Chapter 182: All Sons Are Tigers

Fang Yuan finally realized that, despite being careful, a slip-up had occurred and their secret had been exposed. That old man just couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

On the way home, Fang Daleng was still discussing with Wang Cuixiang, “Are we really not going to open a shop in the provincial capital? I really think we could make some money.”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “Just let it go. Don’t dwell on it. Think of it as something we’re setting up for our daughter, a backup plan. If she doesn’t need it, it’ll be there for you.”

Fang Daleng was full of confidence. “Don’t worry, my sons would never be unfilial.”

Wang Cuixiang thought to herself, ‘Where is that written? Who dares to guarantee such a thing?’ When it came to getting something out of their old man, none of their sons ever held back.

But Fang Daleng wouldn’t listen, so Wang Cuixiang said, “I just feel bad for you, you’re getting older, and butchering pigs is hard work. Once the boys make something of themselves, I’ll close down all the shops in the village so you don’t have to work so hard.”

Fang Daleng’s face flushed. “You’re overthinking it. I’m not that old yet.” Still, it was nice to have a wife who cared.

Back in those days, slaughtering pigs was all manual labor—there weren’t any fancy tools.

Fang Daleng tried to reassure his wife, “Hey, our son-in-law said that in the provincial capital, you don’t even have to slaughter the pigs yourself at the butcher shop.”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “Then we’ll wait until you really can’t keep up anymore, and we’ll go to the provincial capital. For now, forget it. Just look at our eldest, second, and third sons—they’re all a handful. If we’re not around to keep an eye on them, how can we be at ease?”

Fang Daleng said, “Really? I don’t see it.”

Wang Cuixiang just felt exhausted. ‘If you could see it, those boys would have dug up their ancestors by now.’

After setting up the family property, Fang Daleng was feeling quite pleased with himself. “Honestly, if we didn’t say a word about it, I just don’t think I could hold it in.”

Wang Cuixiang said, “Well, hold it in anyway. You’re worse than your sons. Look at our fifth son—he quietly did something big, moved into a new house, and did anyone at home even know?”

That worked better than reasoning with him. Fang Daleng said, “That’s true. I can’t let him outdo me.”

So he tried to hold back. To help, Fang Daleng bought a pile of sunflower seeds—whenever he felt the urge to brag, he’d just crack some seeds instead.

But on his first day back in the village, he ran into Si Hu (Fourth Tiger), who saw him eating sunflower seeds and asked, “Dad, what big secret do you have going on in the provincial capital that you need to keep quiet about?”

Fang Daleng got flustered. “What nonsense are you talking about?” How did they always guess right? He really hadn’t said anything.

Si Hu, seeing his dad’s reaction, was even more convinced. “Come on, you’re even eating sunflower seeds to keep your mouth shut, aren’t you?”

These kids were sharp, but only when it came to catching their dad out.

Fang Daleng was so annoyed he almost threw the seeds away. Si Hu said, “Is it because Wu Hu (Fifth Tiger) is doing well? Dad, you don’t have to cover for him. We brothers all know what’s going on. Don’t worry, I’m doing fine in the village, no need to run off to the provincial capital.”

With that, he grabbed a handful of seeds and left, not thinking much more of it.

Fang Daleng finally relaxed a bit and turned to Wang Cuixiang. “He only guessed half of it.”

Wang Cuixiang thought this son wasn’t as sharp as the eldest or the fifth. “I suppose so.”

Then the second son showed up. “Dad, why are you eating sunflower seeds? Is there something you’re hiding from us?”

Fang Daleng looked over at Wang Cuixiang. He really hadn’t said anything, but how come all his sons were so sly?

Wang Cuixiang thought, ‘Your sons have long since figured you out.’

Second son went straight for the jugular. “Dad, I want to open a butcher shop with you.”

That caught Fang Daleng off guard. “You want to learn how to butcher pigs? Aren’t you working well with your big brother?”

Second son explained sincerely, “It’s not easy for big brother to make money, and if us brothers keep splitting it up, it’s not right. I was just earning some wages with him, but that’s not a long-term plan, and it puts big brother in a tough spot.”

Then he added, “My wife and I talked it over. It’s better to open our own butcher shop. It’s a long-term business.”

Fang Daleng was a bit worried. “But my shop doesn’t need two people.”

Second son said, “Dad, now that life’s better, there are more people buying in town. Why don’t we slaughter an extra pig and I’ll open another shop nearby?”

Fang Daleng finally understood. “So you want to take over my business.”

Thinking of the fifth son and Fang Yuan, Fang Daleng was really frustrated. Not a single one of them was easy to deal with.

Second son said, “Dad, we know this area well. If I don’t open a shop, someone else will, and then we’ll lose out.”

Wang Cuixiang didn’t even look up. Let them do what they want. As long as the boys can make a living, it’s better than being lazy and doing nothing.

She had really let go.

Fang Daleng asked, “If that’s your plan, what about your third brother? Is he still working with the eldest? What’s he doing?”

Second son replied, “I don’t know. You can’t bring up all three of us with this business. If you did, none of us would have enough to eat.”

He really didn’t care about the third brother.

Second son added, “Dad, I’ve already rented the shop. You have to help me out.”

After he left, Fang Daleng sighed, “Looks like this business really is gone. He just came to inform me.”

Wang Cuixiang said, “You’re being too simple. It’s not just about the business being gone.”

Fang Daleng couldn’t think of anything else. “What else is there?”

Wang Cuixiang thought, ‘Just wait and see. There’s a big show coming. Your daughter is the only one thinking ahead.’

But Fang Daleng still couldn’t figure out what else could happen besides selling pork with the second son.

That night, just as Wang Cuixiang predicted, the eldest daughter-in-law came over and said, “Dad, now that the kid is in school, I don’t have much to do at home. I’d like to help out at the shop.”

Wang Cuixiang snorted. No wonder Fang Yuan didn’t think much of the eldest daughter-in-law—she didn’t either. She just wanted to secure a spot for herself. How nice for her.

Fang Daleng was quite pleased. “The eldest daughter-in-law is so filial. With all that oil and grease in the shop, can you really stand it?”

The eldest daughter-in-law said exactly what Fang Daleng wanted to hear. “Dad, with the expenses of sending the kid to school, how could I mind?”

Only then did Fang Daleng realize what she was after. “So you want money?”

Wang Cuixiang snorted. What did you think, that she’d help out for free?

Fang Daleng fell silent. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to give his daughter-in-law money, but if the eldest came, what about the second and third daughters-in-law?

He’d wanted to save up some money and set up a shop for each son in the provincial capital, but now it seemed impossible.

Even someone as straightforward as Fang Daleng felt a bit stifled. Was he really getting old?

Even the family’s assets were being eyed up.

Wang Cuixiang said, “Alright, enough of this. Call all the boys over. Let’s get everything out in the open tonight.”

183."

"Chapter 183: Lacking in Swagger

As soon as Wang Cuixiang finished speaking, Eldest Fang’s wife’s face darkened.

Fang Daleng, clueless as ever, asked, “What are you talking about?”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “That butcher shop of yours—you’ll have to make things clear with your brothers. We’re getting old. Not to mention relying on our sons, but we need some income for ourselves.”

Fang Daleng retorted, “It’s my own business. Why should I have to explain it to them?”

Wang Cuixiang sighed. What good is it if your sons are all tigers, but at home, they’re even more unruly? “You still have to say it.”

When the Fang brothers arrived, there was a pile of sunflower seeds in front of Fang Daleng—Wang Cuixiang’s way of keeping him quiet.

Wang Cuixiang said, “Except for the fifth, all you brothers are here. I’ll talk about you all splitting up and living separately.”

The sons started to grumble. The fourth said, “We’ve already split up, what’s left to talk about?”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “Before, every time someone got married, they’d move out. Now, the fourth and fifth haven’t married yet, but they split off before the New Year. That leaves just your father and me, and the butcher shop. What do you all think?”

Eldest Fang responded quickly, speaking for all the brothers, “Whatever you and Dad say, that’s what we’ll do. We’ll listen to you.”

Wang Cuixiang asked, “What about your wives?”

Eldest Fang’s wife said nothing, clenching her fists, clearly upset.

Third Fang’s wife, outspoken as always, was sitting there eating seeds with Fang Daleng. “We definitely have no objections. Even if we did, it wouldn’t matter.”

The other two daughters-in-law stayed silent.

Wang Cuixiang said, “Then listen up. Your father and I will keep the butcher shop for our retirement. Who it goes to is something to talk about when we’re too old to run it. For now, none of you need to think about it.”

The brothers nodded. They really weren’t thinking about it. “It’s yours. Do whatever you want.”

Wang Cuixiang continued, “If Second wants to learn the butcher trade, he can open his own shop nearby. I think that’s fine. Eldest, if you want to open a shop, your father and I will support you, same for Third and Fourth. But you’ll have to set up your own shop next door. If you think you’ve got what it takes, go for it. But don’t even think about our shop. Your father and I are getting old, and we don’t plan to keep working for you.”

Second Fang felt this didn’t conflict with him opening his own shop. “Dad, Mom, that’s what I was thinking too.”

Wang Cuixiang said, “If you all understand, then that’s all I have to say. Meeting’s over.”

Eldest Fang was the last to leave. “Dad, Mom, what’s this about? Who’s been bothering you about the shop? Fourth?”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “Fourth doesn’t care about this little bit of money. Eldest, let me tell you, being too scheming isn’t good either. If you have any thoughts, talk it out with Second and Third. If they have their own path, no one’s blocking yours. Why make things difficult?”

Eldest Fang’s face turned red. He pretended not to understand and left.

Fang Daleng was the most confused of all. “Wife, what are you getting at?”

They say fools have their own kind of luck. Having a husband like this wasn’t so bad.

Wang Cuixiang said, “Nothing much. I just think, if Second really wants to open a shop, that’s a good path for him. Fourth and Fifth can find their own way. But what about Third?”

Fang Daleng asked with innocent curiosity, “Isn’t Third working with Eldest?”

Wang Cuixiang glared at him. Eldest wasn’t exactly a good influence.

But then again, with only Third left, Eldest would probably keep him close, so it should be fine.

Wang Cuixiang bore all the burdens herself. Five sons, five different minds. When they worked together, it was something to be proud of—anyone would envy her. But when each was scheming for himself, being their mother was more than just a headache.

And with a daughter who didn’t tolerate any nonsense, Wang Cuixiang sometimes felt like wiping them all out in one go.

Back home, Eldest Fang said to his wife, “I know you’re good at managing the household, and I’ve never shorted you on money. But don’t even think about Mom and Dad’s shop.”

His wife replied, “I just saw Second and his wife eyeing up your parents’ shop…”

Eldest Fang said, “If Second and his wife want to do something, let them. Mom and Dad know what’s going on. I know what you’re thinking, and Mom knows even better. Just stay home, take care of the kids, be filial to my parents, and look after my siblings. You won’t lose out.”

He added, “Don’t worry about what I think or how I treat my siblings. If you’re good to them, Mom and Dad will see it, and so will I. Don’t push the kids onto my parents—raise them yourself.”

Eldest Fang’s wife fell silent. Her husband had a bad temper and a big heart.

People said he was good to his wife and listened to her, but she knew—he’d listen to her on small things, but on big matters, he always called the shots.

Even how he treated his own brothers was up to him. If he decided to turn against them, he’d do it without warning.

Her sister-in-law was always accusing her of scheming, but honestly, who in the Fang family wasn’t scheming?

Meanwhile, Fang Yuan saw her parents off, and the “Five Tigers” got themselves a motorcycle.

When Fang Yuan and Lu Chuan saw it, they were stunned. Why did they get something like this? It wasn’t what they had in mind.

Fang Yuan was annoyed—the thing couldn’t even help her haul her cement mixer.

Lu Chuan thought to himself, There goes the idea of letting his wife hitch a ride in comfort.

Fang Yuan circled the motorcycle. “How much did this cost? Other than being faster than a bicycle, what’s so great about it?”

Fifth Tiger was delighted. He’d fallen for it at first sight. “As soon as I saw it, I wanted it. Less than two thousand—cheap, right?”

Fang Yuan said, “I spent two thousand on a cement mixer, and now it earns me dozens every day. This thing of yours will just cost you money every day. Are you out of your mind?”

Fifth Tiger replied, “What do you know? This is for convenience—and for style!”

Lu Chuan couldn’t help but twitch his lips. Where’s the style in this thing? Only Fifth Brother thinks it’s cool.

From now on, whenever they had to negotiate, they wouldn’t let Fifth Brother ride this thing—he just didn’t look reliable.

Fifth Tiger was still proudly listing the motorcycle’s benefits. “Now I can go from the provincial city to the county twice a day, no problem.”

Fang Yuan said, “In this freezing weather, aren’t you afraid your hands will get numb?”

Fifth Tiger patted the motorcycle. “What do you know? Come on, brother-in-law, let me take you for a spin.”

Lu Chuan shook his head. “Not in this weather. Riding a motorcycle in the cold wind isn’t fun. I’ll wait until it’s warmer.”

Fang Yuan was a bit regretful. “If I’d known you wanted the money for this, I wouldn’t have given it to you.”

Fifth Tiger was unhappy. Why wasn’t anyone happy for him? At least it was a big purchase. “Didn’t you all support me getting a vehicle?”

Fang Yuan said, “I told you to get something that could haul my cement mixer.”

Lu Chuan added, “I meant something more expensive, with four wheels, a roof, and doors.”

Fifth Tiger said, “You two couldn’t agree, so I just bought what I liked. Nothing wrong with that.”

Fine. Fifth Tiger rode off in style. When he came back that evening, he’d bought himself a heavy coat, a pair of cotton gloves, a big scarf, and a warm hat.

Fang Yuan couldn’t help but laugh. “See? I told you it’d be cold.”

Fifth Tiger was a bit deflated. “Bundled up like this, nobody can even see how cool I look.”

184."

"Chapter 184: Chased by Money

Lu Chuan had figured it out: when it came to Fifth Brother’s money, he could buy whatever he wanted—it was his call. As long as Fifth Brother liked it, that was all that mattered. “It’s fine, Fifth Brother. Once it warms up, it’ll be better.”

Wu Hu (Fifth Tiger) nodded, “That’s true. But it’s really convenient, you know. Riding this, I can get to so many places in a day. When we’re in the provincial capital in a few days, I can keep an eye on both the construction site and the residential area.”

Hearing Wu Hu praise it so much, Fang Yuan started to waver. She looked at Lu Chuan, “Why don’t you get one too?”

Wu Hu spoke up before Lu Chuan could, “I don’t have any money left!”

Wu Hu knew about their financial situation. If they wanted to buy a bike, where would the money come from? He had to protect his own wallet.

Lu Chuan said, “I don’t need one. If I need to go anywhere, I’ll just ask Fifth Brother to take me. We need to save our money to buy you a crane.”

Fang Yuan was delighted by his words. This man was reliable. “That’s how life should be. I’ll listen to you.”

Lu Chuan really understood—this was probably the only time she’d listen to him. If he’d suggested they buy one too, he’d probably get a playful punch from his wife.

Wu Hu started to realize something: so basically, he’d bought this bike for the two of them, and now he’d have to drive them around too. Why did it feel like he was getting the short end of the stick?

Wu Hu asked uncertainly, “My bike’s a good buy, right?”

Fang Yuan and Lu Chuan both nodded, but only half-heartedly. They weren’t very impressed, but as long as Fifth Brother liked it, that was enough.

Wu Hu asked, “You two aren’t ganging up on me, are you?”

Lu Chuan grinned, “Fifth Brother, I think I’m the one being left out here.”

Fine, Wu Hu thought. Fang Yuan was closest to him anyway, so he let it go. “In the future, if you want to ride, just hop on. If you want to drive, go ahead.”

Fang Yuan gave Lu Chuan a thumbs up—nice, problem solved.

Lu Chuan whispered in Fang Yuan’s ear, “I’m not being cocky, but we’re the closest. Once Fifth Brother gets a wife, she’ll be the closest to him.”

Fang Yuan replied, “I believe it. After all, you let me spend all your money. As for his money, I have to help him save it—he won’t let me spend it.”

Now that’s what you call a hardcore way of showing affection.

Lu Chuan said, “Don’t worry, I’ll earn more money for you. All of it for you.”

So in the end, Fang Yuan was the real winner—she’d sorted out both of them in one go.

Fang Yuan helped Fang Daleng clean up the newly bought shop, got it ready, and rented it out. Honestly, having one more shop didn’t feel any different.

Most of their time was spent working at the construction site. It was too cold to do any major work, so they just took care of odd jobs that no one else wanted.

The good thing was, at least they had work to do, and could make a bit of money. Fang Yuan said, if things started off well in the new year, it was a good sign.

Lu Chuan called his classmate Zhang Wei over, and they spent their days hanging around the construction site. Fifth Brother was even busier, running between the county, the provincial capital, and the countryside.

Fang Yuan said, Fifth Brother’s bike was convenient, but it sure burned through money—gas every day.

When the real work started, Lu Chuan and Fifth Brother were in the provincial capital, but still hadn’t found a suitable job.

Everything was scattered—there was money to be made, but it was exhausting.

Fang Yuan was the first to find a new way to make money. It started when two construction vehicles broke down at the site and needed to be moved to free up space.

Fang Yuan offered up her family’s empty courtyard—they had the space.

Because she was always at the construction site, she saw everything that happened. She figured, since the yard was empty anyway, renting it out for a couple of days would bring in some money.

The construction team brought in a mechanic, and they all ate and stayed in Fang Yuan’s courtyard.

The vehicles were in bad shape and needed parts that had to be bought, so repairs took a while.

During that time, some people saw the mechanic and the broken vehicles in the yard and assumed it was a repair shop, so they came over wanting repairs.

Fang Yuan, keeping an eye on things at home, noticed this and realized it was a way to make money.

She talked to the mechanic, asking him to stay a few more days and take on more repair work, figuring she could make a little extra on the side.

She was just providing the space anyway—the yard was empty otherwise. At first, she just wanted to collect some rent.

After five days, Fang Yuan realized this was a real money-maker. So she and Lu Chuan found a new business direction.

The couple kept the mechanic on, paid him a monthly wage, and put up a sign for a repair shop in the yard.

Lu Chuan took care of all the paperwork—not that there was much red tape in those days.

Fang Yuan didn’t want Lu Chuan to get cold, so she borrowed Wu Hu’s motorcycle and ran errands for two or three days. Soon, the repair shop was open for business.

Fang Yuan told Fifth Brother, “If your bike ever breaks down, bring it here. No labor charge for you.”

Wu Hu scowled, “Can’t you wish me some good luck? This is a new bike—it’s not going to break.”

Wu Hu realized he couldn’t compete. It was like money was chasing after Lu Chuan and Fang Yuan, while he was the one spending it on a bike, and they were making it with a repair shop.

They both bought courtyards, but theirs was making money. Now it was a repair shop. Wu Hu was honestly a little jealous.

Even Lu Chuan’s classmate Zhang Wei was surprised, “That’s it? You just opened up like that?”

Lu Chuan replied, “The yard was already there, and we can scrape together a few months’ wages for the mechanic. Doesn’t seem like there’s much else to spend on.”

They didn’t have any equipment—the mechanic brought his own tools. When you thought about it, it was kind of amazing.

Most people wouldn’t dare open a shop like this. But Fang Yuan did—she was bold. She saw a chance to make money and just went for it, never worrying about what could go wrong.

Lu Chuan even said, “It was a bit rushed.”

Zhang Wei thought, “A bit rushed? That’s an understatement.” But Fang Yuan said, “The mechanic has the skills. If we need parts, we’ll just go buy them. What’s so hard about that?”

And honestly, that’s how it was for everyone back then.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have brought in a mechanic to fix things. Having a place like this made things much more convenient for everyone.

You could leave your car in the yard and wait a few days for parts—easy enough.

Fang Yuan would come back morning and night to keep an eye on the repair shop, and it didn’t interfere with her work at the construction site.

When Wu Hu went back to the county, Wang Cuixiang saw what he’d bought and couldn’t help but scold him for being wasteful, “You bought this piece of junk?”

Wu Hu thought his bike was pretty cool. “It’s flashy!”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “Yeah, it’s flashy all right—flashing in the wind. Why don’t you freeze to death out there?”

Fang Daleng, on the other hand, was happy for his son. He immediately had him take him for a spin around the village. If he couldn’t show off the courtyard in the provincial capital, at least he could show off his son’s bike—the first of its kind.

Especially with the sound of the motorcycle—you could hear it from far away. The father and son were both pleased.

Fang Daleng did have one complaint, though: “Shame it can’t help haul pigs.” That was his only gripe about the bike—everything else was great.

Wu Hu’s bike wasn’t meant for that anyway. He just chuckled at Fang Daleng, thinking, “Good thing I bought the motorcycle.”

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival. Happy National Day! Wishing everyone: happy travels and no traffic wherever you go!"

"Chapter 185: A Father is Still a Father

Young people all love this sort of thing, so the Four Tigers all crowded around, insisting that Fifth Tiger teach them how to ride the motorbike. What they were really thinking about was: just how much money does Old Five actually have?

But when they heard how much it cost, the Four Tigers said, “I’d better save up to get married instead.”

Honestly, they regretted it—if they’d known earlier, they should have gone into business with their brother-in-law too.

Having a bike really was convenient for Fifth Tiger. When he was at home, he could travel back and forth between the county and the village, come home for dinner every day. Plenty of families came to propose marriages for him, but none of them were the right kind.

Wang Cuixiang saw right through it. None of the girls being suggested for Fifth Tiger were decent.

People thought her son was up to no good outside. You can imagine how frustrated Wang Cuixiang felt—she scolded and drove away several matchmakers who came to the door.

Every time she saw that old bike, it just made her more upset. If it ended up ruining Fifth Tiger’s marriage prospects, it would all be that stupid thing’s fault.

But to be fair, the kid really was doing honest work. The bike just made things easier. When Fifth Tiger needed to hire people, he could quickly give them a ride on the bike. Whatever he needed to do, he could get there in time.

Wang Cuixiang wanted to scold Fifth Tiger, but even she felt guilty—she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Still, it really had made it harder for him to find a match.

The main thing was, the bike put pressure on Oldest Fang. It was obvious that the brother-in-law and Fifth Tiger were doing well together—otherwise, how could they afford to spend money like that?

Fifth Tiger riding around the village on his bike was basically saying, “I’m doing better with my brother-in-law than with Oldest Fang.” After all, things never got this good when he was working with Oldest Fang.

These days, Oldest Fang was a little irritated. Whenever he heard the distant puttering of a motorbike, his face would fall.

Second Fang’s butcher shop had Fang Daleng helping him buy and slaughter pigs, and business was going well.

And just like Second Fang said, even though there were more people buying meat, it hadn’t cut into Fang Daleng’s business at all.

Second Fang’s wife had a sharp tongue, but she was clever and knew how to hustle. In the past, pig’s blood was just given away, but now she sold it for money.

Their reputation wasn’t the best, but you couldn’t deny that father and son worked well together. After a while, people just got used to it.

After all, there were only two butchers in the village, and they were father and son.

Second Fang shamelessly suggested to Fang Daleng, “Dad, why don’t you just focus on slaughtering pigs and leave the selling to me?”

Fang Daleng was nearly furious. He complained to Wang Cuixiang, “Is he trying to push me out of the business? I feel like giving that brat a beating.”

Wang Cuixiang was even tougher than Fang Daleng: “What’s the point of getting mad? Not worth it. Teach him a lesson.” Even your own son needs to be put in his place, or he’ll get too cocky.

Fang Daleng was at a loss: “How do I teach him? Really hit him?” He couldn’t bring himself to do it—it was his own son, after all.

Wang Cuixiang shot him a glare. “Is hitting all you know? You’ve been helping him for nothing all this time, working yourself to the bone. If he wants you to help buy pigs, charge him for it. From now on, you get paid for slaughtering pigs.”

Fang Daleng was stunned. “Isn’t that a bit much? We’re father and son. I don’t think it’ll work.”

Wang Cuixiang snorted, “Even if you’re father and son, you need to draw the line. Let him know his old man isn’t so easy to mess with.”

Fang Daleng could only listen. He wanted to feel sorry for his son, but when he thought about it, the boy really wasn’t all that lovable—he deserved a lesson.

Wang Cuixiang didn’t bother discussing it—she just went straight to Second Fang’s wife and said, “If you buy the pigs and have your dad slaughter them, you pay him five yuan per pig. If you want your dad to help buy pigs, that’s another five yuan per pig. Your dad’s getting old, and slaughtering pigs is hard work. That’s how it’s going to be.”

Second Fang’s wife, of course, wasn’t happy, but there was nothing she could do—Wang Cuixiang had made up her mind.

Just like that, Second Fang was completely tamed. Forget about selling meat—now he and his wife were both busy helping slaughter pigs.

But Wang Cuixiang still collected the money, thinking to herself, “You little brat, you think I can’t handle you?”

In private, Second Fang’s wife grumbled to her husband, “Do you think Mom’s just greedy for money?”

Second Fang shot her a look, and she quieted down. Whatever Wang Cuixiang said, that’s how it was—she didn’t dare hope for any favors anymore.

But the couple got smarter, too. They realized that if they didn’t learn the skills themselves, they’d always be at someone else’s mercy. So they had to master the trade.

Second Fang started going out to buy pigs himself and slaughtering them on his own. Wang Cuixiang just watched them struggle, calm as ever.

Slaughtering pigs was easy to learn—his own father had taught him almost everything already.

But buying pigs was a skill, something that came with experience. Two pigs of the same weight could yield very different amounts of meat.

Sometimes, after a couple days’ work, the couple would still lose money. That’s when Second Fang understood what “your father is still your father” really meant—there was no arguing with that.

Second Fang’s wife complained, “You’ve watched your dad slaughter and sell pigs since you were a kid—how come you never learned?”

What could Second Fang say? His wife was exhausted these days, so he let her complain. After all, he really hadn’t learned the skill.

They still had to ask Fang Daleng to help buy pigs and pay him five yuan each time.

Wang Cuixiang mocked her second son: “Your dad is still your dad—don’t think paying him a little money is a waste.”

Second Fang’s wife was obedient now, agreeing with whatever her mother-in-law said—she’d learned her lesson.

Fang Daleng was pleased to see his wife standing up for him, putting their son and daughter-in-law in their place.

In private, Wang Cuixiang said, “If the two of them really learn the skill, even if they lose money, it’s worth it.”

Fang Daleng sighed, “Then I really won’t have any secret skills left.”

Wang Cuixiang scoffed, “When that time comes, we’ll just raise pigs ourselves—we’ll still have the upper hand. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure he’s filial to you.”

Fang Daleng was delighted by his wife’s words. To be honest, this whole ordeal was really her way of standing up for him.

Fang Daleng said, “I’m getting old, I don’t count on anyone anymore. Let’s just live well together. You take care of yourself and don’t get upset.”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “Then you need to stay healthy—otherwise, who will I count on? Drink less, smoke less. When there’s heavy work, let Second Fang do it. You just supervise.”

Fang Daleng was a little reluctant: “You’re really willing to make your own son work? He’s your flesh and blood.”

Wang Cuixiang said, “I’m old. Besides you, I can’t count on anyone—not even my own kids.”

Fang Daleng, always thinking about daily life, grinned from ear to ear: “Then let Second Fang do more.”

See, both husband and wife were willing to make their son work.

Fang Daleng had figured it out—he handed over the pig slaughtering to his son and just went out to buy pigs when he felt like it. That job was easy, it just took experience.

He really started taking care of his health for his wife’s sake—otherwise, who would she rely on in the future?

With Wang Cuixiang helping out at the meat stall, Fang Daleng had the easiest life of all—he was living carefree.

Of course, he still taught Second Fang, just like his wife said. If Second Fang learned the trade, that was a skill to support the family. As a father, he didn’t mind.

Anyway, with a clever wife, there was always a way to keep their son in line."

"Chapter 186: Stepping Up a Level

Once the eldest’s construction site started up, Fang Daleng quickly noticed what was going on.

Now, the third brother was working with the eldest, earning a laborer’s wage. The eldest looked after the third, maybe gave him lighter work, and the third was learning a trade from a skilled craftsman—so you could say he was earning “apprenticeship money.”

As for the eldest’s brother-in-law, he was just running errands. How much he made was entirely up to the eldest; he didn’t have a single share in anything.

Scratching his head, Fang Daleng said to Wang Cuixiang, “Say, if the eldest had sorted out his brother-in-law like this earlier, would the second, third, and fourth have still broken off with him?”

Wang Cuixiang didn’t even look up as she replied, “Your whole life, the only thing you’re good at is dealing with pigs.”

Fang Daleng protested, “Woman, why do you have to talk like that? What did I do? I’m talking about the eldest’s business.”

Wang Cuixiang said, “You didn’t do anything, just not as smart as your son. If the eldest wasn’t always up to tricks, would he have been able to hog all the profits?”

It took Fang Daleng a while to figure it out, then he said, “He really is my son.”

Even if what he did wasn’t exactly decent, you had to admit he was capable—ruthless with money, ruthless with food, no brotherly sentiment, and could be absolutely cold-blooded.

Wang Cuixiang added bluntly, “You’re not as capable as him.” Her own husband might be tough, but he was honest and simple, not as scheming as their sons.

Fang Daleng said, “At least the eldest has found his footing now. That’s a lot better than before the New Year, when just looking at him made me anxious. Now that he’s not supporting that brother-in-law, I feel at ease.”

Then he added, “Maybe I should tell Fang Yuan that her eldest brother isn’t as dumb as she thought—she’ll be happy about that.”

Wang Cuixiang snorted. Not necessarily. That girl of yours has already written the eldest off as a bad guy.

Fang Daleng mainly worried about the third: “Do you think the third will be alright? Should we help him figure out a way forward?”

Wang Cuixiang said, “A craftsman will never starve, no matter what. Don’t worry.”

Fang Daleng muttered, “That brat really is ruthless.” No need to ask, he was definitely talking about the eldest. Then he said, “Do you think the other brothers know?”

Wang Cuixiang replied, “Can’t say for the others, but your fifth is as sharp as a monkey—just missing the fur. Sooner or later, he’ll figure it out.”

Fang Daleng, ever the concerned father, asked, “Do you think the second, who isn’t even that clever, can really do business?”

Wang Cuixiang thought Fang Daleng was all brawn and no brains, softer-hearted than a woman: “If you can do it, so can the second. Don’t worry.”

Fang Daleng didn’t feel insulted by his wife’s sarcasm. He nodded, thinking she made sense.

So, things were pretty settled in the Fang family. All the sons had found their paths. Fang the eldest had gone through a lot, but in the end, he hadn’t lost his sense of duty, and he’d made plenty of money.

Fang the fourth might not be as cunning as the eldest, but he was resourceful and shameless enough to stick with the “Five Tigers” and never lacked for work.

By Labor Day, both Fang the eldest and Fang the fourth were riding motorcycles. Fang Daleng was so happy he couldn’t stop grinning.

Even though none of them could help him haul pigs, just seeing them succeed made him proud. His sons’ abilities were his pride as a father.

The Fang family’s Five Tigers were now famous far and wide. Everyone greeted Fang Daleng with a smile, and he knew it was thanks to his sons’ achievements.

No matter what the sons were like at home, to outsiders, Fang Daleng’s boys were all capable—each one as impressive as the next.

At this point, Fang Daleng would say, “That’s nothing. My youngest even owns a house in the provincial capital.” Now that’s a new level.

But the eldest wasn’t feeling so great. He’d just bought a motorcycle and thought he’d caught up with his brothers, but they were still on the same level as him. Then, suddenly, someone shot ahead, leaving him in the dust. How could he possibly be happy?

Wang Cuixiang watched as Fang Daleng bragged about their youngest while the eldest stormed off with a dark face. She was exasperated.

This man never knew how to read the room. Good thing he never thought about living with the eldest and his wife—otherwise, just for being so tactless, the son would have kicked him out.

Over in the provincial capital, ever since the second day of the second lunar month, the Five Tigers and Fang Yuan had been leading people doing odd jobs on construction sites—just piecemeal work.

Fang Yuan also had to arrange for people to do small repair jobs on houses, just to keep everyone busy.

It wasn’t until Labor Day that Lu Chuan and his classmate Zhang Wei finally landed a proper small project.

It might have been “small” to Zhang Wei, but to Lu Chuan and the Five Tigers, it was a whole new level.

The work was simple, not very technical, but there was a lot of it: building the perimeter wall for a residential complex, including the foundation and some small facilities inside.

The Five Tigers immediately wrapped up their work in the county and stopped taking new jobs. Any leftover clients were referred to the fourth brother—how much he could take on was up to him.

The Five Tigers brought all their people to the provincial capital, determined to give it their all.

Lu Chuan spent his whole Labor Day holiday on this. It was the first time he and his brother had taken on a job like this, and they were a bit nervous.

Zhang Wei was just flipping the project for a profit, but out of friendship, he didn’t take much off the top.

The Five Tigers, for this job, practically turned into Zhang Wei’s personal escorts, following him around the site every day.

Fang Yuan’s cement mixer was promptly absorbed by the Five Tigers. They said, “You’ve already made a year’s worth of money from it. I’ll buy it from you at cost price. If you weren’t my own sister, I wouldn’t be this generous.”

Fang Yuan wasn’t too happy: “Why not just use mine? Wouldn’t that be better?”

The Five Tigers replied, “Your husband owns half, and your brother owns the other half. You really don’t need to keep making money off us.”

So Fang Yuan had no choice but to give up her little business. She’d hoped to make it a long-term thing.

From then on, the cement mixer belonged to the Five Tigers and Lu Chuan. Without her five brothers earning money for her, Fang Yuan felt empty and uneasy.

Lu Chuan tried to comfort her: “Don’t forget, I still have a share in it. At least you’ve still got two and a half men making money for you.”

But Fang Yuan just couldn’t cheer up.

Meanwhile, Old Lu didn’t bring the cement mixer to the provincial capital. Instead, he and Lu Xiaosan bought a new one back home.

The two of them got along well with Fang the eldest and Fang the fourth, and they just kept doing their own business.

Even though Lu Xiaosan wasn’t working with the fourth brother anymore, he still made money off him, and their relationship was as good as ever.

They actually got along pretty well—that was Lu Xiaosan’s real skill.

Lu Xiaosan hustled for jobs for their cement mixer everywhere, while Old Lu looked after the machine and helped out as needed. It was a perfect arrangement.

Fang Yuan invested all her money into her own repair shop. Now, when customers came in for repairs, she always had the common spare parts on hand, making things much more convenient.

At the repair shop, a master led two apprentices. The monthly payroll was over 500 yuan, with the master alone costing more than 300.

There was no choice—pay less and you couldn’t keep a good master. Even at this rate, Master Liu wanted a raise, or he wouldn’t stay.

Fang Yuan grumbled all the time: “It only costs 200 yuan to get a wife in the countryside, but your wages are enough to marry a new one every month.”

Master Liu would get red in the face with anger. “At my age, with a happy family and grown kids, why would I want a new wife every month? Are you crazy?”

He couldn’t argue with Fang Yuan, so when Lu Chuan came home, he’d pull him aside and complain half the night. Even a pay raise couldn’t keep him.

187."

"Chapter 187: The Demands Are a Bit Much

It’s not easy to find a good mechanic on short notice—especially someone like Master Liu. He’s truly skilled, and his reputation is even better.

Lu Chuan said, “Look, I’ve already set up this garage. You can’t just leave me hanging here. The job is stable, and things are good. If you have any conditions, just say the word.”

Master Liu was even more straightforward than Lu Chuan. “It’s not that I’m trying to make things difficult for you. You’ve set up your shop, and if I just walk away, that’s not right. It’s not even about getting a raise. Do you know your wife? Just to make money, she even takes on bicycle repair jobs. And that cement mixer at your construction site—she wants me to cross over and learn how to fix those too. She expects me to know how to do everything.”

Master Liu was clearly frustrated; it was obvious that Fang Yuan had been getting on his nerves for more than a day or two.

Lu Chuan blushed as he listened. That really was asking a bit much. “Master Liu, you know, the more skills the better, right? Besides, Fang Yuan trusts you. How about we give you another fifty a month?”

That was basically trying to buy him with money.

Master Liu was swayed by the offer and decided to keep dealing with this impossible lady boss. He told Lu Chuan, “Tell your wife, with my skills and my wages, I could be busy all year just fixing bikes, and she still wouldn’t be able to make up my pay.”

Lu Chuan replied, “I know, I know, you’re just looking out for her.” Using a master mechanic’s wages to fix bikes was a real loss.

The old master sincerely suggested, “Maybe you should just let your wife hang around the construction site instead.” In other words, keep her from coming over here and making trouble.

Lu Chuan said, “I think we should just have a kid sooner rather than later. Then she won’t have time to ‘help’ you anymore.”

The old master nodded. “That’s the way. Go for it.” He was really hoping the boss would have a baby soon.

When Lu Chuan looked at Fang Yuan, he didn’t try to talk her out of anything—he just watched his wife laugh.

What’s wrong with fixing bikes? There are bikes everywhere; there’s no shortage of work. My wife has good instincts.

Of course, it’s a bit of a waste of the master’s skills. He’s right—the pay he gets isn’t worth fixing bikes.

Fang Yuan couldn’t stand the look on Lu Chuan’s face. “What are you grinning about?”

Lu Chuan replied, “I’m just happy my wife knows how to run things.”

Fang Yuan was on guard. “Are you planning to buy something big? I’m telling you, don’t even think about it. I’m saving up for a crane.”

Lu Chuan hurried to reassure her, “No, I’m not buying anything big. I always follow your lead.”

Fang Yuan didn’t believe him. Anything Lu Chuan wanted to buy, he’d always managed to get—like houses, they had more than enough. “Don’t try to sweet-talk me.”

Lu Chuan said, “I really don’t want to buy anything. I’m just happy, that’s all.”

Fang Yuan couldn’t stand seeing Lu Chuan grinning for no reason. “If you’ve got time to kill, go next door and learn how to fix bikes.”

Lu Chuan leaned in and whispered, “If I learn, I’ll be your master. You want to save on hiring mechanics?”

Fang Yuan whispered back, “The pay is so high. I actually regret not making you learn this. Then we wouldn’t have to hire anyone.”

She sighed, “I don’t think I’m stupid, but no matter how much I watch, I just can’t figure it out.” She was genuinely upset.

Lu Chuan was surprised. “You tried to learn on the sly?” She was really determined to save money.

Fang Yuan said, as if it were obvious, “Of course! What a great opportunity. Not learning would be a waste. I even skipped the construction site for several days. But no matter how much I watched, I just couldn’t get it. Do you think the master is hiding his skills from me?”

Lu Chuan was impressed—this really wasn’t something you could just pick up by watching. He felt bad for his wife and had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.

Fang Yuan continued, “Remember that junk bike someone brought in last time? I got up in the middle of the night and fiddled with it for ages, but nothing worked. The next day, the master had to spend an extra day fixing it.”

Lu Chuan tried not to laugh. No wonder Master Liu wanted to quit—she was making more work for him. “No, you did manage something. Didn’t he have to spend an extra day fixing it? We saved on labor costs.”

Fang Yuan insisted, “It’s not about the money. I didn’t even have the nerve to ask for more. It was just embarrassing.”

Lu Chuan couldn’t hold it in anymore. He grinned so wide it was almost crazy. “My wife is really something.”

Fang Yuan shot him a glare. “What’s so funny? Be serious. Once I learn, I won’t have to put up with anyone’s attitude.”

Lu Chuan just couldn’t help laughing. He hugged his wife, resting his chin on her shoulder, laughing away.

Fang Yuan’s expression changed, and she twisted his arm until he finally managed to stop.

Lu Chuan reasoned with her, “One person’s strength is limited. We’ve got the construction business and the repair shop—if you try to do it all yourself, you’ll end up losing out and making less. We need to learn to use people, let others help us make money.”

That made sense to Fang Yuan. “But we still need to know how to do it ourselves, so we won’t get taken advantage of. The way that master looks at me, it’s like he’s trying to fool me.”

So it wasn’t just the master who had issues with Fang Yuan—she was wary of him too.

She had a point, but this wasn’t something you could pick up just by watching. Her standards were high, so as her husband, he couldn’t let her down. “You’re right. I’ll go over and learn when I have time. Even if I get seventy percent of it, that’s better than knowing nothing.”

Fang Yuan nodded. “Exactly. What if I find a cheaper mechanic and set up a little bike repair shop on the side? Just for bicycles.”

It would make money, sure, but the work was too scattered and exhausting. Lu Chuan didn’t want Fang Yuan to work herself to death. Keeping accounts and haggling with mechanics was tiring enough.

Lu Chuan said, “That’s not too convenient. People might think our mechanics can only fix bikes, and that’d be a loss.”

Fang Yuan nodded—Lu Chuan had a point. After all, they’d started out fixing bikes at the door, and that’s how they got business. “Alright, but it really does make money.”

Lu Chuan said, “Of course. My wife’s instincts have never been wrong.”

It really was a cheerful scene.

188."

"Chapter 188: The Responsibility of Being the Head of the Household