Chapter 95 : All the money I earn is for you

Du Chunmin and her daughter, Yan Xiaohua, had already opened one of the sacks.  

Yan Daqiang and Yan Erqiang’s wives came out of their rooms with their children in tow.  

The whole family was stunned when they saw the enormous wild boar leg.  

Yan Erqiang’s wife stared at it and exclaimed, “Oh my goodness, this leg must weigh 30 or 40 kilograms, right?”  

Yan Daqiang’s wife nodded. “At least 30 kilograms, for sure.”  

Du Chunmin glanced at them, then pointed at the pig blood and the large wild boar skin nearby. “And there’s more here!”  

She then addressed her two daughters-in-law pointedly “Don’t grumble about Daqiang and Erqiang doing work for their brother. Look at how my nephew treats you! After a few days of helping him build his house, Zhenyu paid you wages. And don’t forget the cloth and cotton that his wife gave you last time, along with the food and other daily necessities, things that money can’t always buy.”  

Although the two women felt a pang of guilt after hearing this, they didn’t dare to show it.  

Yan Daqiang’s wife quickly plastered on a smile. “Mother, why would you even say that? We’re more than happy to see the two brothers helping Zhenyu build his house. We wouldn’t dream of having any objections.”  

Satisfied that her point had been made, Du Chunmin smiled and nodded.  

Though these two daughters-in-law had their small complaints, they were generally decent.  

After all, the nephew wasn’t their own son, how could one expect them to be completely selfless toward him?  

“Father,” she turned to her husband, “you, Daqiang, and Erqiang should clean this pigskin tonight. Ask your daughters-in-law to take some to their in-laws tomorrow morning to try it out.”  

She then glanced at the enormous pig leg, hesitated for a moment, and added, “And cut off another pound of meat for their families. The busy farming season is approaching, let them have some meat to build up their strength.”  

Overjoyed, the two daughters-in-law quickly expressed their gratitude. “Thank you, Mother!”  

Yan Xiaohua glanced at her mother and waited until her sisters-in-law and their children had returned to their rooms before quietly reminding her, “Mom, don’t forget about Eldest Sister.”  

Du Chunmin chuckled and gently scolded her daughter, “Silly girl, how could I forget? Tomorrow morning, you’ll come with me to visit your eldest sister’s house.”  

Her eldest daughter, Yan Xiaohong, had gotten married earlier in the year to someone from the neighboring Sunlou Brigade and was now three months pregnant.  

Yan Xiaohua smiled and nodded, then returned to her room.  

Yan Guowei said, “I’ll chop off the elbow of the pig leg later, and you can give it to your eldest daughter tomorrow.”  

“There’s no need,” Du Chunmin replied. “Just give me two or three taels of meat. They haven’t split from the family yet. Even if you send more, it will just be eaten by everyone. Can our daughter eat it alone?”  

Yan Daqiang agreed. “Mom is right. There are more than 20 people in their family. No matter how much we give, it won’t be enough for everyone to share. It’s better to invite my sister and brother-in-law to come here for a meal instead.”  

Yan Erqiang added, “Last time my eldest sister and her husband came back, I asked about it. My brother-in-law said they plan to split off after the autumn harvest. He and my sister don’t want to live with their brothers anymore, so they’re planning to move into the old yard.”  

“Even though their old yard is a bit run-down, it’s still livable after some cleaning. The current yard may be a brick house, but with so many people crowded together, it’s inconvenient. Moving out will be better.”

Du Chunmin strongly supported her daughter and son-in-law’s decision to move out.  

Having experienced life in a multi-generational household herself, she knew all too well how stifling it could be to live with parents-in-law and sisters-in-law.  

Quarrels often arose over trivial matters, and sometimes, even just breathing felt like a burden.  

If the couple could have their own yard, no matter how modest, as long as they worked together, life would surely improve steadily.  

—

When Han Zhenyu and Gu Fangxun arrived in Dujiatun, Grandpa Du’s household had already turned off the lights and gone to bed.  

Uncle Du, hearing a commotion outside, thought something had happened in the village.  

Upon recognizing Han Zhenyu’s voice, he hurriedly opened the door and welcomed them in. “Why are you here so late? Did something happen?”  

“Uncle, nothing’s wrong. Fangxun and I came across a wild boar while chopping wood today. We brought some over for you and Aunt,” Han Zhenyu explained.  

Uncle Du opened the sack to reveal a large pig leg and a hairy wild boar head.  

Suspicious, he frowned and asked sternly, “You found a wild boar? Do you take me for a fool? Tell me, did you go into the mountains?”  

“Really, we didn’t,” Han Zhenyu replied, passing a wooden barrel to him. “Here’s some pig blood, Uncle. Please clean it up quickly. We have to go.”  

Hearing voices in the yard, Chen Yufen, who had been asleep, got up, dressed, and came out. “Zhenyu, wait a moment. I’ll get you something to eat.”  

“Aunt, no need,” Han Zhenyu said with a smile. “Our neighbor’s sister-in-law gave us a big basket of food, and we’ve barely touched it.”  

He turned his bicycle around and added, “Uncle, Aunt, it’s late. You should get some rest. We’re heading back now.”  

Chen Yufen tried to stop them. “Why the rush? At least have some water before you leave.”  

Glancing at Gu Fangxun, Han Zhenyu asked, “Are you thirsty? Want some water?”  

Gu Fangxun smiled and shook his head.  

Han Zhenyu reassured them, “Uncle, Aunt, we’ll visit again in a few days. Please let Grandpa and Grandma know.”  

After seeing them off, Uncle Du and his wife couldn’t sleep anymore. They brought everything inside and began processing the pig’s head right away.  

Grandma and Grandpa Du, already sound asleep, had no idea their grandson had brought over so much meat.  

—

It was almost ten o’clock when Han Zhenyu and Gu Fangxun returned home.  

The children were asleep, and Su Xieqiu was sitting in the main room, reading while waiting for them.  

“There’s hot water in the pot,” she said. “Go wash up. You’ve had a long day. Rest early.”  

Gu Fangxun thanked her with a smile and went to his room to grab clean clothes.  

Han Zhenyu hesitated, unsure of where he should sleep.  

Noticing his discomfort, Su Xieqiu said quietly, “An an is in my room, and Chenchen insisted on sleeping with Fangxun. Why don’t you stay in my room for the next two nights?”  

The kang (a traditional heated brick bed) was large enough to accommodate several people, so sharing it wouldn’t be an issue.  

Relieved, Han Zhenyu quickly nodded. “Alright.”  

The two men showered quickly, and within half an hour, they were clean and ready for bed.  

Gu Fangxun glanced at Chenchen, who was sound asleep on the kang, smiled in relief, and lay down beside him.  

Having spent recent nights either on trains or in guesthouses, he hadn’t slept well in days.  

Now, with no need to worry about the children being kidnapped or keeping watch over luggage, he finally relaxed and fell into a deep sleep.  

In the other room, Han Zhenyu entered to find Su Xieqiu lying at the end of the kang, with An an asleep in the middle.  

He took out the 1,000 yuan and various vouchers that Gu Fangxun had given him.  

“Please keep this,” he said. “Raising two kids is tough. Buy them some good food. I’ll give you all the money I earn in the future.”  

Su Xieqiu sat up and looked at him with a teasing smile. “You’ll give me all your money, or just your salary?”  

Caught off guard, Han Zhenyu coughed awkwardly before declaring earnestly, “Of course, I’ll hand over everything. From now on, all the money I earn will be yours. Spend it however you want, I won’t say a word.”