Chapter 297: “pigs Aren’t As Important As You”
“Taking Little Shitou to the provincial capital for formal training.” Gu Chan’s hand holding the telephone tightened slightly.
Wei Xiangdong added, “Considering Little Shitou is still young and can’t leave his parents, I can accompany him there. Once the child gets used to it and we adults feel reassured, he can stay there by himself.”
This was something he had asked about one by one.
Gu Chan nodded, “That’s what was said.”
“They said it like that, so it should be fine.” Gu Chenghuai said steadily.
“How about this, I’ll ask around some more and give you a reply tomorrow.” Knowing that Eldest Sister’s husband wasn’t at ease, he offered to inquire himself.
Sure enough.
Gu Chan and Wei Xiangdong’s expressions relaxed.
“Trouble you.” Wei Xiangdong thanked him.
Gu Chenghuai frowned lightly, “Why be polite among family.”
Gu Chan nudged her husband with her arm and said into the telephone: “My brother-in-law doesn’t speak well, I’ve scolded him for it. Aren’t Yu Bao and Heng Bao nearby? How are the two kids? Are they adapting?”
Lin Zhao looked helpless, “Adapting, of course they are. They run off and you can’t even find a trace of them.”
Out and about, what she worried about most was the dragon-phoenix twins.
So she asked: “Eldest Sister, how are Qian Bao and Yao Bao? Are they crying?!”
“The first two days after you left, Yao Bao was fussing for you, but now she’s not crying. Qian Bao didn’t cry either. They’re the same as always, just every afternoon he calls Da Huang to the village entrance…” What Gu Chan didn’t say was that Qian Bao stayed at the village entrance every day until the sun set, then dejectedly went home. He didn’t make a fuss, but it was even more heartbreaking.
If she said that out loud, it would be stabbing a knife into her younger brother’s wife’s heart, so she didn’t say it.
Lin Zhao was a mother; she knew her own kids and could imagine… the scene of her younger son waiting at the village entrance. Her eyes immediately welled up.
“After I brought home the telegram you sent back, Qian Bao saw it, and then he stopped going to the village entrance. Mother takes him along for whatever she does; he’s been very good.” Gu Chan explained in detail.
“Zhaozhao, don’t worry. I’ll go back every couple of days. The kids have someone looking after them. You and Yu Baoheng Bao stay a few more days, no need to rush back. There’s nothing going on at home.”
Lin Zhao knew all the things she was most concerned about. Thinking of Zhao Liuniang who was covering for her, she smiled, “How’s Second Sister-in-law at the supply and marketing cooperative? Is she getting used to it?”
“Used to it! Of course! Her mouth is grinning from ear to ear.” Gu Chan’s face was full of smiles. “She even said, no wonder everyone wants to be a worker. Being a worker is more comfortable than farming.” At that point, she burst out laughing.
Then the tone shifted, and she continued: “Bang Bang and Lai Mei are having a tough time because their mom is strictly making them study.”
“Last time I went back, they complained to me, saying their mom doesn’t treat them like people. They finally have summer vacation, but they have endless books to memorize and homework to do.”
Images of two utterly dejected faces flashed in her mind, and Gu Chan laughed until her throat hurt.
Lin Zhao laughed too, “Poor Bang Bang and Lai Mei. When I go back, I’ll bring them gifts.”
“The two boys will be thrilled if they know!” Gu Chan replied.
“Next time Eldest Sister goes back, you can tell them ahead of time.” Lin Zhao said with a light laugh, “Kids need some hope.”
“Eldest Sister, tell them to study hard, and when I go back, I’ll bring each of them a pair of Warrior Shoes.”
Gu Chan understood Zhaozhao’s intention: dangle the carrot in front, and Bang Bang and Lai Mei would study hard. “Alright, I’ll tell them.”
They chatted a few more sentences, then hung up.
“We talked quite a bit; Eldest Sister must feel the pinch paying the phone bill.” Lin Zhao said as she left the communications room with Gu Chenghuai.
“It’s fine, with Brother-in-law there, he’ll coax her.”
…
“What did you say, one yuan thirty-five fen?! So much!!!” Gu Chan was indeed shocked by the phone bill; her eyes widened in disbelief.
“I only said a few sentences?” she muttered, her hand trembling as she touched her wallet, feeling the pain.
Wei Xiangdong couldn’t help laughing and smoothly took the cloth wallet from her hand.
He said: “Turn around, I’ll pay. If you don’t look, it won’t hurt.”
Gu Chan really couldn’t take it and turned around.
Her man decisively paid and led his wife out.
On the way, Gu Chan grumbled about the pain.
“I’d heard long ago that phone calls cost money. Before actually making one, I thought… how much could it cost? At most a few fen, right? But after making one, good grief, it’s not just costly, it’s burning money! Just a few words, and it cost one yuan. One yuan—that’s several days’ salary!”
Wei Xiangdong smiled at her without expressing an opinion, just smiling at his wife.
Gu Chan talked for a while with no one agreeing, stopped complaining, looked over, and met a pair of smiling, joy-filled eyes.
Seeing the man like this reminded her of the past, when they had just started dating; he always looked at her this way.
After marriage, daily necessities like firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy, vinegar, and tea took up most of their lives. They were exhausted every day from providing for the family. Their relationship was good, but it couldn’t be denied that it gradually settled into a peaceful routine.
She got the job at the textile factory canteen, the family received compensation from those people, life became well-off, Wei Xiangdong’s health improved… In this process, the couple’s affection grew even sweeter.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?” Gu Chan felt her face heat up under his gaze.
Wei Xiangdong watched his wife start walking with mismatched limbs, the smile deepening in his eyes, “My wife is really beautiful.”
Gu Chan paused slightly, reached out to thump him, “Shut up! No seriousness!”
Beautiful my foot, what’s beautiful about a woman nagging?
“She’s beautiful even if she thumps me ten times.” Wei Xiangdong rubbed the spot that got hit, still saying it.
Gu Chan rolled her eyes at him and ignored the man, striding home.
Still, with him interrupting, she temporarily forgot about the over one yuan spent.
Back home, Little Shitou ran to his parents with pattering steps, said nothing, just looked at them eagerly.
“Stop looking. The call went through. Your Third Uncle is asking around. If it’s true… you’ll have to leave your parents.” Gu Chan touched her son’s face and sighed softly.
Big Shitou knew his mom couldn’t bear to part with his younger brother and said: “Mom, I’m not going anywhere; I’ll always stay by your side.”
Gu Chan ruffled his head, “Don’t say that. If you have good future prospects later, it’s okay to leave home. Mom and Dad only hope you’ll do well.”
“Mm.” Big Shitou nodded and added: “If I have good future prospects, I’ll take Mom to enjoy life.”
Wei Xiangdong: ??
“…What about me?” He looked gloomily at his eldest son.
Big Shitou looked at him, “You’ll definitely follow my mom; what’s there to say.”
Wei Xiangdong: “…” It made a lot of sense.
“Stinky kid!” He reached out to flick his son’s forehead, “At least mention me once!”
Before Big Shitou could say anything, his mom was already protective, swatting at the man’s arm, “Don’t touch the kid’s head. My son is so smart; what if you knock him silly?”
The eldest was indeed smart, like his Third Uncle and little uncle—good at studying, quick-witted.
Wei Xiangdong withdrew his hand, pretending to be dejected, “Alright, alright, so I’m the lowest status in the family now.”
Little Shitou tilted his head, his voice carrying the softness unique to young children, but his words chilled the heart, “When has Dad ever had high status?”
“…Shut your little mouth.” Wei Xiangdong gave a threatening look.
Little Shitou quickly hid behind his brother.
“Why scare him?” Big Shitou was unhappy, his words worried: “This kid’s courage is already small; what if you scare him into a little mouse?”
And yet, he has to leave home alone—who knows how he’ll get bullied?
Just thinking about it made him worried!
Wei Xiangdong caught the implication in his eldest son’s words and was worried too.
“Your temperament really is…” The father sighed.
Little Shitou knew his dad and brother were worrying about him, blushed shyly, clutched his hands, and said softly: “Mom said it’ll be fine when I grow up, right Mom?”
He looked at Gu Chan eagerly.
Gu Chan nodded, “Yes, aren’t you braver than last year? Progress is good.”
Zhaozhao was right; a child’s courage can be trained. Following Zhaozhao’s method, she trained him intentionally and unintentionally, and Little Shitou had indeed changed.
Little Shitou smiled shyly.
“I’m going to train.” Little Shitou thought of what the coach said to him, his little heart pounding, excited and not knowing what to say, just wanting to train, train…
“Don’t train all the time; rest when you’re tired.” Gu Chan said.
The coach said her son had great talent, unprecedented, but wasn’t it also because her son trained hard?
Little Shitou spent most of his day training himself, always sweating all over.
It was also his good fortune to have a good uncle who cared deeply about his little nephew and had sent training materials several times.
“Got it.” Little Shitou replied, went back to the room to get his ping pong ball, carefully opened the rubber bag, took out the ping pong paddle, and swung it a few times proficiently on the spot.
The other three watched this scene.
“Mom, if Third Uncle confirms that coach is really a coach, will our family send Little Shitou away?” Big Shitou asked, a hint of reluctance in his words.
Though his brother was dumb and always made him worry, he still couldn’t bear to part with him.
If he wasn’t around, what if someone bullied his brother?
“Reluctant to let your brother go?” Gu Chan asked knowingly. She touched her son’s head and sighed, “Your brother likes it. Look at him—so spirited when he plays ball. If there’s no opportunity, fine, but it’s such a rare opportunity. If your dad and I don’t let him go, he’ll resent us when he grows up. Your grandmother always says kids grow wings and fly away; parents shouldn’t hold back their future prospects.”
Wei Xiangdong saw his wife was about to cry and said: “It’s just the provincial capital, not far. We can get there by bus. Later, I’ll earn more money, and we can visit him every month. If not, once a week isn’t impossible.”
Hearing this, Gu Chan suddenly became alert, staring at him, “You want to go into the mountains again?”
She looked like she’d scratch him if he nodded.
Big Shitou saw the tension and quietly slipped away.
“No.” Wei Xiangdong quickly said, “I promised you I wouldn’t go into the mountains, and I won’t.”
He pulled his wife into the room and softly revealed his plan, “I plan to raise pigs with someone.”
Gu Chan’s expression changed slightly, “Raise them in the mountains? No, absolutely not. If discovered, it’s a big crime; you’d go to prison…”
“A’chan, A’chan, don’t get worked up. Hear me out.” Wei Xiangdong hugged his wife’s shoulders and continued: “It won’t be discovered, and there’s no danger.”
“The place I’m talking about is very hidden. I’ve known about it since I was little, and it hasn’t been found in all these years. Besides, pigs raised in the deep mountains are nameless; who’d know they’re mine?”
He explained his plan, “I’m a man; I have to find a way to support the family. I don’t have other skills, only hunting. This matter…”
Wei Xiangdong paused, skipped over it, and continued: “I’ve thought it through carefully. Raising pigs has potential. Think about it—meat is scarce everywhere. Raise them big, sell them easily, and the family will be well-off.”
Gu Chan was still afraid, “Our family is well-off now.”
“Well-off what well-off.” Wei Xiangdong laughed, “When Little Shitou goes to the provincial capital, we’ll visit him, and bus tickets alone will cost a lot. I’m a man; I can’t let my wife worry about money. Otherwise, what am I? A freeloader? Would you still respect me then?”
“Why wouldn’t I? You got me my job.” Gu Chan said.
“You’re my wife; of course I’d think of you for good things.” Wei Xiangdong said nonchalantly, “Don’t talk about allowing or not in the future. What’s mine is yours. My wife suffers while I enjoy? I can’t do that.”
Gu Chan suddenly remembered, “Aren’t we doing mushroom cultivation at home? That makes money too.”
Wei Xiangdong said: “Mm, I want you all to live well.”
Mushroom cultivation could make money, but far less than raising pigs.
He always felt different from others, with a drive in his bones, like he didn’t know fear.
Gu Chan saw the persistence in her man’s eyes, was silent for a moment, then said: “You said you’re doing it with someone—who?”
Wei Xiangdong said: “With Da Li.”
Da Li—who was he? A fellow villager, no parents since childhood, raised on charity from many families, ate a lot, strong, looked honest, tight-lipped.
Indeed a good partner.
Gu Chan was conflicted, unable to decide.
“…I’m afraid of being discovered.”
Wei Xiangdong knew his wife agreed; a smile lit up his face.
He held Gu Chan’s hand solemnly, “I’ll be careful.”
His voice softened, pleading: “Agree, wife? If there’s any problem, I’ll run. I absolutely won’t let myself get caught, okay?”
Gu Chan couldn’t hold out, sighed softly, “Alright.”
After agreeing, she added: “Remember your words—absolutely don’t let yourself get caught. You’re the backbone of the family; the pigs aren’t as important as you.”
Wei Xiangdong hugged his wife, beaming, “Wife, you’re the best.”
Gu Chan’s eyes sparkled with laughter.
Her man was pretty great too.
…
A certain military region.
Lin Zhao returned home, opened the letter, skimmed it quickly, her mouth curving up uncontrollably.
“Educated Youth Guan is so proactive; she sent the letter of thanks so quickly.” She remarked.
Her gaze went to what Lin Shichang had said—he was listening to the leader read that letter of thanks, toes curling, whole body uncomfortable. Lin Zhao laughed out loud.
“What’s so funny?” Gu Chenghuai asked.
Lin Zhao handed him the letter.
“Can I look at this?” Gu Chenghuai said, but took the letter without delay.
After quickly reading it, his expression was calm, “I knew the letter would mention me.”
Lin Zhao patted his arm, “That’s not the point. I’m laughing at Third Brother’s reaction to hearing his leader read the letter of thanks. Don’t you think it’s hilarious?”
Gu Chenghuai said: “Third Brother needs more practice.”
Practice what, thick skin.
As long as the skin is thick enough, how could it be embarrassing?!
