Chapter 36: Preparation

Zhou Qing said as much, and Shen Li understood her intention.

She had her eye on the Yunhai Bookstore owner's connections.

"Master is getting old, the owner may not be kind enough to use his connections for us."

"We'll give it a try, it's worth the effort."

As they were talking, Zhao came out of the house, "What are you two talking about, standing there with the noodles? If you keep talking, they'll get soggy."

Shen Li turned to look at Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing smiled at Zhao, "We're coming, Auntie."

With that, she quickly walked over.

Shen Li felt a hint of disappointment.

Disappointment?

Disappointed about what?

Did he expect to see a hint of blush on Zhou Qing's face?

The thought made him shake his head and smile. He followed Zhou Qing into the house with the noodle bowl.

That morning, everyone ate their fill of meat noodle soup, especially Zhou Ping, who had three bowls in one go.

But in the evening, Zhou Ping, thinking about the roast chicken, only ate one bowl before eagerly looking at Shen Li.

"Senior Brother, have you finished? When are we roasting the chicken?"

Zhou Huaishan also looked at Shen Li.

Meat noodle soup were tasty, but roast chicken was even better.

Shen Li...

Even if I hadn't finished, I'd have to finish now.

Luckily, his bowl was already empty. After drinking the broth, Shen Li put down his chopsticks, "Shall we go now?"

Zhou Huaishan and Zhou Ping immediately got up.

Zhou Qing shot a sharp look at Zhou Huaishan: Remember your character.

Zhou Huaishan...

Oops, almost forgot.

"I'm going to copy the book."

Zhou Huailin raised his hand and smacked Zhou Ping's head, "Look at your second uncle, and then look at you, always thinking about food!"

Zhou Huaishan...

Zhou Qing...

Shen Li swiftly killed and plucked the chicken while Zhou Ping brought over a pile of dry firewood.

Finding a thicker tree branch, Shen Li skewered the chicken on it and set it over the fire to roast.

Turning the stick, the chicken meat was evenly heated, it wasn't long before the aroma of roasting meat filled the air.

Zhou Ping squatted by the fire, guarding the roast chicken, "Senior brother, it smells so good. Are you ready?"

Shen Li...

"Ready?"

Zhou Ping, eyes fixed on the chicken, "Yes, ready to eat the chicken."

Shen Li...

How can I prepare for that, by opening your mouth now?

Glancing at Zhou Ping, Shen Li turned the stick and asked, "What is your sister doing?"

Zhou Ping, not taking his eyes off the chicken, said, "She's probably cutting paper with my sister in the room."

Shen Li then said, "Tell your sister to bring the table out. While roasting the chicken here, I can write by the firelight without wasting time, and they can cut paper too, saving on candles."

Hearing this, Zhou Ping immediately got up, "Alright, don't steal any bites."

Shen Li...

Huh?

He twitched his mouth and looked at the still-raw chicken.

Even if I wanted to steal a bite, I couldn't eat it like this.

Zhou Huailin helped Zhou Qing and the others move the table to the fire.

Zhou Qing and Zhou Yao cut paper, Zhou Huailin took over from Shen Li, turning the stick to roast the chicken, and Shen Li washed his hands to start writing characters by the firelight.

Zhao took out her needlework and sat by the fire to work on it.

Seeing that autumn was approaching, she had to hurry and make new clothes for Zhou Qing and Zhou Yao. Zhou Ping was easier, as he could wear the old clothes Zhou Qing and Zhou Yao had outgrown.

Since Zhou Qing's mother passed away early, Zhao had been making her clothes all these years.

Zhou Huaishan was alone in the room copying books, occasionally peeking out the window, full of envy.

More envious than Wang was.

But after being beaten severely by Zhou Huaihai, Wang's face was swollen like a pig's head, making it impossible for her to leave the room for at least three to five days.

Lying on the kang, Wang's stomach growled with hunger.

She just couldn't understand why the clan leader had brought half the village to her house to stand up for Zhou Qing.

Why!

If the clan leader and the others hadn't meddled, today's situation wouldn't have turned out like this.

And where had Zhou Huaihai gone?

Why hasn't he come back yet?

The smell of roast chicken wafted in, making Wang's stomach growl even louder.

Sun and Old Zhou, however, weren't hungry.

Zhao had made meat noodle soup, and Zhou Huailin had brought two bowls over for the elderly couple.

Sun finished her bowl in a few bites.

After eating, she lay on the kang, feeling like a corpse. The spots where Old Zhou had hit her with the broom still stung.

All because of that little b*tch Zhou Qing! If it weren't for her, how could she suffer like this at her age!

The third son was no good either.

None of them had any conscience.

The first son was so angry he hadn't come back yet. Who knew if he had eaten. Listening to the commotion outside, Sun wanted nothing more than to strangle Zhou Qing.

Old Zhou sat on the kang, staring at his noodles, feeling deeply troubled.

The whole village knew they had split the family.

He felt he had let the Zhou family ancestors down.

From outside came the occasional sounds of Zhou Qing and the others laughing. Old Zhou turned to look.

He saw the group by the firelight and then the light in the second son's room. The second son was diligently studying inside.

These years, had he really been wrong?

For the sake of the eldest, had he neglected the second and third sons too much?

Now...

Old Zhou sighed deeply, got up, and opened the cabinet to take out a money box.

Hearing the noise, Sun jumped up, "What are you doing?"

Old Zhou said irritably, "You ruined Qing's roll of paper."

Sun immediately panicked, jumped out of kang barefoot, and grabbed the money box, "What? Are you going to apologize to her as a grandfather?"

Old Zhou's face burned with shame, feeling even more troubled.

"That was Qing's paper bought with her own money. Even if we don't apologize, we should compensate her."

Sun immediately spat, "Hah, sure she bought it, but has she ever given you any of the money she earned? Not a single bite of meat has she spared for you, and you still think of her as your granddaughter? She doesn't even think of you as her grandfather."

Old Zhou...

This morning, when Zhou Qing made meat noodle soup, she didn't bring over a single bowl, which did make him uncomfortable.

But...

"Peace in the family brings prosperity. Give it to me."

Old Zhou reached for the money box.

Sun clutched it and headed back to the bed, "You'd have to kill me first. This money is for our eldest grandson to study. You think they'll appreciate it if you go warm their cold shoulders now? When the eldest grandson achieves something, won't you enjoy the benefits then?"

Sun glared at Old Zhou.

"Why can't you understand? And besides, how much could she have suffered today? She announced the splitting of the family in front of everyone! How could she say it? I'm her grandmother. Is eating her meat and noodles so unreasonable that she had to call the whole village?"

Just mentioning this made Sun's chest hurt with frustration.

She couldn't understand why the clan leader, as if mad, brought half the village to interfere in her family's matters.

Talking about the family separation made Old Zhou look grim.

"If it weren't for you..."

Sun stiffened her neck and interrupted him, "In any case, this money is for our eldest grandson's education. Don't even think about it."

Old Zhou stared at Sun, who stood her ground. After a moment of staring at each other, Old Zhou sighed.

Seeing him give up, Sun relaxed a bit and looked at his bowl of noodles, "Are you still eating that?"