Lin Wanwan pretended not to hear Zhao Xiue's subtle digs. Anyway, Xie Sui had said he would handle it, and she was curious to see what he was capable of!
As a daughter-in-law, everything she said was wrong. The relationship between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law had always been a difficult problem, and Lin Wanwan didn't think she could handle a doting mother-in-law.
"Mother, Wanwan is here to help with the accounts. What if someone cheats us out of our money?"
Xie Sui hadn't been a good student since he was young, not because he wasn't smart, but because he was lazy. In fact, he understood arithmetic after hearing it once, and getting a perfect score wouldn't be a problem. However, he was mischievous, and the teachers disliked him, so he deliberately failed every exam.
If not for Xie Dahe forcing him, he wouldn't have even finished primary school. He barely graduated from middle school and refused to go back to school no matter what.
When Zhao Xiue heard this, she immediately relented: "That's true. Wanwan is educated. Educated youths are different. She even substituted at our primary school back then. If anything comes up, ask your wife."
"Okay, I'll listen to you, Mother."
Zhao Xiue was even happier. Nothing pleased a mother more than her son's obedience.
Xie Sui winked at Lin Wanwan. "See, I handled it?"
Lin Wanwan ignored him, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up. She hadn't realized he was so good at appeasing people before.
Zhang Wenfeng drove the cart, while Xie Sui and Lin Wanwan sat in the back, shoulder to shoulder. From a distance, they looked like a loving, affectionate young couple.
In reality, their conversation wasn't that affectionate.
Lin Wanwan: "Can't you sit in the front? It's so hot squeezed together."
"It's not hot at all! The sun hasn't even risen yet. I was just afraid you'd get cold, so I wanted to keep you warm by squeezing together."
"I'm not cold. You can sit in the front."
"What if you fall off? I can hold onto you then!"
"I'm not that clumsy. I wouldn't fall even if you did."
As they spoke, the mule cart suddenly jolted. Xie Sui was so busy looking at Lin Wanwan that he fell off, completely stunned.
Who am I? Where am I? What happened?
"Haha…"
Lin Wanwan couldn't stop laughing. Serves him right for being so smug. He got his comeuppance!
"Zhang Wenfeng, stop! You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
The mule cart had cages and goods in the middle. Zhang Wenfeng hummed a tune, completely unaware that Xie Sui had fallen off.
Xie Sui got up and quickly chased after them. It was only when Lin Wanwan called out to him that Zhang Wenfeng stopped. He grinned, showing his back teeth, "Brother Xie, what are you playing at?"
"Playing... forget it. I'm just unlucky. You're always undermining me."
Xie Sui felt utterly humiliated, more so than in both his lives. This wasn't just a failed attempt at flirting; he had become the joke himself!
Even his legendary thick skin couldn't take it. Even without the sun beating down, his face felt hot.
"Haha…"
Lin Wanwan, on the other hand, was still laughing. Seeing his dark expression, she inexplicably found him a little cute.
"Still laughing? Did you eat rat poison!"
"If anyone's eating it, it'll be you first."
Lin Wanwan wasn't guilty about the rat poison comment. If he dared to be as useless as before, only bullying her, she would definitely force-feed him.
"Fine, I'll eat it first, as long as you feed it to me. I'd even eat hemlock if you gave it to me."
Xie Sui said earnestly. He could die, as long as Lin Wanwan and their child lived well.
Dying was easy, just a moment of pain. Those left behind would have to spend a lifetime seeking redemption.
Lin Wanwan felt her heart flutter under his gaze. She stopped laughing and looked at the trees on either side, lost in thought.
Zhang Wenfeng listened to their conversation, hoping to learn some romantic phrases from Xie Sui. He was engrossed when it suddenly went quiet. What happened? Why did they stop talking?
They soon reached the town. Xie Sui stopped in front of the supply and marketing cooperative and went in to buy cigarettes. He bought all the remaining Shilin cigarettes.
The saleswoman was completely taken with him. "Young man, what's your family's financial situation? Buying such good cigarettes?"
"Average. I'm getting them for someone, not for myself. Smoking is harmful to health. My wife is very strict and doesn't let me smoke. I've quit."
The saleswoman gave a dry laugh, her smile disappearing. "Your wife is really controlling. If a man doesn't smoke or drink, is he even a man? She must not treat you well."
Xie Sui chuckled. "Then, is a man who hits his wife a good man? You're young and don't understand married life. If my wife didn't care about me, I'd be worried because she wouldn't bother managing me. My wife is wonderful, the best woman in the world. I'm leaving now. You should open your eyes wider when you look for a man in the future."
Xie Sui waved goodbye, his retreating back exuding a sense of carefree elegance. The saleswoman was mesmerized.
Not far from the supply and marketing cooperative was the state-run restaurant. Xie Sui went directly to the back courtyard, where there was a back door. A chef wearing a white hat was counting ingredients.
"Comrade, I need your help with something?"
Xie Sui offered a cigarette. Seeing it was Shilin, the chef's expression improved. This person knew how to behave.
"What is it?"
Xie Sui struck a match and lit the chef's cigarette. "I have some wild game and dried goods here. Only our state-run restaurant can afford them. I want to exchange them for some money for my child's education. The price is negotiable. Please help me."
He directly handed over a pack of cigarettes. The chef said, "I'll have to ask our head chef about this. As for the price…"
"Please do me a favor. For every jin, I'll give you an extra five cents profit. You won't be working for nothing. You're my cousin, after all, family!"
The chef smiled. "Alright, cousin. I'll go ask for you."
For five cents, the two became cousins. If Public Security Officer Huang Tianliang knew, he would have to admire this cheap cousin's speed in making relatives.
A moment later, the chef came out. "It's settled. The head chef agreed to buy them all as long as the goods are good, since we'd have to spend money on procurement anyway."
"They're definitely top-quality. The wild game is live, and the mushrooms and fungus are dried cleanly. They were all picked by ourselves."
Xie Sui beckoned. Zhang Wenfeng and Lin Wanwan brought in the cages. The chef nodded in satisfaction. "Follow me to the scale."
The wild chickens and rabbits, with a profit of fifty cents per jin, amounted to over thirty jin. The dried goods were lighter, only over three jin, but the profit was higher, a dollar per jin. Xie Sui estimated he could make over twenty yuan from this trip.
The chef then took him to the accountant to settle the bill. As they were leaving, Xie Sui secretly slipped him two yuan. "Cousin, come over for a drink sometime."
"Sure. When will you be in town next? I'll be waiting for you."
"In three days. No matter how busy I am at home, I'll come to see my cousin."
Anyone unaware would have thought they were real cousins who grew up together. The restaurant's saleswoman even greeted them, "Master Xu, is this your cousin? He's quite handsome."
"Of course. Whose cousin do you think he is? Naturally handsome."
Master Xu walked him to the door and then asked, "What's your name? Which village are you from?"
"Xie Sui. Sui like Emperor Sui of the Sui Dynasty. I'm from Yushu Village. Come visit our village when you have time. I'll treat you to drinks. You're busy, so goodbye!"
"Goodbye. Be careful on the road."
Lin Wanwan waited outside and asked, "Do you have relatives who are chefs in your family? Have you not been in touch before?"