Chapter 39: Xie Qingxiao Was Beaten by His Father

Because of the subtle conflict just now, Xie Qingxiao’s parents felt awkward facing Lin Xiangyi. They were thinking about how to bring up the serious matter.

Lin Xiangyi broke the ice by speaking.

Xie Qingxiao’s mother was very happy and quickly said, “Xiangyi, you don’t need to keep picking for us. Eat more if you like it. You look so weak. You need to eat more nutritious food. Your father and I can pick for ourselves, okay?”

“Mom, don’t say I’m weak. You and Dad don’t look much stronger than me. I need to eat more, so do you,” Lin Xiangyi said. “Tomorrow, Qingxiao and I will go back to your house. On our way back, we’ll stop by the supply and marketing cooperative to see if they have malted milk or milk powder. If they do, we’ll buy two cans and bring them back for you and Dad to nourish your bodies.”

Xie Qingxiao’s parents were shocked.

Even Xie Qingxiao couldn’t help but look at Lin Xiangyi twice. He didn’t know why she suddenly brought this up.

These two old people were unhappy about them buying meat just now, almost having a conflict with them. Now they were telling them that they wanted to buy malted milk and milk powder for them. Could they agree?

Of course, Xie Qingxiao’s parents disagreed!

“No, no, no, Xiangyi, don’t waste your money. Your father and I are healthy. We don’t need to eat those things. It’s a waste of money,” Xie Qingxiao’s mother quickly said.

“Yeah,” Xie Qingxiao’s father chimed in. “We might look thin, but we’re different from you. We work hard and are strong! You don’t need to waste your money, save it for buying meat. Meat is much tastier than those things like malted milk and milk powder.”

“Yes, yes, buy meat,” Xie Qingxiao’s mother nodded in agreement. They all thought that Lin Xiangyi was saying this because they were unhappy about her buying meat.

Xie Qingxiao’s mother conceded, “Let’s all eat meat together!”

“No, Dad, Mom, you misunderstood me,” Lin Xiangyi explained. “I meant that I want to buy malted milk and milk powder for you to nourish your bodies, not that we won’t buy meat. We’ll still buy meat.”

???

Is she serious? She wasn’t saying it on purpose?

Xie Qingxiao’s parents looked at each other, but wouldn’t that cost even more money?

Xie Qingxiao’s mother said, “Xiangyi, we appreciate your filial piety. I apologize for what happened earlier. You’re weak and need to eat more good food to nourish your body. Besides, you’re using your own money to buy meat. I shouldn’t have given you a hard time. It was my fault for interfering. You can buy whatever you want in the future. It’s just…”

Xie Qingxiao’s mother hesitated and said, “I wanted to say that it’s not a good idea for you two to just sit around doing nothing. You have to support yourselves. You…”

Lin Xiangyi interrupted, “Dad, Mom, wait a minute. We’re not doing nothing. We’ve already found a way to support ourselves. You don’t need to worry about us.”

“You’ve found a way to support yourselves?” Xie Qingxiao’s parents asked excitedly. “What way?”

Did they find jobs in the city?

Lin Xiangyi glanced at Xie Qingxiao and told him to speak.

Xie Qingxiao looked at his parents and said, “Dad, Mom, my wife and I plan to start a small business in the county.”

A small business?

“Isn’t that profiteering?” Xie Qingxiao’s mother blurted out.

Xie Qingxiao’s father instantly erupted, stood up, grabbed the broom in the corner, and swung it at Xie Qingxiao. “I’ll beat you to death, you little rascal! What’s wrong with you? Why are you thinking about breaking the law?”

“Dad, it’s not like you think. Let me explain!” Xie Qingxiao dodged.

Xie Qingxiao’s father couldn’t listen to Xie Qingxiao’s explanation. He chased him around the yard, trying to hit him with the broom, but couldn’t catch him.

“Yeah, Dad, calm down. It’s not like you think. Dad!” Lin Xiangyi shouted.

Unfortunately, Xie Qingxiao’s father was in a fit of rage and couldn’t hear her. She didn’t dare to stop him, what if he hurt the baby in her belly?

Finally, Xie Qingxiao took the initiative to take a hit from the broom to calm the situation. He grabbed the broom from his father’s hand, held his father’s hand, and shouted, “Dad, can you please calm down and listen to me?”

“Yeah, Dad,” Lin Xiangyi quickly chimed in. “The national policies have been changing in recent years. The situation is no longer as strict as it was in the past. You and Mom have been in the village and haven’t been out much, so you don’t know. But many people are doing business outside.”

“Really?” Xie Qingxiao’s mother asked eagerly.

Xie Qingxiao said, “Why don’t you come out with us tomorrow to see?”

“…” Xie Qingxiao’s parents were skeptical.

“It’s true,” Lin Xiangyi said. “Dad, Mom, you don’t believe Xie Qingxiao, but you don’t believe me either? I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Xie Qingxiao’s parents: “…” Lin Xiangyi’s words were more convincing.

“But are you really going to go out and do business?” Xie Qingxiao’s mother hesitated. Even though Lin Xiangyi confidently said that doing business outside wasn’t as risky as before, she still felt subconsciously that it wasn’t reliable.

It would be better to stay home and farm, without any danger.

“Yeah,” Xie Qingxiao saw that his father had finally calmed down, so he let go of his hand and said, “My wife and I have already discussed it. We won’t farm. It’s better to go out and do some small business than to sit here and wait to die. At least we won’t starve.”

These words hit Xie Qingxiao’s parents’ weak spot. Their biggest concern was that Xie Qingxiao and Lin Xiangyi wouldn’t work and couldn’t support themselves.

Now that they were willing to go out and do business to support themselves, it was indeed better than staying at home and waiting to die.

Xie Qingxiao’s mother was still worried and asked for confirmation, “But is it really safe to do business now?”

They were truly scared. They had seen with their own eyes how someone in the village was labeled a criminal for selling chickens they raised. They still remembered the tragic scene vividly!

If it happened to their own family… they couldn’t imagine it.

“It’s really safe,” Lin Xiangyi said.

Xie Qingxiao’s parents still trusted Lin Xiangyi more, so they finally stopped objecting.

“What kind of business do you want to do?” Xie Qingxiao’s father asked Xie Qingxiao.

Xie Qingxiao looked at Lin Xiangyi.

Lin Xiangyi said, “I bought some duck innards today.”

“Duck innards? Can you sell those?” Xie Qingxiao’s mother was worried. Most people rarely eat innards nowadays.

After all, wealthy people prefer to buy meat, and those without money wouldn’t spend money on innards. Of course, some nutritious innards are an exception.

“Yes!” Lin Xiangyi nodded confidently. Braised food was very popular in the future. As long as it tastes good, it will definitely sell.

“Let’s eat first. After dinner, I’ll make some for you to try. If you like it, we’ll sell it,” Lin Xiangyi said.

They had just started eating when they were interrupted by Xie Qingxiao’s father beating Xie Qingxiao.

The four of them returned to the dinner table and continued eating, but they ate much faster.

After dinner, it was exactly 7:30 pm, and it was already dark.

Fortunately, Longjing Village had electricity, so they didn’t have to work in the dark.

Xie Qingxiao’s mother went to wash the dishes, while Lin Xiangyi, Xie Qingxiao, and Xie Qingxiao’s father worked on the duck innards. After Xie Qingxiao’s mother finished washing the dishes, she also came to help. Lin Xiangyi went to prepare the braising ingredients.

By the time they finished cleaning all the duck innards and braised them, it was already 10:30 pm.