Help others? It's better to help yourself - Chapter 45

Xu Jing’an opened the door and looked at her tall brother, Xu Jianshe. She could only sigh inwardly, though she didn’t show it on her face. After all, from the moment she received the telegram, she knew the trouble couldn’t be avoided.

“Come in quickly. Dinner is almost ready! You can rest well tonight, no need to worry about anything else. Everything has been arranged,” Xu Jing’an said, pulling Xu Jianshe inside.

Father and Mother Shen greeted him warmly. “So this is Jianshe! Hurry up and sit down, have something to eat. You must be exhausted.”

Xu Jianshe didn’t stand on ceremony. He picked up the bowl and began eating noisily. Two buns and two bowls of porridge were enough to ease the hunger he’d been feeling.

Feeling embarrassed, Xu Jianshe said, “Uncle, Aunt, I’m sorry for eating so quickly!”

“Are you starving? Don’t worry about it. This is your home, no need to stand on ceremony,” Father and Mother Shen quickly reassured him.

After their daughter-in-law had married into the family, and since their homes were far apart, this was the first time her family had come to visit. It would have been impolite not to give them a warm welcome.

As they were talking, Shen He returned from outside. Xu Jing’an quickly went over to take the things he was carrying.

“When did Jianshe arrive?” Shen He asked, greeting his brother-in-law.

“Brother-in-law, I just got off the train in the evening,” Xu Jianshe replied. “I’ve already eaten. Aunt’s cooking is really good. You should eat too.” Xu Jianshe used the sweet words he often used to please his sister’s mother-in-law.

Sure enough, within a short time, Father and Mother Shen were laughing happily, and Shen He’s gaze toward Xu Jianshe became warmer.

Zhuang Zhuang heard the noise and came out of the room, rubbing his eyes. “Mom, my sister woke up, and she peed.”

Xu Jing’an quickly went to check on her daughter. She found that the little one was playing happily by herself and didn’t cry after wetting herself. After cleaning her up, she took her out.

“She was playing so happily by herself, not a single cry,” Xu Jing’an said, handing the baby to Mother Shen. Xu Jianshe was amusing Zhuang Zhuang, who was calling him “uncle.” They both played happily together.

After dinner, Shen He finished his meal while Xu Jing’an busied herself with cleaning up. Shen He had run back and forth multiple times today for his brother-in-law’s matter, and he was truly exhausted.

When the elderly couple left, they took the child with them, leaving Shen He and his wife with Xu Jianshe.

“I’ve found a place for you; it’s in Cao Village, HD County, to the east of H City,” Shen He said, drinking some water as he continued.

“Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you there directly. You won’t need to go to the Youth League office. I’ve already spoken with the person in charge.”

“Your sister suggested that you live separately from the other youths to avoid conflicts. What do you think?”

“Listen to my sister, it can’t be wrong,” Xu Jianshe quickly replied without hesitation.

Shen He smiled, then looked at Xu Jing’an. Xu Jing’an said, “How come you’re so obedient now? When you were younger, I had to talk for ages just to get you to do something.”

“Sis, I’ve grown up and know right from wrong now. I’m not smart, so I just listen to you,” Xu Jianshe said, flattering her obediently.

Xu Jing’an looked at her younger brother and said, “No matter what, I’m your sister, and I always want the best for you.”

“The more people there are, the more conflicts there will be if you all live together every day.”

Xu Jianshe understood. Just by watching how his mother and eldest sister-in-law lived, he knew that was true.

“I’ve found a house. It’s not big, but it’s enough for you. The roof and the walls have already been repaired, so there’s no need to build a new one, which would attract too much attention. The rent is 5 yuan per year,” Shen He continued.

“Alright, brother-in-law, the price isn’t high. I won’t stay here for long. In a couple of years, I’ll be able to go home for a visit, and I’ll take over Mom’s work then. Even if I build a house, I can’t take it with me,” Xu Jianshe understood very well.

“Every youth has a small piece of land to themselves, and the vegetables they eat usually come from it. I’ve already arranged for someone to plant the vegetable garden behind your house. Just take care of it and water it when needed,” Shen He instructed.

Xu Jing’an said, “I’ll go there tomorrow and check if you’re missing anything. Your brother-in-law will also show his face in the village to support you and give you some courage. But, Brother, if anyone asks you for help or if a girl asks you to lend a hand, don’t get involved!”

“Don’t worry, sis, I understand,” Xu Jianshe reassured her. As long as he could live well, that was enough for him—he wasn’t capable of helping anyone else. He would always be the one needing help.

Being a good person never ended well, and he didn’t have the strength for that.

Also, there wasn’t much affection between the siblings. Although it sounded warm now, if he ever did something wrong in the future, his third sister would cut ties with him. If he were to make a mistake and drag her husband into it, his third sister would immediately act for the greater good, using him as a stepping stone.

He understood his two sisters very well. So, if anyone tried to take advantage of him, it would mean they were after his downfall. He was already unlucky enough; he didn’t need anyone pushing him further into trouble.

They were all from the same family, but who would be easy to deceive?

Shen He took his brother-in-law to the bath, and though it’s unknown what they talked about, the next morning, it was clear that the two of them had grown much closer.

The three of them waited for the day to break and then took a bus to the county, followed by another bus to the town. The road conditions on the way were anything but promising!

The road was bumpy, uneven, and rough, making it feel like they were about to be shaken apart! The bus was crowded, and the smell was indescribable.

When they got off the bus, they felt like they had come back to life, and the air suddenly felt fresher!

First, they stopped by the post office and found that the package they had been waiting for had already arrived. Shen He quickly went outside to find two ox-drawn carts, and they loaded the goods.

Next, they went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy the daily necessities they needed, purchasing everything that was available with ration tickets.

They bought a thermos, a cast-iron pot, a large chopping knife, three big locks, two small locks, a large water jar, two medium-sized jars for storing grain, three jars for pickles, a ceramic bowl for kneading dough, bowls, chopsticks, a kitchen knife, sewing kits, and a pound of hard candy.

Then they went to the second-hand store and bought two large wooden boxes in good condition, a set of half-used dining tables, two remaining chairs, and a few handmade stools.

The remaining items had to be new: two large wooden spoons, one for stir-frying and one for serving rice; a large wooden basin for washing clothes, two small basins for washing faces and feet, several wooden covers for jars, two water buckets, a carrying pole, cutting boards, two large and two small baskets for storing things, two gourds for scooping flour and water, and a straw mat for the kang.

Xu Jing’an carefully checked the shopping list, making sure everything was in order before finally relaxing.

These items perfectly filled two carts. The three of them squeezed in and, once again, swayed all the way to Cao village.