Chapter 284 (End of Main Text)
Chen Yuanzhu scooped up a spoonful and slowly put it into her mouth.
The rice oil has a subtle sweetness, not just the aroma of rice...
She took a sip, then smiled, her eyes crinkling. "It's brown sugar."
Xie Qi nodded: "Yes, it's brown sugar."
He crushed the brown sugar into powder and sprinkled it at the bottom of the bowl. It dissolved in no time. He didn't add too much, so it wasn't cloyingly sweet, just a light, sweet aroma.
"I was worried you might find it too sweet, so I only added a little. Is this sweet enough?"
Shen Yuanzhu said, "It's just right. Any more and it would be too cloying, any less and it would be too bland."
She looked up and reached out to hold Xie Qi's hand.
Xie Qi's palms were burning hot, just like his ardent affection, constantly warming her and making her understand even more why Xie Qi always clung to her, wishing he could stick to her body.
Now, Shen Yuanzhu finds herself increasingly enjoying being with Xie Qi, even if they do nothing, just looking at him makes her feel at ease.
Just like this bowl of rice porridge.
Ordinary meals, ordinary food, but she always felt they were just right.
Just like Xie Qi, he's just right in every way.
"Thank you, Qi."
"Um?"
Shen Yuanzhu said, "I realize that we are truly a match made in heaven."
Xie Qi smiled knowingly, "You're only realizing this now?"
The two smiled at each other, and clasped hands even tighter...
A tiny child grows quickly, and Xiao Baozhen soon grew from a tiny bean sprout to an age where he could call out "Dad" and "Mom".
Baozhen was different from the other children. Most of the other children were raised by their mothers, but Baozhen was raised by Xie Qi.
After Baozhen came into his life, he became even less interested in managing the affairs of Jixia Manor.
He used to secretly run shops hoping to one day take over the Xie family. He wanted to stand in front of Xie San Niang and Xie Boyu and humiliate them severely to avenge the humiliation he had suffered over the years.
After learning about his own background and discovering that what he hated and resented was completely unfounded and that he had hated the wrong person from the very beginning, Xie Qi lost all interest in running the shop.
Instead of earning money, I'd rather spend time with Yuanzhu and Baozhen.
Unlike him, Shen Yuanzhu, although her trip to the capital made her give up her dream of becoming a royal merchant, still had a deep-seated love for money that she could not change.
She liked using an abacus, reading accounts, and even more so, making money and doing business.
Xie Qi didn't restrict her either; on the contrary, the two often discussed things and their business grew bigger and bigger.
Yun Zheng inexplicably became the wealthiest manager in Suzhou Prefecture. In order to get Yun Zheng to contribute more and ask him for less help, Xie Qi insisted on giving him 30% of the shares.
Yun Zheng had been complaining for a while, but after realizing that he had earned quite a bit, all his little complaints disappeared.
At worst, I can always go to the employer's wife!
The mistress of the house was much more efficient than her former employer.
Luo Qing was also extremely busy, unable to manage the business in Mobei. Luo Bai volunteered to go to Mobei to help Ling'er look after the shop.
Nowadays, Baozhen often receives various trinkets from Mobei.
When Baozhen was only two or three years old, she was already very good at using an abacus. Xie Qi saw that she liked it, so he had someone make her a golden nanmu abacus.
The abacus wasn't big; it was made by holding Xiao Baozhen's chubby little hands.
Xie Qi had noticed that she often fiddled with the abacus in Chen Yuanzhu's hand, so he thought of making her a little toy to play with and hear the sound.
Who would have thought that with just a few casual lessons, Bao Zhen could already do the accounting so fluently.
When Xie Qi told Shen Yuanzhu, Shen Yuanzhu was also very surprised.
The little girl, who could barely speak properly, was already able to babble and count accounts.
"Thank you, Qi."
Shen Yuanzhu rested her chin on her hand, looking face-to-face with Xie Qi as Xiao Baozhen worked on the abacus.
The numbers above are simple; they were all taught by Xie Qi.
Shen Yuanzhu said, "Shall I give Baozhen a ledger to settle accounts with?"
Xie Qi replied, "She hasn't even started learning yet."
Little Baozhen, with her chubby, round face, was meticulously working on the abacus. After thinking for a moment, Xie Qi said, "I will teach her to read tomorrow."
"good."
After saying that, Xie Qi and Shen Yuanzhu continued to rest their chins on their hands, looking at Bao Zhen as if she were some kind of rare and exotic object.
Bao Zhen was born with fair skin and delicate features, her eyebrows and eyes resembling Xie Qi's, and she seemed somewhat aloof when she was silent or not smiling. However, her eyes and nose were like exquisitely beautiful pearls.
Everyone who sees Xiao Baozhen can't help but exclaim that this doll looks just like the happy doll in the New Year's paintings.
Xie Qi taught Bao Zhen how to do accounts every day, while Shen Yuanzhu would tell her about things within the Suzhou Chamber of Commerce.
Regardless of whether Baozhen could understand, the two of them would sit on the bed every night and talk about all sorts of random things.
Xie Qi would tell you how much Bao Zhen ate and what she did that day. Shen Yuanzhu would say that Luo Qing and Yun Zheng had different business philosophies, or that she had encountered some difficult businessmen.
Baozhen would then say that her father taught her today about the origins of heaven and earth, the vastness of the universe...
The family members each talk their own thing, yet they always manage to find common ground.
When Xie Qi got tired of talking, he would coax Bao Zhen to sleep. Seeing that he was tired, Shen Yuanzhu would say a lot of sweet words that he liked, which made Xie Qi grin.
Once Shen Yuanzhu has charmed and bewitched him, Xie Qi will then intimately entwine with her and they will go to Wushan together.
Life is no different from the past, yet it is also very different.
Anyway, Xie Qi knew that every time he woke up, he loved Chen Yuanzhu more and liked Bao Zhen even more.
He felt content when he was with the two of them.
Shen Yuanzhu also enjoyed this kind of life, occasionally going to the shop with Xie Qi. Every ten days or so, Xie Qi would take Bao Zhen to Jixia Manor, and after the father and daughter finished settling the accounts, they would pick her up from Xiecui Fang.
Shen Yuanzhu would take the father and daughter to the pastry shop to choose pastries and dried fruits.
Unfortunately, Xie Qi kept Bao Zhen in check and never let her eat much.
Baozhen didn't cry or make a fuss, she just stared longingly at Xie Qi. If her father still didn't give it to her, she would squeeze out a few tears from her eyes.
Xie Qi felt heartbroken watching this, and at that moment he would pinch off another small piece for her.
The family's life was nothing special, just ordinary eating and drinking, without any major ups and downs.
But it was precisely on these days that Xie Qi and Shen Yuanzhu were very happy.
Xie Qi carried Bao Zhen in one arm and held Shen Yuanzhu's hand with the other, walking towards their courtyard.
As they walked, Shen Yuanzhu suddenly said, "Thank you, Qi."
"Um."
"Thank you, Qi."
"Um?"
She suddenly smiled brightly: "How about we live like this until we're a hundred years old?"
Xie Qi smiled, "I was afraid you'd find me annoying."
"I don't mind."
Shen Yuanzhu squeezed his hand, then pinched Bao Zhen's cheek.
"Xie Qi, that person is you, only you, and it can only be you."
Xie Qi turned his head to look at the little Bao Zhen in his arms, who looked like both him and Yuan Zhu, then turned to look at Chen Yuan Zhu, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He, like a puddle of mud in a ditch, finally got entangled in that dazzling pearl...
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The main story ends here. There are still side stories about Jiang Wansu, Shen Yuanqiong, Xie Xuchuan, Xie Jingyuan, and Baozhen to come.
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