Chapter 25: Uneven Paths, The Village Chief’s Uneasy Meal

If anyone else were in his shoes, they would surely be too embarrassed to act out, but Su Yu dared to sit right on the ground and make a scene, fussing like a shrew. The villagers watched with amusement, and the village chief had even given him a kick the moment he arrived.

Reputation meant nothing to Su Yu. If you eat and drink well, then when the famine hits in a few years, you could trade half a bag of millet for a wife—why worry about staying single? But if you let your uncle’s family bleed you dry, no matter how capable you are, you’d end up as nothing more than a feast for the worms. Su Yu was making a ruckus on purpose, but for the sake of his father’s dignity, he had to hide his true intentions behind the facade of filial piety to scam a meal.

Hearing Su Yu’s shout, Su Sheng didn’t hesitate; he went into the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver, and in no time at all, had the pig’s head chopped up.

Su Yu retreated from the kitchen and hurriedly grabbed the village chief, who was about to leave, insisting he stay for a meal. Since the man had just helped out, Su Boqing couldn't very well chase him away. Besides, as Su Yu had said, the Su family were not unreasonable people; even if they didn't eat, they couldn't let the person who mediated for them go hungry.

This remark left everyone stunned. Even though the aunt didn't want to agree, she had to swallow her pride due to the village chief's authority. Even the uncle found it difficult to speak his mind while the village chief was present.

The village chief was a sharp man; he knew Su Yu was using him as a shield, but getting a meal with meat didn't seem like a bad deal.

As the village chief insisted on leaving and Su Yu pulled him back, demanding he come inside, Su Boqing, the eldest of the family, couldn't just remain silent. He spoke up, "Da Qiang, stay and have a bite with us. You're not an outsider."

Hearing this, the village chief stopped struggling. He was an old fox; the moment he heard the invitation to stay, the urgency he had feigned—as if his own house were on fire—vanished. He nodded, exchanged a glance with Su Yu, and walked inside.

The two were perfectly in sync: Su Yu was using the chief as a shield, while the chief was using Su Yu’s need to secure a hearty meal. It was a fair trade.

The grandmother was heartbroken. The entire pig’s head was being stewed. She had originally intended to render it for lard to save for later, but now, not only was the pig’s head gone, but they would also have to burn through their supply of flatbreads. With the village chief present, she couldn't fly into a rage; she had to serve him well.

In truth, while the village chief was a glutton, he didn't want to get involved in family business. But Su Yu had brought him prestige today—the commune had sent a commendation, though Su Yu didn't know yet because the news was so fresh. However, just as he was about to praise the family, the uncle had snatched the pig’s head donated by Old Man Huang. The chief found it hard to stomach; if the commune leaders found out, they’d surely say, "Small temple, big winds."

"Come, come, Chief, have a seat. Uncle, do we have any liquor at home? I’ll go warm some up. It’s not easy to get the chief to dine with us; it wouldn't be right not to have a drink. Besides, meat without liquor doesn't make a feast. I remember when your brother-in-law came over, there was plenty of wine and meat. We can’t let the village chief lose face, can we?"

"Cough, cough..."

The village chief pretended to cough and glanced at Su Yu, signaling, *Using me as a shield is fine, but don’t stir up trouble for me.* Showing a little favoritism was one thing, but setting traps for others? This kid was ruthless.

And indeed, the uncle’s face turned from pale to red, though he eventually spoke up. "Yes, we have some. But you don't need to go. Su Bin, go to Old Man Li’s place and buy some liquor."

The uncle felt the sting of the one yuan he had to hand over to Su Bin.

"No, no, Fugui, don't listen to your nephew. The boy just likes to talk nonsense. We're all family, why bother with liquor?"

Su Fugui knew better than to take that seriously. If he called Su Bin back now, he’d look like a fool. He shot a glare at Su Yu, warning him not to pull any more stunts. Su Yu just smiled at his uncle and said nothing.

Su Sheng was a good cook. Before long, the pig’s head was stewed, and the flatbreads were freshly made, baked right next to the pot. Dozens were prepared. The grandmother winced at the quantity, but she couldn't complain in front of Su Daqiang.

Su Yu pulled his little sister over, sat her by his side, and used a bowl to serve his grandparents first.

"Grandma, you had a headache earlier. I suspect your blood pressure might be high. Eat less meat, it's better for you. Have some broth instead."

For his grandfather, he played no games, serving him a small bowl of meat. Then, he served a bowl to Tongtong and his little sister.

Since he served the grandparents first, no one could complain, and since he served the youngest next, the rest of the family couldn't call them "useless burdens" in front of the village chief. They could only watch. When Su Youqing reached for food, Su Yu swatted his hand away with chopsticks.

"Mind your manners. The village chief hasn't picked up his chopsticks yet. What are you rushing for? People might think the Su family has no upbringing."

The village chief looked over with a resentful expression, his eyes practically tearing up. *Stop using me to settle your scores!*

Su Yu offered an awkward smile. Su Fugui, though unwilling to admit it, had to follow suit and scold his younger son in front of the chief.

"Haha, it's fine, they're just children. Let's eat," the chief said with a benevolent smile, though he looked at Su Yu with disdain. *This kid is too good at using minor authority to serve his own ends. He can never be an official, or he’ll be a menace to the region.*

The chief picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of meat, and the meal began. Su Yu signaled Su Jin to start eating first, followed by the others, leaving Su Fugui no room to make a fuss.

Su Boqing watched it all and secretly shook his head. Among his younger generation, only the third son of the second family truly understood how to play this game.

"Chief, I’ll toast you. Thank you for coming forward to uphold justice today."

The remark was loaded. The chief gave a sheepish smile and clinked glasses with Su Yu, thinking, *I’m never coming to your house for a drink again. You turn every glass into a jab—you’re trying to destroy your uncle’s family.*

The others were fine; Su Sheng and Su Dayong were honest, simple men who just ate and drank. Only Su Yu kept interjecting with remarks that made everyone squirm, leaving his uncle seething with rage but unable to lash out. The uncle could only force a smile and toast; after all, in this era, one shouldn't underestimate the power of a village chief.

"I heard you went hunting in the mountains? How was it? Any luck?"

Su Yu looked up at the chief, thinking, *Are you trying to trap me, old man?*

"Heh, of course I had luck. But I can't bear to eat it. I'm going to take it to the commune to trade for money. I need to find a way to get my brother a wife. He's the eldest of our family; when the eldest marries, the most important thing is finding a virtuous woman."

"Alright, alright, enough. Drink, drink."

The village chief cut him off. There was no need to ask; the next part would be a mockery of his aunt. The chief couldn't touch that topic. Su Fugui and Su Boqing both understood the subtext—that the aunt wasn't "virtuous"—but the chief steered the conversation away.

The chief had wanted to suggest that if Su Yu had a haul from the mountains, he shouldn't be scavenging at his grandparents' house. Even if he was only there to make a scene over his grandmother's mistakes, if he admitted to having a haul, the grandmother might use it as an excuse to demand a share later.

But Su Yu had blocked that path completely. Unless they wanted to be the reason the eldest grandson couldn't afford a wife, they couldn't touch his game. After all, Su Yu had made it clear: it wasn't for eating; it was for marrying.