Chapter 1633 - 1584: Contrast Group in the Ensemble Family Story 8

When the Xiao Family returned home, Mrs. Xiao started preparing dinner.

Mr. Xiao made some tea and leisurely drank it in the yard.

Xiao Feng took some dirty clothes out and tossed them by the well: "Mom, remember to wash my clothes when you’re done cooking."

"Alright, got it."

Mrs. Xiao poked her head out of the kitchen and agreed.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lei also quickly took out his dirty clothes: "Mom, mine too."

Mrs. Xiao came out to take a look, seeing a pile of dirty clothes by the well, and asked Xiao Yuan: "Third, where are your clothes?"

Xiao Yuan took a basin into the house and soon came out with a basin of clothes. He filled a bucket from the well pump and sat down on a small stool to start washing clothes.

Xiao Feng was also sitting in front of Mr. Xiao, drinking tea. Seeing Xiao Yuan wash clothes, he asked, "Third, let Mom wash them, why are you doing it?"

Xiao Yuan didn’t turn his head: "Mom doesn’t wash them clean."

"You’re just fussy."

Xiao Feng pursed his lips, "A grown man just needs clothes to wear, who cares if they’re clean or not."

"Nowadays, girls don’t like messy guys. If you wear dirty clothes on a blind date, do you think they’d fancy you?" Xiao Yuan retorted, "No wonder you guys can’t find a wife."

Xiao Feng didn’t care, but Xiao Lei was interested: "Third, tell me more."

Xiao Yuan continued to scrub clothes while saying, "When you go on a date, you need to tidy up, dress decently to make a good first impression. Regardless of your family’s financial situation, someone sees how you dress and immediately thinks you’re neat and capable. If you go looking sloppy, they’ll think you’re not only poor but also lazy. No girl wants that."

Xiao Lei nodded repeatedly: "That’s definitely true."

He brought over a stool to sit: "Third, do you have a girlfriend?"

Xiao Yuan paused: "No, but I do have someone I like."

Xiao Feng stopped drinking tea and moved closer to ask: "Who is it? Do we know them?"

"Not telling you," Xiao Yuan said, hanging the clean clothes on the drying line, "I haven’t found a chance to confess to her. Who knows if she’ll like me. I’ll let you know when she does."

Meanwhile, Mrs. Xiao, who was almost done cooking, paid attention to the conversation about dating.

She brought out the meal and while serving, talked to Mr. Xiao: "Their father, you should go find some work soon. Our three sons need to get married, yet our house isn’t even built. How can we bring three wives into one room?"

Mr. Xiao wasn’t worried at all.

"You go if you want work, I’m not working outside. You think it’s easy living out there? City folks look down on us country folks; you don’t eat well, sleep well outside, get short-lived. As for marrying, if they have the ability they’ll manage themselves; if not, they’ll stay bachelors. What’s wrong with this house? I married you into this house just fine, didn’t I?"

Xiao Yuan focused on eating, not paying attention to what his father said.

Speaking of how troubled the Pei Family is, the Xiao Family is also quite dysfunctional.

Mr. Xiao is incredibly lazy, Mrs. Xiao is easily influenced and indecisive, and the three Xiao brothers, the eldest and second are a bit lazy and have unrealistic ambitions. Big money, they can’t earn; small money, they disdain earning. Though they have enough to eat, they have no savings. The eldest is twenty-four, at their age here, kids this age are already fetching soy sauce, yet the eldest hasn’t married. The second is old enough too but still without introductions.

Xiao Yuan ate tasteless dumpling soup, pondering that he and Anning are bound to have a tough life. Each carrying their family burdens they can’t abandon. Knowing full well how chaotic their future will be.

But Xiao Yuan isn’t fazed; he thinks it might also be quite flavorful even if tiring.

After all, life’s imperfections add a certain warmth to it.

After finishing the meal, Xiao Yuan entered the house.

He dug through drawers, finding the savings, sitting on the bed counting — totaling less than one hundred.

Sighing, Xiao Yuan pocketed the money and headed out.

Xiao Feng was going out too, a family’s wedding in town playing movies these days, Xiao Feng wanted to go watch.

"What are you up to?"

Xiao Feng queried: "Going to watch a movie?"

Xiao Yuan chuckled: "No, just going for a stroll."

He didn’t walk but borrowed a bike from a buddy and rode to Xiaxi Village.

Anning brought Pei Yu back home, buying some meat on the way, giving it to Liu Dalian: "Mom, let’s make dumplings."

"Why buy meat today?" Liu Dalian was curious: "Usually you’re so frugal."

"Just craving it," Anning parked her bike, pulling Pei Yu inside: "Little Aunt, come with me."

Pei Yu reluctantly followed Anning inside.

Anning had her sit on the bed: "By tomorrow, your matter will be known across the village. Unsure what people here will say. To avoid embarrassment, stay at home for a few days quietly, alright?"

"Okay, okay."

Pei Yu quickly promised Anning: "I’ll lay low for a few days, but half a month tops at home. After that, I need to go out again. I was getting close to a guy at the town’s pig bristle factory, I plan to snag him. If I disappear for long, who knows who might swoop in."

"Don’t mess around," Anning warned: "Check if he already has a girlfriend. If he does, better distance yourself."

Today’s events had scared Pei Yu enough; she didn’t want to provoke anyone involved: "I know, I’ll listen to you. Enough, let’s hurry and help out, or else with my sister-in-law doing things the slow way, when will we eat dumplings?"

Anning gave Pei Yu an eye-roll and went out to wash hands and help in the kitchen.

She entered the kitchen, started instructing: "Mom, I’ll chop meat, you make the dough... Little Aunt, come out to pick the fennel."

Just as she was speaking, Pei Anyi came back, singing.

She entered and showed Anning her hair clip: "How’s it look? The one I’m seeing bought it for me. And today, at the movie, I met a guy working at the county’s mechanical factory. He seems to really like me, even offered to buy me a new dress."

Anning rolled her eyes: "Looks good, you’re the prettiest. Now hurry, wash up and help."

The Pei Family has many capable women, so cooking isn’t an issue.

With teamwork, dumplings were soon on the stove.

As the dumplings were almost ready, Zhao Chuan woke up, coming out with Pei Anxian: "What smells so good?"

"We’re boiling dumplings," Anning responded, pouring vinegar into a small bowl and peeled garlic for Pei Laoshi, placing it in a dish: "Dad, sit, let me serve dumplings for you."

No matter whether Pei Laoshi is reliable or not, Anning was raised by him; he’s an elder deserving respect.

Pei Laoshi smiled, sitting, also pulling Zhao Chuan to sit: "Chuan, you sit too. Let’s have a drink today."

He mentioned drinking, Anning brought a half bottle of wine from the house and two small cups, pouring them a cup each for Pei Laoshi and Zhao Chuan: "Each just this much, no more drinking."

Afterward, she hid the remaining wine away.

Pei Anyi served the dumplings, placing a bowl each in front of Pei Laoshi and Zhao Chuan.

Zhao Chuan chuckled, picking up the bowl to eat.

People said things about Zhao Chuan marrying into the Pei Family, complaining about this and that, claiming Pei Anxian is lazy and gluttonous, making life tough for Zhao Chuan.

But Zhao Chuan didn’t feel that way.

He felt rather fulfilled.

Mainly because Pei Anxian is pretty, and she doesn’t have many demands. As long as she isn’t made to work hard and is fed well, she doesn’t cause trouble.

Plus, there are many girls in the Pei Family, meaning many helpers. Since joining the Pei Family, Zhao Chuan never had to wash clothes, seasonal clothes were made for him, and meals were well-prepared, served at meal times. It was quite sumptuous.

Such comfort, he felt content, ignoring others’ remarks as mere gossip, never taking it to heart.