**Chapter 8: Thriving**
**Three years had passed.**
Nine-year-old Xu Mingwei had grown a full head taller, now nearly one meter forty—he looked like a half-grown youth.
He had learned the breathing method and the twelve movements of the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill* and could now practice them on his own.
The biggest changes were in his strength and his eyes.
His inborn talent was no lie—many adults today were no match for him.
And his eyes had grown sharper and deeper.
When people met his gaze, their hearts felt cold.
Even adults, when faced with his gloomy stare, would feel a chill run down their spines.
His gaze felt as sharp as a knife, as if a hand had reached into their hearts.
Nevertheless, most people still kept their distance.
He had learned to be low-key—calm and unobtrusive.
---
**March.**
After the spring rain.
The land washed by the drizzle glistened dark brown with oil. The wild spinach in the fields held water droplets on its tender leaves.
Egrets swept across the rice paddies filled with spring water, plunging their beaks suddenly into the water to snatch up silver carp.
When a field mouse darted out of a damp pile of straw to steal new pea seedlings, the old yellow dog guarding the water chased after it, splashing a trail of mud.
In the endless rice fields, peasants in straw hats could be seen bending over to plant seedlings. When they stepped into the mud, it made a soft "gurgling" sound.
Xu Chuan was busy in the rice fields, and Xu Mingwei was beside him.
Xu Mingyuan carried a large teapot and two covered cups of water as he walked over.
"Dad, brother—Mother sent me to bring you tea."
Xu Chuan raised his head to look at Xu Mingyuan and smiled slightly. Then he turned to Xu Mingwei, who was seriously planting seedlings. "Shitou, go up and rest."
"Dad, I'm not tired. This row is almost finished. When this section is done, I'll rest."
"Whatever you want."
Smiling, Xu Chuan walked to the shore.
He took the tea from Xu Mingyuan and gulped down a large mouthful.
Xu Mingyuan looked at him and said, "Brother, you're really serious."
"Unlike you, little monkey—you can't stand it." Xu Mingwei spoke and laughed.
Xu Mingyuan stuck out his tongue and giggled, "Hehehe."
"I'm going to help my brother too."
With that, he took off his green cloth shoes, rolled his trousers up to his knees, and got down into the rice paddy. He walked up to Xu Mingwei and shouted, "Brother, I'll help you."
Xu Mingwei looked up and smiled. "Then thank you, Aiyuan."
"Go slowly. Don't fall."
Seeing this brotherly respect, Xu Chuan was very pleased.
The eldest was steady, like a mountain—enough to carry the family.
The second was lively, clever, and flexible.
As for the youngest son, now three years old, he could run—cheerful and energetic.
---
Xu Chuan had practiced the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill* for three years. Now, every time he cultivated, a stream of hot energy flowed through his entire body.
This was inner strength.
However, to become a third-rate warrior, he had to open at least thirty-six acupoints.
He had currently opened about thirty.
According to the inner strength manual, if you opened all 365 acupoints in the body, you would reach the peak of the acquired realm—inner strength flowing endlessly, life without end.
First-rate warriors needed to open three hundred. Second-rate needed one hundred eight.
Xu Mingwei, though a little slower, had already opened twenty acupoints.
His advantage lay in his youth—opening acupoints at a younger age was more beneficial—and he had more potential than Xu Chuan.
With Xu Mingyuan's help, the family finished the morning's planting early. Father and sons happily went home.
When they reached the door, they smelled the aromas.
"Chicken soup—and braised carp."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Xu Mingyuan's stomach growled loudly.
Under the eaves.
When Tan Tan saw his father and brothers returning, he shouted loudly, "Mother! Father and brothers are back!"
With that, he ran to Xu Chuan, yelling, "Dad! Dad!"
"Tan Tan, you know how to call Dad—what about us?"
Xu Minghu rubbed his head and squinted his eyes.
"Brothers always tease me. I won't call you."
He turned his head away.
Xu Mingwei scooped him up and shouted, "Big brother!"
"Can't I handle you?"
He pulled Tan Tan into his arms and frantically tickled him.
Tan Tan laughed until he begged for mercy.
"Go wash up and eat."
Xu Chuan went to the kitchen to check on Bai Jing and saw her bustling about.
When Bai Jing saw him, she smiled slightly. "Husband, go eat. My last dish is almost ready."
"Long ago, I smelled the aromas. I'm truly blessed to have married my wife."
"Glib tongue!"
Bai Jing laughed and scolded him, but she was clearly pleased—a smile blossomed on her face.
---
**That night.**
"Husband, let me tell you something."
"What is it?" Xu Chuan was lost in thought, considering the children's paths.
Tan Tan was now seven years old—it was time to decide.
But what exactly to choose—he planned to ask Xu Mingyuan first, then think it over carefully.
Bai Jing took his hand and placed it on her stomach.
Xu Chuan turned to look at her, blinking.
"Another one?"
Having children was hard. Xu Chuan understood that and hadn't wanted any more.
"We didn't plan it."
Bai Jing looked at him quietly, a little blankly. "It's not like you don't know, husband."
"Once it's done, this matter can't be completely prevented. Even if you take precautions, there's still a chance. Don't you want it?"
"How could I not!" He pulled her into his arms.
"Since it has come to our family, it's fate. Of course we'll have it. Even if there are seven or eight, our family can afford to raise them now."
In the past two years, Xu Chuan had bought another twenty acres of dry farmland and forty acres of mountain forest.
This dry farmland wasn't rice fields—usually it cost ten or more taels per acre. Mountain forest was cheaper, seven or eight taels per acre, but you had to clear the trees yourself before planting fruit trees.
These fields and mountain forests were planted with several kinds of fruit: strawberries in spring, watermelons, lychees, and peaches in summer, persimmons and pomelos in autumn, sugarcane and winter dates in winter.
Trees might take two years to bear fruit.
But crops like watermelons, strawberries, and sugarcane—under Xu Chuan's careful cultivation—could produce a lot every year.
These fruits alone brought in several hundred taels a year.
The main reasons: first, Xu Chuan's cultivation was good—better than most people's crops—so everyone prioritized buying his family's fruit.
Second, there was the income from other households' land.
Today, the family had sixty acres of rice fields, twenty acres of dry farmland, and forty acres of mountain forest.
In Dongxi Village, this was definitely a comfortably wealthy household—well-fed and well-clothed.
---
**A few days later.**
**The Chen family's second house.**
Xu Yan came back from touring the mountain forest and saw the two of them lying on reclining chairs, looking perfectly comfortable. Her anger flared up immediately.
She picked up the broom behind the door and started swinging.
"Oh no!"
Chen Erzheng bounced off the reclining chair, turned, and ran. His movements were practiced and smooth.
"Xiaoyan! What are you doing!"
"Let's talk—no need to get physical!"
"Don't think I can't fight you. I'm a good man—I don't fight with women!"
"Ha! If you were as capable as Xu Chuan, I'd listen to you. But look at you."
"I, Xu Yan, was blind to have chosen you. Lazy, useless—can't even do farm work properly. What *can* you do?"
"Sit around and eat?"
Chickens flew and dogs jumped.
The two children came back from the village school, saw the scene, and—used to it by now—headed straight to the Xu family.
"Big Ox, Fang Fang, why are you here near noon?"
**In the yard.**
Xu Erzheng stopped and looked over.
Xu Mingyuan heard the noise and came out. Seeing this, he couldn't help but laugh. "Uncle and Auntie are at it again?"
Big Ox sighed softly. "My father really can't compare to Uncle Chuan. He gets chased around by Mother with a broom."
"What is it this time? Auntie not satisfied with Uncle being useless again?"
Chen Fangfang was surprised. "Aiyuan, you're so clever—you guessed it in one go."
"Auntie is comparing Dad to Uncle Chuan."
"My father is Dongxi Village's top lazybones—how could he compare?" Big Ox's admiration was written all over his face. "Uncle Chuan is like an immortal."
"Big Ox, tell me more. Maybe I can come up with an idea."
Big Ox repeated what the Chen Erzheng couple had argued about.
Xu Mingyuan thought for a moment and said, "I've heard Dad say that Green Jade Pears aren't so easy to grow. Auntie has set her sights too high. If luck isn't on her side, she'll end up suffering."
"These three years, I imagine your family's investment in Green Jade Pears hasn't been small. Watching the silver not come back—it's bound to make her irritable, which leads to the fighting."
"I think you should persuade Auntie to give up on Green Jade Pears."
"If not that, then what should our family plant?" Big Ox asked curiously.
Chen Erzheng listened quietly, wondering if his nephew had any good ideas.
"Follow my family's example—grow some ordinary melons and fruits. One, for the family to eat. Two, to sell for money."
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