Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 74

“That business was something Dalang partnered with others to do. The real big boss is someone else, he was just lending a hand. At most, he and his wife were there helping out. People jokingly called him the shop owner only because the big boss held him in esteem. How could you take that seriously?” Madam Li said lightly.

Li Zhi looked unconvinced. A few days ago, in town, he ran into Li Ergou. Normally he had little to do with that fellow, but that day, Li Ergou had dragged him along and gone on and on about how Li Dalang had opened a furniture shop in town, raking in money hand over fist, with so many customers the doorstep was about to be trampled flat.

At first, Li Zhi thought it was just another one of Li Ergou’s boasts. But then Li Ergou pulled him over to Weixuan Textiles on Northeast Street, and sure enough, he saw Li Dalang and his wife there. He even heard the shop assistants calling Li Dalang “shopkeeper.” At that point, he had no choice but to believe it. Who would have thought that his eldest brother’s family had been earning so much over the years, enough to open a shop in town, and not just that, the business was thriving.

When he got home, Li Zhi told Feng Qiufang all about it. The couple tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, both envious and jealous of Madam Li’s family. Feng Qiufang’s father had once promised them that when their eldest son grew up, he would help them secure a small shop in town so they could open a little grocery store of their own.

But as their boy grew older, that promise was never mentioned again. Every time Li Zhi and his wife brought it up, Father Feng would brush it aside with some excuse.

The two of them had worked half their lives in town and had no desire to return to farming in the village. Their hopes now rested on their eldest son. If they spent money to buy him a tongsheng degree, perhaps with luck he could even pass as a juren someday. Then they would become the proud parents of a degree-holder.

But buying a tongsheng degree required a hefty sum. Fortunately, after years of helping in Feng’s father’s grocery store, they had saved up quite a bit. Still, even pooling everything together, they didn’t quite have enough. Only with Feng’s father’s contribution could they just barely afford it. But in doing so, their young daughter’s dowry would have to be sacrificed.

Just then, they learned how wealthy Madam Li’s household actually was. Husband and wife exchanged a look and silently reached the same idea. 

They went home and repeated everything to Old Man Li. Since he had always shown favoritism toward Li Zhi’s branch, and because Feng Qiufang was skilled at flattering him, she sweet-talked him, “If eldest son passes as a juren, Father, you’ll be the grandfather of a degree-holder! At that time, the eldest son can even get you maids and little attendants to look after you.”

Old Man Li grinned from ear to ear, delighted, and naturally agreed.

“Eldest Sister-in-law, no need to hide things from us. We’re all family here. Dalang’s success makes us all proud! If your family’s shop ever needs help, Qiufang and I are often in town, just say the word and we’ll be there to lend a hand,” Li Zhi said warmly.

Madam Li only nodded slightly and said nothing more.

But Feng Qiufang cheerfully slipped her arm through Madam Li’s and said with a smile, “Eldest Sister-in-law, your Dalang is truly capable. Without a word, he opened a shop in town! He’s the very first in our whole village, isn’t he? I hear the business is excellent, you must be earning quite a lot, right?”

Madam Li quietly pulled her arm back and replied coldly, “Dalang is only helping out. The real big boss is someone else; it has little to do with him.”

Feng Qiufang’s smile froze for a moment, but she quickly recovered. “Oh, Sister-in-law, what are you saying? Dalang is also the boss, isn’t he? Then… who is this big boss? Why would he seek out Dalang?”

At that moment, there came a knock on the gate and the braying of a donkey. Feng Qiufang’s face lit up. “Our eldest boy is here!” she exclaimed, hurrying toward the gate.

Madam Li turned to Wei Ying. “There are still some dishes in the kitchen that haven’t been brought out yet.”

Wei Ying quickly followed Madam Li toward the kitchen, saying as they went, “Sister-in-law, neither I nor Second Brother knew Dalang had opened a shop in town. We weren’t able to help at all…”

Madam Li gave her a genuine smile. “It’s fine. We didn’t need help anyway.”

From the courtyard gate came a bright, lively female voice, “Mother, I’m home!”

Wei Ying froze mid-step, her heart leaping. She turned back toward the gate, muttering, “Why does that sound just like my eldest daughter’s voice?”

At the gate stood a woman in a red floral blouse with a green hem, cradling a small boy in her arms. She was smiling joyfully at Wei Ying and called again, “Mother, I’m home!”

Overcome with excitement, Wei Ying hurried forward, calling back toward the house, “Erlao, our eldest girl is home!” Her joy was plain for all to see.

Li Zhen carried her child into the courtyard, with Feng Qiufang awkwardly smiling behind her as she told Li Zhen’s husband to tie up the donkey.

“Son-in-law came along too?” Wei Ying finally noticed Li Zhen’s husband, Wang Tiezhu, and asked happily.

Li Zhen took her husband’s hand with a smile. “Of course he came. I told him not to, but he said he’d worry too much if he stayed behind, so he insisted on coming.”

Though smiling, Wei Ying scolded lightly, “You silly girl…” Then her eyes welled with tears as she looked at the chubby little boy in Li Zhen’s arms. “Last year you wrote to say you were expecting. Your father and I were overjoyed and kept saying we’d go visit, but we never found the time.”

Li Zhen smiled. “And now here I am. You and Father are already getting older, you shouldn’t tire yourselves out. To make it easier for me to visit, Dachui even bought me a donkey cart, so I can come home often now.”

Wei Ying’s eyes grew red again. She looked at Wang Dachui warmly and said, “Son-in-law, that’s thoughtful of you.” The fact that he was willing to come with their daughter showed how much he cared for her, and buying the cart for her sake reassured Wei Ying even more.

Wang Dachui grinned sheepishly and shook his head. “It’s nothing, nothing…”

“This is your Eldest Aunt, Sister Chuncao, and Sister Cuihua,” Wei Ying said, smiling as she introduced them.

Li Zhen had married the same year as Shen Cuihua. Li Erlang had wed Shen Cuihua not long before Li Zhen herself married out, so Li Zhen still remembered this little bride who had been married to Li Erlang to bring good luck. Smiling, she greeted Madam Li and Chuncao, then cheerfully called Cuihua “younger sister.”

Wang Dachui hurried to echo the greeting. But when it came time to greet Ying Su, he opened his mouth, yet no words came out, instead he just stared at her, looking puzzled.

It wasn’t until Li Zhen pinched him hard at the waist that Wang Dachui snapped back, flustered, and hastily called out, “Younger Sister Cuihua!”

Madam Li, knowing Wei Ying surely had much to say to her eldest daughter after so long, smiled and said, “Ying Su and I will go to the kitchen and get the meal ready. You mothers and daughters have a good chat.”