Chapter 52

Yi Zhonghai came out of He Yuzhu's kitchen, and when he discovered that Jia Zhangshi, who had originally been following behind him, had already vanished, he became even more certain that he had been tricked by Jia Zhangshi.

Old sister-in-law, do you know those game were given to Sha Zhu by Li Qiang? Yi Zhonghai came to the Jia family angrily and questioned Jia Zhangshi.

Lao Yi, don't be angry, this wrong is on me, I just forgot to tell you, but what does it matter who gave it? Jia Zhangshi knew she was in the wrong, but she still couldn't help making excuses.

Old sister-in-law, you've killed me. Yi Zhonghai really didn't know what to say to Jia Zhangshi.

Mom, what did you make my master do again? Jia Dongxu asked Jia Zhangshi.

Li Qiang went hunting today and caught quite a bit; I thought I'd ask Sha Zhu for a pheasant and a hare to bring back for Huai Ru to strengthen her body, but who knew Sha Zhu, that despicable miser, wouldn't give even a bit, so I had Yi Zhonghai go ask for it. Jia Zhangshi said flatly.

Mom, from now on do less of this; you not only offend Sha Zhu but also offend Li Qiang, and finally you even offend my master—what are you after? Jia Dongxu was also speechless toward his own mother.

It's Yi Zhonghai who offended Li Qiang and Sha Zhu, not me—what do I have to fear? Besides, what's wrong with offending Yi Zhonghai? He's still hoping you'll support him in his old age; even if you offend him, could he really turn against our family? Jia Zhangshi had Yi Zhonghai firmly under her control.

Jia Dongxu, hearing Jia Zhangshi say that, also didn't know how to persuade her, so he could only sit there silently without moving.

Dongxu, you say Li Qiang can hunt game; why don't you try it this Sunday? We haven't eaten meat in ages—even if you just catch a chicken, that would be good. In Jia Zhangshi's eyes, her son was the most capable; there was nothing he couldn't do.

Mom, I've never hunted before either. Jia Dongxu was still relatively clear-headed, knowing what he could and couldn't do.

What's the big deal? Nobody is born knowing how to do it; you can try and there's nothing to lose. Jia Zhangshi still wasn't willing to give up that idea.

All right. Jia Dongxu, really annoyed by her nagging, could only reluctantly agree.

Yan family.

Old lady, guess what I just saw? Yan Butgui returned home and said mysteriously.

How would I know what you saw? Third Aunt had grown accustomed to Yan Butgui's day‑long nervousness.

Li Qiang went hunting today and caught quite a bit. Yan Butgui's eyes were full of envy and jealousy.

So what? You only know how to fish, you can't hunt. Third Aunt rolled her eyes; in fact, the second half of what she didn't say was: although you can fish, eight out of ten times you come back empty‑handed.

I can't, but we can let Jiecheng give it a try—there's nothing going on in the streets, he's idle at home anyway, might as well go try his luck. Yan Butgui didn't even consider what year it was; they could barely eat, where would they find odd jobs.

Hey, what you say actually makes sense. Third Aunt said, her eyes lighting up.

Just now I heard Jia Zhangshi seemed to go ask Sha Zhu for game; I'm sure she didn't get any, given her personality she'll definitely have Jia Dongxu go hunting too. Then we'll have Jiecheng follow Jia Dongxu—Qin Huai Ru's natal home isn't rural, is it? Jia Dongxu will definitely go there; even if he catches nothing, his father‑in‑law won't let him come back empty‑handed. If Jiecheng goes with him, he couldn't bear to let Jiecheng come back empty‑handed—he'd have to give him something. Yan Butgui really is a schemer.

What you say makes sense; tomorrow tell Jiecheng to go ask Jia Dongxu. Third Aunt was also moved.

Early the next morning, the third aunt repeated to Yan Jiecheng what Yan Butgui had told her the night before; Yan Jiecheng also thought Yan Butgui made sense—after all, he'd just be making a trip with Jia Dongxu and could come back with meat to eat, so either way it was a gain. One could say the Yan family's talent for scheming is passed down generation after generation, and each generation gets stronger.

In the afternoon, when work ended, Yan Jiecheng deliberately loitered by the door, just waiting for Jia Dongxu to finish work and come home.

Brother Dongxu, off work. Yan Jiecheng saw Jia Dongxu and warmly greeted him.

Off work—you didn't go to the streets to work today? Jia Dongxu was still unaccustomed to Yan Jiecheng's sudden enthusiasm; the Yan family never gets up early unless there's profit, so Yan Jiecheng's warm greeting surely meant he had something to ask.

Brother Dongxu, have you heard about Li Qiang going hunting yesterday?

I've heard. What's up?

What I mean is, why don't we two give it a try? I'm not familiar with that place. I was thinking, isn't your sister‑in‑law's natal home rural? You should be familiar with it—why don't we go take a look? Yan Jiecheng's face broke into a smile like a flower. Yan Butgui only thought that Jia Dongxu's father‑in‑law was from the countryside, so he didn't consider that the countryside is now even more difficult, that there might still be something to send to Jia Dongxu, and that not letting him help their own family would already be good.

All right, then let's do it tomorrow—tomorrow just happens to be Sunday, and we'll go take a look together. Jia Dongxu had been worrying about how to go alone, but now Yan Jiecheng voluntarily came to find him; not only did he do him a favor, he also solved the problem of having a companion.

Cheng, then it's settled—we'll go early tomorrow. Yan Jiecheng didn't expect Jia Dongxu to agree so readily.

All right, by the way, how are we getting there tomorrow? If we take the bus, we'll still have to walk a stretch. Jia Dongxu suddenly thought of a key problem.

Tomorrow I'll ride my dad's bicycle. Yan Butgui had spent eighty dollars last year buying a second‑hand bicycle of unknown age, polishing it until it shone every day; anyone in the family who wanted to ride had to pay a hair‑dime, but now Yan Butgui letting Yan Jiecheng go hunting gave him a reason to borrow the bike.

All right, then we'll go early tomorrow.

Dad, I've made plans with Jia Dongxu—we'll set out early tomorrow. As soon as Yan Jiecheng got home, he told Yan Butgui the news.

All right, then get some early rest tonight. Yan Butgui said excitedly, as if they'd be eating meat tomorrow.

Dad, there's still a problem: how are we getting there tomorrow? Jia Dongxu said the bus can't go straight to his father‑in‑law's house; you still have to walk a stretch, which would waste too much time going back and forth.

Just say what you want to say directly. Don't beat around the bush. Yan Butgui still understood his own son.

I want to borrow your bicycle to ride—do you think that's okay?

Old rule, borrowing the bike costs a hair‑dime. Yan Butgui wouldn't lightly lend his bike to anyone, not even his own son.

Dad, I'm hunting so the whole family can eat meat—how can you still ask me for money? Yan Jiecheng was really a bit unhappy.

Jiecheng, taking the bus costs five fen each way, right? A round trip would be a hair‑dime, and even if you don't ride the bike and just take the bus, you'd still spend a hair‑dime. Yan says planning still depends on Yan Butgui.

Riding the bus I wouldn't have to exert myself either. Yan Jiecheng wasn't a penny‑pincher either.

Then just take the bus. Yan Butgui didn't want to break his own rule.

All right, then for whatever game you bring back, you'll pay me the market price, or I'll just take it to the black market and sell it. Yan Jiecheng was even more of a schemer—his calculations were in no way inferior to Yan Butgui's.

Then I'll give you a discount—I'll charge you five fen. Upon hearing Yan Jiecheng say that, Yan Butgui couldn't push him too far, so he backed down, charging only five fen instead of a hair‑dime.

All right, then I'll keep only one piece of the game we catch for the family, and I'll take the rest to the black market to sell. Yan Jiecheng wasn't about to back down either.

Deal. Yan Butgui immediately showed his agreement, speaking as if they weren't going hunting but going to fetch game.