Chen Suozhu had held it in for two days, finally unable to resist dragging his wife back to the old courtyard:
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
For the past two days, the atmosphere at home had been unusually somber. His wife had a stern face, as if everyone owed her something.
Li Min asked her husband expressionlessly, "You're annoyed with me too, aren't you?"
Chen Suozhu pulled his wife into his arms with force. "Tell me, what grievances are you holding in your heart? Tell me everything."
Li Min paused, then began to cry, hugging her husband.
"Wuwuwu, Mother doesn't want me anymore, and neither do my elder sister-in-law and younger sister-in-law. They're all annoyed with me, they all look down on me..."
Listening to his wife's intermittent account of what she had heard the day before, Chen Suozhu's temples throbbed.
"Who said that no matter what happened with the younger brother and sister-in-law, they would always bring me along to eat and drink every day? Who said that following the younger sister-in-law meant having enough to eat?"
"Why have the younger brother and sister-in-law tolerated you for over twenty years? For whom did they do it?"
Li Min's crying abruptly stopped. "For Mother?"
"Of course!" Chen Suozhu nodded. "If Mother were gone, and the younger brother and sister-in-law no longer wanted you, I would believe it."
Li Min was very sad. "But Mother doesn't want me anymore. The Li family is no longer my home."
"Nonsense!" Chen Suozhu was truly at a loss with his wife.
"I told you to see how your elder and younger sisters-in-law treated our mother, and you still acted like you used to compete for favor? Mother isn't just your mother."
"Have you forgotten what Mother said on the day of your return visit? She wants family harmony, not petty rivalry. In her eyes, everyone is her child."
"Let alone the excellence of the elder and younger sisters-in-law themselves, even if they weren't outstanding, giving birth to children for the Li family is a contribution to the Li family."
"For over twenty years, you've been causing trouble for over twenty years. When it was harmless, the elder and younger sisters-in-law never held it against you."
"This time, you showed indifference and selfishness towards Mother. Should you not be happy that the elder and younger sisters-in-law each gave you a beating? Be happy that they are sincerely protecting our Mother."
Huh?
Li Min's eyes widened. She raised her hand and beat her husband's chest. "Why didn't you say this sooner?"
Chen Suozhu grabbed his wife's hand. "What issue have you been preoccupied with these past few days?"
Li Min shook her head. "It's not important anymore. It doesn't matter even if everyone thinks I'm an ungrateful wretch."
Chen Suozhu pressed further. "Then are you still going to make trouble?"
Li Min shook her head. "No more. I'll do what I should do. Restoring my true nature is what you can accept."
Chen Suozhu was relieved. "Don't go too far with Mother. Care for her as you care for Ji Qing and Ji Xiang."
Li Min punched her husband again with her other hand. "Then you still said you didn't know and told me to go back and see?"
"I really didn't know," Chen Suozhu said. "I really didn't know how the elder and younger sisters-in-law interacted with Mother."
Li Min forcefully shook off her husband's hand. "I'm going to wash Ji Nian and Ji Yang's diapers."
"Wait." Chen Suozhu called out to his wife. "Cheng Bin wants to rent our old courtyard for his parents to live in. Do you agree?"
Li Min pointed at their house in surprise. "This?"
"Yes!" Chen Suozhu nodded. "He's looked at several places in the village, but most villagers are reluctant to rent them out."
The old courtyard not only attracted tourists, but the backyard could also be used for growing vegetables and raising chickens. The reserved land in front could also be used to grow vegetables and sell to tourists. Villagers were reluctant to rent it out.
Li Min asked again, "Grandpa died a violent death. Won't he mind?"
"It's been too long, and no one in the village mentions it anymore. There's nothing unusual about our old courtyard. Grandpa was also a gentle person..."
Li Min raised her hand to interrupt her husband. "If you want to rent it out, rent it out. You should hurry up and organize the small Western-style building on the south side. When Hua'er's full moon arrives, we'll move to the south side."
"An An might get married at any time, and even if she does, she might not live at home. If we live there, it will increase the liveliness."
Chen Suozhu smiled. "Okay, I'll organize the old courtyard first."
Although they had always lived in the old courtyard, for the past six months or so, due to taking care of their elder daughter-in-law, the couple had moved into the small Western-style building opposite.
He had originally intended to use Zhou Chengbin's parents moving out as an opportunity to reason with his wife, but he didn't expect his wife to voluntarily move.
"As you wish," Li Min waved her hand and returned to the opposite side.
...
On the first, Zhou Chengbin received the Chen family's old courtyard.
He also bought half of the wild chickens and rabbits in the old courtyard from his uncle.
He happily thanked his uncle and paid a year's rent. "Uncle, we'll pay the rent year by year. If it increases, I'll increase it too."
Chen Fu didn't care about this small amount of rent, but he accepted it since his nephew-in-law was offering it. Moreover, family relationships shouldn't be too generous, to avoid the saying "a single measure of rice given can lead to a peck of trouble later."
Zhou Chengbin took his parents to see the old courtyard and then asked if they wanted to tile the west room.
Mother Zhou pointed to the east room and asked, "Why is the door to the east room separate?"
Zhou Chengbin replied, "That was Grandpa Chen's living area, so having a separate door is more convenient. You'll live in the west room, and the storeroom will be in the side rooms to the east and west."
Mother Zhou asked again, "Are Grandpa's belongings still stored in the east room?"
Zhou Chengbin shook his head. "Only a portrait."
Mother Zhou nodded. "Lock the east door and give the key to your uncle. We won't touch that area."
"Tiling the west room will make it too cold. You should re-plaster the floors of the west room and the main hall with cement so they are easy to clean."
"Don't touch anything else. The original state is best."
Although this courtyard looked very old, it had always been inhabited. The windows had been enlarged and were very bright.
Mother Zhou was quite satisfied.
Furthermore, although the Chen family wasn't large, they were all boys. Except for Li Min, who was a bit troublesome, there were no messy trivial matters like in other families.
This was what Mother Zhou was most satisfied with.
If there were constant quarrels at home, the feng shui of the house would inevitably be bad.
This was also why Zhou Chengbin hadn't been able to rent the old courtyard for so long, because Mother Zhou had specified certain families, but they happened not to be renting out.
Now that his mother was satisfied, Zhou Chengbin breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll call people to help right away. Will you check if the kitchen needs any work?"
"No need, no need," Mother Zhou waved her hand. "Just leave it as it is."
...
July 6th, an auspicious day for moving.
Father and Mother Zhou moved into the Chen family's old courtyard.
Tian Jing and Ouyang Meihua came with red envelopes and vegetable baskets to offer their congratulations.
Mother Zhou's eyes crinkled into a smile.
At noon, Li Zhengguo got off work and came over with Li Liguo.
Li Min, having finished her chores, also came with her husband to offer congratulations.
Mother Zhou thanked the couple repeatedly for being willing to rent the old courtyard to them. She really liked the old courtyard.
Li Min glanced at Xiao Mai and said, "We're family, let's not be so formal."
"Yes, yes, yes."
Mother Zhou smiled and invited them to sit down, saying she would help in the kitchen.
Da Mai had come early to help. She asked Xiao Mai how she felt.
Xiao Mai shook her head. "The only feeling is that I'm a little more relaxed. As long as the elders are happy, it's fine. Staying away means fewer conflicts."
Da Mai lowered her voice and said, "Some people in the village say you can't tolerate your mother-in-law."
Xiao Mai remained unconcerned. "Let them say what they want. As long as I live comfortably, that's enough."
Da Mai disagreed. "You are the village head's wife. You should pay attention to these rumors."
"Now that they've moved out, you should visit often and bring them some good things."
"After Yu Lin sends the baby over, don't neglect them either. It's just a short walk."
Xiao Mai nodded. "I know what to do."