Chapter 20

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Wen Shi and Ying Xiang went back to Wen Shi's parents' home. The two of them carried a lot of things and made quite a spectacle of their journey back.

The villagers naturally knew that Wen Shi was no ordinary person now, and they all treated him with great respect.

"The scholar and his wife have returned."

The women who usually ignored Yingxiang greeted her with smiles today. The moment she entered the village, they immediately surrounded her, showering her with compliments and sweet talk. Considering that she might not come back often in the future, Yingxiang wore a polite smile.

He spoke a few words to these people with a forced smile.

Yingxiang's father got up early and eagerly awaited his son-in-law's arrival. He never expected his son-in-law to be so promising. As for Wenxiang's stepmother, she had no objections. After all, the family was given free land, which would reduce their taxes by half. The family's life would definitely get better and better. She was also clear-headed when it came to important matters.

"Come in, son-in-law, have a seat."

"Thank you, Father and Mother."

Seeing what the two women were carrying, Yingxiang's stepmother's smile became even brighter. Yingxiang had originally planned to go to the kitchen to make a small contribution, but her stepmother took the initiative to push her out.

"Mom can cook the meals, you can rest."

The weather is nice today, not too cold, and it's Chinese New Year, so Yingxiang is in a good mood since she got up early.

The stepmother, thinking that Yingxiang was a girl from her family and had a sister who was a scholar's wife, believed that it would be much easier for her sons to find husbands in the future. She completely forgot about the past and was single-mindedly focused on building a good relationship with Yingxiang.

Yingxiang didn't stand on ceremony, but she didn't rush to talk to the two people and went straight back to her room.

After closing the door, she silently signed in. The next second, Yingxiang stared blankly at the double-layered cheese and beef stew in her hand.

This was her favorite food. Yingxiang hesitated for only three seconds before sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) and slowly eating it.

The system didn't make her sign in every day to accumulate points to buy things in the so-called mall; it gave her real points. During this time at her in-laws' house, she didn't have a chance to sign in.

Wen Shi was mostly indoors, and there were many people in the yard. She thought that the system might give her a surprise and some money when she came back. Ying Xiang took a bite of the hamburger and suddenly thought that this seemed pretty good.

The burger was so delicious that Yingxiang finished it in no time, and then she wanted to drink a soft drink.

Looking at the bare walls of the house, she sighed helplessly. She decided to think about it for now. Her system didn't have a wish-granting function. This hamburger filled her up to about 80% full.

At noon, the food was served, plentiful and delicious. Old Man Wen happily added vegetables and meat to his son-in-law's plate, making one think that Wen Shi was his own son.

It was cold outside, so the family ate indoors. The kang (a heated brick bed) had already been heated by Yingxiang's stepmother and was quite warm. Seeing that Yingxiang only drank a bowl of chicken soup and didn't touch her chopsticks much, she picked up a piece of roasted pork for her.

"Thank you, my husband."

Yingxiang wasn't hungry anymore, but she still wanted to eat what her husband had given her. She ate the meat in small bites, slowly and methodically, very elegantly.

Yingxiang's father looked at his daughter and suddenly put down his chopsticks.

Yingxiang looked the same as before, but she was much fairer than before. Upon closer inspection, his daughter was quite pretty. Although she wasn't stunning, her features were just right.

Her eyes were bright and clear, her nose was small and delicate, and her skin was fairer than before. She used to be very dark-skinned and looked like a village girl. Now she was dressed more presentably, and she no longer ate like she used to wolf down her food.

Feeling her father's scrutinizing gaze, Yingxiang looked straight at him, but to her surprise, her father immediately looked away.

"When you go to study in the county, academic knowledge is important, but you also need to know how to socialize. It's always good to know more people."

Wen Shi nodded. He knew the words were directed at him and understood.

After the meal, the two did not stay long. There were quite a few relatives from the Wen family today, and in previous years, Liu would go back by herself.

This year, her family members all came, including her uncles who brought their families.

Mrs. Liu was overjoyed, but Old Man Wen was indifferent. Fortunately, with the help of his fourth and fifth sons, things were alright.

"Once the Lantern Festival is over, the fourth brother will also be getting married. Brother-in-law, you've really made it through."

Wen Laosi's wife was arranged before the New Year. She is the youngest daughter of the village chief of Majia Village, which is not far away. Liu Shi is very satisfied, and Wen Laodi has no objection. The other side is willing to marry off their daughter and even said that they would give their daughter a dowry of one mu of land.

This was unique in the village. When they got engaged, the betrothal gifts were presented, and everything went smoothly.

Wen Shi went along with Wen Chuanzong. Old Man Wen brought the two of them as a symbol of the family. When Wen Shi returned, he told Yingxiang that the wedding would be held after the Lantern Festival.

"The third brother is back, please have a seat."

The kitchen was bustling with activity. The eldest couple hadn't returned yet, so Yingxiang went in to lend a hand. Liu glanced at her but didn't say anything.

In the evening, after the group left, Liu breathed a sigh of relief; she was visibly happy.

When are you and your wife planning to go to the county?

Old Man Wen looked at the two of them.

"The eighth day of the month."

“Alright, we’ll have your older brother go with you to find a house. Once you’re settled, our whole family can move in. We’ll find a bigger one, otherwise we won’t have enough room. You can each pay half the cost upfront.”

Wen Chuanzong had just returned when he heard these words and was stunned.

“Dad, Xiuyu and I paid the rent before we came back, but the landlord won’t refund it.”

"Didn't I tell you before to take the money back and discuss it as a family? Who told you to renew the lease?"

You need to find a matchmaker to find a house, but you can also find one yourself, as long as you can read. These people know a lot, but they mainly profit from those who don't know the market.

He didn't say anything when he heard this, but he already had a plan in mind.

"Father, Mother, Yingxiang and I will find it ourselves. Once everything is settled, Yingxiang and I will come back to pick you up. It may take some time."

All the land in the family has been rented out this year, and since no one wants to rent this yard, it will just have to be left empty. Old Man Wen has already collected all the rent for this year.

The second, fourth, and fifth brothers in the courtyard all glanced at Wen Chuanzong, each with their own thoughts.

"You guys start tidying up the house first."

The brothers are definitely going to do something if they're taken out; they're more likely to get into trouble if they're idle. Wen Shi estimates that it will take at least a month for the two of them to settle down after they leave.

"good."

Old Man Wen glanced at Wen Shi, then at Wen Chuanzong, and immediately glared at him.

The die is cast. Wen Chuanzong didn't understand, but he didn't say anything more. Seeing that his brothers were going to blame him, he figured the more he said, the more mistakes he would make.

In his heart, he thought that since Wen Shi was willing, they should all follow him, and he would regret it later.

On the morning of the eighth day, the two packed their things and boarded a horse-drawn carriage to go to the county.

Wen Shi carried two large bundles on his back. One bundle contained a set of bedding, and the other contained all his own belongings. He also helped Ying Xiang carry a box. Ying Xiang also carried two small bundles, but they were all filled with her own things.

Yingxiang kept all the money in her own box. She had quite a bit of money on her right now. Wen Shi had given her more than ten taels, and she also had the money from the previous sign-in system and what she had earned before, which added up to almost thirty taels.

The two first went to the county and stayed at an inn. After that, they began looking for a house near the county school, the closer the better.

"Take a look at my courtyard. It's not far away. You can stay here, scholar. It's suitable. There won't be many people to disturb you. You can study in peace and quiet and pass the imperial examination soon."

Wen Shi and Ying Xiang looked around and, surprisingly, they found one nearby. However, it was a very small courtyard. Since the two of them arrived early, it was usually the new students looking for housing after the Lantern Festival. The landlady was a very capable-looking old woman.

The courtyard is neither too big nor too small. There are two rooms for living inside, as well as a well, making life convenient. It's definitely better to live alone than to share a courtyard with others.

Yingxiang walked around for a while and was somewhat tempted. The place she used to live in was a large, crowded courtyard where all sorts of people lived.

Wen Shi glanced at his wife and saw that she liked the courtyard very much.

"The rent is three and a half ounces a year."

Before Wen could speak, the homeowner immediately said with a smile.

"Then let's make it a date."

Wen Shi nodded, and things became much easier after that. They wrote the lease, signed it, paid the rent, bought a new lock, and found a house. The two of them had never imagined that it would go so smoothly. After settling on the lease, they moved into the inn first.

As for finding a house for Old Man Wen and the others, and helping Yingxiang start a business, those are things to do later.

After moving, the two bought some household items. They no longer needed to be as frugal as before, and they were able to buy nicer tea sets, bowls, and chopsticks. They also no longer needed brown rice or cornmeal for food; they could eat white rice and white flour instead.

After running around for two days, the two of them bought everything they needed for their home.

In the blink of an eye, the Lantern Festival has arrived.

At night, the couple lay on the bed. Yingxiang thought about their life ahead and suddenly sat up.

"My husband, should I open a teahouse or a restaurant?"

She's been thinking about it these past couple of days.

"Whatever you want to do, do whatever you want."

Wen Shi continued to support his wife as always, since he gave her all the money and trusted her.

"These two are definitely busier at the restaurant, so business is better there. Do you want to continue selling food?"

Yingxiang nodded. There are plenty of restaurants in the county, but the location will definitely matter. If you can't afford to open a restaurant, you can't do business with the rich.

“I want to sell breakfast, such as steamed buns and porridge. These are simple to make and my family can manage them. A teahouse would require too much investment.”

“Let’s do this. First, we’ll look at a shop. Once we’ve found one, we’ll find them a place to live nearby.”

"good."

"Actually, it's not necessary. I see many two-story shops on the street, and people can live on the upper floor."

Before Wen Shi left, Old Man Wen didn't give him any money in private. He was thinking that if Wen Shi rented a shop and found another house, Yingxiang estimated that he might not have much money left.

Although these shops are a bit more expensive, they are much more practical. They usually have two or three empty rooms upstairs, which is enough for living.

The shop is nominally hers, but she can't really let these people work for her for free. Over time, resentment will inevitably arise, and she will definitely have to pay them according to the number of people.

Thinking of Old Man Wen and Liu Shi, Yingxiang couldn't help but glance at Wen Shi. There would definitely be some things that he would have to do. The only thing that made her feel fortunate was that her husband was not one of those pedantic scholars.