Ger, So Proud

Chapter 63

He Youcai and He Ze didn’t head straight home.

On their way, after parting ways with Matchmaker Wang, the father and son took a different path.

“Father, where are we going…”

He Family Village was roughly oval-shaped. Apart from a few courtyards and animal pens, there were various paths branching off in different directions. Some families were quite far apart, with fields in between, making it faster to walk along the field ridges.

After taking a few turns, He Ze asked.

“What, it’s only been a while, and you’ve forgotten?” He Youcai glanced at him, instinctively reaching for his waist where he usually kept his smoking pipe, only to remember he didn’t bring it today. “Our courtyard has been around for many years, often leaking or losing a tile here and there. We initially planned to build a new courtyard for your marriage to He Bao’er, and just as we laid a few stone steps and drove a few stakes, all those events happened!”

With that, He Youcai stopped and pointed to a vacant lot ahead. “See that? If nothing had happened, this house would have been built by now!”

Following his father’s gaze, He Ze saw a few stakes, some large stones, and a pile of timber at the edge of the space, clearly indicating the beginning of construction.

Building houses in the village wasn’t complicated. Once the elders approved, finding an unclaimed plot was all it took. However, getting this “approval” required some know-how, often needing contributions to the village’s ancestral hall.

The plot was situated between the He and Lin families, with a small river running behind it, making it a desirable location. But—”Father, isn’t it a bit small?”

“Small?”

“Yes,” He Ze circled the four outermost stakes. “It’s not even as big as our current courtyard. Since it’s for my marriage, and in the future, if Lin Yu and I have… um, children, and Uncle Zhang might stay with us occasionally, it will definitely be too small!”

“Back then, your dad and I didn’t think that far ahead, and we didn’t have much money. We just planned a place for you two to live close by. If anything came up, we could reach you in a few steps.”

“Father, if I don’t live with you, the villagers will talk behind our backs.”

Currently, the imperial policy promoted filial piety, and following the example, only families with many brothers divided households. An only son was expected to live with his parents.

He Ze pinched the ears of Wangfu, who barked in response.

“At that time, your mother and I were just happy. We thought you’d live here first, and as you earned money, we could expand the courtyard and build a few new rooms. Wouldn’t that be fine? We should live our own lives and not worry about what others say!”

He Laoye took off his hat and looked at He Ze again. “Do you know why I brought you here today?”

“To pick a good day and continue the construction?”

“You’re quite sharp. Now that we have some extra money, we need to finish this house. Your marriage to Yu-ge must be arranged next year. We can’t let him feel wronged, especially since we initially prepared for He Bao’er.”

“Yes, but since we have enough money now, we should build a larger courtyard all at once. Doing it piecemeal is a hassle.”

“That’s true,” He Youcai pondered for a moment and then nodded. “See that leaning wall over there? That’s your second uncle’s place. It’s been empty for a while, and the beams are infested with insects. I’ll talk to him about tearing it down and expanding our courtyard.”

“You’re growing up. In a couple of months, you’ll be nineteen. Next year, when you get married and have a few chubby children, life will be wonderful! When we first learned about your accident, your fad felt like the sky was falling. He didn’t even dare cry in front of you, let alone dream of this day. But just a few months later…”

As he spoke, He Youcai smiled, giving He Ze a strong pat on the shoulder. “I always knew our He family’s offspring would be exceptional! Even if you didn’t become a scholar, you can still earn big money!”

“Father—”

“Don’t interrupt. I’m happy!” He Youcai’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. He took a deep breath and sighed. “Your dad often says I have bad luck; otherwise, we wouldn’t have endured so many years of hardship and debt. Every time we argue, he brings it up, but I know he doesn’t really mean it. I remember all the good things about him. He just needs to vent, and I let him. No hard feelings.”

“We are men of honor, right?”

“Father?” He Ze felt he understood the deeper meaning behind his father’s words.

“There’s not much else to say. Your marriage is almost certain. Yu-ge is a good kid, and you must treat him well.”

“Remember, from today on, you’re no longer alone. You have Yu-ge and your future children to take care of. You need to shoulder the responsibility! You’re smarter than me, well-read, and now more grounded. In the future, our family’s reputation will depend on you. No matter how far you go or how wealthy you become, you must never forget where you came from. Understand?”

He Youcai’s expression turned stern, and after a brief pause, he added, “If you dare to mess around like you used to, I won’t forgive you. This time, even your dad won’t be able to stop me!”

“Grr… Grrr—”

Perhaps He Youcai’s voice was too harsh and his expression too fierce. Before He Ze could reply, the puppy in his arms bared its teeth and barked at He Youcai.

“Father, don’t worry. I know my limits.”

He Ze patted Wang Fu’s head, and the puppy whimpered and tugged at He Ze’s clothes, seemingly feeling very wronged.

“As long as you know your limits. You’ve grown up now, and I’m just having a word with you!” He Youcai let out a long breath and pinched Wang Fu’s ear. “This little thing sure is protective. Did Yu-ge ask you to bring it back?”

“Yes.” He Ze smiled.

“You young ones sure know how to enjoy life!” He Youcai sighed with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. Then, as if remembering something, he asked, “By the way, where did you buy that hairpin last time? Your dad seemed to really like it.”

“Father, you wouldn’t happen to have some secret savings, would you?”

No one else might know, but He Ze did. He Youcai was a bit careless, fond of smoking dry tobacco and drinking a bit, with all household money managed by Dad Li. Typically, the family would prioritize the man’s needs, but He Youcai was submissive, giving in whenever Dad Li glared at him.

Under these circumstances, there was only one way to save some extra money.

“Bah, nonsense! I’m the head of this family; why would I need that?” He Youcai quickly averted his gaze.

“Alright, I was planning to help you out, but I guess that’s unnecessary now.”

He Ze glanced at He Youcai, sighed dramatically, and started walking away. It took a moment for He Youcai to react, then he hurriedly chased after him. “Hey! You rascal, stop right there! Don’t you know how to respect your father? Stop!”

He Youcai was quite the character. Hearing his anxious voice, He Ze instinctively slowed down, a small smile playing on his lips.

He was fortunate to have such parents, a younger brother, and a… spouse.

The father and son arrived home around noon. By then, Dad Li had already prepared the meal. As soon as He An saw the puppy in He Ze’s arms, his eyes lit up. “Brother, this…”

“Do you like it?”

“Uh-huh!”

“Do you want it?”

“Uh-huh!”

“No way. This is a gift from Ah Yu for me. You can look, but you can’t hold it.” Since the other puppy was with Lin Yu, this one had to stay with him.

He Ze lied without the slightest hesitation. He even playfully scratched Wang Fu’s belly as he walked past He An.

“…”

He An felt an overwhelming urge to punch his brother.

“Oh, and remember to feed it when I’m not home. Food and bones will do.” By then, He Ze was already by the wall, setting up a place for Wang Fu.

“Go to hell…”

He An gritted his teeth but couldn’t take his eyes off the adorable puppy. Wang Fu seemed to notice his gaze, showing no fear as it rolled its bright black eyes and even stuck out its tongue at him.

So cute!!!

“Alright, if you help me feed it, I’ll let you hold it,” He Ze’s voice came again. “But not for too long.”

“Brother, you’re too much… Deal!”

Before He An finished speaking, he had already run up to He Ze and lifted Wang Fu’s front legs, holding it in his arms. “What’s its name? Can I name it?”

“No need, it already has a name. It’s called Wang Fu.”

He An looked a bit disappointed but lifted Wang Fu a couple of times, “Alright, Wang Fu it is. Little Wang Fu, woof woof… Haha, it’s so small, so soft. Its teeth have barely grown… Brother, without teeth, how is it supposed to eat and chew bones?”

“…”

He Ze paused in his task of preparing the puppy’s bed, looking a bit embarrassed—he hadn’t asked Lin Yu about that. “Then feed it porridge? If it’s malnourished, add some minced meat. Once its teeth grow in, give it regular food, but don’t spoil it!”

“Woof Woof—” What the heck! No more goat milk!!!

Wang Fu, who had thought it had found a golden opportunity, ended up feeling pitiful on its first day in the new home. He An, looking at the suddenly limp puppy in his arms, seemed to sense its deep resentment.

Alas, woe is me.

…

The day quickly passed, and night fell. The oil lamp in He Ze’s bedroom stayed lit for a long time.

These days, the family was busy with his and Lin Yu’s engagement, buying land, and now preparing to build a new courtyard. Next year, they would marry, buy more land, and plant more medicinal herbs—yes, he planned to increase the scale of their planting.

Now that his powers had advanced, he could even “accelerate the growth” of the plants, making small-scale planting unnecessary.

Providing a comfortable life for the whole family, raising children in the future, preparing dowries for He An… Just thinking about all the expenses, He Ze finally felt the urgency to make more money.

He needed a side business.

This idea came to him when he realized they were short on funds.

Although Bai Zhi was growing well now, it wouldn’t be ready to harvest until June next year. Medicinal herb cultivation has this drawback—the waiting period before harvest. Unlike daily income, it required patience.

His father and dad could take care of the fields every other day. Since he had some free time…

But the capital…

Early the next morning, He Ze borrowed an ox cart from He Dalang’s family and headed to town alone.