Chapter 119: Just Thinking About It Makes Bubbles Of Happiness!
“Brother~~ What can this little bit of money do? After we eat and drink, what do we do next, drink the northwest wind?”
Mohe had a helpless look on her face. Her brother was mostly like a child who hadn’t grown up, always making one fuss after another.
Twenty silver dollars was quite a lot, but with Beiping’s prices these days, this bit of money wasn’t even enough for two people to live for three months.
Plus her brother spent money lavishly, it was uncertain if they could even make it to a month.
She grabbed her brother, took out three silver dollars from her pocket, then thought for a moment and put one back, stuffing the remaining two silver dollars into his hand:
“Brother, this money is for you. Take some cornmeal back. I’ll go around Guanghe Building again.”
“Aiya, my sister, why won’t you listen to your brother.” He casually pocketed the two silver dollars, and Fan Wu Ye said domineeringly:
“Let me tell you, sister, be obedient. We won’t sell these cigarettes anymore, won’t buy cornmeal either. No cooking today, let’s go eat at a second-class meat restaurant!”
“You heard it today too. Your Big Brother Cao asked me to help him out today. Not to mention anything else, just the intermediary fee is enough for us to eat well and drink spicy.”
“Your brother has it all planned. First, help your Big Brother Cao buy some antiques and calligraphy paintings. Once we have money, we’ll open an antiques shop. Once we make it big, brother will hire ten maids to serve you!”
Mohe was amused and annoyed. “Brother, I have hands and feet. Why would I need maids to serve me?”
“Besides, if you’re helping Big Brother Cao buy antiques and calligraphy paintings, then just go. I’ll still sell my cigarettes and earn a little more.”
“You girl, why can’t you get it through your head.” Fan Wu Ye was exasperated, pulling her along as they walked, saying:
“Don’t think your brother is blind. Your brother’s eyes are sharp.”
“Sister, tell brother honestly, do you have a thing for that Cao Weida kid?”
Mohe flushed deeply, her struggling much weaker. “Brother~~ What are you saying!”
“What do you mean what am I saying? I’m talking about mutual attraction!” Fan Wu Ye stared at her, then his face darkened, and he sighed:
“It’s all brother’s fault for being useless, unable to help you with anything. You’re twenty already, should have found a husband’s family long ago, but because brother dragged you down, you’re still single.”
“That Cao Weida kid is not bad. Brother asked around. Whether character or looks, he matches you.”
“Although the kid has two concubines, he’s truly good to his women. Follow him, and you won’t be wronged.”
“If you really like him, brother will arrange it for you. Once we have some money, we’ll marry you off in style, to live up to your mother’s trust in me.”
“When your brother dies someday, I can go down smiling and have something to say to your parents.”
Mohe hurriedly covered his mouth, chiding, “Brother, what are you saying? Talk of dying, ptooey ptooey ptooey, inauspicious.”
“We’re both fine. Don’t keep talking about dying.”
“Hey, just an example.” Fan Wu Ye laughed heartlessly. “Then tell brother honestly, what do you really think?”
“Brother’s being serious. That kid is really good. Looking around Tianqiao, no one more suitable. Good personality, good character, and crucially, he has money. If you really marry over, just wait to enjoy life.”
“Brother, I do like Big Brother Cao quite a bit, but… but he already has two concubines. I… forget it.” Mohe stammered, lowering her head in full dejection.
She really had a good feeling toward Cao Weida, but she had her own bottom line.
She pursued true love, and once becoming a concubine, it meant dependence and inequality, violating her adherence to independent personhood.
Fan Wu Ye still understood Mohe. He naturally knew her thoughts, patted her shoulder, and sighed:
“Mohe, I know it’s unfair to you, but where in the world are there so many fair things?”
“If possible, of course I hope you pursue your own love and loyalty to true love, but with the world as it is, what can we do?”
“If that Cao Weida kid was no good, your brother wouldn’t bother talking. I can’t push my sister into a fire pit, right?”
“I’ve asked around about the kid. Though he married two concubines, no principal wife, and relations with both are good. Each has her own courtyard, no infighting. No elders above, so no rules from them after you go.”
“If you strive a bit later, give him a son or daughter, who knows, you might become the principal wife. Isn’t that good?”
He turned Mohe straight. “Look into brother’s eyes.”
Mohe aggrievedly lifted her head to meet his gaze, her pearly teeth biting her rosy lips, mist filling her eyes.
Fan Wu Ye felt heartbroken. “Alright alright, Mohe don’t cry. Brother isn’t doing this for anything else, just so you can live well later! Could brother harm you?”
“Just tell brother the truth, do you like Cao Weida or not?”
“If you say even once you don’t like him, brother promises never to mention him to you again.”
Mohe’s pearly teeth bit tighter. She really wanted to say she liked him, but thinking of his two concubines made her heart conflicted.
But if she said she didn’t like him, she was unwilling.
Seeing her hesitate without answering, looking conflicted, Fan Wu Ye knew, smiling, “Alright, brother gets it. No outright refusal means you like him.”
Mohe’s face turned red from his words.
“Sister, brother tells you, happiness isn’t something you wait for. Once it appears, grab it quick, got it?”
“So what about two concubines? Back when we Bannerman descendants, which family didn’t have several concubines? They lived together fine. What’s more, you all live separately.”
“Let me tell you, I’ve noticed that Cao Weida kid’s eyes. The way he looked at you today wasn’t like he has no interest.”
“Since mutual feelings, just be together. If you give up and regret later, no medicine for regret.”
Fan Wu Ye’s mouth was truly something, rattling on a whole speech, putting in real effort.
If it were others, Mohe naturally wouldn’t listen, but who let Fan Wu be her brother.
Family saying one sentence was worth outsiders’ hundred sentences and more effective.
Plus Mohe already had good feelings for Cao Weida, listening along, she really started imagining it herself.
Her expression changes were spotted by Fan Wu Ye first thing, a glint of laughter in his eyes, persuading even more vigorously.
If Cao Weida became his brother-in-law later, Mohe living well, he could benefit too—just thinking made him bubbly with joy!
Tonight’s darkness came a bit earlier than usual.
During the day, the weather was somewhat oppressive, and at night, a drizzly light rain started.
In a private house at the junction of Outer Second District and Outer Third District, lights blazed.
In the parlor, a bald man with a dark red birthmark on his face sat with an ugly expression. He was Scarface, the head of Dongsi Gang.
Scarface was originally just a pickpocket in Sijiu City, stealing chickens or dogs all day, just a small fry everyone could bully back then.
He had a dark red birthmark on his face, looking particularly ugly, and because of it, many mocked and bullied him.
Later little devils came, he quickly seized the chance, latched onto a traitor, and built his fortune trafficking laborers.
So-called trafficking laborers meant arresting, forcibly conscripting, or tricking China laborers, selling or forcing them to do hard labor domestically or abroad.
In their eyes, these laborers weren’t people, but things to sell at will.
Especially women, even bigger fat sheep in their eyes.
If even slightly pretty, then a fat sheep among fat sheep.
His rise was a history of laborers’ blood and tears, countless China laborers persecuted by them, dying in vain not worth pity.
At this time in the parlor, the ground was scattered with shattered teacups, tiny fragments everywhere.
A younger brother-dressed man stood obediently, not daring to breathe.
They knew their boss Scarface was ruthless and vicious.
“That bastard useless for success but great at causing trouble dares spout off at the police station! How come that bastard Xu Hancheng didn’t shoot him on the spot!” Scarface’s face was full of sinister, murderous light flashing in his eyes. Touching the hidden pain on his swollen face, his heart’s anger burned fiercer.
Just this afternoon, Tada Naoyoshi called him to the police station. Just entering, Tada Naoyoshi slapped him over a dozen hard slaps, nearly beating him to death.
Tada Naoyoshi didn’t tell him why, just beat him then directly warned: if he couldn’t control his dog, he’d change to another dog for service!
Bewildered Scarface returned home, immediately sent people to investigate what happened, only then learning his cheap brother-in-law had recklessly caused trouble, so angry he smashed a cup on the spot.
A woman around forty nearby smoked an opium pipe. The woman had long fine eyebrows, standard willow-leaf beauty brows, but the upturned brows and too-narrow space between made her look somewhat harsh.
Plus the mole below her mouth corner highlighted her sharpness.
She slowly exhaled smoke, her sharp voice neither yin nor yang: “Told you long ago, that little slut is no easy thing, her bastard brother even more a troublemaker.”
“I’m just baffled, does that bit of meat below can’t stay still? Poked a bit by that saucy hooves and he loses all direction.”
“Now see, big trouble. If you’d listened early, put that saucy hooves in the underground establishments, could still earn us some money.”
“Enough, what’s the use saying this now!” Scarface already burning with anger, her adding fuel made his heart’s rage surge higher.
Crash~~
Everything on the table swept to the ground by him, sinister eyes on the younger brother, scaring him to shudder. “Tomorrow bring gifts, go greet Jin Hai, make that bastard Louzi shut up for good!”
“Yes, I’ll go prepare now.” The younger brother, like granted amnesty, hurriedly ran out.
