Chapter 24.1

Qin Lei was frozen in place, stunned.

He could hardly believe that the man standing before him, Wei Ling, looked so young—young enough that no one would ever have guessed he held an important position in the military.

The more Qin Lei thought about how much he had dismissed Wei Ling before, the more he regretted it now.

Once again, deep inside, Qin Lei blamed his wife. ‘It’s just a matter of lowering our heads, if she’d only swallowed her pride a bit, not only would we have gotten a stable support system, but we’d also have a powerful ally. Everyone knows that these days, soldiers are the most respected.”

In the neighboring Wang household, for instance, the widow’s son had enlisted in the army. Because of that, he’d easily found a wife, and Widow Wang no longer had to work in the fields.

Her household had plenty to eat and drink without her lifting a finger. But for people like them, who were true farmers, every year required hard work, struggling to earn work points.

If they didn’t earn enough points, the whole family would have to tighten their belts!

The more Qin Lei thought about it, the more bitter he felt, and his mood grew worse.

In the crowd, Aunt Ah Yun spotted Qin Lei.

She quickly nudged the person next to her with her elbow, and when that person looked over, she jerked her chin in Qin Lei’s direction.

Her expression remained neutral, but her eyes gleamed with enjoyment at his misfortune.

Zhu Hongxia was notorious for her bad temper, and she’d managed to offend many people in the village.

At the very least, she’d certainly offended Aunt Ah Yun.

The person Ah Yun had nudged followed her gaze and saw Qin Lei looking downcast. They curled their lip in contempt; though they didn’t say anything outright, it was clear they didn’t think much of Qin Lei’s family, either. Everyone knew that household was full of troublemakers.

“Let’s go home. Quickly now, let’s get you home.” said one woman to her husband as she gently pulled him along. “It’s getting cold. Once we’re home, you can warm up. I’ll have the kids warm up a pot of wine for you.”

As evening set in, the temperature dropped rapidly, and all around, wives were pulling their husbands back home.

Zheng Anguo was also making his way home, accompanied by his son, who was excitedly updating him on everything that had happened in the village since he’d left for the mountain—especially the gossip about the Qin family.

“Third Brother, Fourth Brother, come! Let’s go to Second Brother’s house for a meal. I’ve got some wine at home!”

Once the crowd began to disperse, Qin Lei snapped out of his daze and quickly called out to Qin Shu and Qin Shi, inviting them to his home.

He was hopeful that spending time together as brothers could smooth over the disagreements among their wives.

Qin Shu and Qin Shi had already noticed Qin Lei. They’d been about to have a word with their own sons, but when they heard Qin Lei’s invitation, they put their sons’ slightly hesitant expressions aside and cheerfully headed over to his house.

The brothers had a close relationship, and every time they came down from the mountain, they’d make it a point to gather, catch up, and share a drink or two.

Meanwhile, Qin Defu and Qin Anping stood there, watching in disbelief as their fathers walked into Second Uncle’s courtyard. They exchanged helpless glances.

“What should we do, Brother?” Qin Anping asked Qin Defu.

Qin Defu sniffled, wiping his nose, and muttered, “Doesn’t matter.” Then, without another word, he turned and left.

Qin Anping looked from Qin Defu’s retreating back to the now-closed gate of Second Uncle’s courtyard, then shrugged and went home. After all, he’d come to escort his father home, and if his father chose not to go with him, it was no longer his concern.

When Qin Anping got back home, sure enough, Yao Chunying was waiting for him with questions.

Qin Anping didn’t hide anything. He honestly told his mother, Yao Chunying, that his father had gone to Second Uncle’s house.

This wasn’t anything new; in the past, when she heard his father had gone there, she’d often prepare a couple of dishes to bring over.

But today, he wondered if his father would still get that kind of treatment.

Yao Chunying, sitting against the edge of the heated brick bed, had already grown cold-faced, completely unaware of the thoughts running through her son’s mind.

Qin Anping and his sister, Qin Huihui, took one look at their mother’s expression and dared not say a word.

Ever since Yao Chunying had been injured, her temper had worsened considerably. She would lash out at the smallest things.

Normally, Qin Anping was used to being somewhat bold at home since he was the only boy, but these past few days, he’d been careful to keep his head down, afraid of triggering his mother’s anger.

After a long, tense silence, Yao Chunying finally muttered, “Huihui, go stew all the meat.”

“Mother, are you going to take the meat to Second Uncle’s house?” Qin Anping asked in shock.

Last night, his family had only cooked a small portion of the meat his cousin Qingman had sent, saving the rest.

Now, he was taken aback that the meat, not even fully warmed from the previous meal, was already destined for Second Uncle’s house.

Qin Anping was displeased, feeling more than a little resentment.

“What meat? I’m not sending any meat to your Second Uncle’s house. Just because they’re family doesn’t mean they see us as such.” Yao Chunying snapped, glaring at her bewildered son. “No, Huihui, cook all the meat, and we three will feast.”

Usually, he seemed sharp, but he was useless when it counted.

Despite being scolded, Qin Anping wasn’t at all bothered. All he heard was, “Feast on meat.”

“Hehehe… eat meat, all we want.” he chuckled foolishly.

Yao Chunying didn’t even want to look at the silly expression on his face, so she shooed both her son and daughter out of the room to start cooking.

The same scenario was unfolding in Li Meina’s household. Her thoughts mirrored Yao Chunying’s; if her husband valued his brothers so much, then he could eat and drink well there. She wasn’t going to worry about it.

—o—o—o—

Meanwhile, Qin Shu and Qin Shi were entirely unaware that they’d angered their wives.

At that moment, they were busy washing up with water basins in Qin Lei’s living room. They’d stripped off their sweaty underclothes, washing them and hanging them near the stove to dry. By the time they finished eating, the clothes would be dry enough to wear.

“Third Brother, Fourth Brother, what’s the situation up on the mountain? Tell me, can we hunt and split the game again this year?” Qin Lei asked, adding more firewood to the stove.

Since he hadn’t gone to the mountain himself this year, he had no idea what the conditions there were like.

Qin Shi, having finished cleaning up first, took a seat and accepted a cup of hot water from Qin Jianjun. After a sip, he began explaining the situation on the mountain.

Qin Shu, who had just finished drying off, sat down next to him, occasionally adding a comment.

In Qin Lei’s house, he and his sons listened intently to the two brothers as they described the conditions on the mountain.

Even Zhu Hongxia, who was resting in another room due to her injuries, perked up her ears.

She was also anxious about whether they’d be able to share some meat before the end of the year.

If the village couldn’t hunt anything this year, the paltry portion of meat distributed by the brigade would barely make it through one meal.

In the main hall, when Qin Shu and Qin Shi mentioned encountering a pack of wolves on the mountain, both Qin Lei and his son Qin Jianming went pale with fear.

They couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief and gratitude that they hadn’t gone up the mountain themselves.

Surviving a wolf encounter was a rare stroke of luck; if they hadn’t been so fortunate, it could have easily been a life-or-death situation, perhaps even costing them their lives.

They were truly thankful they had avoided the trip this time.

After hearing all about the situation on the mountain, Qin Shu and Qin Shi both felt an intense hunger growling in their stomachs.

They glanced back at Qin Lei’s kitchen, realizing they couldn’t smell any food cooking. Could it be that their Second Brother was stingy enough to skimp on a meal?

Qin Lei noticed the surprise in his brothers’ expressions and quickly raised his voice, shouting toward the kitchen, “Caiyun, Caiyun, is the food ready? Your Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle are hungry; hurry up!”

“Coming right up, Dad.” Qin Caiyun replied calmly from the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Qin Caiyun lifted the lid off a pot, revealing a simple dish of stewed potatoes.

Their family’s food supplies had been running low lately, especially since Qin Qingman had borrowed from them twice. These days, they mainly subsisted on sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, and cracked corn.

They’d occasionally have black bread rolls, but with the surprise arrival of Third and Fourth Uncle, there hadn’t been time to make anything special. Potatoes were the quickest option.

As for a side dish, she would simply take a couple of pickled cabbages from the barrel to add to the pot.

Ever since her engagement had been called off, Qin Caiyun didn’t care much about this household.

She did what she could with the food, but with little enthusiasm; after all, no one ever showed her any appreciation.

She’d just get through the day.

Five minutes later, Qin Caiyun carried a large bowl of stewed potatoes into the hall.

Qin Shu and Qin Shi fell into a brief, stunned silence as they stared at the potatoes placed in front of them.

What was this supposed to mean?

Were they expected to eat potatoes?

It wasn’t that they were opposed to eating potatoes, but there was a big difference between eating them at their own homes and being served them as honored guests.

Did their brother really think so little of them that he’d offer them nothing but potatoes?

Exchanging glances, Qin Shi gave Qin Lei a polite smile and asked, “Second Brother, where’s Sister-in-law?” He recalled that Zhu Hongxia usually took charge of the cooking, with Qin Caiyun helping. They’d been sitting here a while now and hadn’t seen Zhu Hongxia once, which seemed odd.

Qin Lei had been waiting for this question. He sighed and replied, “Your sister-in-law is injured.”

“Was she hit by a wild boar on the mountain?” Qin Shu and Qin Shi asked in unison.

“You know about it?” Qin Lei looked at his two younger brothers in surprise.

Qin Shi and Qin Shu nodded. “We heard about it on the mountain. If it hadn’t been for wild boars and wolves, we wouldn’t have come down so quickly. It seems the mountain’s too dangerous lately; better to avoid going up there for now.”

“Ah, who could disagree?” Qin Lei sighed again.

His wife’s injury had left their household short a worker, and there was no telling how long her recovery would take. Thankfully, Liu Hechang had generously offered to cover her medical expenses; otherwise, this year would have been even harder for their family.

“Second Brother, don’t worry.” Qin Shi reassured him. “Sister-in-law has a good heart; she’ll be fine.”

For a moment, Qin Shu wasn’t sure how to comfort Qin Lei, so he simply picked up a potato and started eating, diverting the conversation as he did so. “Second Brother, these potatoes are actually quite tasty. You all should eat too. I’m sure my wife will send over a dish soon.” he said, relying on old habits.

Qin Shi nodded with equal confidence, certain that his own wife would also bring a dish.

Qin Lei, already eyeing his younger brothers’ newly acquired meat with a hint of envy, felt a spark of hope at their words. Both of them sounded so sure—perhaps he really would get to eat some pork today. It had been a long time since he’d tasted it.

Beside him, Qin Jianming and Qin Jianjun, who had been sitting quietly, couldn’t help but swallow hungrily at the thought of pork. They craved it as well; despite the gamey taste of wild boar, they wouldn’t be picky.

“Jianming, bring out some wine. I want to have a proper drink with Third and Fourth Uncle.” Qin Lei announced with newfound enthusiasm.

“Yes, Dad!” Qin Jianming eagerly jumped up and went to the kitchen to scoop wine from the family’s jar.

In the Northeast, winter lasts for half the year, and in such cold weather, nothing warms a person like strong liquor.

Most families brewed their own corn liquor, a high-proof traditional spirit known as shaodaozi, which was essential for getting through the freezing winters. ((Shaodaozi is a traditional distilled liquor from China and one of the six major types of distilled spirits in the world

After a few shots, Qin Shi and Qin Shu began to feel the warmth spread through their bodies.

They even rolled up their sleeves, joining in a lively game of finger-guessing, making the room feel festive and cheerful. Soon enough, Qin Caiyun entered the hall carrying the dish.

It was a large bowl of stewed pickled cabbage.

There was just a hint of salt, with barely any oil in sight.

Seeing his brothers’ expressions turn a bit sour, Qin Lei quickly intervened to smooth things over. “Third Brother, Fourth Brother, it’s not that I’m unwilling to serve you better. As you know, your sister-in-law is injured, and it’s uncertain when she’ll recover. We also recently returned some grain to Qingman, so things are a bit tight for us.”

Hearing this explanation, Qin Shu and Qin Shi couldn’t bring themselves to complain. Making a fuss would just seem unbrotherly.

Sensing their silence, Qin Lei thought for a moment and then said to Qin Caiyun, “Caiyun, go fry up a few eggs for your Third and Fourth Uncles to go with the wine. At least we can still afford some eggs.”

“Second Brother, no need to make scrambled eggs. Our second sister-in-law is hurt, and the family needs money right now. As long as we brothers are united, it doesn’t matter what we eat. As long as there’s wine, that’s enough.” Qin Shu said, raising his glass toward Qin Lei.

Qin Shi quickly agreed, “Yes, Second Brother, let’s save the eggs for Second Sister-in-law to help her recover.”

“T-third Brother, Fourth Brother, I…” Qin Lei was deeply moved by his two younger brothers.

While the older men were talking, Qin Jianjun kept glancing toward the doorway, taking small, distracted bites of his potato. He was waiting for Third Aunt and Fourth Aunt to bring meat.

Since Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle were at his house, he figured the aunts would surely send some meat over.

Qin Jianjun’s frequent looks toward the door caught Qin Shi and Qin Shu’s attention. They had been staying at Second Brother’s house for half the day now, so why hadn’t any dishes been sent over yet? They wondered what could be going on. Was it possible they, as the heads of the household, weren’t being taken seriously?

Fueled by a little alcohol, Qin Shu and Qin Shi’s sense of male pride flared up. The family could be humiliated, but they couldn’t lose face in front of Second Brother.

With a sudden burst, both brothers stood up.

“Second Brother, I’ll go check on things at home.” they both said to Qin Lei.

“Third Brother, Fourth Brother, it’s a small matter. Maybe your sister-in-law got delayed. Don’t worry, let’s keep drinking. I’ll send Jianming to check on things.” Qin Lei quickly interjected, trying to prevent his younger brothers from leaving. He was preparing to talk to them about some old family conflicts that had recently surfaced.

Qin Shu and Qin Shi, in the throes of their drinking, exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement with Qin Lei’s suggestion.

“I’ll go! Let me go check!”

Qin Jianjun, who had been fidgeting impatiently, darted out of the house before Qin Lei could even answer.

Remembering the trouble this boy had gotten into before, Qin Lei couldn’t relax and immediately instructed Qin Jianming, “Jianming, go with your brother to check. Make sure he doesn’t anger your Third or Fourth Aunt.”

“Understood, Dad.”

Qin Jianming, who was more obedient, quickly followed his father’s orders and went outside.

The moment he stepped outside, Qin Jianjun grabbed him, covered his mouth, and dragged him aside. The two of them crouched sneakily by the courtyard wall, and Qin Jianjun whispered to his older brother, “Big Brother, do you want to eat some meat?”

Gulp!

A loud sound of swallowing was heard—it was Qin Jianming.

“Big Brother, if you want meat, you have to follow my lead.” Qin Jianjun said, eyeing his brother’s flickering gaze, trying to convince him.

Qin Jianming, unable to resist the idea of meat, finally gave in. “What do you want to do?”

“What could I even do?” Qin Jianjun rolled his eyes at his older brother. “You know that I already offended both of our aunts. They’re mad at our whole family because of it, and I’m telling you, there’s no way they’ll send any food over today.”

Qin Jianming furrowed his brows, feeling just as disappointed. “So what should we do?” He was craving meat, too.

“I bet both aunts are making stew right now.” Qin Jianjun took a deep breath after saying this, and sure enough, a delicious smell of meat filled the air. He didn’t know whether it came from one of the aunt’s homes or perhaps from the Qin Qingman household next door.

Ever since he learned that Wei Ling was in the military and a colonel at that, he’d abandoned any idea of sneaking meat from Qin Qingman’s house. The last time he tried, not only had he failed to get any meat, but he also ended up with four painful blisters on his backside, likely from Wei Ling’s slingshot. With no evidence, he hadn’t dared to tell anyone about his failed nighttime raid.

Just as his thoughts started to wander, Qin Jianming’s voice pulled him back. “Jianjun, I want to eat meat. How are we going to get some?”

“We’ll split up and check if Third Aunt and Fourth Aunt are making stew. If they are, we’ll ask, in the tone of Third and Fourth Uncle, when they’re planning to bring the meat over. If they’re planning to share, we’ll definitely get some. If not, we’ll head back and tell our uncles the truth.”

Qin Jianjun’s eyes sparkled with his new idea.

“So, you want to use our uncles to pressure the aunts?” Qin Jianming understood his brother’s plan.

“Exactly. Our uncles care about appearances. If they find out that the aunts are enjoying a meal at home without sharing to save face, they’ll be furious, and that’ll cause a scene.” Qin Jianjun felt pretty confident about this.

“Alright, let’s do it. Which house do you want to go to?” Qin Jianming offered his brother the choice.

“I’ll go to Third Uncle’s house, and you go to Fourth Uncle’s.” Qin Jianjun had already decided in his mind. Fourth Aunt Yao Chunying had a fiery temper, so he preferred to try his luck with Third Aunt, who was at least more likely to just give him a cold look.

“Got it.”

Qin Jianming brushed the snow off his pants and made his way to Yao Chunying’s house, while Qin Jianjun headed over to Li Meina’s.

They hadn’t even reached the door before they smelled a strong aroma of meat. It must have been braised because they could smell the fragrant bean paste.

Predictably, neither Yao Chunying nor Li Meina greeted the two boys with a smile. A few curt words later, both aunts dismissed them and shut the door.

The brothers accepted this outcome well enough since they’d expected it all along.

Just as planned, the brothers returned home.

What they didn’t know, however, was that their sneaky scheme had been noticed by Chuchu, who had been outside to relieve himself. Not only had he overheard their plan, but he also saw them rushing back home with excited faces.