Give them a good beating.
Before leaving, his uncle told He Zifeng, "If anyone bullies you in the future, just come to Fangjia Village and find me." Then he glanced at his former brother-in-law, who had been badly beaten, and spat fiercely, feeling extremely relieved.
This beating should have happened twenty years ago. Because of his actions, even the daughters of the Fang family who later married were affected to some extent. Seeing him lying on the ground like a turtle whose shell had been flipped over, unable to get up for a long time. Today, there are people from Chishui Village and young men from Fangjia Village here to support him. Now that the truth has come out, no one can say anything bad about the Fang family anymore.
He Zifeng said to his uncle, "If you're not in a hurry, come over for a meal."
The uncle said, "No, I have other things to do." Then he took out a small ball from his pocket. It was made of scraps of leather and was perfect for a child to play with. "This is for Ranran. I wonder if he still remembers his great-uncle."
He Zifeng said, "I'll bring him to visit you next time."
The uncle was delighted to hear this. He then said, "That's great." He waved his hand and said, "Alright, don't bother seeing me off. I'll go back by myself."
He left with the brothers he brought with him.
He Zifeng said goodbye to his uncle and hurriedly took a shower before returning home. As soon as he got home, he saw Ranran squatting in the corner feeding the little rabbits. Hearing the sound, she came back to her senses, then ran over, opened her two little hands, and said, "Daddy." Her voice was clear and crisp.
He Zifeng hugged his son tightly, then handed him the small ball that his uncle had been playing with, saying, "Here, this is from your uncle."
"Please thank your uncle for me." The baby was very polite, having been taught by Qiuyu.
He Zifeng couldn't resist kissing his son's sweet, milky cheek and said, "I'll take you to see him next time, so you can thank him in person."
Xiao Heran nodded.
He Zifeng had just returned to the house when he saw that Qiu Yu had made pancakes. The pancakes were made of a mixture of three kinds of flour and were still steaming. There was a stir-fried chili sauce made by Qiu Yu, and there were freshly washed wild vegetable sprouts on the plate. He spread some sauce on the pancakes, sprinkled some of his favorite vegetables on them, rolled them up, and felt both satisfied and happy.
The family of three ate some pancakes. The son ate the most; the little guy is greedy, always rolling up a big pancake and eating it in one bite, his cheeks puffed out like a little squirrel. The little guy is very serious about eating every time.
Qiu Yu's pancakes smelled delicious. They were slightly thick and cut into triangular pieces. Each piece would be even bigger if you rolled something up inside.
He Zifeng didn't even have time to eat; he just kept looking at his son.
The little rascal was completely oblivious to what others were looking at, and he was so focused on eating. Watching him eat made the food in his hand seem even more delicious.
This was just a farmhouse, so there were no rules about not talking while eating or sleeping. Qiu Yu said, "Ranran, eat less, you're getting fat." He eats a lot every day now, and his cheeks are round, but he looks even cuter. He's heavy to hold, and running all over the village every day doesn't stop him from gaining weight.
He Zifeng said, "A chubby child is a sign of good fortune."
Upon hearing his father praise him, He Ran immediately became happy: "Father is right."
Qiu Yu glanced at the father and son with a smile. That night, after Qiu Yu had coaxed his son to sleep in the crib, he returned to the big bed, only to be pulled forcefully by He Zifeng, who pulled him into his arms.
In the pitch-black night, Qiu Yu didn't struggle and nestled into his arm. He Zifeng whispered, "I want to earn more money so I can build the house first, and then send Ranran to school when he's five."
"But can Ranran do well in school?" Their family isn't well-off, unlike their older brother and sister-in-law who can send both of their children to school. They're worried that even after spending so much money, the child might not be cut out for it. Besides, there's another thing Qiuyu can't bring herself to decide on.
Little He Ran used to be very lonely; there was hardly anyone around to play with him. Now, with his dog and a few other playmates, he's much happier. Besides, Ran Ran is still young; he might be bullied if he left home.
He Zifeng said, "Our Ranran is smart, she'll definitely learn well. It won't hurt her to learn more. It's better than someone who can't read a single word." After thinking for a moment, he added, "Making some money is the most important thing."
When this topic came up, Qiu Yu was no longer sleepy. She then said to He Zifeng, "How about we set up a stall at the market again?" This time he had tasted the sweetness of success. Although it was busy and tiring, it was really profitable. If they could save money at this rate, building a house and sending their children to school wouldn't be far off.
He Zifeng said, "The fabric business is something you can only hope for." The fabric shop has been stockpiling fabric for who knows how many years. He added, "I see they make quite a bit of money selling food. But it must be hard work." For example, their stewed pig's feet require a lot of effort, from cleaning and seasoning to stewing. And in this sweltering heat, cooking in front of the stove is no pleasant experience.
Qiu Yu said, "What's there to be afraid of when it comes to making money? I can do it." He's always been a pretty good cook. It's just that he used to lack seasonings, and back at the He family's old house, Xiao Wanshi always found fault with them, so he was a bit reserved. The day he delivered pig's trotters to the women who helped him, he was praised for a long time the next day, which gave him a little more confidence.
He Zifeng said, "Tomorrow, cook something nice and invite Gouzi's father over. Let him talk about how to handle the business." They are farmers and don't have many opportunities to go to the county. They don't have as much information as peddlers like Gouzi's father who go from house to house. Besides, they haven't formally thanked him for the money they made selling cloth scraps last time.
Qiu Yu said, "I'll make a roast chicken."
He Zifeng said, "Okay."
...
The next day, Qiuyu went to the village and bought a chicken. After killing it, she started cooking right away. Her father used to be a hunter and was particularly good at cooking meat dishes.
He Zifeng also bought half a jin of liquor and invited Gouzi's father to his house for dinner.
Upon hearing this, Dog's father came over with a beaming smile and said, "I didn't want to come. Nobody's rich these days. But the soybean and pig's trotters you made last time were so delicious. Even rice soaked in the soup was tasty. I just couldn't resist coming to bother you two."
He Zifeng said, "I'm glad you like it." The two of them had wine, peanuts, and some dried dates from the mountain. They ate while waiting for the roast chicken. Although it wasn't ready yet, the aroma had already filled the entire yard. According to Gouzi's father, the aroma alone was enough to make one want to drink.
He Zifeng spoke to him about wanting to set up a stall.
Dog's father said, "Hey, with this skill, you'd definitely be a hit setting up a stall. There are three counties around, and each market day is different. Going to the market is too much trouble. All those pots and pans, all those soups and broths, a big iron pot plus a stove, it's too heavy. Otherwise, you could pay two hundred coins a month in our county to find a fixed stall. Go there every morning and come back in the evening, and pay to have your goods stored in the county. It's much less strenuous than this."
Upon hearing this, He Zifeng said, "That's why I say you're so knowledgeable. The roast chicken isn't ready yet, so let's go take care of the important business first. We'll have a good drink together when we get back."
Dog's father genuinely liked He Zifeng, and upon hearing his suggestion, he readily agreed.
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