Chapter 122 - 122: Yuan Jiaqi, You ‘re Inhumane

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Ah, these are the new clothes Ruyi made for you as a gift. They should fit perfectly. Why don’t you try them on?”

“I’m usually so busy with the shop. I don’t need new clothes.”

“Why did you come here then?”

Qiao Mai opened a wooden box, “Your former lover sent me a New Year’s gift, and I picked some nice items to send you. You can save them as part of Ruyi’s dowry.”

Saying this, she handed the box to her. Shopkeeper Lu stole a glance at Ruyi, her face turning red.

“He also sent me a New Year’s gift. I’ve saved it for Ruyi.”

“I think he’s indirectly contributing to Ruyi’s dowry.”

Ruyi lifted her head and said, “Mother, Sister and I think Mayor Qian is good for you. When we get married, you should marry him, okay?”

“Oh, it’s not that I don’t want to marry him, but his old geezer looks down on me. Even now, he hasn’t agreed. They don’t like me, and there’s nothing I can do. I can’t possibly beg. Although my background isn’t high, I’m not so lowly.” “I heard from Old Mister Wang that Mayor Qian’s father doesn’t seem well?”

“Hmph, I’m waiting for him to die. Back then, he insulted me a lot and even sent people to bother me. It wasn’t until I agreed not to have any contact with

Mayor Qian that he stopped.”

“If he dies, Mayor Qian has to observe a three-year mourning period. Can you two get married then?”

“He’s lived for so long; there’s no need to observe a three-year mourning period.”

“Oh, there’s this saying?”

“Don’t you know?”

Qiao Mai shook her head and asked, “Is Xin’er pregnant?”

“She hasn’t made a sound, and she hasn’t sent a New Year’s gift. It’s this late; maybe the road isn’t good due to all the snow. That’s probably why she hasn’t come.”

Qiao Mai’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t say much. “Alright, you stay warm inside. I’ll keep Ling’er company.”

She returned to the courtyard and saw Chuan’er, Feng’er, and Yun’er playing hide and seek with Ling’er.

Yuan Jiaqi was sitting on the side, watching them play. When he saw her, he quickly got up and poured her a cup of hot tea.

“The teacher has left, so you can rest well now.”

“They didn’t give me much trouble here, and Old Mistress Wang often helps me. I don’t have to worry much about them here.” “After the New Year, I’ll take the county exam.”

“Yes, you’ll do well!”

Yuan Jiaqi looked at Qiao Mai and suddenly blushed, turning his head away.

“Old Mister Wang said he’ll send me to Windforest Academy in the Capital after the county exam. By then, you’ll have to spend money for me again.”

“When you become an official, you can repay me. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Chuan’er. Once you leave, I’ll move him to my courtyard.”

“Thank you!”

For some reason, Yuan Jiaqi felt uncomfortable hearing these words.

He didn’t want Qiao Mai to say such things to him. It made him feel like an outsider as if their relationship was purely transactional.

But when he thought about it carefully, it was true. After all, he was the one who had come to her in the first place.

But after all this time, did she really have no feelings for him at all?

He sneaked a look at her and saw her watching the children play with a happy smile. When she smiled, his heart would also follow suit, warming up.

When he first saw Qiao Mai, he thought she was an ordinary woman, plain-looking, with nothing special about her.

But now, as he looked at her more closely, sitting there, her figure and aura seemed so noble. And her snow-white skin…

She was so elegant, noble, and dignified.

If he could be her real husband, he would gladly agree. However, Yuan Jiaqi suddenly thought of the contract and felt like a deflated balloon.

What if Qiao Mai thought he had ulterior motives? What if she thought he had other plans?

They had agreed to a fake marriage, but if he had other intentions, would she hate him for it?

At this moment, Yuan Jiaqi’s heart was like a deer jumping around wildly. He quickly went outside, and the cold wind helped clear his mind.

“Yuan Jiaqi, you’re inhumane. You’re benefiting from the Qiao family, eating their food, drinking their drinks, spending their money, and yet you’re thinking about Madam Qiao.”

“You have nothing, but you keep thinking about Madam Qiao. You’re despicable.”

He scolded himself, punching himself in frustration. Then he took a deep breath and returned to the room, feeling much calmer now.

The earlier impulse had subsided, and Yuan Jiaqi resolved to focus on his studies. He would work hard to become an official and ensure Qiao Mai would be an official’s wife, a respected lady.

She wouldn’t have to toil for their livelihood anymore.

However, Yuan Jiaqi was overthinking things. With the power of the space at her disposal, Qiao Mai had no concern for social status.

She had no desire to become an official’s wife or deal with the associated social obligations. In fact, she found such matters to be a waste of time.

On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, Qiao’s Small Eatery finally closed its doors. Shopkeeper Niu held the account book in the Qiao family’s living room and reported the earnings to Qiao Mai.

“Madam, this month we made 7,851 taels of silver. Considering the cost of the goods you provided, we earned 5,000 taels of silver.”

“Well, not bad. You’ve all been working hard. Let’s give everyone a red envelope. You, as the shopkeeper, will receive ten taels of silver. The five assistants will each receive five taels, and the maids in the house will receive three taels each. Prepare red envelopes for everyone for the New Year, including two taels of lucky money inside. Everyone should have their share.” “Thank you, Mistress.”

“Our shop mainly sells fresh snacks. We’ll take a day off on the first day of the Lunar New Year and open for business on the second day. Last year, everyone found something good for their families, so let’s make some more candied haws this time.”

“Yes, Mistress!”

“Don’t worry. During the New Year, your wages will double. When you have free time, eat in the kitchen, and when it’s busy, let the kitchen ladies bring you food.

Shopkeeper Niu was touched. Such a considerate employer was hard to find. She cared for her employees so well.

On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, everyone received their red envelopes, and they were all overjoyed. Usually, they received only a couple of hundred coins of monthly wages, but they never expected their employer to give them several taels of silver at once.

They realized how tough it was for Qiao Mai, a woman, to manage the shop, support a large family, and take care of her employees during the New Year. Some even shed tears in private, saying they had found a good family and a kind employer.

Life in the Qiao family was good. Starting from the thirtieth day, the masters and the servants enjoyed dumplings for dinner, filled with meat and incredibly delicious.

Not only did they have dumplings, but there were also several side dishes available. Those who wanted alcohol could do so but were warned not to overindulge.

The servants felt like they were living the life of immortals.

Being able to eat the same food as their masters, they felt they must have accumulated great virtue in their past lives.

After dinner, Qiao Mai distributed new clothes to Yuan Jiaqi and the children. These clothes were ready-made and purchased from the Capital.

From head to toe, inside and out, everything was new.

Due to their responsibility for watching over Ling’er, Yue Hong and Yue Xia received new clothes. Of course, everyone in the Qiao family’s residence had their share.

Throughout the seasons, no one in the Qiao family was ever mistreated.

In the latter half of the night, the snow started falling again. It was said that a snowstorm heralded a prosperous year, so it seemed the following year would be of good weather and abundant harvests.

With everyone in the household asleep, Qiao Mai found herself tossing and turning around. She got up and checked the warm greenhouse at the back, went to the poultry shed, and finally arrived at the martial arts training ground.

Looking at the flat square and the dancing snowflakes, she felt her spirits lift. She summoned a sword into her hand with a wave and then charged towards the center of the training ground. With a sword in her hand, snow in the air, and martial arts in her heart, she felt like she was dancing as a celestial being.

It was an exhilarating and fulfilling experience.

The sword she wielded and the martial arts technique she practiced had been purchased from the platform. It was meant for mortals, as she couldn’t afford anything from the cultivation world.

Ensuring a steady supply of spirit stones was already a challenge. Starting from the eighth stage of the Qi Refinement Realm, it required at least a thousand spirit stones for each level up.

Fortunately, the space had reached the fourth level when it expanded to ten thousand acres of land. The concentration in her space was thirty percent, and the territorial expansion was twenty thousand acres. There was still another ten thousand acres of empty land, and Qiao Mai planned to start farming in the space from tonight onwards.