Chapter 65 Don’t worry, sister-in-law, I am different from my brother

Xu Minghui was not surprised that Xu Yu noticed something. After a moment of hesitation, he laughed and said, "Brother, did you find out?"

"Would I find that weird?"

Xu Yu quickly removed the two intact deer legs with his knife and said calmly, "Grandfather's condition has just begun to improve. We can't afford any more problems at home."

"The Xu family can't afford to lose such a person."

As a son, he is so cruel to his father. Once the news leaks out, not only will the old lady go crazy, but even the old man may not be able to bear such stimulation.

He was happy to see Uncle Xu get a lesson, and didn't feel the need for sympathy.

But this matter must be handled with caution.

Xu Minghui tutted his words, half smiling, and said delicately, "Big Brother really does understand the meaning of appropriate measure better than I do."

It was like this in the past and it is like this now.

The well-known name of a dandy and good-for-nothing has blinded the eyes of the entire Kyoto, so even now some people still cannot see clearly.

But has Xu Yu ever really been a waste?

Xu Minghui suppressed his mocking expression and tied up the venison Xu Yu had cut up with straw ropes as Sang Zhixia had instructed. He said with a vague tone, "Don't worry, big brother. I just want him to bow his head."

"He's my biological father. How could I possibly let anything happen to him?"

But in this process, his father’s words had no final say, and neither did Xu Yu’s words.

He admitted the crime of being unkind and unfilial in order to completely suppress the second wife's right to speak.

Xu Yu had done his utmost to remind him, and he stopped there.

But before he was about to tell the people in the west shed to pack up and leave, Xu Minghui said with a smile, "Brother, I can't get away for the time being. Can you help me ask around in the county town to see if there are any clients looking for workers?"

Xu Yu glanced at him sideways: "What kind of client are you looking for?"

Xu Minghui said casually, "It's all fine."

"A cashier's clerk, an apprentice waiter, anything that can earn you a living in the county town is fine."

Xu Yu didn't respond. He said softly, "By the way, I hope to find a job that requires two people. I've already agreed with my grandfather that my father and I will go to the city together."

He didn't brag to Xu Mingyang.

He will definitely deal with the hidden dangers.

Xu Yu looked away with an ambiguous expression and nodded in response. He knocked on the door of the west shed, opened it, and said, "Everything outside is packed up. We can set off now."

There are more people entering the city today than ever before.

Sang Zhixia looked at Second Aunt Xu, whose face was still not good, and she felt a little worried: "Second Aunt, the road to the city is long and it's freezing cold all the way. Do you really want to go?"

Second Aunt Xu hadn't recovered yet, but she was full of energy: "I have to go."

"Today we are going to the embroidery shop to find work. I know the ins and outs of this business best. If I don't go, it would be a waste of money if you get cheated."

As if she was afraid her request to go out would be rejected, she grabbed the thick clothes Xu Minghui had given her and said, "When I'm on the road, I'll wrap my head and face with Minghui's clothes. It will be windproof and I won't get cold."

Xu Wenxiu said with a smile: "That's fine."

"With you here, my third brother and his wife and I feel a little more at ease."

After all, they only talk big at home, and they are like headless flies when they arrive at the embroidery shop. They still have to rely on Aunt Xu to decide what to do specifically.

Aunt Xu took Xu Yanran by the hand and said, "Your father and I are going out. You stay at home with your sister-in-law. Remember to listen to her."

Xu Yanran obediently took Sang Zhixia's hand and nodded seriously: "Don't worry, mother, I will help my sister-in-law make sorghum wine!"

"And me and me!"

Xu Mingyang jumped up excitedly and said, "I can help my sister-in-law too!"

"Okay, okay, then we're going out. You all stay home and behave yourself."

Xu Wenxiu entrusted Xu Mingxu and Xu Jinxi to Sang Zhixia, and kept looking back before leaving.

After being in Luobei Village for so long, this was the first time that the sisters-in-law went out together.

Xu Yu moved all the venison he was going to sell onto the rented mule cart and said to Sang Zhixia, "Didn't you say you wanted to eat barbecue yesterday? I've reserved a good piece on the stove. If you're craving it, take a few of the smaller ones with you to eat first."

"The matter of brewing wine will wait until I come back, I..."

"I know, I know."

Sang Zhixia pushed his back as they walked out, saying with a mixture of laughter and tears, "I'm not made of paper, is that really a problem?"

"You and Uncle San should be alert when driving. It's okay to drive slowly, but be careful on the road. I'll make you some stewed venison when we get back in the evening."

Uncle Xu exhaled his warm breath into his palms and said with a smile, "Alright, niece-in-law, go back soon. I'll remind Xu Yu."

Xu Yu jumped up with one hand supporting the cart board and waved at Sang Zhixia as if to drive her away.

Go back quickly.

Sang Zhixia took the four little kids and returned to the yard, getting ready to fight.

Extract wine!

Add half a bucket of cold water to an empty iron pot, then put the wine steamer filled with fermented sorghum into the pot, and find a piece of wooden board of suitable size and stick it diagonally in the middle of the wine steamer.

There is a small hole that has been hollowed out and sealed at the place where the wooden board is stuck. A bamboo tube is connected to the small hole, and the outer end is connected to a small bowl.

Finally, spread a layer of cloth evenly around the edge of the wine steamer, press the cloth with a new iron pot filled with half a pot of cold water.

Light the stove and start cooking.

Xu Minghui, who was helping out on the side, watched the whole process while staring at the bamboo tube and said, "Is this where the wine comes out?"

Sang Zhixia stared at the stove and nodded.

"The hot steam hits the bottom of the pot and condenses into wine droplets. The wine droplets at the bottom of the pot hit the bottom and flow out of the bamboo tube along the wooden board."

This extraction method is extremely inefficient, but it is good enough to be able to extract it at this critical juncture, and we cannot pursue speed.

Sang Zhixia kept track of the time and stared at the bamboo tube. When a bowl of wine was full, he took the small bowl away and replaced the tool with a wine jar.

The old man, who had been recuperating in the house for many days, was drawn out by the strong smell of alcohol. Seeing her pretending to pour out the wine in the bowl, he asked in surprise, "Why did you pour it out when everything was fine?"

Sang Zhixia smiled and said, "We can't drink the first and last part of the wine. We want to take the middle part."

"Grandfather, you look much better today. I can see you're going to be well soon."

The old man looked at the spilled wine distressedly and said with a smile: "Smelling such a fragrant wine, how can it be bad?"

"When you've got it, give me some to try. I've been craving this for quite some time."

"I'd like to satisfy your craving, but you're taking medication, so I'm afraid it's not appropriate for you to drink alcohol, right?"

The old man was not happy: "What harm will it do if I taste it?"

"Mingxu, go ask your sister-in-law for some good wine for your grandfather."

Xu Mingxu blinked like a puppy, eagerly looking at Sang Zhixia, and raised a finger to emphasize: "Grandfather said just one bite, just one small bite!"

"Sister-in-law, give me a small bite!"

Sang Zhixia couldn't resist, so she could only hold back her laughter and use a small spoon to give the old man a small sip.

The fully fermented sorghum wine is very different from the rice wine we drank before.

It is spicy and pungent, with a strong aftertaste. The aftertaste lingering in the mouth is full of shocking taste, while the aftertaste deep in the tongue is an indelible sweet aftertaste.

The old man finished drinking the wine he had just spread out at the bottom of a bowl, savored the aftertaste and said contentedly, "This is the taste."

"This wine is good!"

Sang Zhixia smiled as she held the spoon in her hand: "Today is just the first day of extracting it. It will taste better if it settles for a few days."

"It just so happens that my grandfather will be well again by then, so it's a good time to sit down and savor it slowly."

The gloom that had been hanging over the old man's brow for many days disappeared. He stroked his beard and nodded with a smile: "Good, good, that's very good."

"But you can't let Yu'er touch this wine again."

The old man remembered the last time Xu Yu got drunk and had a quarrel with Sang Zhixia, and said with great vigilance, "Even the non-intoxicating rice wine can cause him trouble. If he gets drunk with this, won't he be drunk for three to five days?"

Sang Zhixia was also still frightened.

She said bitterly, "Grandfather is right. We must be careful of him this time."

Xu Yu is really annoying when he is drunk.

The old man nodded in satisfaction, thought for a moment, and said, "Didn't you say before that if we want to have a good spring planting, we have to store winter fertilizer first? As it happens, the weather is nice today. I'll take your grandmother to the village chief's house to discuss the purchase of land so we can prepare in advance."

Now that you have a plan, it is best to make arrangements early.

In the eyes of the world, scholars, farmers, artisans and merchants are ranked in order. Since his descendants will no longer have the possibility of becoming officials, in the old man's heart, farming is more important, and other things can be put on the back burner.

As he was about to leave, the old lady, who was about to go into the house to check on Uncle Xu, laughed dryly and said, "Is it so urgent? Or should we..."

"What's the matter?"

The old man couldn't stand her unreasonable favoritism towards Uncle Xu, so his smile faded and he said, "Take the silver and go sign the contract today to avoid any more trouble."

Xu Minghui also interjected at the right time: "Grandma, I'm taking care of Dad here, so you can rest assured and go with Grandpa."

Xu Yu was right in reminding him that he should be more cautious.

At least the old lady must not find out until the dust settles.

The old lady looked back in surprise and doubt, but she didn't dare to openly disobey the old man's wishes. She forced a smile, went into the house, picked up her purse, and went out with the old man.

Sang Zhixia was still guarding the jar of wine when Xu Minghui's gentle voice rang out from behind her: "Sister-in-law."

"uh-huh?"

"Thank you for that night."

This was a thank you that came many days late, and it was probably the most sincere thank you Xu Minghui had ever said in his life.

Sang Zhixia was stunned for a moment, then waved her hands and said, "It's all in the past, why bring this up?"

"Please help me get that jar of wine over there. This one is almost full."

Xu Minghui smiled silently and went to get the empty jar. He sniffed the strong smell of alcohol and said thoughtfully, "This wine smells so good. Can I try it?"

Sang Zhixia nodded first, then turned around with eyes full of vigilance.

"It's no problem for you to try it, but can you really drink?"

If you get drunk as soon as you touch it like Xu Yu, then you'd better not touch it.

Xu Minghui was amused by the caution in her words and laughed uncontrollably. He lowered his eyes and said, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. I'm different from my brother."

He is really different from Xu Yu.