Chapter 60: The Problem Is Having No Money

Zhang Xiaole eased the atmosphere. “What are you thinking? Are you thinking Gong Er is not a good person?”

Lu Chuan did not want to continue this topic. Gong Er was disgusting. In the future, he would not have dealings with him anymore. “Too bad Zhu San didn’t come.”

Zhang Xiaole said, “He is holding back his energy to take the college entrance exam. You don’t know this, but you getting into university was a huge stimulus to our group. His parents are unwilling to let him go to school. There is a lot of work at home, so he has to seize time to study.”

They were all people who wanted to climb out of the mountain ravine. Lu Chuan understood. “What about you?”

Zhang Xiaole said, “Just so-so. My family isn’t exactly short of me as one worker. My dad is holding back his strength waiting for me to pass the exam. I reckon university will be hard. If I can get into a junior college, that would already be good.”

Lu Chuan smiled. “Take the study materials at my place and go look through them with Zhu San.”

Zhang Xiaole said, “Thank you.” He was not polite with Lu Chuan either.

After all the classmates had left, Mother Lu came in and said to Lu Chuan, “That Gong Er is not a good person. Don’t you do anything that lets Fang Yuan down. Since you are married, rein in your heart and live properly.”

Lu Chuan thought to himself, Gong Er really is not a good person. Look how he has trapped me. “I’m begging you, please don’t talk nonsense. My heart has never been put outside. Fang Yuan is someone who sticks to one track. If she misunderstands, I’ll be worried sick, and I won’t know how she’ll make a fuss.”

Mother Lu said, “Exactly. We must not do anything that makes Fang Yuan misunderstand.”

The mother and son both understood the situation very accurately. Mother Lu said, “That Hongyan or whatever, she really has nothing to do with you, right?”

Lu Chuan’s face turned so dark it was unbearable to look at. Where had trust gone?

Over on Fang Yuan’s side, she saw Wuhu out. What they talked about was much more positive than this side.

Fang Yuan was wholeheartedly focused on her career. What she was thinking about was the ability to earn more money than five grown men. “Did you find someone to ask? Exactly how much is that thing? Where can it be bought?”

Wuhu had drunk wine, and his head already hurt. “In any case, this bit of money we have isn’t enough. We can’t afford it.”

Fang Yuan said, “How can that be? We have quite a lot of money on hand.”

Wuhu’s mouth twitched. What did she mean by we? He was not getting involved. “Stop thinking about it.”

Fang Yuan said, “That won’t do. It can earn as much as several grown men. Help me ask again. See how much short we are. I’ll borrow it from Dad.”

Wuhu said, “Even if it earns money, it still won’t do. Brother-in-law is still going to school. Can the family be short of money? Besides, as for our dad’s money, in any case, I can’t borrow it.”

Fang Yuan spoke very domineeringly. “That’s you. Just find out where it can be bought for me.”

Wuhu said, “But what if we buy it back and no one uses it?”

Fang Yuan said, “How could that happen? Didn’t you see? We had only just returned it, and someone rented it away again. Besides, Big Brother and the rest of you all work at construction sites. You don’t even have this bit of face? If they don’t use my mixer, can they still use someone else’s?”

Wuhu thought to himself, Looking at this, her friendship with Eldest Brother is about to break apart. “You sure think beautifully.”

Fang Yuan said, “I have money. Even if I lose money, I’m willing. When you go back, ask around for me.”

Wuhu said, “Have you discussed this with Brother-in-law?”

Fang Yuan said, “What is there to discuss? It’s not squandering the family fortune. It is for earning money. Otherwise, when he goes to school, am I supposed to rely on going to the construction site to move bricks?”

Seeing how capable Fang Yuan thought she was, Wuhu was speechless. “You should still discuss it. Don’t worry, I’ll help you ask around.”

Look at this pair of siblings. Their topic went straight toward careers.

After Fang Yuan saw Wuhu off, when she went back, the house had already been cleaned up.

Mother Lu had washed even the household rags clean. “Second Brother’s wife, we cooked in the room today, and the kang has been heated too hot. You two should stay outside a little longer.”

Fang Yuan said, “Mom, you sit down and rest too. Later, when we have time, we’ll also clean out the west room, and the place will be bigger.”

Mother Lu said, “You two go about your business. Later, when your dad and I have free time, we’ll help you clean out the west room. The kang over there has collapsed. Are you still going to repair it?”

Fang Yuan thought for a moment. “No kang. We’ll build a bed with wooden planks.”

Mother Lu said, “Mm, Second Brother’s wife really has ideas. This is good.” Basically, whatever Fang Yuan said was what went.

Lu Chuan also did not know what was good about it. In any case, when his mother spoke, she was just lifting Fang Yuan up.

Over there, Fang Yuan portioned out some leftovers for Mother Lu. “Mom, take this back. Heat it up tomorrow morning and eat it. The little bit Lu Chuan and I are keeping is enough for us.”

Mother Lu knew her daughter-in-law’s temperament now, so she was not polite and left carrying it.

With only the two of them left, Fang Yuan opened her mouth and immediately stunned Lu Chuan. “I want to buy a mixer.”

Lu Chuan thought he had not heard clearly. “What?”

Fang Yuan forgave Lu Chuan for having bad ears and said it again. “I want to buy a mixer.”

Lu Chuan said, “Cough, cough. A floral jacket printed with a mixer?” After all, that was something they could afford.

He had a bit of indigestion. This was not something a newly married young wife ought to long for. Seeing Fang Yuan about to change expression, Lu Chuan said, “Well, isn’t that a bit too aggressive? We can’t afford it, right?”

Fang Yuan slapped the table. “If you buy an ox, you still have to feed it grass and fodder. Buying a mixer is so much less trouble. It earns more than five or six men, and it uses someone else’s electricity. How can you have no sense for calculating at all? This thing has to be bought.”

This was not the tone of discussion. She had made the decision.

Lu Chuan thought to himself, So this is how you listen to me? Is this what Mother-in-law meant by the man managing the household?

This was not three or five yuan, nor thirty or fifty. Three or five hundred, that was a lot of money.

Lu Chuan said, “I also know this thing is good, but the problem is, we have no money. Can we slow down and buy it later?”

When Fang Yuan heard that Lu Chuan did not mean not to buy it, her tone improved a little, but it was still stiff. She raised her brows. “How do we have no money? We are just a bit short, that’s all.”

Lu Chuan took a deep breath. She really was rich and imposing. “How much short?”

Fang Yuan said, “I asked Fifth Brother to find out. It costs over 2,000. We are short about half.”

Lu Chuan shuddered. This was called a bit short, that’s all? This was not an ordinary expense.

Lu Chuan reasoned it out with Fang Yuan. “My family only spent 200 to marry you, and that was many years of my family’s savings. Do you know how much this half of yours is?”

Fang Yuan nowadays could calculate any number with money attached behind it. “It is a little much, but it also earns a lot.”

Then she asked, “Are you looking down on me because marrying me was cheap?”

Lu Chuan said, “Cheap? My family put in all its savings. Please don’t belittle yourself.”

Fang Yuan said, “Speak human words. So you think it was expensive.”

Could Lu Chuan say it was not cheap? Could he say his main point was to reflect the price of the mixer? Rubbing his head, Lu Chuan said, “Can we wait until we have saved enough money in the future, then buy it?” He truly came at it as a discussion.

Fang Yuan said, “No. I won’t be able to sleep. Think about it. We eat inside the room, and outside there are five or six men earning money for you. How satisfying.”

Lu Chuan first put aside the question of money. These words sounded awkward to him. “Don’t mention men. There are no men who give women money for nothing. Those words don’t sound good.”

Fang Yuan thought to herself, They don’t sound good, but it really does earn that much. The rent they pay for the mixer really is the wages of five or six men. “Then how should I say it?”

Lu Chuan said, “No matter how you say it, we can’t afford it.”

They were buying a major item.