Chapter 85: Brothers in Arms 1
“Brothers in arms.”
Suhua murmured the words.
Su Chong couldn’t help but mutter, “A good relationship? How good is it? Is it as good as me, Little Brother Hua, and Little Brother Heng?”
“Yes, just like us. Brothers have deep feelings for each other. Just like our hands and feet. They’re incomparably precious to us. Nothing else in the world is so precious.”
Zhou Heng curled his lips slightly and explained to Su Chong.
!!
Su Chong was very happy. He said happily, “Little Brother Hua is my right hand, Little Brother Heng is my left hand. You’re all very important. I like you.”
At this moment, Su Chong understood what it meant to be brothers in arms. It turned out that the three of them were brothers in arms.
Su Hua asked, “Little Brother Heng, Big Brother and I were born to the same parents. Do you also have brothers? Who are your parents? Will you return to them?”
Su Hua understood more things than Su Chong, and he thought about more questions. He was a little curious about whether Su Hua had a brother, where he came from, and who his parents were.
“Oh, right. Why didn’t I think of that? Brother Hua is so smart. Heehee.”
After Su Hua finished asking, Su Chong belatedly reacted. He was a little depressed that he had not thought of it and was also a little proud of his brother’s intelligence.
Zhou Heng paused for a moment before saying, “I don’t have an elder brother. I have a younger brother. He has a bad leg like me. His name is Zhou Zhi. The word ‘Zhi’ stands for genuinity. He was born with me. I’m the elder brother. We have a good relationship. It’s just that… Some reasons separated us. I came here, but he stayed at home.”
As he spoke, Zhou Heng fell silent.
He fell silent, and Su Chong and Su Hua did not pursue the matter.
Soon, Su Chong fell asleep.
Listening to Su Chong’s breathing, Zhou Heng sighed and said in a low voice, “When there’s no more danger, I’ll go back. Perhaps next year, or for many years later… Or perhaps I won’t have to go back.”
As he thought about it, Zhou Heng felt a little lonely.
He thought Su Hua was asleep too, which was why he said that, but what he didn’t know was that he wasn’t.
“Little Brother Heng, I promise you that if you can’t go home, Big Brother and I will always be good to you. Us. Brothers in arms.”
Su Hua spoke quietly and seriously.
Zhou Heng was stunned. He swallowed and said softly, “Yes, thank you, Hua.”
Although he had come to a very unfamiliar place, he had also gained very precious friendships.
These were all rare treasures, things that no amount of money could buy.
Last time, Chen Hu helped Su Sanlang build a house.
This time, Su Sanlang also helped Chen Hu build his house.
He also went with Chen Hu to buy four acres of land for Chen Hu’s family to rely on. After settling the t.i.tle deed, Chen Hu’s eyes were red.
No words could express the grat.i.tude in his heart. He only secretly noted this favor.
Chen Hu’s house was built next to Su Sanlang’s house, only an acre away.
Chen Hu had been removed from the family tree. Not only was he not in trouble, but he had also bought land to build a house. This winter, the villagers had something to talk about after dinner.
Some people said that Chen Hu was instigated by Su Sanlang, while others said that Su Sanlang had no conscience. They said that he had money to give to outsiders but not to his parents.
But no matter how those rumors spread, Su Sanlang’s family never took them seriously.
Chen Hu wouldn’t care either.
From the beginning to the end, only their parents and brothers treated Chen Hu and Su Sanlang’s families as enemies. The others in the village still interacted normally and did not befriend them or become enemies with them. Everyone minded their own business.
By late December, Chen Hu’s house was almost finished. He did not build a big house. It was just a central room with four rooms on the left and right.
The kitchen and the main room were together. The room behind the main room was the couple’s room.
The two rooms on the left of the central room were where Chen Daniu and Chen Erniu lived. The two sisters lived in one room, and the other room was Chen Shi’s.
The backyard was fenced up with fences and sheds. They did not make a wall to surround the yard. The house cost only twenty taels of silver. Adding to the purchase of four acres, Chen Hu used fifty taels in total. He returned the remaining fifty taels to Su Sanlang and once again wrote a new receipt for a loan.
On December 22nd, on the morning that Chen Hu’s family was moving to their new home, Chen Hu bought wine.
He and Madam Qian poured alcohol and stood up to toast Madam Zhao and Su Sanlang. The couple’s eyes were red. Chen Hu said, “Big Brother, Sister-in-law, thank you for taking care of us. We will never forget this kindness for the rest of our lives. There are thousands of words that can’t express the grat.i.tude in my heart. This gla.s.s of alcohol is for you.”
Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao also stood up. They only smiled.
Su Sanlang said, “I wish your family the best. I hope Daniu and Erniu are obedient, and for Shi to study well in the future and bring honor to your family, Huzi.”
Madam Zhao said, “Sister-in-law, I also wish your family health and happiness.”
“Big Brother, Sister-in-law, thank you. Thank you.”
Chen Hu raised his head and drank. Tears flowed down his face along with the wine. He thought that he must have done a lot of good in his previous life to have met a brother like Su Sanlang in this life. When he was young, he saved his life. When he grew up, he saved his entire family.
Madam Qian was also very grateful. In the past month or so, Madam Zhao did not ask her to do anything. She only asked her to rest through confinement. She was only allowed to help with the dishes when Chen Shi was a month old.
Their family had been eating and drinking at the Su family’s house. In the past month or so, the family had gained weight. Looking at her rosy-faced daughters, Madam Qian felt too much grat.i.tude. She thought that since she had recovered, there would always be a chance to repay her in the future.
Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao also drank.
Chen Hu toasted Old Wu again. He said, “Doctor Wu, thank you for treating my wife. and bringing us the medicine. Tomorrow, when the chickens and ducks at home are ready, if you don’t mind, you can have some to eat with your wine.”
Old Wu waved his hand and drank without saying a word.
He was most annoyed at times like this. It was sickening.
Chen Hu also understood Old Wu’s personality. After drinking, everyone ate happily.
After dinner, Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao helped Chen Hu and his family with their things.
Chen Hu refused to take rice no matter what, but Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao forcibly gave him 50 catties of rice, as well as 400 catties of corn. The vegetables in the vegetable field could always be plucked and eaten.
Since Madam Qian had already sown vegetables in their own vegetable field from the time they started to build the house, they had already grown quite well and could be eaten now.
Madam Zhao gave Madam Qian two pairs of chickens, two males and two females, a total of four chickens.