Chapter 1008 - 1006: Strength Does Not Permit

Words : 1461 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

Chapter 1008: Chapter 1006: Strength Does Not Permit When he accompanied Wang Yonggui and Wang Yongping to deliver goods to the town, he secretly bought some sugar residues and hair ties to take back, coaxing the children from nearby villages to go up the mountains to gather wild products in exchange for the sugar residues. Especially those little girls, quick with their hands and feet, with just one hair tie and a bit of sugar residue, plus a few sweet words, they were more than happy. He became bolder, even going to the Auspicious Cloth Shop, using Wang Yongzhu’s name to buy some cheap fabric scraps, which he could sell in the village. After some time of doing this, he actually made quite a little profit. He told no one about this money, not even Wang Yongfu or Jindou. He planned that when he saved enough money, he would go find his Second Brother. Unexpectedly, today the Old Aunt came back and told him that his Second Brother might be back in half a year. Jinguan was both happy and heartbroken for his Second Brother, who surely suffered while working for others and earned little as an apprentice. He must work harder and earn more money. After the mourning period, and when his Eldest Brother got a wife, their father said the household would be given to the future Eldest Sister-in-law to manage, but he did not trust it. Not even his own mother could be relied upon, let alone an Eldest Sister-in-law? If this Eldest Sister-in-law turned out not to be good, life for him and his Second Brother might become difficult. He never wanted to live that kind of life again. He planned to save more money so that when he had the money, who could look down on him and his Second Brother? With this thought, Jinguan held his sugar box and made up his mind. Wang Yongzhu did not know about Jinguan’s thoughts and just praised him a bit before washing his hands to eat dinner. Although it was just simple family dishes, perhaps due to the absence of the unpleasant Lady Lin, it was rather harmonious. After dinner, the two wives went to tidy up, and everyone sat in the courtyard, chatting in the cool air. Old Granny Zhang finally asked, "Eldest Brother, do you have a plan for Jindou’s marriage? I told you last time, it’s time to look into it. After the mourning period, he’ll be eighteen or nineteen, and young men in other families are already holding babies." Wang Yongfu sighed about this too: "Mother, I am also anxious, but considering our current family situation, with Lady Lin as a mother-in-law, even good families hesitate. The less favorable ones, I fear would wrong Jindou..." Old Granny Zhang glared at Wang Yongfu, wanting to scold him for being so deserving of this mess. Wasn’t he the one who once treated Lady Lin like treasure? Now, he regrets it? In the end, her heart softened. Since returning, Wang Yongfu, the Eldest Brother, seemed to have aged much more than before. Alas, after all, he came from her womb. Old Granny Zhang shouted towards the kitchen: "Laosi’s wife—" Liu Xiaoqiao quickly poked her head from the kitchen: "Mother, what is it?" She replied, wiping her hands and walking out. "Didn’t I tell you about Jindou’s marriage before I left last time? As his aunt, didn’t you keep it in mind?" Old Granny Zhang’s tone was quite displeased. Liu Xiaoqiao was shocked and protested: "Mother, I asked the aunts in our clan to review the eligible girls in the nearby villages. Ignoring those not suitable in age, I asked the aunts to probe the suitable ones." "But the families we find worthy don’t find us worthy! Those we don’t see fit are eager, but they ask exorbitantly, demanding a bridal gift starting at fifty taels of silver. Aren’t they treating our family like a fool? So I thought, since father’s hundred-day period isn’t over, with three years to go, let’s cool these people down for a bit and check later." "I’m really not being lazy or ignoring it!" Wang Yongfu quickly added: "Mother, sister-in-law is genuinely earnest, helping to select someone sincerely. It’s all because of that wretched Lady Lin–" Jindou looked embarrassed: "Father, my matters aren’t urgent. Let’s discuss it after the mourning period!" What else could he say? In the current situation, the main house can’t function without a woman. Cleaning, cooking, stitching things up, they could still ask their aunt, but couldn’t their father keep asking his younger brother’s wife, right? Indeed, someone needs to be married into the household, and if not him, then it should be his father! Rather than bringing a stepmother in, it would be better for him to marry. As the Wang Family’s eldest grandson’s wife, not just anybody would do. Due to his own mother, Lady Lin, which virtuous girl from a good family would willingly jump into this pit of fire? When the time comes, even an ex-wife is still a wife. How to handle her? What if his father marries another stepmother, wouldn’t he be squeezed in the middle? Seeing his playmates of the same age in the village, who had married and were living the life of "a wife with kids and a warm bed," he, on the other hand, didn’t even have someone to mend his torn clothes, forcing him as a young man in his teens to light a lamp at night to patch his pants. Who’d want to live such a miserable life? It wasn’t realistic or feasible under the current conditions, so what could he do? The Old Granny Zhang almost had no strength to speak, seeing that apart from her and her daughter and son-in-law, no one in the family could handle proper affairs. This Laosi’s wife seemed quite good and shrewd at the start, but how could she not carry out matters properly? "Enough, I get it! Counting on you people is less hopeful than waiting for a wife to fall from the sky! One after another, what can any of you do? What can you do?" The Old Granny Zhang pointed accusingly around and simply got up to return to her own courtyard. Wang Yongzhu gave Song Chongjin a signal with his eyes, then got up and said, "I’ll go talk to mother!" and followed after Old Granny Zhang. Once Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongzhu left, only Song Chongjin was left, and suddenly the atmosphere turned awkwardly tense. Song Chongjin pretended not to notice, chatted for a bit, and then excused himself to return to the courtyard. Once Song Chongjin left, everyone finally relaxed. Wang Yonggui whispered: "Do you think the feng shui in the city is different? Mother came back after two months, and even her speech has become refined. And this brother-in-law, in just two months, the aura he carries, my goodness, he seems on par with those Officials Master. I don’t even dare to speak a word to him! He looks at me, and my legs get weak, he looks at me, and my legs get weak!" Wang Yongping nodded wildly in agreement. The brother he used to put arms around shoulders with, this time upon return, don’t know why, he’s still the same, still that dark face, but now he didn’t even dare to get too close. The three brothers exchanged a glance and each quietly went home. Back inside, Liu Xiaoqiao was somewhat concerned: "Fourth Brother, is mother angry with me earlier?" Wang Yongping recalled Old Granny Zhang’s earlier expression and nodded, very certain. Liu Xiaoqiao... Seeing Liu Xiaoqiao’s uneasy expression, Wang Yongping thought for a moment and consoled her: "It’s okay, mother at most would scold you a bit, she won’t hit you! Except for that time when she angrily hit Big... Lady Lin, mother has never hit a daughter-in-law! If anyone were to be hit, it would be me. Don’t worry!" Liu Xiaoqiao... Was not comforted. But getting angry with such a stubborn man wasn’t worth it, so she simply changed the topic: "Mother and Little Sister lived here so long this time, could something have happened in the city?" She couldn’t help but wonder. They were living well in the city, and left in anger last time, so why stay so long this time upon returning? Especially since even her brother-in-law came back. Although she didn’t understand the civil service examinations, she had heard Wang Yongping say that when Wang Yongan was preparing for them, he practically lived in the Academy, leaving only briefly after New Year’s before returning for two days and hadn’t been home since. How come with this brother-in-law, he’s now settled in the countryside?

Chapter 1008 - 1006: Strength Does Not Permit

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