Chapter 17: The Most Envied Man in the Compound!

Tian Xiulan replied cheerfully, “Sure! That sounds great!”

“And there’s another thing, you know my family’s situation. Since Old Jia passed away early, we don’t have much to our name. With the wedding tomorrow, Dongxu’s superiors will be here! The house looks so empty, it’s embarrassing. I was thinking of borrowing your tables and chairs, plus that pair of camphorwood chests, just to make things look presentable!

You know what they say, a wardrobe, a small cabinet, and a pair of camphorwood chests. Hua Ru’s from the countryside, so she doesn’t have camphorwood chests as part of her dowry, and neither does my family…”

Tian Xiulan nodded, “Alright, but you’ll have to find someone to carry the camphorwood chests. My old man Chen isn’t strong enough, and you know how Chen Shi is!”

“Got it, I’ll go find someone right away!”

Auntie Jia, pleased with the successful bargain, happily walked out.

Chen Shi, hearing the commotion, curled his lips. “The Jia family, really, borrowing everything!”

But despite his grumbling, he didn’t stop them. After all, this was an era built on mutual favors, borrowing bowls for rice, jars for oil, or even a pinch of salt.

It wasn’t unusual at all. Even a two-cent box of matches had to be borrowed if you ran out. If guests came over and there weren’t enough quilts, you borrowed those too. If you didn’t have decent clothes for a wedding, you borrowed them. Borrowing furniture, even houses for weddings, it was all perfectly normal.

No one could escape it in those days. And no one dared not return what they borrowed, if Auntie Jia tried, public scorn would drown her!

That’s why, in the original story, no matter how much Auntie Jia stirred up trouble, she only ever targeted Qin Huairu, Yi Zhonghai, and Silly Zhu. Outside, she acted completely normal!

This old hag might seem like a shameless, rolling-around-on-the-ground troublemaker, but in reality, she was one of the smartest people in the compound!

Shen Youchu, hearing Tian Xiulan coming, quickly struggled to sit up. “Let me pour you some water.”

Chen Shi watched the shy, sweet little bunny of a girl and thought of her soft, plump hands. His heart swelled with delight!

Soon, footsteps echoed outside.

Silly Zhu, Xu Damao, Jia Dongxu, Yan Jiecheng, and Liu Guangqi from the Liu family strode in.

“Auntie Tian, we’re here to move the chests!”

“They’re in the east room, Chen Shi’s place. Be careful when you move them!”

“Got it!”

Silly Zhu, Jia Dongxu, Xu Damao, and Liu Guangqi entered Chen Shi’s room just in time to see Shen Youchu kneeling by the kang, holding an enamel mug as she carefully fed Chen Shi water.

Chen Shi took a couple of sips, then waved impatiently. “Enough!”

But the gentle Shen Youchu, her voice soft as water, coaxed, “Just a little more, you barely drank anything all morning.”

The sight left Jia Dongxu, Silly Zhu, Liu Guangqi, and Xu Damao utterly stunned.

Silly Zhu’s heart twisted with envy. Wasn’t this exactly the life he dreamed of? A kind, virtuous wife, kids, and a warm home!

Jia Dongxu felt even sourer. Sure, Qin Huairu was virtuous and charming, but she wasn’t as attentive as Shen Youchu. Qin Huairu sometimes threw little tantrums, but Shen Youchu?

She treated Chen Shi like a king!

Noticing the visitors, Shen Youchu quickly lowered her head, hunched her shoulders, set the cup down, and hurried out.

Chen Shi glared at the group. “Jia Dongxu, do you want another beating? You didn’t even knock!”

Jia Dongxu, remembering Chen Shi’s punch, scowled. “My mom already talked to your mom about borrowing the camphorwood chests!”

Silly Zhu curiously leaned in. “Hey, Chen Shi, how’d you get your wife to be so obedient? Share some tips!”

Chen Shi smirked. “Once you get a wife, I’ll teach you.”

If you ever get one, that is.

Xu Damao chimed in, “Brother Chen, teach me too, alright? My dad got some red sausages as gifts from his film screenings, I’ll bring you some!”

Chen Shi nodded approvingly. Now this was Xu Damao, the ultimate social climber. No matter whose house he visited, he never came empty-handed.

“Sure, Damao. Bring a bottle of liquor next time, and we’ll talk over drinks.”

“Whoa, Chen Shi, you’re smoking Daqianmen?” Silly Zhu eyed the cigarette in Chen Shi’s hand, jealousy flaring again.

Chen Shi’s family might’ve been down on their luck, but when Old Chen bought the house, the previous owner left behind plenty of nice furniture. Their home was better furnished than anyone else’s! And on top of that, he had such an obedient little wife, this guy was living the dream!

Jia Dongxu sulked. So what? Even if Chen Shi’s wife was dutiful, she wasn’t as pretty as his Qin Huairu. And his wedding wouldn’t be as grand, he was hosting a banquet in the courtyard!

“Chen Shi, when the banquet starts later, I’ll call you. My master said that as thanks for lending us the chests, you and your wife can toast everyone after the meal and announce your marriage!”

Chen Shi’s eyes gleamed. “Uncle Yi really said that?”

“Of course! But consider the chest-borrowing a settled matter between our families.”

Chen Shi’s mind raced. He’d been worried about how to justify his plans tonight without causing a scene, but with Jia Dongxu’s words, he now had the perfect excuse!

Heh. His wedding would definitely outshine Jia Dongxu’s!

“Brother, it’s almost sunset! Why are you still lying around?” Chen Maihua had been busy outside and came back to find Chen Shi still lounging on the kang.

“Ugh, get up! Mom said I should take you to Xinhua Bookstore to buy books!”

“Don’t drag me. I’m exhausted. Just ask Mom for money, check what books to buy, and get them for me!”

Chen Maihua huffed. “Why should I do your errands?”

“You will go. Or should I tell all your classmates how you wet the bed until you were six?”

“You, !”

Chen Maihua’s eyes reddened with frustration, but in the end, she had no choice. She dragged He Yushui to find Tian Xiulan.

Tian Xiulan, seeing her son fast asleep, reassured Chen Maihua, “Maihua, your brother got married last night, he’s tired! Here, take the list and go buy the books for him.”

Still, Tian Xiulan couldn’t let a nine-year-old carry tens of thousands of yuan to the bookstore alone.

Becoming a railway worker wasn’t easy, it required studying train mechanics, operational principles, and more. Especially in this era, train drivers didn’t just operate locomotives; they had to repair them too!

Even though Chen Shi was currently testing for the stoker position, he needed to familiarize himself with steam locomotive engineering. Sometimes, he’d even have to cover shifts for absent workers for a whole month!