Chapter 25: This Is What Life Is About

"Huairu, I need to use the restroom," Li Hong whispered.

"I'll take you," Qin Huairu said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"I need to go too," Qin Jianshe and the others chimed in.

They hadn't noticed while they were busy, but now that they were finally relaxed, they all felt an urgent need.

"Oh? Where are you all going?" Lin Shaowen asked, watching Qin Huairu with curiosity.

"We're going to the restroom," Qin Huairu replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"The restroom is over there." Lin Shaowen pointed nonchalantly toward a small room near the moon gate.

He had partitioned his three-room space into four. Aside from the bedroom in the corner, the largest room had been converted into a living room and study, while the remaining small space was split into two: a restroom and a kitchen.

"You... you have a restroom inside your home?" Qin Huairu stared, dumbfounded.

"What's so strange about that?" Lin Shaowen laughed. "I don't fancy lining up outside every single day."

Qin Huairu gave him a playful, reproachful look and led the group to the restroom.

"Wow, is this a restroom?" Qin Jianshe exclaimed in disbelief. "This is even better than our house!"

The restroom was fitted with a forty-watt incandescent bulb, the walls were painted entirely white, and the floor was tiled. He had built three basins of varying heights out of concrete: one for washing up, one for cleaning mops, and one for laundry.

"I'm going first," Li Hong said, unable to resist going in. The others waited outside.

"Huairu, why hasn't Dr. Lin found a partner yet?" Qin Huairu's sister-in-law, Zhang Li, asked in a low voice.

"He just graduated from university," Qin Huairu smiled. "The city is different from the countryside; he’s already over twenty by the time he finished college."

"Hey, Huairu, what kind of girl do you think Dr. Lin likes?" the second sister-in-law, Sun Xia, leaned in.

"I don't know," Qin Huairu shook her head.

"He wouldn't look for a country girl anyway, so stop asking," Qin Jianguo said, waving his hand.

"You can't be sure about that," Qin Shan laughed heartily. "Dr. Lin solved Huairu's job issue with just a single word. For a man like him, what difference does it make whether he marries a country girl or a city girl?"

"That's true," the group realized.

Qin Huairu’s gaze drifted toward Lin Shaowen, who was lying in a rocking chair in the courtyard. She felt a bittersweet sense of "I wish I had been born earlier, or you had been born later."

By the time everyone had finished using the restroom, Lin Shaowen had already lit the charcoal, set up the grill, and neatly arranged the seasonings.

"Come on, help yourselves. Hard work brings its own rewards," Lin Shaowen said with a smile.

"Dr. Lin, we've put you to such great expense," Qin Shan said, feeling rather bashful.

"We're all friends," Lin Shaowen waved it off nonchalantly. Seeing Sun Xia looking curiously at the fruit on the table, he chuckled, "Eat whatever you want. This stuff isn't worth much."

"Ah... I was just looking," Sun Xia blushed deeply.

"Sister Qin, please host your family," Lin Shaowen said before heading inside.

"Little sister, are these grapes?" Qin Jianshe gulped.

"If you want to eat them, go ahead," Qin Huairu nodded.

"This... doesn't feel right," Li Hong whispered. "These are rare items; they must be very expensive."

"You think Dr. Lin is just being polite? His monthly salary is enough for our whole family to toil in the fields for a year. He genuinely doesn't think it's expensive," Qin Huairu said with a bitter smile.

Just as the others were staring at the fruit, afraid to touch it, Lin Shaowen walked out carrying a basin filled with watermelons, grapes, and cantaloupes, leaving the group stunned.

"I have plenty of these. Eat as much as you like," Lin Shaowen said, placing the basin on the table. He then shook two bottles of Moutai in his hands. "Would you men like a drink?"

"Gulp!" Qin Shan was the first to swallow hard. He didn't care much for fruit, but he truly loved liquor. And this was Moutai, no less.

"Little Lin, they shouldn't drink," Qin Huairu hurriedly intervened. A bottle of Moutai sold for twelve yuan at the supply and marketing cooperative; two bottles were equivalent to a month's salary for Jia Dongxu. Was this liquor meant for her father and brothers to drink?

"We’re all free spirits, why be so pretentious?" Lin Shaowen laughed as he opened a bottle. The aroma of the liquor instantly permeated the entire courtyard. He pulled out four cups as if by magic and filled them to the brim.

Rural men loved their liquor; the work in the fields was exhausting, and a small drink helped relieve the fatigue. Qin Shan and his two sons, unable to resist their own hands, ignored Qin Huairu’s stern look and picked up the glasses.

"Gentlemen, shall we?" Lin Shaowen smiled.

"Let's," Qin Shan nodded. The four of them clinked their glasses.

"Wow, that's good liquor," Qin Jianshe sighed.

"Did you really need to say that? This is Moutai," Qin Shan glared at him.

"Drink up, boys. I have two more cases in the house," Lin Shaowen laughed. He hadn't touched the liquor his father left behind, keeping it all stored away. Even though there was no blood relation, it served as a memory. During his fishing hobby, he had managed to "catch" ten cases of Moutai.

"Two... two cases?" Qin Shan and the others were dumbfounded.

Lin Shaowen ignored them and placed the meat on the grill. The fragrance filled the entire courtyard.

"Are they trying to bankrupt themselves?" Shazhu and Xu Damao, who lived in the back courtyard, were the first to be affected. While Shazhu was busy grumbling, Xu Damao had already run out, following the scent straight to Lin Shaowen’s courtyard.

"Yo, enjoying a drink, buddy?"

"Brother Xu, have you eaten? Would you like some?" Lin Shaowen smiled. Although Xu Damao was a scoundrel, he was undeniably an interesting one.

"That would be great! I have two bottles of liquor at home..." Xu Damao never took a free meal. Just as he was about to offer his own drinks, he saw the Moutai on the table and gasped, "Whoa, buddy, what kind of special occasion is it today?"

"I just knew you were coming, Brother Xu," Lin Shaowen said with a grin.

"Then I'll save my liquor for next time and drink yours instead," Xu Damao laughed. Lin Shaowen pulled out another cup as if by magic and filled it for him.

Once a batch of grilled meat was ready, Lin Shaowen gestured for Qin Huairu to take it.

"You men eat first, we'll help ourselves," Qin Huairu decided. She had come to a realization: rather than pinning her hopes on a man like Jia Dongxu, she might as well follow Lin Shaowen steadily. Even if she were just a minor companion, it would still be better than what many others had. So, she stopped being shy; the debt of gratitude she owed was hers to repay.

"Suit yourselves, then," Lin Shaowen handed the meat directly to Xu Damao and the Qin family men.

Taking a bite, they were immediately met with a burst of flavor.

"This is what life in the city is really like," Qin Jianshe sighed.

"Buddy, city life isn't always like this," Xu Damao said while chewing the meat, chuckling. "Your brother-in-law... no, your former brother-in-law only makes twenty-seven point five a month, while Brother Lin here makes seventy-seven point five. How could their lives be the same?"

"That's true," Qin Jianshe nodded. Even in the city, there were differences. They had been in-laws with the Jia family for years, yet Qin Huairu had never brought anything back home. Instead, she was the one who frequently came to her parents' house looking for handouts.

"Come on, gentlemen, let's have another," Lin Shaowen raised his glass.

"Let's," Xu Damao shouted, and the atmosphere grew increasingly lively.

Lin Shaowen felt a bit dazed, as if he had returned to the days of his past life, eating late-night snacks with his friends.