Chapter 22

Li Xuewu escorted He Yuzhu home; at the door, he lifted a chunk of fat pork he had prepared earlier—more pieces, totaling over ten catties.

He Yuzhu saw Li Xuewu carrying the meat and insisted he wouldn’t let him see him off, snatching the meat and dropping it back on the ground.

This scene panicked Qin Huaiju—how could He Yuzhu be so foolish? He could refuse good meat like this? It was maddening.

Li Xuewu naturally wouldn’t pretend to be dense; he snatched the meat up again and walked straight toward He Yuzhu’s house, leaving He Yuzhu no choice but to follow him home.

Li Xuewu opened He Yuzhu’s door, placed the meat on the cutting board, didn’t argue with him at the threshold, and strode back home.

Seeing Li Xuewu leave, Qin Huaiju quickly filled a basin with hot water and feigned purpose as she walked toward He Yuzhu’s house, while Jia Zhangshi peered through the window, sneaking glances.

Li Xuewu returned home and carefully stacked the already-frozen pork at the cellar entrance in the main hall—the cellar wasn’t under the main hall but outside the window of the south room, its entrance inside, storing medicinal herbs and Chinese cabbage, potatoes, and radishes; the constant low temperature made it a natural refrigerator in winter.

Li Xuecai rushed out to help Li Xuewu store the meat; Zhao Yafang, who had been helping Liu Yin clear the table, pinched Li Xuewen’s waist, making him wince and hurry out to help move the jars.

Li Xuewu went down into the cellar first; Li Xuewen and Li Xuecai passed down the jars from above, placing the jars first, then, once Li Xuewu arranged the second jar, they began stacking the meat block by block into the jars.

When they reached the last piece, Li Xuewu stopped them from passing it down, instructing them to bring in the pig’s head and trotters first; Li Xuewen and the others didn’t understand why but obeyed.

Before they could figure it out, Li Xuewu had already come out.

Li Xuewu took the piece of pork he had deliberately left unfrozen and sliced it evenly with a cleaver into twelve portions, each over one catty, packed into an iron bucket.

Li Xuecai asked, puzzled: “Second brother, what are you doing?”

Li Xuewu didn’t look up: “To give a bit to each household in the courtyard.”

Hearing Li Xuewu’s words, Zhao Yafang’s face turned cold with reluctance, and Li Xuewen’s waist suffered another unjust blow.

Li Xuecai spoke bluntly: “They said all those things—why give them anything?”

Liu Yin slapped Li Xuecai: “What do you know? Don’t talk like that again.”

Li LaoTai was already sleepy but heard the conversation in the main hall and spoke up: “You must give—everyone gets some.”

Li Shun and Da Lao also nodded.

Zhao Yafang said: “Should we give the Jia family too? Never mind that old woman’s foul mouth—everything He Yuzhu takes home, Qin Huaiju will just take for herself.”

Li Xuewu looked directly at Zhao Yafang for the first time.

Zhao Yafang froze under his gaze, then awkwardly turned away.

Li Xuewu didn’t say much more, only lifted the bucket and said softly: “There’s still enough pork to eat; if we run out, I’ll find more. But this meat must be shared—can’t let others gossip. It doesn’t matter for our parents, but you two just married—you need your reputation. Third brother and little sister are about to find partners; neighborhood relations can’t hurt their future. Think long-term.”

Li Xuewu paused, then added to his eldest sister-in-law: “Don’t gossip about He Yuzhu and the Jias. He helped us; we gave him meat—that meat is no longer ours. What he does with it is his business. We can’t give to everyone in the courtyard except her family. That’s not how you act. Our family doesn’t miss one catty of pork.”

Today he’d spoken too much, putting Zhao Yafang on the spot—because Li Xuewu saw her petty thoughts and seized the chance to point them out; this household still needed Liu Yin in charge.

Seeing Li Xuewu leave with the bucket, Zhao Yafang forced a weak smile; Liu Yin ignored her. Everyone resumed tidying up—the meat feast had left the house in chaos.

Li Xuewu carried the bucket to Uncle San’s house and knocked; Uncle San’s house still had lights on—Aunt San was doing handwork.

Aunt San opened the door and was startled to see Li Xuewu.

“It’s Xuewu.”

“Aunt San, I brought you a piece of pork—try it fresh, don’t refuse.”

Aunt San stared at the meat in Li Xuewu’s hands, delighted and grateful: “Thank you, Xuewu! Come in, sit a bit.”

Li Xuewu wouldn’t enter: “No, Aunt San, you rest.”

Aunt San watched Li Xuewu walk away, then noticed he headed to the first house in the third gate’s corridor—Yan Jie’s small room—and was stunned: Why give one to the eldest son too?

Li Xuewu knocked on Yan Jiefang’s small room door; Yu Li opened it.

“Sister-in-law, still awake? We slaughtered a pig—brought you a piece to taste.”

Yu Li was astonished—she and Yan Jie hadn’t separated from their in-laws; they were still one household—why was meat being sent here?

“You’re too kind—this is too much!”

Yan Jie, who had been squatting on the floor, stood up.

“Xuewu, this is so embarrassing—we’re not even living separately.”

Li Xuewu smiled at Yan Jie’s pitiful demeanor.

“No problem—married and in separate rooms counts. Ha! This is my first greeting since returning—let’s keep in touch.”

Yu Li was delighted, politely saying: “Thank you, Xuewu.”

Li Xuewu carried the bucket away, waved them inside, and left.

Aunt San poked Uncle San with the meat.

“Old man, stop pretending—you’re not asleep. Get up! Look—Li Xuewu brought pork, even gave the eldest son a share!”

Uncle San’s anger had faded; he smiled tightly: “This kid’s sharp—his actions are flawless. The Li family’s upbringing is truly good.”

The Invincible Evil God

Aunt San added: “Exactly! Li Xuewu has come so far since before. The other three kids are well-raised too—eldest son and daughter-in-law are university teachers, third son gets university subsidies, little girl’s grown so lovely. Sigh, you think about telling Jiefang?”

Yan Jiefang, sleeping on the double-tier iron bed beneath the old couple, heard this, eyes wide, ears perked up—he thought: “Mom, if you’re talking about this, I’m wide awake.”

Uncle San understood perfectly—the Li family would never look at his family, a primary school teacher’s household. That little girl was like her brother—aiming for university, full of ambition—she’d never consider his second son.

But other people’s wives are always better, and one’s own son is always the best.

No matter what he thought inside.

He said aloud: “He’s still in school—too early. Let’s talk later.”

Aunt San continued: “The eldest son will bring the pork over soon.”

Uncle San remembered: “Yes, he should bring it—then our family will have pork for the New Year.”

Uncle and Aunt San waited until midnight but saw no sign of Yu Li and Yan Jie bringing the pork.

Yu Li had already decided.

“Jiecheng, your family already got a share—take this one to my parents’ house. My natal family hasn’t tasted meat in a year.”