The Importance of Houses

Yang Wuni carried the large basin of dough back to the wooden cutting board in the outer room.

He turned around and went to cook, not giving Zhang Changguang's wife a single steamed bun.

"Wu Ni, how can you go against your father? He said to give it to your sister-in-law, so you just take it."

"We're all adults in this family; it won't kill us to eat a little less."

Zhang Changyao tapped the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) with a broom to make noise for Yang Wuni.

"Zhang Changyao, scare me, it won't work. I'm not giving it to her."

She steams corn whenever she craves it, and if she can't steam it herself, I steam it for her.

Why should I get something for nothing just because I say a few words?

If their child can eat the steamed buns, I can give them all to him, but I won't give them to the adults.

Our family of several adults can survive without eating, but their family's adults could starve to death if they didn't eat?

If we don't change this bad habit of eating Wang Mang's food and working for Liu Xiu, our family will never be able to make a living.

My aunt said that Brother Guanshu will pay me back the money he owes our family.

In any family, the woman manages the money. Even though Suiyu is running her own household, she still has to be the head of the household.

Dad, don't be angry with me. My elder brother and sister-in-law have separated and are living separately.

If you keep protecting them like this, our family will eventually fall apart.

Yang Wuni shook her floral apron, which she had pieced together from scraps of cloth.

He washed his hands and then went to start a fire to cook, without even looking at Zhang Kaiju's face, which was trembling with anger.

"Yang Wuni, are you trying to rebel? You don't have the right to call the shots in this family."

You have to listen to what Dad said, whether you want to or not. Go and give all the steamed buns to your sister-in-law.

Our family has no right to eat the things my sister-in-law likes.

My sister-in-law gave birth to a child, which is a great achievement for our Zhang family.

From now on, whatever good food you have, you can eat it first, sister-in-law. If you don't listen, I'll divorce you.

"Dad, don't listen to Wu Ni's nonsense. She doesn't have the final say in this family."

If she dares not give it to my sister-in-law, I'll break her legs.

A newlywed woman dared to talk back to her father-in-law.

"She's not respectful to her elder brother's wife; I think she doesn't want to stay in this family anymore."

Zhang Changyao's words became increasingly outrageous, and he picked up a fire poker by the stove door, as if he was about to hit Yang Wuni.

"Zhang Changyao, I think you're the one who's rebelling. If you dare hit your wife, I'll hit you too."

Your wife is right; it's just that Dad didn't consider things thoroughly.

You've meddled in things that aren't your business; Dad, you'd better keep a closer eye on yourself from now on.

It's just... I've been hearing you sleep through the night lately.

Did you freeze yourself while wading through the river and now you can't do *that* anymore?

Zhang Kaiju lowered his voice and leaned closer to Zhang Changyao to ask him.

"Dad, I told you you can't just make things up out of thin air! Why do you tell everyone everything?"

Now the whole village knows I can't sleep with women at night, are you happy now?

Zhang Changyao was so angry that he roared and jumped up onto the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and stomped his feet.

"My dear son, I'm just worried about you. I'm afraid you can't do that, and can't give me a grandson?"

I didn't tell anyone, I just asked Wang Fenjiang.

I never expected that this Wang the powder maker would tell Du the loudmouth about this.

Now everyone in the village is asking me if I've taken you to see a doctor.

Dad thought to himself, "If you really are sick, you should go see a doctor as soon as possible."

I'll go find Guan Shu tomorrow and make him check the money and return it to you so you can go see a doctor.

Zhang Kaiju suppressed his curiosity, while Yanran wore an expression that suggested she already knew the truth.

"Dad, you stay up all night just to listen to me, right?"

"You old man, I really admire you now."

Zhang Changyao dared not say anything more, fearing that if word got out, things would become even more complicated.

"I'm your father, isn't everything I'm doing for your own good?"

You're newly married and don't know anything, and your wife is young and knows even less.

If I, as your father, didn't take care of this family, you two wouldn't even have enough to eat.

If you can't do *that*, we'll stop taking care of you guys.

Even if your sister-in-law isn't the best, she still gave birth to a grandson for our Zhang family.

It's better than you raising someone else's illegitimate child in the future, right?

If you want to live in this house, you'd better behave yourselves.

If you don't want to live here, I won't keep you. Find me a place to move out right away.

"I can't just keep other people's wild children in my house."

Zhang Kaiju, who had just been scolded by Yang Wuni, finally had a reason to retaliate.

"Dad, where are you trying to send us to live during the New Year?"

Zhang Changyao lost his earlier arrogance and sat obediently on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) to discuss things with his father.

"Didn't your wife say that Guan Shu was going to return the money to you?"

You can use the money to buy a house, buy New Year's goods, and make a living.

I'm old now, useless, looked down upon, and can no longer be the head of your household.

Now that you've grown up, go fly solo!

Why are you still relying on this old codger like me?

My house can't be lived in by people who don't take things seriously.

Guibao is my grandson. When he grows up and wants to get married, he doesn't have a house.

Zhang Kaiju knocked the tobacco pipe and pot clean on the wall of the kang (a heated brick bed).

He pinched a handful of tobacco from his tobacco pouch and pressed it forcefully into the tobacco bowl.

Zhang Changyao had lost his temper by now and immediately picked up the matchbox from the kang (a heated brick bed).

He pulled out a match, lit it, and leaned over to light Zhang Kaiju's pipe.

"Dad, Wu Ni is only eighteen or nineteen. What does she know?"

As the old saying goes, when a woman is in charge, the house collapses and the house falls apart.

From now on, you'll be in charge of this household. If she tries to disobey, just beat her.

I'm going to bring some steamed buns to my sister-in-law in a bit. If she doesn't eat well, will Guibao have any milk to drink?

Guibao is the eldest grandson of the Zhang family. We can't let Guibao go hungry, right?

Zhang Changyao said three thousand six hundred and ten thousand nice things, and finally he managed to calm Zhang Kaiju down.

Yang Wuni, who was in the outer room, also realized how formidable Zhang Kaiju was.

They chased the couple out in the freezing cold to make them realize the importance of the house.

After the meal, Zhang Kaiju went to the storeroom and took out a string of perilla leaves, placing them on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Replace the steamed buns with perilla leaves and quickly take them to your sister-in-law."

Guibao has had an upset stomach these past few days, I suspect it's caused by your sister-in-law not eating well.

I'll take this half-pack of sugar and biscuits to her first.

"Breastfeeding mothers have cravings; if they don't eat well, how can they provide nutrition for their babies?"

Zhang Kaiju carried the white sugar and biscuits that Yang Wuni had brought back to Zhang Changguang's house with his hands behind his back.

Zhang Changyao and Yang Wuni were left sitting on opposite sides of the table, speechless.

"Wu Ni, hurry up and brew some perilla leaves. Tell me when you're done and I'll take it to my sister-in-law."

Zhang Changyao sighed deeply, finished speaking, and leaned against the wall of the kang (a heated brick bed) with his head down and eyes downcast.

"Zhang Changyao, your father is bullying us too much. Isn't he blatantly making us support your brother's family?"

Yang Wuni picked up Su Ziye, glanced at her, and then threw her back onto the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Wu Ni, if you don't want to be homeless in the dead of winter, you'd better just bear with it."

My father is a man of his word, unless…”