Chapter 23

Hearing Yu Li’s words, Yan Jie internally disagreed, but once in bed, reason gave way to desire, and he readily agreed with his mouth.

Li Xuewu carried a bucket and delivered meat to all three households in the Three Gates Courtyard, receiving heartfelt thanks from each; he politely replied a few times before heading toward the central courtyard.

As soon as he entered the central courtyard, he saw Qin Huaiju carrying the meat he had given to He Yuzhu into her home; upon seeing each other, Qin Huaiju felt deeply awkward.

Qin Huaiju nervously told Li Xuewu: “Uh, He Yuzhu got drunk, so I went over to tidy up for him—he insisted on giving me the meat.”

Li Xuewu said nothing, merely smiled at her, then walked toward Elder One’s house.

At this moment, Elder One was listening to his radio, where Liu Baorui’s xiangsheng was playing.

Seeing Li Xuewu arrive, he warmly invited him inside.

Li Xuewu politely declined twice, then handed the meat to Elder One’s wife, who had just come out of the inner room.

Elder One’s wife smiled warmly, praising Li Xuewu; Elder One chuckled kindly as he watched him.

Li Xuewu said no more and left, heading toward the Jia household.

Qin Huaiju was just hiding the pork in the cabinet; seeing Li Xuewu arrive, she thought he had come for meat and frantically slammed the cabinet shut.

Jia Zhangshi, seeing Li Xuewu arrive, assumed the same and immediately got off the kang, standing stiffly in the main room.

Banggeng had just been about to sleep, but sat up upon seeing his mother bring back meat; when he spotted Li Xuewu entering, he quickly pulled the quilt over his head and feigned sleep.

Jian Lai

Qin Huaiju and Jia Zhangshi stared at Li Xuewu with suspicion and fear; Qin Huaiju even deployed her “pitifully lovely + tearful gaze” technique.

Seeing this family’s performance, Li Xuewu pulled out a piece of meat and handed it over.

“We slaughtered a pig—here’s a piece for you to taste. Wild boar’s not great, don’t refuse it.”

At this gesture, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law froze; Jia Zhangshi recovered first, snatching the meat and exclaiming: “No refusal, no refusal—this meat smells delicious!”

Qin Huaiju was about to offer polite refusal when she saw her mother-in-law take the meat; she awkwardly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Thank you, Xuewu, for remembering us, a widow and her orphan. Banggeng’s young and doesn’t understand—please don’t hold it against him.”

Li Xuewu smiled; drunk as he was, his breath carried alcohol’s scent, a strong, masculine aura washing over Qin Huaiju, leaving her momentarily stunned.

Li Xuewu said nothing further. Banggeng wasn’t a bad child—he was poorly raised. Qin Huaiju worked long hours and, as a single mother, inevitably spoiled the family’s only boy.

Besides, this was the era—growing up twisted was inevitable. Education wasn’t too late now, but what did it have to do with him? He wasn’t his father, nor his adoptive father.

After Li Xuewu left, Qin Huaiju stared after him, motionless.

Jia Zhangshi spat: “Flirting again! Want to follow him? Don’t think I don’t know your thoughts—remember, you’re a Jia family daughter-in-law.”

Qin Huaiju snapped back: “Mother, what are you saying? I didn’t do anything!”

Jia Zhangshi snorted: “You know what’s true. Stay away from him—he’s a bad seed. He scared my grandson last night, and I haven’t settled accounts yet, now he’s playing the generous one, delivering meat to widows—what’s his motive? I tell you, he’s up to no good.”

Qin Huaiju protested: “How can you say that? He gave meat to every household—and you took it yourself! Why insult him?”

Jia Zhangshi stuck her chin out: “He offered it himself—I never asked. He brought it, so he got what he deserved. If he slaughtered a pig and didn’t share with us, I’d curse him to death! And he only gave this tiny piece—how many meals is that? Besides, scaring my grandson is unforgivable. Listen: if you ever do anything to betray our Dongxu, I’ll never forgive you.”

Qin Huaiju burst into tears.

Jia Zhangshi scolded again: “He’s just pretending to be kind, trying to sneak into a widow’s door. Why doesn’t he bring half a pig? He’s just using this little meat to lure you—I see right through him! I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice!”

Banggeng shouted from under the quilt: “Mom brought back meat! Don’t talk about her like that!”

Jia Zhangshi glared at Banggeng and scolded: “You ungrateful brat—that meat came from He Yuzhu! Your mother only got it because she cleaned up after that fool! I’m looking out for you. If your mother goes out whoring, she’ll abandon you—and you’re still defending her?”

Banggeng rolled his eyes. He didn’t know what “whoring” meant, only that it was a bad word—his grandmother used it often.

Qin Huaiju stormed outside, tears streaming as she wiped her eyes by the rabbit pen.

Jia Zhangshi leaned at the window, spat, and muttered: “Hmph. Who are you crying for? Do you think staring at rabbits will lure Wu Gang?”

Li Xuewu naturally didn’t know what Jia Zhangshi said behind his back—and even if he did, he wouldn’t care. A man doesn’t argue with an old widow—it’s beneath him.

As long as she didn’t speak ill to his face, he wouldn’t respond.

In the back courtyard, only five households remained. He first went to Elder Two’s house and knocked; Elder Two opened the door.

Elder Two had clearly heard Li Xuewu delivering meat door-to-door and was waiting at home.

“Elder Two, we slaughtered a pig—here’s a piece for you to taste.”

“Good lad, you’ve gotten stronger since I last saw you.”

Li Xuewu mentally cursed: Go to hell, Elder Two—you ignored me when I came back.

Elder Two patted Li Xuewu’s arm, praised him, then told Elder Two’s wife to take the meat.

At this moment, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu were kneeling on the ground.

Li Xuewu didn’t linger, saying: “I still have to deliver meat to the old lady,” then left.

As soon as Li Xuewu departed, Elder Two’s expression turned cold.

“Now you remember me? Where were you all these years?”

He glared and ordered Elder Two’s wife: “Cut the meat, make it into a snack for wine. Bring out my liquor.”

Elder Two’s wife hesitated: “Light the stove now?”

Elder Two snapped: “What’s there to argue?”

Elder Two’s wife dared not reply and quietly went to the kitchen to light the stove and stir-fry.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu stared at the meat, their eyes green with hunger, swallowing saliva.

But they dared not rise to fight their father for the meat. Soon, watching Elder Two sip wine and chew meat with relish, their stomachs growled loudly.

Elder Two ignored them, listening to the radio’s national news.

Liu Guangtian, gathering courage, asked in a trembling voice: “Father, can we get up? We want to eat some meat too.”

Elder Two’s wife reached out: “Give me the meat—I’ll cook it for you.”

Liu Guangtian: “But Li Xuewu brought meat.”

Elder Two’s wife sneered: “That’s for your father. If you want to eat, buy your own. Have the guts to go hunt a wild boar and make your father proud?”

Hearing their own mother’s unkind words,

the two brothers lowered their heads in silence, but their eyes burned with hatred.