Chapter 146

146 Xiao Xi’s Wife Is the Best-Looking

Li Yu pointed at the contract. “Because he knows that even if he doesn’t write anything, we won’t sell the seeds to others. He might as well be more generous and let us feel that he is magnanimous.”

When Zhou Jia heard this, he patted his head and came to a realization. “Yu’er, you’re the perceptive one who sees through everything. Just now, I felt that the contract only had restrictions on the Four Seas Bank and didn’t have any requirements for us. I still felt uneasy.”

Li Yu knew that Zhou Jia was a little terrified and uneasy because the person he had signed a contract with was the current emperor. She did not have much respect for the Imperial Power in her heart. She just felt that doing business with that young master was only a mutually beneficial relationship.

Zhou Jia pointed at the box with a smile. “Yu’er, come and see what gifts are in the box!”

Zhou Jia opened the sandalwood box and saw four boxes inside. The two boxes at the top were opened. One contained two boxes of Huizhou ink, and the other contained two inkstones, and two lake pens.

Zhou Jia picked up a piece of ink and explained to Li Yu in surprise, “These two boxes are Insignia Ink. I heard that Insignia Ink doesn’t fade when it’s on paper. It’s not gluey when it’s licked, and its color is dark and enduring. It’s top-grade ink. This inkstone is a Duan inkstone. It’s very expensive.”

Li Yu smiled at Zhou Jia’s loving expression and said gently, “If you like it, we’ll buy more after you’re done using it.”

Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu and smiled. “I want to keep one for Ah Qing. I’ll keep one for our son.”

Li Yu rolled her eyes at him. Zhou Jia chuckled and placed the brush, ink, and inkstone aside. “Let’s see what kind of gift you’ve received.”

Li Yu also waited curiously for Zhou Jia to open it. Zhou Jia took out the carved box from the wooden box. When he opened it, he saw a set of blood-red rubies the size of lotus seeds lying quietly in the box.

Zhou Jia took out another box. Inside was a set of pearl jewelry; each pearl was the size of lotus seeds. The pearls were of the same size, round and glowing faintly.

Li Yu praised, “This is too expensive! If we sell these accessories, we can definitely sell them for a lot of money.”

Zhou Jia tapped Li Yu’s nose and smiled dotingly. “Little fool, you can’t sell this thing casually. If the higher-ups find out, they’ll punish you.”

Li Yu curled her lips in disdain and said, “They gave it to me, but I’m not allowed to sell it?”

“Selling it is disrespectful to the higher-ups. What’s the point of selling such a good thing? Many people can’t even get it!” Zhou Jia took out a pearl necklace and put it on Li Yu’s fair neck. He looked at Li Yu with glowing eyes. “Yu’er, you look so beautiful wearing this pearl necklace.”

Li Yu touched the necklace on her neck and looked at it in the dim bronze mirror. “It’s quite good-looking, but I don’t like to wear jewelry. It’s cumbersome.”

“Alright, I’ll buy you two simple sets of jewelry when we get married.” Zhou Jia took the necklace from Li Yu and placed it in the jewelry box. “Take it and put it away later. When we get married, the rubies will definitely look good. Those who don’t know better will think that a fairy has descended to the mortal world.”

When Li Yu heard this, she leaned on Zhou Jia’s shoulder with a smile. “You! Aren’t you afraid that others will laugh at you? Every time I wear something, you say that it looks good.”

Zhou Jia kissed Li Yu and smiled. “Xiao Xi’s wife is good-looking no matter what. I’m not lying.”

Suddenly, Laidi stuck her head out of the door with Brother Pig in her arms. “Aiya! Brother Pig, listen, Second Sister’s teeth are going to be sore from the sweetness! Cousin, aren’t your teeth sore? Hehe...” After saying that, Laidi turned around and ran with Brother Pig in her arms. The faces of Zhou Jia and Li Yu instantly turned as red as braised prawns.

Li Yu was stunned for a moment and pushed Zhou Jia. “Sigh! It’s all your fault. Laidi heard everything.”

Zhou Jia quickly smiled and comforted her. “I’ll get Auntie He to make something delicious for her later. She won’t laugh at you after I stuff her mouth.”

The two of them chatted in the house for a while more before Old Madam Liu reported, “Miss, a few families in the village said that they have something to tell you.”

“Bring them to the central room. I’ll be there later.” Li Yu looked at Zhou Jia strangely. “Why are they looking for me? Has anything happened in the village recently?”

Zhou Jia pretended to be mysterious and looked at Li Yu. “Let Immortal Zhou predict with my fingers. They want to buy new rice seeds from you. Everyone in the village knows that the rice in your land this year is growing well.”

Li Yu frowned. “I’ll go take a look first. I don’t want to sell rice seeds to unsuitable families casually.”

Zhou Jia stood up and looked at Li Yu. “We should not feel bad about rejecting. Their lives are already good enough. Their achievements in the fields and their annual salary have yielded them quite a lot of silver in a year.” Zhou Jia was a little angry. “I think some people in the village are becoming more and more greedy.”

When Li Yu heard this, she also felt that Zhou Jia was right. Ever since the last time the bandits came, Li Yu felt that the people in the village were different from before. Li Yu knew that this was how the world was. Some people could share hardships, but they could not share the wealth.

“I know what I’m doing. Lie down and rest for a while. I’ll go see which families have come to approach us.”

Zhou Jia nodded and went back to lean against the pillow to rest.

Li Yu went to the central room and saw five to six women from the village. One of them was Old Madam Chen’s daughter-in-law, Madam Jin, and the other was Liu Chang’s wife, Chen Shi. Li Yu was more familiar with these two women, but not so with the other four women.

The few of them sat on the sofa and were muttering something. When they saw Li Yu at the door of the central room, Madam Jin, Granny Chen’s daughter-in-law, hurriedly stood up and smiled. “Xiaoyu, Auntie, and the others came to disturb you today.”

Li Yu looked at them politely and distantly. “May I know why you’re looking for me?”

Seeing Li Yu’s cold smile, Madam Jin couldn’t help but feel uneasy. She could only bite the bullet and say, “Xiaoyu, we came to ask you if you want to sell your new rice seeds?”

The Chen family also looked at Li Yu eagerly. Li Yu smiled faintly. “I’m sorry, those seeds can’t even fill my manor’s fields. I haven’t thought of selling them.”

Madam Jin looked a little embarrassed. “I see! Then we’ll go back first. Sorry to disturb you, Xiaoyu.”

The others seemed to want to say something. “Let’s go! Let’s not delay Xiaoyu.” The Jin and Chen families hurriedly pulled them away.

When the few of them walked out of the house, the sharp-faced woman muttered unhappily, “Xiaoyu is indeed the fiancée of the High Scholar now! Her expression is really terrifying.”

“Cui Xiang, stop talking nonsense. Xiaoyu isn’t such a person.” Madam Chen looked at Cui Xiang unhappily. “My husband had said that I’m not allowed to buy rice seeds from Xiaoyu. Don’t let it slip when you go back. Otherwise, my family will argue.”

Cui Xiang looked at Madam Chen and sneered. “Madam Chen, you’re the grandaunt of West Mountain Village. If Liu Chang didn’t escape here with your family and us back then, how could he have these peaceful days?”

Madam Chen was a little unhappy when she heard that. She looked at the woman with a dark expression. “Cui Xiang, don’t make sarcastic remarks. Without Xiaoyu and Mr. Zhou, even if we were lucky enough to get here, we would have been slaughtered by bandits before the new year. Pfft! I was bewitched and followed you here.”

After saying that, Madam Chen left with regret. Madam Jin family also hurriedly followed her.