Married but Untouched! Her Soldier Husband Came Home Dumbfounded! - Chapter 12

“Third brother, Xihu, you’re back?” Ye Fangfei greeted them cheerfully as she came forward.

“Little sister, it’s been so long since you came by! Just yesterday, our parents were talking about you,” said Ye Xihu, still treating Fangfei like a child. He dug a few candies from his pocket and handed them to her.

Ye Sanhu opened a paper-wrapped snack, offering a meat pie to Fangfei.

Sanhu and Xihu were twins, twenty-five years old. Their faces were about seventy to eighty percent alike, but their personalities were completely different.

Sanhu was honest and simple, always wearing a straightforward smile. Strong and hardworking, he gave people a warm and approachable impression.

Xihu was the cleverest of the brothers—quick-witted, shrewd, and always scheming. Whenever the family faced a problem, they went to him for advice.

Fangfei took the snacks but didn’t eat them, instead sharing the candies with her nieces and nephews and placing the meat pies on the table.

Zhou Hongyu called out, noticing her sons had returned and the grandchildren were running riot in the yard:
“Wash your hands! Time for dinner!”

Ye Dashao quickly poured water for them, helping the mischievous boys clean up. The girls were easier to manage, but each boy had a grimy face; only after two washes were they clean.

Ye Sansao and Ye Xisao sat with their children at one table, while the rest of the adults sat at another.

Xihu tasted each dish on the table and exclaimed,
“Little sister, this braised pork intestines are full of flavor! When did you learn to cook like this?”

Little Dogdan, chewing on a piece of intestines, piped up eagerly:
“Uncle Xihu, my little sister doesn’t just make delicious intestines, her steamed egg cakes are amazing too—soft and fluffy, even better than what the supply store sells!”

“Really?”

Xihu was more than surprised, he was genuinely shocked.
“Little sister, you can even make egg cakes? Why have you never told us before? Where did you learn this skill?”

“I just experimented on my own today, and it turned out well. Looks like I have a bit of talent. I even saved some cakes for you and Third Brother to try later, let me know what you think,” Fangfei replied, giving herself an excuse of “talent.”

Between bites of potato slices, she explained her plan to her brothers:
“I want to take these to the city to sell and make some pocket money. What do you think, Xihu?”

Except for Ye Chunsheng and Zhou Hongyu, the others looked at her incredulously.
“Little sister, do you need money?” asked Ye Dahu.

“Not really. Shen Zhanxun sends me enough every month,” Fangfei replied with a raised eyebrow and a small smile. “But who wouldn’t want extra money?”

Everyone chuckled at that.

Xihu looked at her with newfound respect. Since last year, he had been selling ice pops in the city. He knew that small businesses and street vendors were growing rapidly. Small as they were, they were profitable.

If Fangfei could really make egg cakes, she would surely earn more than him selling pops. Even the braised pork intestines they were eating could be sold; with such good flavor, they wouldn’t lack customers.

“Little sister, let’s discuss more after dinner,” Xihu said.

“I’ll follow your lead,” Fangfei replied with a smile.

The family enjoyed a lively dinner together. Afterward, the sisters-in-law took the children home, while Ye Dahu and the other brothers stayed behind.

Fangfei poured water for each brother and brought out the remaining egg cakes.
“Try these, guys. Do you think people would buy them if I sold them?”

Dahu and Xihu had already eaten lunch, so they declined. In this era, grains were precious; even plain steamed buns were a rare treat. They saved these for their parents.

Sanhu and Xihu took pieces and tasted them.
“Soft and fluffy, delicious. The flavor is comparable to the supply store’s, though the presentation isn’t as refined,” Xihu evaluated candidly.

“Xihu, I steamed them in bowls, so both taste and appearance are a bit off. With proper molds and an oven, they’d be as good as the supply store’s,” Fangfei said confidently. She wasn’t just good at simple egg cakes, given the right tools and ingredients, she could make dozens of desserts.

Xihu finished his piece, drank some water, and asked,
“Little sister, what’s your plan? Make them at home and sell in the city, or rent a shop?”

Fangfei smiled, recognizing her brother’s practical mindset.
“Xihu, I plan to rent a small place in the city, preferably with a storefront—sell in the front, make them in the back.”

Xihu did a quick calculation.
“Renting a shop will require a lot of capital. With custom molds, it could easily cost several hundred yuan to set up.”

“I have the funds for molds and rent. Shen Zhanxun has been sending money monthly for a few years, and I’ve saved most of it. My daily allowance comes from my mother-in-law,” Fangfei said, candidly revealing her savings.

“I currently have over 700 yuan on hand—enough for starting capital.”

Her family was stunned. Even Ye Laifu and Zhou Hongyu hadn’t expected her to save so much.

Zhou Hongyu hesitated, concerned.
“Fangfei, if you invest all the family money and it fails, how will you explain it to Zhanxun?”

Fangfei raised an eyebrow.
“Mom, he hasn’t come back since marriage. Except for sending the monthly ten-something yuan, he’s like a ghost. If I need his permission to use money, why do I even need him? Might as well divorce and go it alone.”

Everyone froze at her words.

Ye Laifu looked at her disapprovingly. The brothers thought she was being naive.

Zhou Hongyu patted her and scolded,
“You brat! He sends you fifteen yuan a month, and you’re still not satisfied? That’s more than enough for you to live on!”

“Zhanxun hasn’t returned because he’s at war. The past two years fighting in the south were brutal; many soldiers were lost. You should be grateful he’s safe. Say anything else, and I’ll tear your mouth off,” Zhou Hongyu scolded.

She realized her daughter had changed. Previously she’d never spoken like this. Perhaps the women in the Shen family had bullied her? Otherwise, why would she even mention divorce?

Zhou Hongyu decided she needed to visit Shen Lou Dazui—to make sure those women knew that her daughter wasn’t someone to be trifled with.

Fangfei, recalling the wars of 1979, understood why Zhanxun had been urgently called south. She had forgotten that detail earlier.

She fell silent for a moment, feeling a bit guilty for what she said—but on reflection, she didn’t think she was wrong.

She admired Zhanxun as a hero, but the money he sent was for his wife. Running a business wasn’t misusing it. If he fussed over every penny, no matter how capable he was, she couldn’t live with such a stingy man. She’d rather divorce than waste her life bickering over trivial matters.

Seeing the disapproving looks from her family, she grinned.
“Just joking, everyone. Don’t worry—the business won’t lose money.”

She didn’t bring up divorce again, knowing that people back then were conservative. Divorce wasn’t supported unless necessary.

Xihu, seeing her determination, asked,
“Little sister, where do you plan to set up shop?”

“Somewhere with spending power, lots of foot traffic, ideally near a factory,” Fangfei replied. “Do you have any suggestions, Xihu?”