"Eldest sister-in-law, second sister-in-law."
Xue Li and Chen Fengying had just walked in, and both nearly thought they had come to the wrong house.
Their brother-in-law was actually mending a net for the first time ever. That was a rare sight indeed.
Both turned to their mother-in-law, Li Yue'e, asking with their eyes what was going on.
Li Yue'e pointed to her head, indicating that he might have suffered a shock.
Li Yue'e pulled them into a room and whispered with them for a long while before they finally understood what had happened.
They could not help feeling sorry for their brother-in-law.
Li Yue'e looked at her two daughters-in-law and sighed a little.
"You two just need to know about it. Don't bring it up in front of Donglai. I'm afraid if he gets another shock, he might be dreaming about something other than becoming a ten-thousand-yuan household tomorrow."
Both nodded to show they understood.
"By the way, keep an eye out on your families' side. If there are any suitable young women, help introduce them to him."
This gave the two women pause. There was nothing to complain about when it came to their family's standing, but with their brother-in-law's personality, wouldn't they be pushing someone into a pit of fire?
How could Li Yue'e not know what her daughters-in-law were thinking?
But word of her son's reputation had probably spread through all the surrounding villages. Grazing close to home was unlikely to work, so they would have to look farther afield.
"Don't just brush me off. One each, no excuses. Consider it a hard quota."
Xue Li found it difficult, but she could not disobey her mother-in-law, so she eventually nodded.
Chen Fengying said quietly, "Mom, can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"If you were still an unmarried girl, would you be willing to find someone like Donglai?"
Li Yue'e glanced at her second daughter-in-law and fell silent.
After a long while, she let out a long sigh. "Forget I said anything."
"Dad, you're back."
While the three were talking, Li Yue'e heard the call from outside and hurried out.
When she saw Wei Guoqing, she asked eagerly, "How did it go with the job?"
Wei Guoqing shook his head. "There's no definite answer yet. We'll probably have to wait another week or so."
"Why did you bring the things back again?"
"There's no definite answer yet, so Old Li wouldn't take them, would he?"
"You can't even give someone a few gifts. What use are you?"
Wei Guoqing was not upset by the scolding. He handed her the things he was carrying along with the change.
Li Yue'e took the remaining money and stuffed it into her pocket. "Put the liquor and malted milk in the inner room. We'll take them over again next time."
Wei Donglai felt a little pleased. It looked like he would not have to go to the meatpacking plant anytime soon.
"Are you very happy about that?"
Seeing the rather dangerous look in his mother's eyes, Wei Donglai quickly composed his expression and shook his head firmly.
"Mom, can't you see the sorrow in my eyes at not being able to start work sooner?"
"Wipe those two clumps of gunk out of the corners of your eyes and speak properly."
"Mom, I'm absolutely not happy in the slightest."
Under Li Yue'e's sweeping gaze, Wei Donglai hid his happiness beneath his sorrow.
"You'd better not be. If you are, stamp it out."
Seeing that he had fooled her, Wei Donglai could not help breathing a sigh of relief.
With his two sisters-in-law and his parents joining in, the work of sorting out the fishing nets went much faster.
But Wei Donglai could faintly sense his father's watchful gaze on his back.
He turned for a quick look and saw his father's fault-finding gaze and the way he was itching to make a move. He obediently mended the net, determined not to give his father an excuse to lay hands on him.
By noon, his father's watchful gaze had still not relaxed. Wei Donglai called out to his eldest sister-in-law, Xue Dongli, just as she was about to get up and cook.
"Eldest sister-in-law, let me make lunch today."
Without waiting for Xue Li to refuse, Wei Donglai darted straight into the kitchen, leaving her staring blankly.
Have I lost my job?
Li Yue'e looked at Wei Guoqing. "That little brat knows how to cook?"
"I had the good fortune to eat his cooking once. It left a particularly deep impression."
"When did he learn to cook?"
Wei Guoqing glanced at his wife. "I'm afraid you've misunderstood what I meant by a particularly deep impression."
"Speak plainly."
"Remember that day before the New Year when only us men were left at home?"
"The time you had diarrhea until your legs went weak?"
Wei Guoqing nodded. "The third son cooked that day. If you want us to still be able to stand normally tonight, I think you'd better let Lili do the cooking."
"Forget it. I'll go take a look."
Li Yue'e went into the kitchen and saw her son busy at work. She was somewhat gratified.
"Son, I haven't really seen you cook before. Where did you learn?"
"I've read some cookbooks recently."
Li Yue'e had already reached a conclusion.
He was still at the theoretical stage. His only attempt at putting it into practice had left his father and two brothers squatting over the latrine all day.
"Son, I'm already very gratified that you have such filial intentions. How about I do it instead, and you can try again once you've had more practice?"
Although his mother had put it in a roundabout and tactful way, Wei Donglai understood.
That familiar voice and familiar tone-nothing good could come of it.
The trouble was, there were already three victims. How could she dare trust him? Was he planning to spare no one today?
"Food is precious. How about you don't waste it?"
"Mom, trust me. My cooking doesn't taste bad."
"It's not the bad taste I'm afraid of. I'm afraid we'll feel bad after eating it."
"Mom, the first time is unfamiliar, the second time you know your way around. If I don't try, won't I never learn?"
Thinking of the question her second daughter-in-law had just asked her, Li Yue'e felt she should give the boy a chance to practice. If he did not change a little, she feared he really would be stuck on her hands.
Seeing Li Yue'e come out of the kitchen, Wei Guoqing looked worried.
"You're really letting him cook?"
"Let him do it. Maybe he's improved?"
"We spent one day squatting last time. Two days this time?"
Li Yue'e glanced at her husband. Is that how you understood the improvement I was talking about? Do you think this is a case of fighting poison with poison? The poison's gotten stronger, is that it?
Wei Guoqing saw nothing wrong with his interpretation. "Anyway, I'm not eating first."
Chen Fengying followed right behind her father-in-law. "Me neither."
Li Yue'e looked at Xue Li with some sadness, though there was an unmistakable sharpness to her gaze.
"Then I'll eat first."
Li Yue'e nodded in satisfaction.
Xue Li felt a little miserable. In the end, she alone had to bear it all.
For the sake of their physical and mental health, they took turns checking on the kitchen. Seeing that Wei Donglai's movements were not clumsy, they seemed considerably reassured.
Before long, several simple dishes were brought to the table: pan-fried assorted small fish, cold dressed dragon whisker greens, homestyle eggplant, clam and kelp soup, and a plate of greens.
"It looks pretty good."
"It smells good too."
"Doesn't look poisonous."
Hearing his father's final comment, Wei Donglai was somewhat speechless.
Wei Guoqing paid him no mind. Some things only needed to happen once.
"Dad, why don't you try it first?"
What a good son you are. How come I'm the first person you think of for something like this?
Wei Guoqing simply pretended not to hear him.
Wei Donglai turned his gaze to his mother, but Li Yue'e remained as steady as Mount Tai.
His second sister-in-law was outside the door and would not come in at all, so in the end Wei Donglai could only look at his eldest sister-in-law, Xue Li.
Xue Li cautiously wafted the steam toward herself with her hand and sniffed. Only after making sure there was no strange smell did she gingerly pick up a tiny morsel with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth.
The three beside her who did not dare try it quickly turned their eyes on her, asking whether it tasted normal.
Xue Li pursed her lips, almost wanting to cry. She was scared too, and the morsel she had picked up was so small that she had not been able to taste it.