Chapter 8: A Yard Full of Lemon Scent

Qian Yuemai was startled.

“What’s wrong?”

“Second sister… huff, puff… my brother-in-law caught a ton of big fish…”

Qian Sicao panted, breathless, recounting the day’s fishing triumph at the Su household.

Then, without hesitation, she demanded her reward.

“Second sister, I want fish. Go to the Su house and bring back a few big ones.”

Qian Yuemai’s mouth dropped open—she even forgot to crack her sunflower seeds.

“You’re serious? Your husband really caught *that* many fish?”

Her voice shot up several octaves, disbelief painted across her face.

“Seriously! Seriously!” Qian Sicao nodded frantically. “Everyone saw it!”

She added with a grumble: “I wanted that big fish they were holding for Er Pan, but he insisted on giving it to his little auntie. I’m furious! Second sister, you’ve gotta do something about Er Pan…”

Still muttering under her breath, Qian Yuemai suddenly stood up.

Then—she clutched her stomach with a sharp cry. “Ow!”

Wang Shi jumped in alarm. “Take it easy! Watch your health!”

Qian Yuemai rubbed her belly, still stunned.

Then she stared wide-eyed at her mother.

“Mother… could it be true? Is my little sister actually… *bringing us luck*?”

Her voice trembled.

Before Wang Shi could answer, Qian Sicao spilled the gossip from the whole village.

“Second sister, everyone’s saying those fish came from your little sister…”

Wang Shi perked right up.

“Isn’t it obvious?” she declared loudly. “For years, the river’s been stripped bare—how could there possibly be *this* many giant fish? And just when your little sister was born, suddenly the river’s full of them—and *your family* happens to catch every single one!”

Qian Yuemai didn’t wait for her mother to finish.

“I’m going home,” she said, already turning toward the door.

And then she bolted out like the wind.

“Hey! Wait! Take this two taels of red sugar back to your mother-in-law!” Wang Shi called after her.

“I’ll save it for when I have my daughter—I don’t need you favoring the in-laws, Mama!”

Qian Yuemai didn’t look back. She vanished into the distance.

Wang Shi froze, speechless.

What a stubborn daughter!

How couldn’t she understand her parents’ hearts?

All she did was try to give her strength in her husband’s family!

***

At that moment, the old Su household was packed wall-to-wall—three layers deep, people even climbing onto the rooftops.

When Qian Yuemai arrived, she couldn’t even squeeze through the crowd.

“Sister-in-law, what’s going on here?”

Su Dahu’s voice came from behind her.

She turned around.

*Goo-goo-goo…*

*Cluck-cluck-cluck…*

No head—just two enormous wild chickens staring her down.

Qian Yuemai blinked. Stunned.

She hadn’t seen wild chickens in years—had almost forgotten what they looked like.

“Big brother… where did you… *catch* these?”

Her voice cracked with shock.

The chickens flapped wildly in panic.

Her shout made everyone in front turn around.

And then—everyone saw Su Dahu’s neck, draped with two plump, glossy wild chickens, each tied by a freshly woven straw rope.

The sight sent shockwaves through the crowd.

Especially the chickens—so large, so juicy-looking, they made mouths water instantly.

“Dahu,” someone asked skeptically, “did you go *up the mountain*? You’re not suicidal, are you?”

The beast up there had killed several people over the past few years.

Going up now? That was suicide.

“Nope,” Su Dahu said casually. “Just walked around the base.”

“Base of the mountain? How’d you get birds that fat and big?”

Skeptical murmurs rippled through the crowd.

“Two days ago, I wandered all over the foothills—didn’t find a single feather,” someone groaned.

“You? Wandering? Please. The whole village’s kids are starving for meat—they’re constantly circling the riverbank and the mountain base like a sweepstakes.”

“Exactly…”

Everyone chattered, clearly not buying it.

“Enough doubting,” someone finally said. “If fish can suddenly appear out of nowhere in the river, why can’t wild chickens pop up at the mountain’s foot? The Su family’s got a daughter now—they’re *about to rise!*”

That settled it.

All skepticism vanished.

***

Su Dahu and Qian Yuemai finally pushed their way into the yard—only to freeze at the sight before them.

Two massive wooden barrels sat in the center, filled to the brim with white, glistening fish.

Qian Yuemai’s heart pounded.

Her brother-in-law with wild chickens around his neck… and now *this*?

Could it be… was the Su family really about to get rich?

“Er Pan,” she rushed over, eyes shining. “Did you really catch these fish?”

“Mom,” Er Pan said, innocent and bright-eyed, “we didn’t *catch* them. They kept jumping right onto our bodies!”

His words sent shivers down Qian Yuemai’s spine.

Su Dahu, too, stared in awe at the barrels.

But being naturally quiet and steady, he managed to keep his cool.

“Honey,” he said calmly to his wife Zhao Chunhua, “grab a bowl—put those wild eggs in it.”

He wasn’t acting nervous—but as he loosened his arms, the truth spilled out.

A whole sack of wild eggs peeked out from under his shirt.

Zhao Chunhua’s eyes lit up.

Twenty-plus pure-white wild eggs—plump, perfect.

“Honey, you’re amazing!”

She praised him without hesitation.

Now the mother-in-law would have fresh eggs during her postpartum recovery.

Maybe she’d even start producing milk soon—no more hunger for the little auntie.

Su Dahu grinned sheepishly.

Outside the circle, everyone knew he’d caught two wild chickens with his bare hands.

But inside? No one knew yet.

So all eyes turned to him.

First thing they saw? Not Su Dahu.

But the two wild chickens dangling from his neck.

*Goo-goo-goo…*

*Cluck-cluck-cluck…*

As the birds clucked, the crowd’s admiration shifted—now focused entirely on Su Dahu.

“Dad,” Da Pan looked up in awe. “Where did you catch these?”

Such huge chickens—how much meat could they yield?

And those wild eggs—*so* delicious!

Da Pan licked his lips.

Compared to fish, he’d rather eat roasted wild chicken any day.

“Catch? I didn’t *catch* anything,” Su Dahu said, trying to stay humble. “I was just walking near the mountain base—then the chickens flew straight into my arms!”

Even though he was calm by nature, the adoration in his son’s eyes and the envy in the crowd’s glances made him feel a little giddy.

Inside the yard, everyone heard his words—and felt a storm of emotions.

Envy. Jealousy. Craving.

In short—*a whole yard full of sour lemon vibes*.