Liu Junlan has always been hardworking.

In just two days, he led Xuefu to tidy up the half-acre of land in front of the door, planted the seeds they brought, and went to the street to buy some other vegetable seeds.

They also dug a drainage ditch in the yard so that water used for bathing or washing vegetables in the kitchen could flow into the vegetable garden for easy irrigation.

Fearing that the children wouldn't like to be clean and would play in the mud and dirty water, they took matters into their own hands and used a few blue bricks they had found to pave a layer over the drainage ditch, making it clean to walk on.

The neighboring aunties saw that they were a decent family and quickly became acquainted with each other, chatting enthusiastically every day.

It was because of this that Liu Junlan learned from a powerful figure that the reason why the two mountain chiefs came to their house early that morning to snatch people was because the neighboring aunties had spread the word.

Most of their own children studied at those two academies, so naturally they hoped their children could be classmates with the top-ranked scholar.

That child looks smart; he's sure to amount to something!

But it's hard to say about one's own child.

If I become classmates with that kid, we'll develop a friendship eventually, become acquainted, and it might even be good to work for him in the future.

The Lin family members were speechless upon hearing this. This was still far from being settled, yet they spoke of it as if it were already a done deal.

However, being a gossipy auntie isn't all bad.

When they heard that Liu Junlan and Xue Fu were looking for work, they enthusiastically introduced them to various jobs, such as being a maid, a cook, or doing laundry.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law made their choices. Whether they were to be a maid or a cook, they would have to work at someone else's house. They were worried about leaving their children at home, so in the end they could only choose the job of washing clothes for someone else.

You can bring your clothes home to be washed, and then return them to the owner after they're done.

But it was hard work. The greasy, dirty clothes were difficult to wash. They were filthy and smelly, and you only got two copper coins to wash each piece of clothing.

Fortunately, it's spring now, so the water isn't too cold.

Xuefu and Liu Junlan spent most of the day washing only twenty pieces of clothing, painstakingly drying them, and then delivering them to the door the next day.

The family, however, raised their eyebrows and looked at us with disdain, shouting, "You two, you dare to do laundry? Look at all the clothes you've washed! I must have been blind to choose you two. I'm never letting you wash my clothes again!"

Liu Junlan was so angry that her face turned red, but in order to get the money, she held back and didn't say a word.

But the man grabbed the clothes, picked them up, and tried to go inside, showing no intention of paying.

"What do you mean? We washed your clothes, and we agreed that it would cost two coins per garment. Are you trying to avoid paying?" Liu Junlan grabbed the man and reached out to ask him for money.

"You think you can ask me for money? I'm already being generous by not asking you for money!" The man sneered and turned to leave.

Liu Junlan didn't indulge her. She was used to farm work and was strong. She snatched the bag of washed clothes and ran towards the stinking ditch next to her.

Since you refuse to pay!

Then the clothes have to be just as dirty as before!

"Where did this country bumpkin come from, daring to steal my clothes! Put them down... give me back my clothes, they're mine!" The man chased after him, cursing as he went.

Liu Junlan put the clothes into the drain of the stinky ditch, and the pile of clothes quickly got dirty.

"You damned woman! How dare you get my clothes dirty? You're asking for it!" The man was furious. He picked up a stick and was about to smash it at Liu Junlan.

But at that moment...

An axe seemed to fly from a great distance and landed squarely in front of the man.

Holy crap!

A flying axe from outer space?

But there's nobody around...

"Help! Help! There's a ghost!" The man was so frightened that he could barely stand. His throat tightened, and he wanted to shout for help, but he didn't have the strength to speak.

Liu Junlan recognized it at a glance as his own axe and wasn't afraid at all.

"Tch! With all the messes you've made, even a ghost wouldn't want to look at you," Liu Junlan said coldly.

The little pink butterfly had already floated over and hovered behind Liu Junlan, glaring at that shameless man who wanted to get something for nothing.

Seeing that the man was too frightened to move, Liu Junlan took the pile of dirty clothes out of the stinking ditch and threw them at his face. Then she opened the money pouch on his waist and counted out forty copper coins.

The man watched helplessly as the money pouch on his waist was opened, and the copper coins inside fell into Liu Junlan's hands.

With a pained expression, she said, "But...but my clothes are already dirty..."

"That's your own fault. They've already done the work for you, so they should pay you," Little Pink Butterfly said from behind, her face full of hostility.

Liu Junlan took the money and left.

The man looked at the pile of even dirtier clothes and the money bag that was missing forty copper coins, and he was on the verge of tears.

…

When Liu Junlan got home, she told her what had happened. The children in the family were furious, especially the second child, Lin Zheyun, who clenched his little fists and was about to rush out and beat the man up.

Lin Wanyue was also furious and wanted to take the three ghosts to get them back for her grandmother.

"Never mind, never mind." In the end, Liu Junlan stopped them. They were newcomers and didn't want to cause too much trouble.

Lin Wanyue: "..."

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