She had only been here for a few days, but it felt like many, many years had passed. She was really exhausted and didn't want to stay here for even a day longer.

Tan Zian: "..."

Tan Zian glanced around; everyone else was working, but none of them were as busy as she was…

"What have you been doing?" Tan Zian wasn't so stupid anymore; he knew to ask this first.

After hearing this, Li Qian felt that Tan Zi'an was worried about her, so she quickly started to count on her hands and tell him, "I have to do a lot of things, such as cleaning and helping in the kitchen. It's not true that I'm being taught a skill; it's just that I'm being made to be a maid."

I'm begging you, Tan Zi'an! Your family must be rich. How could your mother not leave you some money? Please ask your mother to give me the money so I can take me away, okay? I'll even work as a maid for your family, okay?

Tan Zian's lips twitched. He thought it would be much more tiring, but it turned out to be just cleaning.

Is that all?

Tan Zian's words immediately enraged Li Qian, who was furious. She glared at Tan Zian with a dark expression and demanded, "Tan Zian, what do you mean? What do you mean by 'that's it'?"

Look how thin I've gotten! That tells you how much I've been tortured. My hands are calloused, and it's only been a few days!

I don't want to be here. I don't want to waste my time here. I want to study. I want to go to school!

Only studying is the only way out; only studying can make a girl stand out.

I want to be a light for girls, and I will strive to move forward!

"I must study. I can succeed. Tan Zi'an, I can't give up. If I give up, then there will truly be no hope left. You should understand that, right?"

Li Qian's words make a lot of sense and are very idealistic, but... Tan Zi'an isn't stupid anymore.

Tan Zian held out his hands for Li Qian to see; they were covered in calluses. "See? I'm working too. I get up at three every morning to help my mother make tofu, and then we come to the county to sell it at dawn. We only earn a few yuan a day."

You think I don't work hard? Li Qian, I was too naive before. I had no idea how hard it is to earn money.

My mother works very hard, very hard. We don't have much extra money for you. You can actually study on your own; just don't give up.

Tan Zian is still quite good; he didn't say that your grades... are completely different from what you said.

Li Qian: "???"

Li Qian couldn't believe what she was hearing. What was wrong with Tan Zi'an? Why didn't he believe her?

"How could that be? How could your mother not have money? Tan Zi'an, have you been deceived by your mother? I don't need much, just one hundred silver dollars, which is not a problem for your family."

Tan Zi'an used to think the same way, and he took it for granted that as long as it was used to save people, any amount of money was worth it. Money can be earned back after it's spent, so there's no need to think about so many other things.

But now he realizes just how hard it is to earn money.

He used to think that making money was easy, but after experiencing it firsthand, he realized that nothing is easy. Even the uncles and aunties who sell vegetables have a hard time. They have to get up very early and can't slack off in their daily work.

Those who say things are easy haven't actually experienced them, so of course they think they're easy.

It's not easy at all; being a parent is really tough.

He looked at Li Qian seriously and said to her earnestly, "You should work hard here. I really can't do anything. I have no money and I have no ability."

Li Qian's face changed, taking on a sinister expression, her eyes seeming to hold daggers. "Are you really going to stand by and watch me die?"

Tan Zian nodded regretfully, "I'm sorry, I don't have that ability. Besides, your family took their money, so naturally you have to put in the work."

So much money has to be repaid.

"I didn't take that!" Li Qian screamed frantically, "They took the money, and I'm suffering here, why should I!"

If the money were in her possession, she could accept spending it herself, but that's not the problem!

Tan Zian: "..."

But……

"But I saw it that day; you signed it happily by yourself."

Tan Zian finally couldn't hold back and blurted it out.

That day, Tan Zian was very worried. He felt that Li Qian was unwilling and shouldn't do this. He ran over to try to stop her, only to see Li Qian negotiating with them, saying that since that was the case, the money would be split in half, with her taking fifty and her family taking fifty.

They agreed, and Li Qian happily signed the contract.

Li Qian's expression changed again, and she felt a little guilty.

“I watched you take the money and then happily come here with them.”

"Li Qian, if you want to leave, take out those silver dollars and start earning money. Tell Master Cai you'll pay back some money every month, wouldn't that be better?"

Tan Zian didn't want to say it, but after all, they were friends for many years, and he couldn't just blurt out the truth without caring about her feelings.

But at this moment, Tan Zi'an really couldn't hold back any longer.

"What do you know? This is only half the amount of money. They won't let me leave unless you're willing to give me the other half. If not, then you can leave." Li Qian said angrily through gritted teeth. Of course, she was just saying that; she still hoped that Tan Zi'an would stay.

Tan Zian nodded, which could be considered a reply, "Yes, I can't."

Li Qian: "???"

Li Qian watched helplessly as Tan Zi'an left, crying out, "Hey, come back, come back!"

When Master Cai saw this, he frowned and said, "This girl talks too much." He told her, "Let her do some rough work."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!