Chapter 13. What's more, there was the enmity between the Jia Family and the Huang Family over the fight for a wife!
Children's blessings are always so simple and pure.
Huang Liying felt greatly comforted watching Huang Weiguo interact so harmoniously with Huahua and Qing Qing.
"Weiguo, come eat. Huahua, Qing Qing, don't bother your brother. Go get him a stool!"
"Okay!"
He Yushui wanted to leave, but Huang Weiguo stopped her: "Just eat here."
Huang Liying also said, "That's right, Yushui, you'd be alone if you went back. Eat here before you go."
He Yushui, eyes red, sat down and started eating.
This delicious wild pheasant didn't require complex cooking methods.
You just had to heat the wok thoroughly, pour in 200 grams of peanut oil, heat it to medium, add the chicken pieces, stir-fry over medium heat for 7-8 minutes until the chicken shrank, then add seasonings, water, and stew until cooked!
Today, Huang Liying didn't steam Steamed White Rice. Instead, she mixed white flour and cornmeal, smeared chicken fat along the edge of the pot, and made pot stickers.
Then, she added firewood to the stove, slowly reduced the sauce, and the large pot of stewed roasted chicken was complete.
The stewed chicken was tender and delicious. The rich gravy soaked into the cornmeal pot stickers, and taking a bite of the chicken—the flavor was simply fantastic.
Snowflakes gradually began to fall outside.
Every household started eating dinner.
When they smelled the fragrance of stir-fried chicken drifting from the Rear Courtyard, everyone instantly lost their composure.
"Is the Huang Family trying to live beyond their means? First Fish with Pickled Cabbage and Steamed White Rice, then Braised Pork and Steamed White Rice, and today it's stewed chicken! How much money did Huang Weiguo actually earn from hunting?"
"I went to the Subdistrict Office to ask around. I heard a single wild boar can sell for two hundred yuan!"
Yan Bugui's expression was unsightly.
Yan Jiekuang said, "Dad, didn't you say you were going to Huang Weiguos Home to ask for their leftover bones? Can we ask for chicken bones? Chicken bones taste better than fish bones!"
Yan Jiefang and Third Aunt also looked eagerly at Yan Bugui.
Yan Bugui looked troubled: "Our family never helped the Huang Family before. If we suddenly go over and ask, they might not give us anything. How about this: Yan Jiekuang, Yan Jiefang, you two keep a close eye on Huahua and Qing Qing in the courtyard, and don't let the little girls get bullied."
"Yang Ruihua, whenever you have time, chat more with Widow Huang. If her family needs any help, lend a hand!"
Yang Ruihua agreed, "Alright, I can do that! But, dear, the house at Huang Weiguos Home isn't in good shape. What about Jiecheng getting married..."
Yan Jiecheng looked at Yan Bugui expectantly.
Yan Bugui took a sip of gruel and said, "Here's the plan: I'll go to the Subdistrict Office later and ask if I can find Yan Jiecheng a job first. Also, Old Lin, who lives across from us, mentioned a few days ago that he wanted to sell his house and move back to the countryside. If he's serious about selling, I'll go inquire about it later."
"Our family situation is different from the Jia Family's. If we find a wife from the countryside, life will be even harder. It would be best if we could find a factory worker!"
Yan Jiecheng said, "A factory worker? Wouldn't we become a double-income worker family then? That would be much more impressive than Jia Dongxu!"
Yan Bugui said, "Exactly. In this courtyard, when it comes to foresight and calculation, who can compare to your father?"
In the Middle Courtyard, Qin Huairu had been restless all day, her mind constantly replaying the image of Huang Weiguo pushing his bicycle.
If she had married Huang Weiguo back then, would she be the one sitting on the back seat of Huang Weiguo's bicycle today?
What if Huang Weiguo could catch game every day from now on, and his life became better than the Jia Family's? What should she do then?
As soon as Jia Zhangshi smelled the aroma of chicken, she angrily threw her chopsticks onto the table: "The Huang Family is truly cold-blooded and heartless! They eat and drink well every day, but they don't know how to help orphans and widows like us! They have no conscience! The Jia Family is living so poorly, why won't they help me?"
Qin Huairu listened to Jia Zhangshi's words, her heart filled with contempt; her mother-in-law only knew how to act shamelessly.
She never stopped to think that she used to curse the Huang Family daily, saying they were a family line that would end without descendants and that they couldn't find a wife. Why should they help her?
What's more, there was the enmity between the Jia Family and the Huang Family over the fight for a wife!
The more Qin Huairu thought about it, the worse she felt. Actually, when discussing marriage with Huang Weiguo back then, Huang Weiguo had treated her very well.
His attitude towards her was much better than Jia Dongxu's.
Jia Dongxu's eyes were full of indifference. He said to Qin Huairu, "Huairu, you aren't regretting not choosing Huang Weiguo back then, are you?"
Qin Huairu quickly replied, "Dongxu, how could I? Even if Huang Weiguo is very capable, it's only temporary. Not having a job is a fatal flaw for him!"
Jia Dongxu said proudly, "Of course. My master said that in five years at most, I'll be earning a salary of fifty or sixty yuan. By then, our family will also buy a bicycle! At that point, our family will have both major items: a bicycle and a Sewing Machine!"
Qin Huairu imagined that scene in her mind, and her heart instantly bloomed with joy. She said, "Dongxu, I'll go pour you a drink!"
He Yuzhu returned home carrying his lunchbox. Not seeing He Yushui, he walked straight towards the Huang Family's home in the Rear Courtyard.
As soon as He Yuzhu entered the Huang Family gate and smelled the aroma inside, he said, "Good heavens, Huang Weiguo, are you guys going bankrupt? You're eating meat and fish every day. Granny Jia must be cursing you at home!"
Huang Weiguo said carelessly, "Let her curse. The more she curses, the better this meat tastes to me!"
Sha Zhu chuckled and said, "Granny Jia is indeed excessive, but Sister Qin is a good person. It's just a shame she ran into such a mother-in-law! Weiguo, Yushui has eaten two meals at your house. I just got paid today and bought some cooked food. Please don't despise it!"
At this time, although He Yuzhu's life was relatively difficult, he had not yet been brainwashed by Yi Zhonghai or manipulated by Qin Huairu.
Therefore, he was still the righteous, straightforward, helpful, and grateful He Yuzhu.
Huang Weiguo looked at the cooked food, which included a pound of pig head meat and two pig ears. This was enough to cover He Yushui's food expenses for these two meals.
Huang Weiguo suggested, "Since you're here, why don't we two brothers have a drink?"
He Yuzhu's eyes lit up, and he said happily, "That would be great!"
Huang Weiguo and He Yuzhu drank back and forth, enjoying themselves thoroughly.
Liu Haizhong sat in his room, smelling the aroma of stir-fried chicken and looking at the pig head meat, so angry that all the fat on his body trembled. He said to Aunt Liu, "Wife, our family is eating meat tomorrow too! We'll eat roasted meat!"
Aunt Liu advised, "Dear, roasted meat isn't cheap right now. If our family eats meat, you won't be able to afford your daily wine, peanuts, and eggs. Our family doesn't have the means the Huang Family does."
"Bang!"
Liu Haizhong angrily put down his chopsticks and said, "I can't live like this anymore! Smelling meat every day but not being able to eat it—it's too agonizing!"