Chapter 140: Settling Scores After the Fact

Chapter 140: Settling Scores After the Fact

After discussions within the family, Ye Lian’s situation was nearly finalized.

Li Guilan also got back to the matchmaker.

After the Lunar New Year, the two families would find time to gather again and finalize the matter.

Baishi Village was blanketed in snow, with heavy snowfall covering the mountain village.

The militia training up in the hills was put on hold, and Ye Jianguo finally had the chance to confront Ye Changning.

Ye Changning knelt on the ground, "Dad, you’ve got to see reason. I went out to earn money so that our family could live a better life."

Ye Jianguo held a stick in his hand, "Nobody said you couldn’t leave, but you left without saying a word. Didn’t you think the family would worry?"

Ye Changning: "..."

Not everyone was in the dark; Xiao Xiao knew.

But he couldn’t rat out his friends now, so he had to shoulder the responsibility himself.

Ye Changning: "I know I was wrong."

He owned up to his mistake right away.

Ye Jianguo glared at him, "So, what have you been up to these past six months?"

Ye Changning had no choice but to be honest, "I didn’t do anything major. I was just peddling clothes down south. The ones I sent back were the ones I was selling."

Ye Jianguo: "Since you’ve chosen to leave, make sure you work hard out there. Don’t get into any trouble or break the law, or I’ll be the first to break your legs."

Ye Changning: "I’d never dream of it."

At heart, Ye Jianguo was concerned for his son.

Seeing Ye Changning’s good attitude in admitting his mistake, he stopped questioning him about leaving without notice.

"Life out there isn’t like it is here in the village. If things don’t work out, come straight back home."

His voice was firm, but his words were full of care.

Ye Changning nodded, earnestly promising that he would work hard outside and return home if he couldn’t make it.

"You left with Yu Gang and Wang Sheng. Why didn’t Wang Sheng come back for the New Year?"

Because of this, Wang’s family had come to inquire several times.

Ye Changning: "Wang Sheng’s working as a driver for a boss down south. If he takes on more trips, he can pull in over a hundred yuan a month.

He just didn’t come back for the New Year. I guess he’ll come back after some time.

Even though we left together, we didn’t end up in the same place."

Ye Changning spread his hands, "Everyone’s got their own path; you can’t push it."

Ye Jianguo felt like hitting someone again.

"Even so, you grew up together. When you’re away from home, you should look out for each other. If Wang Sheng runs into trouble out there, give the family a heads-up."

Ye Changning was definitely capable of that.

"Of course, he’s my childhood buddy. I’d never leave him hanging."

Ye Jianguo let Ye Changning get up.

"We’re getting by at home. You don’t need to send money every month."

Ye Changning didn’t say anything, but he would definitely continue to send money home regularly.

It’s just the beginning. He needs to earn more money to make life at home even better.

"Big brother and Jun brother are stuck at home taking care of you and can’t go far for work. Baocheng’s about to start school, and there are plenty of expenses at home.

There aren’t many decent job openings around our village. I don’t want big brother to work so hard."

Ye Jianguo sighed. He knew his eldest son had potential, but he was stuck in Baishi Village.

There was no room here for him to chase his dreams.

Ye Changning: "Big brother knows his way around ores. If the chance comes up, it’d be great if he could run his own mine."

Ye Jianguo shook his head, "It’s not that easy. Do you have any idea how much it costs to lease a mine? And there’s no guarantee you’ll find anything. Plenty of coal bosses have gone broke."

Ye Changning sighed: "Let’s drop it for now. We’ll revisit this when the family’s better off. I think big brother should look for a job in town. When Baocheng starts school, he can stay in town and avoid the back-and-forth."

Ye Jianguo: "What are you up to now?"

Ye Changning: "Anyway, I’ve got some leads. Dad, don’t sweat it."

Ye Jianguo was actually on board with Ye Changning’s plan. If he could land Ye Changqing a job in town, the kids would have a place to stay for school.

Although Miao Fengshan also lives in town, in the past, Changning and Changsheng used to stay at their grandfather’s house. But now that the old man’s getting on in years, he doesn’t have the energy to look after the kids anymore.

If Ye Changqing has a job in town, Zhang Xue can also move there with him.

The couple can handle the kids and just pop back to Baishi Village now and then.

He and Miao Cuifang are still in good shape and don’t need the kids looking after them all the time.

However, Ye Jianguo didn’t have too much hope for Ye Changning.

Even though the third son’s always been a people person, landing a job these days isn’t a walk in the park.

Ye Xiaoxiao watched her third brother come out of the house in one piece and finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Third brother, you didn’t get whacked, did you?"

Ye Changsheng wasn’t that worried in the first place, "Dad’s not gonna hit him."

Actually, since the children have grown up, Ye Jianguo rarely hits them.

But the scars from their childhood linger, so the kids at home are still scared of Ye Jianguo.

Ye Xiaoxiao was curious, really? He wouldn’t?

Just now, Ye Changning was so scared that he knelt on the ground.

Ye Changning waved his hand dismissively, "Of course, I’m fine."

"It’s snowing so heavily, let’s head to the woods to catch some sparrows. Do you want to go?"

Ye Changning's restless spirit was stirring.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Sparrows?"

From what she remembered, sparrows were protected animals and couldn’t be caught casually.

Ye Changning: "If we’re lucky, we might even snag a pheasant."

Larger animals usually stay in the back mountains and don’t like to go to the woods by the river, where there are more birds.

Ye Xiaoxiao was itching to try.

But it was too cold outside.

Ye Changsheng also stopped her: "It’s too windy outside to set up the net, and it’s so cold, Xiao Xiao, you better not go out."

Ye Changning: "Then we’ll go once the snow stops."

Ye Changsheng: "Is the village still going to fish this year? The river must be frozen by now."

Ye Changning said: "We’ll probably have one fishing session before the New Year."

Baishi Village remains quite poor, and every year they break the ice to fish in the river, to help improve the villagers' living standards.

Since the village is isolated, except for the fish in the village river, fish from outside can’t be transported to Baishi Village.

Fish is considered somewhat of a delicacy in Baishi Village.

Ye Xiaoxiao asked: "Is it the kind of fishing event where they auction off the biggest fish?"

She’d seen this kind of ice-fishing event on TV, which was very ceremonial.

Ye Changning didn’t know what Ye Xiaoxiao was talking about.

"No, it’s not sold... usually, the village just splits it evenly among everyone."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "So our family will get a share too."

Ye Changning: "We should; the first fishing session each year usually brings in a good haul."

Ye Xiaoxiao was really looking forward to this fishing event.

The original owner apparently died after falling into an ice hole left from fishing.

That’s why she missed this event last year.

The snow had been falling for a full day and night, and by the next morning, the snow on the ground was more than a foot thick, even after it had been cleared once the night before.

Miao Cuifang and Zhang Xue got up early to warm up the kang in each room and filled the thermos with hot water.

Ye Changqing and Ye Jianguo shoveled the snow in the yard.