Chapter 54
Zhou Lin rushed home before sunset. He had worked a little earlier than usual and was a bit late.
Carrying a bamboo basket, I had just entered the courtyard when I saw Zhou Wushi sitting there with a somber expression, not moving at all.
Bai Qiqiu's pebbles happened to be placed at her feet. "Auntie, move over."
Zhou Lin's heart tightened, and she forced a smile. "Mother, what brings you here?"
Zhou Wu then got up and waited for Zhou Lin for a while. Her buttocks were starting to hurt from sitting on that hard stool.
"Why are you only coming back now? And why am I here? During this time, if I hadn't come, would you have even gone to see your father and me? You unfilial son."
Zhou Lin put down the bamboo basket and asked, puzzled, "Didn't you tell me and A-Jin not to go home unless necessary?"
Zhou Wu was taken aback, her eyes flickered, and she spoke with an understanding expression.
“I heard from Mu Liang’s mother that your family bought three piglets. These pigs eat a lot. Three pigs might be too much for you to handle. It just so happens that you haven’t bought a pig for the New Year yet, so I’ll take one back to save you some trouble. I’ll give you a few pounds of meat for the New Year.”
Listening to this, Mu Jin couldn't help but admire her mother-in-law. Despite speaking the words of a shrew and being unreasonable, her behavior was extremely upright.
He knew so many people, but there really wasn't anyone like her in the village. Usually, someone like her would have come to his house long ago, throwing a tantrum and demanding a pig.
They truly want to save face, yet they don't care about saving face at all.
Zhou Lin paused for a moment, knowing that her husband would definitely not agree.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "Mother, don't worry. I'll help cut pig feed whenever I have time. With Qi Qiu, Zhao Ran, and Si'er at home, the three of them can help out, and we can still raise three pigs."
The smile that Zhou Wu had just managed to muster vanished instantly. "The eldest son is truly capable."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "Mother, you are considerate of our tiredness, and we also feel sorry for you and Father. When we slaughter the pig at the end of the year, I will ask A Lin to send a few pounds of meat home. You and Father will not have to raise pigs and do chores, and you will still have meat to eat. Isn't that great?"
He used the same tactics against her, and with one sentence, Zhou Wu felt a tightness in her chest.
Seeing this, Mu Qing knew she wouldn't be able to take the pig with her today. The aroma of fish and meat from the kitchen was wafting into her nose, and she was determined to have a bite before leaving, no matter what.
"Brother, is the fish stewed yet? It smells delicious. It's getting late, and Mother hasn't made dinner yet."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "Then Mother, you should hurry back. Father and Second Brother are still waiting at home for dinner."
Seeing that he wasn't taking the bait, Mu Qing changed her mind and said, "I'm afraid there won't be enough time to cook it. Brother, your fish is cooked too. Share a bowl with me and my mother so we can take it back and have dinner before dark."
Bai Qiqiu glanced at Mu Qing and rolled his eyes.
"Didn't Auntie buy fish the other day? How come your family is so poor? Are you begging for food at someone else's house? I'll have to ask Zhou Qiang about it next time he comes back."
Zhou Wu glared at him and said angrily, "It's just showing filial piety to our parents, how come it sounds so awful coming from your mouth!"
Bai Qiqiu laughed and said, "It's one thing to show filial piety, but it's quite shameful to just ask someone for something directly."
Mu Qing's face turned red with anger. Bai Qiqiu was too blunt. People in the village usually believed in seeing through things but not saying them outright. He had never seen a guy like him before.
Mu Jin said at the right moment, "Mother, Second Brother, please wait a moment, I'll go get some. We can't let you go hungry, can we?"
Zhou Wushi, being concerned about saving face, waved her hand dismissively, saying, "Who wants to eat a worthless fish? We still have plenty of cured meat at home. Come on, let's go home and stew some cured meat."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "Mother, Second Brother, walk slowly and be careful. This ground isn't very flat."
His words were extremely considerate.
After Zhou Wushi and the others had gone far away, Zhou Lin closed the courtyard gate and shook his head.
"I really don't understand my mother. She dislikes our food. She doesn't want it, but when we listen to her, she's unhappy."
Mu Jin patted the simple-minded man on the shoulder and said, "Go wash your hands quickly, it's time to eat. We've been waiting for you for ages, the fish is practically falling apart from the stew."
When it was time to sit down for dinner, it was just getting dark, so Mu Jin lit an oil lamp and placed it on the table.
The perilla leaves removed some of the fishy smell, leaving a unique flavor that, combined with the spiciness of dried chili peppers, makes it even more appetizing than fish stew with tofu.
As usual, the fish head hibiscus was given to Zhou Lin.
Wen Zhaoran picked up some stir-fried greens with her chopsticks and glanced at Bai Qiqiu.
“Brother Qi Qiu, if you treat your future mother-in-law like this, she’ll make things difficult for you after you marry into the family.”
Bai Qiqiu said indifferently, "She doesn't like me anyway. If I humble myself and do whatever she wants, she will definitely bully me even more. It's better if I act tough from the beginning, then she will restrain herself a bit."
Mu Jin was stunned, not realizing that Bai Qiqiu, this carefree young man, was actually quite shrewd in his dealings with others.
Zhou Lin slurped up a fish bone from the fish head and couldn't help but speak up to save face for Zhou Wu Shi.
“When my mother was older, she was more reasonable. Before, when she was at home, she treated my second brother quite well.”
Zhou Si shook her head helplessly. Her older brother was quite misled by their mother's gentle demeanor.
Mu Jin picked up some fish belly meat for him with her chopsticks, saying, "Eat more, and remember to suck the fish brain from the head, it's good for your brain."
Bai Qiqiu picked up a piece of fish maw; he loved eating it.
Wen Zhaoran looked conflicted. His relationship with Bai Qiqiu had deepened considerably during this time, and he felt guilty for keeping certain things from him.
After thinking for a moment, he asked indirectly, "Brother Qi Qiu, what do you think of the men who frequent brothels?"
"dirty."
Bai Qiqiu blurted it out without even thinking.
Wen Zhaoran choked for a moment, and Mu Jin already understood what he wanted to say.
She glanced at Bai Qiqiu; though he was plain-looking, she didn't want to waste her time on him, so she didn't say anything to stop him.
It's not that Zhou Qiang is bad. Although he frequents brothels, as Wen Zhaoran said, he only drinks and has no entanglements with the men and women there.
If Bai Qiqiu knew this, and if he could give Zhou Qiang a chance, and if Zhou Qiang changed his bad habit of drinking and carousing and studied hard, he could be considered a good match.
"Brother Qi Qiu, there's something I wanted to tell you before, but I was afraid it would ruin your marriage. I think you really like Zhou Qiang."
Zhou Lin and Bai Qiqiu immediately put down their chopsticks.
Bai Qiqiu's expression darkened. "Zhou Qiang frequents brothels?"
Zhou Lin looked a little anxious. He liked his fourth brother quite a bit; he was straightforward and capable.
If this marriage falls through, where will my fourth brother find another man like Bai Qiqiu?
She couldn't help but tug at Mu Jin's sleeve, hoping he would put in a good word for her.
Mu Jin patted him and gently shook her head.
Wen Zhaoran finally nodded, then quickly added a comment.
"He didn't mess around with the guys and girls in the building; he just drank and listened to music."
Bai Qiqiu's expression was rather unpleasant. "How did you know? You only drink and listen to music, but you must be holding two in your arms?"
Wen Zhaoran was speechless for a moment, then said awkwardly, "Brother Qi Qiu, you know quite a lot. However, he really hasn't done anything reckless. I'll tell you how I know later."
Bai Qiqiu suddenly sighed deeply, "Sigh, what kind of fate do I have?"
Zhou Lin was reluctant to part with such a good fourth brother, so he still said, "Although my fourth brother is young, he is not easy to get along with and has been taken away by his classmates a few times."
Bai Qiqiu grinned, managing a wry smile.
“Brother, at first it might just be drinking, but what kind of place is that brothel? It's full of beautiful women, and the wine isn't exactly respectable either. There's always a chance of making a mistake.”
Seeing his sorrowful expression, Mu Jin paused, then said, "Qi Qiu, you..."
Bai Qiqiu sighed, "I know so much only because of my ex-fiancé. Perhaps because I took on all the work, he had free time and started learning bad things from the village hooligans. He contracted a sexually transmitted disease and begged me for forgiveness, saying that he only wanted to listen to some music and didn't intend to do anything. But then he got carried away and even his two ounces of flesh got carried away."
Zhou Lin was extremely embarrassed, lowering his head and somewhat regretting what he had said.
Wen Zhaoran felt a little guilty. "Brother Qi Qiu, don't be sad. While there's still a chance, keep an eye on Zhou Qiang and make sure he doesn't go again. It's my fault, I shouldn't have said these things."
Bai Qiqiu twitched the corner of her mouth. "I should thank you. I will never forget how my ex-fiancé looked before he died. He was dirty, smelly, and disgusting. I swore that I would never marry a man who frequented brothels."
Mu Jin suddenly understood. It was strange that Bai Qiqiu and his brother had fled to Qingshui Town.
His fiancé, a man who should have been in better physical condition than him, didn't make it here.
So that's how it is.
Bai Qiqiu snapped out of his reverie and asked Mu Jin, "Brother, if my engagement with Zhou Qiang is called off, will I still be able to live at home?"
During this time, Bai Qiqiu had long regarded this place as his home, and his words were full of reluctance.
Mu Jin nodded. "If you don't want to live here, where else would you like to live? Even without the marriage, you are still my brother."
He was a few months younger than Mu Jin, so it was perfectly acceptable for him to be her younger brother.
Bai Qiqiu gently wiped away the tears in his eyes. "Thank you, brother. I will go to town to find Zhou Qiang tomorrow. If he agrees with me, changes his ways, and stops going to brothels, I will believe him this time."
Mu Jin picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks and said, "Okay."
Early the next morning, after breakfast, Bai Qiqiu went to town with Zhou Lin.
Wen Zhaoran was filled with trepidation, but after a while she felt that it was better to break off the engagement, because Qi Qiu deserved a better man to cherish him.
Then she thought that since Qi Qiu liked Zhou Qiang so much, he would definitely be heartbroken if the engagement was broken off.
It is said that it is better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage. He has really done something terrible.
Mu Jin caught Wen Zhaoran, who was pacing back and forth in the courtyard, and chuckled, "What's wrong with you? You seem so absent-minded."
Wen Zhaoran looked bitter. "Big brother, if Qi Qiu and Zhou Qiang really break up, I'll be considered a terrible person for ruining someone's marriage."
Mu Jin sighed, "It's the bad people who ruin good relationships. You're just telling the truth. Whether Zhou Qiang can change or not, whether the two of them can get together or not, it's all a good thing."
Wen Zhaoran felt somewhat relieved. Seeing that it was getting late, she picked up the bamboo basket beside her and followed Zhou Si to cut pig feed.
The three little piglets are still crying for food in the pen.
Bai Qiqiu returned home before lunch, his expression calm, neither good nor bad.
After feeding the pigs, Wen Zhaoran hesitated before approaching him. "Brother Qi Qiu, how is it?"
Mu Jin and Zhou Si also came over, their three pairs of eyes wide open, all looking at him.
Bai Qiqiu couldn't help but rub his forehead, "Why are you all so nervous?"
Mu Jin smiled and said, "Zhao Ran has felt guilty all morning. Give us a definite answer, whether it works or not, so we can put our minds at ease."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com