"Master He, if I can find some freelance work, could I work with you?" Sister Zhang asked tentatively.
"No problem, Squad Leader Zhang."
He Daqing immediately became enthusiastic and began to talk at length about his special skills.
"Let me tell you, I know Shandong cuisine, Beijing cuisine, and Tan family cuisine, and my son also knows Sichuan cuisine. When the time comes, we..."
After the introduction, Ms. Zhang felt it was alright, but there was still one question she needed to clarify.
"Master He, if I'm the one who introduced the job, and we each send one person, how will we split the profits?"
He Daqing, the sixth brother, knew the principle that you can't catch a wolf without risking your cub, so he offered a price that no one could refuse.
"Squad Leader Zhang, how about we split the profits 40/60?"
Of course, 60% of it will definitely go to He Daqing, since he is the chef, and the remaining 40% will go to Sister Zhang.
Both of them were well aware of this, so they didn't go into details.
"What if we add more people?" Sister Zhang asked again.
“Even after deducting the salaries of newly added staff, we will still split the profits 40/60,” He Daqing gestured with his hands again.
Sister Zhang was very satisfied with He Daqing's sincerity.
"Deal. If there's any work later, I'll have Rainwater notify you."
"Then I'll wait for your notification."
After the two reached an agreement, Sister Zhang happily went to check the accounts, while He Daqing continued to drink tea and slack off...
...
Inside the courtyard house, Xu Lianxiang carried several bags of herbs and went to her son's house again.
Her motives for coming here today weren't pure; she just wanted to test her daughter-in-law.
Because Xu Fugui's side has begun to waver, as long as he can persuade his daughter-in-law, the matter will be settled.
Some might ask, has Xu Lianxiang lost her mind? How could she do something like this?
But let's not forget that she worked as a servant in the Lou family since she was a child and was already used to the practice of having multiple wives and concubines.
After all, moral failings are a minor matter; having no descendants is a major one.
If this matter can be successfully brought to fruition, even if I die later, I will not be ashamed to face my ancestors.
"Mom, you've come to deliver medicine to Damao again. Come in and sit down."
Upon seeing her mother-in-law arrive, Qin Jingru warmly took the herbs from her hands and then brought over a stool.
"Jingru, stop what you're doing and sit down. Mom has something to tell you."
"Okay!"
Qin Jingru was naturally unguarded when facing her mother-in-law.
Then he brought over a stool and sat down next to her.
"Mom, what's wrong? Please tell me."
Xu Lianxiang hesitated for a moment, but finally spoke.
"Jingru, have you thought about the future? You don't have any children. What will you do when you get old?"
"Mom, we're not in a hurry. Didn't you say this medicine would cure everything? We can just wait a little longer."
Seeing that Qin Jingru was still so optimistic, Xu Lianxiang couldn't help but shake her head.
“Jingru, let me tell you the truth! This medicine has no effect at all. It’s all just a lie to cover things up.”
"Ah~!" Qin Jingru's eyes widened as she looked at Xu Lianxiang in disbelief, as if she wanted an explanation.
Xu Lianxiang offered no explanation whatsoever, and the room became unusually quiet.
After a moment of silence, Qin Jingru seemed to have resigned herself to her fate.
"Mom, if all else fails, let's do what Grandpa Yi from the Intermediate People's Court did and adopt one."
“No, adopted children are ultimately unreliable, and your father will definitely not agree.” Xu Lianxiang quickly shook her head in rejection.
"Mom, this won't work, that won't work, so what do you two think?"
Xu Lianxiang had been waiting for this for a long time, just for her daughter-in-law to say these words.
"Jingru, there is a way, but it might require you to make some sacrifices. I wonder if you would be willing?"
To allow her daughter-in-law time to adjust, Xu Lianxiang didn't immediately resort to drastic measures, but instead planned to guide her gradually.
"Mom, as long as I can have a baby, I'm not afraid of suffering. Just tell me! What's the solution?"
Qin Jingru, that silly girl, still doesn't know what's about to happen?
Doesn't she realize that there's nothing she can do about this?
Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Xu Lianxiang composed herself, trying her best to portray herself as a pitiful woman, and then spoke.
"Jingru, if possible, how about we borrow a child?"
"Borrow a child?" Qin Jingru looked puzzled. "Mom, who would be willing to lend us their child?"
Knowing that her daughter-in-law hadn't understood her, Xu Lianxiang disregarded all pride and whispered a few words in her ear.
Upon hearing this, Qin Jingru turned pale with fright and immediately shook her head in disagreement.
"Mom, no, no! If Damao finds out, he'll beat me to death. I won't do it."
“Jingru, Mom knows you’re wronged, but for the sake of our Xu family and for your own future, there’s no harm in this.”
"Okay, Jingru, as long as you agree, whatever you want, as long as we have it, we'll give it to you, and also..."
Xu Lianxiang went on and on, but Qin Jingru wasn't stupid and kept shaking her head, refusing to agree.
Ultimately, left with no other option, Xu Lianxiang had to unleash her ultimate move.
“Jingru, if you really don’t agree, Mom won’t force you. Let’s just part ways amicably. You can find a good family, and Da Mao can marry someone else. That way, you won’t have to suffer.”
Believe it or not, Xu Lianxiang's sweet dates didn't work, but the stick definitely did.
Upon hearing this, Qin Jingru stopped shaking her head and started crying, but remained silent.
Xu Lianxiang knew that her daughter-in-law's attitude meant that she had tacitly agreed, but she couldn't push her too hard.
"Jingru, think it over carefully. Mom is leaving now. Your parents will be home tomorrow. Come over for dinner then, and we'll talk in detail."
After saying that, Xu Lianxiang prepared to leave, but before she left, she suddenly turned back and said:
“Jingru, you can’t tell anyone about what happened today, not even Da Mao.”
Hearing her mother-in-law say that, what could Qin Jingru say? She could only nod mechanically.
After her mother-in-law left, Qin Jingru thought about many things.
Actually, the fact that she didn't say anything just now meant that she had already tacitly agreed in her heart.
Is there no other way?
Having grown accustomed to the good life in the city, she truly doesn't want to go back to the countryside.
But now there is still a question: who is the man who was borrowed?
And so, Qin Jingru sat in the room all afternoon, unable to come up with a solution.
She didn't start cooking until evening...
At the entrance of the courtyard house, people were gradually leaving get off work and heading home.
Yan Bugui, who had already finished work, was here again right on time, hoping to get something out of it.
"Hey! Uncle Yan's here!"
Seeing that the visitor was empty-handed, Yan Bugui smiled and nodded, without even offering a greeting.
After a while, He Daqing returned to the door carrying two lunch boxes.
Yan Bugui felt a surge of warmth upon seeing the familiar lunchbox and proactively approached the person in front of him.
"Hey! Old He, you're preparing a feast for someone again today? What's in this box?"
"Old Yan, I didn't go to the banquet today, but I filled in for my daughter. There's nothing good in this lunchbox, it's all leftovers."
He Daqing shook the lunchbox, speaking with a Versailles-like accent.
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