Mrs. Zhang was plump. The person before her looked rich, so she blocked the door and did not let them go, “Who is this?” Her eyes fell on Zhou Chengkang and said with a teasing smile, “Is the good day coming soon?”
These days, men and women meet for travel. Although the rules are not as distinct for big families. Young men and women who get along are required to have the intent of marriage, and so outsiders will default them as being a couple. For example, Xu Changjie and Yang Lanrou, the Yang family did not agree to this marriage, but the two got so close. Maybe they were letting outsiders acquiesce first, and then the Yang family had to accept the idea.
Of course, some people can't negotiate with each other. As long as they don't meet in too remote places, like window shopping or strolling down the street together on market day, there will be many people around and outsiders who won't say anything.
Zhou Chengkang explained hurriedly, “No, Miss Li asked me to take her for a ride. Don't get us wrong, Mrs. Zhang!”
Li Qinghe had planned to acquiesce but fell silent after hearing this. She knew that he was doing it for her reputation by not letting Mrs. Zhang think too much. However, being so eager to dismiss it hurts a bit.
After coming out of the cloth shop, Li Qinghe looked at the sky. She pinched the silver in her pocket and asked, “Is there anything you want to buy? If not, I want to go to the restaurant.”
Mrs. Zhang had entered the door just now and scanned her from head to toe. At that moment, Li Qinghe understood what she wanted to do. She had wanted to see if Mrs. Xǔ had stuffed silver or something for Li Qinghe to bring back.
Mrs. Zhang was worried over nothing. Mrs. Xǔ rarely gave her money. Even in her previous life, Mrs. Xǔ merely gave a few bolts of cloth as her dowry when she got married. Those fabrics were cheap and riddled with flaws. They were enough for peasants but were worthless.
Zhou Chengkang shook his head, “I'll come with you.”
The restaurant Li Qinghe spoke of was where she had worked as a helper in the kitchen before she got injured. Due to her job, she would travel daily between the village and the town, and because of this, she was able to save Xu Changjie from being stabbed.
The only thing Mrs. Xǔ did right for her was probably getting her a job in this restaurant. Li Qinghe had been working there for two years and had seen a lot. Now her cooking skills were pretty good.
When she arrived at the restaurant, Li Qinghe went into the back kitchen and said a few words to the chef in charge. The shopkeeper came over and handed her a purse like in her previous life. “I heard that you are injured. It takes a while to recover. You don’t need to come over right away.”
Li Qinghe had a long dispute with him in the last life, but this time she accepted her purse calmly because she knew that it was useless to debate. Furthermore, the shopkeeper's niece had been eyeing her job for a long time.
Leaving the restaurant Li Qinghe sighed, “Is there anything else? I want to go back.”
Zhou Chengkang shook his head and walked back into the town with her. When they passed by the shop selling steamed buns, he bought some. Li Qinghe also bought several, planning to take it back to Li Fu and the others.
As it was still early when she returned to the village, Li Qinghe went to the village chief’s house. Her twelve taels of silver had not been spent. She didn’t want to save it all, so it was better to buy some land.
The village chief shook his head, “It's only August, and the crops in the fields have not been harvested. There is nobody to persuade to sell the land now. Even in October, there would be no suitable ones. From the beginning till now, I have never heard of any land in the village being sold.”
Li Qinghe knew this. People in those days paid attention to inheritance from ancestors. If the land passed on by the ancestor was sold, no matter what the reason, they will be scolded as a prodigal son.
Li Qinghe groaned, and said, “I want the wasteland of the west mountain.”
The village chief was surprised, “Why don't you keep this silver? That land is uneven with so many thorns that even the cowherds are not willing to go. What is it worth? What are you buying it for?”
“You can tell me how much money is needed so that I can buy it. I want to buy it as soon as possible.” Li Qinghe was indeed determined.
The village head was helpless, and asked tentatively, “You, kid, should discuss with your father on such a big deal.”
“No,” Li Qinghe said seriously, “my father and I have been unable to speak peacefully for a long time. The silver is my own, so I will be the master. Please help me ask.”
The last sentence was sincere, and the village chief reluctantly agreed.
After waiting for a long time, the sun went down. Seeing that the sky was getting dark, Li Qinghe turned around and looked at Zhou Chengkang in the sunset, “Do you also think that it was a waste of money to buy that wasteland?”
Zhou Chengkang shook his head. His eyes were gentle as he said, “When you do something, there is always a reason behind it.”
After hearing this, Li Qinghe was more satisfied with him. They got into the carriage again and went home.
She sent Zhou Chengkang away at the door. Li Qinghe walked in and saw that Li Fu was looking in the direction Zhou Chengkang had left. He disagreed and said, “A girl leaving together with a man from the girl’s house to walk means that you are very close to becoming a couple. You can't have those thoughts about him.”
Li Qinghe raised his eyebrows, “Isn't it good?”
Li Fu sighed, “Their family is too poor. I'm afraid you will suffer.”
Mrs. Qian came out from the backyard, saw the father and daughter together, laughed, and said, “Qinghe is back?”
Li Qinghe nodded, got up, and wanted to enter the door. Mrs. Qian glanced at Li Fu and said, “I heard that you went into town today and met someone from the Xu family?”
How did she know right away?
Li Qinghe hadn't meant to conceal it anyway so she replied, “I met Young Master Xu. He and the girl from the Yang family were having breakfast together.”
“Has Young Master Xu returned the silver to you?” Mrs. Qian asked casually.
“He did,” Li Qinghe replied smoothly, “Ms. Yang lent it to him.”
Li Fu was listening silently and frowned upon hearing this, “How can you ask for the Yang family's silver?”
“Isn’t all silver the same? Anyway, many people saw that it was Xu Changjie who gave it back to me.” Li Qinghe didn't care.
Mrs. Qian agreed with these words, “If it weren't for borrowing money, the Xu family wouldn't have paid it back. How long would he take to pay it back on his own?” She looked at Li Fu and tentatively said, “Qinghe is still young. Do you want us to store the twelve taels of silver for her so that she doesn’t lose it?”
This surprised Li Qinghe. She had been helping the restaurant’s kitchen in the town for two years yet Mrs. Qian had no idea about her monthly money. She never even mentioned it because she would bring back some leftovers from the kitchen. Sometimes it’s lean meat or big bones, which could not be sold in the restaurant. This was because the chef in the restaurant distributed it to everyone. That’s the reason that the shopkeeper wanted to hire his niece as one of the staff.
Originally, Li Qinghe thought that Mrs. Qian had no idea about her monthly money. Mrs. Qian had told her neighbors and relatives more than once that she would let Qinghe save her monthly money, and let her take that money as her dowry in the future. This also helped Mrs. Qian save expenses.
It turned out that she was not indifferent, but it was not enough money to make her tempted.
Li Fu frowned, “Why don't I keep it for you? When you get married, I will press the bottom of the box for you.”
(TN: "Pressing the bottom of the box" generally refers to the treasure of the housekeeper, or the treasured or treasured objects with a certain meaning pressed on the bottom of the box. It also metaphors the use of housekeeping skills. At the same time, the bottom of the press box can also be extended to the things that natural persons want to discard because they lose interest in the things they own. There is another meaning of it in ancient China, but it is not relevant to the story. Link)
“No.” Li Qinghe replied, “I can take care of it myself, I won't bother you.”
Mrs. Qian looked very sad and said, “Qinghe still doesn't trust me enough.”
Li Fu glared at Li Qinghe and went to comfort her.