I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chen Yanmei had her own little scheme in mind. If her second and third sons consummated their marriages sooner, she could be holding more grandchildren sooner, too.

"We don’t need to, Mom. I’ve already arranged it. My second brother and I will each take one of the two houses at the educated youth station and live there for the time being."

"Huh? Really?"

Zhao Wendong explained the arrangements to her, and Chen Yanmei immediately beamed with joy.

"You silly boy, why didn’t you tell me about something so important sooner? We’ll eat dinner early today, and then we’ll go over and help you clean up the houses."

"Okay, sounds good. We’re going to my grandparents’ place first to share the good news."

Zhao Wendong grabbed his marriage certificate and called for Lin Zhiyin, Zhao Wenwu, and Jin Xiuying. The four of them headed straight for Zhao Dahai’s house. Upon entering, they sensed something was off. The house felt cold and empty; there wasn’t a soul in the outer room. Zhao Wendong went to the west room first, where he found the old couple lying on the kang with grim expressions. Seeing Zhao Wendong and the others, they quickly sat up, their faces breaking into smiles.

"Grandson, what brings you here?"

"Grandma, we’re here with good news! Look, marriage certificates! My second brother and I both got wed yesterday!"

Ye Qingmei’s eyes lit up, joy spreading across her face. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Zhao Chuanhe cry out in alarm beside her.

"What? You’re in debt? How much do you owe? Your grandma and I have saved up a little. Take it and pay it off."

"Oh, be quiet, you old coot! Our grandson said they got married, not that they’re in debt! They took wives!"

"Huh?"

Zhao Chuanhe heard clearly this time, but now he was even more certain he’d misheard. Zhao Wendong quickly pulled Lin Zhiyin over, and Jin Xiuying also took a step forward on her own.

"These are your granddaughters-in-law."

"Wonderful. Truly wonderful."

Ye Qingmei was smiling so hard her eyes nearly disappeared, but Zhao Chuanhe grew anxious.

"Grandson, what era are we living in? You can’t marry two wives! You’re making a huge mistake!"

Zhao Wendong almost burst out laughing. ’His grandpa really did care about him.’

Zhao Wenwu wasn’t having it. He understood enough to know what was being said. How could his wife be the other woman? He quickly threw an arm around Jin Xiuying.

"Grandpa, this is my wife."

"What? A silly boy like you managed to marry such a fine wife? I thought they were both Wendong’s wives!"

Ye Qingmei grabbed Zhao Chuanhe by the ear and twisted, making the old man yelp in pain.

"You old coot, you’ve got quite a wandering eye, don’t you? If the policy allowed it, you’d want to marry two wives yourself, wouldn’t you?"

"OW, OW! Old woman, be gentle! My ear’s about to fall off! I was talking about Dongzi, don’t drag me into it!"

Lin Zhiyin was more relaxed, as she had met them before. Jin Xiuying, on the other hand, had been a little nervous since it was her first visit. But now, watching the old couple’s playful bickering, a weight was lifted from her heart. ’The people in the Zhao family are all so nice, and fun.’

"Wendong’s wife, Wenwu’s wife, come, come, both of you sit next to Grandma. Let Grandma get a good look at you."

A delighted Ye Qingmei took her two granddaughters-in-law by the hand, one in each, and started chatting with them. Zhao Wendong glanced curiously at the east room. ’Why hasn’t anyone from Zhao Dahai’s family shown up today?’

Recalling how Zhao Pandi had seemed to want to say something but held back last time, and the worried expressions on his grandparents’ faces just moments ago, Zhao Wendong stood up and walked toward the east room to find out what was going on.

As soon as he entered the room, he saw Zhao Dahai and Wang Jinzhi sitting on the kang, listless and dejected. Zhao Pandi’s eyes were red as if she had just been crying, and Zhao Laidi was hugging her, softly comforting her older sister.

"What’s wrong?"

"Ah, Dongzi’s here. Quick, come sit on the kang."

Zhao Dahai looked up and forced a smile for Zhao Wendong. Wang Jinzhi also wiped her eyes and quickly got off the kang to greet him.

"I won’t sit. Pandi, what’s wrong with you?"

Zhao Wendong asked his cousin directly. When Zhao Pandi heard his question, tears welled up again like a flood, and she threw herself onto him, crying out her grievance.

"SOB... Brother San, I don’t want to marry old Limp Zhou!"

Hearing this, Zhao Wendong’s gaze hardened. In his past life, Pandi had also married this very Limp Zhou. His limp wasn’t a disability like Zhang Yufen’s; it was the result of a midwife pulling too hard at his birth, leaving him with a habit of walking on his tiptoes. The man was a skilled tofu maker and his family was doing all right, but his character was rotten.

He was terrible to his wife, beating her at the drop of a hat. His previous wife had run away from his abuse, and he hadn’t been able to find another since. In his past life, after Zhao Pandi married him, she was beaten every other day. Her face was constantly a canvas of new bruises overlapping old ones, and her brother, Zhao Wenhua, never stood up for her. In the end, unable to bear Limp Zhou’s beatings any longer, Zhao Pandi had thrown herself into the river less than three years into the marriage.

But Zhao Wendong clearly remembered that in his past life, Zhao Pandi had been married off to Limp Zhou next year, after their grandparents passed away. It was during the worst year of the famine, when Zhao Dahai’s family had no food, that they exchanged Pandi for a sack of frozen tofu. ’Why is this happening so much earlier?’

"Is your family short on frozen tofu?"

Zhao Wendong’s voice instantly turned cold as he looked at Wang Jinzhi. Seeing Zhao Wendong’s anger, Wang Jinzhi grew fearful. The pathetic state of Wang Dana and his group when they came to apologize yesterday was still fresh in her mind. She immediately lowered her head, not daring to make a sound. On the kang, Zhao Dahai also remained silent.

Seeing her parents stay silent and her sister only weeping, Zhao Laidi stamped her foot and spoke up herself.

"The family isn’t short on frozen tofu, but we’re short on money! My brother gambled away the thirty yuan you gave us, Brother San. He also owes someone else twenty yuan. The family can’t come up with the money, so Mom and Dad want my sister to marry Limp Zhou in exchange for a thirty-yuan betrothal gift."

Although Zhao Laidi was only turning fifteen at the New Year, she spoke with perfect clarity, explaining the situation in just a few sentences. When Zhao Wendong heard this, he nearly exploded with rage. ’That bastard Zhao Wenhua really has some nerve! He hasn’t earned a single penny, yet he’s already started gambling, and for such high stakes!’

"Where is Zhao Wenhua?"

Zhao Wendong’s voice was calm, but it was the calm before a storm.