Chapter 9: Building a House Becomes a Priority

Chu Xuan's eyes reddened. In this era, everyone's finances were tight, yet Grandma Gao's family always helped her selflessly.

She quickly counted fifty yuan from the two hundred and she shoved it back into Gao Meijuan's hand. "Grandma Gao, the mackerel tails were already given to you; they belong to your family. This fifty yuan is what you deserve, and you must accept it. Otherwise, I'll bring back all the pots, pans, grain, and lard you've given me. Over the years, your family has helped me and my little brother with much more than just this."

Gao Meijuan's eyes were filled with affection. "You and your brother are relying on each other; it hasn't been easy. My family always remembers the kindness your mother showed when she saved my youngest daughter. Helping you two many times wouldn't even be considered a lot! I won't take this fifty yuan! When you get married in the future and life gets better, just come back to visit me and your Grandpa Wang a few times. Oh, and regarding the household registration separation, your Grandpa Wang will handle it."

Wang Depin walked into the main room and expressed his stance as well, resolutely refusing the money.

Chu Xuan could not win against their stubbornness and had no choice but to give up on the money, though she thought to herself that she would make sure to honor them well in the future.

Wang Depin took the opportunity to relay what Tian Xiaoyun had said over the phone to her.

After a moment of silence, she asked Wang Depin for Tian Xiaoyun's contact information.

Wang Depin looked gratified; the day when the mother and daughter would resolve their emotional knot was not far off.

Twenty minutes later, the Chu siblings returned to their residence.

Chu Feng bolted the courtyard gate and the door, his face etched with worry. "Sister, once it's light out, won't Grandpa, Grandma, and Second Uncle try to get revenge on us?"

Chu Xuan couldn't help but sigh. Her little brother had been raised to be timid by Feng Chunhua; he hadn't dared to say a word when facing the Chu family just now. It seemed she really would have to educate him properly in the future.

"Xiao Feng, do you know what it means to 'use the enemy's strength against them'? Do you know what constitutes a force that can be united?"

She would teach him patiently, bit by bit.

Prompted by her words, Chu Feng suddenly understood a few things. "Sister, I get it! If Grandpa, Grandma, or Second Uncle come looking for us, I can boldly bring up the Village Chief, and even bring up our debt to One-Eyed Dragon."

Chu Xuan nodded with satisfaction. "A teachable child! Alright! Go wash up and get some proper sleep. When you wake up, I'll take you to the county town to buy supplies. We need to be back before 5:30 PM to continue foraging by the sea. When the time comes, we'll tell everyone that this month's hundred-yuan debt has been cleared."

Chu Feng spun around in place with joy. "We can go to the county town? That's great! Oh, right, about that remittance you mentioned before..."

"Grandpa Wang told me; it will definitely arrive within the next day or two." Chu Xuan gently rubbed Chu Feng's head. "You're a bit short. From now on, I'll make sure you eat meat every day to nourish your body, so you can grow to be a tall man of 1.8 meters in the future!"

Chu Feng clenched his fists. "Mhm! I will definitely grow tall. Then I won't be afraid of Chu Zhi anymore, and I can protect you!"

At 9:30 AM, Chu Xuan woke up.

She felt the money in her pocket to make sure it was still there before getting up to wash.

She made multigrain pancakes and boiled a thin vegetable soup.

She called her little brother to come eat.

The first thing Chu Feng said upon seeing Chu Xuan was, "Sister, is the money paid..."

Before he could finish, Chu Xuan responded with a smile, "It's here. Don't worry!"

She checked her brother's face; the swelling had subsided.

After eating, just as they were about to head out, Gao Meijuan knocked and entered.

She hurriedly delivered the household registration booklet into Chu Xuan's hands and left in a rush before Chu Xuan could even say thank you.

Watching Grandma Gao leave, Chu Xuan patted the booklet. "This registration came at just the right time! In a moment, we'll take a horse carriage to the town post office. Perhaps our mother's remittance has already arrived."

Chu Feng looked disgusted. "Even if Tian Xiaoyun sends us money, I won't forgive her!"

Chu Xuan slapped his shoulder. "She is our biological mother! Don't call her by her name like that! There must have been unavoidable hardships when she left back then. We can't spend her money while still criticizing her."

Chu Feng was somewhat unconvinced.

Chu Xuan couldn't be bothered to explain further.

They went to the village entrance to wait for a horse carriage. The journey was smooth, and when they arrived at the town post office, there was indeed a remittance from their mother—three hundred yuan.

After Chu Xuan presented the household registration to collect it, she called her mother.

Tian Xiaoyun's voice came from the other end. "Hello..."

Chu Xuan's nose tingled. "Mom, it's me."

This long-awaited call of "Mom" made Tian Xiaoyun incredibly emotional. "Ah! Good child!"

"Mom, thank you for sending money to me and Xiao Feng. I've earned some money, and I want to use your name to take out funds to build a new house..."

As Chu Xuan expressed her thoughts, Tian Xiaoyun repeatedly said it was no problem, adding that she would come back to visit them when she had time to explain the reasons for her departure in person.

During this entire exchange, Chu Feng did not say a word.

After hanging up the phone, the two of them took a bus to the county town.

At 4:00 PM, the Chu siblings returned to the village, carrying many bags and bundles.

On the way home, they drew many gazes.

Gossipers asked, "Chu Xuan, did you strike it rich?"

Chu Xuan answered bluntly, "My biological mother sent me money. Not only can I pay off this month's debt, but I can also repair the old house and build a new one."

The news spread through the village quickly.

Upon returning home, they categorized the purchased items.

There were bamboo baskets, large wooden basins, fabrics, fatty pork, pork bones, malt extract, new shoes, bamboo mats, iron buckets, iron clips, iron pots, white flour, cornmeal, sweet potato flour, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, cooking wine...

The tide would recede around 5:30 PM, leaving about an hour.

While in the county town, they had eaten steamed pork buns and wontons, so they weren't hungry yet.

Chu Xuan put a three-pound slab of pork belly into a bamboo basket, covered it with the lid, and headed straight for Gao Meijuan's house. Since she planned to repair the old house and exchange land to build a new one, reporting to Grandma Gao first would certainly make things much easier.

Chu Feng did not follow; he stayed home to light a fire and boil the pork bones...

After hearing Chu Xuan's intentions, Gao Meijuan took on the matter without a second thought.

Chu Xuan took out a stack of money—two thousand two hundred yuan—and placed it in Gao Meijuan's hands. "Grandma Gao, this money was sent by my mother. Please help me keep it safe. The old house is dilapidated and can't keep out thieves."

Gao Meijuan immediately took on the responsibility of managing the money. "With this money, building two spacious brick rooms and repairing the old house won't be a problem. When your Grandpa Wang comes back tonight, I'll have him contact a construction team."

Chu Xuan hugged Gao Meijuan gratefully. "Thank you, Grandma Gao!"

Being hugged by Chu Xuan, Gao Meijuan couldn't help but cry. "You child, you've made me cry with joy."

The two chatted for a while longer before Chu Xuan prepared to leave.

Just then, the steamed buns were ready. Gao Meijuan kept the pork belly and gave back six large steamed buns.

She planned to make meat pancakes tomorrow and deliver them to Chu Xuan again.

When Chu Xuan returned home, the fragrant bone soup was ready.

The siblings each had three large steamed buns and a bowl of rib soup; it was wonderful! This was a life they hadn't even dared to dream of before.

One carried an iron bucket, the other a wooden bucket, and they headed out with their other foraging tools.

Upon reaching the beach, Chu Feng headed straight for the spot where the Mackerel King had appeared yesterday, and several others ran that way as well.

Chu Xuan did not follow them; instead, she went in another direction.

Whether they could find good goods today depended entirely on luck.

She followed wherever the tide receded.

Suddenly, she spotted a fish about five or six pounds.

It had a long head, a short and blunt snout, a large mouth, and fine teeth. Its eyes were small, it had two pairs of nostrils, and its body was grayish-black with irregular black patches on its sides—it was a Mullet.

It could live in both rivers and the sea.

Although the fish was stranded, it could survive for a day or two out of the water, and its tail twitched occasionally.

Out of the corner of her eye, Chu Xuan saw the figure of a woman running frantically toward her. Was she trying to snatch the fish?

(End of Chapter)