WRA CH79

Dou Manning’s compensation came in the form of coffee with added milk, letting Engineer Shen lick his fill all at once.

How could those two shallow, dimpled waist indents and that slender curve along his lower spine hold milk so well?

Shen Ku was left thoroughly dazed and spent, with no choice but to shoulder the heavy burden of worrying about another man’s wife on Dou Manning’s behalf.

Shen Ku was in a genuine rush. He feared that if Xiang Zhen didn’t return in a month, Zhou Sicheng would come demanding answers, and Dou Manning might personally set off to track Xiang Zhen down.

A one-month window was far too short; why couldn’t it be a year?

During this period, Shen Ku drew his base salary again—a little over ten thousand yuan—which he wired directly into his wife’s account.

Having scraped together some modest savings, Dou Manning began mulling over buying a home. The single cot inside the tin shack was simply too cramped; whenever they did that sort of thing, Shen Ku barely moved his limbs, using pure core strength alone, yet the frame already rattled and shook.

Before his disappearance, Xiang Zhen had mentioned to Dou Manning that he wanted to buy a property and had put considerable research into it. He had wanted a place with an open terrace, eagerly sharing all his notes with Dou Manning and remarking that they could become neighbors in the future.

With a budget of over two million, it was a staggering sum for a little spirit.

Given how rich Zhenzhen’s husband was, the two of them seemingly had no need to pinch pennies to afford a home.

Dou Manning, however, still had to save.

He asked Shen Ku which developments looked promising, knowing Shen Ku was the expert on the subject.

Looking over the few complexes Dou Manning had selected, Shen Ku found none of them particularly appealing. He knew of a decent one priced over four million—something a wage-earning household could stretch to afford.

Shen Ku tested the waters carefully: “Manning, to be honest, I’m a technical worker and my pay isn’t bad. We could look at something a bit pricier.”

Regarding his true income, Shen Ku resolved to break the news gradually, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water. He couldn’t let Dou Manning discover all at once that his earnings were miles apart from a regular laborer on site; if his worker persona shattered, Dou Manning might actually throw up.

Dou Manning lifted his gaze to look at him. “Don’t you live paycheck to paycheck?”

“I…” Engineer Shen felt a sudden headache. Who had run their mouth and blabbed about his paycheck-to-paycheck habits to Manning!

When it came to picking a partner, being a reckless spender was a major strike.

Stammering like a street peddler puffing up his own wares, Shen Ku tried to smooth it over: “My living expenses were higher in the past because I was on my own and never planned on starting a family. Whenever a coworker on site had a kid sick or needing tuition, I chipped in whatever I could. That was why nothing stayed in my account.”

Dou Manning: “Shen Ku, you’re a good person.”

Engineer Shen: “Not really that good; money just didn’t matter all that much to me back then. Wifey, I want to build a real life with you now, so I won’t throw money around like that anymore.”

Dou Manning: “Hubby, just do what you want to do. A house isn’t that important; living here is great too.”

Shen Ku did not think it was great; the bedsheets were on the verge of being scrubbed to shreds.

Since his wife had voiced an interest in buying a home, Shen Ku was determined to see it through, and he wouldn’t touch a cent of his family’s money—he would do it entirely on his own.

Living on a construction site was extraordinarily cheap, with room and board fully covered, leaving Shen Ku with no spare cash on hand.

Dou Manning had considerable physical strength. Whenever he gripped the bedsheet tight while holding back his groans, he ended up ripping right through one of them.

Lacking the spare funds to replace it, Shen Ku thought it over and decided to make a supply run back home.

When the elder Shen brother returned that evening, he assumed a burglar had struck—and an idiot burglar at that, leaving the valuables untouched while making off with mundane household clutter.

Naturally, that worthless thief was none other than his worthless younger brother.

Dishes prepared by the housekeeper were set across the dining table. When the parents returned and the family sat down to dine, the elder brother opened the dish cabinet, only to find it completely bare.

He even walked off with bowls and chopsticks?

Of course he did; resting in Dou Manning’s long, exquisite fingers, high-end dishware looked far more elegant, which Engineer Shen felt made the meals go down that much easier.

Mother Shen paused for a moment: “Goodness, what kind of life is my son living out there? I need to go see for myself.”

The elder brother replied, “Don’t bother. Ruining his plans might make him genuinely cut ties with you as a mother. If you miss him, just watch the surveillance tapes.”

He brought up the footage of Shen Ku ransacking the house, cast it to the large television screen, fished out a few surviving pairs of chopsticks from the back of a cabinet, and settled in to watch with great amusement.

Watching her younger son whom she hadn’t seen in ages, Mother Shen noticed he looked largely the same, save for one detail: there seemed to be a hole worn into the knee of his trousers.

Shen Ku was notoriously particular. Whenever he stepped onto a site in the past and got mud on his pants, he never washed them; he tossed them straight into the trash, easily burning through over a hundred pairs of cargo work trousers a year.

Mother Shen was utterly floored.

When other families gained an in-law, the couple pulled together to pursue the high life.

Shen Ku, on the other hand, saw his living standards take a direct nosedive the moment he found a partner, blending in more and more with everyday manual laborers.

Dou Manning closed up the coffee stall for the day and caught a ride into the city to buy clothes for Shen Ku.

Since Shen Ku had entrusted him with the finances, it was only right for him to supply his husband with a wardrobe.

Though the weather remained scorching hot, the city malls were already rolling out their autumn lines, slashing prices across all summer inventory for a clean sweep.

Dou Manning had an eye for sizing, picking out five complete top-and-bottom outfits for Shen Ku at fair clearance rates. At checkout, his gaze wandered toward the boxer briefs displayed by the counter, scanning across before pointing firmly to a specific box: “May I see that opened?”

“Of course.” Delighted to assist such a striking customer, the sales clerk snapped open the five-pack of men’s briefs, lifting one to stretch it out. “The waistband has excellent elasticity, fitting anyone from 65 to 75 kilograms. The crotch lining is pure cotton, and this cut leaves plenty of room.”

Dou Manning nodded. Shen Ku weighed well past 75 kilos, but with his low body fat, he looked lean in clothes, carrying zero flab around his waist and taper—a textbook inverted triangle physique.

His main concern was whether there was sufficient room in the front pouch.

“These will do. Ring them up together.”

Carrying two hefty shopping bags, Dou Manning transferred between buses on the trip back. Having spent the entire morning out, he arrived back at the construction site right around noon.

Near the main gate, a woman around fifty years old was carrying a woven vegetable basket, craning her neck to look around. She was dressed in an unpretentious printed cotton two-piece, her cloth slip-ons dusted with dirt.

Dou Manning stepped over and asked, “Ma’am, are you here to sell vegetables, or looking for someone?”

The produce in her basket was sparse but crisp and dewy; Dou Manning was willing to buy it off her hands.

Mother Shen turned around, basket over her arm, her eyes locking directly with Dou Manning’s as he stood holding his shopping bags.

It looked entirely like an awkward first encounter between a rustic, plain-spoken mother-in-law and a chic city in-law.

The new in-law even goes shopping at department stores! A natural mannequin like him would flatter any cut of clothing, making anyone want to buy whatever caught his eye. Mother Shen felt a twinge of regret, wishing she could whisk Dou Manning off to a run of luxury boutiques instead.

Studying the woman’s features, Dou Manning caught a faint resemblance to Shen Ku. “Ma’am, are you Shen Ku’s mother?”

“Yes, yes, indeed. We grow a little produce at home, better than the store-bought stuff sprayed with pesticides, so I thought I’d drop some off for him.” Though she hadn’t caught sight of her son, seeing his partner left Mother Shen thoroughly content. “You know Shen Ku, right? Please pass these along to him.”

She set the basket on the ground. “I… I still have to clock in at my employer’s house, so I’ll be on my way.”

Dou Manning: “Ma’am, let me walk you inside.”

“No need, really, I’m pressed for time.” Mother Shen hurried off with quick strides. She had snuck over unannounced without Shen Ku’s approval, terrified of ruining his cover.

Seeing her slip away, Dou Manning stood where he was and dialed Shen Ku: “Your mother is here. She’s by the main gate.”

Before Mother Shen knew what was happening, Dou Manning had stepped directly into her path: “Ma’am, you haven’t seen Shen Ku in quite a while either, have you? Stay for lunch before heading back.”

He hoisted the produce basket from the ground. “Let’s go, Shen Ku is waiting for you.”

Mother Shen trailed behind Dou Manning with a guilty conscience. Her son had been headstrong since childhood, running his construction sites with zero tolerance for nepotism; nobody could ever pull him into corner-cutting or kickbacks.

Catching sight of the cheap street-stall clothes his mother had managed to dig up, Shen Ku felt an instant headache. “Mom, you didn’t even give a heads-up before dropping by.”

Mother Shen stared at the frayed hole on his knee. “I just wanted to take one look and leave.”

There really was a hole.

The instant she stepped into the tin shack, Mother Shen’s composure nearly cracked. It was far too tiny; how on earth could Shen Ku stand living here?

Shen Ku said, “Allow me to introduce you plainly: Dou Manning, your son’s intended partner. Manning, this is my mother.”

Mother Shen mustered an awkward, nervous smile: “Hello, hello.”

Dou Manning: “Auntie, it’s nice to meet you.”

Shen Ku took the shopping bags from his hands, murmuring low, “Went out buying clothes? Machine wash or hand wash?”

Dou Manning replied smoothly, “Don’t you always wash yours by hand?”

He had told Shen Ku plenty of times that their clothes could go into the washer together, but Shen Ku refused every time; Dou Manning had simply grown used to Shen Ku scrubbing his own clothes by hand.

Shen Ku set the bags aside: “Alright, I’ll wash them right after lunch. The sun is blazing this afternoon; hanging them out will dry them in no time.”

Mother Shen thought to herself: Good grief, son, you really are wrapped around his finger.

Still, the in-law made a fine impression—composed, gracious, showing neither nerves nor awkwardness.

Shen Ku brought back three portions from the canteen and stewed an extra pot of pork rib broth for his wife using the rice cooker.

He ladled it out: one bowl for his wife, one for his mother.

“Go ahead and eat first.” Shen Ku stood up. “I’ll put the clothes to soak.”

A half-hour soak in laundry detergent followed by a quick rinse would do the trick.

Opening the shopping bag, Shen Ku glanced at the sizing and froze; they were meant for him.

Like a black bear rummaging through a cornfield, he tore through the entire haul—every single piece was his size!

“Wifey, you bought clothes for me!”

Dou Manning gave a faint hum: “Mm.”

Shen Ku was dizzy with excitement. He could hardly bring himself to wear them now; construction sites were choked with dust, and catching on scaffolding could easily tear a seam. These were best saved for dates.

“Mom!”

Startled, Mother Shen jumped: “What?”

Shen Ku: “Look, Manning picked these out for me.”

Mother Shen: “Manning has wonderful taste; these are all cuts you like.”

Shen Ku: “Come over and take a proper look.”

Mother Shen was forced to set down her bowl and admire each garment alongside her younger son, having to rattle off three distinct compliments for every piece before Shen Ku was willing to set it back down.

Thank goodness she was well-versed in high-society chatter and an avid shopper; otherwise, she would have run completely out of words.

Shen Ku ran his fingers across the fabric again, as if rinsing them in water might wear the threads down.

Manning had quietly slipped into town just to buy him clothes.

The one drawback to living on a job site was that they had to pose as mere roommates to keep prying eyes at bay, leaving no room to show off their affection. Having his mother visit proved to be a stroke of luck.

Mother Shen made her exit, thoroughly lightheaded from the display. Shen Ku drove her out.

Dou Manning stayed behind to sort through the vegetables Mother Shen had brought, uncovering two red envelopes tucked underneath the ears of corn, each holding ten thousand yuan.

Dou Manning hastily sent Shen Ku a transfer for the twenty thousand via WeChat: Your mother works hard for her money, we shouldn’t take her support.

Shen Ku dropped his mother off at the intersection where a private driver was waiting. Seeing the message, he smiled and typed back: It’s not support; it’s a formal meeting gift.

…

Zhou Sicheng dropped by the high-speed rail construction site twice to make deliveries. Every time Shen Ku crossed paths with him, he worried he was still coming across as wealthier than Zhou.

Zhou Sicheng was blatantly attempting to steal his blue-collar persona—a total copycat!

Engineer Shen remained convinced that once Xiang Zhen resurfaced, Zhou Sicheng would blow his cover and step all over him just to flip the tables on their class dynamic.

Still, that was just his petty paranoia talking; what truly terrified him was Xiang Zhen failing to show up, which would force him into a breakup.

Thanks to his sincere, heartfelt dread, the two brothers-in-law were actually able to sit down and discuss the next steps for the search.

On the day the dog days of summer came to an end, Xiang Zhen—having wandered the world for so long—abruptly materialized by the construction site gates, sporting a visibly rounded lower belly.