Lu Junming opened his eyes and sat up straight, âDonât talk about him anymore, letâs talk about something happy.â
Mo Yan also sat up straight, and said pleasantly, âHas Liu Fengchun been dealt with?â Sheâd been thinking about this for the past few days.
âMore or less! Godmother didnât cry for three days in vain. Liu Fengchun still didnât agree to sell the property, but he agreed to rent it out.â
Mo Yan excitedly spread out her fingers on one hand, âRent it for fifty years.â
Lu Junming replied lazily, âI rented it for thirty years, the rent will be paid once a year.â
âThatâ¦â¦â
Before Mo Yan could continue, Lu Junming said calmly, âI also rented out the pottery shop next to it, and theyâre already moving.â
âLu Junming, how do you understand me so well!â Mu Yan happily grabbed his shoulder and shook it vigorously.
âOkay, if you keep shaking me my shoulderâs going to break. I came back to tell you as soon as I was done. I know youâd be happy to hear it.â
âThen start building the shop as soon as possible! Ask godmother if she still wants to live there, if she does build a house for her in the back. If she thinks itâs too noisy, see where she wants to live and either buy or build a courtyard for her.â
âWell! When you go to town tomorrow, letâs talk about this before starting construction.â
This matter had finally been resolved, making Mo Yan extremely happy.
âToday, Iâm going to plant the mandrake seeds. Many of the chinese foxgloves I planted a few days ago have sprouted.â
âI have more good news today. When I went to the firm today, Chuzi told me that the post office ordered fifty canvas saddlebags.â
âIf they run around with these canvas saddlebags, people all over the country will soon take note. We canât let them imitate us.â
âDonât worry, Chi Jie has thought of this. Heâll embroider his own logo on every bag.â
Mo Yan stood up and happily danced around the willow tree, âTodayâs been such a good day! If my sisterâs marriage is anything like this, she will be happy, right?â
âYes, brother Chengâs character is not bad.â
âThen itâs time to prepare the dowry for my sister.â
âClothes and jewellery are easy to find, but youâll have to go to Yi City, at the very least, to find mahogany furniture. The furniture might get damaged if itâs transported from the Upper Valley.â
âWhen weâre free, letâs pick the furniture out together!â
Mo Yan talked to Lu Junming about Zhong Chengâs second sister-in-law again, âIn order to get one over with that shrew, I confirmed thereâd be a set of mahogany furniture and a carriage as part of the dowry. I canât let her look down on me anyway. I must carry through with this promise, even if it means selling everything else I have.â
âIt wonât cost that much. Cheaper mahogany furniture will cost a few dozen taels, a carriage twenty, and a horse just a little over that.â
âThatâs over one hundred taels, excluding the clothes and jewellery.â
âWhat? In the Upper Valley, every wealthy family spends a few hundred taels when marrying off their daughter, and some even give a large amount of money or shops as part of the dowry. Last year, a concubine-born sister of Chi Jie married, and her dowry cost over a thousand taels, as well as included two shops and a farm.â
âThis is the countryside, and my family isnât wealthy.â
âYou donât want to make your sister suffer, I donât want to make you suffer, Iâll pay for you. In the future, take good care of the firm for me, and just return the money when you have it.â
Before she knew it, it was getting dark, but Ms. Liang didnât call her back like before.
Mo Yan played the willow bark flute as farewell, and walked back home. She was in a particularly good mood today, and she couldnât help skipping along the way.
The next day, Mo Yan deliberately went to the firm early, and as soon as she entered, she told Chuzi to stop giving things to Mo Feng. He repeatedly claimed that he was wronged, âHe asked casually, so I answered casually. Who knew he wanted to take something!â
âYou have to pay attention to what heâs asking in the future.â She turned around and pointed at the employees, âAnd you, you have to cause him trouble, do you understand?â
They first agreed and then sighed, âIâve never heard of anyone being paid to trouble their manager before.â
Cao Zhang and Mo Feng entered the firm. Cao Zhang went to review the accounts as usual, and Mo Feng sat behind the cashier thinking about Xiuyingâs every action.
By mid-morning, the number of customers in the firm had gradually increased.
Mo Yan was drinking tea at the small coffee table, when suddenly a strong fragrance of makeup and powder rushed into the door. As she looked up, several people went inside. Wasnât that Mrs. Cao walking at the front?
Cao Zhang also saw his mother, but there was no joy on his face. Instead, he was so shocked that he didnât even greet her.
Mo Yan stood up and was about to greet her, when an obese girl who was beside Mrs. Cao pointed at Mo Yan and yelled, âCao Zhang, no wonder you ran home like a man possessed! You were keeping this vixen!â
Cao Zhang took two steps forward to protect Mo Yan, âMiss Lu, donât accuse me indiscriminately. I came home to accompany my father, and itâs none of your business.â
âIf you came home to protect your mother, what are you doing here?â
The obese girl pushed Cao Zhang aside and glared at Mu Yan angrily. Another lady in brocade clothes came over to pull on the fat girl, âJiaoâer, donât be rude, youâre not allowed to act like in public. Thatâs highly indecent.â
The obese girl angrily went and stood behind the lady. Her clothing and jewellery was better than Mrs. Caoâs, but her appearance looked comical. She had a large and fat face, silkworm eyebrows, beady eyes, a large nose, and a catfish mouth.
Mrs. Cao came over and started fawning over her son, âZhangâer, you ran back here without a word, you made your mother very worried.â
Cao Zhang subconsciously stepped away from her, âMom, Iâm fine, donât worry.â As he said that, his eyes flicked towards the obese girl.
Then, Mrs. Cao said, âZhangâer, letâs go home.â
Cao Zhang tried to refuse, âNo, mother, you go back! I still have work to do here.â
Mrs. Cao looked at the business, âItâs just a small firm. What kind of job is this? When you pass the imperial examination in the future, Iâll get you a decent job.â
The obese girl winked at Cao Zhang and said, âMy grandfather will recommend one to you.â
So that was the person Mrs. Cao had found to recommend Cao Zhang for the imperial examination. No wonder Cao Zhang came back.
Mo Yan turned back and said, âMr. Cao, you should go back with your mother! If there are any issues, itâs better to clarify them in person.â
The obese girl smiled and said, âI see that this girl is very reasonable. In the future, when you become an official, it is common to have a few concubines. If you like this girl, Iâll accept it.â
Cao Zhang and Mo Yan shouted at the same time, âShut up!â
In order not to cause trouble for Mo Yan, Cao Zhang had no choice but to go home with his mother.
After they went out, Mo Feng howled uncontrollably, âHis mother wants him to marry that fat tub of lard? I never knew the Cao family was so desperate.â
Mo Yan turned around and called Chuzi, âBrother Zhuzi, go to Mr. Caoâs house on horseback, and send Zhaoâer to the workshop. Thereâll be a frenzy of drama in the Cao family today, so I donât want him to be hurt.â