TIPS – Chapter 130

After lunch, Shen Junxi took the child to nap with him, while Song Jingwei led the others to the guest rooms to rest. He arranged for the Lu family to stay in the guest rooms first, as they were fully equipped and more convenient.

If they were to be put up in the smaller courtyard, it would need to be tidied up again. Judging by the current situation, they would soon head into the mountains, so it didn’t seem worth it to use the smaller courtyard.

He shared this thought with the Lu family, and they naturally had no objections—this arrangement was already more than good enough.

“This young master Song isn’t just anyone—I can tell he’s no ordinary man,” Qiao Yun remarked after Song Jingwei left, looking around at the neat and orderly guest room with admiration.

The other members of the Lu family had similarly puzzled and impressed expressions. To be honest, ever since they’d arrived at the Shen family’s main residence, they had been surprised by everything they saw. When they had listened to Qiao Lang’s description before, he had only said that it was a very good family.

They had assumed it would be a decent, average farming household like their own. But they never expected it would be this impressive.

The wealth of the household alone, along with the outstanding people in it, far surpassed their own.

“Well,” Qiao Lang said with a smile as his relatives looked at him, “Young Master Song is indeed not an ordinary person. I don’t say that just because he’s rich—though he is rich.”

Then he began to tell them, in detail, about Song Jingwei’s background and everything he had done.

When he mentioned that Song Jingwei had originally been a rich young master, everyone suddenly understood. They had suspected all along—he didn’t look like someone from an ordinary rural background.

“Ahem, he’s really quite something. And he’s doing well now too,” Qiao Lang added with a smile, thinking of how protective and caring Shen Junxi was toward Song Jingwei. “His husband treats him well, he’s given birth to such a big, healthy son, and his family treats him even better.”

Everyone laughed and said, “Truly a happy and harmonious family.”

You could tell just from the way they ate together earlier—this family was full of warmth and happiness. Even though the daughter-in-law seemed a bit aloof, there was no lack of kindness in her. His gaze was always calm and warm.

“Yes, Young Master Song is the kind of person who might not be all smiles and friendly words most of the time, but when it really matters, he never lets you down. He’s dependable,” Qiao Lang recalled what it felt like to work under Song Jingwei before.

What was that feeling like? It was like, as long as you were following Song Jingwei, you didn’t need to worry about anything—there was always someone backing you up.

That’s the charisma of a boss.

The next morning, Yang Shi and Shen Dongming warmly asked the Lu family how they had slept.

The Lu family felt very comfortable and at ease staying there—not just because the environment was good (though that was part of it), but mainly because the people in the Shen family were so kind.

They were warm, hospitable, and incredibly considerate. Being around them just made you feel relaxed and happy.

Even Lin Shi couldn’t help saying to Qiao Yun, “I was worried before about staying in someone else’s home, especially one full of strangers.” After all, even living with relatives could bring plenty of conflict, let alone strangers. “But I never expected their family to be so nice. Your brother and uncle really found a good household.”

Qiao Yun laughed heartily. “You’re right—but they are truly good people. We should make sure we do our part well too. It’s not easy to meet such a good family.”

From then on, this became a principle he passed on to the younger generation. Lin Shi took it to heart and taught her own children the same way.

That’s how the two families began a long-standing friendship, one that continued for generations—but that’s a story for another time.

Meanwhile, Yang Shi started to feel a little troubled—because the Lu family was too polite. They kept helping with everything, making it feel less like they were guests and more like members of the household.

“Yang Shi, I’m a decent cook too. If you don’t mind, why don’t I take care of lunch today?” Lin Shi said with a smile, rushing to take over the kitchen duties.

She was quick and efficient, full of energy and spirit—completely in line with Yang Shi’s idea of an ideal daughter-in-law. In fact, back in the day, her dream daughter-in-law had been someone just like Lin Shi—capable and good-natured.

But that was all in the past. Now that Shen Junxi had married Song Jingwei and they had given her a chubby grandson, she had long since let go of that old dream.

Besides, her current daughter-in-law was just as capable—a major breadwinner in the household, smart and competent. How many people had daughters-in-law like that?

No one. So Yang Shi didn’t feel even a bit envious of Qiao Yun having a daughter-in-law like Lin Shi. In fact, she felt pretty proud herself.

The next day, before dawn, Shen Dongming took Lu Mengyang and Qiao Lang into the mountains. That way, they could be back in time for lunch. The three elders, along with the women and children, stayed at home.

Shen Junxi had originally wanted to go too, but Song Jingwei told him there was no need: “Having Dad go is enough. If you have time, why don’t you go check in on Wu Xi’s family?”

Hearing that, Yang Shi suddenly remembered that they hadn’t seen Wu Xi’s baby in several days, and immediately perked up. “Let’s go this morning and see the baby!”

Shen Junxi was a little helpless, since he wasn’t needed on the outing. In the end, Yang Shi took the Lu family over instead, while he stayed behind to guard the home base. But he wasn’t upset—he was actually happy, because now it was just him, Song Jingwei, and Benben at home.

“Really, Mom’s too much,” he muttered. “That little house of Wu Xi’s is so small, and she’s bringing such a big group over—I bet they’ll be back before long.”

Sure enough, Song Jingwei’s guess was correct. Before it was even time for the next meal, Yang Shi came bustling back with a large group, including Wu Xi and Pei Hongxuan, who were each carrying a child.

“Aiya, I’m exhausted!” Yang Shi exclaimed as soon as she entered the house, turning to Shen Junxi. “You cook today—we’re all tired.”

Lin Shi immediately tried to volunteer, saying she wasn’t tired and could still manage a meal.

“No, no, let him do it. You all rest,” Yang Shi said with a smile. “Xi’er’s cooking is quite good. Let’s give him a chance to show off a little.” Part of it was to show off her son’s achievements, and part of it was to show off his filial piety—there was a bit of pride behind it, but it wasn’t over the top.

Song Jingwei handed Benben over to Yang Shi and smiled at the young man, saying, “Let’s go—I’ll help you out.”

Everyone was surprised and started teasing, because in their eyes, Song Jingwei was the kind of young master who never set foot in the kitchen or did any housework.

Pei Hongxuan, in particular, gave him a sideways glance and remarked, “Haven’t seen you in a few days, and now you’re all domestic?” He winked at Shen Junxi as he spoke, as if to say he was impressed.

Shen Junxi couldn’t help but laugh and feel a little embarrassed, but his heart was warm.

“That’s right, as the saying goes: marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog; marry a monkey, and you’ll be running all over the mountains. If he cooks, I’ll wash the vegetables. If he goes to the fields, I’ll sell the grain. Someone’s got to do something, right?” Song Jingwei said nonchalantly, stunning those who knew him well.

This was the first time he had so clearly told everyone that he was married to Shen Junxi, that he was his other half, and that he was willing to acknowledge and take that role seriously.

Whether it was Shen Junxi’s parents or Shen Junxi himself, they were both comforted and moved.

Shen Junxi held his hand tightly, smiling brightly and a little bashfully. What Song Jingwei had said just now was essentially a heartfelt confession. How could he stay calm? How could he not be touched?

Only Song Jingwei acted as if nothing had happened, pulling the young man’s hand and saying, “Let’s go, everyone’s waiting for dinner.”

As soon as the two of them left the room, laughter erupted inside.

Yang Shi said, “Jingwei really said it well—marry a monkey, and you’ll be running all over the mountains, hahaha.”

Pei Hongxuan chimed in, “Congratulations, Auntie. Looks like your second grandson’s turn is not far off.”

Yang Shi laughed so hard she couldn’t stop and quickly replied, “Thank you for your kind words. And your second son? When’s he coming around?”

“Heh! That’ll have to wait until Jiajia gets a bit older—at least until it’s obvious,” Pei Hongxuan said with a glance at Wu Xi, who was holding the baby, and smiled.

“True enough.” At the mention of this, everyone sighed. This wasn’t the time to have children—there was war and unrest everywhere. It wasn’t a good time for pregnancies. “We’ll wait. When the world is peaceful again, we’ll have more. The more, the better.”

Pei Hongxuan quickly changed the topic and asked, “In your opinion, how many kids would be ideal?”

Yang Shi beamed, “Three is nice, five is even better.” But she was a bit worried that her daughter-in-law might not be willing. After all, childbirth was tough—so if they had three, that would be good enough. Five was just the ideal.

“Exactly,” Lin Shi added. “Our family also hopes for three kids. If my next one is a girl, that would be perfect.” She already had two sons, and now she really wanted a daughter.

“Girls are hard to have,” Yang Shi said with some regret. She had only given birth to Shen Junxi, her only son, due to poor health in her younger years. Not being able to have a daughter was one of her greatest regrets in life.

In the kitchen, Shen Junxi skillfully rinsed rice and started cooking. Then he lit the fire and cleaned the fish.

Song Jingwei stood nearby watching, unsure at first what he should do. Seeing Shen Junxi busy, he asked, “What vegetables should we cook? There’s bok choy, mustard greens, and celery here.” All freshly picked by Yang Shi that morning.

Shen Junxi finished cleaning the fish, washed his hands, and gestured, “Which one do you like?” His gaze was warm, and he had a peaceful smile on his face.

“Let’s go with mustard greens then.” This vegetable had a slight bitterness to it, but for some reason, Song Jingwei liked it very much and found it delicious.

“Alright.” Shen Junxi saw his wife clumsily washing the vegetables in the basin and couldn’t help but chuckle. He still needed to prepare other ingredients, so he went to the pantry, took out a slab of cured pork, and sliced it thin to stir-fry with the mustard greens.

“Actually, mustard greens stir-fried with preserved meat tastes even better,” Song Jingwei said while washing vegetables, a bit regretfully. “But I guess we won’t be making any preserved meat this year.” Peaceful days were running out. Everyone was waiting for war to break out, and no one had the mood to think about New Year’s preparations.

“Mm.” Shen Junxi, having sliced the meat, put down the knife and gestured, “Let’s sell all our pigs this year.”

Song Jingwei thought about the time—it was already December—and nodded. “Good idea. Let’s find a day and sell them all. No point feeding them anymore. They won’t fatten up in a few days anyway—better to sell early.” Having money in hand was what truly mattered, and he also disliked watching Shen Junxi go out every afternoon to cut pig grass. Grass didn’t grow well in winter, and it was getting harder to find.

“Mm.” Chatting and working at the same time, Shen Junxi felt relaxed and content. He looked up at the busy Song Jingwei, a joyful smile tugging at his lips.

“There are so many kids in the house—steam some egg custard.” After looking at the ingredients Shen Junxi had prepared, which didn’t seem to be enough, Song Jingwei did a quick headcount. They had over ten people, and this bit of food wouldn’t suffice. “Do we have hot water? Go slaughter a chicken.”

“Okay,” Shen Junxi nodded, agreeing to everything he said.

They had raised a large flock of chickens at home and hadn’t sold a single one yet this year. Yang Shi said they were keeping them for themselves to eat. You could say their family ate chicken quite frequently. Fresh pork was harder to get—they had to go to the village to buy it. Yang Shi occasionally got up early to buy a few catties and brought it back to be eaten slowly.

Next in line were fish and shrimp, all home-raised. The water tanks at home were always stocked with fish, shrimp, loaches, and eels.

Usually, they ate the big fish, and Benben ate the small ones.

By the time the meal was ready, it was already getting late. Coincidentally, the men who had gone into the mountains returned just in time for dinner.

“Perfect timing—back just in time for food!” Shen Dongming said with a loud laugh.

“How did it go? All smooth?” everyone asked.

As they sat down, they nodded and said, “We’ve found the right spot. Tomorrow we’ll find people to help, and in the next few days we’ll get the thatched shelter built.”

“That’s great. Let’s eat then. We can talk more each day as things come up!”

Everyone happily helped bring out the dishes and serve the food. The place was full of laughter and noise—it felt like a festival. There were also four kids in the house, noisy as ever, and with the adults chatting and joking, it really did feel festive.

“Come on, come on, let’s eat!”

“Today’s a happy day. We usually don’t drink, but let’s drink to our heart’s content today.”

Lu Jingping laughed and said to Shen Dongming, “So it’s true—you’re not allowed to drink at home? What’s up with that?”

Shen Dongming scratched his head and laughed, “Ever since my eldest grandson was still in my daughter-in-law’s belly, I haven’t been allowed to smoke or drink.” Now that the ban was lifted, he couldn’t be happier.

“Go on and drink,” Yang Shi said. “Today you can drink as much as you want, alright?”

“Hahaha, alright! Just don’t regret it later or scold me,” Shen Dongming said, then raised his glass to the others. “Come, come, let’s toast—wishing us peace, health, and long-lasting happiness.”

“Well said. Cheers to that!”

“Cheers!”

It was a joyful feast. Everyone was laughing and smiling as if this were their last celebration. When you know a disaster is coming, gatherings like these become precious—you have to cherish them so you won’t be left with lifelong regrets.

Shen Junxi tightly held his wife’s hand. He was truly happy in that moment—surrounded by loved ones, together and united. No matter what the future held, at least he had experienced this and had possessed this. These were his most beautiful memories, his most precious treasures.

After the meal, Yang Shi smelled the strong scent of alcohol in the house and hurriedly carried her eldest grandson back to the room to sleep. As she passed by Lin Shi, who was tidying up the table, she said, “I’ll put this little one to bed first and come back to help. Don’t do it all yourself.”

Lin Shi just laughed, “It’s no big deal. You go ahead.”

The elders were helped to rest by the younger ones. Everyone had drunk more than usual because they were so happy at lunch, and they were all a little tipsy.

Pei Hongxuan and Wu Xi drank less since they still had a baby to care for. But the baby had long since fallen asleep in his small bed. They expertly picked up their son, who was sleeping in Benben’s small bed, and went to the guest room to rest.

Shen Junxi had had a few drinks—his cheeks and the area around his eyes were slightly flushed. He looked over at Song Jingwei, who was in a similar state, seemingly tipsy too.

But Song Jingwei actually held his liquor better. He just looked a little drowsy because he was in a good mood.

“Come on, I’ll help you go lie down.” After sitting a while, he stood up and said to the younger man. He knew Shen Junxi’s tolerance already—even if he wasn’t drunk, he’d be feeling floaty.

“Okay.” Shen Junxi smiled and reached out his hand for him to pull him up.

Song Jingwei smiled, helped him up, and the two of them walked back to their courtyard.

Since Benben wasn’t in the room, they didn’t need to hold back. Once they lay down, they could relax and sleep. But before going to bed, they still went to the washroom to wash their faces and hands.

Song Jingwei helped Shen Junxi—he wrung out a warm towel for him to wipe his face and then washed his own hands.

“How do you feel? Dizzy or not?”

Shen Junxi shook his head—he wasn’t dizzy. He’d only had a little to drink, barely enough to feel tipsy.

“That’s good,” Song Jingwei said. “Then you won’t have a headache. Let’s lie down outside and try to sleep.” Some people could fall asleep drunk; others got too wired.

“Okay.” Shen Junxi left the washroom and lay down on his Luohan bed.

When he saw Song Jingwei come out, he quietly motioned for him to come over.

Song Jingwei didn’t care where he slept, so he came over to Shen Junxi’s bed, sat down, and started taking off his shoes. As he did, he said, “Do you think we should give them a room inside?” He had been thinking about it back in the washroom.

He really liked Qiao Lang and Uncle Ya, and Qiao Lang’s family seemed like good people too.