"What idea?" the couple asked in unison.

Su Peng's gaze fell on Su Zhengxing's face, where Su Zhengxing wore a wary expression.

“Don’t look down on me. If I get into legal trouble, I’ll lose my job, and the whole family will depend on you to earn money and support us. We’ll all be starving.”

Before Su Zhengxing could finish speaking, Qin glared fiercely at her husband.

“The day for receiving your salary is coming soon. Now that there are two more mouths to feed in the family, if you go gambling again, I’ll hang myself in front of the gate and make the Su family lose all face.”

"You! You're incredibly foolish and short-sighted. Was I gambling? I was just trying to maintain good relationships with my colleagues. You can't pray to Buddha when things are going well; it's useless to cling to Buddha when things are at their worst."

Su Zhengxing raised his chin, speaking with self-righteousness.

Qin was a merchant's daughter. Her family's business was barely surviving, and they weren't the richest family in the capital, so Su Zhengxing never took her seriously.

Qin Shi was used to Su Zhengxing yelling at her, so she glared at him and retorted, "When has our family ever asked for favors? If you're so capable, why don't you find a proper job for your son?"

"I'm not going to lower myself to your level, you shrew. Do whatever you want, whether you live or die." Su Zhengxing was furious and snorted as he tried to lie down on the bed.

Su Peng had been used to his parents arguing since he was a child. He asked slowly, "Have you argued enough? If you keep arguing, I won't be able to remember what I was going to say."

"Son, tell me quickly, does your uncle have some good idea?"

As she spoke, Qin added a small piece of dark charcoal to the brazier. As the charcoal was placed in the brazier, a wisp of smoke rose from it.

"Cough cough..."

A pungent smell immediately filled the room.

Seeing her son coughing violently while covering his nose, Madam Qin quickly pushed open the half-closed window.

Once the smoke in the room had dissipated, Qin closed the window again, leaving only a crack about the width of a thumb.

After catching his breath, Su Peng said, "Mom, don't buy this cheap charcoal anymore, it's too pungent."

"Son! Don't be like your father, so careless. He doesn't know the cost of firewood and rice when he's in charge of the household. I also want to use that smokeless, high-quality charcoal, but it costs several times more than ordinary charcoal. We can't afford it!"

Seeing his mother's worried face, Su Peng said confidently, "Mother, don't worry. Once I make money, our family will use good charcoal every day."

"Many people know the recipe for barbecue now. My uncle heard from the steamed bun seller next door that selling barbecue has lower costs, is less strenuous, and is more profitable than selling steamed buns. I think that makes sense. What do you think, Mom?"

Seeing her son's expectant eyes, Qin quickly shook her head, "I don't know anything about selling steamed buns, and I've never eaten that kind of barbecue. Ask your scoundrel father about this."

Su Zhengxing lay on the bed fully clothed, and heard Qin Shi scolding him.

He sat up abruptly, glared at Qin, and said, "You don't believe me when I say you're short-sighted. Selling steamed buns, working from dawn till dusk, you'll never get rich."

Selling barbecue is different. A pound of meat only costs so much; you could make so many skewers! Can you even do the math? Calling you a female merchant is giving you too much credit.”

Qin retorted defiantly, "Look at you, so capable. You don't even know what kind of meat others are selling. If you're so capable, why don't you go sell kebabs yourself?"

Seeing his parents arguing like firecrackers and candles ready to explode, Su Peng quickly interjected, "Mom and Dad, please stop arguing. I know that the meat used for the barbecue is rabbit and mutton."

"The meat is very oily, so it must taste good." Su Zhengxing said, swallowing hard.

“Dad is right. The man selling steamed buns said the same thing. Pork is cheaper than mutton. If you add two pieces on a skewer of pork, the cost is even lower, and careless people won’t be able to tell the difference.”

Su Peng spoke like a shrewd businessman, and Qin Shi and Su Zhengxing both nodded in agreement when they heard that this made sense.

Madam Qin smiled and said, "My son is truly a business genius. All these years of learning from your uncle have paid off."

"Mom, this is what I wanted to say. How about we set up a barbecue stall and sell barbecue?"

Before Su Peng could finish speaking, Su Zhengxing shouted, "No way! Since your grandfather's time, our family has been a prominent family. We can't afford to lose face by setting up a stall on the roadside."

“Father, I’m not an official, so it’s not shameful for me to have money to spend.”

Su Peng and his uncle would occasionally accompany clients to brothels and restaurants, and they witnessed the extravagance of businessmen.

He felt this deeply; with his father's meager salary, he couldn't even get a glimpse of the top courtesan in a brothel.

Su Zhengxing glared at him and said sternly, "That's different. Since ancient times, the social hierarchy has been scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Merchants are the most looked down upon. You can only be considered a gofer by following your uncle. You're not even a merchant."

Su Zhengxing was so angry that his beard trembled. He took a breath and continued, "If you go into business alone, you will disgrace our family."

"I don't care about my son. Anyway, I won't study for the imperial examinations anymore, so it doesn't matter whether I'm a merchant or not," Su Peng said dismissively.

"You worthless wretch! You have no ability to enter officialdom, what will become of your son in the future?" Su Zhengxing was furious.

Qin couldn't bear to watch any longer and said, "Husband, what you said makes sense, and what our son said is also the truth."

Our family isn't cut out for studying at all. The fact that you have a sinecure is all thanks to your father-in-law. Whether Peng'er's child will be able to enter officialdom in the future is still uncertain.

"Besides, that bullshit about scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—aside from those who enter officialdom, which farmer has a good life? They're just jealous of the merchants' money and deliberately trying to belittle them."

Su Zhengxing rolled his eyes at Qin Shi, "Why don't I see any money in your family? Stop flattering yourself."

“Which noble family in the capital doesn’t own a shop? That’s clearly a way to restrict someone as pedantic as you.”

Su Zhengxing understood this to be true, but he stubbornly said, "It's because we can't afford to hire someone to manage things. At least other people's businesses aren't openly in their own hands."

"Dad, Mom, we can hire someone to set up a stall." Su Peng never intended to set up a barbecue stall himself from the beginning.

The work was too hard, with freezing cold in winter and unbearable heat in summer, so he refused to do it.

Qin seemed to know what her son was about to say.

She stood up and yawned. "I'm tired. Discuss this with your wife. I have no objection to whatever you want to do."

Su Peng grew anxious, "Mom, don't rush off, we haven't gotten to the point yet."

“Your mother is right. You have a wife now. If you have anything to say, go talk to your wife. Your mother has been working hard all day. We need to rest.” Su Zhengxing pretended to take off his clothes, preparing to send them away.

Su Peng was speechless. When his parents started arguing, they didn't hold back at all. But when it came to money, they always pretended to be deaf and dumb.

"You two should rest. I knew I couldn't count on you." Su Peng muttered helplessly as he turned and left.

My second uncle's family has two shops that collect rent, so they are better off than my mother's family. My second aunt and mother are not on good terms, so it's impossible for her to borrow money from my second wife's family.

My younger sister married a merchant, and her family is quite well-off. She went to Feng County with her husband's family and hasn't been back to her parents' home for a long time.

As Su Peng left the East Courtyard, his heart sank into a deep chill.

His uncle could take him out to eat, drink, and visit brothels, but it was impossible for him to borrow money from him.

Seeing Jiang Jiaojiao's figure pass by under the corridor in the distance, Su Peng slapped his forehead, "I'm such a blockhead, isn't the sugar daddy right there?"