San Miao fidgeted, waiting for the people to leave, then invited Li Feng and Lu Liu to have lunch at his place.
“We’ve discussed it in our house. The wedding will be done like how you two got married. Back then, you invited the brothers to dinner. Since I can’t really count the labor costs, I just bought some meat and vegetables. We’ll have a meal now, and on the wedding day, you two can come help out.”
The main request was for Li Feng to help. Li Feng had a mule cart, so whether it was driving the cart or beating the drums, it didn’t matter.
Lu Liu was fine with drinking, one meal today, and another on the eighth day of the twelfth month.
Li Feng’s grand wedding raised the standard for weddings in Li Village. It was something new, something different. Future weddings wouldn’t be the same, and everyone would compare themselves to the last. No one wanted to fall behind.
Fewer carts or fewer dishes could be managed, but the festive atmosphere for the wedding must not be less.
Li Feng’s eyebrows twitched when he heard this—he was pleased.
Lu Liu, watching him, secretly felt happy for him and almost forgot about the teasing he had received in the morning.
After sending off San Miao, it was time to settle their own accounts.
When Er Tian and his wife saw others leaving, they went for a walk and returned.
The family sat in the living room, once again at the table for dividing the money.
Li Feng had the accounts clearly worked out; he had already thought it through several times and explained everything smoothly.
“You two worked for four days, half a day each, so I’ll give you sixty wen for your labor.”
Er Tian frowned. “Big Brother, isn’t that a little too little?”
“Don’t rush,” Li Feng said. “I’ll count the meat. I’ll give you eighteen wen per pound of the cured meat. You took five pounds, and I’ll give you thirty eggs, one wen per egg. That totals one hundred and twenty wen. Now, you give me sixty wen, and we’re even.”
Er Tian: ?!?
Wang Dongmei wasn’t happy.
Why should they pay for their own work? It didn’t make sense.
“Big Brother, that’s my father, not someone else. What’s wrong with me giving him something? Will you go to Chen’s house next time and bring nothing?”
Li Feng wasn’t a patient person. When he decided something, it was final. If they didn’t like it, they could challenge him to a fight.
Lu Liu naturally supported Li Feng. Using his maternal family to pressure people, he would speak up for him.
“Then, am I allowed to go to you and get things for my father? First, give me sixty wen, and I’ll see what you can do.”
Chen Guizhi gave Lu Liu an approving look.
Shun Ge’er held back his laughter, burying his head low.
Li Feng almost laughed out loud. How could his husband say such strong words in such a soft tone?
During the winter, everyone was frequently visiting. Families were idle, and there were celebrations, gift exchanges, and visits, so no news could be kept secret.
Lu Liu’s second uncle came by and brought two pounds of meat and a jar of sugar. By the next day, the news had already spread to the new village.
It was all because the day before, Li Qiang had brought a jar of fish soup to the new village.
Wang Dongmei felt weak when facing Lu Liu.
She wanted to talk about the bride price, claiming that the Li family was unfair. But her own dowry had been small.
She wanted to talk about her maternal family’s role but hadn’t seen any help from them either.
She didn’t know that Lu Liu’s situation was similar to hers; she only saw the surface and, avoiding eye contact, said, “Anyway, we don’t have money.”
Li Feng had long anticipated that they would try to avoid paying: “It’s fine. I’ll deduct it from your labor wages. Next time we make rice cakes, you’ll work for free. If you don’t work properly, I’ll sell a few acres of land. You can live off the two acres you have, and see how you get by.”
That was absolutely not an option!
Er Tian immediately wanted to take out money, but Wang Dongmei refused.
Even if they worked for free, what if they still had to pay money later?
Lu Liu observed the couple. Last time, he had taken the initiative to help carry the load and had promised to persuade them to live peacefully and handle things in a way that could be discussed.
It wasn’t just about seeing his father-in-law ill and needing to send him to the clinic, get a doctor, and take medicine. It was about taking care of health—not just thinking about meat and eggs.
He hadn’t had much experience in persuading people. He remembered how his older brother had observed the situation at a bun stall before deciding to sell buns, so he thought it best to observe Er Tian and his wife and then offer his advice.
Unexpectedly, Lu Liu’s straightforward gaze made Er Tian and his wife feel uneasy. The matter was quickly glossed over, only mentioning the rice cake-making to settle the accounts.
It was still a while until noon, and the stuffy room felt uncomfortable. Er Tian was a man and couldn’t do any needlework, so he soon went outside. He found Lu Liu not far away, watching him.
Er Tian: ?
He looked around but didn’t see Li Feng. He then asked, “What are you doing?”
Lu Liu honestly answered, “Just watching you.”
Er Tian didn’t understand: “Why are you watching me?”
Lu Liu said, “Do you really listen to your wife?”
Er Tian didn’t like this phrasing. What did it mean that he listened to his wife? Clearly, it was his wife who listened to him!
Lu Liu didn’t believe it: “You do listen to her. Whatever she says, you do it.”
Er Tian got irritated and told him to clarify his words.
Lu Liu said, “She said not to give money, so you didn’t give it.”
Er Tian laughed in anger, not falling for it.
“Big sister-in-law, we agreed that we would settle the accounts after making rice cakes. Don’t worry about the little bit of money in my pocket. I’m poor, I can’t compare to Big Brother.”
Lu Liu nodded. “I know.”
Er Tian choked, staring at him for a while, but Lu Liu didn’t speak further. He wasn’t giving up and asked again, “What do you know?”
Lu Liu just wanted to observe him, not talk too much. He frowned as he replied, “I know everything you said.”
Er Tian demanded he explain further.
Lu Liu was frustrated with his dullness. Why did he need to explain? Wasn’t it clear enough from what Er Tian himself had said?
He replied, “I know you’re poor, you can’t compare to Da Feng, so you can only make rice cakes.”
The words sounded simple enough, but their meaning left Er Tian feeling uncomfortable in every way.
“What does it matter if I’m not as good as my big brother? What have I done to offend you?”
Lu Liu: ……
Why was he so angry?
Lu Liu hurried to calm him down, “It’s nothing, you’re better than Da Feng in one way—you listen to your wife, while Da Feng doesn’t.”
But Da Feng didn’t have a wife.
Da Feng had a husband.
Hehehe.
Lu Liu thought to himself and couldn’t help but laugh.
When he laughed, Er Tian’s anger flared up completely.
“What do you mean, I listen to my wife? Say it clearly—what do you mean by that? When have I listened to her? It’s her who listens to me! You just married in, you haven’t even talked to us much. What do you know to say these things? Let me tell you, after I got married, this household is mine to run!”
His shout was so loud that Lu Liu got scared and stopped laughing, wanting to run away.
Li Feng was faster than him. When Lu Liu turned around, he saw Li Feng hurrying toward them, so he hid behind Li Feng.
Li Feng asked what happened.
Lu Liu didn’t complain. He said honestly, “I just asked him if he really listens to his wife, and he got like this.”
Li Feng was speechless. He pointed at Er Tian and said, “What’s wrong with listening to your wife? Go around the whole village, ask anyone in both villages, even the second yellow knows. When they see you two, they have to wag their tails at Wang Dongmei. Are you really going to get this worked up over it?”
Er Tian was fuming.
He went back into the house to get money, but Wang Dongmei still refused to give it.
Er Tian said, “Give me the money, I’m going to pay back the debt!”
Wang Dongmei refused, her tone unexpectedly calm and gentle. She said, “Don’t fall for it. They’re just provoking you. Think about it, we didn’t need to give a single wen at first, but now, in just a few words, we’re supposed to hand over sixty wen. Sixty wen could buy fifteen pounds of rice, enough for several days of white rice. Do you really want to give it to them? Do you really want to give it?”
Chen Guizhi and Shun Ge’er had also heard the shouting and came over to see what was going on.
Seeing that Er Tian was about to be persuaded, San Shun poured fuel on the fire, shouting, “Second Brother, you still say you don’t listen to your wife? As soon as Second Sister-in-law finishes talking, you forget you’re supposed to return the money!”
Inside the house, Wang Dongmei’s expression couldn’t be seen, but the sound of their argument was really loud.
