Chen Guizhi was pacing around the house again. “I don’t think you’ve gone crazy. I think you’ve been cursed. I’m calling a fortune-teller later to help you break this bad luck.”
Li Feng said, “…Seriously, just come stay with me for a couple of days. I was worried you two might argue, but now I’m thinking you won’t even get that far.”
As stubborn as he was, he still wouldn’t dare go up against his own mother.
Seeing how mad Chen Guizhi was—already saying she’d cut the rice cakes in half—he ended up packing just a small batch in a big basket.
Only then did she calm down a little.
The family had been making rice cakes for days now. Li Feng was tall and strong, and since this was their own business, he pulled the most weight. Even in the freezing cold, he was working shirtless, his body practically steaming from the effort.
But still—wasn’t it exhausting? After a whole day of work, how many pounds of rice cakes did they even make?
And Chen Guizhi didn’t want to give away a single pound!
If she didn’t give any, it’d turn into a huge fight.
And if she gritted her teeth and let it go, she’d just end up being a joke.
Li Feng suddenly remembered something. “Lu Yang said he’s bringing back some tofu today.”
Chen Guizhi snorted. “If it’s just a piece or two, don’t even bother. What a disgrace.”
Li Feng: “…”
He honestly didn’t know how to respond.
Chen Guizhi waved her hand to shoo him away.
“Go on, go on. The earlier you leave, the sooner you’ll be back. Sanmiao’s getting married—we’re rushing production today. Make more rice cakes, and take them to sell at the county tomorrow. While you’re there, buy him some stuff too.”
Normally, Li Feng wouldn’t be the one selling at the county.
But if he went along for the ride, he’d get the chance to buy a padded coat for Lu Yang.
He wasn’t sure how to bring it up yet. He figured he’d wait until after visiting the Chen family and seeing how much tofu they brought back—then he’d talk to his mom.
But Chen Guizhi could already tell what he was scheming. “Don’t even think about buying that coat. Just go settle the score with the Chens today. You’re telling me a few scrawny bean sprouts are gonna stop you? If you don’t come back with that padded coat, the two of you can stay at the Chen house for good. I’ll just pretend you married in!”
Li Feng: “…”
Well now, he had to get that coat.
Thinking about taking it from the Chen family, Li Feng raised an eyebrow. Now he was in a pretty good mood.
“Alright, I’ll take a couple extra while I’m at it.”
—
Inside the main room, Lu Liu was quietly waiting for Li Feng.
It was his first time inside one of the new houses in the village. Shun-ge poured him some tea, but wasn’t nearly as warm as he’d been on their wedding night. He puffed out his cheeks, stared at the ceiling, clearly sulking—shooting glances at Lu Liu like he wanted to say something, but refused to.
Lu Liu asked him what was wrong.
Shun-ge was shocked at how thick-skinned he was. “You’re seriously asking me that?”
Lu Liu blinked, wondering if it was because he hadn’t been around the past couple of days to help out.
Shun-ge was still young, not good at hiding how he felt. He blurted out, “Your family gave such a huge bride price, but sent you over with almost nothing! Not even a coat for the winter—you came here with basically nothing! Now my big brother has to buy everything for you? And now you’re going back home and taking even more stuff with you. No one’s as good at mooching as the Chen family!”
Lu Liu got the message loud and clear.
Sure enough, a high bride price and a skimpy dowry were bound to cause trouble.
Lu Liu didn’t have any say in the Chen family, and he couldn’t go against Old Man Chen. This one was on him.
He also felt bad for Li Feng—guilty, even.
He said to Shun-ge, “I tore apart two padded coats and sewed them into one. It’s thick enough to get through the winter—we won’t need to buy another. It’s okay if we bring back less for the visit. They won’t make a fuss.”
Old Man Chen was sharp. He wouldn’t blow up right away. Less was less—he’d let it go.
As for how to vent his frustration, Lu Liu really didn’t know.
He hadn’t picked a fight since he was a kid. Once he realized he couldn’t win arguments, he learned to avoid them instead. Now he just didn’t have the skill for conflict.
But he could try to bring back more tofu.
Tofu was how Old Man Chen made his money. Taking more tofu meant taking his silver. That had to count for something, right?
Shun-ge immediately regretted yelling. He’d heard Lu Yang was scary—even dared to argue with his big brother. He’d been bracing for a fight, but instead got calm, level-headed words.
Also… tearing up two padded coats and sewing them together? What did that even mean?
Lu Liu had him feel the coat.
He did—it really was thick. Two coats in one.
Shun-ge stared at Lu Liu for a second, then ran off toward the kitchen.
Li Feng had just settled things with Chen Guizhi—only taking five pounds of rice cakes—and stepped outside just in time to run into his younger brother.
“Where’re you rushing off to?”
Shun-ge wouldn’t tell him.
“Mom says you’re just like Second Brother. I’m not talking to you.”
Li Feng gave his leg a light kick. “When Mom says that to me, it’s a lecture. When you say it, you’re cussing me out. Watch it.”
Shun-ge fired back, “If you know what Second Brother did was wrong, why’re you copying him!”
Li Feng wasn’t copying Second Brother.
He wanted to beat Second Brother up.
“What’s he done this time?”
As soon as he asked, Shun-ge’s eyes welled up and fat tears started falling.
“Last night, he took all the cured meat and eggs. Said his father-in-law was sick and needed some good food.”
Li Feng made a mental note. “I’ll deal with him when I get back.”
But Shun-ge didn’t believe him anymore. “You’re just like him. He won’t listen to you anyway.”
Li Feng didn’t need Second Brother to listen. As long as he could take a beating, that was enough.
Back in the main room, Lu Liu set down his teacup the moment Li Feng walked in.
Li Feng met his eyes, calmed himself, and said, “The rabbit’s pregnant—we’re not bringing it. We’re selling rice cakes tomorrow for Sanmiao’s wedding, so I’m only taking five pounds.”
Lu Liu had no objection.
The couple packed the cakes in a big basket, Li Feng put a lid on top, and the two of them climbed into the mule cart and headed toward Chenjiawan.
On the way, Lu Liu said, “I’m really sorry about the dowry thing. Once spring comes, how about I raise some chicks? I’m good at it. If the family caught ten, I could keep eight alive—one year, I even raised all ten. Can you… help me buy a few?”
That was a conversation for after the New Year.
Lu Liu thought about the timing—yeah, it was still early.
Then he frowned, remembering the pregnant rabbit.
Rabbits, like chickens, could be sold.
Chickens lay eggs. Rabbits had babies.
Baby rabbits grow up and have their own litters. Keep breeding them, and the numbers just keep going up. That had to be a money-maker, right?
He turned to Li Feng again. “What about the pregnant rabbit—what’re you gonna do with it? Keep it? Or let it go?”
Li Feng said they’d keep it—usually that’s what people did.
“If we’d found out in the mountains that it was pregnant, we would’ve let it go. But we only realized after bringing it home. If we let it go now, it’ll probably die. So we’ll keep it until it gives birth, and try raising the babies.”
In the village, people tried raising rabbits, mountain pheasants, and wild ducks—but it never lasted. Some died early, some got sold off once they were fattened.
Nobody raised them long-term. It was always hit or miss—if you had them, you raised them.
Lu Liu didn’t really get it, so Li Feng explained: “Most folks don’t know how to raise them. Grown rabbits disappear outta nowhere. Better to just eat or sell them early. Breeding’s a hassle too—most only have one or two litters, then nothing.”
Still, even one round was a stroke of luck. Instant profits.
Lu Liu wanted to try raising them. Li Feng agreed.
“You can take them home when we get back.”
This trip back to the Chen house wasn’t really about visiting anymore. Lu Liu was still unsure and wanted to ask Li Feng how to bring back more tofu from Old Man Chen.
Li Feng didn’t want to teach him—he didn’t think his husband could handle it.
The last time he’d tried talking back, Old Man Chen just gave him a look and he folded instantly.
Now he was acting all meek. Going back like that—what could he possibly get? He couldn’t even string words together properly.
Li Feng had a strange thought.
Maybe Lu Yang had picked a fight on purpose—to warn him, give him a heads-up not to fall into this trap.
But they’d jumped in anyway.
Li Feng glanced sideways at Lu Liu. Lu Liu caught it and asked, “Come on, I really want to bring back more tofu. Tell me how. Just explain it—I might actually pull it off.”
If it were up to Li Feng? He’d just take it. The whole batch.
Talking circles, buttering people up until they willingly handed it over? Not his thing.
