If flowers bloom, youth will naturally follow.

Unexpectedly, the next day, Xia Donghai brought Er Gouzi from the east end of the village to demand money; he had bought Er Gouzi's ancestral home...

"Sorry, Second Brother, Dahai had too much to drink and was just bragging. Where would he get the money to buy land?" Ma Dongmei dismissed Er Gouzi.

"Hey, you stupid wife, give me the money! He only asked me for a thousand yuan for that two-acre plot of land! He's not short of money, why would he sell it so cheaply?" Xia Donghai said anxiously.

“No, I don’t have the money,” Ma Dongmei said.

“Ma Dongmei, give it to me now, or you’ll never get another chance like this! Besides, I can earn 10,000 yuan in half a year, are you worried about not having enough money later?” Xia Donghai said urgently.

"Then tell me, what are you going to do with the land you bought?" Ma Dongmei asked.

“Building a house? Look, our son is about to be born, and you and your son will live in this small, dilapidated house?” Xia Donghai said.

When Ma Dongmei heard that he wanted to buy land and build a house, she shook her head vigorously: "Build a house? No money, no money. Why buy land to build a house? Just renovate this house."

“If we don’t build here, it’s not even as big as a toilet, and it’s so cramped to live here,” Xia Donghai was actually a little resentful. His family had four or five plots of land for the three brothers, but when he divided the family property, he was only given such a tiny plot of land. Although I, Xia the Second, am capable and can marry a wife for free, my capability is my own skill. How can my parents be so biased?

Ma Dongmei both loved and hated his conspicuous behavior: "Is your money too hot to handle? You can't stand not spending it? How big of a butt do you have to build a house on more than two acres of land?"

"Of course I won't build more than two acres. We can keep the extra for future use. Besides, even if we don't use it, we can still make money by reselling it," Xia Donghai said.

Xia Donghai spent the whole night coaxing his wife to scrape together a thousand yuan, and the next day he bought the land.

Starting on the third day, people began coming to borrow money, and Xia Donghai began repaying the favors he owed for that treacherous banquet.

Ma Dongmei didn't stop him; she had experienced it firsthand. But she was afraid that Xia Donghai would still be as extravagant as before, spending money as soon as he had it. She secretly thought to herself, "I must keep three thousand... no, five thousand yuan no matter what. Even if I have to fall out with him, I can't let him spend money so recklessly."

Unexpectedly, Xia Donghai was quite restrained in his act of being a big spender this time. He gave more or less to those who came to borrow money, and even politely declined some of them.

This made Ma Dongmei look at him with new respect: "Oh my, Xia Donghai, you seem to have become more sensible."

"What nonsense! I'm not stupid. I'll go back to those who are good to me, and as for those who aren't, I don't care if they die. I don't want to deal with those four old bastards," Xia Donghai sneered.

"Go to hell, stop spouting nonsense. How can anyone stand up for themselves if they hear this?" Ma Dongmei slapped him.

Xia Donghai stayed at home for only a few days, and just like before he got married, he spent his days partying and driving around with his friends, eating, drinking, and gambling.

Soon it was time for Ma Dongmei to give birth in the summer. Both sets of parents came to take care of her, and women from all sides came and went, making the small room lively and cheerful every day.

After about ten days, Ma Dongmei had almost recovered, so Xia Donghai asked her to go to Harbin with him.

“I’m not going. My mom can help me take care of the kids at home. I can’t take care of them by myself in the city.” Actually, Ma Dongmei was a little timid. She was a bit nervous about going to the big city and thought it would be better to stay at home and farm.

Xia Donghai was also at a loss with his opinionated wife. He stayed at home with Ma Dongmei until the baby's one-month celebration before returning to Harbin: "Silly wife, don't be stingy this time. I'll be back soon."