Northeast: My Absurd Woman

Chapter 186 The Red Flag at Home Remains Flying High While Colorful Flags Flutter Outside

Liu Dachahu saw the five cents and quickly grabbed it, stuffing it into the large pocket on his apron.

A long face with a flat shoe sole, and eyes and mouth that smile like blooming pancakes.

With a body as thin as a stick, he deftly bent over, grabbed two iron bars, and threw them into the red-purple furnace.

All I could see was Liu Dachahu cutting the red-hot iron bar into two pieces, one long and one short.

Flatten one end with a hammer, and while it's still hot, bend it several times on the anvil.

Press a spring about the length of a finger, throw it into the water to cool it down, and hand it to Zhang Changyao.

"Zhang Changyao, you're going to work at the brick factory? They can't be firing bricks in the dead of winter, can they?"

Seeing Zhang Changyao about to leave with the brick clip, Liu Dachahu couldn't help but ask a question.

"Lifting bricks, earning wages."

Zhang Changyao responded irritably and walked out of Liu Dachahu's house.

He disliked this Liu the Teapot; ever since the boy inherited his father's blacksmith's forge, he had become arrogant and disdainful of everyone.

Originally, he followed behind Zhai Qingming and his companion, calling him "Brother Changyao" repeatedly.

Now look at this, they call me by my full name, but not even a single "brother".

"Uncle, the boxes are packed. Which room should we put them in?"

As soon as Zhang Changyao entered the courtyard, he saw Guo Erluzi and Hu Xianjun standing and chatting. When they saw him enter the courtyard, they quickly asked him what was going on.

"Put it in the east room."

Zhang Changyao threw the brick clips on the ground, and he and Guo Erluzi each carried one end of the box into the house.

There's another shelf underneath the box, made of scrap wood. It doesn't look nice, but it's practical.

Yang Wuni brought out the white-and-blue-patterned box curtain that she had prepared long ago.

He handed it to Zhang Changyao and asked him to nail it to the box frame with tack.

The boxes and broken shelves that looked lifeless just a moment ago.

Against the backdrop of the blue and white floral box curtain, it suddenly seemed to come alive.

"Uncle, my family asked Hu Xianjun to make a pair of boxes for my brother."

We pay the same amount other carpenters charge.

Guo Erluzi took a package of paper from the back of his brand-new bicycle.

The paper package was opened, revealing a pig's head meat inside, which was placed on the table that Yang Deshan had just set up.

A bottle of unopened liquor was placed next to the pig's head meat.

"Erluzi, what are you doing?"

Zhang Changyao pointed at the pig's head meat and the liquor, and asked Guo Erluzi in confusion.

"Uncle, don't overthink it. I just want to borrow your place to have a couple of drinks with Hu Xianjun."

Uncle-in-law, this pack of Ershen cigarettes is for you. Keep it safe. My brother Hu Xianjun and I will smoke these.

Before Guo Erluzi could finish speaking, he pulled out a pack of Dashen cigarettes from his pants pocket and slammed it on the table.

"Erluzi, given our relationship, we can't talk about money when we're fighting over boxes, or I won't drink with you."

Hu Xianjun was already moved by Guo Erluzi's sincerity even before he had a drink.

"Erluzi, don't drink too much with Xianjun. He almost strangled Liao Zhi to death last night."

Worried, Zhang Changyao moved the liquor bottle further into the table.

"Uncle-in-law, let's not drink tonight, so we don't get into any trouble while drunk without even realizing it."

Hu Xianjun sat cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed), his face flushed, and pushed the wine bottle to Guo Erluzi.

"Uncle, it's alright. After we finish drinking, I'll take Hu Xianjun to my house to sleep."

Guo Erluzi unscrewed the bottle and poured a cup of wine for each of them.

After a few drinks, Guo Erluzi got so hot that he took off his sweater and unbuttoned two buttons on his floral shirt.

"Uncle, to tell you the truth, I've come to see you about something."

I know that you and Hou Liping have a special relationship and can talk to each other.

Could you ask Hou Liping for me tomorrow if she's looking for a man?

My older brother married Zhai Ling, so I had nowhere to live.

I'm almost thirty, how can I possibly squeeze onto a kang (heated brick bed) with several girls?

Hou Liping's husband just died, so I went to be her husband.

If she doesn't want me to go to her house, that's fine too. She can move to our village and I'll find a place for her.

I earn several tens of yuan a year guarding the forest in the brigade, plus some extra income.

The wood all over the mountain is the same as what we have at home; we can burn it however we want.

Guo Erluzi waved his hand, his posture like a leader giving instructions.

"Hey, you donkey, how long has it been since Hou Liping's husband died?"

I dare not ask, lest I get cursed out of the public.

Zhang Changyao did not drink and gave Guo Erlvzi a rational answer.

"Uncle, it's not that I'm in a hurry or can't wait, it's that I'm afraid I'll miss out if I act too late."

Haven't you heard the villagers talking about it, ever since your relatives...

After moving to live with Hou Jiu, Hou Liping never left her parents' home.

She rides her bike every day, getting up early and coming home late, busy with chores, as if she and Du Qiu were a couple.

Guo Erluzi picked up the bottle and poured the liquor into his mouth, which startled Zhang Changyao so much that he immediately stood up and snatched it away.

"Erluzi, you're overthinking it. Hou Liping is just worried about Hou Jiu."

To say that she and Du Qiu are like a couple is a bit of an exaggeration.

"Hou Liping isn't a slut; she wouldn't just go with anyone." Zhang Changyao defended Hou Liping.

"Uncle, don't try to reassure me, it won't work."

What do you guys in our village say about you and Hou Liping?

People say you're taking advantage of Hou Liping because her husband died.

Not daring to go himself, he sent Du Qiu as the vanguard, an undercover agent.

Hello, take this opportunity to visit Du Qiu and get to know Hou Liping better.

Your aunt is currently in postpartum confinement and can't keep an eye on you or take care of you.

You're playing both sides, keeping the wife at home while having affairs on the side.

Guo Erluzi went further and further as he spoke, spewing vulgarities without restraint.

He didn't notice that Yang Wuni, sitting behind him, was so angry she wanted to strangle him.

"Erluzi, don't talk nonsense. Uncle is very good to Aunt."

Neither of us is married, so we don't understand the ins and outs of married life.

"Let's drink, let's drink, and after we finish, we'll hurry back to your house."

Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Hu Xianjun immediately picked up the wine pot and filled the wine cup.

He raised his wine cup, not wanting Guo Erluzi to continue his nonsense.

"Hu Xianjun, you're not from our village, so you don't know what's going on here."

My uncle and Hou Liping were childhood friends who grew up together.

These two people spend all day playing in the mud and making house.

When they got a little older, they started to hide from us and go into the woods.

Later, I don't know why, she stopped going into the woods with Hou Liping and started going with Zheng Meizhi instead.

Everyone said that her uncle had had his fill of Hou Liping and dumped her.

Tell me, with this kind of relationship, Hou Liping lost her man.

Is it possible that my aunt and uncle are still sleeping together?

"Guo Erluzi, you're drunk. Go home right now." Zhang Changyao's face turned from red to white.

Seeing that Yang Wuni was furious, he quickly got down and pulled Guo Erluzi away, urging him to leave.

"Zhang Changyao, if you won't let me talk, it means you have a guilty conscience."

The more you tell me not to say it, the more I'll say it. You just want to sleep with Hou Liping.

Otherwise, why didn't you introduce Hou Liping to me? You tell me yourself!