??Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Not Engaging in Proper Business
Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Not Engaging in Proper Business
Debilitating Elixir.
As the na implies, this elixir leaves one weak for a period of ti. Not only that, due to the weakened body and decreased immunity, it is very easy to keep attracting various minor illnesses, and the unlucky may even develop serious diseases.
The elixir is not difficult to concoct, and does not take too long either; it can be done in half an hour. When the ti cos, I’ll just need Shitou to cover for .
Lu Yun thought that since the Su family was still so lively, it must be because they were in excellent health, with too much energy they had nowhere to vent. In that case, it would be better to let them be weak for a while, calm down, and take their dicine nicely, so they would stop coming out to seek attention and annoy others.
When to administer the drug? It would be best to choose a ti when soone is returning to her parental ho. Hmm, it looks like it’s ti to find an opportunity to connect with Jinzhao, Jinfeng, and Lu Ying from Grandpa’s house. The “revolutionary friendship” ford that day when we “ate sugar” together must be maintained.
Now mother doesn’t feel at ease letting
go out alone, but I can always train a little detective.
“Shitou, take so pastries with you tomorrow and go find Jinzhao and the others for ; ask them to keep an eye out. If Su Huahua goes back to her parents’ house, co and let
know.”
“What kind of drug are you planning to administer? You better not ss around,” Shitou advised her seriously. However, if his voice hadn’t been so gleeful, practically cheering for the trouble, he would have seed more sincere. Lu Yun silently criticized him in her heart, but she pursed her lips and chose not to expose him.
“The Debilitating Elixir, which makes one feel utterly weak, constantly suffering from minor ailnts like colds and fevers. It’s not too severe, but it’s certainly wearing,” she explained.
“Sleep, I’ll go find Jinzhao tomorrow.” Satisfied with his curiosity, Shitou agreed very straightforwardly, so much so that Lu Yun was montarily startled before burying her head in the pillow and giggling nonstop.
Just as expected, this guy wasn’t as “righteous” as he outwardly seed, acting all too pretentiously.
The next morning, Shitou muttered with Aiguo for a while, briefly ntioning Lu Yun’s wish to go up the mountain together, and then stated his own opinion.
“I think it’s a good idea. Instead of letting my sister-in-law and Xiaoyun stay at ho, worrying about them on the mountain, it’s better to take them with us. It’s killing two birds with one stone.”
“Things within ten ters can be picked up, did Xiaoyun really say that?” Aiguo’s eyes lit up, so it seed like a good idea for everyone to go up the mountain together. Indeed, it was much more convenient.
“Yeah,” Shitou nodded, “We’ll go for a few more days, collect more mountain goods, and leave today.”
“Alright, I’ll go talk to Second Uncle right now,” Aiguo was imdiately itching to go, burning with enthusiasm. He got up and headed towards Second Uncle’s place. He and Shitou often went up the mountain, just giving Second Uncle a heads-up before heading out. Relying on the ager work points earned from the fields was pointless; working hard for a year didn’t compare to going up the mountain a few tis.
It was because Lu Erbo was the village party secretary that he facilitated things for his own nephew, Lu Aiguo. No one else dared to openly object, even if they had so thoughts about it. That’s why, in fact, many of the elders in the village disapproved of Lu Aiguo and Shitou’s “lack of proper occupation.” People might disapprove all they wanted, but Lu Aiguo simply didn’t care.
After the land was distributed to individual households, the plot Lu Aiguo received was right next to Uncle Erbo’s. From then on, Lu Aiguo’s behavior beca even more “outrageous”: he had Uncle Erbo and Lu Aibing take care of it for almost ten months a year. Sotis, when it was the busy farming season and Lu Aiguo didn’t co back to help, it was Uncle Dalu along with his two sons who ca to lend a hand.
In the eyes of outsiders, Lu Aiguo was simply a man who shirked his duties.
Even when it ca to harvesting the crops, it was Uncle Erbo who helped him tidy everything up and store it in the barn. Villagers sighed at how indulgent Uncle Erbo was with his nephew, even more than with his own sons. There were elders who couldn’t stand it and who felt entitled by their age and status to lecture Uncle Erbo. But Uncle Erbo would verbally agree, and then continue doing things his own way as soon as they turned their backs.
As ti went on, everyone grew accustod to it. It was like the proverbial tale of Zhou Yu and Huang Gai – one willing to give the beating and the other willing to take it.
You see, even Uncle Erbo’s wife didn’t make a fuss about it, so really, it wasn’t anyone else’s business to intervene. And in the village, there were indeed others who favored their nephews over their own children. So Uncle Erbo’s behavior wasn’t really that unusual – although, most of those households usually had no sons of their own.
At Uncle Erbo’s house, his wife never had any objections. Lu Aibing had even less to say on the matter. He had been brainwashed since childhood to admire his “cousin” imnsely. He had developed a belief that whatever his cousin did was right and exemplary.
Chances are, if one day Lu Aiguo told him vinegar was sweet, he would instinctually nod in agreent first. He was probably what you would call a “true fan.”
As for Zhang Cai, his daughter-in-law, she initially felt quite indignant and even muttered about it to Lu Aibing in private. But seeing Lu Aibing’s unconcerned attitude, she went back to her own family to complain in secret.
Over ti, she realized how generous Lu Aiguo was to her own family and how loose he was with money. What was even better was that she benefited from it—the mother-in-law would sotis have her take things that Lu Aiguo had brought over to her own family. With the frequency of the gifts, her own parents and brothers-in-law ca to think highly of her, filling her with pride. From then on, she held no further objections when it ca to Lu Aiguo.
No sooner had Lu Aiguo left the house than Shitou followed suit and went to find Lu Jinzhao. Even though it was early, rural children hardly ever sleep in, including those who have school: they would either help in the fields or cut pigweed to feed the chickens, ducks, and pigs early in the morning. Only after finishing a round of chores would they rush off to school.
When school was over, they scarcely had any ti left to play. Whether collecting pigweed or firewood, they would stay busy until they finally had so ti to study or play. It was rare to find soone like Lu Yun, who could go to bed late and get up early without needing to do any farm work.
By the ti Lu Yun got up, Xia Yuan had already cooked the al and was preparing a bunch of things before heading out.
“Wash up and brush your teeth. As soon as your father and Shitou co back from the field, we’ll eat and then follow them up the mountain,” Xia Yuan said with a smile, nudging Lu Yun to wash up.
“After brushing your teeth, drink the bowl of honey water that’s cooled on the stove. I’ll go to the room and pack a few clothes for you. Once you’re done, co in and pack the things I’ve prepared. We can’t be hasty with the kitchen stuff; we’ll tidy up after we’ve eaten.”
“Okay,” Lu Yun cheerily agreed, brushing her teeth and washing her face at top speed, and then drinking the honey water. She ran back to the room, ready to help her mother cram everything that had been packed into the space—after all, the space actually had everything, and her mother had only to pack so clothes at most.
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