Chapter 252: Messing with My Mind

Wu An saw Lao Xie had given him quite a bit more, and said, "Lao Xie, this is too much, really too much."

Lao Xie stuffed the plastic bag into his hand; "Hold onto it."

"I don't do losing‑money deals."

"What I give you is definitely the purchase price."

Wu An thanked him with a smile and walked away.

Back home, seeing A Qing and Li Juan both there, he greeted them and handed over the plastic bag in his hand to A Qing.

A Qing didn't ask further, just took it casually.

Brother gives it to him, and he just takes it.

He doesn't waste his brain thinking about nonsense.

"Um, A An's back, I came to ask about the homestead—my family's courtyard is too small; I'll need to live there too, so I wanted to buy a separate homestead for A Qing." Li Juan feared Wu An would think she was rushing to settle accounts, so she hurriedly explained her purpose.

"That's good." Wu An replied, looking toward Wu Yingwei.

Wu Yingwei, sitting a bit farther away smoking, said, "This is easy to handle; we already settled it when you weren't here."

There are plenty of vacant homesteads in the village; nowadays the village youth all run off to the county. Since Li Juan is paying to buy, there's no need to use power for personal gain.

Having him help is just to avoid any possible problems.

Wu An nodded.

A Qing gave the plastic bag to Li Juan, who exclaimed, "A An, why did you buy such expensive seafood?"

"This…"

"Come to my place tonight to eat."

Wu An shook his head.

Before he could speak, Mei Yueqin chimed in: "Auntie, what are you talking about? I'm about to kill a chicken—you and A Qing stay, let's prepare a proper meal, and we'll all have a drink tonight."

"They were also frightened out at sea today; we're also on edge, so let's eat and drink together for a lively time."

Li Juan said, "Um… I've already slaughtered the chickens and ducks at my place; come to my house tonight to eat."

"It's not just politeness—I came specifically to treat everyone to a meal."

"Over the years I've received plenty of help from Elder Brother Yingwei; A Qing now follows A An, constantly taking money home, earning a lot—I worry about it and wonder how they can make so much."

"Then it's settled."

Wu An didn't get involved in the women's tug‑of‑war; he didn't care, eating anywhere is the same to him.

He called A Qing over.

The total came to 3,200, and he gave it to A Qing.

A Qing didn't count it, just took it and shoved it into his pocket.

Wu An said, "Count it."

A Qing shook his head; "What's the point of counting? You'll definitely count better than me."

"What if it's wrong?"

"If it's wrong, it's wrong—just come take out a hundred or two; it's no big deal."

"Damn."

What A Qing said made sense; he couldn't refute it.

Over here.

The two women's tug‑of‑war ended; Li Juan won, and Mei Yueqin also left, saying she'd go help—so many people need to prepare a meal, Li Juan shouldn't be left to do it all alone.

A Qing originally didn't want to leave, but Li Juan insisted and called him away.

Wu An went inside.

The elder brother was preparing his lesson plan; Wu An didn't know what else to prepare—after all these years, it's always the same material.

He put the two hundred yuan that had been counted out from the mountain front on the table and said, "Brother, this is yours."

"What's this?"

"Wages."

"Your brother teaches elementary school—he's not just a grad, he's literate and can do math—giving him wages is fine, but this is too much."

"You went out to sea today, took on that big risk, and you also did plenty of work—this money, like A Qing's, is a tenth of the income."

"Even though brothers settle accounts clearly, how can brothers be treated like outsiders?"

"Just now Aunt Li was here; I was afraid she'd think too much, so I didn't directly settle accounts with you."

"Just keep it."

After Wu An finished speaking, he shook off Wu An's tugging hand and walked straight out of the house.

Wu Ping looked at the money in his hand, put it on the table, couldn't help picking it up again, put it back, bowed his head to write the lesson plan, but no matter what he couldn't write anything.

His mind was a little unsettled.

"This kid's messing with my head," Wu Ping muttered with a chuckle.

……

Wu An contacted Gu Anran, saying he had some seafood left to deliver.

Gu Anran originally wanted to say wait until after the meal, there's plenty of time tonight, but Wu An said the seafood can't be left out, so Gu Anran had to agree to meet outside the village at the eastern field.

It had stopped raining outside.

But it wasn't clear yet.

The sea breeze was damp and cool on his skin, but it couldn't extinguish Wu An's restless heart.

Wu An sped out on his scooter.

He arrived at the edge of the field.

Wu An stopped the car, watching the golden rice stalks sway gently in the wind, making one feel refreshed and delighted.

Not long after.

Gu Anran came by bicycle.

He planted his long legs on the ground.

"You came so fast."

"I missed you."

"I wasn't talking about tonight."

"I couldn't wait."

Wu An was completely unreserved at this moment, firing off one blunt remark after another.

After saying that.

He opened his arms.

Gu Anran walked over.

He pulled the person into his embrace.

Gu Anran also grabbed him; he could feel that those slender jade‑like hands were gripping tightly.

"I won't take such risks again."

"Mm, okay."

"I thought you would resent me."

"I do resent you; I've already resented you a lot in my heart, I think you can feel it too, so I won't say more."

"You woman."

Wu An freed one hand and lifted Gu Anran's chin.

After a while.

Only then did the two of them separate, panting heavily.

Not even half an hour had passed when Gu Anran said he wanted to leave.

"Stay a little longer."

"It's already dark."

"Anyway, it's already dark."

"I had said I'd come out after eating; it's you who's in a hurry." Gu Anran gave a playful smile and said, "Since I'm already out now, I won't come out again tonight."

Wu An was very anxious.

Wanting to bargain, Gu Anran ignored him and rode off on his bicycle.

Wu An looked on angrily at the bike… he also wanted to ride it.

He returned home.

Gu Anran sent a message saying, "Sister-in-law says you guys are going to drink tonight, drink less—I won't come over to take care of you."

Wu An let out a cold, mocking laugh.

A big man cannot be controlled by a woman.

"Not allowed to drink more?"

"I insist on drinking more!"

Arriving at A Qing's house, the kitchen was steaming hot; Mei Yueqin and Li Juan were busy, Wu An went in to help, but was immediately chased out.

In the kitchen, there was also a neighboring auntie; today Li Juan was hosting guests and had invited the neighboring auntie to keep her company.

"This person is different." Speaking of Wu An, praise poured forth; "This guy—if you say he's bad, he becomes bad; if you say he's good, he becomes good. A An is truly amazing."

"That's thanks to Yueqin's teaching."

"Exactly, A An was raised by Yueqin from childhood."

Mei Yueqin also felt pleased hearing that.

Li Juan also agreed, saying that being good all the time isn't talent, always longing is nothing either; being able to turn bad and then good again is truly remarkable.

Mei Yueqin felt delighted inside, thinking how great this was; if she returned to her parents' home and heard her father, mother, older brother and sister-in-law, as well as Xiao Wu, praising Wu An, she would be overjoyed.

Hmm.

She recalled that Wu An had mentioned several times wanting to go home together with her, but it never worked out; she should find a chance to make the trip.