Chapter 112: No Getting Into Bed

Le'er reached an agreement with Sha Dahai and Sha Youfu regarding the stone quarrying. Le'er would purchase the stone crusher, while the site would only be responsible for producing large stones and crushed gravel. River sand would be used, but since the local Little Sand River was full of silt, they would need to buy sand from the banks of the Shao River near the county seat.

The three men walked back toward the village. Sha Dahai was afraid to go home, so Le'er had to play the mediator. Looking at the hulking figure of Sha Dahai, who was terrified of his wife, Le'er couldn't help but shake his head.

"Brother Dahai, you’re such a big man, but you're so spineless—why are you so afraid of Sister Taohong?" Le'er teased him with a grin.

"Heh... Brother Dahai isn't spineless; it’s just that Sister Taohong’s 'crab' is too big, and he can't handle it," Sha Youfu added, seizing the chance to mock him.

With no women around and having had a few drinks, the men began to bicker. Le'er hadn't used such crude language in a long time, and it felt cathartic to let it out. He glanced at Sha Youfu and smirked.

"Brother Youfu, your 'courage' is quite large, isn't it? You aren't afraid of Sister Guihua at all. Well, why don't I tell Sister Guihua about that photo later and see if you’re still feeling so bold?"

"Le'er, my good brother, you absolutely cannot do that!" Sha Youfu cried, tears welling up. "You know how my Guihua’s temper is—if she finds out about this, I’m done for!"

"Serves you right!" Le'er walked over to Sha Dahai. "Brother Dahai, just speak the truth later. Every time he does something wrong, he makes you take the fall. He’s spineless and loves causing trouble. If you keep covering for him, he’ll be the death of you one day."

Sha Youfu watched from the side, trembling with fear.

"Yeah... I’m done covering for him. I’ve been taking the blame for him since we were kids. My back is practically hunched from carrying his burdens," Sha Dahai muttered gruffly. "He nearly got me killed today. If it weren't for Le'er, I don't know how I would have cleaned up this mess."

Sha Dahai glared at Sha Youfu. They were cousins, the same age, and had grown up playing together. Sha Dahai was honest and simple-minded, while Sha Youfu was full of schemes. Whenever Sha Youfu caused trouble, Sha Dahai was usually the one to take the heat. Of course, Sha Youfu wasn't a bad person; his mischief was always minor and never truly malicious.

Sha Youfu looked pleadingly at Sha Dahai and Le'er.

"Brother Dahai, let the idiot off the hook this time. If he makes you take the fall again, just dump the blame right back on his head," Le'er laughed. "Let's see if he dares to do it again!"

Sha Youfu looked like he wanted to cry, but after such a major incident, he certainly wouldn't dare. Laughing and joking, they arrived at Sha Dahai’s house. When Sister Taohong saw them, all red-faced and tipsy, she didn't look pleased.

"Le'er, you rascal, what are you here for?"

"Uh... Sister Taohong, if I hadn't come, you would have wronged Brother Dahai to death."

Le'er sat down with a smile. Taohong’s mother was also there. Sha Dahai didn't dare sit, standing with his head hung low like a criminal, while Sha Youfu sat to the side.

"How did I wrong him? He brought the photo back and kept it like a treasure..." Taohong’s eyes welled up with tears again. "I won't let him off easy! The dog wants to bring some little hussy home? No way! If she shows up, I’ll crush her!"

The fierce Sister Taohong had regained her sharp tongue. Her mother frowned at her, wanting to say something but remaining silent. Sha Dahai, face ashen, pulled out a cigarette and squatted on the ground to smoke.

"Sister... you should investigate things before you go reaching for the pesticide. Do you want me to get you some more?"

"Shut your mouth, you rascal... is there anything to investigate? He kept the photo, didn't he?" Taohong’s nose was running. "I'm old, fat, and ugly now, and he wants a fresh young thing."

Her face grew dim.

"Listen, Sister Taohong, stop being so suspicious, okay?" Le'er stopped joking. "Do you think Brother Dahai is that kind of person? You've been married for over ten years; don't you know him? Besides, look at him—all that beard on his face, what girl would want him? Does he have a lot of money? Does he send his money home to you?"

"Well... he does send money back every month... but who knows how much he's made on the side? I haven't counted."

Sister Taohong calmed down slightly.

"Is the girl in the photo pretty?"

"She's pretty."

"There you have it." Le'er intentionally glanced at Sha Youfu. "If Brother Dahai were as handsome as Brother Youfu, maybe that would make sense."

Sha Youfu’s expression changed drastically.

"Le'er... why are you dragging me into this?"

"Heh... I'm just making a comparison. Why are you so anxious, Brother Youfu?" Le'er smiled mischievously. "Sister, I figured it out—it’s a photo of Brother Qiangzai. He’s the only one who could hook such a pretty girl."

"Then why did he give it to Dahai?"

"He has his own troubles," Le'er laughed. "He’s already got two women on the side; he’s afraid of his own house catching fire."

"You bastards, you rich people are all rotten!" Taohong didn't have much of a filter, and she believed Le'er immediately. "That Qiangzai is trying to ruin us! Dahai, let’s go to his house and settle this!"

"Settle what?" Sha Dahai finally spoke in a muffled voice. "Sister Taohong, Qiangzai isn't even home; who are you going to settle with? Uncle Shengyuan?"

After some mediating, the situation cooled. "And the photo? Where is it? I want to see how pretty she is."

"You rascal, you have a fairy-like girl at home, and you're still looking at others?" Taohong finally smiled. "I burned it."

"Exactly. If you had gone to Uncle Shengyuan after burning it, you’d be looking for trouble!" Le'er walked over to her and whispered with a grin, "Why don't you go comfort Brother Dahai? You wronged him—aren't you afraid he won't sleep in the same bed as you tonight?"

Taohong, a woman who knew when she was wrong, quickly walked over to Sha Dahai and helped him up with a bashful look. Le'er and Sha Youfu quickly slipped out the door.

Le'er had played the mediator for others, but he didn't know who would play the mediator for him. After they left, Li Ying was talking with Luo Yinxiang. The dining table was a mess, and Luo Yinxiang was cleaning up, with Li Ying trying to help.

"Sister Ying, don't move," Luo Yinxiang said with a smile, revealing two small dimples. "You aren't used to manual labor. Look at your hands—they're so soft and delicate; washing dishes will ruin them."

"What are you talking about?" Li Ying laughed. "Can't I do it?"

Still, Luo Yinxiang insisted, leaving Li Ying to stand and watch. Luo Yinxiang’s hands were indeed rough, covered in calluses—it was hard to imagine how much heavy labor she had endured. She was two years younger than Li Ying, but she looked older.

"Sister Yinxiang, you must have suffered a lot in the past, right?"

"Hmm..." Luo Yinxiang looked up while washing a bowl, unfazed. "We country folk aren't afraid of hardship. Doing a little work isn't suffering."

"Le'er told me about your situation," Li Ying sighed. "You've had a hard life."

Hearing this, tears welled up in Luo Yinxiang’s eyes.

"It’s all in the past."

Luo Yinxiang’s voice was soft, but the bitterness and grievances were something only she understood.

"That's right," Li Ying smiled. "Don't think about the past anymore. Le'er and I discussed it—our company would like to hire you. I wonder if you're interested?"

"Hire me?" Luo Yinxiang quickly wiped her tears. "How could I not be?"

"The Snake Coil Mountain project is about to break ground. We lack someone we can trust to manage the finances. Le'er said we could trust you, and since you’re a high school graduate, we’d like to offer you the position."

"Manage the finances?" A bright light flickered in Luo Yinxiang’s eyes—not because of the job itself, but because Le'er trusted her. She was both stunned and overjoyed. "But... but can I do it?"

Li Ying paused for a moment, watching her. Luo Yinxiang suppressed her joy, lowering her head to scrub the same bowl over and over.

"You’re a high school graduate; you’re certainly capable," Li Ying said seriously. "However, this is an important job. You’ll be handling the entry and exit of construction materials and calculating the workers' labor. It’s like handing our assets over to you. It will be a heavy responsibility, and it will be tiring."

"I'm not afraid of hardship."

Li Ying noticed she was washing the same bowl for the third time.

"It’s not just about hard work; you must be meticulous. You can't let personal feelings interfere. If you record too many hours, Le'er and I lose money."

"I won't give anyone an extra cent," Luo Yinxiang bit her lip, eyes overflowing with tears. "Not a single cent."

Li Ying smiled, seeing she was on her fifth wash of the same bowl.

"We’ll start you at two thousand a month, with bonuses if you do well."

"Two thousand?"

"Do you think that’s too little or too much?"

"It’s not heavy labor; why pay so much?"

"It’s not much," Li Ying said gently. "If you do well, four thousand, five thousand, or even ten thousand is possible in the future."

"I don't need that much money. I just want to work at the company," Luo Yinxiang looked up, tears brimming. "I’ll do a good job. I won't make any mistakes."

Li Ying understood what she meant. She was afraid that if Li Ying found out about her relationship with Le'er, she would be fired. She only wanted to be near Le'er, regardless of the pay.

"Stop washing. That’s the sixth time."

Luo Yinxiang stood up awkwardly and placed the bowl in the cupboard.

"Go home now. You start tomorrow."

Luo Yinxiang left, and Le'er returned. Li Ying was drinking tea and reading. Seeing Le'er, she looked up.

"Le'er, you’ll be sleeping in your own room tonight."

"Sister..." Le'er looked at Li Ying, and seeing her expression as calm as water, he hung his head in disappointment. "Okay..."

The moonlight was beautiful and the moon was full. Le'er looked out the window from the small side room in the main hall, unable to sleep for a long time. The bed had been made for ages, but tonight was his first time sleeping in it.