As dusk fell, Old Master Lu returned from outside and heard the sounds of celebration and feasting coming from his nephew’s house next door.

The noisy revelry, with people eating meat and drinking wine, struck him deeply.

He knew that his third son was still alive, but Lu Shaocai, that wretched thing, did not.

That scoundrel showed no sign of mourning and was throwing a big feast instead.

What kind of nonsense was this?

Old Lu was thoroughly disheartened by this nephew, whom he had raised since childhood.

Tian Tian and Pan Pan had stayed home all day to keep Lin Shu company since it was the day of Lu Shaocang’s tomb repair.

When they saw their grandfather come home, they ran over to greet him joyfully, “Grandpa, Grandpa, you’re back!”

Surrounded by their sweet, high-pitched voices, Old Master Lu’s heart softened instantly.

He hurriedly took out meat buns and candies from his cloth bag, some from Dr. Yan and some he had bought himself.

Lin Shu quickly set up the meal for him, which included stewed eggs that she had saved for him.

When Lu Dage heard that his father was back, he hurried over, hoping for a drink.

However, Old Master Lu did not drink because he had already had two drinks with Dr. Yan at noon and was unwilling to drink more at home.

He was genuinely happy.

His third son was safe, and he had started to believe in Marxism-Leninism, even becoming an staff member at the county hospital.

When he went to thank the county leaders earlier, he unconsciously included phrases from the “Manifesto” and “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” in his speech.

This had touched the Revolutionary Committee director greatly, who praised him profusely, saying that he was indeed Lu Shaotang’s father, progressive in thought and continuously improving, and hoped he would continue to progress.

He didn’t understand why the director was so moved but clearly sensed that it was because he had started to believe in Marxism-Leninism.

He even self-criticized, admitting that he hadn’t been progressive enough in the past, which had impacted his children.

He vowed to improve and not bring shame to his children, to steadfastly believe in Marxism-Leninism and hope that the Marxist deity would bless his son.

Of course, the county leaders could not know about his son’s secret mission, and he couldn’t appear too overtly supportive.

He had to remain as low-key and sorrowful as possible.

In any case, he was very happy.

Fang Dihua asked, “How did Dr. Yan talk about it?”

Old Man Lu adjusted his emotions and replied slowly, “Very well. Dr. Yan said he had already discussed with the hospital leaders and arranged for me to have a position as an extra physician, similar to a barefoot doctor, but I would only handle traditional Chinese medicine.

Additionally, I need to go to the county hospital twice a month to help prepare medicines, exchange knowledge, and so forth.”

He arrived early at the county hospital and was surprised to find that Dr. Yan was already there.

The two were old acquaintances, so when they met, there was no sense of awkwardness, and it was natural for them to catch up.

Dr. Yan personally tried out his acupuncture and massage techniques, praising him for becoming more skilled and for his well-thought-out prescriptions and medicated plasters.

He said he would introduce important patients to him if the opportunity arose.

Dr. Yan sincerely wanted to help him.

Originally, he only intended to collaborate on the medicated plasters, but now he directly proposed giving him the position of an adjunct physician.

Once the hospital approved, the county health team would issue a document appointing Old Man Lu as the adjunct physician for Lu Village in the county people’s hospital.

Of course, the hospital wouldn’t pay Old Man Lu a salary, only a manufacturing subsidy.

Additionally, he could keep the fees from his own medical practice.

Old Man Lu felt that the medical fees were not much and didn’t take it seriously, so he naturally agreed.

Dr. Yan said the manufacturing subsidy was a minimum of five yuan and five jin of food stamps per month.

This was an extra allowance beyond the food rations, which Old Man Lu found very good.

Five yuan was quite a lot in these days when an old farmer could barely earn thirty cents a day.

He was very satisfied and grateful to Dr. Yan.

Fang Dihua was very proud, “Then tell the production team leader and the brigade about it tomorrow.”

Old Man Lu said, “Let’s wait a bit. We’ll talk about it after we get the county’s notification.”

He mentioned it slightly to the production team leader but wanted to keep a low profile and not show off, so he decided to wait before discussing it with the brigade.

Lu Dage grinned, “Mother, such good news for my father, shouldn’t we have a couple of drinks?”

Fang Dihua replied, “A couple of drinks are fine.”

Actually, San’er(Nickname of Shaotang) had nothing to do with it, so having a couple of drinks to celebrate was okay.

Lu Dage happily went to get the wine cups and bottle.

However, Old Man Lu was displeased. While he and his wife knew that San’er was fine, this rascal didn’t understand and was so happy.

His brother had an issue, and he wasn’t the slightest bit sad.

When Lu Dage cheerfully poured two cups of wine and was about to bring them over, Old Man Lu covered the cups with his hands.

Lu Dage asked, “Father?”

Old Man Lu’s face darkened, “It’s getting late. Go back to your room.”

Lu Dage was puzzled, “Father?”

Fang Dihua said, “Hurry up and go. I need to wash up and go to bed.”

Lu Dage was on the verge of tears, feeling wronged.

He was the eldest son, after all.

He sulkily trudged back to his room.

His two sons had gone out to look for cicada larvae and hadn’t returned yet. Lu Dage’s wife was mending his clothes.

New clothes could be made with Lin Shu’s help, but the pants had to be mended by her herself.

Lu Dage glanced at her and complained, “You’re really clumsy.”

“Wife, look at your clumsy stitching. Even Mago (a legendary figure known for her skill) would get her eyes poked out by you, and the Weaver Girl would jump into the river. Huang Da Po would just smash her spinning wheel. Tsk, tsk… Ah, besides me, truly no one else would dare want you.”

Sister-in-law Lu was not at all angry, “Yes, you’re the best. Have you gotten a bit tipsy from drinking? Let me rub your back.”

Lu Da Ge: “Tipsy my foot! I didn’t get to drink at all.”

Sister-in-law Lu: “What’s the matter? Didn’t Dad give you any?”

Lu Da Ge pouted and lay down on the bed, “I’m truly unlucky. My own mother gave me a wife who’s ugly, dark, and clumsy, and my own father didn’t even give me a drink.”

Sister-in-law Lu turned and rummaged in the cupboard, “Here.”

Lu Da Ge squinted and saw that there was a couple of fingers’ worth of liquor left in a bottle of Lao Bai Gan (a type of Chinese liquor). He immediately sat up, “Where did this come from?”

Sister-in-law Lu chuckled, “I secretly took it from Dad’s stash. Hee hee, don’t tell anyone.”

Lu Dage was immediately in high spirits, quickly asking Sister-in-law Lu Da to find some side dishes for him.

Sister-in-law Lu Da then brought out a dish of pickled vegetables.

In the main room, Old Master Lu asked Fang Dihua to sit down.

The old couple each had a cup of liquor.

When Fang Dihua took the bottle, she frowned, “Why is the liquor going down so quickly?”

Old Master Lu glanced at it, “It’s still the same.”

Fang Dihua: “But it couldn’t have gone down so much. I saw it at noon, and there was still some of the Lao Bai Gan label in the middle. How could it be down so much now?”

Old Master Lu said, “It must be that Eldest Son’s wife stole it for Lu Dage to drink. There’s no one else.”

Fang Dihua: “Lu Dage…”

Old Man Lu whispered, “It’s alright, it wasn’t given to anyone else..”

As soon as the bottle was taken out, he noticed something was off, so he deliberately didn’t let Lu Dage to drink.

Fang Dihua didn’t say anything more. It seemed that the family of Third Branch was still better.

The old couple was quietly conversing when a commotion started next door.

……

Zhao Meifeng was really losing her temper.

Not only did she have to provide food and drinks for the relatives, but they also had to take some home.

They ate and took more, and on top of that, they complained that she was stingy!

“Sister-in-law, enough of this petty stuff. With so many chickens and ducks, you can’t finish them. Let us take some back to help you out.”

“Yes, yes, our Old Fourth didn’t come. I’ll take that chicken and duck back for him.”

“And us too…”

Zhao Meifeng: “I need to return these to the people. Each one costs two yuan. If you take them, you need to pay me.”

“Oh, we’re all relatives. So stingy.”

“What’s going on?”

Zhao Meifeng was feeling the sting of her own actions.

She had tried to put Lin Shu in a difficult position, but now the situation had backfired on her, and it hurt terribly.

After the relatives left, the house was in disarray.

The vegetable garden was ruined, with chickens and ducks taken, and some eggs were missing as well.

Inside the house, everything was a mess, with pots and pans scattered everywhere, and it was up to her to clean up.

She didn’t even have a daughter-in-law to help!

The men were no help at all; she had to do everything herself!

Her eldest son, Lu Changfu, suggested, “Mother, why don’t you call my third aunt for help?”

Zhao Meifeng thought it made sense.

She gathered the leftover chicken and duck bones from the guests and planned to call Lin Shu to help with them.

Climbing a ladder to stand on the wall, she called out, “Third branch family, third branch family.”

Fang Dihua responded curtly, “Put the kids to bed!”