Chapter Bonanza (1/10)

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Tang Xianling was like a mouse that had fallen into a rice bin in Xu Village—he was overjoyed.

Because he collected duck eggs, everyone in the village treated him warmly. Plus, since he always brought back snacks whenever he returned, the kids loved to play with him. Tang Xianling said to Tieniu with great pride, “I’m the king of the kids!”

Huangfu Tieniu chuckled and agreed, even adding, “I pay my respects to the Great King.”

They spoiled Tang Xianling so much that he was practically becoming a “king.”

It was hot out now, and the loquats were in season; whenever they passed someone’s doorstep, the neighbors would slip a loquat into “Mr. Tang’s” hand. And Xu Gouwa—the boy Tang Xianling and Tieniu had first met—was about to get married.

“How old are you, and you’re already getting married?!” Tang Xianling exclaimed in shock.

Xu Gouwa, tanned from the sun, gave a sheepish grin and said, “Brother Xianling, I’m seventeen this year.”

“…You must be counting by the traditional Chinese age system,” Tang Xianling guessed correctly. Xu Gouwa was actually not quite sixteen yet; his sixteenth birthday wasn’t for another half a month.

But people in the village tend to marry young.

Xu Gouwa was very happy, though his joy was tinged with a bit of shyness. He invited Brother Xianling to come to the wedding banquet, but then he remembered that Brother Tieniu and Brother Xianling were very busy—both ran major businesses in the city—and figured they probably wouldn’t have time to attend, so he said, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Tang Xianling smiled and said, “Even if we can’t make it to your wedding banquet, we’ll definitely come back to the village, and we’ll get to meet you and your wife then.”

As soon as he finished that last sentence, Xu Gouwa’s face flushed with embarrassment; he was so happy he didn’t know what to say and just kept smiling.

Later, Tang Xianling whispered to Tieniu, “Xu Gouwa is actually quite like you—he gets all goofy whenever his wife is mentioned.”

Huangfu Tieniu lowered his head and listened intently. He didn’t quite agree with the first part—he was much sharper than Gouwa—but after hearing the rest, he nodded in agreement.

“You silly goose!” Tang Xianling saw that he wasn’t even arguing back, so he raised the corners of his mouth and teased him playfully.

The two of them spent their time in Xu Village as if on vacation, eating and enjoying themselves to their hearts’ content. When they left, they loaded a truck with goods: the villagers’ mountain produce, sun-dried vegetables, dried radishes, dried potatoes, and various mushrooms—not to mention all the duck eggs.

When the two returned to the city and arrived home, everything was just as it had always been—nothing had changed.

They’d only been gone two days—what could possibly have changed?

Huangfu Tieniu unloaded the cart, while Tang Xianling lent a hand, sorting through the goods beside him.

“Mom, how have you been these past two days?”

Jiang Yun boiled some hot water for the two of them, then came out and said, “I’m fine.”

See? Nothing serious.

“But—”

Tang Xianling’s hands paused mid-task. But?

Not just Tang Xianling—Huangfu Tieniu also stopped what he was doing. Both of them turned to look at their mother. Could it be that she’d been wronged at home? Who would pick a fight while the two of them were away? Could it be the Old Zhao family—would they dare come here?

Jiang Yun saw that both of them were about to jump to conclusions—especially Wu-ger, whose expression turned angry every few moments for no apparent reason—so she quickly explained, “It has nothing to do with our family or me. You two left on Saturday, and the Lu family got into a fight that afternoon.”

Tang Xianling, who was already imagining all sorts of scenarios: Stop daydreaming!

“The Lu family, huh,” said Tang Xianling.

Huangfu Tieniu kept working, clearly uninterested in other people’s family drama.

Tang Xianling adopted a slightly gossipy air, mainly because his mother was feeling a bit awkward—ever since she’d visited the Lu household and Aunt Chen had let slip that “back then, Daliang blah-blah-blah wanted to marry him,” his mother had kept her distance from the Lu family, rarely getting involved in their affairs or chatting with Aunt Chen alone.

Tang Xianling, however, didn’t mind this at all; he continued to play with Lu Sanniang and Zou Ling, just as he always had.

Lu Sanniang is a nice young girl.

They kept visiting each other as usual.

As neighbors, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the two families would be getting along for a very, very long time. Just like how kids and their playmates do—since they lived so close—when he and Tieniu had to go out on errands, they initially asked the Lu family to keep an eye on their home, and Lu Sanniang and Zou Ling would come over to keep his mother company.

There’s no need to let this cause a rift.

“What’s the matter, Mother?” Tang Xianling asked.

Jiang Yun: “Zou Ling is pregnant.”

“That’s wonderful news.” Just a few days ago, he’d been saying that if Zou Ling were to have a child—Tang Xianling quickly realized that the Lu family was currently strapped for cash, and since Lu Erlang was now of marriageable age, their current courtyard certainly wouldn’t be big enough to accommodate them.

Aunt Chen would have to buy a courtyard for Lu Erlang, but she certainly couldn’t be expected to keep supporting Lu Erlang and his wife as well.

No wonder she’d been urging Lu Erlang to ask Ping’an Hall to keep the workers on and pay their wages.

So they’re back to square one.

“What’s going on?” Tang Xianling stopped working and focused on listening to the commotion next door.

Jiang Yun went on at length. At first, Tang Xianling didn’t like listening to Jiang Yun recount events—she’d go over every single detail from start to finish, sometimes jumping from one story to another, rambling on endlessly without getting to the point.

But now, Tang Xianling enjoyed listening.

Naturally, his mother had learned to be selective and now focused on the key points. It started on Saturday afternoon when she was at home with nothing to do, shelling peanuts, and suddenly heard the sound of an argument next door. At first, she didn’t want to get involved, but then she heard Zou Ling crying. She thought to herself, Zou Ling isn’t the kind of daughter-in-law who causes trouble for no reason…

As Tang Xianling listened to his mother recount the incident, the scene of the Lu family’s argument played out vividly before his eyes, making him feel as if he were right there.

“Then what happened?”

“…I didn’t know what to say. I just thought, ‘If only you were here—you’d definitely know what to do.’” Jiang Yun said this, then sighed. “It’s not that I’m taking Qiaolian’s side, but given the Lu family’s situation—they’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. The couple has always lived frugally; there’s nothing to say about how they treat their eldest and second sons—they’ve poured their hearts and souls into building the family business. But Zou Ling has been wronged too. Now that she’s pregnant, her in-laws don’t even value her.”

When it comes down to it, it’s all about cash.

If the Lu family were well-off, they wouldn’t be arguing like this.

“I walked her home. Lu Erlang wasn’t there—he’d gone back to Ping’an Hall. Lu Dalang came over to apologize to Zou Ling and explain things, but from what I could tell, he was feeling pretty lousy himself. Just think about it—a younger brother, a wife, and now his wife is carrying his child. He’s not really a heartless, callous person; how could he not care about the baby? It’s just that times are tough, and he’s worried that with a child on the way, the child will have to endure a harder life…” These were Lu Dalang’s own words. As Jiang Yun spoke, she sighed and looked troubled, worried for both the Lu family and Zou Ling.

Tang Xianling chatted casually with his mother, saying, “Aunt Chen should have decided long ago—Lu Erlang is just holding on to Ping’an Hall to collect his wages. If you ask me, why drag this out for a few more years? Lu Erlang isn’t that much older yet. If we wait until he’s twenty, and the Lu family holds off for another three years, wouldn’t that solve everything?”

“No, no—by then Lu Erlang will already be twenty-one. At that age, what decent young woman would marry him?” Jiang Yun thought it was out of the question.

Tang Xianling: …I hadn’t even suggested waiting until Lu Erlang turned thirty, worked at Ping’an Hall, and then getting married.

“What kind of marriage can he have now? He can’t even support himself right now.”

The mother and son had spent some time worrying about the Lu family next door, but they never expected that Chen Qiaolian would come knocking on their door so soon. It was a weekday, and the Tang family’s business was in full swing, but Chen Qiaolian had deliberately chosen a quieter time—around two or three in the afternoon.

Chen Qiaolian was wearing a relatively new outfit and had brought some pastries and melons with her.

As soon as Jiang Yun saw this, her heart skipped a beat—she had a bad feeling. She assumed Qiaolian had come to borrow money. Although she knew the money wouldn’t be repaid anytime soon, she still started calculating how much she could possibly lend.

At that moment, Jiang Yun didn’t want to bother her Wu-ger; she knew he didn’t like dealing with money matters—after all, the saying goes, “Lend to those in urgent need, not to the poor”—so she decided to give it out herself. Mainly because she’d been with the Lu family for so many years, and it really was brave of Qiaolian to ask for help.

Ten or twenty taels of silver should be enough, right?

“Little sister, you’re just dropping by—why bring anything?” Jiang Yun took the items and invited Chen Qiaolian to sit in the parlor, thinking it would be best to avoid others while they talked.

Chen Qiaolian didn’t let go, saying, “It’s fine—just some odds and ends not worth much. Consider them a little treat for you. By the way, where’s Wu-ger?”

“Are you looking for Wu-ger?” Jiang Yun felt a pang of worry. Could it be that the amount of cash needed would have to be even higher?

If it were that much, she wouldn’t be able to come up with it—and Wu-ger wouldn’t lend it to her anyway.

Chen Qiaolian nodded and said cheerfully, “Sister-in-law, I need you to put in a good word for me. I have something I’d like to ask Wu-ger for.”

“Oh, don’t say the word ‘ask’.” As soon as Jiang Yun heard the word “ask,” she felt even more uneasy. Could it be that this wasn’t about borrowing money? She led Chen Qiaolian into the main room first. “Sister, just say what’s on your mind. I need to see what this is all about.”

Chen Qiaolian entered the main hall. “This isn’t a big deal for Wu-ger—it’s as easy as lifting a finger.”

“You have to tell me first. I can’t make that decision on my own—you know I don’t have any say in the family.” Jiang Yun picked up on the tone of her voice and was now certain: she hadn’t come to borrow money.

That’s a disaster.

Seeing that there were no outsiders present, Chen Qiaolian didn’t get straight to the point but instead began talking about her family’s troubles, mainly lamenting how hard life was and going on about every little thing: “…He works outside pulling a donkey-drawn mill, exposed to the wind and sun all year round. His father wouldn’t even treat himself to a bit of lamb meat—he’d say, ‘Let’s just buy some offal to make soup,’ but he’d drag it out until Erlang came home. Even a pot of offal soup had to wait for Erlang. That’s what life’s come to now.”

“Dalang’s wife—you know me, Sister-in-law—I’m not the kind of heartless mother-in-law. But times are tight at home right now. Business at the shop is what it is; we’re scraping by. We save every penny when buying groceries. I know fresh vegetables are good—I really do—but we have to watch our spending.”

Jiang Yun nodded and reassured her, “Young people are all like that. Wu-ger picks out the best produce when he shops, too. But since we’re in business, we really do have to buy the best.” She’d almost been led down the wrong path.

Every family is different—her Wu-ger hadn’t made a mistake.

“That’s right—since your family runs a business, it doesn’t matter if you buy the more expensive stuff; you make more money anyway,” Chen Qiaolian said.

Jiang Yun sensed something was off—it seemed they were about to get to the main point—but she didn’t dare interrupt or say too much, afraid that if they started talking, it would go on and on without ever getting to the point—after all, her shop would soon be busy.

“Here’s the thing: Erlang isn’t a child anymore. Ping’an Hall won’t keep him there, and the matchmaker has been arranging a marriage for him—either this year or next. If he gets married, he can’t possibly live with us; there’s no room for him. Right now, he’s staying in the room separated from Old Lu and me. When his new bride arrives, she certainly can’t sleep there either. My eldest daughter-in-law has already started resenting him because of this…”

Hearing this, Jiang Yun realized that Qiaolian had already drifted apart from Zou Ling. She used to call her by name, but now she kept referring to her as “the eldest son’s wife” or “the eldest son’s bride”—now that Zou Ling was pregnant, the Lu family didn’t dare to be too harsh with her, but once the baby was born, these two—mother-in-law and daughter-in-law—were bound to clash.

And if Lu Erlang were to take another wife, given Chen Qiaolian’s temperament, she’d likely shower the second daughter-in-law with praise and show her more favoritism… What would Zou Ling do then?

Jiang Yun was worried and lost in thought, listening to Qiaolian’s words only halfheartedly.

Until one remark instantly snapped Jiang Yun back to attention. Before her brain could even process it, she blurted out, “Wait a minute, Qiaolian. I can’t make that promise. The Wu-ger runs the family restaurant—I can’t make that promise.”

Chen Qiaolian stopped short and looked at Jiang Yun, her eyes reddening. She’d been forced into this situation and had no choice but to swallow her pride and come here.

“I’ll go get Wu-ger. It’s not that I won’t speak up for you—sigh, I just don’t know what to say. I’ll go get Wu-ger.” Jiang Yun’s feelings were mixed, but she simply couldn’t bring herself to do anything that would harm her own son.

She had caused the death of her Wu-ger, and now he had avenged her child. He cared for her as if she were his own mother, doing his utmost to keep her company, cheer her up, and comfort her. Even regarding her three married daughters, he had never once objected to her helping them out.

She couldn’t bring herself to harm Wu-ger or drive a wedge between them.

Tang Xianling was skewering meat in the kitchen. Mrs. Tong, A-Liang, and Xiao Mi were all busy with their tasks, and since he had nothing else to do, he was there skewering meat as well. As for Aunt Chen coming to the house, he knew about it—he’d seen her from the stove room—but when he saw his mother and Aunt Chen rush into the main hall to talk, he assumed Aunt Chen had come to see his mother.

Then he saw his mother come rushing in with a serious expression.

“What’s going on?” Tang Xianling put down the meat he was holding and wiped his hands. “Did Aunt Chen give you a hard time?”

“No.” Jiang Yun shook her head, then nodded—of course she had put her on the spot. Seeing that there were other people in the kitchen, Jiang Yun knew her staff was tight-lipped, so she said, “I thought she’d come to borrow cash. I was planning to lend her twenty taels at most.”

Tang Xianling: She really does have a soft heart—his whole family is full of kind-hearted, good-natured people.

“If it wasn’t to borrow money, then it must be something even bigger?”

“She said she wanted Lu Erlang to come work for us.” Jiang Yun was terrified just hearing that.

Tang Xianling:…

Sure enough, that’s even more foolish than asking for cash.

His expression grew more serious.

In the kitchen, Aunt Tong and A-Liang heard this and looked over. Tang Xianling turned back first and reassured them, “It has nothing to do with your work. Don’t worry—just keep this between us.”

“We weren’t thinking that the neighbors would replace us,” Aunt Tong said honestly.

A-Liang nodded in agreement beside her.

They used to be afraid, but not anymore. I guess Boss Tang has given them the confidence.

The three continued working. Tang Xianling stepped out of the kitchen, washed his hands at the basin outside, and took his time—rubbing them with fragrant beans before rinsing them clean. Then he said to his mother, “I’ll go talk to Aunt Chen.”

“I know. There’s no way we can let Lu Erlang work for us. He lives so close—how would we handle his wages? What kind of work would we give him? If we open that door, everyone in the neighborhood will start coming around here.” After thinking it through carefully, Jiang Yun also decided it wouldn’t work.

Tang Xianling: “It’s not a good idea, but that’s not really the main issue here.”

His mother was just talking about minor issues—things that could be resolved.

He wiped the water off his hands and followed his mother into the main hall.

As soon as Chen Qiaolian saw Wu-ger arrive, she felt inexplicably nervous. Wu-ger’s presence was different now—he truly looked like a major merchant conducting big business.

“Please sit down, Auntie. Don’t be so formal.” Tang Xianling invited Aunt Chen to sit and got straight to the point: “My mother told me you want to bring Lu Erlang to our house to work as a laborer. Have you asked Lu Erlang what he thinks about it?”

Chen Qiaolian shook her head, her face full of worry. “Ping’an Hall won’t keep him; they won’t pay him…”

“Auntie, let me speak,” Tang Xianling interrupted Aunt Chen’s complaints about life, speaking with great earnestness. “You and Uncle Lu sent Erlang to school to learn to read and write. He’s been literate for several years now and can even compose essays. You even spent money to secure him a spot at the largest Ping’an Hall. You two have shown such devoted parental love—you’ve done so much for him—so you must also think of Lu Erlang.”

Chen Qiaolian paused for a moment. It was precisely because she was so worried about Erlang’s future that she couldn’t sleep—that’s why she’d mustered the courage to come to the Tang household to seek a job for him. The Tang family paid well; they provided regular wages, paid for holidays, and even gave out supplies from time to time.

“Lu Erlang joined Ping’an Hall as an apprentice when he was just over ten years old. At such a young age, he had to endure hardship and toil—Auntie, studying medicine, herbal ingredients, and their properties—memorizing all that is exhausting in itself.”

Physical labor is tiring, and so is mental labor—it makes no difference.

“Lu Erlang has been studying so diligently for so long, striving to stay at Ping’an Hall. I heard from Sanniang that Ping’an Hall holds annual evaluations; anyone with average aptitude or who’s slow on the uptake gets asked to leave.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Qiaolian nodded repeatedly. “My Erlang is very bright.” Back then, when she heard that Erlang had been accepted, she’d been so proud; the neighbors in the district all praised her for raising her son well and said she was destined for a life of comfort.

Tang Xianling suspected that Lu Erlang wasn’t a medical prodigy, but he did have some natural talent, coupled with his diligence and hard work. “He’s been studying at Ping’an Hall for all these years—enduring hardships, fatigue, and scolding. Auntie, can you really bear to see all that effort go to waste?”

“If he works in my shop—he’ll just be a laborer. If he stays at Ping’an Hall or persists in this field, he might become a doctor or a physician someday; at the very least, he could be a pharmacist.”

The social status of a general laborer and that of a physician are quite different.

Chen Qiaolian froze. Her eyes—clouded by the hardships and trials of life—seemed to clear slightly in that moment.

She thought of Erlang and Dalang going to the private school, coming home unable to recite their lessons, and Old Lu striking the palms of both their hands with a paddle. She thought of how Erlang had left home at the age of ten. When she asked him about Ping’an Hall, Erlang never spoke of hardship or exhaustion, yet the marks on his arms and palms remained.

The master at Ping’an Hall would also beat his apprentices with a paddle as punishment.

She traced the marks on her son’s palms, and tears welled up. “Erlang,” she said, “no matter how hard or tiring it gets, you must hold on. You must persevere. Study hard and don’t let your father and me down.”

She thought back to her own youth, when she and Old Lu had worked day and night tirelessly, all so that their two sons could make something of themselves.

But now… how could she have been so foolish as to think of sending Erlang to the Tang family to work as a laborer?

The burden on the family was simply too heavy.

It was weighing so heavily on Chen Qiaolian that she could barely catch her breath. Dalang’s wife was expecting a baby—hiring a midwife would cost money, not to mention the expenses for her postpartum recovery. Erlang was coming of age; in a few years, her daughter would be getting married and need a dowry. Cash, cash, cash—everywhere she looked, she needed money.

Jiang Yun, listening nearby, was stunned. She knew that Wu-ger wouldn’t agree to let Lu Erlang come work as a laborer in their home, but she hadn’t realized that Wu-ger was actually looking out for Lu Erlang—it wasn’t just an excuse to turn Qiaolian down, but a genuine concern for Lu Erlang’s well-being.

That’s right—Lu Erlang has been struggling so hard, studying far from home. Why should he give up now?

What did Lu Erlang say? Is he willing?

If Qiaolian could work things out on her end first and then bring it up with Lu Erlang, given the Lu brothers’ filial devotion—and knowing the heavy burden on his family—Lu Erlang would surely agree.

But what about Lu Erlang’s true feelings?

Chen Qiaolian sat there in a daze, lost in thought. As her mind wandered, tears silently streamed down her face—she didn’t know if she was crying for herself or for Lu Erlang.

Tang Xianling and his mother had gone out, closing the door gently behind them.

Jiang Yun didn’t know what to say and let out a long sigh. Afterward, business at the Tang household picked up. Tang Xianling was busy in the kitchen, and he didn’t even notice when Aunt Chen had left. His mother said to him, “Qiaolian came to our house with some things but didn’t take them back. We didn’t really help her out much—should I take them back to her?”

“Mom, talk to Aunt Chen and ask Lu Sanniang if she’d like to come learn how to bake pastries,” Tang Xianling suggested.

Business was booming at their shop, and with so many customers, people would sometimes get impatient after waiting in line for a long time. Tang Xianling would occasionally treat them to little treats—in the summer, edamame and winter melon, and sometimes small pastries, mini puddings, or double-skin milk.

These simple tasks could be taught to Lu Sanniang.

Lu Sanniang was still just a young girl; having her do general odd jobs definitely wouldn’t work, but this would be fine.

Jiang Yun paused for a moment. “Are you really going to have her do it?”

“I thought you didn’t like hiring people from the neighborhood to do work.”

Tang Xianling said, “I don’t like it—especially when it involves pulling strings or asking for favors. But every family has its hardships. Zou Ling is pregnant now. If you were to borrow money, it would only help in an emergency unless it was more than a hundred or two hundred taels, but the Lu family certainly wouldn’t borrow that way.”

Jiang Yun nodded. Qiaolian could be a bit off at times, but this family didn’t like to borrow money.

“Their household is in complete chaos—daily battles between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Zou Ling cries, Lu Sanniang cries—it’s driving me crazy just listening to it,” said Tang Xianling.

Even though they lived behind closed doors, with the neighbors making such a racket every few days, it was like watching a soap opera—and he wasn’t into that sort of thing; his surroundings mattered a lot.

“It’s no easy task to study or learn a trade,” Tang Xianling sighed again.

Lu Erlang has been studying medicine for so long now.

“Let’s just consider this an early investment in Lu Erlang.”

Huangfu Tieniu listened to his husband’s words. In truth, Xianling was just putting on a brave face—it would still be more than ten years before Lu Erlang completed his studies; it was still a long way off. His husband was simply soft-hearted and wanted to give the Lu family a helping hand to get through this difficult time. Besides, teaching Lu Sanniang a trade would help her secure a good match when she eventually married.

Lu Sanniang’s parents had poured all their heart and soul into raising their two sons. With the family’s finances stretched thin, how much silver could they possibly scrape together for her dowry when the time came for her to find a husband?

His husband treats Sanniang like a younger sister.

Jiang Yun didn’t believe a word of what Wu-ger said. “Oh, you,” she muttered after a moment’s thought. “Let’s not give those things to his family—we’ll keep them for ourselves. I’ll go talk to them.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Xianling chuckled and said, “Mother’s got a good point. Well done! At the very least, we’ve got to get something out of them!”

Who’s really taking advantage of whom, this kid?

Chen Qiaolian returned home with red, swollen eyes. Her husband was grinding grain in the courtyard, Zou Ling was minding the shop out front, and Dalang was kneading and shaping steamed buns. She and her husband came face to face, their eyes meeting.

Seeing his wife in such a state, Father Lu’s heart sank; he knew the Tang family didn’t agree.

“If they won’t agree, so be it. We can’t blame them.”

Though he said this, he sighed afterward—a sigh of deep worry.

Lu Dalang, kneading the steamed buns, felt tears welling up. He blamed himself for being useless—his parents were worried and distressed, he’d spent so much of the family’s cash that there was none left for his second younger brother, and now—

“Wu-ger is right, too.” Chen Qiaolian wiped her face and repeated what Tang Xianling had just said. Lu Dalang, who had been eavesdropping from the kitchen, was also lost in thought.

Yeah, his second younger brother has been studying medicine for so many years, and now he’s over next door doing odd jobs.

“He might as well go,” thought Lu Dalang.

His parents can handle making the steamed buns at home; he can go do odd jobs.

After hearing the reason, Father Lu stared blankly for a moment and said, “Old Tang’s ger thinks much more thoroughly than we do. Why did we send Erlang to Ping’an Hall back then, and what’s he up to now?”

“I’ll have to borrow some from my second younger brother.”

“How much can we borrow? Erlang doesn’t need cash anymore, but even a small courtyard costs seventy or eighty taels. Plus, we need to find a wife for Erlang. If we tighten our belts, we can scrape together forty taels. Once he has a wife, Erlang will be working at Ping’an Hall—what will his wife eat? She can’t exactly live on air,” Chen Qiaolian said.

“If we’re going to borrow cash, we’ll need at least thirty or forty taels of silver.”

“Such a large sum of cash—when would we ever be able to pay it back? My second younger brother also has children to support; it’s all hard-earned money we’ve scraped together from working the land.”

Chen Qiaolian had originally thought of asking her parents for a loan, but she didn’t bring it up—there was no need to; her parents wouldn’t give her any cash. A married daughter is like water poured out; she was an outsider now. Even when she lived at home, her parents hadn’t been the most affectionate toward her—so why would they lend her cash now that she needed it?

The family sat in the courtyard, racking their brains for solutions, even considering robbing Peter to pay Paul—selling the donkey so that Father Lu could grind grain and haul it himself. If it meant working a little harder, so be it.

Just then, Jiang Yun arrived.

“Qiaolian, are you there?” Jiang Yun called from the doorway.

Chen Qiaolian put on a cheerful face, afraid Jiang Yun might misunderstand—that the Tang family hadn’t helped out, or that her family was in some kind of trouble. In the past, she might have thought that way about other minor matters, but on this issue, Chen Qiaolian truly believed from the bottom of her heart that Tang Xianling was right.

She’d nearly lost her head and let Erlang down.

“Sister-in-law, I’m here,” Chen Qiaolian replied, assuming Jiang Yun had come to return something to her family. The Tang family was well-off now and certainly didn’t lack for pastries, pears, or melons.

But when she looked, Jiang Yun’s hands were empty; she wasn’t carrying anything.

Jiang Yun had to get back to her chores, so she kept it brief: Wu-ger had a kind heart, and while he might stubbornly insist on calling it an “investment” in Lu Erlang—she understood what he meant—she couldn’t say such a thing to the Lu family.

The Lu family simply had to remember the kindness of her son, remember his generosity and magnanimity, and keep this favor in mind—not that they needed to repay it. When Wu-ger spoke, he didn’t expect the Lu family to return the favor, but they should at least recognize the goodwill.

“Wu-ger has a kind heart. We’re not short on help at home—every position is filled—and Erniang even comes back every year to lend a hand. Yet Wu-ger still thought to ask me if your Sanniang would like to come to our house to learn a trade.”

Chen Qiaolian was taken aback.

Lu Dalang, who had been kneading dough in the kitchen, didn’t care if anyone was eavesdropping—he walked straight out of the kitchen. Lu Sanniang, who had been secretly wiping away tears in her room, feeling she couldn’t help her family, couldn’t sit still either. Ignoring the tears streaming down her face, she pulled back the curtain with a tear-stained face, revealing herself.

“Auntie, I’d love to,” Lu Sanniang replied, her voice choked with emotion, beating everyone else to it.

Jiang Yun nodded and went on to explain the details to Sanniang’s parents. “My family makes some small pastries—that’s what Sanniang will be trained to do. As for the pay, Wu-ger said we’ll start at five hundred wen a month. There’s just one thing: once Sanniang learns the trade, she must keep it a secret…”

Lu Sanniang nodded repeatedly and swore on the spot that if she ever let this slip, her entire family would die.

Jiang Yun: …Oh, this girl—saying things like that right in front of your parents and older brother.