Chapter Thirty-Three: Silly Pillar Misses His Wife

After the wedding banquet ended, Chen’s mother kept Chen Liang’s group of friends behind. They were all children from neighboring households, about the same age, and had grown up under Chen’s mother’s watchful eye, so she had no compunction about giving them orders. Once all the borrowed tables, chairs, benches, bowls, chopsticks, and plates were returned, she instructed them to tear down the makeshift earthen stove that Shazhu had built in the yard. Only after they’d swept up all the cigarette butts, sunflower seed shells, peanut skins, candy wrappers, and other litter did she finally let them go.

Chen Liang, meanwhile, tossed them two packs of Hongta Mountain cigarettes and told them to get lost.

Shazhu was the last to finish packing up the tools, and Chen Liang wasn’t surprised in the least. This poor fool—he’d only just fallen out with Widow Qin a few days ago, and now she had him under her thumb again. Damn, that guy’s beyond saving, hopelessly addicted to widow’s poison.

No wonder—he really was He Daqing’s son; couldn’t live a day without a widow.

Chen Liang pulled twenty-five yuan from his pocket and handed it over. “Shazhu, I heard you’re back together with Widow Qin?”

“Hey! Who’s been wagging their tongue again? What do you mean, back together with Widow Qin?” Shazhu took the money, but hearing Chen Liang’s words, he immediately protested, though his guilty look gave him away.

“Yeah, right. You think you’re getting married any time soon? Maybe try again in your next life.” Chen Liang pulled out a pack of Hongta Mountain and handed it to Ma Hua. “You must be Ma Hua? Shazhu’s mentioned you. Here, take this. Thanks, brother!”

“No need to be so polite,” Ma Hua replied, his family’s circumstances nothing special—if anything, a bit below average. It was the first time in his life he’d been handed a whole pack of Hongta Mountain cigarettes.

But Ma Hua was truly loyal to Shazhu. The moment he got the cigarettes, he offered them to his mentor. “Master, these are for you!”

Shazhu, for his part, didn’t think much of Ma Hua. According to the TV dramas, Ma Hua wasn’t even as highly regarded by Shazhu as Fatty was. What could he do? Ma Hua was too slow-tongued, not good at talking.

“Keep it. Chen Liang gave it to you. I’m not short of a pack of cigarettes.” With that, Shazhu pulled out a ten-yuan note and handed it to Ma Hua.

“Take it, that’s your pay for the hard work,” Shazhu said kindly—though once Fatty came on the scene, Ma Hua’s standing would soon diminish.

As Shazhu was tidying up, he suddenly saw a young woman come into the kitchen—she looked like a fairy descended from the heavens, and she took Chen Liang’s hand affectionately!

Seeing Shazhu’s reaction, Chen Liang instantly knew he was jealous. His eyes gleamed, and, brimming with mischief, he came up with a wicked idea.

He quickly soothed his wife Xiaoyu with a few words and sent her on her way. Then, with a self-satisfied grin, he turned to Shazhu. “Hey, just one look is all you get! That’s my wife, after all!”

Shazhu, dragged back to reality by Chen Liang’s words, felt a pang of envy. Damn it, what kind of luck did Chen Liang have to land such a beautiful wife—she really did look like a fairy! Sour grapes, envy, and the urge to cry all welled up inside him.

“My wife’s pretty, isn’t she?” Chen Liang, ever the troublemaker, kept fanning the flames. “Shazhu, don’t you want to find a girl as beautiful as my wife?”

Who wouldn’t want that? If he could marry such a beauty, he’d worship her at home every day as a living ancestor!

“Alright, you can forget about my wife, but I know someone almost as pretty as she is. Want me to introduce you?” Seeing the bait had been taken, Chen Liang continued, “You know my eldest sister-in-law, right? There’s a girl at her department store who’s every bit as beautiful as my wife.”

“If you’re interested, I’ll take you to my sister-in-law later and have her sound things out for you.” Chen Liang’s words fired Shazhu up.

Good brother—if this works out and I really find love, I’ll hang your portrait on my wall and offer you incense three times a day!

If only Chen Liang could read Shazhu’s mind—he’d probably half-paralyze him out of spite. Here he was, helping to introduce Shazhu to a girl, and not only was the guy not grateful, he was already wishing for his early demise! If I don’t finish you off, call me magnanimous.

“But Shazhu, I’m not helping you just to make enemies. If you keep things unclear with Widow Qin, then forget it.”

Chen Liang just wanted to see what Widow Qin would do without Shazhu’s support—would she keep living as a widow?

Truth be told, even without Shazhu, Widow Qin’s salary of twenty-seven yuan and fifty cents was enough to keep her family from starving.

But paying three yuan a month to Jia Zhang for her old age, or eating meat every day—she could keep dreaming.

Shazhu had already decided not to help the Jia family anymore, but when Widow Qin clung to his arm and cried, he couldn’t take it. This lifelong bachelor couldn’t resist her sobbing and clinging. So the moment he got his welfare payout, he was bringing her food in his lunch box again.

So Chen Liang’s words reignited the burning fire in Shazhu’s heart. With a fairy to pursue, who’d want a widow? Time to move on!

“No problem, Chen Liang, you can count on me. I’ll break things off with Widow Qin as soon as I get home and won’t put you in a difficult position. But will your sister-in-law really help me? Working at the department store—that’s a respectable job!”

Chen Liang shot him a sidelong glance. At least you know that much? The way you look, even without Widow Qin, what decent girl would want you?

“Seriously, you’re not even thirty yet—can’t you tidy yourself up a bit? You’re starting to smell sour. Why not take a bath, get a haircut, and clean up this afternoon?” Chen Liang started giving practical advice.

“Clean yourself up, then go see my sister-in-law. She won’t turn you down then, will she?” As soon as Chen Liang finished, Shazhu couldn’t wait—he slung his family’s tool box over his shoulder and was about to leave.

Chen Liang quickly stopped him. “Shazhu, you have to keep your word. If you keep entangling yourself with Widow Qin, my sister-in-law will never agree to this. That girl is her best friend!”

“Don’t worry, Chen Liang, I promise I won’t put you in a tough spot. I’ll break it off with Widow Qin’s family today!” With that, Shazhu handed the lunch box, which he’d secretly filled with food at noon, to Ma Hua.

As the saying goes, a cook who doesn’t pilfer is no real cook. When Shazhu was in charge of the kitchen, he always followed the rules of the Beijing chef circles—he’d sneak a little food into his lunch box when the dishes were ready, unlike those who stole raw ingredients. In that regard, Shazhu was already a cut above the rest.