Si Nian stared at him in surprise. "To my house?"
Zhou Yueshen met her gaze and nodded. "Yes, your family could use it."
Si Nian knew that given how much Lin's father and Lin's mother valued her, they would surely host a banquet.
But given the Lin Family's circumstances, being able to afford cured meat was already a stretch.
There was no way they could afford fresh pork.
Zhou Yueshen had already sent over quite a bit before, and now he was giving more.
It made her feel somewhat embarrassed.
Was this how generous men behaved?
He studied her for a moment, as if sensing her discomfort, and set down the cleaver in his hand. "This is only right. Don’t overthink it. The betrothal gifts before were meant for Lin Sisi—though we haven’t recovered them yet—but you deserve even more. The rest, I’ll deliver with your brother later."
After speaking, he walked to the side to wash his hands.
Si Nian stood rooted in place, her gaze following him, her expression slightly dazed.
This man, seemingly quiet and reserved,
was far more thoughtful than she could ever be.
She had assumed Zhou Yueshen was too busy with work to spare any thought for their wedding,
imagining they’d just casually invite a few people for a simple meal.
She thought he felt the same way.
But now she realized—the one who hadn’t put in any effort was her all along.
A pang of guilt settled in her heart.
Silently, she stood there for a few seconds before noticing the sweat beading on his forehead. She hurried inside, poured him a cup of mung bean soup, and handed it to him.
"Drink some."
Zhou Yueshen straightened up,
took the cup, glanced at it for a second, then downed it in one go, his Adam’s apple bobbing sharply.
Si Nian waited until he finished.
"Go eat something first," she said.
Zhou Yueshen looked back at her.
Under the sunlight, her skin appeared even fairer, the fine down on her face faintly visible, her features strikingly vivid.
"Mm," he acknowledged, casually wrapping an arm around her to guide her inside. "You come in too. It’s hot out."
They stepped into the house, where a group of men were already standing around, slurping noodles loudly.
Si Nian quickly urged, "Why are you all standing? Sit down!"
The men, sweating profusely from the meal, chuckled sheepishly. "We’re dirty and probably smell. You’ve cleaned so thoroughly—we don’t want to mess it up. It’s fine, we’ll finish soon."
Truthfully, it had been a while since they’d visited the Zhou household.
Back when Zhou Yueshen was unmarried, they’d occasionally stay over if needed.
But now that he had a wife at home, a bunch of rough men like them felt awkward dropping by.
Who would’ve thought their next visit would be like this?
Before, the Zhou residence was just a big house—well-equipped, but no different from other homes.
Spacious yet perpetually dusty, devoid of life.
Eerily quiet.
Even the kids were withdrawn, hardly speaking.
They’d usually just sleep over and leave as soon as possible.
The atmosphere was so stifling that despite the space, it never felt comfortable.
But now, it was like a complete transformation.
The layout remained largely the same, yet the house was spotless and impeccably organized. The cement floors gleamed from thorough mopping. The TV stand now had a delicate white lace tablecloth draped over it, lending an air of sophistication.
Even the old, battered cabinet once cluttered with miscellaneous items now bore a similar tablecloth, its contents neatly arranged. The cups inside were scrubbed clean, displayed like pieces of art.
On the dining table, there was a vase filled with wildflowers commonly seen by the roadside. Normally, no one would spare them a second glance, but now they seemed incredibly beautiful.
In short, the entire house had shed its dull and lifeless atmosphere, transforming into a warm and cozy space.
What made everyone even more envious was the kitchen. The seasonings were neatly arranged, the countertops spotlessly clean, and on the nearby cabinet were jars of pickled radishes, garlic cloves soaked in soy sauce...
Just looking at them made everyone’s mouths water.
Such a comfortable living environment—if it were them, they wouldn’t want to leave the house either.
“That won’t do. Sit down, standing around like this is ridiculous. Would your boss’s family really be so strict, worrying that you’d dirty the place and not let you sit down to eat? If word got out, how could we face anyone?” Si Nian deliberately put on a stern expression.
Hearing this, everyone thought it made sense and reluctantly nodded before taking their seats.
Si Nian went into the kitchen and prepared a bowl of noodles for Zhou Yueshen. Then she opened the jars of pickled radishes and garlic, scooping out generous portions to serve with the noodles for everyone.
There was also liquor in the house.
With so many men around, alcohol was a must for hospitality.
Zhou Yueshen walked into the kitchen and watched Si Nian bustling about. Frowning, he stepped forward and said, “Don’t be so polite with those boys. They’ll help themselves if they’re hungry. You should rest.”
Hearing this, Si Nian turned and shot him a reproachful look. “How can that be? They came to help us. As the host, how could I just sit around? You might be used to each other and not mind, but I haven’t been here long. If word got out, people would laugh at me.”
Though Si Nian didn’t care much about others’ opinions, she understood basic social etiquette.
It was the first time Zhou Yueshen had been scolded by his wife. He fell silent for a long moment before awkwardly rubbing his nose and stepping in to help.
Si Nian had cooked him an enormous bowl of noodles. The man worked hard every day, burning through energy, so he ate a lot. Zhou Yueshen’s portion alone was enough to feed her and the children combined.
She told him to carry the bowl out himself and began cleaning the kitchen.
Just then, the younger child came running in. Seeing Si Nian washing dishes, he hurried over, tilting his head up. “Mom, let me wash the dishes for you.”
Rolling up his sleeves, he eagerly approached.
Si Nian looked at the well-behaved little one and thought that being kind to him was truly worth it.
She didn’t refuse, wiping her hands before patting his head and going to fetch the broom.
The kitchen floor needed constant sweeping—when wet, it became slippery, and with children around, it was important to keep it dry and safe.
As soon as she stepped out, she saw Zhou Yuedong holding a broom, entering the kitchen.
He glanced at Si Nian, stammering as he lowered his head, too shy to meet her eyes. “I-I’ll sweep the floor.”
After uttering those words, his little face had already turned red.
He wasn’t copying his younger brother on purpose—he genuinely wanted to help.
Si Nian paused, then smiled and patted his head, saying, “Alright.”
Soon, with the children’s help, Si Nian quickly finished cleaning up the leftovers.
After the meal, Zhou Yueshen and the others went back to work. Many neighbors came by to watch, and when they heard half of the meat was meant for the Lin Family, their expressions shifted—some envious, some resentful, sighing in disbelief.
The Lin Family really had landed themselves a golden son-in-law!
Such a large pig—even if it was only half—was enough to feed an ordinary family for a year or more.
As soon as Si Nian stepped outside, a woman with two braids squeezed through the crowd and greeted her warmly, "Sis, is your family slaughtering a pig today?"
Wuhu, updating a bit earlier today~~
