zhang Xiaole, thinking, If only you’d realized that before you started gossiping.

And really, did he forget who Fang Yuan was? The little sister of the Fang family’s five tigers—she was no pushover.

Lu Chuan reassured Zhang Xiaole, “Relax, relax. Fang Yuan won’t drag you into this.” His wife was reliable.

But honestly, Lu Chuan wasn’t sure if Fang Yuan, in her current rage, might act recklessly.

He added, “Fang Yuan doesn’t know many people in the village.” That didn’t comfort Zhang Xiaole at all—he still felt uneasy.

Fang Yuan might not know many people, but just knowing Sister-in-law Sun next door was enough.

Originally, Fang Yuan wanted to use the village loudspeaker to broadcast where Gong Er was hiding, so Damei could find him easily.

But the village chief might not listen to her or help her out.

So she went to Sister-in-law Sun, calling over the wall, “Sister-in-law, can I ask you something?”

Sister-in-law Sun was quick to respond. She’d been itching to join the excitement. “Oh, Fang Yuan! If there’s anything I don’t know in this village, it’s not worth knowing. You’ve come to the right person. Ask away.”

Zhang Xiaole tugged Lu Chuan’s arm. “Who needs to know anyone else? Sister-in-law Sun is nicknamed ‘Sun Half-the-Village’—she’s the village news broadcaster.”

Zhu Xiaosan nodded vigorously. This was going to be big.

Lu Chuan said, “Trust my wife. Fang Yuan knows what she’s doing.” He covered Zhang Xiaole’s mouth to stop him from talking.

Honestly, even if Lu Chuan didn’t stop him, Zhang Xiaole wouldn’t dare mess with Fang Yuan. He’d seen what she could do.

Zhu Xiaosan couldn’t resist—he opened the window in the freezing cold and stuck his head out to listen.

Fang Yuan asked openly, “Sister-in-law, do you know Gong Er? I heard there’s a girl from his school dating him. She just came to my house looking for him.”

Sister-in-law Sun was shocked. “Of course I know him, the second son of the Gong family. So that’s why your house was so lively just now? I hadn’t heard about this! Where’s Gong Er now?”

Fang Yuan shook her head. “No idea.”

Then she promptly withdrew from the wall. She didn’t say another word.

Sister-in-law Sun was left anxious. “Fang Yuan, wait—say a bit more! I only heard half of it. I’m dying to know!”

But Fang Yuan was already back inside. That was exactly the effect she wanted. If you’re anxious, go ask around.

Zhang Xiaole patted his chest. “It’s over, it’s over. Now that Sister-in-law Sun knows, everyone will know.”

Zhu Xiaosan said, “Isn’t that good? At least Damei won’t be fooled by Gong Er anymore.”

Zhang Xiaole looked at Fang Yuan, who walked back in as if nothing had happened, and was full of admiration. He couldn’t stay calm. “They won’t trace this back to me, will they?”

Fang Yuan looked at him, confused. “What’s it got to do with you?”

Zhang Xiaole almost believed it really had nothing to do with him. “But what if someone asks who told you?”

Fang Yuan replied naturally, “Sun Hongyan said it.”

Wow, she sounded so convincing that Zhu Xiaosan started to doubt whether he’d missed hearing Sun Hongyan say it earlier.

Zhang Xiaole stared at Fang Yuan in disbelief. “Will that work?”

Fang Yuan said, “If I say so, then it’s true. What’s there to be afraid of? None of them are any good. I didn’t say he was with Sun Hongyan—that’s already being nice.”

Zhu Xiaosan patted his chest, relieved it wasn’t true. “Isn’t it bad to spread rumors?”

Fang Yuan shot back, “Is stealing someone’s man any better?”

Zhu Xiaosan shook his head. “Definitely not.” He was just echoing whatever Fang Yuan said, like an old lady. Lu Chuan hadn’t had a chance to get a word in the whole time—he was thoroughly exasperated.

Fang Yuan concluded, “Then use bad to deal with bad. I think it works just fine.”"

"**Chapter 162: Who Can Outdo Me at Scheming?**

Zhu Xiaosan and Zhang Xiaole were completely outmaneuvered and could only nod along, “We think it’s a great idea too.” They didn’t dare say otherwise.

If Lu Chuan hadn’t stopped Fang Yuan, she would’ve gone straight out to tell Sister-in-law Sun, and that girl would’ve been called Sun Hongyan by now.

Zhang Xiaole gritted his teeth. “Fine, but Da Mei is definitely not going to be happy about this during New Year’s. Still, it’s better than letting her be strung along all the time.”

Then he looked at Fang Yuan, uncertain. “Will this really work?” He’d never done anything this big before and was honestly nervous.

Fang Yuan acted as if the whole thing had nothing to do with her, completely calm. “Just wait and see.”

She even went over to Lu Xiaosan, asking him for a favor: when he saw Gong Er, to help pass on a message.

Lu Xiaosan was much more familiar with the village than these bookish types. For him and his childhood buddies, tracking down Gong Er’s whereabouts was a piece of cake.

The result? Things went even better and faster than Zhang Xiaole and the others expected. Not even twenty minutes later, Da Mei was already out looking for Gong Er.

They couldn’t help but admire Fang Yuan’s knack for reading people—Sister-in-law Sun was just that effective, and Lu Xiaosan was just that reliable.

Lu Xiaosan was always happy to help, and he made sure Da Mei knew exactly where Gong Er was. Sure enough, she caught him right away. The whole thing played out perfectly.

Zhang Xiaole and Zhu Xiaosan looked at Fang Yuan with newfound respect. Who said this girl was dumb? They didn’t believe it for a second.

Originally, no one in the village knew that Gong Er and Da Mei were seeing each other. Gong Er had kept it very secret.

But once word got out that Gong Er was dating a girl from school, Da Mei panicked and confronted him. There was no way to keep it under wraps after that.

Both Gong Er and Da Mei got caught by their parents, and both families got dragged into the mess.

Lu Chuan and his friends watched the drama unfold from across the courtyard wall.

Fang Yuan was as cool as ever. “That’s what you get for being sneaky and trying to mess with me. Let’s see you talk your way out of this. Who could possibly out-scheme me?”

Zhang Xiaole saw both families getting involved and started to panic, stomping his foot. “This is bad! What do we do now?”

Fang Yuan replied, “Why are you so timid? You don’t have a shred of a village secretary’s steadiness. So what if it’s a big deal? Let it blow up. Are you salt or vinegar in this situation?”

Zhang Xiaole was chastened into calming down. “Don’t worry, I never wanted to be village secretary anyway. If my dad steps down, you take over. You’re steady enough.”

Zhu Xiaosan nodded in agreement. With that kind of presence, Fang Yuan was even better than Zhang Xiaole—no, better than the village secretary himself.

Fang Yuan said, “I’m just a bit better than you. Watch and don’t get involved.”

Lu Chuan moved to separate Fang Yuan and Zhang Xiaole. He didn’t like seeing anyone else in Fang Yuan’s eyes.

Zhu Xiaosan, quick on the uptake, noticed Lu Chuan’s behavior and quietly edged two steps away from Fang Yuan, sneaking a glance at Lu Chuan. With a wife who could stir up this much trouble, how did he ever fall for her? And yet, he treasured her.

Outside, Gong Er flatly denied being involved with Da Mei, and as for the girl from school, he wouldn’t admit to that either.

He wanted to keep things quiet but also keep Da Mei on the hook. Smart kid.

But Sister-in-law Sun wasn’t having it. “Really? Then why has Da Mei been looking for you for days? Don’t tell me you’ve got a girl at school and you’re stringing Da Mei along back here. We’re all from the same village—you’re being shady.”

What a talent Sister-in-law Sun was—she hit the nail right on the head. Zhang Xiaole shivered at her words.

He turned to Lu Chuan, “It really wasn’t me who told her. I swear I never said a word to Sister-in-law Sun.”

Lu Chuan couldn’t help but laugh. “Relax, Sister-in-law Sun doesn’t need you to tell her anything.” Half of what she spreads is just her own guesswork and intuition. She’s a master at reading between the lines.

Fang Yuan, with a look of disdain, sincerely advised Zhang Xiaole, “You’d better not work in the village. You’d have the whole place acting dumb. Just watch the show.”

At first, Da Mei was crying, but after hearing Gong Er’s words, she suddenly snapped, “Gong Er, are you saying we’re not together?”

Gong Er panicked and tried to signal her to stop talking.

But Da Mei wasn’t just talking nonsense—she was so agitated she blurted out, “I’m pregnant. Gong Er, I’m pregnant, and you’re still saying we’re not together?”

In this village, something like this was a once-in-a-decade scandal. The place exploded. Both families were too shocked to keep fighting.

Da Mei’s mother collapsed to the ground, wailing her heart out.

Even Sister-in-law Sun didn’t dare say a word. She realized she’d stirred up a hornet’s nest—she’d practically been part of the whole thing.

Gong Er backed up a couple of steps, face panicked. “N-no, that’s not true!”

Da Mei shot back, “I knew it, you just want to dump me. I’ve been looking for you for a month and you’ve been dodging me.”

Da Mei’s family snapped out of it. This brat was trying to deny everything. “Gong Er, you bastard, how could you treat our girl like this?”

The whole Zhang family rushed over and gave Gong Er a beating—everything else could be discussed later.

Gong Er’s family didn’t even dare intervene. This was way beyond what the two families could handle. Zhang Xiaole’s dad was going to have his hands full.

Zhang Xiaole watched the scene spiral out of control and was completely panicked. “What do we do? How did it get this big?”

Fang Yuan said, “It’s got nothing to do with you. Unless they come after you. You’re Da Mei’s savior, aren’t you? What else could you have done for a pregnant girl?”

Then Fang Yuan laughed, “What a great thing—get engaged, get married, have a baby. Looks like there’s going to be a wedding in the village.”

The problem was, Gong Er didn’t want any of this. Didn’t you hear how he talked about Lu Chuan? Gong Er was always mocking Lu Chuan for marrying a country girl, and now look at him.

Zhang Xiaole and Zhu Xiaosan looked at Fang Yuan together—this was a woman you did not want to mess with.

She’d handed Gong Er’s own tricks right back to him, and all it took was Sister-in-law Sun. Just like Fang Yuan said, she wasn’t salt or vinegar in the mix—she was above it all.

Lu Chuan was still buttering her up, “This is great. Now we know what kind of person Gong Er is, and Da Mei won’t be so hung up on him anymore. Isn’t that what you were always worried about? Now you don’t have to.”

Zhang Xiaole felt like he wasn’t worthy to stand with this couple. “But I never wanted it to turn out like this.”

Fang Yuan’s words were always on point, “The child isn’t yours, you’re not the one dating her, so what does it matter what you want? What’s the use?”

Zhang Xiaole was left speechless. “You’re right, that’s exactly how it is.”

Zhu Xiaosan could only nod. He’d really learned something today.

Fang Yuan said, “That’s just how it is. However you think about it is just wishful thinking. The real question is what Da Mei wants. Look at her now—she’s calling the shots. I don’t believe Gong Er will dare mess around anymore.”

Zhu Xiaosan timidly asked, “So this has nothing to do with us?”

Fang Yuan answered calmly, “It never did. What, you think Da Mei’s mom is going to give you a Good Samaritan award?”

Zhu Xiaosan and Zhang Xiaole shook their heads together. “No way, not at all.”

Zhu Xiaosan said, “Lu Chuan, I want to go to university. I want to go to a university in the provincial capital. I need to broaden my horizons.”

Zhang Xiaole echoed, “Absolutely, we have to study, we have to go.” If he learned even half of what Fang Yuan knew, his dad would be giving her an award.

163."

"Chapter 163: The Tables Turned on the Gossipers

Just look at Lu Chuan and his wife—they’ve only been in the provincial capital for half a year, and they’ve changed so much. The way they handle things, their methods, it all makes people admire them, even look up to them.

That’s why some people have made up their minds: they want to go out and broaden their horizons, to learn from Fang Yuan’s calm and collected ways.

Then there’s Sister-in-law Sun from next door—she really sees things through from beginning to end. She leaned over the wall and called out to Fang Yuan, “Hey, Second Daughter-in-law, Second Daughter-in-law!”

Fang Yuan replied gently, “Sister-in-law.” Her tone was so warm that Lu Chuan raised his eyebrows—clearly, she was pleased with how Sister-in-law Sun handled things.

Sister-in-law Sun hadn’t expected Fang Yuan to answer so readily—she felt honored.

Excitedly, she said, “Let me tell you, this is bigger than you think. That Gong Er, who knows what he’s like at school, but in the village, he’s no good. He’s been seeing that Da Mei from the Zhang family, they even have a kid together, but he still won’t admit it!”

She went on, “Next time a female classmate comes looking for Gong Er, you’d better make things clear to her, or else we’ll be hurting someone.”

As for what Gong Er thinks, Sister-in-law Sun really didn’t care.

Before Fang Yuan could reply, Lu Chuan spoke up over the wall, “Sister-in-law, we’d really rather not know about this.”

Sister-in-law Sun said, “I know, I know, you’re a college student, an educated person. I’m just chatting with Fang Yuan.”

Then she added, “Lu Chuan, you see, even among you college folks, there are bad apples like Gong Er. Not saying you’re like that, just saying…”

Brother Sun next door tried to pull his wife away—there’s no need for you to say all this.

But Sister-in-law Sun pushed him off. “Don’t butt in! I’d feel terrible if I didn’t get this off my chest.”

Then she said, “I just wanted to tell you, you’re not like Gong Er. Fang Yuan’s got five brothers, and they’re all tigers. You’d better behave yourself and think twice before you do anything.”

Lu Chuan didn’t expect the gossip to turn back on him. “Thank you, Sister-in-law.”

Fang Yuan said, “Lu Chuan isn’t that kind of person. But you’re right, Sister-in-law. If my brothers ever got involved, Lu Chuan wouldn’t just get away like Gong Er—he wouldn’t even be able to get up again.”

Sister-in-law Sun laughed, “See? Even Fang Yuan thinks I’m right, and yet my husband won’t let me talk!”

Then Brother Sun finally dragged her away. This woman just can’t sit still. The couple next door is doing just fine—why stir things up?

Zhu Xiaosan wanted to laugh, but Zhang Xiaole got angry, picking up on something. “Is Gong Er bullying our Zhang family because we don’t have anyone to stand up for us?”

She continued, “No way. I may not be a tiger, but our Zhang family has over twenty men altogether. This isn’t just Da Mei’s family’s business anymore.”

Then she left. Just a moment ago, she was afraid of trouble, but after a few words from Sister-in-law Sun, she felt like a coward if she didn’t make a fuss.

Zhu Xiaosan was dumbfounded. “She’s not even that closely related to him. Sure, they’re both Zhangs, but they’re not even within five degrees of kinship. Sister-in-law Sun is really something.”

Lu Chuan had to admit, Sister-in-law Sun was a master at stirring things up. “She really got everyone riled up.”

Zhu Xiaosan said, “I’ll go try to calm things down. You two just rest.”

He didn’t dare let Fang Yuan go talk to them, afraid she’d make things even messier. He had to admire Fang Yuan’s fearlessness, though.

As soon as Zhu Xiaosan left, Lu Xiaosan arrived. “Second Sister-in-law, how about it? Was my info reliable?”

Fang Yuan praised her brother-in-law, “Not bad! Da Mei’s been looking for Gong Er for a month and didn’t get as much as you did in one night.”

Lu Xiaosan grinned, “Of course! I’m the village’s go-to guy—I know everything that happens, big or small.”

He added, “We all know exactly where Gong Er was sweet-talking Da Mei.”

Lu Chuan lost his composure and scolded his brother, “What are you saying? Who do you hang out with all day? I’m telling you, you’d better behave yourself. Do you think this is something to be proud of?”

Lu Xiaosan replied, “Come on, we’re always running around the village and the hills, so we see a lot. Don’t worry, I’ll behave. It’s not easy to keep our family’s good reputation.”

On this point, the brothers agreed. Lu Xiaosan almost said, “Second Brother, you can’t mess up—you can’t be another Chen Shimei. Gong Er is a lesson for us all.”

Lu Xiaosan said, “Second Sister-in-law, did Gong Er upset you? I’ll help you deal with him if you want.”

Fang Yuan replied, “No need. He’s more upset than I am right now.”

Then she asked, “Since you know everything, do you know that Sun Hongyan?”

Lu Xiaosan didn’t even look up at his brother and answered quickly, “No one knows better than me—she’s got nothing to do with Second Brother. Sun Hongyan is just wishful thinking. My brother only cares about his studies—he probably doesn’t even know what she looks like.”

Fang Yuan said, “Your brother does know what she looks like.”

Lu Xiaosan snorted, “She’s shameless, trying to set up my brother. Second Sister-in-law, you can ask around at school—my brother’s a total bookworm, doesn’t know a thing.”

Even though his own brother was making fun of him, Lu Chuan was actually pleased—at least his brother was reliable when it counted.

Fang Yuan said, “What you say may not always be true, but you did the right thing this time. Brothers should stick together when they’re out in the world, or else it’s embarrassing.”

Lu Xiaosan asked, “So this really has nothing to do with my brother, right?”

Fang Yuan replied, “She wishes! I’m not giving her the chance.”

From start to finish, Fang Yuan never once thought of Lu Chuan and Sun Hongyan together. She was so clear and straightforward about it that Lu Chuan felt flattered.

Lu Xiaosan said, “Second Brother, your greatest achievement in life is getting Second Sister-in-law to like you. Look how generous she is—you’ll save yourself so much trouble in life.”

Lu Chuan nodded, “Your sister-in-law has good taste.”

The brothers’ praise made Fang Yuan feel a little lightheaded.

Next door, Brother Sun whispered to his wife, “Look at those two brothers—Lu Xiaosan is quite the character.”

Sister-in-law Sun was more interested in the gossip, “Who’s Sun Hongyan? She’s not related to our family, right?”

Brother Sun couldn’t help but look at his wife, “So you do know to be afraid?”

Sister-in-law Sun nodded. The two of them eavesdropped by the wall, but they were still thinking things over.

Brother Sun said, “If you’re afraid, then stop spreading rumors. Otherwise, do you think Fang Yuan is someone to mess with?”

Sister-in-law Sun quickly nodded, “You think I’d dare spread gossip about just anyone? Gong Er is a lesson—I’m not crossing her.”

Brother Sun couldn’t help but laugh. What could he say about this woman? Always picking on the weak and fearing the strong.

On New Year’s Eve, as everyone in the village sat down to eat dumplings, the hot topic in every household was Gong Er and Da Mei. They were really famous now.

Old Lady Lu said, “I never liked Gong Er—he’s not one of us. Don’t get involved with him in the future. I just feel sorry for Da Mei. She already has a kid, and with Gong Er’s character, what’s she going to do?”

The older generation always thinks further ahead. This isn’t something that can be solved just by getting married—it’s about a whole lifetime.

Old Man Lu sighed, “That man is no good.”

Lu Chuan ate his dumplings in silence, and Lu Xiaosan was even quieter. The brothers were unsung heroes.

As for Fang Yuan, she didn’t take it to heart at all—she’s the type to handle things without worrying about the aftermath.

164."

"Chapter 164: The Essence

Old Lady Lu was afraid Fang Yuan would overthink things, so she comforted her, “Fang Yuan, don’t worry. There aren’t any men like that in our family.”

Lu Xiaosan coughed awkwardly and added, “Second Sister-in-law, don’t worry. You’re not Damei, my second brother wouldn’t dare.”

Fang Yuan nodded—she trusted what Lu Xiaosan said, “That I believe.”

Lu Chuan’s face darkened. “What are you believing? You should trust my character, trust the bond between us. It’s not about being scared, it’s about feelings.”

Old Lady Lu kept eating, Old Man Lu stayed silent, and Lu Xiaosan thought to himself, “If my second sister-in-law really believed you, she’d be a fool.”

Fang Yuan clearly shared the same thoughts as the other three, calmly saying, “Let’s eat.”

No one said anything more. It was obvious that the whole family didn’t believe Lu Chuan’s words. They trusted more in the power of the Fang family’s five brothers.

This left Lu Chuan feeling stifled—was his character really that questionable? This was a matter of trust.

Unfortunately, no one wanted to discuss this issue with him. Feelings and trust—such intangible things—were beyond the family’s scope.

Lu Xiaosan had also bought some firecrackers to liven up the courtyard. It was all about having a bit of festive noise.

On New Year’s Eve, Lu Chuan took Fang Yuan around the village to visit a few families along with Zhang Xiaole and the others—just a handful of close neighbors.

Everyone’s conversation still revolved around the matter of Gong Er and Damei. No doubt, this Spring Festival, Gong Er was the talk of the village.

On the first day of the new year, Lu Xiaosan came over early to pay his respects. Fang Yuan gave him a five-yuan red envelope, which made Lu Xiaosan overjoyed. “Second Sister-in-law, since you’re not married yet, you’re not considered an adult, so I’m still a kid. I’ll gladly take this money.”

Fang Yuan was generous, “It’s yours. I’m not taking it back. As long as you’re unmarried, Second Sister-in-law will always give you a red envelope.”

Lu Xiaosan tucked the envelope into his chest. “If I’d known, I would’ve come knocking at midnight. Don’t worry, Second Sister-in-law, I won’t stay single just for a few red envelopes.”

Fang Yuan teased, “Does that mean you’re ambitious, or not?”

Lu Chuan said disdainfully, “That’s just being a nuisance. Ambitious or not, it’s nothing special.”

Fang Yuan happily called out, “Come on, let’s go eat.”

Lu Xiaosan really liked this sister-in-law—she was fun, generous, and did big things. Like the whole Gong Er situation.

Over at the east courtyard, they paid their respects to Old Man Lu and Old Lady Lu. Old Lady Lu took out two yuan and gave it to Fang Yuan, “Don’t mind that it’s not much.”

Fang Yuan replied, “Of course not.” She accepted the red envelope with a smile—this was a token of affection from her elders.

On the first day of the new year, knowing that Lu Laoda and his wife would be coming, Lu Chuan took Fang Yuan out after breakfast.

But they ran into Gong Er, who clearly hadn’t slept all night.

Gong Er had been thinking things over and felt something was off. “Lu Chuan, I didn’t expect you to be so underhanded. Was it you stirring things up behind the scenes?”

Fang Yuan wasn’t afraid of him. “Isn’t Damei pregnant with your child? Should we go ask Damei?”

Gong Er, furious, pointed at Fang Yuan’s nose. “I knew you were trouble.” He muttered about how they’d just left Lu Chuan’s house and then ran into Damei.

Lu Chuan stepped in front of Fang Yuan. “Who are you talking about? Go be crazy somewhere else—it’s the New Year.”

Fang Yuan said, “As long as the child is yours, you can’t deny it. A village girl—you’re marrying her for sure.”

Gong Er knew he’d brought this on himself. “I won’t let this go.”

Fang Yuan replied, “Fine, let’s play. I’m not afraid of trouble. I’ll even invite the girls from your school to come and confront you—let’s see if there’s anything to it. I don’t believe all those college girls are blind and only have eyes for you.”

Gong Er was exasperated. “You’re so mean! Are you trying to ruin me on purpose?”

Fang Yuan sneered, “You tried to dump a girl on our family—who’s the one lacking morals? Who are you trying to ruin? Who do you think I am?”

Lu Chuan’s face was dark—just who was Gong Er trying to ruin?

Gong Er’s face turned red and black. “You’re talking nonsense. I was being kind.”

Fang Yuan shot back, “Then I’m being kind too. Look, I’ve even arranged a wife and child for you, a warm home.”

Fang Yuan added, “No need to thank me, just doing my part.”

Lu Chuan looked at Fang Yuan with admiration. “You’ve really got some skills now.”

Fang Yuan said, “I may not have gone to school, but at least I came back from the provincial capital with my man. That’s better than someone who didn’t even get into college and hasn’t seen the world.”

She’d been holding in her anger, and now she finally let it out—it wasn’t easy.

Gong Er protested, “You’ve gone too far.”

Lu Chuan said, “Whether you go to school or not, you still have to learn how to behave. Plenty of college graduates get married—believe me, this won’t ruin your future.”

With that, he pulled Fang Yuan away. Fang Yuan said, “I haven’t even finished scolding him—he’s definitely up to no good.”

Lu Chuan said, “Don’t bother with people like that. You won’t have anything to do with him in the future.”

Fang Yuan, still angry, felt she’d been too soft. “He doesn’t deserve a wife. Do you think Damei and her family know? Maybe they should go make a scene at his school.”

Lu Chuan said, “Don’t worry, Zhang Xiaole will handle it. As long as Damei still wants him.”

Fang Yuan agreed, “True. Even if the girl’s taste isn’t great, she shouldn’t be stuck with someone like him. Better to see his true colors early.”

Then, by chance, they saw a crowd at Lu Laoda and Li Meng’s door, all gossiping about Gong Er. Li Meng’s voice was the loudest.

Fang Yuan said, “Didn’t expect Gong Er to steal her spotlight. With him around, her little drama doesn’t stand out anymore.”

Lu Chuan said, “My wife’s getting smarter by the day. She’s got her beat.”

They heard Li Meng say, “Second brother’s family is here. I’m so busy here, I can’t get over to Mom’s right away. Second brother, you and your wife help me explain to Mom.”

Lu Chuan ignored her. She’d just opened a little shop and was already acting high and mighty after two days.

But her gossiping really did draw in a crowd and helped her sell a lot.

Lu Chuan glanced at Lu Feng—he really did whatever his wife said. Even during the New Year, he didn’t go home to see his parents. If he remembered right, the shop’s startup money had come from his mom.

With so many people around, whenever they saw Fang Yuan and Lu Chuan, they’d greet them. The couple was well-liked in the village.

Just like Lu Xiaosan said, some people even wanted to ask Lu Chuan for help finding work in the provincial capital. No wonder everyone was so friendly.

Fang Yuan didn’t say much, and after Lu Chuan greeted everyone, he took her away.

As for Lu Laoda and Li Meng, Lu Chuan ignored them from start to finish. The estrangement between the brothers finally stole a bit of Gong Er’s thunder.

Over there, people teased Lu Laoda’s wife, “You and Fang Yuan are both new brides. Look at how much more she acts like one.”

Li Meng boasted, “Of course. Look at how big my belly is—I’m about to be a mom.”

The implication: could Fang Yuan compare to her?

Then people started whispering, “It’s been over half a year, right? How come she’s not pregnant? Maybe Second Brother isn’t interested in Fang Yuan.”

Li Meng just smiled, not saying a word, but her meaning was clear.

165."

"Chapter 165: The Love Story That Shook the Village

Sister-in-law Sun showed up a bit late, but that didn’t stop her from catching all the gossip—and when it came to spreading rumors, she was an authority.

When she heard the conversation turning to Lu Chuan and his wife, she quickly cut them off: “Oh, come on, stop talking nonsense. That couple is doing just fine. So what if they’re having kids a bit later? Lu Chuan is still in school—they’re planning their family. What are you all guessing about?”

Every word she said was in their defense.

But knowing Sister-in-law Sun’s character, this wasn’t what anyone expected. The others piped up, “That’s not right, Sun’s wife. Since when are you so protective of them? Did Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan give you some kind of benefit?”

Sister-in-law Sun thought to herself, What do you know? You gossip about everyone, but do you really understand that couple? I’m actually doing you all a favor—just look at what happened to Gong Er.

For the first time in her life, Sister-in-law Sun felt the weight of silent responsibility. In that moment, she felt she’d transcended the ordinary, that these people were just common folk—not on her level.

Thinking back to her involvement in yesterday’s events, she felt a lonely hero’s pride.

She refused to join in their gossip anymore, gave them all a disdainful look, and left.

The group was left bewildered. “What’s up with Sun’s wife? Did she take the wrong medicine? It’s not a real gathering without her.”

Everyone was puzzled, and soon the topic shifted to revolve around Sister-in-law Sun.

Li Meng found her especially annoying—she’d ruined the whole lively atmosphere.

As for Gong Er’s situation, it clearly wasn’t going to blow over. On the first day of the New Year, the two families started discussing the wedding.

Gong Er was unwilling—he’d never planned to marry Da Mei. His dreams were elsewhere.

His parents were even less happy. Their son was still in school, determined to get out and find a city girl. How could this be happening? They looked down on Da Mei, a village girl.

Gong Er’s mother even shouted in the village, “Our Gong family isn’t like the easy-to-push-around Lu family. Their son goes to college and still marries a country girl—what’s the point of getting out if you’re just going to marry a villager?”

Poor Mother Lu, minding her own business at home, was dragged into the mess. The Gong family was using her son and daughter-in-law as a doormat.

But before the Lu family could say anything, the villagers drowned the Gong family in spit. Everyone spat, “What makes you better than the Lu family? Kindness, decency, virtue—you’ve got none of it.”

“If you didn’t want your son to marry a village girl, why did he date one? How did the baby happen?”

“The Lu family’s son is more decent than yours. The Lu couple is so kind, you can’t compare. And you still have the nerve to drag them into this?”

In the village, Da Mei’s family was also a big household—they weren’t having it.

Da Mei’s family didn’t have anyone particularly tough, but there were always strong voices in the village. Someone said, “If he won’t marry Da Mei, then Gong Er’s just a scoundrel. This should go to the authorities.”

As for school, Da Mei’s family didn’t even bother anymore. If he couldn’t go to school, it was his own loss.

When Gong Er’s mother heard Da Mei’s family’s stance, she immediately stopped making a fuss. She didn’t dare let the authorities get involved—her son might not just lose his chance at school, he could lose his freedom. Why had she been so stupid, running her mouth and ruining her son’s future?

She regretted it deeply, and after giving Gong Er a few punches, she obediently took gifts to Da Mei’s family to propose marriage.

She apologized profusely to Da Mei’s mother, bowing and scraping, watching her face for any sign of forgiveness. Serves her right.

But Da Mei’s family still refused. “With a family like yours, my daughter would only suffer if she married in. We insist on going through the authorities—your family’s character can’t be trusted,” Da Mei’s mother said. The commotion was intense.

All this gossip was relayed by Lu Xiaosan, who had connections in the village and always knew the latest news.

Mother Lu was furious at home: “That Gong Er is no good, and his mother’s even worse. How dare they drag us into this? What’s wrong with our family? Kindness! Second son, you’d better make us proud and treat Fang Yuan well.”

Lu Chuan was especially annoyed. “Our marriage is good because we love each other—it’s got nothing to do with ‘making you proud.’”

Fang Yuan hadn’t paid attention to any of this. She was more curious: “Who was so clever to come up with the idea that forced the Gong family to give in? Who was it?”

Lu Xiaosan hadn’t noticed either. “Half the village is surnamed Zhang. What Gong Er’s mother said basically offended everyone. With everyone chiming in, someone was bound to say something useful. Not sure exactly who it was.”

Fang Yuan was impressed. “Whoever it was, they’re smart—smarter than me.”

With Fang Yuan’s admiration, Lu Chuan didn’t even want to be an anonymous hero anymore.

Meanwhile, Mother Lu was lecturing Lu Chuan: “Gong Er is a warning—if you don’t behave, you’ll end up like him, hated by everyone.”

Father Lu added, “You have to have virtue.”

Zhu Xiaosan summed it up: “You have to treat my second sister-in-law well.”

Lu Chuan felt like Gong Er’s whole story was just a cautionary tale for him, a play put on for his benefit. He looked at Fang Yuan with aggrieved eyes—he wasn’t that kind of person.

That night, Lu Xiaosan came home especially late—apparently half the village was outside listening to the gossip.

The marriage talks between Gong Er and Da Mei’s families had broken down several times. It was rare to see such a bumpy road to marriage.

Zhu Xiaosan sighed, “If they really get married, how will Da Mei live? Maybe it’s better if it doesn’t happen.”

Fang Yuan asked, “So is it better if they get married or not?”

Who knows? It depends on what they want. Mother Lu said, “She’s already pregnant—if they don’t get married, what can she do? If we had a daughter, we’d have to teach her not to let anyone take advantage of her, to be sharp.”

Father Lu said, “Or have more sons ahead of time, so they can protect their sister.”

Their expectations were really quite simple. Fang Yuan even nodded along—it all made sense.

Lu Chuan looked at them speechlessly. Did they really think things could go however they wanted?

That night, Lu Xiaosan ran out again, and when he came back in the middle of the night, his feet were frozen numb.

Mother Lu scolded, “Out so late just to listen to gossip—what’s the point?”

Lu Xiaosan grinned, “It’s fun! There were so many people outside watching the drama, everyone was warming themselves by the fire. Half the village was out—when was the last time it was this lively?”

Lu Chuan admired the villagers’ enthusiasm. There was really no need to be so invested. Gong Er had truly become a local celebrity—maybe it was worth it.

Fang Yuan leaned in, wanting to hear the gossip. “Was it really that lively?”

Lu Xiaosan replied, “There’s nothing fun to watch in the village all year. The last big drama was at our house, and that was six months ago. No wonder everyone’s out watching.”

Lu Chuan, hearing his own family’s past jokes, felt uncomfortable all over. He turned to Zhu Xiaosan and said, “This is a bad habit.”"

"Chapter 166: Reading Makes You Better

Fang Yuan said, “Isn’t it great? If you don’t want people gossiping about you, just live your life well. That’s the way to go.”

Lu Chuan immediately followed his wife’s lead and changed his tune: “Any custom that’s been passed down through the generations must have something good about it.”

Lu Xiaosan thought to himself, That’s not what you were saying just now. “What do you mean by that?”

Fang Yuan caught on right away: “Your second brother means even the bad customs have their merits.”

Old Man Lu tugged at the corner of his mouth. His second son listens to his wife—good for him. Just a bit shameless, though.

Old Lady Lu looked her second son up and down: “You sure change your tune fast. That’s not what you were saying a minute ago.”

Lu Xiaosan nodded in agreement: “Second brother, do you have any principles at all?”

Lu Chuan replied, “Mainly, it’s because your second sister-in-law is right. I was too stubborn before. As a person, you have to listen to others and learn from their strengths to make up for your own weaknesses.”

Lu Xiaosan couldn’t help himself: “Mom, Dad, you always told us to treat our wives well, but you’re so scared of your wife you just go along with whatever my second sister-in-law says.”

Fang Yuan gave Lu Xiaosan a smack: “What are you talking about?”

Lu Xiaosan changed his tune even faster than Lu Chuan: “I’m saying my second brother is right.”

Then he added, “My second sister-in-law is special. If you’re scared, you’re scared—so what?”

Lu Chuan pointed at Lu Xiaosan: “You really don’t have much ambition, do you?” Neither of the brothers was any better than the other. Old Man Lu just didn’t want to look at them anymore.

A family with no principles at all. Old Lady Lu said, “There’s nothing wrong with listening to your second sister-in-law. Even my back feels straighter now. Back in the day, when something happened, they’d drag me out of the house to watch the commotion, and I couldn’t say no. Now, look—who dares come in and get me? If I don’t want to go, I don’t go.”

Lu Xiaosan said, “Mom, that’s just because we have a front gate now. We can lock it, and not just anyone can come in anymore.”

Old Lady Lu thought about it: “That’s true.” Then she added, “But it’s also because your second sister-in-law is tough.”

Lu Xiaosan had nothing more to say. Old Man Lu started rubbing Lu Xiaosan’s feet, making him yelp in pain.

Lu Xiaosan finally caught his breath: “It really is cold. I didn’t even feel it when I was standing outside.”

Old Man Lu felt bad for his son. “That’s because you got chilled. Keep your feet warm.”

Fang Yuan could see it—rubbing feet was a Lu family specialty, a skill passed down from the previous generation.

Lu Xiaosan said, “By the way, I saw that big brother and his wife’s business is doing pretty well. Gong Er helped promote them, and they were busy all night. They sold out of sunflower seeds, peanuts, candy, even the firecrackers for the kids.”

Old Lady Lu was happy to hear it: “That’s great, that’s great. It’s good to have something to do—your big brother looks more energetic now.”

But when Old Man Lu heard about Lu Dage, his face darkened: “He was so busy on New Year’s Day he didn’t even come see his parents.”

Well, that killed the mood right away. Old Lady Lu’s face fell too.

Lu Chuan got up and pulled Fang Yuan along: “Mom, we’re going to Fang Yuan’s family early tomorrow, so we’ll go rest first.”

Fang Yuan looked at the time—it really was getting late: “Dad, Mom, you should get some rest too. Give Xiaosan some hot water to drink so he doesn’t catch a cold.”

And with that, the couple went back to their room. As for the topic of Lu Dage’s family, they didn’t want to get involved, let alone bring it up.

On Old Lady Lu’s side, with just the three of them left, she said, “From now on, don’t mention your big brother’s family in front of your second brother and his wife.”

Lu Xiaosan understood: “Got it. But have you noticed my second sister-in-law is different now?”

Old Lady Lu asked, “How is she different?”

Lu Xiaosan said, “She doesn’t even seem like someone from our village anymore, even the way she talks is different.”

Old Lady Lu replied, “If you put it that way, your second brother has changed even more.”

Lu Xiaosan said, “That’s true, but second brother went away to school, so it makes sense he changed. But second sister-in-law’s temper is better now too.”

Old Lady Lu nodded: “You’re right. I think your second sister-in-law is great in every way now.”

Lu Xiaosan thought, That’s just because you’re too scared to think otherwise.

Old Man Lu said, “Your second sister-in-law is always reading with your second brother. That’s a skill, too. Don’t listen to people saying she’s just a village girl—those girls from outside are all from villages too, just went out to study, no different from your second sister-in-law. In fact, she’s even better.”

Listen to how highly Old Man Lu thinks of Fang Yuan.

Old Lady Lu was surprised. No wonder she liked Fang Yuan so much—turns out she was a hardworking kid. “Really?”

Old Man Lu said, “Of course. She’s always reading with our second son, works hard at it.”

Old Lady Lu said, “That’s good. I’ll tell you, with all the trouble Gong Er’s been stirring up, I was worried your second brother might go astray. It’s good your second sister-in-law is capable—she can keep him in line.”

Lu Xiaosan said, “That’s a matter of character. My second brother and Gong Er are nothing alike. Frankly, even if my second brother did go astray, he’d never be like Gong Er.” Clearly, Lu Xiaosan had a lot of faith in Lu Chuan.

Old Man Lu said, “Nonsense. Your second brother isn’t that kind of person. He’d never go astray.”

Lu Xiaosan said, “I hope so too.” Which meant he wasn’t totally convinced.

Old Lady Lu said, “Well, think of it as double insurance. Anyway, it’s good your second sister-in-law is capable. I think she’s great. Maybe you should learn from her and read more books.”

Lu Xiaosan said, “If I had that kind of talent, I’d go to school. Why would I just sit around at home?”

Well, clearly, he wasn’t interested in reading. He didn’t care to copy anyone else’s success story.

Meanwhile, next door, according to Old Man Lu, the very promising, self-taught Fang Yuan was reading a joke book. When she got tired, she even had Lu Chuan read a few passages to her.

Lu Chuan had been reading joke books with his wife for a while now, but he still couldn’t deliver the punchlines quite right.

Fang Yuan complained, “You reading them out loud isn’t as funny as when I read them myself.”

Lu Chuan said, “Still not satisfied? What, do you want me to act them out for you?”

Fang Yuan was still thinking about how to deal with Gong Er, so she wasn’t really paying attention to the jokes—no wonder she didn’t find them funny. “Who do you think gave Damei’s family that idea?” She was keeping this person in mind.

Lu Chuan said, “Why, are you impressed that someone’s smarter than me? Are you interested in them or something?”

Fang Yuan said, “Don’t talk nonsense, and don’t joke about that. No one in my family is like that. My dad would kill me.”

Lu Chuan said, “Dad’s right. Dad raised you well.” But shouldn’t she only have eyes for him? Having to rely on her father’s threats for loyalty made Lu Chuan feel a little aggrieved.

Fang Yuan said, “Of course. My brothers may be tough, but they all know one thing: treat your wife well and don’t stray. Look at how good my big brother is to my sister-in-law—it’s almost over the top, and my dad still puts up with him.”

Lu Chuan thought his father-in-law was really reliable: “I’ll follow Dad’s example and treat my wife well too.”

Fang Yuan said, “Of course. I’ll follow Dad’s example and treat you well too, don’t worry.”

Lu Chuan wanted to laugh. Fang Yuan was putting herself in her father’s shoes, holding herself to the same standards as a son-in-law.

Of course, her dad wouldn’t have that requirement for his own daughter. But Lu Chuan didn’t want to argue about this little misunderstanding."

"Chapter 167: It’s Not Easy Being the Sensible One

Fang Yuan said, “But I just want to know if there’s anyone else in the village with a brain like this.” Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.

Lu Chuan pressed his lips together, smiling a little less reserved than usual. “Stop overthinking. It was me—your man—who came up with it.”

This was a real surprise. Fang Yuan hugged Lu Chuan and gave him a quick kiss. “I knew it, you really are the smart one.”

Lu Chuan was a bit flattered—Fang Yuan was always so calm, and moments like this were rare. He felt like his face was worth a fortune right now.

Looking at Fang Yuan, Lu Chuan’s mind started to wander. “If I come up with another idea to trick him, will you give me another kiss?”

Fang Yuan wasn’t having it. “Don’t get any ideas. Let’s save your cleverness for making money, not wasting it on him.”

Lu Chuan was surprised—so his brainpower needed to be used sparingly? “That makes so much sense. He doesn’t deserve it.”

Fang Yuan nodded. “Exactly, don’t use it recklessly. Our ideas are precious.”

As she spoke, she even rubbed Lu Chuan’s forehead. She really did treasure his brains.

Lu Chuan felt pure happiness—there couldn’t be a man in the world happier than him. Then he heard Fang Yuan say, “While your brain’s working so well, think about what we should do this year. Do you think we can get that qualification or whatever?”

Lu Chuan felt his happiness was short-lived. If only Fang Yuan didn’t open her mouth. That was a tall order.

Lu Chuan said, “That’s not something you can get with just brains. We’re just not strong enough yet. Don’t worry about it for now. Let’s keep working on a small scale in the provincial capital, picking up the leftovers after the big players. Once we’ve built up our skills, I’ll figure out the qualification thing.”

Fang Yuan thought Lu Chuan’s brain wasn’t all that after all. “Still have to wait? What a shame.”

Lu Chuan replied, “Think about it—right now, we can’t even afford a crane. When the time comes, we’ll have to rent from others, and they’ll make a killing off us.”

Fang Yuan nodded. “Then don’t rush into things. Let me save up for a couple of years.” Then she asked, “Do you think we can save enough in two years?”

Lu Chuan twitched his lips. His wife sure had big dreams. “No rush. I might not even have it figured out in two years.”

Fang Yuan’s face changed. “Still not enough in two years? What use are you then?”

Lu Chuan couldn’t believe how quickly a man’s happiness could depreciate. She was just praising his brains a moment ago, and now she was complaining he was useless.

Lu Chuan said, “Don’t worry, it’s not something you can predict. We’ll take it step by step. I’m just being realistic—conservative estimate.”

Fang Yuan huffed, “Give your brain a rest. Maybe it’s not as sharp as I thought. Don’t waste it in the future—let Gong Er benefit for nothing.”

Lu Chuan glanced at Fang Yuan and didn’t dare say another word. Better she scold Gong Er than take it out on him. A man really can’t afford to slack off—he needed to focus on serious business.

On the second day of the New Year, Lu Chuan rode his bike and took Fang Yuan back to her parents’ home.

Wang Cuixiang had been waiting at the door for her daughter since early morning. Seeing her daughter bundled up and her son-in-law looking handsome, Wang Cuixiang was all smiles. “I just knew you two would be here soon.”

Fang Yuan said, “It’s not like I don’t know where home is. Why are you waiting outside in the cold? You don’t need to wait for us.”

Lu Chuan parked the bike. “Mom, let’s go inside. If there’s anything to do, just let me handle it. They say sons-in-law are supposed to run errands for their mothers-in-law. I’m not home most of the year, so today, just boss me around as much as you want.”

With just a couple of sentences, Lu Chuan had Wang Cuixiang beaming, completely forgetting about Fang Yuan—her eyes were all on her son-in-law.

Lu Chuan was flattering his mother-in-law with every word, and he was even more attentive to Fang Yuan.

The things a mother-in-law likes to see are simple, and Lu Chuan delivered them all.

Watching their brother-in-law bustling around the house, running errands everywhere, it was like he could charm even his own mother into a daze.

Fourth Tiger said to Fifth Tiger, “I don’t believe he treats Fang Yuan like this when they’re in the city. Look at how he’s got Mom wrapped around his finger—she’s practically dizzy.”

Fifth Tiger scoffed, “You’ve got it wrong. Our Fang Yuan is something else. Even if our brother-in-law caught a mosquito, he wouldn’t let Fang Yuan miss out.”

Fourth Tiger said, “You’re exaggerating for Fang Yuan’s sake. What’s he getting out of it?” Honestly, their Fang Yuan didn’t seem to have what it took to keep her husband tied down.

Fifth Tiger grumbled, “I wish I knew. I just don’t see what makes Fang Yuan worth all this attention from our brother-in-law.” The two brothers were thinking the same thing.

Fourth Tiger scratched his head. “Why does it sound like you’re actually telling the truth?”

Fifth Tiger replied, “Would I make up something this trivial? I don’t get it myself.”

Fourth Tiger turned to look at Fang Yuan, who was sitting there calm and collected. “Our Fang Yuan doesn’t look like the type to sweet-talk a man.”

Fifth Tiger said, “I’d believe she could yell at a man, though.”

No one knew when Third Tiger had joined them. “Our brother-in-law doesn’t look like he’s afraid of women, either. He’s got some skills.”

The three brothers sat there studying their brother-in-law, trying to figure him out, but they just couldn’t.

Given their brother-in-law’s current status, the fact that he was still so attentive to his mother-in-law really impressed them.

Second Brother Fang came over. “Alright, is this how you talk about your own family? Even though the family’s split, brothers are still brothers. Fourth, Fifth, don’t make trouble.”

Fourth and Fifth had split off from the family during the New Year, leaving the older three brothers confused about what was really going on.

Second Brother couldn’t hold back and came over to feel things out.

Fifth Tiger slung an arm around Fourth’s shoulder. “Second Brother, what are you talking about? We split the family so we could live our own lives. Who’s making trouble? What trouble is there to make? Help Fourth Brother with his new house?”

Fourth Tiger laughed along. “Don’t say it like that—it’s called a housewarming, not a new house. Second Brother, we’re all good.”

Third Tiger firmly stayed out of it. He knew Second Brother was up to something.

He still hadn’t decided whether to work with the eldest or Fourth Brother next year, so he didn’t want to offend anyone.

Of course, if Fifth Brother wanted to bring him along, that’d be even better, but Fifth always liked to go it alone—probably no chance.

Don’t be fooled by Third Brother’s honest face—he knew what was what.

Second Brother didn’t feel awkward. “Alright, as long as you say you’re good.”

The way he said it, it was like the two brothers were just pretending to get along.

Lu Chuan thought to himself, “Between brothers, it’s always a silent battle. Right now, the eldest can still keep things under control, but if he couldn’t, it’d be even messier.”

Wang Cuixiang, hosting her son-in-law, had prepared two big tables of food—one for the men, one for the women.

The men talked about nothing but making money—there wasn’t much else.

Fang Daleng was a straightforward guy. He couldn’t pick up on the undercurrents between his sons, and not being too sharp meant he didn’t worry about it.

He focused on serving his son-in-law, piling all the good food into his bowl. He smiled as he urged his sons and grandsons to eat.

Now that Fifth Tiger was doing well, none of the brothers picked on him—they all flattered him. He should have been enjoying his meal.

The rest of the brothers could make a fuss if they wanted—he was just there for the show.

In previous years, Wang Cuixiang would glare at him for that, but this year, with the men and women sitting separately, there wasn’t even anyone to glare at him.

168."

"Chapter 168: Long Live Understanding

Then, Five Tiger realized just how tough and exhausting it is to be the only sensible person at the table. Nothing goes smoothly at all.

At critical moments, you really have to steer the conversation, or else things might just erupt into an argument. Now he finally understood how hard it was for his own mother all these years.

After all, his brother-in-law Lu Chuan was also at the table. You can’t let things get so awkward, can you? Letting your brother-in-law watch the family drama—there’s nothing glorious about that.

For the rest of the meal, Five Tiger kept feeling sorry for his mom. In previous years, just imagine how much of a headache it must have been for her to face this group of sons.

Over at Wang Cuixiang’s table, this year’s meal was the best ever—no worries at all. The daughters-in-law all doted on Fang Yuan. The eldest daughter-in-law wasn’t favored, but she kept quiet and didn’t stir up trouble.

The grandkids were all well-behaved too, which was a relief. Finally, she didn’t have to watch her sons play mind games with each other.

As for the men’s table, Wang Cuixiang didn’t bother with them at all. Her attitude was: “Let them be, I don’t believe these rascals would dare embarrass themselves in front of their brother-in-law.”

Fang Yuan even asked, “Who cooked this year’s dishes? Mom, you seem to be enjoying the food more than usual.”

Third Sister-in-law got a bit emotional—pleasing her mother-in-law was her goal: “I did, if you like it, Mom, I’ll cook again next year.”

Second Sister-in-law chimed in, “I helped too.”

Fang Yuan said, “Then let’s keep it this way next year. Third Sister-in-law, sorry for the trouble.”

Third Sister-in-law could hardly believe it—her sister-in-law was actually being so polite: “Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?”

Fang Yuan added, “Second Sister-in-law, you were a great help too. Let’s keep it up next year.”

Second Sister-in-law replied, “Next year, my cooking will definitely be better than Third Sister-in-law’s.”

With her daughters-in-law all eager to please her, Wang Cuixiang couldn’t possibly be in a bad mood.

Over at Lu Chuan’s side, the most common questions were: “What’s the school like in the provincial capital? What do you and Fang Yuan do there?”

Nobody brought up making money—except Fourth Tiger, but even he got shut down by his older brothers.

Lu Chuan kept the conversation focused on the school cafeteria. Fang Daleng was especially interested: “That’s good, as long as you eat well, you won’t be suffering.”

Lu Chuan replied shyly, “Fang Yuan likes the cafeteria food too. Dad, I help out there sometimes, learn a few dishes, and when I have time, I cook for Fang Yuan at home.”

Though he spoke modestly, every word showed how much he cared for Fang Yuan.

Fourth Tiger was practically grinding his teeth—“A grown man, cooking for his wife at home? Aren’t you embarrassed?”

But Fang Daleng was straightforward and didn’t pick up on Lu Chuan’s subtext. He was just surprised: “Fang Yuan can eat at the cafeteria?” That was what he cared about.

Lu Chuan answered, “Of course. We go twice a week. Fang Yuan worries about spending money, otherwise we could go every day.”

What Fang Daleng heard was that his son-in-law wasn’t ashamed to take his daughter to school, which made him very satisfied.

He patted Lu Chuan’s shoulder, “Good, very good. You’re a good son-in-law, and the school is good too.”

Lu Chuan’s shoulder almost broke from the pat—his father-in-law had the strength to wrestle a 300-pound pig.

Fourth Tiger couldn’t help but tease, “Brother-in-law, you really dare take Fang Yuan to school? Aren’t you afraid she’ll cause trouble for you?”

Lu Chuan didn’t want to hear that, “Fourth Brother, Fang Yuan isn’t that kind of person.”

Even Fang Daleng looked at Lu Chuan with a complicated expression—he didn’t really know his own daughter that well.

Lu Chuan continued, “I’m serious. Fang Yuan is always busy, working with Fifth Brother all day. She’s got no time to hang around the school with me, let alone cause trouble. Besides, she’s not the type to stir things up.”

Fang Daleng replied, “Son-in-law, it’s good you think that way.” He didn’t dare say more—he knew his daughter wasn’t exactly trouble-free.

At this point, Eldest Brother kept quiet, and Fourth Tiger, ever the sharp one, started probing, “So busy, huh? What kind of work are you doing in the middle of winter?”

Fifth Tiger changed the subject, “What work? Making money is never easy. Guarding doors, sweeping streets—stuff the locals in the provincial capital don’t want to do. If it weren’t for our brother-in-law, we’d have come home long ago.”

Lu Chuan stayed silent—Fifth Brother could say whatever, but as the son-in-law, it wasn’t his place to elaborate.

Second Tiger was skeptical, “And the people who go with you, they do this too? What’s in it for them?”

Fifth Tiger replied half-heartedly, “They need the money. Otherwise, who’d put up with it?”

Fang Daleng’s eyes filled with tears as he looked over at Fang Yuan at the other table, “My daughter really has it tough.”

Lu Chuan couldn’t let his father-in-law misunderstand, “Dad, Fang Yuan said you taught her since she was little that you never run out of strength—use it up and there’s always more. But don’t worry, I always buy food from the cafeteria and bring it to Fifth Brother and Fang Yuan. We don’t go hungry.”

As for what kind of work they really did in the provincial capital, Lu Chuan didn’t say a word—he couldn’t give away Fifth Brother’s secrets.

Fang Daleng said, “Son-in-law, you’d better treat my daughter well. She’s even sweeping streets for people now.”

Fifth Tiger shot a look at his brother-in-law, realizing he might have gotten him into trouble. It wasn’t easy to take those words back.

Lu Chuan said, “Dad, it’s not that bad.”

Fang Daleng looked up at his son-in-law, thinking, “Not that bad? How do you still have the mood to drink?”

Then he remembered—his daughter had already bought a house in the provincial capital. That’s not something you can do just by sweeping streets. At a key moment, Fang Daleng actually showed some wisdom.

Neither his son-in-law nor his youngest son said anything, so Fang Daleng just pointed at Fifth Tiger, “You rascal.” At least he didn’t say anything worse, giving both Fifth Brother and his son-in-law some face.

Then he pulled Lu Chuan to eat and dropped the topic. Nothing that came out of Fifth Brother’s mouth was true anyway.

Fang Daleng asked his son-in-law, “Does Fang Yuan have any friends in the provincial capital? Does she have anyone to chat with? I don’t want her to get sick from holding things in.”

Lu Chuan replied, “No way, Fifth Brother is there. Besides, Fang Yuan and I usually study together.”

Everyone at the table looked at Lu Chuan—like that could be true.

Lu Chuan insisted, “Really, everyone who meets Fang Yuan likes her.”

Fifth Tiger looked at his brother-in-law and played along, “That’s right. Where we rent, everyone calls Fang Yuan ‘Sixth Sister’.”

Fang Daleng slapped his thigh, “That’s the spirit of our family! We’re famous now.”

Lu Chuan and Fifth Tiger both laughed. The whole conversation kept circling around Fang Yuan and the provincial capital.

As for making money or what they actually did, Fifth Tiger didn’t say a word. And with Lu Chuan’s tight lips, it was even harder to get anything out of him.

The brothers thought to themselves, “Who would’ve thought—the two youngest in the family are the hardest to pin down.”

Back at Wang Cuixiang’s table, Third Sister-in-law, as straightforward as ever, asked, “Little Sister, are you and your husband getting along? Has he taken you out for fun?”

Fang Yuan didn’t appreciate Third Sister-in-law’s concern at all and shot back, “We’ve spent enough already, and you still want us to go out all the time? How are we supposed to live like that?”

Second Sister-in-law said, “That’s not what she meant. You’re always out working, doesn’t your husband ever try to cheer you up? That’s not right either.”

169."

"Chapter 169: Not Very Considerate

What’s that supposed to mean? Are you complaining that they’re not making enough of a fuss?

Fang Yuan: “Are you silly or what? You’re already a bit of a fool, and now you want people to coddle you? In the end, you’ll just be sweet-talked out of all your money.”

Second Sister-in-law Fang felt wronged. That’s not what she meant at all. She just wanted her to spend more time with her brother-in-law and build their relationship.

She looked at her little sister-in-law, worrying for her. Can’t you see anything besides money? Your brother-in-law is more important than money, don’t you get it?

Eldest Sister-in-law Fang fell silent for a while, then went along with Fang Yuan: “As long as little sister keeps hold of the money, that’s good enough.”

Fang Yuan’s words were sharp: “Did you hear that? Learn from those who are like-minded.”

Eldest Sister-in-law lowered her head and said nothing. It’s not easy to get on the good side of this little sister-in-law. Second Sister-in-law felt a bit better—at least compared to the eldest, she didn’t have it so bad, even if she’d just been scolded.

It wasn’t the first day Fang Yuan didn’t get along with the eldest daughter-in-law. Wang Cuixiang said, “What your eldest sister-in-law said isn’t completely wrong, but you should keep it in mind.”

Fang Yuan didn’t even bat an eye, and her words were cutting: “What’s the money for, to subsidize your own family?”

Wang Cuixiang was so angry she punched Fang Yuan twice: “When did I ever ask you to subsidize anyone?”

Eldest Sister-in-law’s face looked terrible. Even during the New Year, the little sister-in-law couldn’t keep quiet. She kept glancing over at Fang Laoda.

Fang Yuan was just deliberately picking on the eldest sister-in-law. Then she got anxious: “Why are you hitting me? What if I’m pregnant?”

Wang Cuixiang’s hand froze. She looked at Fang Yuan, then at her belly, suspicious: “Are you really?”

Fang Yuan answered innocently, “How would I know?”

The sisters-in-law all looked at Fang Yuan carefully. The third sister-in-law, who couldn’t keep things to herself, said to her, “You should know! Even if no one else does, you should.”

Fang Yuan: “I don’t know anything, but you definitely shouldn’t be hitting me. It’s dangerous.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. So she wasn’t pregnant—how could she joke about something like that? But still, they had to be careful. What if?

Wang Cuixiang was so mad she wanted to kick her daughter: “Can’t you be a little more mindful? Your sisters-in-law all stayed home for you on the second day of the New Year instead of visiting their own families. You’d better just eat your meal quietly.”

Then she told the daughters-in-law to eat and not say another word. Otherwise, no one would be able to finish their meal.

Whether her daughter was in charge or managed the money, Wang Cuixiang knew in her heart.

With the way her son-in-law and second daughter-in-law are, even if Fang Yuan learned from them, it wouldn’t do her much good.

Better to let Fang Yuan stumble along and figure things out with her husband. That’s just leaving things to fate—what else can you do?

A son-in-law who’s all schemes, and a daughter with no guile at all—you really have to trust in their good hearts.

Wang Cuixiang said to her daughter, “Your fourth and fifth brothers have split the family property. In the future, when your father and I are old, your brothers will take care of us. For now, your father and I live on our own, and this house is ours. We’ll give it to whoever we want.”

Fang Yuan: “Don’t say that. Isn’t it still your sons who’ll divide it up in the end?”

Wang Cuixiang’s face darkened: “I’m telling you this so you know you don’t have to care about anyone else’s opinion. Your father and I don’t live with your sisters-in-law.”

Fang Yuan: “Even if you lived with them, I wouldn’t care what they thought. I’d like to see who’d dare treat you badly.”

This kid is impossible to talk to. Wang Cuixiang really wondered how she’d ended up with a daughter like this—so unlike herself.

Then Fang Yuan asked Wang Cuixiang, “Mom, now that fourth and fifth brother have split the family, how much money did you give fifth brother?”

Wang Cuixiang was taken aback: “Why would I give him money?”

Fang Yuan immediately protested: “You helped the others get married, but fifth brother built his own house and paid for his own wedding. Why didn’t you give him anything?” The unfairness was written all over her face.

Even Wuhu himself hadn’t minded, but someone was minding for him. These siblings really had each other’s backs.

Wang Cuixiang, exasperated, pointed at Fang Yuan’s nose and scolded her: “Your fourth brother built his house here and got plenty of money from your father. We paid for that house. You only care about your fifth brother, but you can’t just badmouth your parents like this.”

Fang Yuan: “That was you paying for fourth brother’s house. What does that have to do with fifth brother? Just because fifth brother has a bit of money doesn’t mean you can be biased. In the end, it might be fifth brother who takes care of you in your old age.”

Then she added, “From eldest to fourth, not a single one is any good.” When it comes to important matters, she’s always clear-headed and keeps perfect track of everything.

Wang Cuixiang couldn’t win the argument with Fang Yuan.

She couldn’t help but give her daughter a few more punches: “Can’t you wish us well for once?” Clearly not.

Then she added, “I gave birth to all of you, and even you are keeping score. Not a single one of you is any good.” Apparently, her daughter’s criticism wasn’t broad enough.

Fang Daleng spoke up: “Fang Yuan has a point. I’m not saying I want to go live the good life in the city with fifth brother, and I’m not short of money, but looking at it this way, fifth brother is better than all the others. See, he never once eyed the money we have.”

Wang Cuixiang had never seen anyone disparage their own sons like this, and in one breath she’d insulted four of them: “Don’t say another word, all of you. I can’t stand it. Fifth brother may not care about the money, but now someone’s caring for him.”

Seeing her daughter’s troublemaking face, Wang Cuixiang said irritably, “Even if I wanted to help fifth brother get married, he’d have to bring home a wife first.”

Fang Yuan: “As long as you say that, fifth brother won’t be left without a wife.” Though at the moment, he still was.

Even if Wang Cuixiang took out the money, her daughter wouldn’t be able to get her hands on it. Fang Yuan was a bit disappointed in fifth brother—how come he still hadn’t brought home a wife?

Fang Daleng reassured Fang Yuan: “Don’t worry, your dad’s here. When have I ever let your little brothers down?”

Fang Yuan: “We’ll be heading to the city in a few days. You two should come along and check out our place there. That way, Mom won’t be at home scheming to find fifth brother a wife.”

Wang Cuixiang just ignored them, feeling annoyed.

Fang Yuan, not one to overstay her welcome, made arrangements with Fang Daleng, then dragged Lu Chuan off to fifth brother’s new house. She hadn’t seen it yet.

Wang Cuixiang, face dark, muttered, “I didn’t raise a daughter, I raised a living ancestor. She comes home just to stick up for her fifth brother.”

Fang Daleng: “My daughter deserves to be treated like royalty.”

Wang Cuixiang didn’t dare take out her anger on her daughter, but when it came to Fang Daleng, she didn’t hold back at all.

Finally, she huffed, “It’s all because you spoil her.”

Fang Daleng accepted this, even feeling proud—his daughter deserved to be spoiled.

Fang Yuan took Lu Chuan to Wuhu’s new house, looked around, and commented, “It’s not as good as our place in the city, but everyone needs a home base. At least there’s somewhere to come back to.”

In the village, having your own house was a declaration of independence. Wuhu cared more about that than the house itself.

Besides, he was always busy. No matter how nice the house was, it was just for show.

Wuhu said, “Whenever you’re heading back, let me know. I’ve already told everyone—after the fifth day of the New Year, we’ll go to the city. If your husband’s busy, you can stay here for a few days.”"

"Chapter 170: The Only Taboo

Fang Yuan: “What’s the rush? I’m busy working, you know my situation right now.”

Wu Hu couldn’t help but tease, “Short on cash again? At the rate you spend, no matter how capable your husband is, he’ll never keep up.” Since when did Fang Yuan ever speak so tactfully?

Fang Yuan shot back, “Pfft, pfft, pfft, don’t say that, especially during the New Year! I’m doing just fine financially.”

Wu Hu just laughed in exasperation. If you want to be well-off, maybe try buying less and saving more!

Lu Chuan always knew how to step in at the right moment to wrap things up for Fang Yuan. “Fifth Brother, I heard there are a lot of people playing cards over at Fourth Brother’s place.”

Wu Hu replied, “Don’t worry. The folks working with us all have families to support and want to earn money. No loafers here.”

Lu Chuan said, “Fifth Brother, keep an eye on this. Our place is big, there are a lot of people and things can get complicated. If any of our hometown folks go astray because we didn’t look out for them, we’d feel guilty. It’d even embarrass Dad.”

Wu Hu nodded, “You’re right, brother-in-law. However we take them out, that’s how we have to bring them back. Don’t worry, we don’t recruit anyone addicted to gambling.”

Fang Yuan added, “If someone goes out to work and loses all their money gambling, then people will say they worked all year for nothing. That’d ruin our reputation.”

Wu Hu hadn’t even thought that far ahead.

Lu Chuan started to sweet-talk Fifth Brother, “Our projects are small now, but they’ll definitely get bigger. Finding work is important, but finding good people to work with us is even more crucial. Fifth Brother, we’re counting on you for that.”

Wu Hu replied, “Got it. I won’t let you down.” Then he asked, “When do you think we’ll land a big project?”

Fang Yuan, ever the realist, chimed in, “Fifth Brother, what can you do? What can your people do? If we get a big project, can you handle it?”

Wu Hu’s face darkened, “Aren’t you guys heading back to the village? Hurry up and go.” Just when he was feeling good, she had to bring up the harsh truth.

Even if Fang Yuan’s words were blunt, she had a point. You need capable people on your team.

When Wu Hu was back home, he’d always focus on the essentials when hanging out with others—strengthening the stability of those who’d already gone out to work, and building unity among those who’d go in the future. He was truly thinking about the long-term.

He wasn’t just home for the New Year—he was building connections for the future.

Even Wang Cuixiang commented that all the smarts Fang Yuan lacked must have ended up with Old Five. Just look at how Old Five’s always paving the way for the future.

But Fang Daleng didn’t like hearing that and refused to admit his daughter was lacking. She was just like him—straightforward and genuine.

After leaving Wu Hu’s place, Fang Yuan made a symbolic visit to Si Hu’s house, mainly to check if there were any differences between Fourth and Fifth Brother’s homes, and to see if Fourth Brother had shortchanged Fifth Brother. Fang Yuan really cared about Wu Hu.

Lu Chuan, meanwhile, sincerely thanked Si Hu, “Fourth Brother, my mom and Xiao San both said the house wouldn’t have come together without your help.”

Si Hu replied, “Brother-in-law, no need to be so formal. Besides, I didn’t do it for nothing—several families from your village hired me to build their houses this year.”

Lu Chuan said, “That’s your own skill, Fourth Brother. They hired you because they know quality when they see it.”

Si Hu was all smiles after Lu Chuan’s praise. “Brother-in-law, don’t just say nice things. If there’s ever a good opportunity in the provincial capital, don’t just think of Fifth Brother.”

Lu Chuan replied, “That’s only if you’re willing, Fourth Brother. Honestly, I’m just a student. Over there, it’s always Fifth Brother and Fang Yuan running around.”

He scratched his head a little sheepishly after saying that.

Si Hu knew Fang Yuan was always the dominant one, and felt a bit sorry for his brother-in-law. “Brother-in-law, I believe you.”

Fang Yuan shot Lu Chuan a sideways glance—now wasn’t the time to call him sly.

But she didn’t think much of Fourth Brother—he wasn’t as sharp as Fifth Brother, and nowhere near as clever as Lu Chuan. How could he believe that?

As they left Si Hu’s place, Fang Yuan pinched Lu Chuan’s arm. “You’re getting better at sweet-talking my family.”

Lu Chuan didn’t say he avoided getting too close to Fourth Brother for Wu Hu’s sake. “I can’t undermine Fifth Brother. I know who I’m closest to.”

Fang Yuan said, “They’re all my brothers—I’m equally close to both.”

Lu Chuan didn’t respond, but it was clear he didn’t quite agree. After a moment, he asked, “If both Fourth and Fifth Brother liked the same girl, who would you introduce her to?”

Fang Yuan scoffed, “That would never happen. Fifth Brother’s standards are way higher than Fourth’s.”

What Fourth Brother likes, Fifth Brother wouldn’t even care for. There’s no way they’d go after the same girl.

Lu Chuan thought, You can say that, but do you really treat them the same? If I ever let Fifth Brother down, you’d be furious.

Fang Yuan insisted, “I really am equally close to both.” Stubborn as ever.

Lu Chuan changed the question, “If you needed money, would you borrow from Fifth Brother or Fourth Brother?”

Fang Yuan didn’t hesitate, “Definitely Fifth Brother. I’m not that close with Fourth.”

Lu Chuan said, “Then let me thank Fifth Brother for you.” Who knows if he’d be happy to hear that—some trust you just don’t need.

Fang Yuan added, “At least you know better than to ask who I’d lend money to.” This guy’s smart—he knows not to lend money out.

Lu Chuan knew Fang Yuan well and said casually, “You’re not the type to lend money to others anyway.”

Fang Yuan laughed. The couple really did understand each other. “I’m not that stingy, but you do know me well.”

Lu Chuan thought, You can say that, but I really do know you. You’re generous, but you never lend money.

Fang Yuan said, “Fourth Brother is someone you just can’t mess with.”

Lu Chuan thought, Wu Hu already told me that. Besides, even if I had two tigers on my side, I couldn’t handle it. Gotta stick to the big principles.

Of course, his wife and Wu Hu were exceptions—they were twins, after all.

Since they were heading back to the village, they had to stop by and say goodbye to Fang Yuan’s parents. So the couple went to pay their respects.

At her parents’ house, they ran into the legendary acquaintance—Fang Lao Da’s brother-in-law.

He had come to pick up his sister, whose husband was visiting her family for the New Year. He was very polite, even stopping by to greet his sister’s in-laws first. That’s how they ran into each other.

Lu Chuan didn’t know this guy—he’d only ever heard the name, never met him.

But the man was very outgoing and greeted Lu Chuan warmly, “You must be the brother-in-law! I’ve heard about you for ages. Out of all the villages around here, you’re the only college student. That’s impressive!”

Lu Chuan felt a bit awkward—he hadn’t expected this kind of person.

He glanced at Fang Yuan, thinking, If she’s as warm as this guy, with her clear likes and dislikes, I’d better not get on her bad side."

"Chapter 171: Making a Scene and Refusing to Let Go

This brother-in-law of Old Tiger Fang is quite a character. As soon as he saw Lu Chuan, he rushed over with exaggerated enthusiasm.

Grabbing Lu Chuan’s hand with a beaming smile, he wouldn’t let go. “Brother-in-law, don’t be so modest! Who else but you deserves it? No one else dares to take it on but you.”

He greeted him warmly and familiarly, “Brother-in-law, I heard you’re leading a team in the provincial capital. I might not have many skills, but I can help manage people and point them to some work. If you ever need someone, remember to come to me.”

He sounded so close, you’d think Fang Yuan was his real sister.

Lu Chuan had never encountered someone like this before. He thought to himself that, for the sake of his big brother, he should at least be polite. For a moment, he hesitated, “Well, that’s…”

Before he could finish, Fang Yuan cut in, “Our construction site isn’t like my big brother’s. We don’t keep idle people around. You’re the one who talked my big brother into losing his way, and all the money he earned ended up going to you, didn’t it?”

She really didn’t bother saving anyone’s face.

The brother-in-law didn’t even blush. “You’ve never liked me since you were a kid, can’t see my good side. I won’t stoop to your level. I’m talking to my brother-in-law.”

Even Fang Daleng was embarrassed listening to this. This girl could turn hostile in a second. “Fang Yuan, it’s the New Year.”

Fang Yuan replied, “If it weren’t for the New Year, I wouldn’t even run into him. If I agreed to this leech, what if he goes to the provincial capital and refuses to leave? Am I supposed to be like my big brother and support him?”

Old Tiger Fang’s brother-in-law was shameless. “Sister, that’s not a nice thing to say. I don’t just make money on the site for nothing—I rely on my skills.”

Fang Yuan shot back, “What skills do you have? You have the skill to make Old Tiger Fang kick out his own brother-in-law and bring his wife’s brother in instead. Isn’t that right?”

Fang Daleng fell silent. His daughter had never held a grudge since she was little, but she’d clearly kept this in mind all along.

The Fang family really was in the wrong here, and they felt a bit guilty toward their son-in-law. The atmosphere grew awkward.

Fang Yuan didn’t hold back at all with this guy. “You might have forgotten, but I haven’t. Not banging on your door is already me giving you face, and you still want to worm your way in? I’m not Old Tiger Fang—I didn’t marry your family’s daughter.”

Just then, Old Tiger Fang and his wife walked in, catching every word Fang Yuan said. Both of them looked mortified.

Old Tiger Fang was someone who cared a lot about his reputation. “Fang Yuan, watch your mouth.”

His wife, the “family’s daughter” Fang Yuan mentioned, was even more embarrassed and a little angry. This was just too humiliating.

When Fang Yuan heard Old Tiger Fang speak up, she got annoyed. Scolding her in front of her brother-in-law, did he expect her to just take it? “I am speaking properly. If I weren’t, he wouldn’t even be standing in the yard right now.” She would’ve kicked him out already.

She was already turning to her fourth and fifth brothers, ready to have them throw the guy out if he said another word.

Wang Cuixiang, their mother, looked at her eldest daughter and felt exhausted. “It’s the New Year—what are you all arguing about?”

Fang Yuan snorted. If it weren’t for the New Year, she wouldn’t have to see this jerk. He’d already messed with her big brother, and now he wanted to mess with her? She was determined to put a stop to it right here. He needed to know exactly what kind of person he was and where he stood, or else he’d just keep pestering them.

Normally, Fang Yuan’s sharp tongue never bothered her sister-in-law, but today, in front of her own family, her sister-in-law couldn’t take it. “Mom, did you hear what your daughter said? She really looks down on people.”

Fang Yuan retorted, “What do you want me to say? You want me to treat your brother like Old Tiger Fang did, invite him over and treat him like royalty? Dream on.”

Someone nearby couldn’t help but laugh. She really dared to say anything. Old Tiger Fang was thoroughly embarrassed today.

Old Tiger Fang snapped, “Fang Yuan, what are you saying?” But he didn’t offer a single word of defense.

Was Fang Yuan afraid of him? “Who are you yelling at? I’m saying you’re pampering your brother-in-law—can you deny it? Back when we were working together, who helped whom? We’re real siblings, so we don’t even mention it. But you turned around and ditched Lu Chuan to bring in your brother-in-law. Did that happen or not?”

Only then did Lu Chuan realize that Fang Yuan had been holding onto this for his sake all along. That incident from before—she’d never forgotten.

His sister-in-law knew their family was in the wrong and tried to change the subject. “You’re a married woman now, this isn’t your concern.”

Lu Chuan was annoyed. “Sister-in-law.” How could this have nothing to do with Fang Yuan? She was right—Old Tiger Fang had ditched him for his brother-in-law. He didn’t make a fuss because he didn’t want to, but that didn’t mean his wife should be insulted.

Wang Cuixiang also shot a dark look at her eldest daughter-in-law. So bold—daring to try and take charge now.

Fang Yuan didn’t give Lu Chuan a chance to speak. “That’s right, it’s not my concern. Old Tiger Fang, if you want to listen to your wife and support her brother, that’s your business. If you want to earn money to support your brother-in-law’s family and your father-in-law’s family, that’s your business too—I can’t control that.”

People were surprised to hear Fang Yuan talking so reasonably for once.

Then she added, “But your own kids—don’t dump them on Mom and Dad. You raise them yourself. I’m married, you’ve split off from the family, we’re not one household anymore. This is Mom and Dad’s house. Whether I come or go is none of your business.”

Lu Chuan sighed inwardly. They shouldn’t bring up the nephews—on that point, Fang Yuan was in the wrong and it wasn’t her place to interfere.

But usually, Fang Yuan always hit the nail on the head. Today, she was deliberately sidestepping the real issue, showing that she was actually quite sharp—she just didn’t want to push things too far and ruin the family bond.

Wang Cuixiang thought to herself, if she said she was willing to raise her grandkids right now, Fang Yuan would probably turn on her too.

But this girl making a scene at home—if word got out, it wouldn’t sound good. How were they supposed to end this?

Old Tiger Fang frowned. “You’re talking nonsense. That never happened. Don’t mind what your sister-in-law says. Married or not, you’re still our daughter.”

Fang Yuan was tough as nails. “Nice words don’t mean a thing. You’re always running around—have you made any money? How much? Show us.”

Then she called out, “Second Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, bring out all your money and show Old Tiger Fang.”

Old Tiger Fang’s face turned beet red. “That’s too much.”

Fang Yuan snorted. Of course it was too much. But wasn’t he the one who started it? She hadn’t even seriously confronted him about ditching her husband for his brother-in-law—she’d already given him plenty of face.

Just then, Fifth Tiger stepped in. “Fang Yuan, you’ve gone too far. Even if you’re worried about Big Brother, you shouldn’t say things like that. Even if you care about your nephews, this isn’t the way. Whether Big Brother appreciates it or not, your intentions are clear. Now go home with your husband.”

Wang Cuixiang gritted her teeth—her fifth son was stepping in to help Fang Yuan smooth things over, and he was doing a good job of it.

Then Fifth Tiger added, “Sister-in-law, the family’s split. Fang Yuan has her parents and brothers—she doesn’t need to rely on her sister-in-law for food or put up with anyone’s attitude. My sister doesn’t have to take this.”

172."

"Chapter 172: Trouble Comes from Overthinking

Lu Chuan said, “Big Brother, Fang Yuan has a quick temper. Please don’t be upset about this, you and Sister-in-law. I know her cousin from Sister-in-law’s side was just talking me up, but I didn’t take it seriously.”

Then he turned to his sister-in-law, “Sister-in-law, Fang Yuan may be hot-tempered, but she’s kind-hearted. Even after getting married, she still cares about her family. We all have parents, just like you.”

Wang Cuixiang rubbed her forehead. This son-in-law isn’t easy to deal with either. It’s fine to protect your wife, but you shouldn’t put your sister-in-law on the spot.

Second, third, and fourth Fang brothers all chimed in, “Fang Yuan is a handful, but that’s how she was raised. She’s our only sister, so even if she’s a handful, we’ll spoil her.”

Fang Laoda (the eldest) said to his wife, “Let’s go home. This has nothing to do with you.”

If he hadn’t said that, his wife would have had a hard time backing down. Everyone could see that Fang Laoda was standing up for his wife.

Wu Hu (Fifth Tiger) snorted, clearly unhappy. Fang Yuan had been wronged.

Fang Daleng pulled his brother-in-law into the house for a chat, “Don’t take it to heart.”

But when it came to matters in the provincial capital, Fang Daleng always played dumb.

He didn’t get involved in the kids’ business. No matter how much the eldest stirred things up, he stayed out of it.

Even if Sister-in-law’s younger brother wanted to take advantage of the situation and stick around, there was no way.

Fang Laohu (Old Tiger) cared about face, so he took his brother-in-law and left. He couldn’t just let him hang around shamelessly at home.

Lu Chuan felt especially embarrassed and shielded Fang Yuan behind him, saying to Wang Cuixiang, “Mom, sorry to trouble you.”

Wang Cuixiang wanted to say something, but seeing her son-in-law’s attitude, she couldn’t scold her daughter. “She’s my own daughter. What trouble could she cause? I knew it—if she ever ran into your big brother’s brother-in-law, something like this was bound to happen.”

Fourth Tiger said, “Wasn’t that great? I’ve wanted to scold him for ages. Our Fang Yuan is so bold! If my future wife ever treats you like that, I’ll send her straight back to her parents’ house.”

Fang Yuan replied, “Oh, please. Big Brother said the same thing once. Look how things turned out.”

Then she looked at the second and third brothers, “None of you guys have the guts. You all take after Dad.”

Too many sons are a headache, but daughters are even more of a headache. Wang Cuixiang said, “Stop stirring things up.”

Even your dad got dragged into this mess. What, you want him to divorce me and send me back to my parents’ house?

Fang Yuan said, “I’m just stating the facts.” Wang Cuixiang shot her a glare, and Fang Yuan fell silent.

Fourth Tiger said, “Mom, if I really wanted to stir things up, I’d have Fang Yuan find someone to beat him up. Seriously, if Big Brother keeps hanging around with his brother-in-law, just watch—he won’t just lose money, he’ll lose his reputation too.”

Fang Yuan nodded in agreement, “Big Brother really hurt me this time. From now on, I’m done with him. Serves him right.”

Fifth Tiger tried to comfort her, “Why worry about him? If you have the energy, help me find a good wife—one without a brother-in-law like that.”

Wang Cuixiang kicked Fifth Tiger. “Is that any way to talk?”

Lu Chuan said, “I wonder if Big Brother will be upset with Sister-in-law. This really is our fault.”

Fang Yuan replied, “Don’t worry about that. My sister-in-law may not have many other skills, but she’s the best at coaxing my big brother.”

Fifth Tiger snarked, “That’s because Big Brother is famous for doting on his wife.”

Fang Yuan said, “Like I said, all the men in our family take after Dad.”

Wang Cuixiang said, “You lot just don’t want me to have any peace, do you? As long as your big brother and sister-in-law live well together, I’m satisfied. The rest of you, stop meddling. If your big brother wants to earn less, so be it. Do you really think I don’t know you’re all hoping to out-earn him? And another thing—stop bringing up your dad.”

The brothers all fell silent. Of course, everyone wanted to earn more than the others.

Fang Daleng saw his sons quiet down and realized his wife was right. He pointed at them, “You boys are really something.”

Fifth Tiger said, “Come on, Dad, don’t listen to Mom. I’ll walk Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan to the village entrance, so they don’t run into that ‘royal uncle’ again.”

Fourth Tiger burst out laughing, “Big Brother’s brother-in-law is the ‘royal uncle’? Dad, that makes you the ‘retired emperor’!”

Fang Daleng said, “Retired emperor? You lot are enough to drive me crazy.”

Fourth Tiger followed them out the door, “That guy really dreams big, thinking he can get in on the provincial capital business.”

Fifth Tiger said, “Let him dream. Didn’t you see how Fang Yuan made a fuss and cut him off? Sister-in-law’s little schemes were squashed right then and there.”

Fourth Tiger said, “You know, people from the provincial capital really are sharp. Even Fang Yuan’s getting shrewder.”

Lu Chuan didn’t like that, “Fang Yuan was never lacking in smarts.”

Fourth Tiger laughed, “I used to think Fifth Tiger was just hyping you two up, but now I believe it. Brother-in-law, you really do treat Fang Yuan well—always looking out for her. Alright, off you go, we’ve got things to do.”

They really were busy.

Lu Chuan pulled Fifth Tiger aside and said, “Fifth Brother, Big Brother is steady and reliable, and Fang Laohu’s reputation is well-earned. If we can’t help with Big Brother’s business, it’s better not to get involved. Later, help me talk some sense into Fang Yuan.”

Fifth Tiger didn’t take it seriously, “Don’t worry, our family business won’t drag Fang Yuan into it. She can do whatever makes her happy. Don’t listen to Big Brother’s wife—Fang Yuan always has the final say at home.”

Lu Chuan didn’t mean anything else by it, just wanted to remind Fifth Brother. That brother-in-law really wasn’t simple.

On the way home, Lu Chuan said to Fang Yuan, “You didn’t have to make a scene over something so small.”

Fang Yuan replied, “Who said I did it on purpose? I just wanted to tell him not to think about my side of things. I’ve been wanting to fall out with Big Brother’s wife for a long time.”

Lu Chuan turned to her, “Really?”

Fang Yuan said, “Just focus on riding. What do you think? You think I’d joke around with him? He’s not even worth it.”

Alright, Lu Chuan had thought Fang Yuan was just trying to refuse her big brother’s brother-in-law and didn’t know how to say it.

Fang Yuan said, “Let me tell you, that guy’s no good—worse than my fourth brother. I can’t stand how Sister-in-law always acts so magnanimous and puts up with everything, but behind the scenes, she’s the one coming up with all the bad ideas. Otherwise, do you think my big brother would have any schemes?”

Lu Chuan thought Fang Yuan was mistaken—Fang Laohu was actually quite shrewd.

He wasn’t as afraid of Sister-in-law as Fang Yuan thought, nor did he always listen to her. Sister-in-law only provoked Fang Yuan today to help Big Brother save face.

Just looking at how Big Brother acted in front of Sister-in-law today, you could tell. That brother-in-law was just a scapegoat, half-willing, half-pushed.

If he said outright that Big Brother was in the wrong, Fang Yuan would be upset, but he also didn’t want to see his wife get played for a fool.

Lu Chuan clicked his tongue and said to Fang Yuan, “Think about it—when Big Brother and I worked together, we split everything fifty-fifty. Big Brother probably wasn’t too happy about that, otherwise we wouldn’t have gone our separate ways. If Big Brother works with his brother-in-law, do you think he’d split the money evenly? Second Brother and Third Brother wouldn’t stand for it either, right?”

173."

"Chapter 173: Understood

Even without thinking too hard, anyone could tell that Big Brother Fang wouldn’t let himself get taken advantage of like that. Fang Yuan was a little confused: “Yeah, of course he wouldn’t agree to that. So then what happened?”

Lu Chuan replied, “So is this brother-in-law supposed to get a share of the profits, or just earn a wage? Whether Big Brother makes money or loses money, how much does it really have to do with this brother-in-law?”

This is the kind of thing that gets more interesting the more you think about it. If you really weigh it carefully, you start to see what’s going on.

Fang Yuan knew deep down that her big brother was never that generous. She started to doubt herself: “Did I blame him for nothing?”

Lu Chuan didn’t know how to say it—your big brother is more shrewd than you, so you’d better stop worrying about it. It’s not about whether you blamed him wrongly or not; it’s a fundamental misunderstanding.

At the very least, Lu Chuan never underestimated this brother-in-law. He’s not an ordinary person.

Fang Yuan still couldn’t figure it out the whole way home: “So what’s he up to? What’s the point of all this fuss? It’s not worth it just to ruin his brother-in-law’s reputation.”

Not that Lu Chuan didn’t know, but even if he did, he couldn’t say. In the end, it all comes down to interests.

Is Big Brother Fang an ordinary guy? Definitely not. When he got home, he gave his brother-in-law a hard look: “If you want to go to the construction site this year, then work hard and do your job. Otherwise, don’t bother going.”

The brother-in-law was unhappy, but didn’t dare act up in front of Big Brother Fang: “Brother-in-law, you can’t listen to their gossip. The provincial capital is so big, and none of them are outsiders. Don’t you care?”

Big Brother Fang scowled at him: “My place is too small for you, is that it?”

Brother-in-law replied, “Brother-in-law, I’m just paving the way for you. You don’t know—everyone who went to the provincial capital with the Five Tigers said they made big money there, and that you have connections. We’re all brothers here, so why should you be stuck in the countryside?”

But Big Brother Fang wasn’t about to pamper his brother-in-law: “I don’t have the skills to make money in the provincial capital, no matter how good it is. If you’re with me, work hard and earn your keep. Otherwise, get lost.”

Then he turned to his wife: “Fang Yuan is my sister. If you don’t like her, just go to our parents’ place less often. Stay home and take care of the kids. Don’t let people say I can’t support my wife and children. You’re the lady of the house—you’re in charge here.”

He continued, very seriously: “At our parents’ place, you’re a daughter-in-law. It’s not your place to boss people around. Fang Yuan is their daughter. In their house, she has more say than you.”

He didn’t even give his wife a chance to argue: “Fang Yuan won’t come here to bother you.”

Fang Yuan really just didn’t like her and didn’t want to deal with her, but she never actually went out of her way to provoke her. Big Sister-in-law said, “Got it. I’ll go back to my parents’.”

Big Brother Fang said, “Go home with your brother and the kids. I’ll come pick you up from your folks’ place tomorrow.”

That’s what you call giving someone a slap in the face and then saving their pride—he really knew how to handle things. Big Sister-in-law and her brother couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

Big Sister-in-law was almost in tears, grabbing Fang Laohu: “Honey, aren’t we going home together?”

Big Brother Fang just turned and left. He still had a lot of authority in front of his brother-in-law. That whole “afraid of the wife” thing? Not here.

With a brother-in-law like Fang Laohu, how could anyone believe he’d pamper his wife’s brother? Even the so-called “royal brother-in-law” didn’t believe it himself.

Big Sister-in-law was reluctant, but still pulled herself together and went home with her brother. This man might treat you well most of the time, but when he says something, you have to listen.

The so-called “royal brother-in-law” didn’t even dare make a peep in front of Fang Laohu.

After sending off his wife and brother-in-law, Big Brother Fang immediately went to see Fang Daleng.

Fang Daleng looked at his eldest son, worried: “Why’d you let your wife go home by herself? She’s got her issues, always thinking about her parents, but you should still give her some face. Remember to pick her up tomorrow.”

Big Brother Fang looked reluctant, but said, “I’ll listen to Dad. Can’t let outsiders laugh at us.”

After he said that, he acted like he was the one who’d been wronged—really hard to watch.

Wang Cuixiang looked at her husband and nodded approvingly, praising her eldest for being reasonable. Every family’s like this. For a man, a little grievance is nothing.

Wang Cuixiang rubbed her chest and went out to chat.

As parents, they’re just there for their son to play his games. After all these years, Big Brother’s little schemes—her silly old man never saw through them.

Wu Hu (Five Tigers) also laughed. Big Brother was a master at this game, and only their dad kept falling for it. But he was willing to give Big Brother this face, this way out.

That night, Wu Hu thought it over too. With Big Brother’s cunning, would he really let a brother-in-law mess up his own business?

The words his brother-in-law said kept echoing in his ears. Wu Hu really thought it through, much more clearly than Fang Yuan.

Wu Hu slapped his own hand until it went numb, muttering angrily, “Big Brother really is something else.”

He probably wants to keep all the profits for himself, messing with the second and third brothers. The fourth’s already been pushed out by Big Brother. No wonder brother-in-law could see through it—he’s got a good head on his shoulders.

Why didn’t he think of it before? Big Brother wasn’t even willing to split things fifty-fifty with brother-in-law, so how could he possibly want to split it several ways with his brothers? So that’s what he was waiting for.

If even he’s unwilling, how could Big Brother agree? Damn, Wu Hu thought, “Our family’s full of geniuses.”

Such a trivial matter—if you don’t want to share, just say so. Second and third brother aren’t any worse than you. Why all the drama? Really something else.

Big Brother’s just using brother-in-law to test his brothers. If he didn’t know how dark-hearted Big Brother was, Wu Hu would have told second and third brother everything.

Thinking about all the scheming Big Brother’s done over the past six months, Wu Hu held back. He was afraid Big Brother would turn on him.

But keeping this bottled up really was uncomfortable.

He kept thinking how Big Brother really was something else. Their parents worried about him all the time, but he was always calculating.

They’re real brothers—can’t he just be straightforward? Always scheming.

All he did was secretly save a little money—compared to this, it was nothing.

Lu Chuan took Fang Yuan home, and they actually missed a big commotion in the village.

The talk of the village wasn’t even about Gong Er. Lu Laoda and Li Meng made such a scene that they completely overshadowed the gossip about Gong Er.

Shows just how big of a deal it was.

Sister-in-law Sun grabbed Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan to spread the news: “Don’t bother looking, there’s no one at your house. They all went to the clinic—no, to the commune.”

Just from the way Sister-in-law Sun said it, how could they not be anxious? Lu Chuan said, “Sister-in-law, can you be a bit clearer?”

Sister-in-law Sun said, “Oh, don’t worry, your parents are fine, and so is your third brother.”

Hearing that everyone was fine, Lu Chuan felt much more at ease. As for the rest, he didn’t care. That was something he kept to himself.

Fang Yuan, on the other hand, wasn’t one to keep things inside—if she had something to say, she’d say it: “If anything happened to the others, it’s got nothing to do with us.”

Sister-in-law Sun said, “Actually, it does. When your mom left, she was worried you’d come home to a cold house, so she gave me the key and asked me to heat up the kang for you.”

174."

"**Chapter 174: The Lu Family’s Big Jealous Pot**

Fang Yuan quickly took the keys—her mother-in-law was just too trusting. How could you just hand the keys over to anyone?

Even if you’re a bit cold, you can’t let someone like Sister-in-law Sun just waltz into the yard.

Sister-in-law Sun didn’t even notice this. She just followed Fang Yuan inside, acting all natural and at ease.

As they walked, she chatted away, “Let me tell you, today’s the second day of the new year, right? Your sister-in-law—no, that loose-mouthed one you talk about—she didn’t go back to her parents’ house, right? So her sister-in-law, her mom, her brother, her dad, the whole family showed up. Oh my, anyone who didn’t know better would think they missed their daughter so much.”

Lu Chuan shivered at Sister-in-law Sun’s exaggerated tone and tried to slip away. “I’ll go heat up the kang.”

Sister-in-law Sun felt a bit embarrassed. “I was so caught up listening to gossip outside, I forgot to warm up the kang for you.”

Fang Yuan said, “You really shouldn’t have troubled yourself, Sister-in-law. We came back early, we could’ve done it ourselves. Sorry to put you out.”

Sister-in-law Sun thought to herself, What a considerate little wife. “It’s no trouble at all. Let me keep telling you what happened.”

She really just loved gossiping. If she didn’t finish telling the whole story, she wouldn’t be satisfied.

Fang Yuan, though straightforward, knew it wasn’t good to chase her off, and besides, listening didn’t hurt.

Sister-in-law Sun continued, “You don’t know, Li Meng’s mom, that sister-in-law, she’s really something else. She just takes whatever she wants from Li Meng’s little shop, and she won’t stop until she’s cleared it out. Worse than bandits, I’ve never seen family like this.”

She smacked her lips and went on, “Everyone in the village says that family’s a den of thieves.”

Fang Yuan thought, Serves them right—sometimes it takes bad people to deal with bad people.

Sister-in-law Sun said, “Li Meng, pregnant as she is, tried to protect her things, crying and making a scene. Everyone who heard felt bad for her. But her mom and sister-in-law didn’t care at all, didn’t even care about her pregnancy, just went about their business.”

She added, “Li Meng’s got it tough with parents and siblings like that, but what can you do? They’re her family, and we villagers can’t really interfere.”

Seeing Fang Yuan wasn’t responding, Sister-in-law Sun kept going, “Later, Old Lu got mad and came out with a hoe, trying to drive them out. But then her father-in-law and brother-in-law ganged up on him and gave him a beating. If Li Meng hadn’t thrown herself in to protect him, Old Lu would’ve been beaten half to death.”

Fang Yuan understood—you can’t just stand by and watch your own son get beaten. She finally spoke up, “My dad and Xiao San went over too.”

Sister-in-law Sun, encouraged by Fang Yuan’s response, became even more animated and indignant, “Exactly! Old Lu got beaten like that—if your dad and Xiao San hadn’t stepped in, your family would’ve lost face.”

She continued vividly, “And the villagers couldn’t just stand by and watch your dad and Xiao San get bullied either. In the end, they managed to drive that whole nasty family out.”

Then she added, “But they wouldn’t give up. They demanded money from Li Meng, saying if you marry their daughter, you have to pay. But Li Meng’s clever—she clutched her belly and said they’d beaten her so badly she’d had a miscarriage. At first everyone thought she was faking, but who knew, it actually happened. Talk about bad luck.”

At this point, Sister-in-law Sun spread her hands, “So now they’ve all gone to the commune.” She really knew how to wrap up a story.

Fang Yuan thought, If Sister-in-law Sun told jokes from my joke books, she’d definitely be more entertaining than Lu Chuan.

Sister-in-law Sun was really looking out for Fang Yuan, “Good thing you weren’t home. Otherwise, what would you have done—help Old Lu or not? If you helped, it’d be awkward; if you didn’t, people would gossip behind your back.”

But Fang Yuan didn’t have those worries. “Sister-in-law, just tell people straight—I’m not afraid of gossip.” In other words, she wouldn’t have helped.

Sister-in-law Sun said, “Look at you. Now that it’s happened once, Li Meng’s mom and her lot won’t come back, and you won’t have to deal with this again. Why talk about it?”

Fang Yuan hadn’t realized Sister-in-law Sun was so considerate.

Sister-in-law Sun sighed, “Still, you have to feel for her. What kind of family is that?”

Fang Yuan replied, “With someone who acts like her, it’s no surprise her family’s like that.” Like mother, like daughter—Li Meng was rotten to the core.

Sister-in-law Sun looked gossipy, “Tsk tsk, you still mind?” She just couldn’t help digging for more.

But Fang Yuan couldn’t let Sister-in-law Sun speculate too much, or who knows what rumors would spread tomorrow.

Fang Yuan honestly didn’t even know what Sister-in-law Sun was getting at.

Just then, Lu Chuan hurried in from the outer room, lifting the curtain. “Sister-in-law, sorry for all the trouble today.”

Sister-in-law Sun replied, “Oh, don’t be so polite. Your mom gave me the key because she trusts me. I’m honored. I’m happy to help.”

Fang Yuan had learned to be polite, too. “You’re trustworthy, Sister-in-law. We can rely on you.”

Sister-in-law Sun floated out of the Lu house, not expecting such praise from Fang Yuan.

She immediately regretted not being more diligent and helping the young couple heat up the kang. She felt she’d let Fang Yuan down and really regretted it.

Lu Chuan looked at Fang Yuan. “You’re not really bothered, are you?”

Fang Yuan replied, “Bothered by what? I hold grudges, but people like that aren’t worth my time.”

Lu Chuan was satisfied. “I’ll go help Xiao San warm up their place.”

Fang Yuan followed, “I’ll go cook, too. With all this fuss, Mom and Dad probably haven’t eaten yet. Poor Mom, dealing with those people—no, those two.”

She added, “Ever since this started, Mom knew the Li family would come sniffing around.”

Lu Chuan said, “Still, I didn’t expect Old Lu to stand up to outsiders like that. Must’ve hurt to lose that money.”

Fang Yuan chimed in, “Now he knows how hard it is to earn money.”

Lu Chuan shot Fang Yuan a look—he really didn’t want to talk about Old Lu with her.

Fang Yuan, oblivious, said, “I wonder if he regrets giving me all that money?”

At that, Lu Chuan’s face fell. Did it really matter if Old Lu regretted it?

Fang Yuan felt a chill. “Is this new house drafty? Why is it so cold? Do you feel it?”

She turned and saw Lu Chuan’s icy glare. So that’s where the cold air was coming from.

Fang Yuan was puzzled. “Who upset you? Don’t tell me you want to go help Old Lu? Are you out of your mind?”

Lu Chuan snorted coldly—he wanted to go fight Old Lu.

He raised his voice at Fang Yuan, “Fang Yuan, whether Old Lu regrets it or not has nothing to do with you. What kind of person he is has even less to do with you.”

Fang Yuan, as carefree as ever, replied, “Right, it has nothing to do with me. Why are you making a point of saying that?”

Lu Chuan was so mad his chest hurt. If only he could say he just didn’t want to hear it. She really would say anything, while he actually cared."

"Chapter 175: Saving Face

Just as Lu Xiaosan and the others returned, the old couple didn’t even have a chance to get properly angry—their mood was interrupted.

As soon as Old Lu and his wife entered the house, they saw Lu Chuan looking upset. There were only two people in the room—who was he putting on that face for?

Old Mrs. Lu slapped Lu Chuan lightly. “You’ve got some nerve, huh? Who are you giving that face to?”

Lu Chuan turned and walked out. He didn’t want to hear about Lu Laoda’s mess and needed to process his emotions on his own.

Old Mrs. Lu pulled Fang Yuan aside. “What happened? Are you upset? Don’t worry, I’ll have your dad deal with him later. Don’t get angry, we’ll make him apologize to you.”

Fang Yuan just smiled. “Mom, I’m cooking. Let’s make a couple of dishes and we can eat.”

Seeing how considerate her second daughter-in-law was, Old Lu said, “Good, good. After all the fuss today, I’ve been hungry for ages. Let’s eat first. Fang Yuan, if you’re ever unhappy at home, just say the word—your mom and I will stand up for you.”

Lu Xiaosan went over to Fang Yuan, grinning as he probed, “Second Sister-in-law, what’s up with Second Brother? He doesn’t look too happy.”

Lu Xiaosan didn’t think his second brother had the guts to give his wife attitude.

Fang Yuan replied, “He was fine when we came home. Then suddenly his face changed—who knows why. Just ignore him.”

Lu Xiaosan was a sharp one. He casually asked, “It’s not because of Lu Laoda’s business, is it?”

Fang Yuan thought about it as she served the dishes. “Probably, but it doesn’t really seem like it either.”

Lu Xiaosan scratched his head. What’s up with Second Brother? If even Second Sister-in-law doesn’t know why he’s angry, isn’t he just mad for nothing?

And he’s supposed to be the one who went to school? He’s not even that clever. Lu Xiaosan said, “I’ll go call Second Brother to eat. But don’t worry, he wouldn’t dare be mad at you.”

Fang Yuan said, “Yeah, no matter what he’s angry about, he still has to eat. The ‘anger’ can wait till later.”

Fang Yuan figured Lu Chuan seemed to be mad at her, so she needed to get to the bottom of it.

Lu Xiaosan heard this and was convinced—Second Brother was mad for no reason, and Second Sister-in-law was going to set him straight. Old Lu Chuan was just asking for trouble.

Look at their family’s situation—does he even have the right to be mad at Second Sister-in-law? Or the guts?

See how clear-headed Lu Xiaosan is.

Meanwhile, Old Mrs. Lu was chatting with Fang Yuan about family matters. “It’s a good thing Xiaosan and your dad are home, or else the house would’ve been robbed. That cursed Li family, they’re really something else.”

Fang Yuan just listened quietly, not wanting to get involved.

Old Mrs. Lu continued, “Good thing the kids are fine. Everyone went to the commune to sort it out. I didn’t expect it, but Laoda’s wife is pretty tough—she insisted on compensation. Looks like she’s really cut ties with her family.”

Fang Yuan said, “Doesn’t that just make things easier for that shameless Li Meng?”

Serves her right to have such a troublesome family, always coming around to stir things up.

Old Mrs. Lu didn’t dare say much, but thinking about it, Fang Yuan had a point. A family like that, always dragging you down and eyeing your money—cutting ties is probably for the best.

Otherwise, no one could live in peace. Still, she felt bad for her eldest.

Knowing her second daughter-in-law didn’t like Laoda and his wife, Old Mrs. Lu changed the subject and stopped mentioning them.

Over on Lu Xiaosan’s side, he called out to Lu Chuan, “Second Brother, time to eat. No matter what you’re mad about, my advice is to let it go. There’s no point being mad at anyone, especially not Second Sister-in-law. If you are, you’re just making things hard for yourself.”

Wasn’t that the truth? Lu Chuan muttered, “I’m mad at myself.”

Lu Xiaosan grinned. Second Brother was just overthinking things. “So you’re mad at Second Sister-in-law, right? Honestly, Second Sister-in-law is so easygoing, she never takes things to heart. You’re just being petty.”

Once again, Lu Chuan was seen through in just a few words. He snapped, “You talk too much.” Showing off, are you?

Lu Xiaosan probed further, “Second Brother, I never thought Lu Laoda could be so tough.”

Lu Chuan got even more annoyed. “Don’t mention him.”

Fine, Lu Xiaosan was amused. From Second Brother’s attitude, he could tell—this was about Lu Laoda, and Second Brother was just being petty.

Lu Xiaosan really understood. He thought, “You and Second Sister-in-law are living well in the provincial capital. Why think so much?”

Lu Chuan shot him a look, getting worked up. “What nonsense are you talking about?” He hadn’t even said anything, and this kid already seemed to know everything and started lecturing him.

Lu Xiaosan thought to himself, “I must be right—Second Brother’s always been narrow-minded.”

Seeing how much Second Brother cared about Second Sister-in-law, Lu Xiaosan knew there were some things you just couldn’t touch.

He smacked his lips—he couldn’t exactly hope for Second Brother and Sister-in-law to have a bad relationship, could he? Second Brother was just making trouble for himself.

Lu Xiaosan said, “Come on, let’s eat. Otherwise, Second Sister-in-law will think you’re petty.”

Lu Chuan definitely didn’t want his wife thinking he was petty, so he tried to save face. “I’m going back to my room to warm up under the covers.”

Lu Xiaosan burst out laughing. He didn’t say anything else, just waited for Lu Chuan to finish making the bed, then the two brothers went to the east wing for dinner.

Lu Chuan was still sulking, but with such a clever monkey around, he kicked Lu Xiaosan.

Lu Xiaosan, quick as ever, dodged. “Don’t take it out on me!”

At the door, Lu Xiaosan called out, “Second Sister-in-law, Second Brother was worried you’d be cold, so he went back to warm up the bed.”

As he spoke, the two brothers came in. Fang Yuan said, “Alright, let’s eat. You’ve both had a long day.”

Lu Xiaosan said, “It’s the New Year, but you can’t even buy food outside. I’m starving.”

Fang Yuan quickly handed him a steamed bun. “You did well today. Even Sister-in-law Sun praised you.”

Lu Xiaosan beamed. “If Sister-in-law Sun says so, that’s like the whole village saying so. If Second Sister-in-law thinks I did well, I’m proud.”

Fang Yuan smiled, “Sweet talker. I’ll give you another bun later. When you look for a wife, make sure you pick carefully—don’t marry into a troublesome family.”

Lu Chuan watched from the side, still looking a bit sour.

Lu Xiaosan said, “Of course. When I look for a wife, I’ll have Second Sister-in-law help me pick.”

Fang Yuan thought about it seriously. “I’m not sure I’d be much help.”

Lu Xiaosan said, “You don’t need to be. You’ve got good luck—pick one at random and she’ll be great. Look at Second Brother, you picked him and he’s the best.”

Fang Yuan nodded, “You’re right, I am lucky. I’ll help you when the time comes.”

Lu Xiaosan gave Lu Chuan some food, meaning, “Second Sister-in-law is praising you—what are you still sulking about?”

Lu Chuan’s mood finally eased, and he said to Fang Yuan, “You’re just lucky you found me.”

176."

"**Chapter 176: No One Is More Important Than You**

Lu Xiaosan said, “That wasn’t just a coincidence. Second Sister-in-law picked you. Look, she didn’t pick me.”

Old Lu glanced at his youngest son. This kid really didn’t care about saving face—he’d lay himself out for his second brother to step on.

Lu Chuan was in a much better mood. “That’s because your second sister-in-law has good taste. It’s not all luck, you know.”

Fang Yuan picked up some food for Lu Chuan. “Eat more, nourish your brain. You’d better keep being this good. Don’t get angry so much.”

The atmosphere at the table was a bit quiet. Everyone was watching Lu Chuan—they all knew he was sulking.

Lu Chuan pressed his lips together. He wanted to keep being angry, but now he felt embarrassed.

Lu Xiaosan couldn’t help it either. He picked up a piece of food for Lu Chuan. “Here, Second Brother, eat. It’s good for your mind too.”

Fang Yuan couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.

Lu Xiaosan laughed along. Trying to mediate between a married couple really wasn’t easy. At least now everyone was smiling.

Old Mrs. Lu let out a sigh of relief, thinking, My third son really has a way with people—he even made Fang Yuan laugh.

Lu Xiaosan said, “Second Sister-in-law, when it comes to me finding a wife, you’ve got to take it seriously.” Otherwise, all my heartfelt advice would be for nothing.

Fang Yuan was fond of this little brother-in-law—he had good taste and wasn’t annoying. “When I say something, I mean it. We’ll find you a girl who’s straightforward and comes from a good family. Even if she can’t help you much, at least she won’t hold you back.”

Lu Xiaosan replied, “I’ll listen to you, Second Sister-in-law.” A wife like that—anyone would be lucky to have her. He really didn’t ask for much else.

Old Mrs. Lu said, “Dream on. Where are you going to find such a good wife?”

Lu Xiaosan grinned, “My second sister-in-law is lucky. If she’s willing, maybe she really can find one for me.”

Fang Yuan said, “I’ll keep an eye out, don’t worry. I’ve got it in mind.”

Lu Chuan just stared at his silly wife. She’d been sweet-talked by Lu Xiaosan and actually agreed to help. He snorted softly.

Lu Xiaosan toned it down a bit—his second brother could be petty, so he had to be careful.

At the table, everyone started chatting about Lu Xiaosan getting married. It was a safe topic.

The young couple finished eating and happily went home. Just by looking at them, you could tell the anger had passed.

Old Mrs. Lu praised her youngest son several times. He knew how to talk, how to get things done, and how to make people happy.

Afterwards, Lu Xiaosan said to his parents, “See? It’s not easy to get on their good side. I put in so much effort for them.”

Old Lu liked seeing his sons get along. The eldest and second didn’t get along over such small things, but at least the youngest and second did. He was satisfied. “Just be careful. Your second brother and sister-in-law aren’t people you can just sweet-talk.”

Lu Xiaosan replied, “I’m not trying to get anything from them. I’m hardly ever home anyway. As long as they’re happy, that’s enough. It’s not a big deal.”

Then Lu Xiaosan reminded his dad, “Try not to mention Big Brother in front of Second Brother from now on.”

This was the second time Old Lu had heard this—his wife had said it too. He really didn’t realize things between the two brothers had gotten this bad.

Old Lu asked, “What’s really going on between your second and eldest brothers? They don’t get along, but it shouldn’t be this bad, should it?”

Lu Xiaosan curled his lips. That’s what you think. Second Brother doesn’t see it that way—it’s about feelings for him.

Big Brother doesn’t see it that way either—for him, it’s about money. Lu Xiaosan knew this well. Big Brother had said before that Second Brother always got the better end of the deal.

Lu Xiaosan said, “We’ve already split the family. Everyone lives their own life. Why get involved? If Big Brother hadn’t stepped up today, I wouldn’t have done it for him.”

Old Lu said, “You’re all brothers. If he gets bullied, it doesn’t look good for you either.”

Lu Xiaosan replied, “Dad, I don’t mean to sound harsh, but if Big Brother hadn’t gotten involved first, and if his in-laws tried to pin something on me, he wouldn’t say anything nice about me. He’d probably just watch the show from the sidelines.”

It wasn’t that Lu Xiaosan thought badly of him—Big Brother really was capable of that.

Old Lu said, “No way, your big brother isn’t that timid.”

Then Old Lu asked, “You’re always sweet-talking your second brother. Doesn’t he get suspicious?”

Lu Xiaosan said, “Even if my second brother is suspicious, it’s no use. With my second sister-in-law’s temper, if he tries to hide anything, she’ll smack it right out of him.”

Old Lu had to admit, his youngest saw people pretty clearly.

Lu Xiaosan started to get suspicious. “Dad, what are you getting at? Are you trying to drive a wedge between me and Second Brother?”

Old Lu said, “Just giving you a reminder. You can’t always rely on others—you have to stand on your own.”

Lu Xiaosan snorted, “Who are you looking down on?”

Meanwhile, Old Mrs. Lu finished tidying up and called Old Lu, “Big Brother probably hasn’t eaten yet. I’ll go cook for them. You come help me clean up. The Li family’s made such a mess of things.”

Old Lu wanted to call Lu Xiaosan to help, but Old Mrs. Lu pulled him away. “I’ll take care of her. I’m her mother-in-law. My son doesn’t want to be bothered by her.”

Lu Xiaosan just stood there smiling, with no intention of helping.

Old Lu shook his head and said nothing. This was all Big Brother and his wife’s doing—no wonder the youngest didn’t want to deal with them.

Lu Xiaosan knew, even though his parents ate here, their minds were still on the eldest grandson. Classic case of “the smelly butt you can’t throw away.”

Just a wall away, Fang Yuan and Lu Chuan both knew Old Mrs. Lu and Old Lu had gone over to Big Brother’s place.

Lu Chuan was worried Fang Yuan would feel bad. “Don’t let this upset you. It’s not worth it. We’re all their sons—Mom and Dad can’t let go.”

Fang Yuan said, “You think I’m that petty?”

Lu Chuan, feeling better, teased her, “You’re in such a good mood?”

Fang Yuan pursed her lips. “If it were my mom, I’d definitely argue. But it’s your mom, not mine. I’m not saying anything bad about her—it’s just not my place to interfere.”

Lu Chuan understood. She wasn’t his biological mother, so this was already pretty good. “If it were my mother-in-law, I’d just have to listen too. Wouldn’t dare say anything.”

Lu Chuan added, “We’re not home much anyway. Mom and Dad are always around. They see each other every day, so let them be.”

Fang Yuan nodded. “Yeah, if they want to tire themselves out, it’s not our business.”

Lu Chuan wondered if he’d managed to comfort her or not.

Then Fang Yuan asked, “Why were you upset just now?”

Lu Chuan pretended not to know. “Upset? When was I upset? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Fang Yuan smacked him. “Talk properly.”

Lu Chuan knew there was no getting out of it. He knew what kind of person Fang Yuan was and didn’t want to bottle it up. “I’m petty. I just don’t like you comparing yourself to… you-know-who. It makes me unhappy.”

He wouldn’t even mention Big Brother by name—just “you-know-who.” That’s how petty he was.

Fang Yuan said, “If you don’t like it, just say so. I won’t say it again.”

Lu Chuan was stunned by how easily she agreed. “Huh?” Was she really going to just go along with him like that?

Fang Yuan said, “Of course I want you to be happy. Who could be more important than you? But being petty isn’t really something to be proud of, you know.”

Just those two sentences, and Lu Chuan was grinning like a fool for half the night. No matter how he looked at Fang Yuan, he was happy. He felt silly for having been upset in the first place—if he’d known, he wouldn’t have gotten angry at all.

177."

"Chapter 177: Champion at Making Trouble

On the third day of the new year, Fang Yuan and her husband spent the whole day at home, chatting and laughing with Lu’s parents, keeping them company.

By the fourth day, they were off to the county to check on their work—really busy, with no time to worry about family matters. Who are Lu Laoda and Li Meng compared to making money?

As for Gong Er’s business, Fang Yuan didn’t care much. She’d already vented her anger, and that was that.

But there was a change when it came to work.

Wu Hu suddenly announced that he wasn’t afraid of hard work and was willing to run back and forth between the provincial capital and the county. Until they had a solid footing in the provincial capital, he wasn’t about to let go of the territory they’d secured in the county.

That wasn’t what he’d said before. Wu Ge had always insisted that the provincial capital was the priority, and they could drop the county work at any time.

Lu Chuan was puzzled. Why the sudden change of heart? Wasn’t this just making things harder for himself? “Wu Ge, that’s not what you said before the new year. What changed?”

Something was off. Who had influenced Wu Ge’s decision?

Wu Hu’s face was dark. “Brother-in-law, do you think I’m short-sighted?”

Lu Chuan replied, “No way, Wu Ge. You always look at the long-term. Wu Ge, there’s no need to get angry with anyone and make yourself suffer. It’ll just get in the way of our plans to get rich.”

Wu Hu grumbled, “But I feel like Fang Laoda tricked me. He’s always scheming. When Si Hu was making waves in the countryside, he just watched and said nothing. I thought he was being generous, but now I realize he was eyeing our county jobs.”

Laoda’s calculations were too deep, and Wu Hu was genuinely upset. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he felt.

Lu Chuan didn’t want to get involved in this, so he just listened to Wu Ge vent.

Wu Hu, still fuming, continued, “He let his brother-in-law stir things up, and what did Laoda do? I finally get it—he let his brother-in-law mess with us. Er Ge and San Ge already said a few days ago that they’re done working with him. They just want to earn their wages in peace. Tell me, isn’t Laoda being a jerk? I can’t just let him take advantage of us like this. It’s infuriating.”

He added, “Even if I don’t say anything, I have to stand up for Er Ge and San Ge.” Wu Hu wouldn’t have said all this to Lu Chuan if he weren’t really angry.

Lu Chuan avoided talking about Fang Laohu and instead considered things from Wu Ge’s perspective. “But Wu Ge, isn’t this going to be exhausting for you, running to the provincial capital and all?”

Wu Hu replied, “We don’t even have any real work in the provincial capital yet. Fang Yuan and Wanshun can get started first. Once there’s work, I’ll drop the county stuff. I know what’s important.”

That brought the conversation back to the eldest brother-in-law. Lu Chuan said, “Wu Ge, Laoda is still family.”

Wu Hu retorted, “But he’s too calculating with his brothers. He used his brother-in-law to mess with us all. Everyone wants to make money, but you can’t play dirty tricks behind people’s backs. Brother-in-law, don’t get involved in this. Just focus on the provincial capital.”

Lu Chuan, who didn’t really have a say in this, said, “Alright, as long as you don’t wear yourself out, Wu Ge. Don’t let this grudge get in the way of our real business. Fang Yuan is still counting on you to rent her that big crane.”

At the mention of Fang Yuan, Wu Hu’s tone softened. “Don’t just promise her anything. That’s not something you can just buy on a whim.”

He said that, but his attitude was clearly indulgent. The way he talked about Fang Yuan was completely different from how he talked about Laoda—Lu Chuan could tell Wu Ge was willing to spoil her.

Lu Chuan smiled, “Alright, but when the time comes, you’ll have to hold her back a bit.” With just a few words, he’d shifted Wu Hu’s attention back to the provincial capital.

Wu Hu snapped out of it. “I don’t want to talk to you. I’m not clever enough—I always end up falling into your traps.”

Lu Chuan denied it. “Wu Ge, we’re brothers. I’d never scheme against you.”

Wu Hu smirked. Whether or not there was scheming wasn’t up to Lu Chuan to say—he’d fallen into enough traps already. “Let’s go. While you’re still home, come with me to the county to check on the work. If we get things sorted out, we can start after the Dragon Heads-raising Festival, and I can go work in the provincial capital with you guys for a while. If you’ve checked it out, I’ll feel more confident.”

All this just to vent his anger and stand up for Er Ge and San Ge—meanwhile, they might not even know what he’s doing.

Lu Chuan knew Wu Ge was loyal to his brothers. “Alright.” And so the two of them got busy.

They only had one meal at home on the fifth day of the new year; the rest of the time, they were out working. By the seventh day, Wu Hu had secured contracts for at least three projects.

Even if Fang Laohu tried to pick up the leftovers, all that was left were scraps.

At dinner, Wu Ge made a point of showing off, and the look on Fang Laoda’s face was clearly annoyed.

But Fang Laoda kept his cool. If things didn’t work out in the county, he still had the countryside—building houses for villagers didn’t pay much, but it was still work.

But Wu Hu’s real mischief was introducing Si Hu to county jobs, letting him make a name for himself in the county first.

As long as Si Ge could establish himself, it wouldn’t be so easy for Fang Laoda anymore.

Fang Laoda was frustrated. All the brothers knew Si Hu was a troublemaker, and now Wu Hu had suddenly teamed up with him. Had Wu Hu lost his mind?

Wu Hu didn’t mince words with Si Hu. “Can you handle these jobs? However you do them, it’s got nothing to do with me. Whether you can establish yourself in the county is up to you. Just do a good job and don’t cause trouble.”

Si Hu was even more clear-headed than Wu Hu. “I know what I’m doing. If Fang Laoda hadn’t used his brother-in-law to mess with people, you wouldn’t have given me these jobs. You just want me to annoy him.”

Fair enough—he got it. Wu Hu realized he’d been worrying for nothing.

Wu Hu said, “Do whatever you want with it.”

Si Hu replied confidently, “I don’t have a brother-in-law dragging me down. How could I do worse than Fang Laoda?”

Just from that, it was clear Si Hu was only good for making trouble for Fang Laoda. He couldn’t really compete with him. If he hadn’t figured out by now that the brother-in-law was useless, then he was hopeless.

Fine, Wu Hu accepted it. As long as he could annoy Fang Laoda, that was enough. At least he’d vented his anger. The way he looked at Si Ge was full of frustration.

Wu Hu just couldn’t stand how smoothly Fang Laoda played his tricks.

When Fang Yuan and Lu Chuan returned to the village, Lu’s father was pacing around the cement mixer in the yard. “This big machine has been sitting here for over two months. There’s still more than a month before work starts. I’m getting anxious. Maybe I should go to the provincial capital with you?”

Lu Chuan said, “Just rest at home. Once work starts, you won’t have a break all year.”

Fang Yuan agreed, “A few days won’t make a difference. Just take this time to recharge.”

She turned to Lu Xiaosan and said bluntly, “Don’t just learn to suffer losses—grow a brain. It’s embarrassing otherwise.”

Lu Xiaosan grinned sheepishly. He wasn’t as clueless as his second sister-in-law thought. “Don’t worry, Second Sister-in-law. Si Ge treats me alright.”

He still hadn’t realized how cunning Si Ge was, and he was saying good things about him. Fang Yuan said, “That just means you haven’t learned your lesson yet.”

Lu’s father said, “Alright, alright, off you go now.”

178."

"Chapter 178: Not So Easily Fooled

Old Man Lu wanted nothing to do with the topic of the Fang brothers.

He might not know the saying “don’t meddle in family affairs,” but he’d lived long enough to understand it. He knew that no matter how siblings squabbled, they were still family, and outsiders shouldn’t get involved.

In private, he warned Lu Xiaosan, “Don’t play mind games with them. They’re big tigers.”

Lu Xiaosan understood perfectly. Just like Lu Chuan had said, he wasn’t lacking in smarts.

Even if he stopped working with Fourth Tiger in the future, he’d make sure to split things cleanly, so Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law wouldn’t be put in a tough spot.

Don’t be fooled by his age—he was sharp and socially adept.

Lu’s wife kept it simple. She packed a bunch of pickles, meat sauce, salted eggs, and grains for the two of them to take. She’d been preparing these for days.

She reminded Lu Chuan, “Take good care of Fang Yuan. Don’t just think about making money all the time. And don’t be petty—don’t give Fang Yuan a hard time.”

Lu Chuan twitched his lips. Now, that’s a real mom: “I’m the one always watching her mood.”

Lu’s wife replied, “Good, good. That’s how it should be—watch Fang Yuan’s mood.”

Lu Chuan almost wanted to ask, What’s wrong with me? Why do I have to be so humble, always watching someone else’s face? But honestly, he did have to.

Fang Yuan looked at the pile of stuff and said, “Good thing there are a lot of us going to the provincial capital. Otherwise, how would we carry all this?”

And plenty of people came looking for Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan, all wanting to go to the provincial capital to make money. It was a headache.

Everyone had heard that whoever Lu Chuan took with him came back with money. Naturally, they all wanted him to take them along.

Old Man Lu spoke up honestly, “Going out means hard work and tough days. Otherwise, why would Xiaosan and I stay at home?”

That cooled everyone’s enthusiasm. True enough—if Lu Chuan really had that much pull, wouldn’t he take care of Xiaosan first?

Lu Eldest didn’t get along with Lu Chuan, but everyone could see that Lu Xiaosan and Lu Chuan were close.

If their own family hadn’t been taken care of, it didn’t feel right to ask. Besides, nobody really wanted to go out and suffer.

Old Man Lu stepped in and, in his honest way, helped his son settle things. Fang Yuan and Lu Chuan didn’t have to offend anyone.

Fang Yuan and Fifth Tiger even brought Fang Daleng and his wife along to the provincial capital. The old couple wanted to see their son-in-law and daughter’s house.

As for Fifth Tiger, he still hadn’t told Fang Daleng and his wife that he had a house in the provincial capital.

He kept things vague, leaving Fang Daleng unsure—was his son really doing well, or just putting on a front?

He whispered to Wang Cuixiang, “Why can’t I figure this kid out? He sure knows how to keep things hidden.”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “You’ll see when we get to the city. Your daughter can’t keep secrets anyway.”

The bus was crowded, and Wang Cuixiang felt uncomfortable. Fang Daleng was even a bit carsick.

Fang Yuan looked at Fifth Brother and started talking, “If only I had money. If I did, I’d definitely buy a car.”

Fifth Tiger snorted, “A crane, maybe. Don’t try to fool me. No money for a car, and even if I had it, I wouldn’t buy one. Gas is expensive—costs more than keeping a wife.”

Fang Daleng was about to speak, but Wang Cuixiang pinched him. Just listen. They needed to observe whether these two really had money or not.

Lu Chuan, ever the supportive husband, chimed in, “Fifth Brother, sometimes you have to spend money where it counts. Otherwise, you’ll just work yourself to death. This year, you’ll be running back and forth to the city a lot. You need to take care of yourself. Buying a car would lighten your load.”

Fang Daleng and Wang Cuixiang were both stunned. Their son-in-law sure knew how to talk. Was their son about to be talked into something? Should they step in or not?

Fifth Tiger looked around at the cramped bus. It was annoying, sure, but better than riding a bike. Still, he shook his head firmly, “No money.”

Fang Daleng and Wang Cuixiang breathed a sigh of relief. Their son wasn’t stupid—he wasn’t about to be sweet-talked into spending money. Good, he knew how to save.

Fang Yuan snorted and threatened, “Fifth Brother’s saving up so he can lend me money for a crane.”

If he couldn’t bear to buy a car for himself, would he really lend money out? Now she’d put him on the spot. Fifth Tiger retorted, “You two are something else.”

Lu Chuan added, “Fang Yuan just cares about you, Fifth Brother. If I wanted to buy a car, she’d never let me. She only lets you.”

Fifth Tiger was annoyed, “Pfft.”

Fang Yuan scolded, “What’s with the attitude? Whether you buy or not, it’s your choice.”

Fifth Tiger was stubborn on the surface, but their words were getting to him. He couldn’t help but ask, “So, what kind should I buy? Are they expensive?”

Wang Cuixiang gave Fang Daleng a slap—see, their son was getting talked into it after all.

Fang Daleng grimaced but kept quiet under her glare.

Fang Yuan perked up, “One with four wheels, so it can haul cargo and my mixer. That way, we’ll save on hiring trucks.”

That was the real reason she wanted Fifth Tiger to buy a car—she needed to transport her mixer to the city, and that would cost a lot in shipping.

Lu Chuan had a different opinion. If they were going to buy, why get a cargo vehicle? Fang Yuan could get a nice ride out of it, too. “That kind burns a lot of gas. We mainly need something convenient for getting around the city and county. When you go out to meet people, it’ll look impressive. Your comfort comes first, Fifth Brother.”

Fifth Tiger said, “Looking impressive is just for show. Not practical. I can handle tough days.”

Lu Chuan replied, “Ideally, we’d rely on our abilities, but coming from the countryside, we don’t have a reputation yet. Sometimes you need external things to convince people.”

So now it was about appearances. Fifth Tiger said, “So you’re saying I should buy one?”

Lu Chuan nodded, “Sooner or later, you’ll need one. And it should be a good one—so people know you’re not ordinary.”

Fang Yuan pinched Lu Chuan, “It has to be a four-wheeler that can haul cargo.”

Lu Chuan said, “You can buy one for yourself later, use it at the construction site to earn extra hauling fees. This one’s for Fifth Brother, for him to use when he’s out meeting people.”

Wang Cuixiang just listened. Fang Daleng thought, What’s going on in this family? They’re talking about buying a car like it’s nothing.

He’d been selling meat for years and only had a pedal tricycle.

When they got to the provincial capital, Wang Cuixiang had Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan take them into the compound. As she walked, she looked around, “It’s a bit out of the way, but it’s much livelier than our village. Not bad at all. Looks like a real home. But isn’t it a bit far for your son-in-law to get to school?”

Fang Daleng was just happy, not noticing any of that. He pulled Fang Yuan aside, “My daughter has a house in the city. Amazing.”

Lu Chuan said, “Mom, it’s not far by bike. If I’m busy, there are dorms at school. I can stay there.”

Fang Daleng kept marveling, “Wow, this is the provincial capital!”

Suddenly, Wang Cuixiang asked, “What about your Fifth Brother? Where’s his house?”

179."

"Chapter 179: The Old Fox’s Tricks

Fang Yuan said casually, “Fifth Brother has to settle the people he brought first before he can take you over to have a look. But it’s just a look—there’s nothing over there.”

They felt reassured—the house really does exist.

Lu Chuan kept silent; this wasn’t something he should get involved in.

Wang Cuixiang said to Fang Daleng, “We just want to see his house.”

Well, they’d come all the way to the provincial capital just to confirm that Fifth Tiger really owned property. As parents, they really did care about their son.

Fang Yuan finally remembered that Fifth Brother hadn’t actually told them he had a house yet. “Maybe it’s not appropriate for me to take you over.”

Wang Cuixiang decided, “You’ve done plenty of things that aren’t appropriate, what’s one more?”

Fang Daleng added, “Girl, your parents aren’t outsiders. Your Fifth Brother won’t get mad at you. Let’s go see our family’s house.”

Fang Yuan shrugged, “That’s true. Fifth Brother probably wants to show off a bit anyway. I’ll help him brag first.”

Lu Chuan laughed. He couldn’t let his wife handle this alone. If Fifth Brother really blamed Fang Yuan, he’d have to step in. “Come on, I’ll take Mom and Dad over.”

Wang Cuixiang and Fang Daleng both felt at ease. Since their son-in-law spoke up, Fifth Brother’s house must really exist.

Then, standing in their son’s big courtyard, Fang Daleng’s expression changed—he was full of pride. “Even I have a place in the provincial capital now, all thanks to my son.”

Seeing Fang Daleng’s change, Fang Yuan muttered to Lu Chuan, “Now you see the difference between having a son and a daughter?”

Lu Chuan just smiled. Her father was clearly more relaxed and at home in Fifth Brother’s courtyard.

After looking around, Fang Daleng felt satisfied and started to dream aloud. “Wife, let’s open a butcher shop in the provincial capital. There are more people here than in the village. We’ll definitely make money.”

Wang Cuixiang was the voice of reason. “You think having more sons is a good thing? If we open a shop here and make money, who will inherit it? Aren’t you afraid your sons will fight each other over it?”

Lu Chuan had to admit, his mother-in-law thought far ahead. None of his brothers-in-law were easy to deal with.

Fang Daleng didn’t care. “Let them fight. The family business stays in the family, not with outsiders. If I have the ability to earn it, they can fight over it.”

Lu Chuan felt a chill run down his spine. No wonder all of his father-in-law’s sons were like tigers.

Wang Cuixiang said, “What’s the point of working so hard and suffering? Let’s just stay in the village. If you really want to live in the provincial capital, we’ll just stay with Fifth Brother and do nothing.”

Fang Yuan agreed, “That’s better. Fifth Brother will be less stressed. If you come to the city, you’ll bother him, and if you make money, the brothers will start thinking about it. I’m not happy about that.”

Lu Chuan just listened, not daring to say a word.

The more he got to know the Fang family’s five tigers, the more Lu Chuan realized their reputation was well-deserved. No matter who his parents-in-law relied on, they’d always be well taken care of.

Fang Daleng felt a bit wronged. “He’s my son—how is that bothering him?”

Fang Yuan replied, “If you live with Fifth Brother and give him your earnings, then it’s not bothering him.”

The father and daughter continued their back-and-forth, but Wang Cuixiang ignored them. No matter what they said, it was just talk.

Looking around, Wang Cuixiang was satisfied. Compared to her daughter’s place, this one had a better environment, better house, and was tidier.

She asked Lu Chuan, “Are your expenses high? Do you not have much money left?”

Fang Yuan didn’t understand why her mother asked that. “We don’t have much cash, but our expenses aren’t high.”

Lu Chuan was sharp and immediately understood what his mother-in-law was getting at. “Mom, we have enough money. We didn’t buy a finished house here because Fang Yuan thought we’d eventually need to buy some big items, so we bought a courtyard with more space. In the provincial capital, land is worth more than the house.”

Wang Cuixiang nodded, “I knew that was her idea.”

Then she scolded Fang Yuan, “Why do you waste so much money? You don’t live well, you don’t eat well, and it’s all because of you.”

Lu Chuan tried to defend her, “Mom, that’s not what happened. Fang Yuan isn’t like that.”

Fang Yuan protested, “Exactly! What did I waste? Who told you that? That’s just gossip.”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “Do I need anyone to tell me? Your husband is just as capable as Fifth Tiger, and Fifth Tiger has a courtyard like this and is about to buy a car. Your place isn’t as nice, and you can’t even afford a car. Where did the money go?”

Clearly, her mother-in-law had done the math.

Lu Chuan thought, with such a shrewd mother-in-law, Fang Yuan couldn’t hide anything from her. What could she possibly keep secret?

Fang Yuan said, “We bought a courtyard. That’s not wasting money, that’s getting a bargain.”

But after her mother-in-law’s lecture, she felt maybe just having a place to live was good enough—why buy a courtyard? If that’s not wasting money, what is?

Then, when they got home and saw the run-down courtyard, Wang Cuixiang scolded Fang Yuan even more, feeling sorry for her son-in-law. “We’ve been busy all year, and she’s spent every penny. I’m sorry, son-in-law.”

Lu Chuan reassured her, “Mom, this is better than saving money. Really, Fang Yuan is smart. Even Fifth Brother regrets not spending all his money back then.”

Wang Cuixiang didn’t believe it, thinking Lu Chuan was just covering for his wife. “Enough, I feel bad for you.”

Fang Daleng looked at the big courtyard and said, “Wow, my daughter is really capable. With such a big place, all our sons could move here and each build a house.”

Wang Cuixiang just rolled her eyes. “Dream on. Look at your daughter—do you think she’d let her brothers split up her property?”

Fang Yuan didn’t need Lu Chuan to answer. She said directly, “Dad, you can work hard for your sons, but I’ll have my own kids. This is all for my son.”

Lu Chuan blushed. Even though they didn’t have a son yet, Fang Yuan was already planning for their future.

Fang Daleng was just speaking without thinking. “Look at how little money I have. How many courtyards could I buy?”

He really was thinking about buying property in the provincial capital. Fang Yuan said, “You couldn’t even buy one. And if you did, who would you give it to? Are you worried your sons won’t have enough in the future?”

Fang Daleng replied, “What’s wrong with that? I can do whatever I want for them. Tomorrow, I’ll tell them that my money has nothing to do with them. I’ll give it to whoever I want.”

Wang Cuixiang knew her husband well. “Are you still thinking about buying each son a house in the city?”

Fang Daleng chuckled. He really did have that idea. As a father, he wanted to give his sons the best. He hadn’t thought about it before, but now he had more experience.

Wang Cuixiang said, “Give it a rest. Look how old you are. If there’s any fighting to do, let them do it themselves. We’re getting old—just take care of me.”

Lu Chuan changed the subject, “Mom, Dad, there’s no rush. Buying a house isn’t something you decide overnight. When Fifth Brother comes back, let’s go out for a nice meal.”

Wang Cuixiang nodded. “That’s true. I brought some grain and vegetables from home. I’ll go cook.”

180."

"Chapter 180: Not the One in Charge

Fang Yuan knew Wang Cui-xiang’s temperament. “Today I’ll let you get used to it, but tomorrow you’re not allowed to do it anymore. I brought you to the provincial capital so you could enjoy life, not so you could cook and play housemaid.”

Lu Chuan just laughed on the side. My wife doesn’t even have two hundred yuan in her pocket, but she sure talks tough.

Wang Cui-xiang said, “Whether I’m a housemaid or not, I’m still your mother. You’ve built up such a big family business, but how much money do you really have left? Stop making a fuss. Just eat at home like normal. It’s not easy for your husband to earn money, so you should take it easy.”

Then she added, “This house your fifth brother has—if we’d talked about it back home, even your fourth brother wouldn’t have dared to dream of it. Good thing we split up the family.”

Fang Da-leng, their biological father, looked at his son through rose-colored glasses. “Old Fourth isn’t that kind of person.”

Nobody believed that except Fang Da-leng himself. It was just something to listen to.

Fang Yuan said, “Don’t worry, Fifth Brother knows what he’s doing.” My fifth brother would never let himself get taken advantage of like that.

Wang Cui-xiang said, “Your dad and I are getting old, we don’t care about these things anymore. Don’t worry, whatever you’ve bought is yours. Your dad and I don’t have our eyes on it, and we won’t let those other brats have their eyes on it either. You’re a Lu, they’re Fangs, so they can’t even if they wanted to.”

She was clearly saying this to Lu Chuan, afraid that what Fang Da-leng had just said would make her son-in-law uneasy.

Lu Chuan said, “Mom, to tell you the truth, Fang Yuan’s been thinking about buying a crane truck. The reason we got this yard was so that if we bought a crane truck in the future, we’d have somewhere to park it. Nobody else can lay claim to it.”

Wang Cui-xiang was annoyed. “What the heck is that?”

Lu Chuan answered simply, “Something we can’t afford.”

That was a perfect explanation. Wang Cui-xiang pulled her son-in-law aside. “Lu Chuan, I’m sorry for you. This girl of mine is just too much. Don’t spoil her in everything. Every family saves a little money, but she—she just spends it all. I don’t even know who she takes after.”

Lu Chuan said, “Mom, don’t say that. If Fifth Brother had put all his money into buying houses back then, he could’ve bought two. But after just one New Year, his money isn’t even enough to buy one more.”

Wang Cui-xiang was surprised. “Why? Did he blow all the money? What a spendthrift.”

What else could it be? Forgive Wang Cui-xiang for not thinking of it right away—her first instinct was to blame her son.

Fang Yuan quickly cut in, “My fifth brother isn’t the type to waste money. The prices just went up.”

Fang Da-leng said, “See, I told you, we should’ve bought a place too. Fifth Brother already has one. Now the prices have gone up.”

Wang Cui-xiang shot him a glare. “Where would we get the money? Stop talking nonsense.”

Fang Da-leng tugged at his wife, clearly wanting to buy. “Let’s just keep it between us.”

Wang Cui-xiang said, “Buying property isn’t a joke, it’s about building a family foundation. Are you just doing it for fun?”

Fang Da-leng said, “When we’re old, we could live closer to our daughter. If the two of them ever have a fight, she’d have somewhere to go. Didn’t you say a daughter should always have a backup plan? Why bother buying something for Fang Yuan back in the village? Here is much better.”

Wang Cui-xiang couldn’t even look at her son-in-law, dragging Fang Da-leng off to the kitchen. Did he have no sense at all, saying everything in front of the son-in-law?

Fang Yuan, always straightforward, said, “If you buy one for me, that’s great! Mom, why don’t we just take out the money and see how much we have?”

Lu Chuan muttered, “Mom, if you’re buying, you should buy it for me. I’m the one who feels insecure. Why should we be leaving a backup plan for Fang Yuan?”

Fang Yuan shot back at Lu Chuan, “Dream on!” Why should it be for you?

When Wu Hu (Fifth Brother) came back, he could tell from Fang Da-leng’s look that Fang Yuan had let something slip.

With all this going on in the provincial capital, with this much family property, they still had to explain things to their parents. He was capable, and he wanted to show off a bit.

Wu Hu rushed to explain, “Mom, Dad, we’re just staying at my brother-in-law’s place for now. We actually have our own house in the provincial capital. We’ll go back to our own place soon.”

Fang Da-leng was delighted. “My son’s made it, better than his old man. That courtyard is really impressive.”

Wang Cui-xiang snorted, “Oh, please. We wouldn’t dare go there. Your dad and I are just here for your brother-in-law.”

Wu Hu said to Fang Da-leng and Wang Cui-xiang, “How can you say that? Your son can’t be less than your son-in-law! I’ll take you to see our own place later.”

Wang Cui-xiang said, “Lu Chuan is more reliable than you. We trust Lu Chuan.”

Lu Chuan knew that was just something to say. They didn’t really trust him. Just a moment ago, they were talking about buying a house for their daughter, just in case.

That night, Wang Cui-xiang took Wu Hu out. Lu Chuan figured that with all this family property, there was no way to keep it from his mother-in-law.

His father-in-law, on the other hand, was calm, just happy to be here. Everything in the provincial capital was new and exciting to him. He was mostly interested in the vegetable market. Since Fang Yuan didn’t cook, he couldn’t get much out of her, so it was Lu Chuan and Fang Da-leng talking.

Especially when it came to analyzing the long-term prospects, Fang Da-leng kept rubbing his hands together. “You know, your mom really won’t agree to us opening a butcher shop here in the provincial capital.”

Lu Chuan knew his father-in-law couldn’t make decisions over his mother-in-law. If she wasn’t happy, he had to talk his father-in-law out of it. “You have an advantage in the village. A butcher shop isn’t just about selling meat—you have your own pig suppliers. In the provincial capital, it wouldn’t be so easy.”

Fang Da-leng was unconvinced. “Why wouldn’t it be easy? Wouldn’t it be even more convenient here?”

The problem was transportation—it would be expensive. His father-in-law hadn’t thought of that.

Fang Yuan had. “Dad, if you truck a pig over, you might not be tired, but the pig sure will be.”

She added, “Besides, how many days would it take to get a pig here? It’s just not practical. Things are fine in the village.”

Fang Da-leng said, “Son-in-law, help your dad figure this out.”

Lu Chuan said, “If you want to do that, you’d need not just a shop in the city, but also a place to keep pigs temporarily, and a vehicle for transport. When you add it all up, you’d need a lot—a lot—of capital.”

Fang Da-leng scratched his head. “So, I can’t even afford to get started.”

Then he looked at his daughter. “You guys really don’t have any money left?”

Fang Yuan understood exactly what her dad meant. She shook her head. Even if we did, we wouldn’t let you get involved.

Fang Da-leng looked at his son-in-law. Lu Chuan scratched his head. “Dad, look at me—I’m useless. Whether we have money or not doesn’t matter to me. The important thing is, I’m not the one in charge.”

Fang Da-leng wanted to say, How can my son-in-law be so spineless? But then he thought, if the son-in-law isn’t in charge, then it must be the daughter. As a father-in-law, he said, “Fine, we men just do as we’re told—that’s a virtue too.”

Lu Chuan gave a strained smile to his father-in-law and turned to leave. Otherwise, he really wouldn’t know what kind of expression to show.

Should he ask his father-in-law, “You’re not in charge, I’m not in charge, so what are we even discussing here? It’s all for nothing!”

Fang Yuan would never lend money out. She said to Fang Da-leng, “That’s a lot of money. Why don’t you go ask Fifth Brother? But let me say this first—if Fifth Brother invests, then the shop, the place, the truck, all of it will belong to him. Your other sons can’t get involved.”

Fang Da-leng said, “You’re too bossy, girl! I’d be working for him for nothing!”"

"Chapter 181: Even the Most Careful Can Slip Up

Fang Yuan: “So Fifth Brother’s money just gets split up among your other sons for nothing? Why? I haven’t even touched my Fifth Brother’s money.”

Lu Chuan was listening outside and felt a headache coming on. You shouldn’t be eyeing Fifth Brother’s money either.

Fang Daleng: “You’re out of line, girl. They’re all brothers. Stop always siding with your Fifth Brother.”

Fang Yuan: “I rely on my Fifth Brother to get by. If I don’t stand up for him, who should I stand up for? Your other sons—would they ever let me spend their money?”

Just listen to her—she really knows where her loyalties lie.

Fang Yuan continued, “Anyway, here’s the deal: if you want to use my Fifth Brother’s money, fine, but the contract has to be clear—none of your other sons get a share. If we make money, my Fifth Brother will have put in the hard work and taken the risks, and then someone else gets to benefit? If you ask me, that’s not happening.”

Fifth Tiger, who was still upset about his own mother scheming away his savings, perked right up when he heard this. “Brother-in-law, remember this: when I get married, my money will still be managed by my sister.”

Wang Cuixiang snorted at her son-in-law. “Don’t worry, son-in-law. There’s no way you’ll get mixed up in this. The men in their family—money never seems to end up in their hands anyway.”

Lu Chuan understood—what her husband’s family inherited was not authority, but being henpecked.

Fifth Tiger was all bravado: “Mom, who are you looking down on?”

Wang Cuixiang went straight inside, not bothering to respond, and said to Lu Chuan, “Don’t worry. Your father and I, if we have money, we’ll use it ourselves. If we don’t, we’re not about to go after our sons’ money.”

What could Lu Chuan say? He couldn’t bring up Fifth Brother and Fang Yuan, so he could only talk business. “Mom, it’s not like that. What Dad’s talking about—if we do it right, it could really make money.”

Wang Cuixiang: “So what if it makes money? Then your brothers will just fight over it. What am I doing all this for? Just to give others something to gossip about?”

Lu Chuan felt she was hinting at him. He really wasn’t trying to watch the drama.

Fang Yuan also thought the business could make money. “If you don’t want to do it, how about Fifth Brother and I do it ourselves? Dad, you can help us at home with the pigs.”

Fifth Tiger jumped in, “Mom, you can come to the city and help us watch the shop.”

The siblings nodded. This business seemed promising. “We’ll pay you a wage.”

They really had it all planned out—just skipping over their parents and putting them to work.

Lu Chuan saw Fang Daleng’s face darken and quietly slipped out again. This wasn’t a scene for a son-in-law.

These two really needed a lesson. You can’t just openly set your parents up like this.

He didn’t hear Fang Yuan’s voice after that, but Fifth Tiger’s yelps were loud and clear, and Fang Daleng could be heard shouting, “You really think your old man is past it? Who does things like this? Even trying to take my money! I’ll teach you to scheme against your old man!”

Wang Cuixiang shouted from inside, “Serves you right!” Lu Chuan thought to himself, Good thing I stepped out. Otherwise, Fifth Brother would really lose face.

Who knows what the family discussed, but that evening, Fang Daleng didn’t mention the idea of opening a butcher shop in the city at all.

Lu Chuan figured his father-in-law had been talked around by his mother-in-law.

The next day, Lu Chuan and Fifth Tiger got busy. They’d brought so many people to the city—they had to get everyone settled and assign work.

Fifth Tiger had also taken on a few jobs repairing old houses. Everything had to be arranged in advance, since work wouldn’t start until after the Dragon Heads-raising Festival—people in the city had their own customs.

The brothers were busy with all this, while Fang Yuan brought Fang Daleng and the others to the city to show them around and have some fun.

Every day, she took Fang Daleng and Wang Cuixiang all over—despite the cold, they visited parks, the zoo, and even the markets.

She even took them to see the little room they’d stayed in when they first came to the city, which made Fang Daleng tear up.

Look at the size of our house back home, and yet my daughter had to suffer in this tiny place, barely enough room to turn around, no big stove. What did she eat?

Fang Daleng took Fang Yuan’s hand. “If I’d known, I would have come to the city first and set you up. My daughter has suffered.”

Wang Cuixiang said, “That’s enough. Didn’t you see whole families living like that?”

But Fang Daleng truly felt for his daughter. Other people are other people—my daughter is my daughter.

After that, Wang Cuixiang and Fang Daleng went to thank the old man who’d helped the kids start their business.

Then they took the uncle who’d helped Fang Yuan buy her house out for a stroll. They really weren’t just here for a visit.

Fang Daleng and Wang Cuixiang stayed in the city for several days, and only after they were fully satisfied did they tell their son-in-law, daughter, and son that they were heading home.

Lu Chuan tried hard to get them to stay, but Fang Daleng said it would hold up business—the butcher shop at home needed to open.

Wang Cuixiang said, “You two take care of yourselves in the city. We’ve seen everything and we’re at ease.”

And with that, they packed up and left, neat and decisive.

Lu Chuan felt a bit out of sorts—it suddenly seemed so quiet at home.

By the time Lu Chuan noticed a new property deed at home, everything was settled. His in-laws had bought a shop in the city. They really were bold—when they decided to act, they acted.

Lu Chuan looked at the property deed and asked Fang Yuan, “Why is it in your name?”

Fang Yuan replied, “Mom and Dad said, just treat the money as if it’s gone. They bought the place, but they probably won’t live there. If it’s in their name, the brothers might fight over it later. Putting it in my name saves trouble.”

Lu Chuan had never seen anyone so focused on “saving trouble.” “Aren’t you worried your brothers will hold it against you?”

Fang Yuan: “Let them try. It’s my dowry anyway. Besides, if it’s in my name, it’s mine—what’s it got to do with them? But don’t get any ideas. Even though Fifth Brother will definitely make sure Mom and Dad have a place to stay, it’s good for them to have a backup.”

Lu Chuan could only think, You really are their daughter.

Then he heard Fang Yuan say, “It’s just a shopfront, barely over thirty square meters. If it didn’t have that long courtyard, there wouldn’t even be room to turn around. Dad just had to have this dump.”

Lu Chuan thought, Thirty square meters is still a shop—his father-in-law really had foresight.

Fang Yuan: “Don’t you think it’s a loss?”

You already bought it, and now you’re asking me? Isn’t it a bit late? Why couldn’t you have discussed it before buying?

Lu Chuan: “Didn’t Mom and Dad say? Just treat the money as if it’s gone. You can always rent it out.”

Fang Yuan: “True. Anyway, I don’t want Mom and Dad to have to rough it over there.”

Fang Daleng and Wang Cuixiang spent all their savings on this trip to the city, and left happy.

Lu Chuan realized that through all of this, Fifth Brother had no idea what was going on. The family had a new property, and Fifth Brother didn’t even know about it. Lu Chuan felt bad for him.

Fang Yuan remembered, “How did you know Mom and Dad bought a place? And that we have a new property deed?”

Lu Chuan: “I ran into someone I know. They asked me what our family background was, how we managed to buy another place.”

182."

"Chapter 182: All Sons Are Tigers