The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 53

 

| TBBOTOF | 53

Tang Xu always said that Wei Dong was a man of action, and he himself was pretty much the same.

The day after planning to start the cold pot skewer business, they set up their stall.

Not at the front door, but at the back door, they found a spacious area and set up a small earthen stove and a wooden table. The back door of the mansion was closer to the village road, and there were usually more people coming and going.

Last night, after eating dinner, everyone was so full from the delicious skewers, especially Wei Dong. He was the most exaggerated, soaking rice in the broth, and he even soaked three large steamed buns in the broth.

After finishing the meal, he rarely told Tang Xu that he wanted to take a stroll because he was so full. Tang Xu's expression at the time was quite speechless.

"Let's get to work. Chop the meat filling, I'll make meatballs, grind sesame and peanuts for sauce, and slice the cucumbers and radishes into thin strips, long enough to thread directly onto skewers tomorrow."

Wei Dong nodded. He chopped the meat filling, while Tang's siblings ground sesame and peanuts with a small stone mill. Wei Xi peeled potatoes with a small knife, and Tang Xu washed the gluten, repeatedly kneading and washing a large ball of dough in a basin of water.

"Sister, can we still use the water after it's been mixed?" Tang Li asked as she pushed the small mill and turned her head. "How do we use this?"

"The water we washed out can be used to make cold noodles. I'll make some for you to try tomorrow," Tang Xu replied. After repeated washing four times, the water was clear, and a small lump of gluten came out. He put the soft lump of gluten into a basin and continued to wash another piece.

Tang Yang licked his lips, looking greedy. "Big brother's cooking is definitely delicious!" Tang Xu chuckled lightly, glancing at the sesame and peanut sauce that had been ground. He sniffed the air; the aroma was really enticing.

"Ah Li, how much roasted sesame do we have left?"

"None left, I poured out all of it, and we're out of roasted peanuts too," Tang Li stopped her movements and took down a small jar containing roasted sesame from the shelf to show him. "Do you need to get some sesame?"

Tang Xu glanced at the sauce that had been ground and nodded. "Yes, we need to get some."

"Um, can big brother buy the sesame I planted?" Tang Li's face blushed, carefully observing his expression. "I planted a small patch of sesame behind the house. Can you buy it?"

Tang Xu was quite surprised by the shy look on the young girl's face and chuckled, "Of course, you can do that. Just collect them and bring them to me. But I don't know the price for the sesame, you'll have to ask your brother-in-law."

He turned to Wei Dong. "How much does sesame cost?"

"It's about the same as peanuts. I always buy them together, so I haven't paid much attention," Wei Dong replied. He was the type who didn't bother bargaining and just bought whatever seemed appropriate, without haggling over a few cents.

Tang Xu then looked at Tang Li again. "Once you've collected all the sesame, we'll see how much you have and then figure out the price."

Tang Li nodded happily. She had planted the sesame more as a hobby, so earning a few cents from it made her quite pleased. She broke off a piece of old dough, dissolved it in water, mixed it into the gluten, and kneaded it. Then she covered it and let it ferment for a while. 

"Alright, Ah Li, take Ah Yang and Xiao Xi to wash up. After washing, go back to sleep. I'll help your brother-in-law with the rest."

Tang Li agreed and took her two younger brothers to wash up. After they returned to their room, she went back to the kitchen.

Wei Dong was helping Tang Xu watch the fire in the stove, while Tang Xu was busy making and cooking meatballs. When they heard footsteps, they both turned to see Tang Li returning. Without asking any questions, they just continued with their work.

The young girl had a lot on her mind, so it was normal for her not to sleep.

"If you can't sleep, Ah Li, you can use a small spoon to transfer the sesame and peanut sauce we just ground into jars. Then, add some hot water to the leftover residue and grind it again to make a soup." Tang Xu was trying to be frugal; he didn't want to waste anything. Even the sesame and peanut sauce soup could be used to enhance the flavor of the cold pot broth.

"Tomorrow, can you catch a few big fish for me? We'll make some fish meatballs. If they sell well, we can also make chicken meatballs and chicken strips. Don't forget to buy lean pork in the morning, and some offal too, get a pair of them," he instructed Wei Dong.

Wei Dong nodded. "Sure, we don't need to cook lunch tomorrow. Steamed buns with broth and skewers would be good."

"When we sell in the village, we can set a cheaper price. Two skewers of vegetarian options for one penny, and one skewer of meat for one penny. How about that?" Tang Xu wasn't really good at pricing, he always felt like he might not be able to sell them.

Wei Dong nodded, but Tang Li shook her head.

The husband and wife looked at her, and the young girl nervously said, "Big brother, if you cut the meat too small for the skewers, no one will buy them for one penny. Ten pennies can buy a pound of meat."

Tang Xu grunted in agreement, "A skewer of meat the length of a finger should be considered decently sized. Let's make some tomorrow and give it a try." He wasn't worried about not being able to sell them; worst case scenario, they could just eat them at home.

After cooking the meatballs, they threaded two of them onto a skewer, then placed them in the cold broth to soak. Later, they would put the cold pot into the well water to keep it chilled, so there was no need to worry about it spoiling.

Wei Dong used a knife to cut bamboo skewers, while Tang Xu led Tang Li in threading them. After threading the meatballs, they threaded pieces of gluten. They had to be careful not to soak them for too long, as they might become soggy and affect the texture.

"For the cucumber and radish slices, thread them horizontally, three slices per skewer and two skewers," Tang Xu demonstrated. "After threading them, fold them over and soak them in the broth."

Tang Li nodded. She had used green radishes, thinly sliced to the point of being almost transparent. "Brother-in-law sliced them so thinly," she remarked.

Tang Xu grunted in agreement. "That way, they'll absorb the flavor better."

He couldn't resist the temptation and dipped a slice of radish into the broth, tasting its flavor. The spicy, salty, and fragrant broth paired with the crisp, refreshing, and sweet radish was so delicious; once you started eating, you couldn't stop.

"Ah Li, soak the radish and cucumber separately, or they'll mix flavors," Tang Xu instructed.

"Tomorrow, let's cook some potato slices; they taste good too. Also, tofu and green beans can be soaked. Let's start with these and see how they sell. If there's a high demand, we can prepare more," he continued.

Heshan Village was a large village, with a population of over two thousand people when counted together. If it were in a less populated area, it could probably pass for a town.

Tang Xu wasn't too greedy. The night before, he divided the soup ingredients into two pots. They had consumed one-third for their dinner, and the remaining two-thirds were used to cook meat slices to spread the aroma and attract customers. The rest of the soup was used as a cold pot to soak meatballs, skewers, radish, cucumber, green beans, potato slices, gluten, and tofu.

The sauce-red broth had a layer of bright red oil on top, sprinkled with a generous amount of roasted sesame seeds. The skewers were soaked in it, covered with a layer of gauze to keep away dust.

Tang Yang happily carried several skewers of freshly cooked meat, ready to embark on the task of showing off to his friends. This task was familiar to him, just like when he used to sell sugar paintings!

He dashed outside, while Tang Li and Wei Xi were busy setting up the small stove and boiling the broth. The aroma wafted out, attracting someone familiar.

Uncle Wu was being led by his two grandsons, following the scent. "What are you folks doing? It smelled so good last night that I couldn't sleep," Uncle Wu asked Wei Xi with a smile, his eyes glancing at the covered large pot. "What's this? Are you planning to sell something?"

Wei Xi, familiar with Uncle Wu, didn't hesitate and nodded with a friendly smile. "Hello, Uncle Wu. These are the cold broth skewers made by my brother-in-law. In this hot weather, people lose their appetite, but our food is particularly appetizing. 

Last night, we had a big pot of rice and mantou, all paired with this," he lifted a corner of the gauze covering the pot to show Uncle Wu what was inside. "Two skewers for one coin, with options for both vegetarian and meat skewers."

This price was set by Tang Xu in the morning. Although they weren't making a profit selling at two skewers for a coin, it was important to move volume when selling in the village. 

Besides, the ingredients used in the pot were relatively inexpensive; they had harvested most of the vegetables from their own fields, and apart from the pork, they hadn't spent much money.

Uncle Wu looked at the piece of meat on the skewer, which was about the thickness of a finger. Surprisingly, two pieces were being sold for a coin, which he found expensive, so he decided not to buy. Then, he glanced at the nearby meatballs, which looked quite appealing with their round shape, and asked, "What kind of meatballs are these?"

"Tofu residue meatballs," Tang Li replied from the side.

Uncle Wu nodded and pointed to the darker-colored meatballs beside them, "And what about these? Are these meat ones?"

Although they were called meatballs, they actually contained starch and flour. Without these ingredients, the meatballs wouldn't have a good texture or chewiness.

"I want to eat meatballs, Grandpa!"

"I want to eat meatballs, Grandpa!"

His two grandsons, about the same age as Tang Yang, had been salivating at the aroma and started acting up when Uncle Wu asked so many questions without buying anything.

Uncle Wu thought, since two skewers of meatballs were only one coin, it wasn't expensive. He decided to buy them to try.

Each skewer had two meatballs, and they were small enough for a child to easily eat both in one bite. His two grandsons grabbed the meatballs and stuffed them into their mouths, causing red broth to trickle down their lips.

"Mmm!"

"So delicious! It's a bit spicy and a bit sweet!"

Grandpa Wu swallowed his saliva twice at the aroma, but his grandsons were too quick, not leaving him a chance to taste any. "Grandpa, I want more!"

"Me too, Grandpa. One coin isn't expensive. Buy us a few more." Grandpa Wu was left with no choice but to buy two more skewers of meatballs, but his grandsons insisted on trying other things.

Four potato slices on one skewer, three large radish slices on two skewers, three tofu pieces on one skewer, and something unfamiliar that looked like a cross between noodles and tofu, also two pieces on one skewer, plus another skewer of meat.

Six skewers cost three coins, and when placed in a large bowl, the quantity looked substantial.

Tang Xue was generous; as long as it wasn't meat, he gave generous portions.

The two grandsons didn't even lift their heads as they ate. Grandpa Wu couldn't resist reaching over to grab their empty skewers, and with just one nibble, he ended up buying more for five coins.

In the end, they even drank up the leftover broth in the bowl, wasting nothing.

"Wow, this taste is really something," Grandpa Wu smacked his lips, savoring the flavor. Despite being spicy, it didn't sting his throat at all. It was cool and refreshing, and if paired with a glass of wine, it would be even more delightful.

As he ate, several people approached, including women and children, all drawn by the enticing aroma. At first, they found the prices high, but seeing Grandpa Wu and his two grandsons enjoying the food so much, they couldn't resist spending a coin on two skewers of meat. Then, they couldn't stop themselves from indulging further.

That's how it goes—once the business starts, even if you're only making a small profit, when so many people come to eat, it's hard to resist. Later, Tang Xu came out from the courtyard with a large bamboo screen, upon which were placed many round, semi-transparent pieces resembling noodles.

"What's this? How much does it cost?" someone asked.

"This is Liangpi, three coins per piece. It's served with a sauce," Tang Xu replied directly, making a bowl on the table. He cut the Liangpi into finger-width strips, poured half a spoon of cold broth over them, and mixed it all together before offering a taste to everyone present.

"No need to say anything more, just take my money!"

In just one afternoon, a long queue formed at the empty space behind the back door of the mansion.

Tang Xu was responsible for cutting and mixing the Liangpi, Tang Li handed out skewers to those who wanted them, Wei Xi counted the skewers and collected the coins, while Wei Dong boiled water and cooked the skewers on the large stove inside the house. Tang Yang then delivered the cooked skewers to the customers outside.

By the end, all the soup in the pot and the thick Liangpi had been sold out.

"That's all for today. If you want to eat tomorrow, come early," Tang Xu wiped his hands clean and smiled at the people still in line. "We didn't prepare enough today, we'll have more tomorrow. Sorry for any inconvenience. See you next time."

Wei Dong came over to help move the small tables back into the courtyard, and the iron pots on the stove were also taken away. Tang Li pulled Wei Xi and Tang Yang to follow them back home.

Someone outside shouted that they forgot to take the barrel with the skewers.

Tang Xu smiled and said, "We don't need the used ones anymore. Leave it there to dry in the sun and we'll use it for firewood. If you want Liangpi tomorrow, it's best to bring your own bowl. We won't be providing bowls anymore."

Almost everyone who bought skewers had their skewers taken back, to be honest, Tang Xu found it dirty. So, he would rather spend some extra effort cutting bamboo skewers than reuse them.

With a loud clang, the courtyard gate closed.

Many people from the village who had heard about their delicious food came to join the excitement, but they were intercepted halfway.

"Don't bother going, they're sold out. If you want to eat, come back tomorrow."

"How's the taste? I heard it's really spicy, wouldn't that make you feel too hot?"

"Why would it be hot? It's served cold, but it's so delicious. I grabbed a skewer of fish balls and a skewer of potato slices. I don't know how they made the soup base, but it's really fragrant. The fish balls have no fishy taste at all, they're so tender and delicious."

"You didn't even mention the potatoes from your own field. With so many potatoes in your field, why are you still charging for potato slices?"

"You don't understand anything. If you had their skills, you could sell anything for money. Those potato slices are crispy and delicious, much better than what you make!"

"Both of you are so greasy, what are you arguing about? And I haven't seen you two eat any less either. I didn't even get a chance to grab any cold skin noodles, are they delicious?" 

"They're delicious, cool and refreshing with a nice bite to them. This Wei Dong really married into a good family, and Xu Ge'er is really capable."

"Who says he isn't! He's good-looking too, sitting there smiling all the time, I stole a few glances at him."

"I'll kill you, you brat!"

"Why would I let you hit me? I was just looking!"

With that, the two of them ran off bickering, and a few children who hadn't eaten enough ran home, saying they'd ask for two more cents tomorrow to buy more tasty food! 

Inside the main house, Wei Xi rushed in, sweating profusely, holding a bundle of bamboo sticks filled with copper coins.

"Sister Li, Ah Yang, come quick, let's count the money!" The three money-lovers each grabbed a handful and started counting.

Tang Xu went to wash his hands and brush the curtains, then he cut up the remaining cold skin noodles left on the stove, added cucumber shreds and sesame peanut sauce, and mixed it all together with some seasoned water.

"Come over here and wash your hands for dinner, we'll count after we eat," he called out loudly. Despite their eager agreement, the three money-lovers didn't move until they had counted all the copper coins, then they rushed to the kitchen.

"Brother, I counted eighty-nine copper coins!"

"I counted a hundred and seven!"

"Brother, I counted seventy."

Tang Xu raised an eyebrow and handed over the basket where he had collected the copper coins. "Here, there are ninety. Count them and see if it's less."

"How do you know it's ninety, Brother?" Wei Xi asked him.

"Three cents for one piece of cold skin noodles. I sold thirty pieces, so that's ninety. Now go wash your hands properly and hurry up to eat."

"Brother, it is indeed ninety," Tang Li counted quickly, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "We earned so many copper coins today!"

Tang Xu chuckled and nodded. "But we haven't deducted the costs yet. We used white flour for the cold skin noodles today. If four catties of white flour cost forty wen, we netted fifty wen, which is not bad."

"We also made a lot from the skewers! Seven or eight radishes for three copper coins!" Wei Xi remarked. In the village, everyone grew vegetables in their yards, so they weren't worth much.

Tang Xu nodded again and urged them to wash their hands.

When they were busy selling skewers and collecting copper coins, they didn't feel hungry. But now, holding their bowls and seeing the cold skin noodles mixed with sesame peanut sauce inside, the three siblings ate without lifting their heads.

Wei Dong also sat on the stool, eating heartily.

"Both ways taste good," Tang Xu remarked, "But adding soup definitely enhances the flavor."

Tang Yang, with his mouth full of sauce, chimed in, "Both are delicious! But it would be even better with a bit of chili oil!"

Tang Xu gave him a stern look. "What do you need chili oil for at your age? Eating too much spicy food might cause you to get a sore throat."

After saying this, he thought for a moment and continued, "Tomorrow, let's make one batch with a sweet and sour flavor suitable for kids, and another batch with a spicy flavor." Wei Dong nodded in agreement without looking up.

Tang Xu sighed. "Can't you at least look at me when you're talking?"

"Let's finish eating first," Wei Dong replied, lifting his head to gesture for Tang Xu to eat as well.

Tang Xu shrugged. "Alright, fine. Eating is the most important thing after all."

In the following days, news of Wei Dong's family selling cold pot skewers and cold skin noodles spread throughout the village. They only sold them for a short period before lunch, and they limited the quantity—about six hundred skewers and fifty pieces of cold skin noodles each day. Once sold out, they packed up the small table and returned home.

For anyone who has tasted it, they will never forget it. Some people say it's too expensive and they don't want to spend that money, but when someone sells food with such good taste, even if you don't buy it, someone else will. Six hundred skewers isn't really much, just five wen for ten skewers, plus a piece of cold skin noodle, it's only eight wen in total. For those with small appetites, eight wen can solve their lunch.

There are those nitpickers who say they can go to town and eat a bowl of noodles for only four wen, so what's the point of spending eight wen here? But in a village with so many people, there will always be those with cravings. This kind of food isn't eaten every day, just occasionally, so spending a few wen once in a while won't bother anyone.

It's been said long ago that the villagers of Heshan Village have money in their hands, but they usually hold onto it and don't spend it. It's just because there hasn't been anything to tempt them to spend it, but now there is?

Tang Xu didn't let the three children work for nothing, he paid them. However, the pay wasn't much, calculated by the day. Tang Li got ten wen because the little girl did a lot of work, while Wei Xi and Tang Yang each got five wen.

"Elder brother, I can't accept it," Tang Li declined. She and her brother ate and drank at Wei's house, so how could she take money again?

But Tang Xu insisted, "Take it, both your brother and I have agreed. This money is what you and Yang earned through your labor, don't feel guilty about it." 

After saying this, he glanced at the little girl, who had been noticeably happier lately, and gently patted her forehead, "I reckon you won't be earning much more in the coming days. Father's side should be done by now."

Tang Li was taken aback, realizing what he meant by "done." Her expression turned crestfallen again.

Tang Xu turned his head to look at Tang Yang, who was pulling weeds and catching insects in the vegetable field with Wei Xi. He then took Tang Li to a shady spot under the eaves, fanned her with a fan, and said, "Yesterday I sent your brother-in-law to deliver some cold skin noodles and skewers to Dad, and they had a chat for a while."

Tang Li looked up at him.

Tang Xu waved his hand. "Nothing much was said. It was all just what Dad told me. You should have a rough idea of your brother-in-law's character. He's not much of a talker. He said Mom has gone back to her family, and she took half of the money we had saved with her, leaving the other half for Ah Rui."

Tang Li was stunned. "Big brother is back?"

Tang Xu nodded, his face showing little expression. But when he heard what Wei Dong said at the time, he just shrugged.

Tang Rui was called back by his maternal family to attend the school in the county. She was also clear that her daughter and youngest son would definitely not speak up for her. In her mind, they were both white-eyed wolves seduced away by Tang Xu.

So she ran back to her maternal family and complained to her mother, asking her brothers to call Tang Rui back from the county. Liu Xiangxiang thought it was a good idea, believing that her eldest son, whom she had loved and pampered since childhood, would speak up for her against Tang Erhu. 

However, she was sorely disappointed. When Tang Rui was called back home by his uncle that day, he was already quite unhappy. However, he wasn't close to this uncle, so even though he was full of frustration, he just maintained a distant attitude and didn't say much.

After returning home, Tang Rui was greeted by his happy mother, but he wasn't pleased and asked her, "Mom, why did you call me back? Couldn't you wait until my break to talk about whatever it is?"

Liu Xiangxiang glanced at her eldest brother, who had already left, knowing that he didn't want to get involved in their family affairs, which displeased her. 

She could only grab Tang Rui's arm and urgently said, "Ah Rui, your father wants to divorce me! Quickly help Mom talk to your father!" 

Tang Rui was stunned and surprised, "Divorce you? Why? What did you do to upset Dad?" 

Liu Xiangxiang never expected that her eldest son's first thought upon hearing that she was going to be divorced was that she had done something wrong!

Tang Erhu appeared before Liu Xiangxiang could pull Tang Rui aside to talk, standing at the door of the main room, looking at his wife and children in the yard. There was no extra expression on his face, and he looked somewhat tired. 

He raised his hand and gestured, "Come inside and talk. You have no shame, but let Ah Rui have some dignity."

Tang Rui snapped out of his daze and quickly helped his mother inside.

Once inside, he didn't see his sister and brother and asked in confusion, "Where are Ah Li and Ah Yang? Why aren't they at home?"

"Your elder brother took them to stay elsewhere. They'll come back when our family matters are resolved," Tang Erhu said as he sat down at the table and poured a bowl of water for his eldest son. "Did you come back because of what happened between me and your mother?"

"Uncle said my mom had urgent business and asked me to come home to see her, saying that if I didn't, she wouldn't be able to live anymore. Then he forcefully brought me back," Tang Rui said with a tone of annoyance, clearly not happy about being forcibly taken from school. "Dad, what's going on? Why do you want to divorce Mom? Which of the seven serious offenses did Mom commit?"

Tang Erhu didn't even know what the "seven serious offenses" were, so he didn't bother with that. He simply said, "If you want to know why I want to divorce her, have you asked her?"

Tang Rui shook his head and looked at Liu Xiangxiang, "Mom, what's going on?"

Liu Xiangxiang pressed her lips tightly and didn't say anything.

Tang Erhu sneered, "If you won't say it, then I will. Ah Rui, your mother, she's been living with me for over twenty years, and I never saw her for what she truly is. I thought she was just petty and greedy, but she's actually insane!"

Liu Xiangxiang turned around and yelled at Tang Erhu, "I'm not insane! If I didn't bring him back to raise, he would have died long ago!"

"You brought him back to raise him properly? Do you dare say you didn't want revenge on his parents? Liu Xiangxiang, tell your eldest son what you've done to Xu Ge'er!" Tang Erhu shouted angrily at her.

Tang Rui was already stunned, he looked at Liu Xiangxiang in disbelief and asked, "Mom, my... brother, he's not your biological child? You brought him back? Why? Why would you do that?"

"Why? Before she married me, she had feelings for another man and wanted to marry him. But that man didn't want her and ended up marrying a beautiful ger. Your mother harbored hatred towards them, and when she found out they both died and left behind a child, she went and brought the child back, claiming she was afraid of making me angry and sad.

 Liu Xiangxiang, do you have any shame? Do you have a conscience? How did our child die? Can you explain that?" Tang Erhu had been unable to sleep for the past few days, his eyes bloodshot with anger.

He kept thinking about why their eldest son, whom they never got the chance to meet, was born stillborn. They had attached great importance to that pregnancy, frequently visiting the town to see the doctor every few days or so.

Recently, some things came to his mind.

The middle-aged man rubbed his face and glared at Liu Xiangxiang angrily, "The day you suddenly said you wanted to go back to your mother's house, the day before that, I accompanied you to see the doctor in town. Dr. Xu from Huichun checked your pulse and said you were in good health, and the baby in your belly was also healthy. He advised you to go back and rest, to stay happy, and assured that in a month, you would definitely give birth to a chubby baby boy!

But the next day, your younger sister came over, and you insisted on going back to your mother's house no matter how I tried to stop you. Why? Did your younger sister tell you that the man was dying, and you rushed back to see him for the last time? And because you couldn't see him, you ended up stressing yourself out, and the child was born prematurely and didn't survive!

When you gave birth, none of your relatives from your mother's family came to tell me the good news. I only found out when I went to drink with others. Are you feeling guilty?"

"Didn’t you want to cover up the whole thing back then? When I came to pick you up, that's when you brought Xu Ge'er back, right? I saw the child then and said he was being well taken care of, chubby and healthy. Was that because of you? That's because his father took care of him!" Tang Erhu took a sip of water and sneered, "Liu Xiangxiang, you're good at weaving lies. Do you really think I'm a fool?"

Liu Xiangxiang's whole body trembled with anger, unable to come up with a rebuttal.

Tang Rui furrowed his brows, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Mom, is Dad right? Did you really lose your child because of some other man?"

"Ah Rui, mind your own business!" Liu Xiangxiang pushed him away. "Go back to your room."

"If you don't want me to interfere, then why did you call me back? What's the point?" Tang Rui shrugged off her hand, his face filled with impatience. "If you don't want to talk about it, fine. I don't want to hear it anyway."

After saying this, Tang Rui turned to Tang Erhu and said, "Dad, I don't have much to say about your affairs. Just don't hinder my studies. If you really can't get along with Mom, then just get a divorce. After all, she gave birth to three children for you, so give her some dignity. Besides, I have to take the imperial examinations in the future. I can't have a mother who has been divorced."

Tang Erhu glanced at his eldest son, then at the astonished Liu Xiangxiang. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded. "Fine, let's make peace and separate. But you three siblings can't go with her."

Tang Rui nodded. "Okay, I understand."

Liu Xiangxiang went crazy. She didn't want to make peace, let alone be divorced!

Although making peace sounded better than being divorced, the result was the same! She would be leaving the home she had lived in for twenty years!

"I don’t want to make peace! Tang Erhu, I won't do it! How could you not want to be with me just because of your stepson? Besides, he's already married, and he's married so well! I raised him all these years, how have I wronged him?"

 

"You refusing to compromise means you'll just wait to be divorced. There's no other outcome." Tang Erhu didn't waste any more words with her, speaking firmly, "I haven't told my parents about this matter yet. If they find out, they probably won't even give you the chance to argue with me here."

"Also, don't blame your mistakes on others. Even Tang Yang knows that when you make a mistake, you need to admit it. What about you? Have you ever apologized to Xu Ge'er? You've beaten and scolded him since he was young. When he was sick, you didn't buy him medicine. How did he get sick? He saved your youngest son! Do you have any gratitude towards him?" Tang Erhu slammed the table and stood up angrily, "Since you don't want to divorce, then I will ask our elders to divorce you!"

He finished speaking and walked out. Liu Xiangxiang, startled awake, grabbed him, "No, no, Erhu, you can't!  I agree, I agree to divorce!"

Tang Erhuo turned his head coldly to look at her, "You agree to divorce."

"Yes, I agree, but you can't just let me go like this!" Liu Xiangxiang stared fiercely at Tang Erhu, her eyes bloodshot, "I... I've given birth to three children for you. I want money. I want the money I've saved up over the years!"

Tang Erhuo was utterly disappointed in her, but he didn't want to argue with her anymore. He nodded, "Fine, it's all yours. Take all the money you've saved."

"No!" Tang Rui interjected from the side, "Mom, if you take all the money, what will I do? I still need to study!" 

To be frank, Liu Xiangxiang never imagined that her eldest son would be so cold-hearted and say such things. He didn't care at all about whether his mother lived or died; he only thought about himself!

 

Tang Erhu thought for a moment, then turned and walked to the wardrobe, carrying out the small wooden box where Liu Xiangxiang kept her money. 

Despite Liu Xiangxiang's resistance, he opened the box and poured out all the silver coins and copper coins inside.

"Here, divide it up. Both of you, divide it yourselves, and then get out of my sight!" he said, standing up and leaving without wanting to see the mother and son's bickering.

Tang Rui didn't mince words with his mother. He began dividing the money methodically, one silver coin for you, one for me, one copper coin for you, one for me.

Liu Xiangxiang was shaking with anger, but she knew she couldn't argue with him. After all, even if she fought for it, it would be of no use.

"Mom, take the money back to your family quickly and find yourself a husband. Otherwise, you won't be able to keep this money," Tang Rui put his share of the silver coins into his purse, looking at Liu Xiangxiang with a stern face. 

Though his words were meant to be caring, they sent a chill down one's spine, "I'm taking this money to use for my studies in the county. Once I pass the imperial examination, I'll be able to receive food and money from the Yamen office, and then I won't need to ask you or Dad for money anymore."

 

"Even if I'm divorcing your father, you still want to ask me for money? Tang Rui, what are you thinking?" Liu Xiangxiang was nearly overcome with anger by his words.

Tang Rui looked at her blankly, his face puzzled. "Even if you divorce Dad, you're still my mother, aren't you? Didn't you say I'm your most beloved son? If I run out of money, then won't I have to ask you and Dad for it? Besides, Dad won't manage the money, and after you leave home, the family's finances will definitely be managed by my sister. She and my brother will need money for various things, and I won't have as much to use as before. If I can't receive money from the government office yet, I'll have to ask you for it, won't I? Don't you want me to study well and become a high-ranking official in the future?"

He spoke convincingly, leaving Liu Xiangxiang at a loss for words.

Not to mention Liu Xiangxiang, even Tang Erhu, who was standing outside the room, couldn't help but feel regretful.

Did his eldest son learn nothing from going to school? To respect his parents, to love his siblings—had he learned none of that? Instead, he only learned how to be selfish and self-serving, how to drain his parents' resources!

Tang Erhu decided to stop listening altogether. Let them be as they pleased. At this point, all he wanted was for Liu Xiangxiang to leave this household!

When Wei Dong went to deliver the cold noodles and hot pot skewers to Tang Erhu, Tang Rui had already left, clutching the money he had been given. 

As he left, he told Tang Erhu that he would come back during the agricultural break, but Tang Erhu replied that the family didn't need him to come back.

 

As for what Tang Rui said? He mentioned that he wanted to come back to get money, as the agricultural break was a long time and coincided with the autumn harvest. He could help his father collect the money earned from selling grain, which could be used for his studies next year.

At that time, Tang Erhu said, "If there's money at home, you can study; if not, then don't. The money from selling grain won't be given to you, so stop dreaming." Then Tang Rui left angrily.

After hearing all this from Wei Dong, Tang Xu felt bewildered for a long time before coming back to his senses.

When talking to Tang Li about this later, he couldn't be as detailed.

He simply said, "It seems like you'll be the one running the household in the future. Dad will only focus on farming, and everything else at home will be up to you to take care of. You're a smart girl, and although it might be chaotic at first, you can handle it. Ah Li, you need to stand up for yourself. No matter what others say, you need to establish yourself first."

"But if Dad remarries and a stepmother comes in, won't she be the one running the household?" Tang Li was still uneasy. Despite being mature for her age, she was still just a young girl.

"That's something for the future. If you don't want to run the household, you can talk to Dad and let him manage the money himself," Tang Xu said, scratching her nose lightly with his finger before shaking his head. "But I think that's not a good idea. Dad isn't suitable for managing money."

 

Tang Li smiled bitterly and tugged at the corners of her mouth, "Brother, I'm really scared."

"Don't be afraid," Tang Xu opened his arms and hugged her, gently patting her back. "Life is about taking one step at a time, looking forward, and moving forward. It will always get better."

Tang Li buried her face in his chest and nodded vigorously.

A few days later, Tang Erhu came to the main house by himself for the first time. It was his first time coming here, so he even asked for directions along the way.

"You're going to Wei Dong's house, right? Just follow the smell, they're selling skewers over there now. Are you also going to buy some to try?" 

Tang Erhu thought to himself, I don't need to buy, my child will bring some for me!

He really didn't visit the back village often, so everything looked fresh to him, especially when he smelled the aroma and saw the long queues of people ahead, he almost didn't dare to continue walking forward.

 

"Dad?!" Tang Xu, who had come out from the back door, spotted Tang Erhu standing a few meters away and ran towards him in excitement. "Dad, why are you here! Have you eaten?"

Tang Erhu smiled at him and, seeing so many people waiting, said, "You go ahead and do your business. We'll talk after you're done."

"You must be Xu Ge'er's father! You've raised Xu Ge'er really well!"

Tang Erhu glanced at the woman speaking to him, whom he didn't recognize, but still smiled and nodded, "My child Xu Ge'er is indeed very good."

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