Chapter 127: Borba's Family

Boerba lived in a shared courtyard, unlike the three-tiered siheyuan where Chen Liang resided. This compound consisted of just one large courtyard, cluttered and disorganized, with many houses built haphazardly in every direction.

Do not underestimate the residents here, though. Every single one of them was an employee of the Sijiucheng Coal Company. There is an old saying: "Salt makes the big money, but coal makes the big boss." The coal company was one of the premier workplaces in Sijiucheng, and its workers were notoriously bold and wealthy.

When Chen Liang arrived with Xiaoyu, a crowd had already gathered. They were friends, family, and neighbors of the Boerba family, all here to join in the excitement.

As soon as Chen Liang pushed his bicycle through the entrance and spotted Boerba’s father and his junior fellow apprentice greeting guests, he quickly propped his bike against the wall and scurried over, acting like a sycophant. "Boerba’s Dad, have a smoke!"

"You little brat, didn't you always take the long way around to avoid me? What gave you the courage to show your face here today?" Boerba’s Dad took the cigarette but immediately expressed his disdain. "Boy, you’re giving me this? How come you’re willing to give Zhonghua cigarettes to your master and uncles, but when it comes to me, it’s just Ta Jian?"

"Oh, you’re being too serious! How would I dare?" Chen Liang promised, patting his chest. "Once I’m done helping with my junior brother’s wedding, I’ll bring you two cartons of Zhonghua tomorrow, how about that?"

"That’s more like it. Get inside. Boerba’s Mom hasn't been able to sleep since last night just thinking about you. You’d better watch your step and not get on her bad side!"

Hearing the underlying tone, Chen Liang felt a surge of unease. "Boerba’s Dad, today is my junior brother’s big day. Surely Boerba’s Mom wouldn't be that fierce, would she?"

*Damn it,* he thought, *this is a trap. I’m walking straight into an ambush! If I’d known, I would’ve feigned illness. I’ve been too careless.*

As Chen Liang led Xiaoyu into his junior brother’s home, he felt as if every step was fraught with danger, ready to bolt at any moment. As expected, he turned a corner and ran right into trouble. Seeing Boerba’s Mom—towering in stature with a cold, insincere smile—blocking his path, Chen Liang broke into a cold sweat.

"Boerba’s Mom," Xiaoyu greeted her sweetly, unaware of what her man had done.

Chen Liang, cowering behind Xiaoyu, followed suit. "Boerba’s Mom, you look truly festive in that outfit today. You look as beautiful as a flower."

Chen Liang’s subtext was a reminder: today is your son’s wedding, we are all civilized people, so let’s not resort to violence. Boerba’s Mom snorted through her nose. She was, after all, a former female champion in bare-handed wolf-hunting; her words carried weight and absolute authority. She thought to herself that the brat was at least smart enough to flatter her, otherwise, she would have wrestled him to the ground right there in front of everyone.

"Oh, my, Xiaoyu, you’re getting prettier by the day. Come here, let me get a good look at you!"

As Boerba’s Mom pulled Xiaoyu aside for some woman-to-woman talk, Chen Liang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. *Did I just escape a disaster?* Xiaoyu was truly his greatest treasure. If the time and place were appropriate, he would have loved to give her a big hug and a kiss. Seeing that Boerba’s Mom was no longer angry, Chen Liang straightened his posture and felt confident again—until she shot him a death glare, causing him to shrink back into his shell.

*Well,* he mused, *it is my fault.* Helping his junior brother find a wife from the countryside—was that really something a senior brother should do?

After chatting for a while, Xiaoyu remembered to hand over a set of quilt covers from her bag and the two new thermoses Chen Liang was carrying. While these gifts might seem modest in later times, they were considered significant presents today. The bond between Chen Liang and the Boerba family went deep; calling them "Mom" and "Dad" was not something done lightly—they were treated as true family.

After accepting the gifts, Boerba’s Mom set them aside and immediately began ordering Chen Liang around. "Xiao Liang, don't just stand there. Go help sweep the courtyard. It’s a mess and it’s an eyesore!"

Chen Liang wasn't stupid. He wasn't going to sweep the whole courtyard alone. He called over several peers from the neighborhood and acted as the foreman. "You, go pull the weeds; you, sweep the floor; you, clear the clutter..." When Boerba’s Mom came out later and saw this, she was nearly livid.

There was no helping it; there wasn't a single young man in the neighborhood whom Chen Liang hadn't beaten in a scuffle. With a single shout from him, they all gathered and worked obediently.

Seeing that she couldn't trip him up, Boerba’s Mom rolled her eyes and called out, "Xiao Liang, come here. Ride your bike to Xiao Bo’s uncle’s place and bring back the wine and food!"

There was no avoiding this. Chen Liang resigned himself to the task. He knew where the uncle lived, but it was quite a distance—one in the west of the city, the other in the south—a good hour’s ride each way.

When he returned, drenched in sweat and panting like a dog, Boerba’s Mom had another task waiting. "Xiao Liang, don't just stand there, go to the bridge and find a porter to help bring back the furniture we ordered!"

*Damn it,* he thought, *even a donkey on a collective farm wouldn't be worked this hard!* But looking at Boerba’s Mom, who seemed even more terrifying than a tigress, Chen Liang swallowed his pride. "Alright, I understand. You rest, Boerba’s Mom, I’m going right now!"

She followed him with a final warning: "Remember, when they load the furniture, make sure they use straw padding. Don't let it get scratched, you hear?"

"Don't worry, leave it to me," he muttered to himself, secretly thinking, *I’ll make sure to scratch it just to satisfy my spite!* But that was just his way of blowing off steam. On the way back, terrified of bumps, he used his own hands to steady the furniture the entire time.

In these times, the older generation held onto certain traditional and superstitious beliefs. A wedding was meant to be flawless. If the furniture arrived damaged, it might leave a bad omen in the hearts of both families. His junior brother’s wedding hadn't been easy, and since Yue Hehua had effectively cut ties with her own family, she was the most vulnerable in this marriage. She couldn't afford any ripples.