"Xiao Sui is a bit too impulsive, he's not mature yet, he'll get better with time. Couples learn to tolerate and adjust to each other. Once he matures, your hard days will be over."
Aunt Wang smiled, genuinely fond of the twins. When would she get to hold her own grandchild?
"Thank you for looking after the children. We're leaving now. Here's the money for Tie Zhu, please take it."
Lin Wanwan handed her a dollar. Aunt Wang absolutely refused, "I'm just helping out, how can I accept money? That's too formal. We don't do that."
"Auntie, this is how business works. It has to be paid. If you don't accept it, we'll have to find someone else next time!"
"Alright, alright. We're neighbors, it's really too embarrassing. If you need anything, just call for Tie Zhu. He might not be good at other things, but he's got plenty of strength."
Aunt Wang finally accepted, her face beaming like a sunflower.
"Brother Tie Zhu is honest and diligent. You'll enjoy the blessings of a son. We're leaving now."
"Bye-bye, Grandma Wang."
Doudou and Dingding waved their hands, their well-behaved demeanor making them even more endearing.
Xie Sui waited by the door and heard Lin Wanwan praising Tie Zhu. He felt a pang of jealousy. Did his wife prefer honest and diligent men? Not men like him?
In his past life, he hadn't cared about this. But now, reborn, he wanted not just his wife's body, but her heart too. He yearned for a perfect love and marriage.
"Stopped bragging to others?"
Seeing him, Lin Wanwan couldn't resist teasing.
"I was stating facts, wife. If you had a chance to choose again, what kind of husband would you want?"
Lin Wanwan gave him a look as if he'd lost his mind. "Anyone, as long as it's not you."
"Ouch, that stings. What's wrong with me? I'm handsome, I make money, I can make you happy, and I can have twins. A husband like me is impossible to find even with a lantern."
Xie Sui was displeased and pestered her until she explained.
Lin Wanwan put her hands on her hips. "Your face is too well-groomed, you're handsome, but you lack charisma. Can a handsome farmer put food on the table?
Making money is only recent. You've scammed more money from your family over the years.
As for the twins, it seems I'm the one who gave birth. What does that have to do with you?"
Xie Sui scratched his head. It seemed she had a point.
"I'll change from now on, I'll be a husband you like."
"We'll see when you change."
Lin Wanwan started boiling water for a bath. Xie Sui rushed to help, "Let me, let me! Wife, you go rest."
Lin Wanwan didn't argue and went back to her room to sort through today's earnings.
After boiling the water, Xie Sui entered the room and saw Lin Wanwan's eyes gleaming with excitement, as if she had struck gold.
"Wife, have you realized how handsome your husband is?"
"Have some shame. Guess how much we earned today?"
Xie Sui looked at the stacks of change on the kang, neatly arranged, colorful and quite pleasing to the eye.
The largest denomination was a ten-yuan bill, only one. The rest were small change.
"Close to two hundred yuan."
The canned goods had a set quantity, over a hundred bottles were made. Including the samples given away, the cost of sugar bought, and the money for the peaches, it should be around 180 yuan.
Xie Sui had taught himself accounting in his previous life. Even top accountants couldn't compare to him. Calculating this small sum was as easy as flipping his hand.
"So much money, it's all ours? Am I dreaming?"
Lin Wanwan had been here for almost ten years. Her best youth was spent here, and the most money she had ever held was never more than ten yuan. Such a large sum now was too sudden, she couldn't believe it.
"Then pinch me, and you'll know if it's a dream?"
Xie Sui cried out in pain after saying that, "You're actually pinching me! Gently, wife. Without me, how could you have earned so much money? Give me a shoulder rub, a back massage. I am the pillar of this household!"
Xie Sui lay down with his legs crossed, acting like a lord. Instead of a shoulder rub or back massage, he received a kick from Lin Wanwan, "Dream on."
She put the money away. They still had to make more canned goods to sell tomorrow and earn even more money.
"The bridge hasn't been crossed yet, and you're already tearing it down? I have more here!"
Xie Sui pulled a stack of bills from his waist. They were all large denominations. Lin Wanwan was stunned, "Where did you get so much money?"
"From selling my son."
This was money given to Xie Sui by Chen Qiang, who thought the two children were his. Xie Sui had not handed over this money, considering it a reward for his hard work.
"Explain yourself clearly. Don't scare me." Lin Wanwan's face turned pale. Xie Sui dared not joke and told her everything, not daring to hide anything.
"But weren't the children being watched by Tie Zhu? Where did you get children?"
"One is Huang San's son, and the other is Chen Qiang's daughter. They dared to scheme against my son, so I made them taste the feeling of losing their child.
Wife, you and the children are my life. If Chen Qiang dared to lay a hand on you, I would have killed him myself if it weren't against the law."
Xie Sui's gaze was murderous. The usual playful smile and casual demeanor were gone, and Lin Wanwan saw him in a new light for the first time.
"It's too dangerous."
"For you, everything is worth it."
Lin Wanwan added, "This is ill-gotten money. We can't keep it. Tomorrow, we'll return it to the police comrades and let them handle it."
"Ah, do we have to? I didn't engage in illegal activities. Taking Chen Qiang's dirty money is already being merciful. I even got injured! I should at least get some compensation for my hard work, right?"
"No. If you keep this money, then don't claim to have acted righteously. You're being greedy. Chen Qiang deserved to die, but this money is of unknown origin. Can we spend it with peace of mind?"
Lin Wanwan insisted. Xie Sui pouted, "Alright, I'll listen to you. I'll return it tomorrow. Wife, since I'm so obedient, don't I deserve a reward?"
"What reward do you want?"
Lin Wanwan sighed helplessly. This guy was like a big child. Doudou and Dingding were more sensible than him.
"Just a kiss is fine."
"Do you want a slap instead?"
Lin Wanwan blushed slightly. She wouldn't indulge his bad habits. She put away the money, locked it in the cabinet, and it was time to make dinner.
During dinner, people started bringing peaches one after another. Villagers would visit in the evening after returning from the fields, and it was the liveliest time of the day.
In a spacious adobe courtyard in the center of the village, Wang Qiuju was feeding chickens. Hearing the commotion outside, she said to Xie Dajiang, "I heard your good nephew is causing trouble again. He's even making canned goods to sell. No offense, but he's the number one when it comes to eating canned goods. Making them? Heh, can they make him?"
She was Xie Sui's aunt and detested her idle nephew.
Uncle Xie Dajiang said, "Say less. I heard people say he's been paid this time and didn't cheat anyone. Let's not interfere. Focus on your own son. Xie Chen is at school, who knows how he's doing?
Children are sensible, they only report good news. Find a way to earn some money and send it to him."