RYEY – Chapter 76 Too Stingy

Li Huan once again called on the Wang brothers, Wang Xiangyang and Wang Xiangdang, to help move the newly built cabinet and other furniture into the new house, and also shifted the belongings from his mother’s room over.

It took the whole afternoon to finish. Cheng Qiao took out some boiled eggs and big steamed buns from her space and placed them by the window to cool in the cold wind.

After a short while, the soft white steamed buns started to harden a little, and the eggs turned icy cold. Only then did Cheng Qiao hand the buns and eggs over to the Wang brothers.

Wang Xiangdang felt a bit embarrassed. It was just a bit of labor—why would they be given food for it? But Wang Xiangyang quickly accepted them. If they didn’t bring something back, their mother would nag endlessly.

Sure enough, Auntie Wang, who had been chopping firewood in the yard while keeping her eyes on the gate, dropped her hatchet and rushed out the moment she saw their familiar figures.

Before his mother could speak, Wang Xiangyang quickly produced the buns and eggs. When Auntie Wang saw four big white steamed buns and four eggs, her eyes curved into slits with her smile.

“I knew it, that Cheng Qiao girl is generous. From now on, whenever that loafer asks you for help, you just go. If he pays, even better.”

Wang Xiangyang frowned at his mother’s greed. He had grown up with Li Huan as a brother—how could she be so materialistic?

Wang Xiangdang furrowed his brows and retorted loudly: “Mom, don’t keep calling him a loafer. Brother Huan doesn’t like it.”

Auntie Wang’s eyes widened. This brat was getting bold! Just because he brought back a few buns and eggs, now his tail was practically wagging at the sky. She opened her mouth, ready to scold, but Wang Xiangyang quickly interrupted:

“Mom, Brother Huan said starting tomorrow we’ll help him build a courtyard wall. Fifty cents a day, plus two meals, enough to fill us up.”

“Really? Well, that’s great! Then I’ll start calling him Huan-boy. But honestly, ‘loafer’ rolls off the tongue better. Fine, fine, let your father go tomorrow too—and take Xiaojun and Xiaohua along as well.”

“Ah, Mom, forget Dad, and especially not Xiaojun and Xiaohua. Their eating habits are too embarrassing.”

“That’s true… Then I’ll go myself. I’ll help Huan-boy’s mother cook.”

“Well…”

“It’s settled! I don’t need money, but I must eat my fill. Also, none of you will eat dinner tonight. Tomorrow morning, we’ll go eat at Huan-boy’s place.”

“This…”

Auntie Wang pointed to the pile of rotten wood in the yard, signaling her sons to chop it. Wang Xiangyang shook his head helplessly, sat on a small stool, and started chopping.

“Mom is way too stingy, not even letting us eat dinner.”

Dejected, Wang Xiangdang squatted in the yard.

“I was planning to tell her tomorrow morning, but you had to provoke her. Because of you, I had to reveal it early. From now on, learn to read faces—less talking, more eating.”

Wang Xiangyang glared at his younger brother. He had seen foolishness before, but never someone this foolish. If it were just himself, fine, but now he was dragging his brother down with him.

Wang Xiangdang scratched his head awkwardly. Compared to his older brother, he truly lacked tact.

The next morning, Auntie Wang brought Wang Duocai and the two sons along. Of course, Mother Li knew what kind of person Auntie Wang was. Still, although she was greedy, she was reliable in her work.

In the kitchen, dough made from mixed flour was ready, along with some cabbage, radish, and pork cracklings. Most eye-catching of all were several large pork bones, still with plenty of meat clinging to them.

“Eh? When did you get these?”

Auntie Wang’s eyes lit up at the sight of the bones. She quickly grabbed them and even sniffed them at her nose. Fresh meat bones—today they’d eat well.

“Sister Wang, how about making tofu soup with these pork bones today, stir-fry cabbage with cracklings, and bake some flatbreads with the dough?”

“Perfect! With these bones for soup, that’s enough. Forget the cabbage dish. Oh, right—I still have a piece of old tofu at home from yesterday. I’ll go grab it.”

Auntie Wang rushed home to fetch tofu, feeling a little guilty. Li Huan hadn’t invited outsiders, just his family, but she had brought along four people. That seemed a bit much.

Li Huan, however, didn’t mind at all. Don’t be fooled by Wang Duocai’s thin frame or Wang Xiangdang’s mere eighteen years—both were excellent workers, skilled at both masonry and bricklaying.

“Uncle Wang, we might not have enough mud bricks. Can you go exchange for some in the village? Here’s twenty jin of cornmeal and five hundred jin of sorghum. See how many bricks you can trade for. If you can get real bricks, even better. After all, the wall is meant to keep out wild boars and such beasts.”

“Brother Huan, I know why you want a wall. It’s to guard against wild boars and wolves from the mountains. Mud bricks alone won’t cut it—you’ll need some real bricks. Remember Tudog from Xiangqian Village? He has connections to get bricks.”

“Tudog? Of course I remember, the village chief’s son. Do you know the price?”

“Yeah. Two fen per brick.”

“Tch, Tudog sure has an appetite. I know the brick factory sells them for one fen apiece, yet he’s doubling the price.”

“I said the same, but he claimed buying bricks requires favors. Probably half the money goes into those favors.”

“Fine, then get five thousand bricks first. I’ll give you a hundred yuan—make the trip.”

Li Huan then went to find Cheng Qiao. He didn’t have a hundred yuan on hand. Cheng Qiao readily handed over the money. She knew how important the wall was. For the sake of the child in her belly, this expense was necessary.

With the hundred yuan in hand and borrowing Li Huan’s bicycle, Wang Xiangyang set off for the county town. Just then, Auntie Wang returned with the tofu and saw him leaving.

“Xiangdang, when did your brother learn to ride a bicycle? And where’s he off to?”

Wang Xiangdang shook his head. He only saw his brother whispering with Li Huan. He and his father had been working, so he hadn’t heard.

Auntie Wang rolled her eyes. Among her three sons, Xiangdang was the dimmest. Fortunately, Xiangyang and Xiangjun never bullied him, otherwise this fool would’ve been tormented to death by now.

While the three men worked outside, Li Le was sent to wait for Qiu Min, and inside the kitchen, Mother Li, Auntie Wang, and Cheng Qiao busied themselves. Just yesterday, Mother Li had learned that Cheng Qiao was pregnant, and she was overjoyed.

But the dates didn’t quite add up. That was when Li Huan explained how Cheng Qiao had been framed by Xu Laidi. The revelation turned Mother Li’s face dark with anger.

Li Huan only smiled to comfort her. “If it weren’t for that scheme, how would you have a daughter-in-law? Or a grandson?”

Hearing this, Mother Li also felt everything happened for a reason. But still, right was right and wrong was wrong. Everyone knew how sincerely Cheng Qiao had treated Xu Laidi, yet Xu Laidi had repaid her kindness with betrayal. Truly, that girl’s heart was rotten.