The Butcher's Little Husband - Chapter 83

After getting up in the morning and having breakfast, Tian Xiaoman’s uncles arrived with their families. They planned to gather on the third day of the Chinese New Year before heading back to Tian Amu’s Amu’s home.

Several young people stood at the gate to greet them. 

First to enter were Tian Xiaoman’s eldest uncle Shen Gu and his wife, followed by their sons Shen Tao and Wang Xiaoping, who were holding a baby about four or five months old. Behind them was their second son, Shen He.

Next came the second uncle, Shen Han, with his wife, followed by their son, Shen Lin, and his younger brother, Shen Mu.

Tian Xiaoman’s uncles, already married, had not come themselves but had sent their New Year gifts through Shen Gu.

Tian Xiaoman and his friends respectfully invited their uncles and aunts inside. Soon, the cousins gathered in the yard to bask in the sun.

Tian Xiaoman was intrigued by his eldest cousin’s son, a little baby named Tianci. The baby was completely different from when he was first born. Now, he was fair and plump, with big, bright eyes, curiously observing those around him.

Tian Xiaoman walked over to tease him, making the baby laugh, then someone inside called for him to be brought in. Although the sun was out, it was still a bit cold outside.

Reluctantly, Tian Xiaoman looked at Wang Xiaoping’s back but didn’t follow. 

Inside, there were elders, and he knew it would be boring. Outside was much more fun.

Li Wenxuan, meanwhile, was being introduced to several cousins by his two brothers-in-law. He had met Shen Tao before—an honest, upright man who was very kind to the younger generation. Shen He was cheerful, always making everyone laugh with his jokes.

Shen Mu, whose father was a teacher, was polite and mature for his age. He was about seven or eight years old and very cute. 

Shen Lin, around the same age as Tian Xiaoman, sat alone, not engaging in the conversation.

In no time, Li Wenxuan had familiarized himself with the general personalities of the cousins. His smooth, approachable nature had already won them over, and they quickly took a liking to him, considering Xiaoman lucky to have such a good husband.

Tian Xiaoman, proud and content, smiled as he observed this. 

Everyone else chuckled at his expression, but Shen Lin, who had been quiet until then, curled his lips in disdain.

Xiaoman noticed it. As one of only two gers in the courtyard, he naturally paid attention to the other. He had never gotten along with Shen Lin since they were children, the two of them never played well together. Xiaoman didn’t think it was his fault, because he played well with Brother Jie and Brother Qing. 

Shen Lin, who had always lived in the county, felt superior to someone like Tian Xiaoman, a country boy, and thought himself much better than him.

But for some reason, his brothers always enjoyed spending time with Tian Xiaoman since they were young, and he could never figure out why. 

Of course, he claimed it didn’t matter to him. In his private opinion, it was only because he had no direct brothers. So every time the families gathered, he stuck to his father-me’s side.

The truth was, everyone avoided Shen Lin not because of his status but because he was a crybaby who often complained about the smallest things. When he didn’t get his way, he’d cry to the adults, causing trouble. Xiaoman, on the other hand, was liked because he was cute, had a good personality, and could fight like a man.

When Tian Xiaoman got married, Shen Lin hadn’t gone because his grandAmu had something to do. Later, when he found out that Tian Xiaoman had married a butcher, he thought it wasn’t worth competing with him. After all, he couldn’t win against him anyway.

Armed with that confidence, he arrived at Xiaoman’s home, only to discover that the husband beside Xiaoman looked nothing like the butcher he imagined. Instead, Wenxuan looked handsome, tall, and upright. And he treated Xiaoman extremely well, indulging him in everything.

As he watched everyone gather around the “butcher,” including his younger brother, Shen Lin felt uncomfortable. 

Everyone seemed to like him. Tian Xiaoman’s happy expression only made him more uneasy. After all, wasn’t his own family at least somewhat more prestigious?

Shen Lin didn’t know about the internal dynamics of the family. While everyone enjoyed Li Wenxuan’s story about his time as a guard, they also snacked on the New Year treats Tian Amu had prepared.

Shen Lin, expecting the family to have nothing special, was surprised to find that there were a lot of dried fruits and cakes on the plate—treats his Amu would usually consider too expensive. As he ate, he secretly thought they were pretending to be wealthy. In his mind, his uncle’s family was poor.

Tian Xiaoman couldn’t help but laugh at Shen Lin’s attitude. If he was capable, he wouldn’t eat, but of course, he was complaining while indulging himself. 

Tian Xiaoman sighed, realizing he was just a grown man now, while Shen Lin was still a child.

Lunch, prepared by Tian Fu, was an opportunity for the uncles and cousins to experience his cooking skills and offer some feedback. 

Since there were so many people, two tables were set up in the yard. 

As the new son-in-law, Li Wenxuan had the honor of sitting with the elders. He couldn’t help but think that being forced to drink wine today was inevitable, as the two men across from him held their cups like they had seen their own Amu.

After eating and drinking, the family sat down to chat. The brothers exchanged thoughts about the big and small events of the past year. The men discussed Tian Fu’s plans to open a shop, though they all agreed that his cooking skills were exceptional.

In the afternoon, the eldest and second uncles said their goodbyes. It would take time to get back, so they didn’t stay long. 

Tian Amu didn’t stay either, as he would be leaving the next day.

Before leaving, Tian Xiaoman and Li Wenxuan presented their New Year gifts. 

These thoughtful gifts made a deep impression on their uncles, and they left feeling even more favorable toward Li Wenxuan.

After sending the two uncles off and watching their ox carts disappear into the distance, Tian Xiaoman and Li Wenxuan were about to return when a large man suddenly approached them. He exclaimed, “Xiaoman, you’re being unreasonable! Even if my Yu’er offended you, how could you two bully him together? My Yu’er has been well-behaved since he was young. He couldn’t possibly have offended you! You must give me an explanation today. We’re all neighbors. How could you bully others like this. You have to explain yourselves today!”