Chapter 15: Dad, What's Wrong with You?

Su Mao looked down and broke off a cigarette to hand to Su De, then opened another pack. “Didn't you say earlier that your master’s seventieth birthday is coming up? You were worried about not having money for a gift. Take this pack along, and just buy some fruit later—it’ll be enough.”

He handed over half a pack again. “Keep this half for yourself, smoke it during New Year’s or festivals. Don’t be so frugal.”

Su De waved him off. “No need, I’ve quit smoking now.”

“Quit? You just can’t afford it.”

Su De, the fourth brother, had six children. The first four were girls, and only after the birth of twins—a boy and a girl—did his wife get sterilized. Though he earned a decent living as a carpenter, money was always tight.

Unlike Su Mao, the eldest brother, who had only three children—two boys and a girl—because years ago when birth control was strictly enforced in the village, he dared not defy the rules while he was at the peak of it. After the pressure eased, his wife no longer conceived.

As Su Mao thought this over, his mind involuntarily drifted to Ah Hua.

Actually, Ah Chen’s second child was a boy, so there was no need to have more. But Ah Hua, heeding their parents’ advice, wanted to tie Ah Chen down with more children...

Lost in thought, Su Mao’s wife, Lin Chunjiao, came out.

“What are you two talking about? Dinner’s ready, come eat.”

“Oh, okay.”

Lin Chunjiao noticed the half pack in Su Mao’s hand and the pack and a half in Su De’s. Her face darkened but she said nothing, turning back inside.

Once Su Mao went in, she grabbed his ear sharply.

“You’re so generous. That pack costs at least two or three kuai, this half pack is worth ten or twenty cents. You didn’t even say a word before just giving it away.”

Su Mao pulled his ear back, chuckling awkwardly. “Jiao, Ah De is my brother, not an outsider.”

Lin Chunjiao snapped, “Not an outsider... yet you don’t even want to let him take Ah Liang as an apprentice. And you say he’s not an outsider.”

“Ah De already said, he can only take apprentices with his master’s consent. His master is superstitious and has checked Ah Liang’s fortune—it’s not right.”

“Do you really believe that nonsense? To me, that’s just an excuse.”

“No, you know what kind of person Ah De is. Don’t get angry. I heard there are many job openings in the city now. After the New Year, I’ll take Ah Liang to look. City jobs mean working in an office, better than a carpenter standing all day doing heavy labor, right?”

Lin Chunjiao sighed at that. “Alright, let’s eat first. We’ll talk about Ah Liang’s future later. He definitely needs a good job, otherwise there’s no way he can get married.”

Ah Liang would turn twenty after the New Year. In Niuwai Village, people married young. Old Zhang’s son, Ah Ming, married at seventeen; his wife was already pregnant. By next year, they’d be holding grandchildren. That’s why Lin Chunjiao was anxious.

Su Mao sighed deeply.

It wasn’t really about the job; it was about money.

Old Zhang’s family spent three thousand kuai just to marry off their son. Su Mao and Lin Chunjiao had worked themselves to the bone over the years and saved just over four hundred. Getting a wife was too difficult.

Not to mention, if Ah Liang were to marry, this shabby house wouldn’t do.

Thinking of this, Su Mao lost his appetite and wore a bitter expression.

---

Meanwhile, Su Chen returned home to find Liu Chunhua cheerfully back, already taking off her coat and cooking. Red Red was obediently helping to stoke the fire, while Old Su was washing Ah Peng’s dirty coat.

“Dad, let me do it. The water’s freezing cold.”

Liu Chunhua felt a little jealous. “Ah Chen, you never said the water was cold when Mom washed clothes before.”

Su Chen paused, then smiled and nodded. “Mom, my fault. When I earn money, I’ll buy you a washing machine so you won’t have to wash by hand.”

In the original owner’s memory, the village chief’s eldest daughter bought a green washing machine at the start of the year. It had two tubs—the left for washing, the right for spinning—and was very convenient.

Liu Chunhua immediately waved her hand. “No need, no need. That thing costs over a thousand kuai. I’ve washed clothes all my life; why waste money on that? If you really have that money, buy yourself a coat. You’re always just wearing a sweater; you look cold.”

Su Chen looked down and laughed.

“Mom, I’m not cold.”

He had started cultivating; what was there to fear from the cold?

Besides, the original owner actually had a leather jacket, but it was dirty from a fall and had been washed by Liu Chunhua, still not dry.

“Not cold, huh? If you catch a chill, you’ll see how serious it is.” Liu Chunhua pulled him over to the stove and told Red Red to get up. “Help Mom stoke the fire and warm yourself.”

Red Red was delighted. “Daddy, I’m going to play with little brother.”

“Ah Yun’s awake?”

“Mm hmm.”

That evening, Liu Chunhua, unusually, had cooked two eggs. The children ate with soup all over their faces, very happy.

But Old Su frowned throughout. Seeing this, Su Chen asked, and Liu Chunhua quickly waved him off. “Don’t mind your father; he’s always like this.”

Old Su gave her a glare but smiled at Su Chen. “I’m fine, eat.”

That smile didn’t seem quite genuine.

But Dad didn’t want to talk about it.

Su Chen didn’t press and simply focused on his porridge.

After dinner and washing up, Liu Chunhua efficiently cleaned the children’s faces and hands, then retrieved some charcoal from the stove, placing it into a bamboo hand warmer. She handed one to Old Su and carried another herself, heading to a neighbor’s house.

Old Su stopped her. “Why go so late? Don’t you know lights aren’t free?”

“Mind your own business!” Liu Chunhua retorted, turning away and shooting him a glare over her shoulder.

Old Su sighed helplessly and turned off the lights before going inside.

Su Chen quietly took it all in, then went into his room and took out a wood carving knife to start carving small figures.

---

Red Red and the others were playing with Ah Yun and curiously approached.

“Daddy, what are you doing?”

“Carving wood.”

“Wood carving? What are you carving?”

“A little figure.”

“Wow, is Ah Yun that small?”

“Mm, but not as soft and fragrant as Ah Yun.”

“Mm hmm, little brother smells so nice~”

The children went to bed early, soon falling asleep from exhaustion.

Su Chen put down the knife, carried Red Red to the next room, and upon opening the door, saw Old Su hurriedly wiping tears. Su Chen was startled and quietly asked, “Dad, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing. Are the kids asleep?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll come hold them.”

Su Chen tucked the kids in and peeked at Old Su, who had recovered by then, and returned to his room.

After finishing the figure and tidying up, just as he was about to sleep, he suddenly smacked his forehead.

That brain of his!

Ah, the original owner’s father’s sixtieth birthday was this year.

According to custom, on such a milestone birthday, all children and grandchildren would come home to celebrate. But now the eldest and fourth brothers were estranged from their parents...

Looks like he would have to visit the eldest and fourth brothers again before the New Year.

---

The next day, Su Chen got up early as usual to go to town, but instead of taking the bus, he went to the market and found Su Xiaoyan.

“What do you want?”

Su Xiaoyan was busy and efficient, but upon seeing him, instinctively asked. When she didn’t hear a reply, she looked up in surprise. “Little brother?”