Chapter 25: The First Step in Business

With the ransom money, they could openly buy supplies without resorting to “black channels” and wasting money.

Pork belly cost 0.85 yuan per pound. Su Tang bought five pounds in one go, plus two pairs of pig pancreas, totaling 4.75 yuan.

Mu Jingzhou paid.

She had wanted to pay herself, but Mu Jingzhou was unhappy: “When a woman goes out with a man, how can she pay?”

Fine, you’re right, you pay, I’ll save mine.

Seeing her eyes sparkle and her face light up at the purchases, Mu Jingzhou’s urge to spend money on her reached its peak.

“What else do you need? Just buy it.”

So, Su Tang bought two half-pound bags of white sugar and two bags of fruit candies.

“Why separate them?” Mu Jingzhou asked, puzzled.

“For Second Sister-in-law,”

Su Tang said matter-of-factly, causing Mu Jingzhou to frown.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling to give, but he felt his wife was too good to her second sister-in-law. She thought of her second sister-in-law for everything, but not him?

Was it because he was out working every day and spent too little time with her?

They passed a clothing store with a white dress with green flowers.

Su Tang liked it and couldn’t help but stop to look.

The color and style stood out among the ubiquitous Dacron shirts.

“Like it?” Mu Jingzhou asked.

“Mm.”

Su Tang’s eyes were fixed on it.

An 80s dress, paired with big wavy hair, would be so charming!

Mu Jingzhou unhesitatingly entered the store to ask the price.

“This is a celebrity style from the big city, twenty-eight yuan…”

A sky-high price! That’s enough to buy how much pork belly?

Su Tang decisively pulled Mu Jingzhou out: “Third Brother, don’t look, we can’t afford it…”

“We can buy it.” Although Mu Jingzhou hesitated slightly, he didn’t back down.

After buying this dress, his money would be gone. But his wife liked it!

And, his wife had fair skin and a good figure; she would look beautiful in this dress…

Mu Jingzhou’s thoughts strayed, his gaze at Su Tang becoming increasingly ardent.

Su Tang’s ears turned red.

She hated herself for being so perceptive.

“Third Brother, I don’t really like it that much, let’s go!” Su Tang pulled Mu Jingzhou away.

She thought: So he’s a spendthrift, no wonder he was squeezed dry by Shen Mingzhu in the drama!

Mu Jingzhou, being honest, gave up when she said she didn’t like it.

The pork belly and pancreas hung on the bicycle handlebars, the candy in a cloth bag that Su Tang carried.

When they returned the bicycle, Gao Ming was stunned: “Third Brother, you bought so much pork belly?”

“Mm.”

“Wow, that’ll last until the New Year, right?”

Even Gao Ming, the team leader, was envious, but Mu Jingzhou didn’t explain.

Su Tang, as usual, left a small handful of fruit candies for Gao Ming’s children.

Mu Jingzhou looked at her sideways: “You’re quite good at this.”

“Social graces, you know!” Su Tang pouted, “Third Brother, I’m still very smart.”

Mu Jingzhou’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

Her lips were naturally red, like a city girl’s lipstick. After a kiss, they were moist and even more alluring.

Feeling lust in broad daylight, Mu Jingzhou felt ashamed.

He should go to work during the day from now on; spending too much time with his wife was bad for his morals.

Back home, Li Lan was sweeping the yard.

Seeing the pork belly in Mu Jingzhou’s hands, her eyes lit up.

“Oh, Third Brother, why did you buy so much pork belly? Quickly put it in the kitchen, I’ll wash my hands and cut it.”

Such a large chunk of pork belly, how much lard and cracklings would that make?

Li Lan was already imagining it.

But she heard Mu Jingzhou say: “No need, Sister-in-law, you do your thing, my wife will handle it.”

“Oh, Third Sister-in-law wouldn’t know how to do this. I’ll do it, I’ll do it.”

With food involved, Li Lan didn’t mind Su Tang being lazy; she even felt a bit of fondness.

“Sister-in-law, this is for making soap, you wouldn’t know how.” Su Tang said crisply.

Li Lan was struck by lightning: “This, this isn’t for eating?”

“No!”

“You really want to make soap?”

“Yes!”

“Nonsense! How can you use such good pork belly to make soap?” Li Lan couldn’t imagine the lard being wasted and felt heartbroken, her face falling as she scolded.

“Sister-in-law, you don’t understand, just watch!”

Su Tang put the cloth bag of white sugar and fruit candies back in the room and came out to clean the pig pancreas.

The fascia had to be removed; she had learned this in handicrafts class, but…she was clumsy.

Mu Jingzhou couldn’t stand it and took over.

Yu Miaomiao also came out to help cut the pork belly, cutting and putting it into the pot.

While Su Tang stoked the fire, she baked the mussel shells Mu Jingzhou had picked up by the river.

Only the four of them were home, three of them working together, only Li Lan standing by and glaring.

Feeling the sting of exclusion again…

“Third Brother, are you really going to waste this pork belly?” Li Lan couldn’t help but ask again.

“Sister-in-law, I bought this with my own money, it’s none of your business.” Mu Jingzhou usually had a cold face, and when he spoke with emotion, he seemed even more unapproachable.

Li Lan mumbled.

Soon, the pork belly began to render, filling the house with the aroma of lard.

Just the smell was satisfying!

Old Mrs. Gao climbed onto the wall next door: “Li Lan, what’s that delicious smell at noon? Are you rendering lard?”

“Yes, yes, Third Brother is rendering lard.” Li Lan answered loudly.

She thought about it and felt they weren’t making soap at all. Was it a conspiracy between the second and third brothers to eat alone? Absolutely not!

Everything in this house should be shared!

“So fragrant! Third Brother is so generous, always spending his own money to feed everyone. Li Lan, before you married in, you worried about not having enough food for so many people, now you see the benefits of having many younger brothers-in-law, right?” Old Mrs. Gao said sarcastically.

Li Lan was speechless, turning her head and ignoring Old Mrs. Gao.

Old Mrs. Gao leaned on the wall, smelling the fragrant oil with satisfaction: “Even if I can’t eat it, it’s good to smell it.”

Mu Jingzhou finished processing the pig pancreas and didn’t know what to do next, asking loudly: “Wife, I’m done.”

“Coming!”

Su Tang took the pig pancreas to the kitchen for Yu Miaomiao and gave the freshly baked mussel shells to him: “Pound them into powder, sieve out the coarse ones.”

“Okay.”

Mu Jingzhou continued to work.

Old Mrs. Gao was shocked: “How can a woman order a man around?”

“My husband is good! What, Old Mrs. Gao, do the women do all the work in your house?” Su Tang asked with a smile.

Old Mrs. Gao said: “Of course! Men’s strength should be used to earn work points.”

“Then maybe your man doesn’t have enough strength. My Third Brother is full of energy, he loves to work.”

Mu Jingzhou’s lips curved upward, working even harder.

Old Mrs. Gao sneered: “You’re just lazy, and you make it sound so good!”

“Kind words warm you in winter, harsh words hurt you in summer. Old Mrs. Gao, don’t you even understand this?”

“I also know that good medicine tastes bitter but is good for you!”

“There are also sweet medicines, Old Mrs. Gao, you haven’t tried them, so don’t worry about it! Worrying too much makes you age faster. Worrying about others is even less worthwhile. Why not take a few deep breaths and smell the aroma of our lard.”

Su Tang’s mouth kept moving, smiling as she silenced Old Mrs. Gao.

Compared to winning an argument with Su Tang, she preferred to smell the lard.

It really was too fragrant, if she could get a couple of pieces of cracklings to satisfy her cravings, it would be even more perfect…