Wealthy beyond measure, yet you call me a sister-supporting-brother demon?

"Dad, you are the pillar of our family. Our family cannot do without you, no one else can do without you."

Yuan Laifu tilted his head back slightly, took a puff of his pipe, and looked extremely smug.

"Father, don't forget to discuss this with Mother."

"Don't worry, I'll take a couple of puffs and then go help your mother pluck the chicken feathers. I'll chat with her while I'm plucking them."

After Yuansheng appeased his father, he went to find his young wife, who was picking green beans.

Yuansheng moved a stool, picked up some green beans, and started picking them with his wife. "Wife, my sister and brother-in-law's house is no longer habitable. I want to build them a big brick and tile house."

Zhu Chenxi didn't even look up. "Yes, I support you. Before, because of those ten taels of silver, my eldest sister was almost divorced. We can't forget such kindness."

"My wife is so generous." Yuan Sheng gave her a thumbs up.

Zhu Chenxi raised her head, smiling, her bright black eyes filled with a shy yet reproachful look.

After Yuansheng finished helping his wife pick the green beans, he met with his father and then went to tell his sister and brother-in-law about it.

Zhou Changlin said excitedly, "Yuanbao, you absolutely mustn't! There isn't a single brick house in our entire Dongshan Village! How much does a brick house cost? Your brother-in-law can't take advantage of you like this!"

Yuan Pan'er grabbed Yuan Sheng's hand, "Our family hasn't even built a new house yet. How can we build a house for our sister and brother-in-law before building one for Dad? Yuan Bao, how can your sister and brother-in-law repay such a huge favor? This kindness is too heavy. If you want to help us build a house, a mud-brick house will be enough."

“Sister, brother-in-law, we’re family, so let’s not be formal. Now that I’ve built you a mud-brick house, we’ll have to tear it down and rebuild it soon. Our earning speed isn’t increasing linearly, but… doubling. If you feel bad about it, brother-in-law, please help me out. I’ll be focusing a lot on my studies later, so I might not be able to take care of the business.” Yuan Sheng wanted to say “incremental,” but his brother-in-law and sister couldn’t understand the concept of an index, so he changed it to “doubling.”

“Yuanbao’er, don’t worry. As long as there’s anything your brother-in-law can do to help, I’ll do my best. Bao’er, how about this: when the offal business makes money, you can deduct the money for building the house from it. That way, your brother-in-law will feel better.”

“Okay, brother-in-law, we’ll do as you say. Also, once your house is finished and dried out, we’ll move there and then rebuild our old house.”

"Okay." Yuan Pan'er tried her best to keep her voice calm, but she was already incredibly excited inside.

Although I know that my dreams about making money will come true, they are still just dreams. Now I'm going to build a big brick house?

Soon, a large house with blue bricks and tiles will stand in front of you.

My own family has built a house, and now my parents' family is also going to build a big brick and tile house. This life feels like a dream.

Zhou Changlin's hands were trembling slightly. A large brick and tile house! His large brick and tile house was unique in Dongshan Village.

Ha, I wonder what his snobbish father and brothers—no, Zhou Chunqiang, Zhou Changshui, and Zhou Changsen—are thinking. Aren't they the ones who wouldn't even pass by his door when begging? I hope these people don't come crawling back now that he's rich; he won't give them a single penny anyway.

Zhou Changlin clenched his fist.

Without his brother-in-law, their family's life would have been unimaginable. He died of his illness, leaving his son to continue working like a slave for the family. When Yu Chuan and Yu Feng grew up, they took over their roles as the main breadwinners. Yu Zhu was constantly hungry and was bullied at home growing up.

Now, Yuanbao wants to completely heal his injuries, build them a big brick house, give him the opportunity to make a lot of money, give Yuchuan and Yufeng the opportunity to study, and let Yuzhu grow up happily under the love and protection of her family. All of this is thanks to her brother-in-law.

Zhou Changlin secretly vowed in his heart that he would be loyal to Yuan Bao'er for the rest of his life. No matter how great the temptation or danger, even if he had to sacrifice his life, he would protect his brother-in-law.

His brother-in-law gave him this life; at worst, he'll just consider it repaying his brother-in-law with his own life.

"Brother-in-law, should we let Dad take full responsibility for building the house, or should we ask your grandfather or uncle?" Although my brother-in-law has come to the Yuan family, he still bears the surname Zhou, since he is not a son-in-law.

"Let Dad pick out and buy the bricks, beams, and purlins. As for the specific details of building the house, ask my Uncle Hanjiang and Uncle Chunsheng for help. They should be very happy to see that I can build a big brick and tile house."

"Okay, brother-in-law."

Yuan Sheng took out fifty taels of silver and asked his father to buy materials, saying, "Father, let's try to pay as little as possible in the deposit."

Yuan Laifu grinned so hard his eyes disappeared, jumped up and smacked Yuan Sheng on the head, "Good son, you really know how to assign tasks to your father! You don't need to tell me, I guarantee I'll buy the best quality at the best price!"

Buy blue bricks? Buy the finest beams? He'd been waiting for this day for a long time.

First, build one for Changlin, then he'll build one for himself. Once his own house is built, he'll have to show it off to his childhood friend.

"Dinner's ready! The food is done!" Sheng Guihua called out.

The younger children had already washed their hands and set out the tables, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks. They could smell the kitchen aromas and were already drooling.

Yu Feng, in particular, was slurping away, his eyes practically sparkling as he stared at the kitchen.

He knew that if he ran to the kitchen and kissed and hugged his grandmother, she would definitely give him a piece of meat first. But remembering his mother's instructions, he held back and waited for his grandmother and aunt to bring out the dishes so that everyone could eat together.

Yuzhu played with her fingers. Although the air smelled wonderful, she could resist the urge; she was used to it at home.

Soon, Sheng Guihua and Zhu Chenxi brought out a large pot of chicken stew with mushrooms, braised pork belly with green beans, braised pig's head meat, cold wild vegetables, scrambled eggs with cucumber slices, and fine white rice, filling the whole table.

Sheng Guihua said, "Pan'er, pick out a dish for Changlin and bring it inside." Zhou Changlin could only eat inside the house.

“Okay, Mother.” Yuan Pan’er only picked out green beans, wild vegetables, and cucumbers.

Sheng Guihua snatched the bowl away. "What are you doing? You can't bear to give my son-in-law anything good to eat?" Sheng Guihua picked out a large bowl of meat and only put in a little bit of vegetables. "Changlin is injured and needs to be properly nourished. Here, take this to Changlin."

The family starts to eat.

Yuzhu took a bite of white rice and chewed it carefully. The rice had a sweet taste and a special aroma, making it especially delicious.

She picked up another green bean, which was made with high-quality pork belly, very oily and flavorful. Zhu Chenxi added cinnamon, star anise, and bay leaves, making it even more fragrant.

Yuzhu ate the green bean in small bites. How could the food made by her aunt and maternal grandmother be so delicious!

This green bean paired with this delicious white rice is the best meal.

Yuan Sheng felt a little sad when he saw that Yu Zhu didn't dare to pick up any meat. He picked up a chicken wing and put it in Yu Zhu's bowl. This was the chicken wing that Yu Zhu had been longing for.

Yuan Sheng picked up two more chicken legs and put them in Yu Chuan's and Yu Feng's bowls respectively. He had to make sure Yu Feng was full so that he wouldn't lick Yu Chuan's toes.

He then picked up a wing for his wife, a wing for his mother, and a wing for his sister, saying, "Each of you should have one; eating chicken wings will help you comb your hair."