Xie Sui drank water, listening to Xie Min prattle on about household matters.
"You've been gone for seven or eight days, and the money you've earned is still the same as before, barely enough to meet demand. The only thing is, the milk has gone up in price, it's tripled! It's already thirty cents a jin. Looking at the milk station's demeanor, it seems the more we want, the more it rises. Tell me, where can we find reason in this? The more we want, the more expensive it gets."
Xie Sui said, "Perhaps someone wants to get to us through raw materials. Don't worry about it, I'll handle it."
Xie Min continued, "There's nothing wrong with the accounts, but I feel that Zhang Wenfeng's fuel reimbursement is a bit off. He only runs a few trips, and it costs ten yuan for fuel a day. Can we afford that? Is your tractor that fuel-guzzling?"
Xie Sui replied, "I'll ask about it later. Maybe it's because of the heavy loads, or the tractor is getting old. Fuel is inherently consumed quickly. Don't overthink it."
Xie Min said, "Alright, tell him. I'm too embarrassed to ask, as if we suspect him of embezzling money. It would hurt our feelings."
"Also, Dad sent a message asking when you'll be back. The house is almost built, and Doudou and Dingding are crying for their mom and dad. Your parents are having a hard time coaxing them."
"I'll go back now, immediately. You too, Second Sister, come back with me. You've worked hard."
"It's not hard. I just watch the factory. I haven't done much work, and it's much easier than working in the fields."
Xie Sui sincerely apologized to his second sister, "Second Sister, I was ignorant before and made you suffer. You don't have to work in the fields anymore. I'll give you a good life. And my two nieces will come to the county town to study in the future. As their uncle, I'll support them through university."
Xie Min's eyes reddened. "Why are you saying this all of a sudden? Are you trying to make your sister cry? You finally have a conscience. I didn't dote on you for nothing."
"Hey, Second Sister, are you being honest? You bullied me since I was little. When did you ever dote on me?"
"When you got into fights, who stood up for you and backed you up? And you say I didn't dote on you? When you lost someone's donkey, who used my dowry to cover your debt?"
"Alright, Second Sister, I was wrong. You dote on me the most, okay?"
"That's how it is."
Siblings are bound by blood. Xie Sui didn't truly blame his sister for anything. After gaining immense wealth, his appreciation for family deepened.
The two bickered for a while, and the estrangement vanished. Lin Wanwan watched with joy. While Xie Min could be feisty and unreasonable at times, she was genuinely good to her own people.
Xie Sui was eager to return home, not giving Gu Lei and the others a chance to speak. He figured he'd deal with Yan Xiaoliang and the like later. Right now, all he wanted was to see his beloved sons.
After packing up, Zhang Wenfeng drove the tractor, chugging back to the village.
Doudou and Dingding waited on the drying ground at the village entrance, staring at the road leading into the village. Their identical faces were listless. Aren't Mom and Dad coming back yet?
Aunties in the village joked, "Don't wait anymore. Your dad and mom are out having fun, they've forgotten about you two little burdens."
"No, Dad and Mom haven't! You're the burden, your whole family is a burden!"
Children don't understand jokes. Doudou, hurt, threw dirt at her. The auntie, annoyed, scolded, "You child, you have the same bad temper as your dad!"
Dingding raised his slingshot, about to shoot her. "My dad doesn't have a bad temper at all! Dad is the best dad! Third Aunt's grandma, you're awful!"
The slingshot almost hit her forehead, so she quickly left. If he actually hit her, she'd have no recourse.
Xie Sui's two little rascals were becoming increasingly difficult to handle.
Zhao Xiaoshan, with some other Zhao family children, ran over to watch the commotion. "Doudou, Dingding, two poor souls. Your dad left, your mom ran off, and no one wants you two anymore."
You could say these children, despite not being able to recite their lessons, were quite adept at making up their own rhymes. They sounded quite natural and catchy.
Doudou said, "Zhao Xiaoshan, you're asking for it. We'll have a duel on the back mountain tomorrow. If I'm scared of you, I'm not Xie Doudou."
"A duel it is! Let's see how many people you can call. Without the tin frogs, without the cicada shells, your little followers are all playing with me now. You two are alone, I'll beat you until you kneel and call me grandpa."
"I'll beat you until you kneel and call me great-grandpa!"
"You call me great-great-grandpa!"
Dingding said, "Is your great-great-grandfather still alive? I heard the old folks say his bones have long since rotted away. It's terrifying. What are you calling yourself great-great-grandfather for? Brother, use your brain. He's foolish, and you're foolish too."
Doudou came to his senses. "You're right. I'm not playing with you anymore. Let's have the duel."
Just then, the sound of a chugging tractor reached them. The two children rushed to look. They thought it would be another day of disappointment, but this time, they saw their mom and dad. Their little faces lit up instantly. "Dad! Mom! You're finally back!"
Xie Sui and Lin Wanwan got down, each holding a child. They couldn't stop kissing them. "Mom and Dad missed our sons so much, we missed you to death! We thought of you every day, and dreamt of you!"
Doudou started crying. "They said Dad doesn't want us anymore, and that we're burdens. Dad, please don't leave Doudou again, okay?"
Xie Sui was furious and cursed. "Those gossipy women! They made my son cry! I'll curse them to death later. Are their butts hurting so much they have to gossip?"
Lin Wanwan was also unhappy with them. "Their mouths are so loose. They think they're joking, but they don't realize children will take it seriously. Be good, don't cry. Don't listen to them talk nonsense. Mom and Dad can't bear to leave our precious sons!"
"Look what Dad bought for you: laser guns, scooters, and new clothes, and lots of good food. Let's go home!"
The two children each held a toy assault rifle with flashing lights and sound effects, running around gleefully. All the children in the village gathered to watch. They looked so majestic and were overjoyed.
They walked home. After being away for a few days, returning to the village felt somewhat unfamiliar.
Zhao Xuefei stood at her doorstep, still dressed like a witch, her face grim as she watched the smug young couple.
Xie Sui glanced at her, treating her like a stranger. He continued talking to Lin Wanwan as they walked past, not even bothering to greet her. He considered uttering a harsh word a waste of his breath.
Lin Wanwan was curious. "Where does Zhao Xuefei's hatred come from? The way she's looking at you, you'd think she wanted to eat you alive."
"She's got a screw loose. Don't you see she's dressed like a madwoman? Her brain is faulty."
As the two of them spoke, Zhao Xuefei's jealousy made her lose her mind. She shouted at Lin Wanwan, "Lin Wanwan! You're so close with him now, like one person. Do you know your man used to chase me, a hundred times more enthusiastically than he does you?
But I was the one who rejected him. And you cherish him like a treasure. You and the kids were so hungry you had no food, and he was still sending me sweet pastries. It's just that I got tired of them, and fed them to my dog.
Think about it, it's pathetic. My dog ate better than you!"