Chapter 193

Food had been kept warm at home, left on the steaming rack of the large iron pot. When everyone returned, they could immediately serve it up and eat it hot. Eating the hot food, accompanied by a bowl of soup, made everyone feel completely at ease.

Hot water had already been prepared in the bathroom.

When the new house was built, they specifically made the latrine and bathroom spacious. Shuiqing detested the kind of latrine where a wooden plank was placed over a pit, which always seemed on the verge of collapsing. With so many people in the family, they didn’t want to have to compete for the latrine in the morning, so they built separate ones for men and women, each with three squat toilets.

There was a trench under the latrine. After using the toilet, they would scoop two ladles of water from the bucket to flush it down, sending the waste directly to a distant compost pit. Manure was an important fertilizer on the farm and could not be wasted.

The pigsty’s pig manure was handled the same way.

The bathroom had a stove and a large iron pot, so there was no need to carry hot water back and forth. In the summer, a pot of hot water mixed with cold water could wash several people. In the winter, adding firewood to the stove could keep them warm.

After being out, their feet and legs were covered in mud, and they were sweaty all over. The three of them took a comfortable hot bath, changed into clean clothes, and went to bed feeling refreshed.

Meanwhile, Fan Qian was far from comfortable in the boar’s nest.

Today, he carried a few black bread buns to find his uncles. The area was full of mud, sand, and broken wood. He finally arrived at the boar’s nest before dark.

The boar’s nest was high ground. Originally full of wild boars, the people in the village had formed hunting parties, driving the boars away. Eventually, some families moved there, forming a small settlement that kept the old name.

Due to the high ground, water drained quickly, so Uncle Huang and Uncle Huang’s homes had little damage.

Uncle Huang puffed on his pipe, his eyes, like those of Fan Qian’s mother, coldly staring at Fan Qian.

“You said your mother is unwell? Lost her voice?” Uncle Huang asked.

Fan Qian nodded with a chuckle, “Yes, we dug up stuff from my brother’s field and cooked it. For some reason, their family was fine, but we all got sick. Since then, mother has been unwell and constantly misses her brothers, wanting to see you two.”

Fan Qian lied without any guilt. His mother indeed valued these two brothers, but whether they valued her was another story. But it didn’t matter; he just wanted to get close first.

“Seeing us won’t help. If she’s unwell, get a doctor,” Uncle Huang said coolly.

Fan Qian knew these two uncles wouldn’t act without benefits, so he cut to the chase, “Actually, mother has another matter. My second brother, Fan Jin, has made it big.”

Uncle Huang’s pipe dropped from his mouth, and Uncle Huang’s eyes widened. They eagerly interrupted, “What did you say? Jin has made it big?”

“Yes, he lives in a big house, eats white rice, and enjoys the best food and drinks every day, but he doesn’t honor our mother. I’m here to ask you two to help make him treat mother better, ideally bringing her to his home to care for her in her old age,” Fan Qian explained.

Uncle Huang and Uncle Huang gasped, their eyes turning as they pondered.

After a while, Uncle Huang said, “He should indeed bring your mother to live with him. Filial piety is paramount! And he’s supposed to be a scholar.”

Uncle Huang added, “Not just your mother; we, as uncles, should also be respected. There’s an old saying: ‘The mother’s family is great.’ Brother, we should go with Qian tomorrow to make Jin understand his mistakes.”

Uncle Huang agreed.

Fan Qian lowered his head, smiling.

Uncle Huang and Uncle Huang questioned him closely about Fan Jin’s house, land, stored grain, and livestock. Hearing about the large house with dozens of rooms on two to three acres, their eyes lit up. Hearing about the hundreds of chickens and ducks, and the cow and donkey, they couldn’t help but swallow hard.

In just over two years without visiting their sister, they couldn’t believe how well their nephew was living!

Fan Qian talked until his mouth was dry, yet he didn’t even get a glass of water. The two aunts didn’t mention dinner either. It was dark, and traveling at night was difficult, so he had to stay overnight. Even for just one night, the two aunts pushed the responsibility of hosting onto each other until finally, he ended up in the woodshed. The woodshed reeked of decay and mildew, and being thirsty and hungry, with mud-caked legs and drenched in sweat, Fan Qian found the night unbearable.

He woke up several times during the night and, after what felt like an eternity, finally saw the first light of dawn. Together with Uncle Huang and Uncle Huang, they set off back to the village. The thought of having the two uncles take the lead today filled Fan Qian with delight. The hardships he endured yesterday would not be in vain.

No one could get the better of these two uncles. Even his miserly mother would have to yield and part with some silver under their scrutiny. Let alone his younger brother’s family.

Early in the morning, Wang Guifen and Zhao Lan came over to Shuiqing’s place, having prepared themselves. They arrived just as Shuiqing’s family was having breakfast. People in Shanshui Village usually didn’t have breakfast, eating only two meals a day, except during the busy farming season when they ate three meals.

It was currently the off-season, so Wang Guifen and Zhao Lan hadn’t expected this. Shuiqing had made some braised eggs the night before to go with the morning porridge. When they insisted they wouldn’t join the meal, she filled a bowl with six eggs and brought it out along with some tea.

The braised eggs, steaming hot, gave off an enticing aroma that made Wang Guifen and Zhao Lan involuntarily swallow. They declined, saying, “We’re used to not eating breakfast, we’re not hungry.”

“Keep it for yourselves.”

Eggs were considered precious food, usually rationed per person. Shuiqing bringing out six at once meant others might go without. They had come to discuss something important, not to appear ungrateful.

“It’s fine, you know we have plenty of chickens and eggs. We can chat while we eat.” Shuiqing put down the bowl and went back to the kitchen for her porridge. In the village, it wasn’t impolite to walk around with a bowl, chatting and eating.

Wang Guifen and Zhao Lan had been up since the rooster crowed, doing laundry, feeding chickens, weeding the vegetable patch, and other chores. Saying they weren’t hungry was a lie; their stomachs had been growling for a while. They had been holding back, but the aroma of the braised eggs was irresistible.

When Shuiqing urged them again, they finally couldn’t resist and each took an egg. The unique flavor was unlike anything they had ever tasted. They savored it slowly, taking small bites. After finishing one egg, despite Shuiqing’s urging, they didn’t take another.

Drinking tea, Wang Guifen explained why they had come. Shuiqing was genuinely surprised to hear that the old village chief wanted her opinion. She had thought her two sisters-in-law were there for a personal matter.

“Did I hear that right?” she stammered.

This was about the protection of the entire village.

Suddenly, the pressure was immense!