"Da Han, the pork from your family is delicious, it doesn’t have that gamey smell."

Gu Ruinian praised the pork sent by Gu Dahuan as he ate, juice running down his chin.

Since he had satisfied his craving at Fengle Building at noon, he hadn’t tasted the meat properly. In the evening, with an empty stomach, he could savor this bowl of meat slowly.

I have to say, the meat from Gu Dahuan didn’t have that strong gamey smell that won’t go away no matter how you braise or stir-fry it at home.

Gu Dahuan didn’t reply, instead, he pushed the meat towards Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu.

Gu Ruinian was a bit surprised.

This Gu Dahuan was meddling with the meals at the old house.

"Grandpa, Grandma, this meat is a tribute to you." Gu Dahuan said.

Mr. Gu initially didn’t want to eat it, but couldn’t resist the aroma, so he picked up a piece and ate it.

Mrs. Gu extended her chopsticks and picked a piece for her sons Gu Youtian, Gu Fengnian, Gu Yaojia, and her daughter Gu Honglian, then pushed the meat back in front of Gu Ruinian.

Except for the men and Gu Honglian, women were not entitled to eat meat.

Seeing her mother-in-law push the meat back to her youngest son, Mrs. Jia’s expression changed from unpleasant to relieved.

Mrs. Wei saw that there was meat in her son’s bowl too, so she didn’t say anything.

Gu Ruinian, unconcerned, continued to pick up a piece of meat and placed it in his bowl with rice.

He sighed inwardly, the reason his grandmother, mother, and sister couldn’t eat meat was ultimately because the family was too poor. They had to find a way to improve the family meals.

Gu Dahuan couldn’t take it anymore and said to Gu Ruinian, "Rui Nian, the meat we gave to Grandpa and Grandma is theirs to give to you, that’s not my business. But you shouldn’t be so selfish. If nothing else, your nephew Yaojia is a growing child. Xiao Xue’s bowl of porridge is so diluted you can see your reflection in it. Do you really feel okay eating that way in front of her?"

Mrs. Wei raised her eyes.

Her parents-in-law were always speaking ill of the big house, but in her view, whether it’s the so-called unreasonable Gu Taohua or the straightforward Gu Dahuan, they were more humane than Gu Ruinian.

Gu Ruinian was unhappy and put down his chopsticks, looking aggrieved, and said, "Da Han, do you think I want to be selfish? Grandpa and Grandma gave me the best because they care for me. If I didn’t eat, that would hurt their feelings, and that would be unfilial."

Is selfishness something he desires? Isn’t it because the family is poor?

Since the family is poor, resources should be concentrated on the most promising member of the family.

It’s not his fault, who asked Gu Fengnian to be without prospects?

Unable to do business, without talent in study.

In the future, he is supposed to lead the whole family to success. Isn’t it right for him to eat a bit more?

Gu Dahuan was stunned by Gu Ruinian’s logic, eating while others watched, what kind of filial piety was this?

"Rui Nian, you’re educated, I can’t argue with your skewed reasoning. But your sister Xiao Xue is so thin, and she still does your laundry and chores. How can you bear to eat selfishly in front of her?"

Gu Dahuan decided not to argue with Gu Ruinian and picked up his chopsticks to place a piece of meat into Xiao Xue’s bowl.

Xiao Xue smiled gratefully at Gu Dahuan and said softly, "Da Han, I’m fine with just porridge."

Xiao Xue didn’t want the family to be in conflict!

Mrs. Gu and Mrs. Jia wanted to say something but were interrupted by Gu Ruinian, who, holding back his anger, admitted to Gu Dahuan that he hadn’t been considerate enough of others.

Of course, he wasn’t genuinely conceding, but worried that if the big house got angry and stopped sending food to his grandparents.

"Grandpa, there’s another matter I need to discuss." Gu Dahuan’s expression softened slightly and he said to Mr. Gu, "I went home and discussed it with my mother. Most of the fifty acres to the west have been rented out, it’s hard to reclaim them. The remaining thirty acres I still need for cotton. We have five acres by the riverside that can be rented to you, Grandpa, with a rental fee of thirty percent of the yield, whereas others are giving forty percent."

Mr. Gu’s face stiffened.

He had said this grandson was a blockhead. Did he want to rent land?

It was a guise to pressure Tong Huaqiong into allocating a few acres to the old house.

But he actually treated the people of the old house as tenant farmers.

Seeing Mr. Gu’s displeased expression, Gu Dahuan turned to Gu Youtian, who had been silent, and asked, "Second Uncle, what do you think?"

On the way here, Gu Dahuan realized that this might be Mr. Gu acting on behalf of Second Uncle to lease the land.

Since Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu didn’t need to lease land, as long as they separated from the second family, Tong Huaqiong wouldn’t ignore them.

A life of great riches wasn’t possible, but at least they could have enough plain food and clothes.

Gu Youtian, without looking up, said, "Listen to your grandfather on this matter."

Ultimately, he wanted to do business.

Mrs. Wei, feeling a stirring inside, kicked Gu Fengnian gently under the table. She wanted Fengnian to lease the land.

She had previously thought, like the others in the old house, that since the big house was so wealthy, they might share some with the second family or lend them some capital. But now it seemed her mother-in-law was more tactful than others in the old house.

She was a practical person. Since there were no benefits from the big house, it was better to accept what they offered.

First, lease these five acres and cultivate them well. The remaining seventy percent would be enough to get by.

Gu Fengnian withdrew his foot.

This wasn’t his decision to make.

Mrs. Wei lowered her head to hide her disappointment.

"Da Han, could you give me ten acres from the remaining thirty acres under West Mountain? If I had any other options, I wouldn’t have come to plead with you." Mr. Gu said, suppressing his anger.

Gu Dahuan shook his head and said, "Grandpa, I don’t have the authority to decide on that either. The five acres by the riverside are very fertile. Last year, our wheat yield from those five acres was quite good. If you’re interested, after the wheat is harvested in May this year, you can directly plant corn without any delay."

Mr. Gu frowned deeply.

Mrs. Gu couldn’t help but slap the table and said, "It’s not for lease now? We have to wait until May?"

Gu Dahuan replied, "Of course, there are still crops growing on that land."

Mrs. Gu’s chest heaved with anger.

The five acres by the riverside were her eldest son’s. Now that her eldest son was gone, shouldn’t they belong to her and Mr. Gu?

Mr. Gu waved his hand and said, "Planting corn in May, so before that, do we subsist on the northwest wind? Since you have so much land and no shortage of food, lease the five acres to me now, and in exchange, I’ll give you thirty percent at harvest."

Gu Dahuan said, "Grandpa, my mother stated before in the clan meeting that she’ll never abandon you and Grandma. We’ll take care of your and Grandma’s everyday meals. However, our family can only support you two, perhaps also Little Aunt; the second uncle’s family is not our responsibility, right?"

Gu Youtian threw down his chopsticks and said, "Who eats and drinks at your house!"

Gu Dahuan continued, "Grandpa, this isn’t an impossible discussion. If we lease the five acres by the riverside to you now, it won’t follow the thirty-seventy split; instead, it will be seventy-thirty."

This was what Gu Dahuan and Tong Huaqiong agreed upon.

The wheat was planted by them, and the land was cultivated by them.

Based on previous experience, during wheat harvest time in Qinghe Bay, the weather is usually favorable, and the people in the old house only need to put in effort for irrigation and harvesting to get thirty percent yield for free.

This plan was already very generous from Tong Huaqiong.