Chapter 59: A Matter of Reputation

Moved by the conversation, Lu Xiaosan sighed, “I definitely won’t have so many kids in the future. I’ll just have one.”

Old Lady Lu smacked him, “How dare you talk nonsense about the family’s descendants? Shut your mouth.”

Lu Xiaosan pouted, “I’m going to sleep at Fatty’s place and keep him company.” Then he ran off.

Old Lady Lu was left worrying, “Kids with too many ideas aren’t always a good thing.”

Old Man Lu said, “Better than having no ideas at all. Xiaosan’s smart, just doesn’t put it to good use. If he did, he could’ve studied with our second son. Would’ve been great.”

Old Lady Lu replied, “Oh, come off it. We can’t afford to send two kids to school.”

Old Man Lu insisted, “No matter how much it costs, we’ll manage. Besides, we didn’t spend that much on our second son’s schooling.”

But things aren’t calculated that way in the countryside. A grown boy, if he’s not in school, could be earning money for the family.

That’s exactly what the eldest Lu brother was thinking.

Old Lady Lu chatted with Old Man Lu, “Say, how much money do you think our second son is making?”

Old Man Lu asked, “Why are you so hung up on that?”

With that second son’s wife’s personality, even if she earned a mountain of gold, it would still be hers. No one else could lay claim to it.

Old Man Lu understood that perfectly. Besides, Fang Yuan had made herself very clear.

Old Lady Lu’s voice was a bit airy, “I’m just curious, makes me happy to think about it.”

Old Man Lu said, “Think about it—how much does one year of college cost? He’s only been out for a few days. How much could he possibly have made? Enough for four years of college?”

Old Lady Lu’s excitement vanished instantly. “I’m going to bed.” She knew the answer—it wasn’t enough.

The next day, Fang Yuan and Lu Chuan didn’t leave the village. Fang Yuan invited Old Lady Lu over to help cook—they were hosting a meal at home.

They invited the childhood friends who’d helped them build the chicken coop, the village party secretary, and some neighbors. Old Man Lu helped his son entertain the guests.

They set up two tables, making things lively. Lu Chuan’s intention was simple: now that he was going off to school, he hoped everyone would look out for Fang Yuan at home.

Of course, the Five Tigers came too, backing up their little sister.

One neighbor’s wife had wanted to come with her husband, but when she saw the Five Tigers, she shrank back. She might have wanted to take advantage of Fang Yuan, but she had to think twice.

Old Man Lu was pleased—his daughter-in-law handled things so openly, it made him look good too.

The village party secretary was full of praise for Lu Chuan, saying that if there were any more jobs outside, he should bring along some villagers.

Old Man Lu almost got carried away and agreed on his son’s behalf.

Lu Chuan’s childhood friends were whispering among themselves. If Fang Yuan glanced their way, they’d get even more embarrassed than she would.

The party secretary joked that they were all grown men but still acted like they couldn’t handle themselves.

He praised Old Man Lu for finding such a good wife for Lu Chuan. “See? Once you marry, you grow up. She’s reliable, and steadier than the rest of you boys.”

Old Man Lu grinned from ear to ear, not even knowing how to respond. Luckily, the neighbors helped keep the conversation going.

Meanwhile, one of the Five Tigers was drinking with the party secretary. “A married man might be a bit rough, but you’re right to praise my brother-in-law for being steady. Anyone from our village, with you watching over them, will turn out fine. Wherever my brother-in-law goes, my father-in-law can rest easy.”

Old Man Lu finally chimed in, “Yes, yes, that’s right. It’s because everyone thinks highly of him, and he still has a lot to learn from you.”

The party secretary thought to himself, No wonder the Fang family boys are all so capable. Even the youngest is more impressive than our village lads.

Lu Chuan, of course, was a student, not the sharpest-looking, still a bit bookish.

But after marrying, just a couple weeks out in the world, he’d changed—he could handle social situations, knew how to talk. Once he finished college, he’d be something special.

He looked like someone with a future—pleasant to be around, easy to talk to, and people naturally wanted to support him. The party secretary left with a big smile.

Back home, a neighbor told his wife, “If you get along with Lu Chuan, great. If not, just steer clear—don’t cause trouble.”

His wife’s face darkened. “Even if he wasn’t successful, with a tough wife like that and such a formidable in-law family, I wouldn’t dare mess with them.”

The neighbor said, “That’s for the best.”

Honestly, it wasn’t just about being tough—you could tell from the way they talked, the Fang family were people who knew how to get things done.

Lu Chuan’s friends were having a lively time. Fang Yuan saw the Five Tigers out, Old Lady Lu tidied up, and Lu Chuan stayed to chat with his classmates.

Gong Er, always the troublemaker, waited until Fang Yuan was gone, then nudged Lu Chuan with a wink. “Lu Chuan, you and your wife seem to get along pretty well, huh?”

Lu Chuan replied, “She’s my wife—am I supposed to treat her like an enemy?” What a dumb question.

Gong Er pressed, “No, I mean… cough, cough… you really like your wife?”

Lu Chuan’s face darkened. Why wouldn’t I like my wife? “Gong Er.”

Zhang Xiaole scolded, “What are you talking about? Lu Chuan chose his own wife—why wouldn’t he like her?”

Gong Er put on a knowing look. “Lu Chuan, listen, the other day during tutoring, Sun Hongyan heard you got married and cried.”

Lu Chuan got annoyed. “What nonsense are you spouting? What does her crying have to do with me?”

Then he added, “Gong Er, I’m telling you—jokes are one thing, but when it comes to reputation, don’t talk nonsense.”

He instinctively glanced at the door. If Fang Yuan heard, it wouldn’t end well. After all, Lu Laoda was swapped for 350 yuan. Past lessons stuck with him—this was a sore spot for Lu Chuan.

Gong Er said, “What are you looking outside for? Are you really afraid of a country woman? We’re going to the city soon. I don’t believe you’ll still…”

Before he could finish, Zhang Xiaole cut him off, “What are you saying? So what if we go to college? Does that mean you can just dump your wife? Then why are you dating Damei from the village? Are you trying to ruin her?”

Gong Er turned pale and denied it, “What are you talking about? That’s not true.”

Zhang Xiaole looked even angrier than Lu Chuan. “You can’t even admit to what you’ve done? Real impressive. Gong Er, Lu Chuan’s married now, has a wife. What you do is your business, but don’t drag Lu Chuan into it.”

Lu Chuan said, “Whoever cries, it’s got nothing to do with me. We’re decent people—married, with a license. That’s my wife.”

Gong Er slunk off, embarrassed. Zhang Xiaole muttered, “He’s no good—not our kind. Best to keep your distance.”

Lu Chuan said, “Why get worked up? I already said, we’re not the same.”

Zhang Xiaole replied, “We’re from the same village. Damei’s dating him, but with his irresponsible attitude, what’s she supposed to do in the future?”

Lu Chuan hadn’t thought about Damei’s situation. He was thinking about Fang Yuan—if anything happened to their marriage, Fang Yuan would have it even harder than Damei.

Lu Chuan now understood marriage on a deeper level. He wasn’t like Fang Yuan, who didn’t overthink things. He was a man, a husband—he had to consider their future.

[Comedy interlude: Lu Chuan wonders, if that Sun Hongyan really did come up with 300 yuan, would Fang Yuan actually pay to swap him out?]

End of Chapter 59."

"Chapter 60: The Problem Is We Have No Money