Chapter 13: The Days Ahead Are Long—Take It Slow
Wen Xiuyi was finally allowed inside.
“You—you—you… Ah…” Wen Xiuzhu followed behind, shooting a glare at Li Shi.
Li Shi’s sharp eyes immediately locked onto the meat in his hands, and her eyes lit up as she reached for it.
“You bought meat?”
“This is from Big Brother—he brought it as a gift for Father and Mother.”
Li Shi had already started contemplating how to cook the meat to get the most out of it, but upon hearing this, she suddenly found it scorching hot in her hands.
Her expression changed drastically.
A gift from Big Brother? This couldn’t be good. No one offers something for nothing—he must be trying to swindle the old couple again! She had to go keep an eye on things before Mother-in-law got confused and softened up. This household didn’t belong solely to Big Brother’s family.
At this moment, the meat was the least of her concerns. Li Shi hastily shoved it back into Wen Xiuzhu’s hands and hurried inside.
Wen Xiuzhu looked down at the meat that had been returned to him, sighed, and followed after her.
Inside, the atmosphere was tense.
Old Man Wen and Luo Shi sat cross-legged on the heated brick bed, not even offering Wen Xiuyi a seat. He simply grabbed a small stool and sat down himself.
Luo Shi frowned slightly but remained silent. Old Man Wen kept his head down, not even sparing Wen Xiuyi a glance.
The only one who acknowledged him was little Datou, who clung closely by his side.
When Li Shi entered, she made sure to pull along the third son’s wife, Cai Shi. Once inside, neither of them spoke; they just stood there.
As soon as Wen Xiuzhu walked in carrying the items, all eyes in the room turned to him.
Luo Shi’s gaze landed on the meat in his hands, while Old Man Wen, catching the scent of alcohol, finally lifted his head.
Wen Xiuzhu hesitated. “Father, Mother, Big Brother brought these for you.”
Luo Shi immediately lost interest, while Old Man Wen gave the wine bottle a longing glance before lowering his head again.
After a long pause, Luo Shi finally spoke. “Take it back. We’ve already split households. From now on, you live your lives, and we live ours. No need for any gifts—less contact is better for everyone.”
Wen Xiuyi sighed inwardly. What a mess this body’s original owner left behind.
Still, he understood the importance of family ties in ancient times. Even if it meant thickening his skin, he had to open this door today. No matter how little progress he made, at the very least, he needed the old family to stop treating them like enemies.
“Father, Mother, I came today to admit my mistakes. I was foolish before and did many foolish things. But after everything that’s happened, I’ve come to my senses. From now on, I won’t be like that anymore. I’ve taken over a stall at the dock and will start my own small business to support my three children and earn money to honor you both.”
Just in case, Wen Xiuyi decided to lay everything out in one go.
Whatever would be, would be. No matter what, he was already taking the knife to the neck.
Luo Shi didn’t say whether she’d accept the gifts. She just looked at him and asked, “What scheme are you up to this time? Let me give you some advice—give up now. There’s nothing left in this family for you to ruin.”
Wen Xiuyi rubbed his hands together—a nervous habit of his.
Li Shi, worried that Wen Xiuyi would trick the elders again, quickly added, “That’s right, Big Brother. This family isn’t just about you. Second and Third Brother’s families have a lot of people too, don’t they, Sister-in-law?”
Cai Shi, who had been suddenly dragged into the conversation, glanced nervously at Luo Shi and could only nod in agreement.
She was naturally timid, always going along with whatever her mother-in-law and sister-in-law said. Big Sister-in-law had always looked down on them for being from farming families and had never really spoken to them much. When it came to the eldest household’s matters, Cai Shi never dared to interfere.
That said, Second Sister-in-law had a point. If their parents-in-law kept supporting Big Brother’s family like before, it wouldn’t be good for them either.
Wen Xiuyi understood—this wasn’t a relationship that could be mended overnight. Talking too much would be pointless. Today, he was here just to show his stance. The days ahead were long; he could take his time.
He stood up, took Datou’s hand, and said, “Father, Mother, I bought this meat and wine today specifically for you. I’ve delivered them, so now I’ll take Datou home. Yao Yao and Xiao Jun are waiting for us to eat. We’ll be leaving now.”
He knew no one would respond. So after saying his piece, he led Datou straight out the door.
The moment he stepped outside, he let out a deep breath, patting his chest as if to shake off the tension. That was suffocating. He had been genuinely worried that the two elders would see through him.
Glancing down at his son, Wen Xiuyi scooped him up and grinned. “Daddy’s good little baby, let’s go home and eat!”
Datou, cradled in his arms, burst into giggles, laughing uncontrollably.
Back inside the house, Wen Xiuzhu stood awkwardly, still holding the gifts—not sure whether to put them down or take them back.
Luo Shi finally spoke. “Put the wine in the cupboard. Hang the meat in the kitchen. Second daughter-in-law, cook it with cabbage tomorrow for the children.”
Li Shi immediately perked up, responding cheerfully and even giving her husband a tug.
As long as their parents weren’t giving money to the eldest branch, she didn’t care. And if there was meat to eat, why not enjoy it?
As for Wen Xiuyi’s words?
They didn’t believe a single one of them.
Now alone, the two elders sat in silence. Luo Shi’s face remained dark and unreadable, while Old Man Wen took a slow puff from his pipe before murmuring, “Stop thinking about it. What’s the point? Everyone has their own fate. We’ve got one foot in the grave already—how much more can we meddle?”
Luo Shi shot him a glare. “Who said I was thinking about him?”
Old Man Wen smirked and muttered something under his breath that she didn’t catch. But when he reached for the wine, she immediately noticed.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Old Man Wen awkwardly retracted his hand and grumbled, “Can’t I just look at it? Seriously.”
Luo Shi rolled her eyes, promptly locking the wine away in the cupboard. Old Man Wen stared longingly at it but didn’t dare protest. Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back and strolled out for a walk.
Meanwhile, Wen Xiuyi and Datou cheerfully made their way home.
The moment they entered, the rich aroma of food filled the air.
Datou wriggled excitedly out of his father’s arms, dashing straight to the kitchen. He pressed himself against the stove, closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply as if trying to soak up every bit of the delicious scent.
“Careful, don’t burn yourself. Go sit over there—the food will be ready soon.” Wen Jun lifted Datou by the armpits and placed him on a stool by the table.
Wen Yao lifted the lid of the pot, and immediately, a wave of fragrant, steaming fish broth filled the air.
“So fresh! It smells amazing!” Wen Xiuyi practically floated toward the stove, intoxicated by the aroma. Pure, natural, untainted river fish—just the scent alone was enough to make his mouth water.
Wen Yao was pleased with everyone’s reaction and carefully ladled the soup into bowls.
The broth was milky white and rich, without the slightest fishy smell. One sip, and the flavor spread thickly across the tongue.
The fish meat was tender and smooth, and even the daikon radish, simmered in the broth, had fully absorbed the fish’s essence. One bite combined the freshness of the fish with the crisp sweetness of the radish.
If only it weren’t so hot, Professor Wen could have eaten three pieces in one go!
