Chapter 76: Jian Qiu Brought New Year Goods

After breakfast, Zhou Andong dragged a stool and sat under the eaves, smoking and basking in the sun.

“Brother! Brother!” Zhou Anning shot out of the house, didn’t stop, turned a corner, and flung herself into Zhou Andong’s arms.

Zhou Andong caught her tight: “Slow down, you’ll fall.”

Zhou Anning giggled loudly: “I want to watch TV.”

“Go ahead!” Zhou Andong said. “No one’s stopping you.”

“Okay!” The little girl dashed back inside like a whirlwind. “Second brother, turn on the TV! Big brother said to hurry up!”

Hearing the girl waving a chicken feather like an imperial decree, he sighed helplessly—this girl was growing up, and her head was harder to shave than ever.

Zhou Anqin carried a bucket of swill into the yard, saw Zhou Andong sitting under the eaves smoking, hurried over, glanced inside at Zhou Xiao, who was pretending to nap wrapped in a quilt, and asked softly.

“Brother, did you beat Zhou Anbin?”

Zhou Andong smiled: “Yes.”

Zhou Anqin chuckled, picked up the bucket, and walked inside, humming a tune—she looked delighted.

“Where are you going?” Zhao Guifen shouted from the east yard.

“Just going for a walk,” came Zhou Anbin’s voice.

“Big brother, I heard you got beaten last night?” Zhou Andong leaned over the wall and saw Zhou Anbin’s entire face swollen, bruised purple and blue, one eye completely shut, surrounded by a large dark bruise.

Zhou Andong burst out laughing: “I’ve told you a hundred times—leave some room in everything you do. Don’t push things to the brink; always leave yourself an escape route. You never listen. Now look—you got ambushed. I’m telling you, if you keep acting like this, doing nothing but things that deserve no sons, you’ll get beaten again, and worse.”

“Zhou Andong! Was it you? Was it you who put a sack over my head?” Zhou Anbin, seething with rage, pointed at Zhou Andong and roared—then winced as his wounded mouth pulled, letting out a sharp “Ow!”

Zhou Andong chuckled: “Zhou Anbin, you can eat anything, but don’t speak nonsense. Last night your mom accused me. Today you’re doing the same. Do you think I won’t really put a sack over your head someday?”

“Zhou Andong!” Zhou Anlei burst out of the house. “If I find out you beat my brother, I’m not done with you.”

Zhou Andong glared, coldly: “Zhou Anlei, got a spine now? Daring to call me ‘old man’? Did you ask your father?”

“You little brat!” Zhou Xiaode came out of the house with a broom and swung it across Zhou Anlei’s head and shoulders. “You call me ‘old man’? You want to call me ‘big brother’?”

“Ow! Dad, stop! Ah, it hurts… I’m sorry… Dad, I’m sorry…”

Zhou Anlei ran around the yard chased by Zhou Xiaode. Zhou Andong watched, grinning: “Old man, this kid’s turned traitor—he wants to call you ‘big brother’? Why not beat him? Hey, you didn’t hit him hard enough! Tomorrow he’ll run to Grandpa and call him ‘big brother,’ then make you call him ‘old man.’ Look—he’s even glaring at you. He’s defiant.”

As Zhou Andong stoked the fire, Zhou Xiaode grew angrier, swinging harder, making Zhou Anlei leap and dodge, howling in pain, drawing neighbors from all sides to watch.

“Mom! Help! I’m gonna die from Dad’s beating!”

Zhao Guifen stepped out of the house: “Zhou Xiaode, that’s enough! You really want to kill your son?”

Seeing his wife furious, Zhou Xiaode finally stopped, panting, and glared at Zhou Anbin: “You’re not going anywhere. Stay home. If you step out, I’ll break your legs.”

“What are you staring at?” Zhao Guifen planted her hands on her hips and yelled at the crowd gathered at the gate: “Never seen a father beat his son? You all—big useless jerks—watch yourselves when you go out, don’t get hit by a car…”

A man glared, about to reply, but a woman beside him pulled him back: “Forget it. Why bother with her? Let’s go home.”

“Beep-beep-beep…”

A car horn blared suddenly. Everyone looked up. A 212 Jeep drove slowly toward them and stopped outside Zhou Andong’s gate. A stylish, stunningly beautiful woman stepped out.

“Who is she?”

“I saw her a few days ago. They say she’s Zhou Andong’s new girlfriend.”

“His new girlfriend? Does his wife agree?”

“What are you talking about? He’s divorced.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“This kid’s lucky. His girlfriends keep getting prettier. Why can’t I have such luck?”

“If you were a college student, you’d find a girl just as beautiful.”

“Zhou Andong!” Jian Qiu called from the gate.

Zhou Andong muttered inwardly—why did this woman show up? But aloud he smiled: “Oh! Director Jian, what wind blew you here?”

Jian Qiu gave him a look: “I’m heading back to Beijing tomorrow, probably won’t be back soon. Came to tell you, and brought some New Year goods.”

“Sister-in-law!” A small figure shot forward like a whirlwind and flung herself into Jian Qiu’s arms. “I missed you so much!”

That “sister-in-law” made Zhou Andong stumble, his smile freezing: “Ningning, don’t call her that—you can’t…”

“Shut up!” Jian Qiu pointed sharply at Zhou Andong, then picked up the girl. “Kids say what they want. I don’t mind. Why are you so flustered?”

“Uh!” Zhou Andong swallowed the rest of his words. He looked at Zhou Anning—someone had taught her to say that. No need to guess—it was Zhou Anqin, that little devil.

Zhou Anqin and Zhou Anbei also ran out of the house, followed by Yuan Liying.

“Autumn sister!”

“Autumn sister!”

Jian Qiu smiled and greeted them both, then warmly called out: “Auntie, I wanted to come see you a few days ago, but I was swamped—only now have I had time.”

Yuan Liying beamed: “You came? That’s all that matters. Stay for lunch.”

“Okay!” Jian Qiu agreed readily. “I brought some New Year goods. Anbei, hurry and help your brother bring them in.”

Next, the neighbors stared wide-eyed as Zhou Anbei lifted a skinned sheep from the car, and Zhou Andong struggled out with a whole beef leg.

Then came box after box of drinks—over a dozen cases of Coca-Cola and Jianlibao, plus over a dozen cases of canned beer. In this era, canned beer was a luxury.

Zhao Guifen’s whole family came out, watching item after item carried into the house, their eyes turning green.

Zhou Anbin’s eyes darted around. He pulled Zhou Anlei aside, whispering furiously.

“My god, how much did all this cost?”

“Zhou Andong’s got real luck. His last wife’s family was rich—her father was a bank manager. This one doesn’t seem any worse.”

“I know his last wife—her family was rich, but they looked down on him. Didn’t even bring him a glass of water, let alone meat and wine.”

“This one’s better—she’s already taking care of him before marriage. After marriage, it’ll be even better.”

Hearing the murmurs around him, Zhao Guifen’s heart turned sour. She sneered: “It’s strange—what’s so special about Zhou Andong? A divorced, secondhand man. Why do all the little aunts flock to him? My Anbin’s such a good boy—twenty-eight and only just got a girlfriend. Where’s the justice?”