Chapter 61

The Gao family didn't realize that everything they said at home had already been overheard by outsiders.

After eating, Chen Taohua diligently cleared the bowls and chopsticks.

Seeing this, Gao Xushi and Gao Tingyu felt a sense of relief.

Right, finding a wife is precisely for this.

After finishing the meal, he stretched out his legs, then leisurely lit a cigarette, watching his wife bustle here and there—how comfortable.

After Gao Xushi rested a while, she got up, took a large white towel from the wardrobe, and spread it on Gao Tingyu and Chen Taohua's bed.

Gao Xushi had prepared this for a long time, and now she could finally use it.

Chen Taohua, while clearing bowls, caught sight of it in her peripheral vision, said nothing, just thinking about how to answer tomorrow without blushing or racing heart, so as not to give anything away.

At half past nine at night, the Gao household turned off the lights; with a new daughter-in-law, this single room was merely divided by a hanging curtain.

The next morning, Chen Taohua rose early to cook; seeing this, Gao Xushi felt satisfied.

However, Gao Xushi was more concerned about the towel; she quickly drew the curtain, went to the bed, nudged her son, and pulled the towel out from underneath him.

Looking at the spotless white towel, Gao Xushi felt a bit dazed.

She hurriedly took the towel and walked to the kitchen where Chen Taohua was, saying:

"Taohua, what's this?"

Chen Taohua wasn't flustered; she had rehearsed these lines many times in her mind.

She immediately said it without blushing or her heart racing.

Gao Xushi didn't doubt this, after all she knew about it, and indeed she herself had been the same back then.

She just felt it a pity to hold this white towel.

……

At Lu Yuan's home, Lu Yuan was still snoring loudly asleep.

Having already eaten breakfast, Su Liyan watched Lu Yuan snoring loudly in bed, her eyes brimming with affection.

After fastening her scarf, she leaned down, kissed her man's cheek, then whispered affectionately into Lu Yuan's ear:

"Brother~ I'm off to work~ Remember to eat~"

Lu Yuan, half-asleep, muttered a couple of sounds, counting as agreement.

Seeing this, Su Liyan couldn't help a soft laugh, gave two more pecks, then got up to go to work.

After Su Liyan left the door, she saw a group of old women gathered together, muttering something.

Upon seeing Su Liyan, the old women immediately greeted her warmly.

Everyone dislikes Lu Yuan, but not Su Liyan; moreover, they inexplicably feel pity for this silly girl, who was deceived and still helped others with money.

Watching Su Liyan about to go out, everyone suddenly thought of something and hurriedly asked:

"Liyan, the Gao family is holding a banquet; how much gift will your family give?"

Su Liyan blinked, then smiled with pursed lips and said:

"I don't know; I follow my husband's lead."

Everyone guessed that would be the answer, some speechless.

Everyone still wanted to see how this bad seed family handles things, and if they can't, they'd like to learn from this bad seed.

At half past nine in the morning, Lu Yuan got up on time; rising at 9:30 every day, isn't that a kind of punctuality?

After eating the meal his wife had kept warm in the pot, Lu Yuan led his horse out to buy a bed, and also to look at a sewing machine.

As he passed the middle courtyard, he saw a group of old women gathered, still muttering.

Upon seeing Lu Yuan, they all immediately gathered around and said:

"What are you up to today?"

Lu Yuan, leading his horse, raised an eyebrow and said:

"I'm buying a bed; the one at home is no good, it keeps squeaking, so I'm getting a new one."

Hearing this, the old women of the front and middle courtyards pursed their lips, "What kind of bed are you buying at a time like this!!"

Let's hurry and discuss the banquet the day after tomorrow.

The front and middle courtyard old women didn't want Lu Yuan to leave, but the backyard's Sun Erniang and Pang Kaige's mother suddenly insisted he go buy the bed first, and they could talk later.

Seeing the front and middle courtyard old women preventing Lu Yuan from leaving, Sun Erniang became anxious and said:

"You don't live in the back courtyard, do you? That wood creaks all night, you can't hear it, but we in the back are annoyed—Lu Yuan, hurry up and buy a bed."

Hearing Sun Erniang's words, Lu Yuan rarely felt a bit embarrassed and gave an awkward smile.

There's nothing to be done; this brother is just that strong!

Seeing Sun Erniang start to flare up, no one wanted to stop her; they just urged Lu Yuan to go quickly and return quickly.

As Lu Yuan led his horse past the front courtyard, he happened to see Chen Taohua hanging clothes to dry.

This daughter-in-law is quite capable; she also knows how to work.

"Good morning, Taohua."

Lu Yuan casually greeted her.

Chen Taohua, after a moment's pause, quickly replied:

"Good morning, Lu Yuan brother."

Although her own husband had said Lu Yuan was no good yesterday, Chen Taohua actually thought Lu Yuan was pretty good.

After Lu Yuan left, Chen Taohua stared at the gate, dazed.

She had also heard Sun Erniang's shout from the middle courtyard just earlier.

For a moment, she felt somewhat startled.

Lu Yuan brother really is that formidable, tossing and turning night after night?

Chen Taohua shook her head, didn't think much more, and still hurried to tidy up the house; Chen Taohua could also tell that her mother-in-law was not easy to serve.

Moreover… she's really lazy. When the good fellow came yesterday, he saw the place was quite clean, but in fact all those dirty clothes and dirty socks had been stuffed into the wardrobe.

And Lu Yuan went straight to the department store, without a word, picked the biggest one, 1.8 meters by 2 meters.

He paid on the spot, and the department store arranged two masters, who pulled a cart and followed Lu Yuan back to help with the installation.

After returning to the Siheyuan, basically, aside from the Gao family, everyone else living in the Siheyuan came over.

Everyone had never seen such an expensive bed before—good fellow, hearing Lu Yuan say the whole set cost 108.

The two masters were installing the steel bed in the room, while the most valuable Soft Dream Si mattress was placed in the courtyard, to be moved in after the steel bed was set up.

The women in the courtyard pressed their hands on the mattress, their faces full of envy, and said with a tsk-tsk:

"Tsk tsk, this mattress over a hundred is different—good fellow, it's like a cloud; sleeping on it tonight would be so comfortable."

Lu Yuan stood to the side, smoking and chuckling.

Actually, this thing isn't that comfortable either; it's too soft, and if you just lie down you'll feel a sore back and waist, needing to sleep on it for a while before it feels right.

Also in the courtyard, an experienced old woman said:

"I heard this was designed by the Forging Bureau in the South of the River, and it's only just been transmitted to us this year."

They chatted for a while, but didn't forget the main matter.

Several old women surrounded Lu Yuan, then lowered their voices and looked at him, saying:

"I say, the Gao family is holding a banquet the day after tomorrow—what are you going to give as a gift?"

A gift?

Lu Yuan took a puff of smoke, thought for a moment, then said seriously:

"I'll give them a gift: happiness and fulfillment, a hundred years of harmony."

Everyone: "????"

(End of chapter)