Chapter 48: Want to Build a New House

Wu An arrived home.

Wu Ping and Mei Yueqin were busy in the kitchen.

Seeing this, Wu An also wanted to help.

Mei Yueqin hurriedly said, "There's sliced fruit on the table in the pavilion; go eat some."

"You don't need to busy yourself with anything."

"It's really hot in this room; don't come in."

Wu An still walked in and said, "Sister-in-law, I'm not a three-year-old kid anymore; you're still treating me like a child."

"I ought to do some work."

"Putting on a show is fine; later when Dad sees me coming in and working, he might be in a better mood."

Mei Yueqin then said nothing.

Wu Ping joked, "A An, you'd better keep acting for a lifetime."

Wu An responded with an acknowledgment.

Actually there wasn't much he could do, so he simply squatted by the stove to tend the fire.

The family still used a earthen stove.

There was also a gas stove, but the food cooked on it lacked the aroma of the earthen stove.

Not long after.

Wu Yingwei returned.

Seeing Wu An also in the kitchen, they made eye contact, but said nothing; Wu An gave a greeting, and Wu Yingwei turned and left the kitchen.

Mei Yueqin quickly said, "If Dad didn't say anything, that's good."

Wu An smiled.

Not long after, the dishes were served; Mei Yueqin, who had started preparing as soon as she got home, had made a full table, and she even called Wu Ping and Wu Yingwei to come home early.

She had long been hoping for the whole family to sit down and enjoy a proper meal together.

Because Mei Yueqin had previously asked Wu An and Wu Yingwei for their opinions on coming home, she tactfully avoided bringing it up during the meal.

However, she also said that the money for today's vegetables was all paid by Wu An, saying, "I've decided this money counts as Wu An's meal allowance."

"From now on, both sons will come home to eat."

"Sister-in-law doesn't promise how good the food will be, but there will always be hot food to eat."

Wu Ping nodded.

Wu An looked toward Father.

Wu Yingwei took a sip of wine, picked up some vegetables, and said nothing.

Not speaking was taken as agreement.

Wu An grinned and said, "Thank you, sister-in-law."

Mei Yueqin also breathed a sigh of relief, pulled out two thousand, and said, "You gave too much money; take these back."

Wu An shook his head and said, "I've kept the money."

"Sister-in-law, return the extra money to my Uncle Mei."

"Over these years, you've borrowed quite a bit from your maiden family; it's not good to stay in debt, so now that we have money we should repay some."

The "Uncle Mei" he referred to is the father of Sister-in-law Mei Yueqin.

He remembers this matter very clearly.

Father and Elder Brother's earnings barely covered the family's needs, but after he started school he stole chickens and dogs, causing much trouble; sometimes Sister-in-law helped cover it up, not telling Father and Elder Brother, and used her own private money to make up the shortfall.

Much of that money came from help from Sister-in-law's natal family.

Their intention was to make Sister-in-law's life easier, but she ended up spending most of the money on him.

Sister-in-law's natal family naturally wouldn't ask for this money back, but he couldn't not think about repaying it.

Wu Ping blinked: "Mei Yueqin, you went to ask Father for money?"

Mei Yueqin quickly shook her head: "No, whenever I return to my maiden home, my parents sometimes slip me some money."

"Also, Dad occasionally has Xiao Wu bring over some seafood; we can't finish it all, so I go to the dock to sell it and earn a little money."

Wu Ping's face showed surprise; he didn't know any of this.

He wasn't stupid either; he quickly realized that his father-in-law and brother-in-law were helping support their family.

He quickly said, "Then what A An said is correct; this money ought to be repaid."

Wu Yingping glanced at Wu An; previously this kid was just a bloodsucker, leeching off the family, but now he's not only reformed, he even thinks of outsiders.

This change is really too big.

"We still need to repay, but not by handing over cash directly." He suppressed his surprise and said, "In the future, go back to your maiden home more often, buy some nutritional supplements and such."

Mei Yueqin nodded: "Good."

Then she took a bowl and served Wu An beef ball and radish soup, saying, "Second son, you're thoughtful."

Wu An saw the bowl contained only beef balls, with not even a second piece of radish to be found; this was Sister-in-law's unconscious favoritism, and he said, "Sister-in-law, I just want to drink the soup."

Speaking, he ladled out some with the soup spoon and gave it to Father and Elder Brother.

Wu Ping laughed heartily and said, "Thanks, A An; Elder Brother likes the meatballs."

Wu Yingping snorted.

After eating and drinking their fill, Wu An helped clean up while Wu Yingping held a cup of strong tea, blew on it, and said, "Since you want to get serious about work, have you thought about what you'll do in the future?"

"I haven't figured that out yet; by the way, does the village have anyone who can repair houses?" Wu An paused, then said, "I plan to fix up the old house; the windows and doors are not in good shape."

"Not to mention a typhoon; even a strong wind might be too much for it."

He deliberately changed the subject, not wanting to discuss this with Father now, lest they accidentally ruin the conversation.

Because he plans to make a living by fishing and gathering seafood.

In Father's eyes, this can be summed up as "not pursuing a proper occupation".

Wu Ping shouted: "What's there to repair, just go home and live."

Mei Yueqin also said: "There's no need to fix the old house, don't waste money."

Wu An took off his apron, wiped his hands with a rag, and said: "I'm just doing a simple repair, just making do temporarily."

"I plan to, after making money, directly tear down the old house and build a new one."

"I'm already in my twenties, I will definitely get married later, it wouldn't be right to keep living with you."

"Dad, what about the homestead of the old house for me?"

Wu Yingwei took a sip of tea, said: "That originally was under your name, you can do as you like, no need to ask others."

"Our village doesn't have a construction crew."

"Old Zhuang's side has the contact info for a construction crew; if you want to fix up the old house, go ask him for it."

Wu An smiled.

Father is supporting him.

Wu Ping and Mei Yueqin, upon hearing, also didn't say much; Wu An thought building a new house is naturally good, they definitely will support.

Building this new house will certainly cost a lot of money, it's not something you can just build and be done.

Mei Yueqin smiled and said: "Second son, do you have a girl in mind?"

Wu An gave a bitter smile: "Sister-in-law, I just broke up."

"Besides, we're dirt poor, have nothing, even if we had a girl in mind it'd be useless."

Mei Yueqin said: "Nonsense."

"We have looks, we have stature."

"You're much more handsome than your brother, 1.8 meters tall, you can't find a second such young person in the village."

"Now we're actually working, we can make money."

"Sister-in-law will help you find someone, pick a pretty and capable one."

Wu An hurriedly said: "Sister-in-law, please don't."

"I have high standards."

"Ordinary ones I wouldn't look at."

He said these words to make sister-in-law drop the idea, stop messing with the matchmaking chart; he now only wants to make money, has no thought of romance.

Wu Yingping hearing that, laughed in anger.

Mei Yueqin also punched him a bit, saying: "Say you're fat, you're even out of breath."

Wu Ping said: "Second son, quit bragging, even cows would fly."

Wu An also laughed along.

Under the lamp light, the family chatted and laughed, he felt this is happiness.

Once it was unattainable.

Now he is already in it.