Chapter 20

Besides, this devoted husband was his own son. So he said nothing more and went along with him. "Then give it a try. Your dad will help."

Xie Ning was satisfied and wished he could fly straight home. He began thinking about what seasonings to add after mincing the fish, and what price to set if he sold it.

Author's note: Let me explain: I know plenty of novels treat splitting the household as simply splitting the household, but I'm writing about the conflicts surrounding it, the feelings growing between the two leads, and the process of their family saving money. These things develop over time. Bringing up a household split today doesn't mean the leads stop doing everything else and spend every day fighting over it... I'm not dragging out the split. This is simply the backdrop against which the leads cherish and love each other.

Of course, special thanks to all you little angels for your comments. After the household splits, there won't be any more outrageous relatives in the plot, and the two leads will begin a new chapter of flourishing on their own.

Thank you to the little angels who cast Overlord votes or watered this story with nutrient solution between 2020-09-24 21:42:00 and 2020-09-25 18:52:15~

Thank you to the little angel who cast a landmine: EvilDian, 1;

Thank you to the little angels who watered this story with nutrient solution: Shi Jiusi A, 20 bottles; EvilDian, 3 bottles; Yvette and InT, 2 bottles each;

Thank you so much for your support, everyone. I'll keep working hard!

Chapter 20

"Over four taels?"

"After taking out the household's share, your family earned over two taels, Third Brother? Just from this one trip today?"

"How did you sell it? Who paid?"

"..."

Zhou Sanfeng took out two taels and a string of copper coins and handed them to the old lady before speaking. "It was all thanks to Ninglang's cleverness. The people in town liked the novelty."

Grandmother Zhou bit the silver, pleased. After all, in previous summers, even when her eldest son hauled all the eggplants from the fields to sell to restaurants in town, he only brought back one tael.

"Third Son, we still have peanuts at home and plenty of other vegetables in the fields. Come up with some ideas for those too, so we can sell them for a good price and give our Zhou family a good New Year."

Ever since that day, the old lady had been especially affectionate toward Zhou Sanfeng. Instead of calling him "Third" all the time, she now called him "Third Son," as though coaxing a child.

Zhou's Eldest Daughter-in-Law's mind worked quickly. The third branch could handle the eggplants, and she could handle the peanuts. There was nothing wrong with that, was there? "Exactly, Third Brother. Your family is busy with the eggplants, so I'll help the household by taking on the peanuts. Do you have any ideas we could use for those? Your eldest sister-in-law can put in some work too."

Zhou's Sixth Daughter-in-Law said, "Third Brother, then let me be shameless and ask this once too. My son is still little, so I can't help with the vegetables in the fields, but there's plenty of corn here at home. I'll help out too."

"Eldest Sister-in-Law and Sixth Sister-in-Law are so considerate. Then I'll help shoulder some of the household's work too. When the autumn radishes are harvested next month, I'll work on those." Lin Guihua simply couldn't stand the sight of her eldest sister-in-law angling for petty gains, so she deliberately spoke up to pretend to compete.

Lin Jin's grip on his sleeve tightened, and he looked toward his husband in a slight panic.

"Aunts, it's thoughtful of you. Ninglang learned this secret family recipe from my mother-in-law when he was little. Even as his husband, I can't be told any of it." Zhou Jinian stepped forward, first to get them out of the predicament, then to pass the buck. "But books contain folk recipes recorded from all sorts of regions. Cousin Wenshu and Sixth Uncle are well-read, so they must know a thing or two. Why don't you go home and ask them? You'll find a way."

"Oh? If it's in books, then surely you know something too, Nephew?" Zhou's Sixth Daughter-in-Law immediately turned her attention to Zhou Jinian.

Zhou Jinian raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly, not even deigning to face Zhou's Sixth Daughter-in-Law properly. "Sixth Uncle has hundreds of books in his study, if not thousands. Even Cousin Wenshu has a study all to himself. Your nephew has neither a room nor books, neither paper nor ink, and knows how limited his learning is. I only offered a well-meant reminder, yet you've made me feel so inferior, Sixth Aunt."

With that, he straightened his head and stopped looking at her. Though he spoke of feeling inferior, he stood straighter than anyone. Despite his humble origins, he carried an air of nobility. Xie Ning stared at his husband, smiling with a besotted look.

The atmosphere fell quiet and awkward for a moment. Grandmother Zhou also wanted to make things up to her third son, so she handed the extra string of coins in her hand to Zhou Sanfeng. "Buy Jinian some paper and ink. We can endure hardship, but we can't let the child suffer."

Zhou's Eldest Daughter-in-Law watched with envy and could only shoot her loose-tongued sixth sister-in-law a tremendous eye roll.

The household had spent quite a bit of money lately, and now that some had finally come in, Grandmother Zhou grinned so widely that air whistled through the gaps in her teeth, unable to close her mouth.

Zhou Sifeng had carried grain out to sell during the day. His eldest brother had always handled the selling before, and only now that he took it on himself did he discover that it brought in more money!

Grain prices couldn't possibly have risen that much, so there was only one explanation: his eldest brother had been pocketing money! Once someone in a family took the lead in looking out for himself, the family's hearts could no longer stay united.

No wonder, although he and his eldest brother both toiled with their backs to the sky and their faces to the soil, his eldest brother had such a build. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was a butcher whose family sold pork.

So after selling the grain, Zhou Sifeng handed over exactly the same amount his eldest brother had in previous years.

The day after they returned from town, Zhou's Eldest Daughter-in-Law and Zhou's Sixth Daughter-in-Law stationed themselves in the kitchen. Did anyone really think they were after the fire-tending or pot-scrubbing chores?

Lin Jin knew perfectly well. He carried the pot back to their own little courtyard and used a brazier to cook the chili and glutinous rice sauce.

Zhou's Eldest Daughter-in-Law and Zhou's Sixth Daughter-in-Law looked at each other by the stove, curled their lips, and spat out a simultaneous "Pah!" before swaying back to their own rooms.

Xie Ning took charge of the cooking. Once the sauce was ready, he went to change his clothes so he could catch fish in Pool Cave. His mind was set on making pan-fried fish dumplings.

"Husband, how much more do you have to write?" Xie Ning came over and leaned across the desk.

Zhou Jinian couldn't resist drawing a line on his face with his brush. Whenever he wanted something, it was "Husband"; otherwise, it was "Jinian." How was that any way for a proper little husband to behave?

Xie Ning wasn't angry. He only chuckled foolishly. As long as Zhou Jinian spared a moment to pay attention to him, he was happy.

"Let's go." Zhou Jinian set down his brush. One glance was enough for him to understand what his little husband was thinking.

Propping up his chin, Xie Ning asked, "You're not even going to ask? Aren't you curious?"

"Not asking. Not curious." Zhou Jinian deliberately kept his expression cool to tease Ninglang.

Sure enough, Xie Ning gave a little whine, tugging at his arm and nagging, "You have to ask. Ask me!"

This little fool. Zhou Jinian held back his feelings and kept his expression under control, pretending to be solemn. "Then may I ask, my husband, when are we leaving for Pool Cave?"