Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Sympathy
The snow has been falling for several days, and the distances they cover each day are getting shorter and shorter. Liu Pingkang and his companions were anxious, but there was nothing they could do.
"We can only cover this bit of road in a day. I’m afraid we won’t make it back in time for the New Year this year." Ma Zhi watched their slow pace, and he was so anxious that cold sores appeared at the corners of his mouth. "Boss, why is this year’s weather so bad?"
"Isn’t it like this every year?" Liu Pingkang was calm. "That’s because we set out a bit earlier in the past, and we’d already reached Lingnan by the time the heavy snow fell. It’s wetter there, but at least the roads are easier to travel."
"It seems that’s really the case. This year’s snow has come exceptionally early. I hope next year we’ll have a good harvest." Ma Zhi thought of his pregnant wife at home. Snow is good for staying in, so she wouldn’t have to work so hard every day.
"Oh, you still have fields at home?" Liu Pingkang always thought Ma Zhi lived in Beijing.
Ma Zhi said, "There are many people at home, and I’m the only one with a job. I don’t have the means to bring everyone to Beijing, so we still have a few acres of thin land, which just barely keeps us fed."
"You’re having a tough time too," Liu Pingkang finally understood why Ma Zhi was always so thrifty. "What about that little courtyard in Beijing?"
"That’s my wife’s dowry," Ma Zhi didn’t consider it shameful, because his wife’s family helped him out, and he wasn’t the only one relying on them; Gu Kaiyuan was even more reliant.
"My wife’s family does some small business in Beijing. They’re not as wealthy as the Bai Family, but they dote on their daughter. They gave us a place to stay in Beijing."
"That’s not bad," Liu Pingkang didn’t see any issue with it either. Having someone to help is a blessing. "With help from your father-in-law, life will get better."
Ma Zhi gave a bitter smile, "Actually, our family’s situation isn’t much different from Gu Kaiyuan’s, except my father isn’t as formidable."
Liu Pingkang became interested, "Your family is biased too."
"More or less, living together under one roof inevitably leads to quarrels.
My wife’s family has some assets, combined with my income, the elders want to distribute the wealth equally. I’m always away, so that’s not really a problem, but it puts my wife through hardship."
The recent performance of Gu Kaiyuan made Ma Zhi reflect on his own shortcomings. Bai Suihe had Gu Kaiyuan to rely on and yet life was tough for her, which made him realize how hard his wife must have it when he’s not around.
Liu Pingkang thought about it too and sighed, "Every family has its troubles, but I think Gu Kaiyuan is a real man. He knows how to protect his wife and child, you could learn from him.
No wonder I always felt you leaned towards Gu Kaiyuan, turns out you’re kindred spirits."
Ma Zhi gave an awkward smile, "Though we’re similar, I’m still a bit luckier. Although my parents are biased, because I’m the most capable, they wouldn’t dare go too far."
Liu Pingkang smiled meaningfully, "If you want specifics, you should ask your wife’s opinion when you return."
Having seen many situations, Liu Pingkang felt even small households have complex dynamics. It is very difficult for an outsider like a daughter-in-law to establish herself in the husband’s family.
Ma Zhi pondered, perhaps it is true, every time his wife reported good news and kept bad news to herself. But every time he saw her eyes sparkle at that instant, it remained etched in his memory.
Yes, when he’s gone, how much she has suffered. Of course, his family wouldn’t talk about it, and as a daughter-in-law, she naturally wouldn’t dare speak ill of the elders.
Thinking about this cold day, he suddenly felt sweaty on his back, "Boss??"
"Have any questions, just go back and ask, but as someone who’s been through it, let me give you a piece of advice: you need to balance your earnings from being away."
Liu Pingkang went out to patrol, but Ma Zhi kept brooding over this issue, it seemed he really needed to make adjustments, his parents were not only his parents. With his head on the line of a risky job, if something really happened, would his wife and children be treated well by his family?
Thinking about his family’s temperament, Ma Zhi suddenly felt the Gu Family might be better, after all, they cared about face and reputation, and wouldn’t dare make things too big.
But in the countryside it’s different, sometimes they would fight viciously for a bite to eat.
"What are you thinking about?" At that moment, Gu Kaiyuan’s ox-cart passed by him, and Gu Kaiyuan jumped directly down from the shaft of the cart to stand with him.
"Thinking about some family matters, how come today you walked ahead of the escort agency?" Usually, they tied the ox-cart with the agency in the middle, but today was rare.
Gu Kaiyuan certainly wouldn’t say it was to better receive news from the Gu Family’s side, "Well, always lagging behind the group, afraid it might trouble you when needed, anyway, however we walk, it’s going to be that same distance, it doesn’t matter front or back.
How’s my father doing these past two days?"
Gu Kaiyuan grabbed a handful of jerky and Ma Zhi casually placed it in his bag, "Still the same, but it seems your family might have an addition."
Gu Kaiyuan, "It shouldn’t come to that, we have our rules, concubines are not allowed."
"Your father doesn’t need to marry a concubine..."
"Oh, you mean a remarriage," Gu Kaiyuan was indifferent, "That’s my father’s business, as sons we can’t interfere, besides my two elder brothers are in front, I’ll just follow their lead."
Ma Zhi mused, "If your brothers make excessive demands?"
Gu Kaiyuan looked at him, "If it’s excessive, it means I can’t do it, so naturally I can’t satisfy it."
"But if your father favors them, aren’t you afraid of being weighed down by filial duty?"
"Why be afraid? My father said to take my brothers as examples, I keep that at the top of my mind."
"What if brothers help each other?"
Gu Kaiyuan said, "That’s mutual, if they help me, I’ll think of ways to repay them, otherwise, I can simply ignore."
Ma Zhi thought of his brothers; to reach that point, his brothers might swallow him alive.
No, maybe his parents wouldn’t even wait for the brothers, they’d suppress him right away.
Previously, he thought Gu Kaiyuan was pitiful, but perhaps it’s himself who’s truly pitiful.
"Your wife is very lucky, " Ma Zhi patted his shoulder, and hurriedly ran ahead, having already wasted a lot of time, he needed to catch up.
Gu Kaiyuan was puzzled; what was that all about today? Ma Zhi’s attitude was a bit strange, did he hear something again?
He hadn’t visited his great uncle in a while, perhaps he should go and greet him, after all, relationships need to be maintained, even if there’s no affection, it’s about mutual utility.
After calling out to Bai Suihe, Gu Kaiyuan also quickened his pace to catch up with the front group, looking for the Gu Family people.
