Married but Untouched! Her Soldier Husband Came Home Dumbfounded! - Chapter 31

Ye Fangfei understood exactly what he was thinking and could sympathize with the mindset of his generation—always planning a fallback, making sure nothing was left to chance. It was a practical way to live.

But she had confidence in herself. Even if she didn’t make sponge cakes, running a small business wouldn’t leave her family starving.

So, she told Shen Jianhua firmly, “Dad, making sponge cakes is hard work. You need big buckets to mix the batter, and that requires strength. Mom and I don’t have enough.”

“I’m not just making sponge cakes,” she continued. “I’ll also sell marinated meats. Just cleaning the pig heads and intestines is a huge job. There’s a lot to do. If you don’t help, we won’t manage.”

Shen Jianhua had originally intended to stay behind to farm, but when his daughter-in-law said they couldn’t manage without his strength, he immediately nodded in agreement. “Alright then, I’ll do as you say.”

With that settled, he went inside to gather the grain, planning to take it all to the city tomorrow. Leaving it at home felt unsafe, so it was better to bring everything along and ease their minds.

Sun Xiujun added some firewood to the stove and went to help pack.

No one in the household had remembered that Shen Zhanqiang was still in school.

It wasn’t until Shen Cuiluan was rolling noodles that she suddenly remembered her younger brother.

“Sis-in-law, what about Zhanqiang? He hasn’t started his vacation yet.”

“Oh, right… Zhanqiang!” Ye Fangfei looked up from tending the fire, exchanging glances with her sister-in-law.

Shen Jianhua and Sun Xiujun had already discussed what to do with their youngest son while packing.

“The school break is only a few days away. Let him stay at home for now. He’s fifteen and a boy—there’s nothing to worry about.”

When Shen Zhanqiang returned from school in the afternoon, he learned that the family would all move to the city, leaving him behind. He stomped around the yard in a huff.

“You’re all going to the city, why am I being left behind? How can you be so calm leaving me alone at home?”

Shen Jianhua frowned at his son’s jumping and stomping. “What are you yelling about? When did we say we wouldn’t bring you? You have school. We’ll come get you when the holidays start.”

Pouting, Shen Zhanqiang knew his parents wouldn’t budge. So, he turned to Ye Fangfei, pleading. “Sis-in-law, take me with you. I’ll help out. I won’t just eat for free!”

How could Ye Fangfei refuse such an open offer? She decided to make him meet a condition. “If you can get into high school or a technical school in the city, I’ll take you with us.”

Zhanqiang’s face fell. “And if I don’t make it?”

Ye Fangfei placed the folded clothes on the bundle, tugged at the corner of her mouth, and delivered her words with icy firmness.

“Then you stay at home. You’re fifteen. You can work for yourself. You’re not in school, so the family shouldn’t have to support you.”

“But Sis-in-law, I don’t want to be a burden. If I don’t get into high school, can I work for you instead? No pay, just feed me.” Shen Zhanqiang asked hopefully.

Ye Fangfei shook her head decisively. “No. I don’t hire middle school students. Only high school or technical school students are considered.”

“But why let my second sister go? She’s worse than me—she only finished elementary school!” Zhanqiang felt unfairly targeted.

“I know,” Ye Fangfei smiled, raising an eyebrow, “but in my shop, girls don’t need formal education, just hard work. Boys are different—they must be high school graduates.”

Her boss-like confidence nearly made Shen Zhanqiang furious, but there was nothing he could do.

Finally, he asked timidly, “So… if I don’t get into high school, I really stay home alone? You’re really that cruel?”

Ye Fangfei saw his reluctant acceptance and smiled, holding up two fingers in a playful “scissors” gesture.

“Two choices:

One, stay home, farm, support yourself, and watch us live a good life in the city.

Two, repeat the year until you pass the high school or technical school entrance exam.”

Seeing how resolute his sister-in-law was, Zhanqiang knew there was no negotiating. He tried to bargain anyway. “Sis-in-law, if I repeat the year, do I stay at home alone? Can I come to the city after school?”

He tried to act pitiful. “I’m just a kid—I’d be scared living alone.”

Ye Fangfei saw right through him. She had already decided to take him to the city, but she played reluctantly. “We’ll see how you do. If your entrance exam results are good, I’ll pick you up. But before the exam, you must stay home and study properly.”

“Thank you, Sis-in-law! Don’t worry, I’ll do my best!”

He also wanted to get into high school on the first try—repeating a year would be humiliating. But his weak grades left him little choice.

Shen Zhanqiang regretted not studying harder. If he had, he wouldn’t be left out or lack anyone to speak for him.

Shen Cuiluan overheard their conversation and laughed quietly from the side.

Shen Jianhua and Sun Xiujun watched the children interact and felt genuinely happy. Since the family split, life had begun to feel hopeful.

At that moment, the front gate opened.

Shen Jianhua looked up to see his father, Shen Chunsheng, walking in with his hands clasped behind his back.

He stood quickly to greet him. “Father, what brings you here? Any particular reason?”

“No reason, just taking a stroll.” Shen Chunsheng glanced around the small courtyard with a cheerful smile.

Sun Xiujun greeted him warmly. “Father, have you eaten? Cuiluan is rolling noodles—why not have a bite here?”

“I’ve eaten,” Shen Chunsheng waved her off. “Don’t worry about me. Go on with what you’re doing.”

Sun Xiujun noticed he wanted a private word with Shen Jianhua and returned to the kitchen.

Shen Jianhua invited his father into the main room and poured a glass of water on him. Seeing him sit silently, he guessed the reason for his visit.

It was almost the end of the month—the day his eldest son would send money home. If nothing went wrong, the mail would arrive in the next couple of days.

Shen Jianhua’s heart sank a little. Before the family split, his son’s monthly remittance was given in full to the household.

Over the years, they’d earned plenty of work points. Each year, they could also save a hundred or two. Household expenses were minimal.

In previous years, they had built some side rooms themselves, spending almost nothing.

Zhanxun’s monthly remittances and tickets weren’t insignificant. Shen Jianhua estimated that his parents had at least a thousand yuan in savings, of which they took over five hundred during the property division.

It was reasonable for his aging parents to keep some money, and as a son, he could understand.

During the split, he didn’t scramble for inheritance like his eldest and third brothers. He accepted whatever his father decided.

But now, even after the family split, the three brothers still sent retirement money to their parents monthly, yet his father was already thinking about his grandson’s wages—truly greedy.

The more Shen Jianhua thought about it, the colder he felt inside. He ignored his father and picked up a sieve, continuing to sift the grain for impurities.