Chapter 38: Summoned to the He Family

After Old Tan returned, someone from the He family came over and sent a laborer.

The laborer was actually the second son of the He family’s eldest sister’s husband. In order to climb the social ladder through this so-called good match, he had become a servant to the He family, letting them treat him like a laborer.

However, this man wasn’t bad at heart, and he was actually familiar with Old Tan.

His surname was Wu, the same as the fifth character in the order: one, two, three, four, five.

The Wu surname was relatively rare in Fengping Village, so Old Tan remembered him quite well.

“Old Wu, what brings you here to my place?” Old Tan had just returned home, setting down his shoulder basket and wiping away his sweat.

With a smile, Old Wu said, “Old Tan, the old master of the He family wants to invite you and your wife to their estate.”

“To their estate?” Old Tan was surprised. “We rarely interact with them. Why would they suddenly ask us over?”

Old Wu shook his head, not knowing the exact reason. He smiled and said, “Old Tan, you two are relatives. Perhaps they just want to invite you over to catch up.”

Old Tan shook his head. “If they wanted to keep in touch, they would’ve done so long ago. Now, suddenly asking us over? There’s definitely no good reason. We’re not going, not going.”

Hearing the commotion, Wan Chunmei came out of the house and asked, “Where are you going?”

“Hello, Sister-in-law,” Old Wu quickly greeted her before repeating what he had just said.

However, Wan Chunmei wasn’t as concerned. “Go, of course we’ll go. If we don’t, they’ll think we’re afraid to visit, and then they’ll label us as disrespectful.”

Old Tan began to feel that her words made some sense.

Wan Chunmei continued, “Don’t worry, we’re not afraid. It’s broad daylight. What can they do to us?”

“That’s right!” Old Tan nodded repeatedly. His wife always knew how to talk sense.

“Alright, then. I’ll prepare dinner for the children first, and then we’ll go together.”

Wan Chunmei turned and entered the house, placing the dishes she had already prepared on the table. She called to Tan Yiliang, “Yiliang, your father and I have something to take care of. You and your brothers can eat first.”

“Yes, Mother,” Tan Yiliang quickly replied.

Wan Chunmei then approached the bed, looking at Tan Liujin and the little one, Tan Qiyue, who was lying there. After hesitating for a moment, she finally picked up little Qiyue. The baby was nursing and couldn’t be left without her mother.

As for Tan Liujin, he was so good at eating and sleeping that he was practically invisible, so there was no need to worry about him at all.

Tan Yiliang happened to see this and hurried over, saying, “Don’t worry, Mother. Little Brother is really well-behaved. The rest of us brothers will keep an eye on him.”

After some hesitation, Wan Chunmei nodded in agreement. “Alright then, your father and I will return as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Tan Yiliang answered obediently.

Only then did Wan Chunmei feel at ease and follow Old Tan and Old Wu out.

The He family lived in an old house, which, from a distance, really looked like the residence of a wealthy landowner. It seemed out of place in the middle of this remote and impoverished village.

However, it seemed that the house hadn’t been repaired in a long time, and it was already falling apart.

Old Wu led them in through the back door.

Old Tan frowned. “What’s this? We’re supposed to enter through the back door?”

Old Wu didn’t know how to respond.

As guests, they certainly shouldn’t be entering through the back door, but the He family patriarch had specifically instructed that they must enter this way.

This put Old Wu in a difficult position.

Wan Chunmei saw through the situation—this was clearly the He family trying to pick a fight.

Her face darkened. “Old Wu, you go and tell your master directly: if he wants to maintain this family relationship, then let us through the front door. If not, we’ll leave. Our Tan family has no time to waste with him, busy as we are with tending to our fields!”

Old Wu furrowed his brow, embarrassed. “Sister-in-law, I wouldn’t dare say that to the old master. How about we just make do and enter through the back door?”

Before Wan Chunmei could respond, Old Tan spoke sharply. “No! No way! If my wife says it’s not acceptable, then it’s not acceptable.”

Wan Chunmei nodded in agreement.