Chapter 46: Villagers Deliver River Snails to the Door!

His voice was deep, but it carried a reassuring sense of security that was impossible to refuse.

“Once you finish your confinement month and recover your health, we’ll start a business together.”

Xie Zhao said softly. He thought for a moment, then looked intently at Lin Muyu. “Or, do you want to go to school?”

Lin Muyu was stunned for a moment.

Go to school?

She was speechless. Her mouth opened slightly, but after a moment, she lowered her head dejectedly. Pressing her lips together, she slowly shook her head.

“No, it’s fine.”

She said softly, “I don’t want to leave Xi Bao’er and Le Bao’er.”

Now that she had given birth, her entire heart was on the children. How could she bear to leave them for even a moment?

Xie Zhao, however, did not miss the disappointment and longing in her eyes.

He squeezed her hand slightly, passing a trace of warmth to her.

Xie Zhao’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Lin Muyu only heard his voice ring out firmly above her head.

“There will definitely be a way.”

Her heart trembled slightly.

It was truly wonderful.

In this day and age, heaven knew how difficult it was for a married woman who had already given birth to study again.

Yet,

Xie Zhao’s tone made Lin Muyu’s heart feel as though a dim light had suddenly kindled in the midst of a long, endless night.

In that instant, she actually believed him a little, for some inexplicable reason.

How… ridiculous,

she couldn’t help but think.

…

“Hey! Anyone home? Is anyone in? Is Second Brother Xie here?”

In the yard, Xie Youzhen and the others had just finished their wontons when they heard someone shouting from outside.

He put back the hand that was reaching for his pipe and listened closely, realizing it sounded like the Liu family’s daughter-in-law.

Xie Cheng’s face instantly darkened.

Hmph.

They had spoken so harshly when he went over yesterday. What were they doing coming to their door today?

He sat there with a dark face. Even though Xie Youzhen nudged him a few times, he refused to make a sound or budge an inch.

“You stubborn brat! You’ll be the death of me!”

Xie Youzhen scolded, then had no choice but to get up and open the door himself.

When he opened the door, he was instantly stunned by the sight outside.

Good heavens!

There were so many people!

Looking out, he saw a dense crowd of at least twenty people standing there. One after another, they craned their necks to peer inside, grinning sheepishly, their dark, sun-baked faces filled with embarrassment.

“Second Brother Xie! Don’t be angry, we came because of what happened yesterday!”

Zhao Delong stood at the very front.

He grinned at Xie Youzhen, scratched his head, and said loudly, “It’s my fault for being narrow-minded and thinking you were making fun of us! If my boy hadn’t actually made money, I wouldn’t have believed it either!”

Liu Cuihua also nodded, lifting the vegetable basket in her hand with an effort.

“Look! Dalong and I just gathered these! See if it’s enough. If not, we’ll go back out and gather more later! We’ll make sure you get plenty!”

Xie Youzhen’s gaze drifted to the basket, and he was instantly taken aback.

Such a huge basket?!

It wasn’t a long basket, but one of those old-fashioned, large round ones.

It was half full, easily weighing over twenty catties!

Xie Youzhen’s heart skipped a beat. He looked past them at the twenty-odd villagers behind. Every single one of them was carrying something, either a basket or a wooden bucket, jostling forward as they stared at him with anticipation and anxiety.

“That’s right! I wasn’t home yesterday, otherwise I definitely would have asked more. Second Brother Xie has always been an honest man, how could he play us for fools? It was all my wife’s doing! Second Brother Xie, please don’t be angry with us!”

“I gathered a whole bunch! Second Brother Xie, take a look and see if you can use them. Even if you can’t, I’ll just give them to you. Please don’t take yesterday to heart!”

“I gathered a huge sackful too! There are plenty in the fields. If you want them, I’ll go get more! Just don’t stop talking to us!”

…

The crowd was in a noisy uproar.

Xie Youzhen felt his face burning.

He was a man of few words to begin with. Surrounded by so many people, he suddenly felt flustered and unable to handle the situation, his tongue tying up.

“S-Second son!”

He turned around and called out, “Come settle the accounts! The villagers have brought river snails!”

Inside the room, Xie Zhao was clumsily changing Le Bao’er’s diaper.

The little girl had soiled herself. It was cold, and because Xie Zhao was moving too slowly, she was wailing at the top of her lungs, snot bubbling at her nose.

Xie Zhao was sweating profusely.

Lin Muyu finally couldn’t help but smile. Her bright eyes crinkled as she laughed softly, “Go attend to the business outside. I’ll handle this.”

Xie Zhao still hesitated.

He truly wanted to learn how to take care of the babies.

“There’s still plenty of time to learn. Wait until the weather gets warmer, otherwise it won’t be worth it if the babies catch a cold.”

Lin Muyu coaxed.

Only then did Xie Zhao make up his mind, gritting his teeth and nodding.

“Alright! Thanks for your hard work!”

With that, he quickly wiped his hands and turned to walk out of the room.

In the yard, the villagers had already poured inside. Xie Youzhen was frantically trying to host them, while Xie Cheng stood under the eaves with a dark expression, refusing to say a word.

Xie Zhao: “…”

Well.

His brother was holding a grudge.

Xie Tian smiled sweetly, calling everyone “Uncle” and “Auntie,” but the words coming out of her mouth made their faces burn.

“Oh, Auntie Liu! Yesterday, my brother went out of his way to tell your family about buying river snails, but you didn’t believe him. You even spoke ill of my second brother to Uncle Zhao!”

“I just couldn’t believe it! Who wouldn’t jump at a great chance to make money? Unless they had water in their brain!”

Liu Cuihua and Zhao Delong’s faces turned red and white.

She couldn’t very well admit that she had badmouthed Xie Zhao, so she could only laugh awkwardly, turning around to face away from Xie Tian.

That brat.

She has a sharp tongue!

Xie Tian bustled around the yard, sweat dripping from her forehead.

As Xie Zhao walked out, he saw her grinning as she made Niu Dalang’s face turn dark with embarrassment.

“Little Sister!”

He quickly called out, saying helplessly, “Clear the table and go get the scale!”

Xie Tian shrank her neck and replied, “Got it, Second Brother!”

Xie Zhao put on a smile, looking both sincere and warm.

“Uncles and aunties, since you’re all here to sell river snails, let’s get straight to business. I won’t bother offering you tea, because nothing is more important than making money, right?”

He laughed heartily as he walked into the yard, and the crowd parted for him almost instinctively.

The moment Xie Youzhen saw him, he felt a wave of relief, finding his footing again. He quickly walked over to Xie Zhao.

“Just say the word if you need any help,”

Xie Youzhen said. “I’ll go wash out the big vats!”

With that, he scurried off to the corner as if escaping.

Xie Zhao walked over to the table and sat down, then glanced back at Xie Cheng. “Big Brother?”

Xie Cheng: “…”

Hmph.

He was only doing this for his second brother’s sake!

“Auntie Liu, you go first.”

Xie Zhao sat at the square table with the ledger beside him. On the other side, Xie Tian handed the scale to Xie Cheng.

Liu Cuihua’s palms were sweating from nervousness. She took down the basket slung over her arm, handed it to Xie Cheng, and nervously wrung the hem of her shirt, her eyes glued to the scale.