But she didn’t told this reason to anyone. Aunt Wang knew she would be laughed at, so she had to swallow it.

　　It was already dark when we returned to the village.

　　When Li Zhouzhou got home, he washed up first and wiped his face with hot water. He didn’t eat the meal Gu Zhao made yet, waiting to eat together. When Li Zhouzhou finished washing and put away the things he bought today, his father hadn’t come back yet.

　　”Why is it so late?” Gu Zhao went to the gate of the yard and looked out. It was pitch black and he couldn’t see anything.

　　Li Zhouzhou said: “Dad went to Dongping Village today and said there are only two families. Logically, we shouldn’t be here so late.”

　　After waiting for a while, it was really too late, so the couple ate their meal first, cleaned up, and kept the meal warm in the stove in the main room for their father, and did not go to bed.

　　Li Zhouzhou felt uneasy and his face became paler as he waited. Gu Zhao even wanted to go look for him with an oil lamp.

　　Finally, the door was knocked, and the two hurried out. It was snowing outside, and Li Da’s shoulders were covered in snow, and he didn’t even have water in his hands. Li Zhouzhou was originally worried, and now that his father was back, he was worried if he didn’t have water.

　　After going to the house and washing up, Li Da took a sip of hot water and said, “Nothing much. I killed two families this morning and met the second uncle of Gu’s family. His eldest brother also wanted to kill a pig.”

　　Today, Li Da killed four families and was exhausted.

　　Gu Zhao: …

　　You don’t need to ask to know where the water went.

　　Li Da was concerned about his son-in-law’s face and didn’t say it directly: “It’s too late after killing them. They are all relatives, so I don’t want them to go into the water.”

　　Uncle Gu Zhao wanted to give it, but Li Da confiscated it.

　　How come the offal given by the two families that were killed this morning is gone? Gu Zhao knew it very well and said, “Dad, next time my stepmother asks for something, don’t be afraid of losing face and just push it onto me, saying that I am weak and need to eat something to replenish myself, otherwise I won’t be able to have a child.”

　　Li Da: …

　　Li Zhouzhou: …

　　How can my husband say that about me! I am obviously very good at sleeping on the kang.

　　Li Da coughed and said, “We don’t lack offal at home. Your stepmother is pregnant and wants it.”

　　The father and son have similar personalities.

　　”Then I won’t bring any meat when I go back for the New Year.” Gu Zhao would not suffer a loss, “It’s already been eaten anyway, and it’s still two servings, so it shouldn’t be bad.”

　　Li Dali, Zhouzhou: …

　　Nothing to do, so I ate, washed up and went to bed. The next day, Li Da had to kill a pig again, but in his own village.

　　Someone knocked on the door at Li’s house.

　　Li Zhouzhou opened the door, but his father was not there. When the door was opened, he saw two unfamiliar faces. Li Zhouzhou did not recognize them because they were not from his village.

　　”My family lives in Shili Village, and my father is a bricklayer.”

　　Li Zhouzhou immediately knew who it was and quickly invited him to come in and sit down.

　　The visitors were Zhu Nijiang’s son and his wife. It was their first time here, and they were carrying something in their hands. Zhu Nijiang’s son was a few years older than Li Zhouzhou, and his wife was a straightforward person. After they greeted each other, they called Li Zhouzhou by his name.

　　”Your house is so clean. You can tell you’re diligent.” Zhu the clay craftsman’s daughter-in-law praised.

　　When there were guests at home, Gu Zhao came out to greet them. Everyone sat down and drank tea. Zhu Nijiang and his wife had happy faces. They didn’t say everything, but they got the general idea across.

　　This is the stove with the words engraved on it, thanking Gu Zhao.

　　”After the calligraphy, people in our village also liked it and came to buy it.”

　　”Luckily, we have a stove at home, so we have some firewood ready. But it’s not enough.”

　　”It’s a rare opportunity to have a good New Year. My father said he must come over to visit. If you want to burn anything in the future, just tell me. You’re welcome.”

　　…

　　Zhu the clay craftsman made a fortune before the New Year with the help of the stove. This thing was not a one-time transaction, he could sell it in the town later. This way of making money was provided by Gu Zhao of the Li family, who immediately asked his son and daughter-in-law to bring the gifts to wish him a happy new year.

　　He took all the gifts, including a jar of wine, a piece of candy, and some preserved fruits. He didn’t take any meat, because Zhu Nijiang knew that Li Da was a butcher and would not have to worry about meat.

　　Li Da is not here.

　　Zhu Nijiang’s son and his wife wanted to just sit for a while and leave, but that was of course not possible. Li Zhouzhou tried to stop them by saying he wanted to cook. But he was powerless to resist when Zhu Nijiang’s eldest daughter-in-law kept saying that it was not necessary and it was not a trouble, as there were already feeds to feed at home.