Chapter 15: Impossible to Read

Mu Chenze stopped about half a meter away from her.

His gaze fell on the ribbonfish, a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

“Chu Xuan, you’re in luck today! We can braise half of this ribbonfish and fry the other half.”

Today, he was dressed in an ordinary white T-shirt and blue pants, yet he looked so pleasing to the eye.

The more wonderful someone was, the less Chu Xuan wanted to bring them harm.

If she didn’t marry him, being friends wouldn’t be so bad either.

“Mu Chenze, hurry up and take it!”

If he didn’t take it soon, she was afraid she’d change her mind and keep it for herself.

But Mu Chenze replied, “I like octopus. You keep the ribbonfish for yourself.”

It wasn’t until Mu Chenze had grabbed two octopuses from the bucket and walked off that Chu Xuan snapped out of it.

That guy used to love ribbonfish more than anything in his past life. When did he start preferring octopus?

He was getting harder and harder to figure out.

Chu Xuan pushed open the door and entered the courtyard.

Hearing the commotion, Chu Feng shot out of the bedroom like an arrow.

“Jie, you must be starving! I left some food for you in the pot—go wash your hands and eat. Wow, such a big ribbonfish? Should I take it to sell for some money? And there are swimming crabs too…”

Chu Xuan took the money from selling fish out of her pocket and handed it to Chu Feng. “Let’s keep the ribbonfish and crabs in the bucket for ourselves. This is what I made selling ribbonfish today—count it. I’ll go wash up and change, then come out to eat.”

“Huh, that much?”

Chu Feng quickly counted it—95 yuan in total.

Five minutes later, Chu Xuan was enjoying a delicious breakfast: steamed egg with scallops, scallion pancakes, and rice porridge.

All made by her little brother, just to her taste.

After the meal, Chu Feng handed the money back to Chu Xuan, rushing to clear the dishes with a happy grin. “Jie, you keep the money. I’ll handle all the chores from now on. Ever since we split from the family, your luck’s been amazing! If this keeps up, we’ll get rich just from foraging by the sea.”

Chu Xuan agreed. “I’ve been lucky with the tides lately. When it goes out this afternoon, I’ll head out again.”

She slipped the money into her pocket.

Normally, she kept her cash in an inside pocket of her shirt. Since she often went to the shore, there was no telling when she might get soaked and ruin the money.

Should she let her little brother keep the money instead?

He wouldn’t gamble it away like in her past life, would he?

Thinking back, he hadn’t started gambling until four years later. He hadn’t picked up the habit yet.

Chu Xuan counted the cash in her pocket—over 700 yuan—and made a big decision.

She found one of Xiao Feng’s shirts and sewed an inner pocket into it.

She put all 700-plus yuan inside.

And handed it to Xiao Feng.

“Xiao Feng, while I’m out at the shore, you’re in charge of the money and watching the house. Once we build a new house, put up a high wall, scatter some broken glass on top, and get a dog, then we can stash the money at home.”

In her previous life, plenty of people in the village had their money stolen.

This time around, money was what Chu Xuan needed most—she had to keep it safe.

Chu Feng felt the weight of responsibility. “Don’t worry, Jie! Even if I get stolen, I won’t let our money get stolen.”

Chu Xuan said earnestly, “If your life is in danger, you can throw the money away. Staying alive is more important, understand?”

Chu Feng nodded solemnly. “Got it!”

He immediately changed into the shirt with the inner pocket.

Near ten in the morning, Mu Chenze, carrying two octopuses, walked into his good friend Ji Ping’s house.

Ji Ping lived alone nearby. He was the same age as Mu Chenze—22 this year.

“Pingzi, mind if I use your kitchen for a bit?”

Ji Ping had just washed his hair and was drying it with a towel as he headed toward the kitchen. “Why do you keep coming over today?”

Mu Chenze found a wooden basin and started cleaning the octopus. “I’m planning to make stir-fried octopus. How about we have a drink at lunch?”

Ji Ping looked Mu Chenze up and down, a puzzled look in his eyes. “Not only did you skip going out to sea today, you look like a drowned rat. You came here to shower, borrowed my clothes, and now you’re running around just to bring back two octopuses for a drinking snack? You’re not running a fever, are you?”

He put his hand on Mu Chenze’s forehead to check.

No fever.

Mu Chenze said nothing.

Ji Ping gave up. “Fine, if you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t ask. We’re good friends, after all. I’ll go buy some liquor.”

At that moment, Mu Chenze’s mother, Qin Mahua, was pacing anxiously in her courtyard. “Why isn’t my second son back yet? He promised to come home for the matchmaking at noon…”

Fu Qing cautiously reminded her, “Ma, maybe Chenze doesn’t want to go on a blind date? I think he said last night he hates matchmaking.”

Qin Mahua scratched her ear. “How come I didn’t hear that? No, I need to go look for him. Maybe he’s at Pingzi’s place.”

She made to leave and look for her son.

Fu Qing stopped her. “Ma, you should wait at home. What if the matchmaker brings the girl early? You can smooth things over. I’m not good with words—better I run errands.”

Before Qin Mahua could reply, she ran out the door.

On the way, she ran into Ji Ping, who was out buying liquor.

“Pingzi, have you seen Chenze?”

Ji Ping didn’t answer directly, but asked, “What’s up? Doesn’t Chenze go out to sea every day? He didn’t today? Something happen at home?”

Fu Qing didn’t suspect a thing. “Oh, we’re trying to set Chenze up with a girl. But he left early this morning and hasn’t come home since.”

Hearing this, Ji Ping lied without batting an eye. “I haven’t seen him today.”

“I’ll look elsewhere, then.”

Fu Qing waved and went off in another direction.

Ten minutes later, Ji Ping returned home with a bottle of baijiu and a bag of peanuts, not mentioning running into Fu Qing.

He thought he knew Mu Chenze well—after a few drinks, he’d spill everything.

By eleven, Ji Ping and Mu Chenze were sitting on the kang, drinking and eating.

After one small cup of baijiu, Mu Chenze still didn’t open up.

Ji Ping waited patiently.

After five cups, Mu Chenze still hadn’t said a word.

Ji Ping was confused. Why wasn’t he talking yet?

Just before passing out, he finally heard Mu Chenze say, “Pingzi, women are nothing but trouble. Do you believe that?”

Ji Ping, bleary-eyed, nodded repeatedly. “I believe it! Of course I do! You ended up looking like a drowned rat this morning because of a woman?”

He asked the question, but didn’t hear the answer—he’d already fallen asleep…

A short while later, Fu Qing’s voice and knocking sounded at the door. “Pingzi, open up! I heard from the villagers that Chenze is at your place…”

Mu Chenze staggered to the door.

Seeing he was drunk, Fu Qing grew anxious. “Why’d you drink so much? The matchmaker and a girl are at our house, waiting for you to come home for the blind date!”

She waited outside for Mu Chenze to come out.

As his sister-in-law, she felt awkward helping him up. If she’d known, she would’ve brought his mother.

Mu Chenze squinted and pointed behind her. “Sister-in-law, could you take two steps back?”

Fu Qing, puzzled, did as she was told.

Then she heard the door slam and the bolt slide into place.

She could only keep knocking. “Open up! Open the door! Or I’ll get Ma!”

Mu Chenze shouted through the door, “It’s no use, no matter who comes! I’m not going on a blind date! I want to fall in love freely! Whoever I fall for, I’ll marry! Tell Ma to stop worrying!”

Fu Qing kindly reminded him, “If you don’t go, what if Ma gets mad and arranges it for you anyway?”"