Married but Untouched! Her Soldier Husband Came Home Dumbfounded! - Chapter 18

Ye Fangfei returned home to find Ye Laifu and Zhou Hongyu had just finished lunch.

In the main hall, a large mat was spread on the floor. The children were sprawled about, fast asleep.

Ye Laifu fanned his grandchildren with a large bamboo fan, sweat pouring down his own face, yet he didn’t dare stop.

Zhou Hongyu tossed a damp towel onto his head and took the fan from his hands.
“You’re as hot as a water buffalo. Wipe off that sweat quickly.”

Ye Laifu chuckled, wiping his face and neck.

The elderly couple spoke softly, when the sound of the door opening caught their attention. Zhou Hongyu immediately got up from the mat.
“Must be Fangfei coming back,” she said, walking toward the door.

“Oh, my! Why did you buy so many things again?”

Zhou Hongyu noticed the chitterlings hanging from the cart and a large paper package in the basket. She couldn’t help but scold.
“You never listen! Spending money every day!”

“Mom, don’t worry. These were gifts today—didn’t spend a single cent,” Fangfei said cheerfully.

“Stop lying to me! Who would be foolish enough to give you so much? I’ve never run into such luck!” Zhou Hongyu tapped her head.

Fangfei tilted her head playfully.
“Mom, why don’t you believe your own daughter?”

She smiled brightly.
“You just haven’t had my luck, that’s all.”

Zhou Hongyu shook her head, then noticed her hair.
“Fangfei, did you cut your hair? Where did you get it done? How much did you sell it for?”

“Sell it?” Fangfei was shocked. Could hair be sold?

“Oh, you little rascal! Did you forget? Last time, someone paid you twenty yuan for your hair, and you didn’t sell it.”

“Ah, I really forgot!” Fangfei suddenly remembered—it had indeed happened.

It was last winter; someone came to the village to buy hair, but the original owner hadn’t wanted to part with it.

Zhou Hongyu touched her hair, distressed.
“After growing it for so many years, you just cut it? You might as well have sold it last time.”

“Where did you cut it? Let’s go get it back!”

Fangfei quickly held her mother back.
“Mom, it’s already been processed. We’re too late.”

“Besides, last time they offered twenty yuan for the entire hair. The ends alone wouldn’t fetch much,” Fangfei explained.

Still unsatisfied, Zhou Hongyu pressed on about where she had her hair cut. Fangfei, dizzy from the heat, finally used it as an excuse to end the conversation.

“Come inside, I’ll bring you some mung bean soup,” Zhou Hongyu said.

Hearing the mother-daughter chatter, Ye Laifu stepped out from the hall.
“Fangfei, feeling hot? Come inside. I’ll get you some water to wash up.”

“Thanks, Mom and Dad,” Fangfei said, parking her bicycle under the eaves.

“Dad, I bought another batch of chitterlings. Could you clean them? We’ll stew them tonight.”

“All right. Go inside to cool off first,” Ye Laifu said. He washed her face with a basin of water before taking the chitterlings and pig lungs to the well.

Fangfei washed her face and drank a bowl of cool water, then sat on the lounge chair by the door, fanning herself vigorously.

Zhou Hongyu brought over dinner: a bowl of millet and mung bean porridge, and a plate of cucumber salad.
“Fangfei, you eat first. I’ll make an egg pancake for you afterward.”

“No need, Mom. I’m not very hungry. This is enough,” Fangfei said.

The crisp cucumber salad paired with the warm mung bean porridge opened her appetite. She finished the bowl and plate entirely.

Satisfied, she yawned.
“Mom, I’ll take a nap. Call me when Dad’s done, and I’ll start preparing the marinated dishes.”

Zhou Hongyu handed her a bamboo fan.
“All right. Go rest. Call if you need anything.”

…

Fangfei slept a while longer and woke as the sun began to set.

A large basin of cooked mung bean soup sat on the table, and smoke rose from the kitchen.

Ye Dahu and the others had already returned, resting in the courtyard.

“Brothers, why did you come back so early today?” Fangfei stretched and went to the well to fetch water to wash her face.

Ye Xihu put down his bowl of mung bean soup.
“It’s Saturday. Students finish early. We sold everything and came back.”

He rinsed the empty bowl at the well and spoke to Fangfei.
“Little sister, I visited a friend at the food factory this afternoon. He said he could help make the molds, and the oven could be arranged too.”

“Xihu, you’re too efficient! Less than a day and the tools are sorted!” Fangfei was overjoyed.

Ye Xihu smiled.
“Don’t get too excited. We haven’t found the right place to rent yet. Today I checked several spots—all were storefronts without yards.”

“Xihu, I met an elderly lady today. She’s helping me check a property on the street opposite the textile factory. I’ll go see it tomorrow.”

Fangfei told him about the conversation she’d had with the lady.
“Tomorrow, I’ll see it first. If it’s suitable, you can help check and sign the contract.”

“Why don’t I go with you? I can help bargain, so they don’t try to swindle a young girl,” Ye Xihu said, unconcerned about her being alone.

Ye Dahu also said,
“Little sister, let Xihu go with you. He’s often in the city and knows how to handle these things better than you.”

“That works. With Xihu, I’ll feel more at ease.”

Fangfei didn’t want to waste his time earning money, so she set the meeting at noon.
“Xihu, I’ll wait at the supply cooperative in the industrial park at noon. Is that okay?”

“Fine. No classes tomorrow. I’ll check the staff housing in the morning, then come sell ice pops at the industrial park at noon,” Ye Xihu agreed.

With that settled, Fangfei went to the kitchen.

Zhou Hongyu and Ye Sansao were busy—one tending the fire, the other cutting winter melon. The front pot had chitterlings and pig lungs marinating, the back pot simmered bone broth.

Fangfei lifted the lid. The chitterlings looked pale, obviously skimping on ingredients—her mother was frugal.

Fangfei chuckled. For home cooking, a little less seasoning didn’t matter.

“Little sister, you spent a lot recently. Don’t buy too often. A taste now and then is enough,” Ye Sansao said with a smile.

“Sister-in-law, I didn’t spend any money today. A comrade at the cooperative gifted all this,” Fangfei explained.

“Oh, she’s generous—gave chitterlings, pig lungs, and a big bag of bones too.”

Zhou Hongyu, not wanting to take advantage, remembered the sweet melons in the garden were ready. She planned to pick a few tomorrow to send to her daughter to taste.

Fangfei nodded happily. She also thought Chen Qian, the donor, was kind—delicate in appearance, yet generous and pleasant.

She planned to run her business there, making friends along the way. If their temperaments matched, they could even go shopping or have fun together.

Ye family’s dinner was lively again, two tables filled with chatter and laughter.

Meanwhile, the Shen household was far from peaceful. The fourteen-year-old Shen Zhanhui was complaining about Shen Zhanqiang.

“I saw Zhanqiang buying ice pops every day. He has a few coins in his pocket but won’t buy me one.”

“Grandpa, Grandma, is that money from you? I don’t care—I want one too!”

Shen Zhanqiang, biting a biscuit, glared at his little brother and cursed him silently for tattling.

Shen Chunsheng and Shen Zhangshi had already been upset after hearing their eldest son complain about the second branch hiding money. Now the little grandson mentioned Zhanqiang buying ice pops.

The elderly couple felt even worse—these ungrateful grandchildren’s wings had hardened, and they refused to obey.

Shen Zhangshi snorted, her murky, triangular eyes glaring at her second son.
“Second son, did you give money to Zhanqiang?”

Before Shen Jianhua could answer, Shen Zhanqiang spoke up.
“Grandma, it wasn’t Dad. My parents don’t have money. It was my sister-in-law who gave it to me.”

Shen Zhangshi’s anger flared. Her gaze pierced Shen Jianhua and Sun Xiumei.
“Second son, second son’s wife, I heard Zhanxun often sends money to his in-laws. Is that true?”