Chapter 94: Who Do You Think You're Looking Down On?

Inside the room.

Liu Xing was surprised to see Zhou Qiuxiang and Liu Dongju come in and asked, “Is there something else you need?”

“Of course there is. You’ve paid your aunt her wages—what about your elder sister’s?” Zhou Qiuxiang couldn’t help but ask.

“What wages does she need?” Liu Xing found this amusing.

“What do you mean by that?” Zhou Qiuxiang was quite puzzled.

“The shoe shop’s license is registered in my sister’s name, which means she’s a partner. How could a partner ask me for wages? Wouldn’t that be belittling her?” Liu Xing spread his hands as he explained.

Once the shoe shop is stable, then they can split the profits—wouldn’t that be better?

“Ah?” Zhou Qiuxiang looked at Liu Dongju in astonishment. “Is that true?”

“Yes,” Liu Dongju nodded repeatedly, a smile blooming on her pretty face.

If Liu Xing hadn’t mentioned it, she might have forgotten.

“You silly girl, you had me worried for nothing. Turns out you’re the boss!” Zhou Qiuxiang couldn’t help but laugh, her laughter ringing with joy. “I won’t meddle anymore. Clearly, I’m the kind of person who eats idle radishes and worries about nothing. You had it all planned out.”

“I thought you knew already!” Liu Xing said.

“If I had, would I be so anxious?” Zhou Qiuxiang gave Liu Xing a sidelong glance.

In her view, the closer the relationship, the more necessary it was to keep accounts clear. Family rifts often stem from such seemingly trivial matters.

“That’s true,” Liu Xing nodded.

Liu Dongju laughed aloud.

Money really didn’t matter to her; in the past half month, she’d benefited so much from Liu Xing that a few wages couldn’t compare.

“By the way, Mom!” Liu Xing suddenly said seriously, “While I’m away these few days, be sure to take good care of Xiaomo, Kang Hu, and Aunt’s meals. We mustn’t let our workers feel unappreciated just because we’re making money.”

“Got it,” Zhou Qiuxiang replied immediately.

Even if Liu Xing hadn’t said so, she would have cared for everyone’s meals and watched over the quality of the shoes.

“Then I’ll head over to Sister’s place now. I’ll bring Guazi and Xiaobudian with me and ride the black calf.” Liu Xing packed money, the business license, and other important items into a woven bag, wrapped it in old clothes, and tied it securely to himself.

“Is it safe to carry that much money on you?” Zhou Qiuxiang couldn’t help but ask.

“It’s less safe to leave it all at home. I’ll deposit part of it at the rural credit cooperative in the market later, so don’t worry, Mom,” Liu Xing smiled, revealing his plan.

“That’s good.” Zhou Qiuxiang breathed a sigh of relief.

She felt increasingly assured about Liu Xing’s way of handling things.

“Anything else?” Liu Xing looked at Zhou Qiuxiang.

“No, nothing,” Zhou Qiuxiang waved her hand.

If she tried to stop Liu Xing, she’d be failing as a mother.

“Then I’m off.” Liu Xing smiled, and, together with Liu Dongju, left the room.

“Xingya, remember to ask Village Chief Zhao of Old House Village for help if you need anything,” Zhou Qiuxiang called from behind.

“All right!” Liu Xing nodded enthusiastically.

Even if his mother hadn’t reminded him, he knew how important Village Chief Zhao was in Old House Village.

Normally, the old man’s word carried great weight.

Otherwise, when his sister was bullied at her in-laws’ last time over the family division, he wouldn’t have told his brother-in-law to find Village Chief Zhao right away.

Leaving the mud-brick house, they came to the drying yard.

Only Guazi and his father were herding cattle on the country road. Liu Xing called out, “Xiaobudian, where are you? Time to go home with Uncle!”

“Tingting!” Liu Dongju called as well.

“She’s right here!” Zhou Qiuxiang smiled gently, leading Xiaobudian out from the kitchen.

At that moment, Xiaobudian’s hands and mouth were covered with grease.

Clearly, she’d sneaked into the kitchen for a snack during the interval.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t look so messy.

Liu Dongju felt a headache coming on.

Her foodie daughter was hopeless.

Liu Xing laughed, “Xiaobudian, if you want to eat, just tell Uncle or Grandma. You’ll always have enough to eat—no need to sneak around, understand?”

It was the poverty of the countryside in the eighties—no one had enough fat in their diet, so children were always greedy, and adults too. If it were decades later, he could put the best candies in front of Xiaobudian and she wouldn’t even look at them.

“Un...understood,” Xiaobudian said shyly, hiding behind Zhou Qiuxiang.

She hadn't wanted to sneak food, but the meat was just so tempting. Passing by the kitchen made her mouth water; after one bite, she wanted another, and finally, she couldn't walk away.

“I’ll go wash her up—having grease stuck on her isn’t comfortable,” Zhou Qiuxiang said, leading Xiaobudian to the backyard.

Liu Xing went to fetch the black calf and spoke a few words to Liu Dazhao.

After all, Liu Dazhao was still in charge at home, so it was best to communicate.

Once he’d finished, he didn’t wait for Xiaobudian on the country road, but led the black calf to the kitchen door, drew a bucket of water, and began scrubbing the mud and dirt from the calf’s body with a brush.

Moo~!

The calf let out a contented low.

Guazi came over, grinning, to help.

Only now did she realize why the calf listened to Liu Xing—it was because he treated it so well.

Soon, the calf was clean.

Zhou Qiuxiang, leading Xiaobudian, emerged as well.

Xiaobudian was now dressed in a clean red jacket.

The jacket was made by Liu Dongju from dacron cloth Liu Xing had bought on the black market.

It looked neat and handsome on Xiaobudian.

Unfortunately, because of time constraints, Guazi didn’t have one.

But Zhou Qiuxiang wasn’t worried—these nights, Liu Dongju had been working overtime making new clothes.

Seeing Liu Xing wipe the calf’s back with a cloth, she smiled, “That’s enough, it’s clean now. In the countryside, we aren’t so particular. If you keep wiping, your calf will be cleaner than most girls!”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Liu Dongju couldn’t help but say.

“Good, good!” Zhou Qiuxiang laughed, not knowing where Liu Xing had gotten his patience—serving an animal so attentively.

Liu Xing paid no mind to his mother’s nagging.

After drying the calf’s back, he placed a pair of bamboo baskets on it.

Inside were a cobbler’s toolkit, shoe soles, ten or so bundles of materials for shoe-making, several finished shoes, and other items.

Everything was in order.

He lifted Guazi and Xiaobudian onto the calf’s back.

He himself led the rope, walking beside Liu Dongju, heading leisurely toward Old House Village.

“Remember to come back early once you’ve finished,” Zhou Qiuxiang called, watching the black calf grow smaller in the distance.

“Understood,” Liu Xing waved without looking back.

“I’ll be very good, Mom,” Guazi turned and said.

“Ah!” Zhou Qiuxiang sighed.

She couldn’t understand why—even when Liu Xing had no prospects, she worried; now that he was successful and making good money, she still worried.

What was going on?

Seated at the gate, Liu Dazhao saw her anxiety and smiled, “Wife, don’t watch anymore. Liu Xing and Guazi are long gone. The two of them are inseparable—nothing will happen.”

“That’s true. With Guazi by Liu Xing’s side, things have been smooth these past years,” Zhou Qiuxiang agreed.

But soon she denied it in her heart, remembering how she’d hidden Liu Xing’s acceptance to the No. 8 Middle School last year...

...

Leading the black calf to the market, it was already noon.

Liu Xing wanted to deposit the money first, but seeing his brother-in-law Zhao Dongkui was out, he locked the calf in the cattle pen and took Guazi and Xiaobudian with him.

After all, it wasn’t his home but the bustling market. If he lost Guazi or Xiaobudian, he’d be inconsolable.

Liu Dongju went to cook. Half an hour later, she brought out a big pot of sweet potato rice and set it on the wooden table.

There were no stir-fried dishes.

This made Xiaobudian unhappy, “Mommy, I want meat.”

“My little darling, just eat this for now, all right? Your father doesn’t know what he’s been up to lately—he’s eaten all the vegetables at home,” Liu Dongju felt embarrassed. At her mother’s house, she ate meat every day; at her own, it was just sweet potato rice.

If word got out, she’d be ridiculed.

“Okay,” Xiaobudian didn’t insist, picking up her spoon and eating the rice with gusto.

It wasn’t that she feared Liu Dongju, but even as a child, she understood the family’s situation.

If she made a fuss, she’d get spanked.

Seeing Xiaobudian so well-behaved, Liu Xing couldn’t help but smile, “Sister, I’ll go see if there’s any pork belly for sale in the market. If there is, I’ll buy a few pounds.”

“It’s not a market day, so there’s no pork for sale,” Liu Dongju sighed, “And even if there is, it’s at the supply and marketing cooperative. Do you have meat coupons?”

“Well…” Liu Xing was taken aback and said no more.

He knew his sister was right.

The market couldn’t compare to the black market, let alone the Donghe vegetable market.

Even if meat coupons weren’t needed, with the current economic situation, few could afford pork.

If no one could buy it, there would be no sellers.

Only during the New Year would families try to buy a few pounds to share a meal.

At ordinary times, like now, it was out of the question.

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