Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Brother-in-Law Visits
Let’s not talk about the private conversations the elderly couple had at home.
Another person who can’t sleep well tonight is Gu Rushan.
Gu Rushan returned home, feeling more and more stifled the more he thought.
Jiang Xiulan fried a plate of peanuts and sliced a plate of pig’s head meat. Gu Rushan sat alone at the table, drinking sullen wine.
His heart was unsettled.
What kind of things are these?
The past few days have indeed been very unfortunate.
From the yard outside came Jiang Xiulan’s voice calling out, "Brother, why are you here so late? Come in quickly. Rushan is drinking, you two can have a drink together."
Gu Rushan put down his cup and saw Jiang Xiulan’s elder brother, Jiang Caifa, with his bow-legged steps walking in.
He quickly stood up to greet him, "Brother, you’re here, have a seat."
He pulled Jiang Caifa to sit by the table and turned to Jiang Xiulan, instructing, "Fry two more dishes, and I’ll have a drink with my brother."
Jiang Xiulan agreed and quickly went into the kitchen to start preparing.
People in the countryside don’t have any special dishes for entertaining guests, and no family is affluent beyond measure.
Jiang Xiulan fried five eggs, made a golden omelet, which was a plate of dishes, and chopped two cucumbers, mixed them, and served them up.
She also brought a plate of steamed buns and a pot of millet porridge.
Jiang Caifa is the elder brother in Jiang Xiulan’s family, and Jiang Xiulan’s family has three sons and two daughters.
Jiang Xiulan is the second child in the family.
There’s only one older brother above her.
Jiang Caifa’s name was chosen well, and he’s also lively, quite the talker, able to talk the dead back to life, liking to visit and chat all around.
A couple of years back, he started bringing back certain items from the county to sell around the village. You have to admit, Jiang Caifa is quite capable, forming connections with the county-level supply and marketing cooperatives and transportation companies.
Jiang Caifa’s family is also well-off, but they have only one son and three daughters, which is a sore spot for Jiang Caifa.
In rural areas, the more sons you have, the better.
However, Jiang Caifa has long been involved with a young widow from another village, and this widow is now three months pregnant. Jiang Caifa is quite happy about this, hoping for a son.
But he also knows he can’t keep this from people, so he’s been pondering how to deal with his wife. Jiang Caifa’s wife is the quintessential gossip and strong-willed woman, plus they’ve lived well-off for many years, and she holds the household’s financial power. Jiang Caifa may have the desire but lacks the courage.
Hence, Jiang Caifa is thinking about taking the widow to the county and setting her up in a secret location, planning to have the child first.
Jiang Caifa is desperate for a son right now.
He came to Gu Rushan’s house to seek advice from his sister and brother-in-law.
After all, he feels this matter is quite difficult to handle.
He has many acquaintances in the county, and if, by chance, someone sees them, his business dealings might be at risk. In these times, an issue of character and conduct can be a big deal or a small one.
The main thing is this child needs to be taken care of. Born well, but his wife mustn’t know; this matter needs to be tightly covered.
Gu Rushan was earnestly entertaining his brother-in-law. Jiang Caifa has quite a lot of connections, and many small bosses of county-level government and institutions are acquainted with him through drinking occasions.
He and Jiang Xiulan have always hoped that after Gu Xiaocheng graduates and returns next year, Jiang Caifa could help find a good opportunity, pull some strings, and find a good job for him.
The couple has been counting on Gu Xiaocheng to enjoy the benefits of eating from the public table, the improved status all at once.
Didn’t you see how the third brother, just an accountant at a broken supply and marketing cooperative, made people curry favor everywhere?
Isn’t it because he held real power?
Jiang Caifa didn’t stand on ceremony, took a shot of his drink, picked a peanut and tossed it into his mouth. The days of gloomy mood over these past few days seemed to have lightened up.
Jiang Xiulan knew her elder brother well, saw his look and knew something was bothering him.
Put a piece of pig’s head meat in his bowl and asked with concern, "Big brother, what’s wrong? Is something up?"
Even though this elder brother is slick, he treats his little sister well and always shares benefits with her, so over the years, Gu Rushan’s family has lived quite comfortably.
At least not days of food shortages, always having some pocket money at hand.
Jiang Caifa looked at Jiang Xiulan, then at Gu Rushan, knowing he had to say what was on his mind.
"Sister, brother-in-law, I’m in a bit of a bind this time, can you help me think of a way?"
No sooner had he said this, Gu Rushan pounded his chest and said, "Brother, just tell me what’s up? We’ll definitely help."
When it came to currying favor with the brother-in-law, Gu Rushan was unwavering.
This was a backer for him.
His smooth sailing for so many years wasn’t without Jiang Caifa’s pull. Without it, he couldn’t say how things might have turned out.
Just relying on Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu, there was hardly any opportunity for profit.
After all, how much money could two old folks have?
With that poor brother, even though he sometimes scrapped together a bit, how much could it really amount to?
So, in his heart, Jiang Caifa is Gu Rushan’s most reliable support.
When the support is in trouble, wouldn’t you risk everything for him?
"Hang Cuihua is pregnant!"
The words were no less than a thunderbolt, shocking Jiang Xiulan and Gu Rushan out of their wits.
Pregnant?
Does it mean what I think it means?
Immediately, what Jiang Xiulan thought of first was sister-in-law Feng Mei wielding a rolling pin, chasing people all over the yard, leaving her heart cold.
This complication.
Her sister-in-law is a shrew, one that even her own mother couldn’t handle; if she knew, Jiang Caifa would be in for some trouble.
Don’t even think about divorce; Feng Mei’s family has ten brothers and only this one sister. If they came to the Jiang Family, Jiang Xiulan could predict what her brother would face.
It’d be hard not to have casualties.
Missing limbs and broken arms would be just a minor thing.
Jiang Caifa glanced at his little sister’s expression, knowing what Jiang Xiulan was thinking.
He took another gulp of wine, making a slurping sound.
Actually, he knew there was no way out.
He also knew he couldn’t mess with the tigress at home.
Jiang Xiulan pondered for a moment and asked, "Big brother, then what do you intend to do?"
Got to clear up what her brother meant.
You could tell that widow was up to no good.
She was already angling for her brother’s money.
What’s it with men getting money and making a fuss?
Maybe fresh for a couple of days, that’s it.
Now it’s turned into a permanent thing.
Jiang Caifa looked at Jiang Xiulan and said, "I want to keep the child, what if it’s a boy..."
That sentence didn’t need completion; Jiang Xiulan already understood Jiang Caifa’s meaning.
He wanted to find a way to cover this up.