Not only were they always cursing people, but the wages were also meager, only three hundred coins per person per month, with no food or lodging provided. When it came time to pay wages, they would either delay for several days or half a month, or they would deduct wages in various ways. It was not even as much as carrying sacks, so many people could not continue doing the job.

Throughout the year, the shop's staff changes several times.

He Shanhu originally planned to fire one of the employees, since the business was not good and he couldn't afford to pay their wages.

Fortunately, He Chuwei stopped them, otherwise they would have been too busy to handle everything today.

"Shopkeeper, what's this?"

The two waiters looked at the loose silver in their hands and asked, puzzled.

"Remember, don't say anything you shouldn't. If my grandfather comes to check the accounts or asks how your business is doing, just say you know nothing, understand?"

He Chuwei plans to create a fake ledger.

Although my grandfather gave him the shop to run.

However, every now and then, my grandfather would personally check the accounts.

He wrote down the purchase price of the new candles as 180 coins each.

We can only sell about a hundred each day.

The rest of the silver was all his!

"Yes, sir, I understand." The two men understood, and one of them immediately poured He Chuwei a cup of hot water in a fawning manner.

It wasn't too hot, considering the water had been boiled half an hour ago.

It is at best warm.

"Here, I'll give you another tael of silver. Use it to buy some tea leaves to put in the shop. From now on, every morning when I come to the shop, brew me a pot of tea. Drinking this tasteless water every day is making my mouth feel so bland."

He Chuwei looked at the water in the glass with disdain and didn't drink it.

He put the whole silver into his purse and stuffed it into his sleeve. He then hid the loose silver and copper coins in a cabinet in the backyard of the shop and locked it up.

Only then did he leave the shop, preparing to go home.

After watching him leave, the two waiters closed the shop door.

They're gone.

The first thing He Chuwei did when he got home was to put the silver back in his room and hide it.

Then we went to the main room to eat.

"Chu Wei, how's business at the shop today?" He Shanhu hadn't left the house all day. He picked up a slice of meat and chewed it with relish.

His speech was somewhat unclear.

"It's alright, Grandfather." On the first day of sales, He Chuwei didn't plan to tell his family about the new candles he had bought.

Otherwise, they would definitely come to the shop often.

It will be harder to make false accounts then.

"This is considered 'okay'? Dad, you won't believe it when I tell you, the shop was packed with people! If my friend hadn't dragged me to gamble—cough cough, I had something to do—I would have rushed into the shop and asked Chu Wei how he did it!"

He Shanhu was just about to say a few words of praise when He Wanjiang came rushing back from outside.

He plopped down on the bench and recounted the entire festivities of the shop that day.

He Chuwei's heart skipped a beat.

His father never cared about the shop, so what a coincidence that he passed by it today?

"What? The shop is doing so well? Chu Wei, what did you do?" Although his son was unreliable, he had never lied. He Shanhu believed He Wanjiang's words completely. He put down his chopsticks and asked his grandson impatiently.

"I didn't do anything. The shop just got a new batch of candles that can burn for ten days. I was afraid they wouldn't sell well, so I didn't tell you. I've already secured the supply of these candles. I'm the only supplier, and I'll be the only one selling them in Shuxian from now on. This morning I bought some firecrackers and set them off outside the shop, which attracted quite a few people. But it wasn't as exaggerated as Dad said. Most people who came into the shop just looked around, and only about 30% actually bought anything."

He Chuwei deliberately downplayed the business.

However, it still made He Shanhu extremely happy.

"Such candles? Not bad, not bad at all. Chu Wei, you've only just taken over the shop, and business is already picking up. I was right about you. You're much better than your father. With you in the He family, we have nothing to worry about in the future, haha. By the way, what was the purchase price of the candles, and how many did you sell for? How many did you sell today?"

He Shanhu burst into laughter, his previous gloom instantly vanishing.

He picked up his chopsticks again, grabbed a slice of meat, and put it in his mouth. In a good mood, the meat tasted even better.

"The purchase price is 180 coins per stick, and the selling price is 200 coins. We sold 100 sticks today."

He Chuwei made it up on the spot.

"So you made a net profit of two taels? Not bad, not bad. You are much better than your grandfather. When I was running the shop at my best, I only made a net profit of one and a half taels a day. This family fortune was not earned by me overnight. When your father was only three or four years old, your great-grandfather was still alive. At that time, our shop was still rented. After deducting all kinds of costs, we could only earn a maximum of two hundred coins a day."

Your great-grandmother was also very ill, and all the money she earned was spent on medical treatment. After they both passed away, your grandfather took over the shop, and business finally improved. It took four years for me to move your father and grandmother from the first courtyard to our current house. The house cost a full eight hundred taels of silver to buy and repair! Then I bought more shops and land, building up such a large family fortune. If it weren't for your good-for-nothing father, our family wouldn't have fallen to where we are now!

Fortunately, Heaven spared the He family's life. Grandfather has such a good grandson as you; there's no need to worry about the future! Haha, two taels a day, that's sixty taels a month! The shop is ours, and the wages of the two waiters are negligible. We'll easily make seven hundred taels a year. In just a few years, our family will be back to its former glory!

He Shanhu first laughed loudly, then recalled the past. When he thought of his deceased parents, his eyes filled with sorrow. Then he thought of his good-for-nothing son, and anger welled up in his heart. He cursed loudly. Finally, when he looked at his promising grandson, his face showed relief.

My mood went through a lot of ups and downs.

"Dad, why are you scolding me again for no reason? I didn't do anything today. People asked me to gamble, but I didn't go."

He Wanjiang curled his lip.

He didn't not go; he lost all his money gambling and didn't even have money for food. He was practically penniless.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have rushed back for dinner.

As for the money for gambling, it was still obtained by stealing Liu's jewelry and selling it.

Liu sat at the table eating with a dark expression throughout.

He remained silent, only occasionally glancing at He Chuwei.

No one noticed.

"What, you expect me to praise you even though you didn't gamble? You're almost a grandfather, and you're still so irresponsible and sloppy all the time. It's all your mother's fault for spoiling you! By the way, Madam Wan, is there any news about your belly?"

He Shanhu looked at Wan's belly; it was completely flat.

Anxiety appeared on his face.

She's been married into the family for so long, how come she can't even get pregnant?

“Not yet…” Wan paused.

She put down her rice bowl and replied softly.

His voice trembled slightly.