Translator: Fan Translation Studio

  Xiao Tongshu then told them the whole story. When he had finished, Wong Mudan began swearing in anger as well. “The second household is going too far. They’re really trying to cut themselves off from the rest of us. Humph, ungrateful pigs. At that time when Yinshu was gone we should’ve already lived apart, letting them all die of hunger!”


  CJ also said, “That’s right. Elder brother and Xiao Tongshushu went there with their coworkers and Li Hongmei asked them to pay and even sign an IOU. This is so embarrassing. They don’t go there all the time and it was the very first time that they had been.”


  Xiao Tongshu said, “There were so many people watching us at the time, as if we were going to run off without paying.”


  Wong Mudan then asked, “But……are you going to pay them the money?”


  Xiao Tieshu slapped his lap hard. “Pay them? Piss off. We might as well never go to their restaurant again. Humph, when there’s a festival or during New Year they will go back to worship the ancestors and we’d better not treat them nastily. Also, as for the row of earth houses, if they don’t go back and live there we might as well change it into a pig pen.”


  Xiao Tongshu said, “They don’t treat us as their relatives, so why should we treat them decently?”


  Wong Mudan’s anger increased as she was listening to them talk, so she said, “It’s not enough, I can’t let them off like that. I have to go talk to Pa.”


  Old Mr. Xiao had already got himself ready for bed and was about to take off his clothes when Wong Mudan burst into his room.

  Old Mr. Xiao then scolded her angrily, “Do you have no eyes? What time is it now? What the hell do you want!”


  Wong Mudan then sobbed and accused the second household in a pathetic way. “Pa, you be the judge, the second household had made quite a few silvers in town. It costs five hundred coins per meal there. Today Xiao Tieshushu and Xiao Tongshushu brought two coworkers to eat there and they actually asked them to pay! Pa, it was the first time that Xiao Tieshushu and Xiao Tongshushu went there for a meal and they forced them to sign a IOU as they didn’t bring enough money. What do you think? Do they treat us as a family? They obviously treat us as beggars!”


  Old Mr. Xiao had already untied his pants just now but hurriedly tied them back on again. “What? Five hundred coins per meal?”


  It was almost the same amount as the filial piety fees which they gave him every month.

  “That’s right, so now you know how much money their restaurant can make. Pa, I just want to know if the second household still remember that their family name is Xiao. They charged Xiao Tongshushu and Xiao Tieshushu for food but what about you? Pa, would they ask you to pay for the food and sign an IOU when you go there?”


  Old Mr. Xiao glared. “I dare them!”


  “You can only figure it out after you go there to see with your own eyes. Pa, last time I suggested that you go there with them. They have now rented a house with a backyard in town and made so much money. Why don’t you go there to enjoy life while you’re still well. You just stay in our tiny village day after day and when you’re older and no longer able to walk properly you will regret that you had not gone there earlier.”


  Old Mr. Xiao found what Wong Mudan said made sense. Maybe it was time for him to move to live in the town for a while.

  Old Mr. Xiao packed up some clothes the moment he got up the following day and was then led by Xiao Tongshushu and Xiao Tieshu to Ye Xiaoxian’s restaurant.

  Although it was still early all the members of “The Xiao’s Cuisine” were already up. Ye Xiaoxian, Little Five and Little Six had all gone to the market to purchase fresh vegetables and XZ and Xian, together with Li Hongmei, were wiping and tidying up the restaurant.

  When Old Mr. Xiao arrived Li Hongmei was really taken aback. “Pa, you……you are……”


  Xiao Tieshushu said coldly, “Pa has lived quite a long time in the village and now wants to live in the town for a while. Take care of Pa during this time.”


  After taking Old Mr. Xiao to the restaurant the two brother hurried back to work in case Li Hongmei mentioned the IOU again.

  Li Hongmei looked at Old Mr. Xiao who was looking around curiously and she could not help feeling upset. Isn’t he living in the village alright? Why does he come here without rhyme or reason?

  “Pa, didn’t you say you wouldn’t come? Why have you suddenly come to the town? We’ve not even prepared anything!”


  Old Mr. Xiao said in a grumpy tone, “I just came here to stay for a few days. Do you need to prepare anything?”


  “Of course we do. The place is only so big and we don’t even have a room for you to live in. Don’t we at least need to prepare a bed for you?” asked Li Hongmei.

  “There’s no room for me? It’s such a large place, how can I find nowhere to live?” Old Mr. Xiao did not believe her.

  The restaurant had a second floor. When the tables and stools were folded together it looked empty, but as Xian and Baozhu gradually took them down it started to look packed already.

  Old Mr. Xiao then said, “Then show me the backyard.”


  Li Hongmei then went to the backyard with him.

  There were three rooms in the backyard. Li Hongmei said, “These are all rented. Baozhu and I live in the same room, one for Little Ye and the new girl, Xian, and the other for Little five and Little Six.”


  “Who are Little five and Little Six?”


  “The newly-hired hands.”


  Old Mr. Xiao felt unsatisfied again. “How much work should you do? Do you really need to hire more hands? How much does this cost?”


  “One and a half each per month at least.”


  “Nonsense, can’t you do more work and spare the rest for me?” Old Mr. Xiao said with pity.

  Li Hongmei thought, ‘What the hell do you, an old man, know?’


  “Pa, we were busy so I have no time to serve you. Just a take a rest in the room by yourself.” Li Hongmei did not want to talk with Old Mr. Xiao any longer in case she might die of annoyance.

  Old Mr. Xiao still sneered. “Tsk, as if you are really busy. The entire work of opening up a restaurant is only to cook some food and wash some dishes, and that’s all, am I right?”


  Li Hongmei returned to the hall with a long face. Xiao Baozhu saw this and also felt annoyed. She hated this grandpa the most as he was full of bias against their household. In the past, once Baocheng argued with Baofeng over something he would come out to criticize Baofeng. As for her, so long as she did not work, her grandpa would scold her for being idle and she felt like she would die from working too much.

  Old Mr. Xiao went into the room to put down his cloth bundle. This room was originally just for Baofeng and Baoshan could also live in it when he came back. Later on when Little Five and Little Six arrived, Ye Xiaoxian asked the others to expand the bed plank which now could accommodate five people.

  However, Old Mr. Xiao did not appreciate it at all as he had a spacious bed back in the village and lived alone. His room was warm during winter and cool during summer, and he could sleep on his bed in any position he pleased, but now he had to crash with some kids.

  He went outside as soon as he had put down his bundle. He wanted to have a look at what the second household were busy with.

  After a short while Ye Xiaoxian and the other two boys went back with their purchases. Ye Xiaoxian carried a lot of things in her hands and Little Five and Little Six carried one large basket of vegetables each on their shoulders.

  Seeing that Old Mr. Xiao had come, Ye Xiaoxian immediately thought, ‘Heh, after the matter of the IOU yesterday the elder and third uncles must have told tales to Old Mr. Xiao or he wouldn’t have come here so soon.’


  She could not be bothered being hospitable to Old Mr. Xiao so just greeted him tersely and then she went with the other boys to the yard, putting everything down beside the well before beginning to wash and chop vegetables.