Chapter 42 There is an inside story

After Ji Tangtang sent Gu Shiyu home, she carried some snacks and canned goods over to Liu Daocheng’s house.

“Why bring all this when you’re coming over?” Tang Liqin kept trying to refuse. “You’re here to talk to your uncle about building the house, right? Your uncle went to the Fang family. I heard that girl from the Fang family caused trouble in the city again. Tell me, she seemed fine as a child, how did she grow up to be such a nuisance, always causing trouble outside? She’s ruining the reputation of our whole team.”

Talking about the Fang family, Tang Liqin felt even more pleased with Ji Tangtang. This child had a poor reputation in the village as a child, but ever since becoming engaged to the eldest son of the Gu family, she seemed to have matured. Her speech and actions were like an adult’s—truly impressive.

Ji Tangtang ignored Tang Liqin’s refusals and insisted on handing over the snacks and canned goods. “It’s nothing special, just a few treats for the younger siblings.”

Liu Junliang and Liu Yanhong looked at the snacks and canned goods with eager eyes. Food was scarce these days, and children were naturally tempted. But both were well-behaved, standing quietly to the side without fussing. Seeing the eager children, Tang Liqin finally stopped refusing.

“Sit and wait for a moment. I’ll get you a bowl of water.”

“Auntie, no need. I’m not thirsty,” Ji Tangtang said. “I’ll head back first. When the team leader comes back, you can tell him, and he can come to me.”

Tang Liqin didn’t want Ji Tangtang to just sit there waiting and nodded repeatedly. “Alright, you go back first. When the head comes back, I’ll tell him to come by your house.”

Ji Tangtang thanked her and pushed her bike back home.

Xu Guifen, though soft-natured and not particularly sharp, often suffered losses in the village, but she loved her two daughters dearly and listened well to Ji Tangtang. Before leaving in the morning, Ji Tangtang instructed her not to skimp and to cook all the remaining pork. She took the meat, minced it, mixed it with the chives Ji Tangtang had given her, and made buns. She had to leave for work in the morning, so the unfinished buns were finished by Ji Changming. When Ji Tangtang returned home, the freshly steamed buns had just come out of the pot.

“Tangtang, come eat,” Xu Guifen said, placing three large buns in a bowl and handing it to her daughter. Steam rose from the buns, and the aroma of meat was irresistible.

Ji Tangtang’s appetite surged at the smell. She took a bite eagerly and said, “Delicious! You all should eat too.”

“We already had lunch,” Xu Guifen replied, looking at her daughter and feeling hopeful about their future. Thinking about the village rumors, she whispered, “Do you want to take some buns to your husband later? I heard that the Gu matriarch can be quite strict and doesn’t feed her son-in-law. Now that you’ve registered your marriage, you’re one family. Don’t let your own family go hungry.”

“I know,” Ji Tangtang said. “I’ll head to the Gu household once it gets darker.”

“That’s best!” Xu Guifen agreed with a nod. They kept the pork buns a secret so no one would be envious.

After eating, Ji Tangtang discussed the house-building plan with her family. She had mentioned it casually yesterday, but with so much going on, the specifics—how and where to build—had not been addressed.

“I just went to the team leader’s house. My idea is to check the nearby red brick factory to see if we can reserve some bricks. If we can, we’ll use them to build the house.”

Ji Changming and Xu Guifen were both surprised. They had thought she meant just to rebuild a simple mud-brick house with the villagers’ help. They hadn’t expected her to plan a proper brick-and-tile house.

“How much will that cost?” Xu Guifen asked instinctively.

“Don’t worry about money. I have a plan,” Ji Tangtang said. “I want to discuss where to build the house with you.”

In that era, people usually rebuilt on old foundations, but Ji Tangtang wanted to find a new plot and build from scratch.

“I think the land at Zhulin Bay is perfect. It’s isolated, and it’s uncultivable wasteland. If we apply to build there, we should be able to get approval.”

Ji Changming thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. “Alright. Later, you can go to Team Leader Liu’s house and invite your Uncle Liu over. I’ll handle the foundation issue with him.”

“I didn’t see him when I went to his house earlier. Auntie said to wait until he returns, then invite him over,” Ji Tangtang said.

As they were talking, footsteps sounded outside. Xu Guifen thought Liu Daocheng had arrived and hurried to open the door—but it wasn’t him. It was her sister-in-law, Chen Yuexiang.

Xu Guifen’s smile immediately faded.

“Why, not welcoming me?” Chen Yuexiang sniffed and pushed past Xu Guifen into the house.

“What’s all this delicious food? Tangtang is really growing up. She earned so much money and bought a lot of treats for the family!”

“Do you have business here?” Ji Tangtang asked coldly.

“Niece! I came to discuss something with you,” Chen Yuexiang said warmly, taking Ji Tangtang’s hand and trying to lead her out.

“What is it?” Ji Tangtang pulled her hand back. “Say it here.”

“Niece, we’re all family. Your uncle and I are in a bit of trouble. Shouldn’t you help?” Chen Yuexiang’s eyes roamed the room, calculating. “Lend me 100—no, 200—just to tide us over. We’ll pay you back later. Help us this once, and your uncle and I will remember it forever.”

Xu Guifen turned pale with anger and blocked her daughter. “I knew it! A weasel paying respects to a chicken—no good intentions! Go away, don’t try anything with my daughter.”

“Who’s trying anything with your daughter?” Chen Yuexiang snapped. “When your family was in trouble, we helped plenty. Now you can’t help us with a small favor, and you act like this? Don’t you feel guilty?”

“What… what favor did you do? Your eldest brother has been injured for so long—have you come to check on him?” Xu Guifen stood protectively like a mother hen.

Ji Changming was angry too. He had already given up on those relatives after they let his parents and siblings down. But now they were trying to take advantage of his daughter on top of everything else—he would not allow it. He rapped his cane heavily on the floor.

“You should know what happened when I got injured. You and your second brother should remember.”

Chen Yuexiang jumped back in shock. “You got hurt working! How is that our fault? Don’t try to pin it on us!”

“Do you want me to remind you what your second brother did?” Ji Changming warned. “If you don’t want me to reveal that, leave now. Don’t cause trouble here, or don’t blame me for ignoring family ties.”

Just then, footsteps sounded outside again.