Fan Jin's mind was not on Qin Wanyue in front of him at all. He only heard her praising the fine fabric of his wife and children's clothes, and he said with pride, "I chose the fabric, and it is indeed fine."
Qin Wanyue was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to go up or down.
She asked, feigning concern, "Aren't you worried about being looked down upon, senior?"
Fan Jin countered, "Why should I worry about being looked down upon when I'm dressing my wife and children well?"
Moreover, he had always been looked down upon by others.
People look down on him not because of what Shuiqing and the child wore or did, but because of who he is.
Qin Wanyue thought of Zheng Pingsheng, who frequently visited places like Shanhai Tower to "make connections with powerful and influential people." As a scholar, he couldn't cut back on any expenses, so he could only save money for her and the child.
Even the money for buying groceries is repeatedly cut back.
Whenever I ran out of money and reached out to ask him for more, he would interrogate me about what I had bought with every penny and when I had spent it.
No one is as considerate as my senior.
Her eyes were brimming with tears, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall, recalling with endless sorrow: "Back then, Father originally intended to betroth me to you. If it had really come to pass, given your feelings for me, Senior Brother, I...I..."
"If you have to blame someone, blame fate for being so cruel. Blame Wanyue for being unlucky, which is why she had to endure such torment."
She looked at the oxcart; the sturdy oxen must cost at least a dozen taels of silver.
The cart pulled behind the oxcart was piled high with things, and there were even six little rabbits on it!
Thinking of her cramped house in the alley, she couldn't even raise two chickens to lay eggs and improve her meals, while her senior brother's family could raise six rabbits.
Why was she so short-sighted back then, thinking that her senior brother was just a rich man in the village while Zheng Pingsheng was from the prefectural city? She never expected that after marrying into the family, she would find herself crammed into two small rooms with her parents-in-law, seeing each other all the time.
"Your house must be really big, right? You can even keep rabbits there. My house..."
Fan Jin's brows furrowed as he listened to the beginning, and he interrupted abruptly, "The houses in the prefectural city are naturally different from those in the village." He had already lost patience and was only thinking about how to end this reunion and get back to his family as soon as possible.
He looked up and carefully examined the old friend in front of him.
The current dynasty imposes many restrictions on women. She herself is a commoner with no official rank or power, and not so outstanding that anyone would remember her. She certainly doesn't warrant a woman abandoning propriety and disregarding social norms. Were her earlier words merely a prelude...?
Qin Wanyue's hidden vanity was satisfied.
Yes, even if a house in the prefectural city is so small that it's difficult to turn around, it's still in the prefectural city! It's very valuable.
So what if the houses in the village are big? Rural areas aren't worth much.
However, "Senior Brother must have a lot of money, right? Wanyue would like to ask, how did you earn it?"
Fan Jin was already suspicious, and when he heard Qin Wanyue asking about his ways of making money, he immediately became alert.
He finally understood why an old friend he hadn't seen for over a decade was waiting for him to reminisce.
Wealth can be very tempting.
He hardened his expression and said, "That's not something you should be asking."
Qin Wanyue opened her mouth, looking at her senior brother with a surprised and incredulous expression.
Her usually gentle and good-tempered senior brother, who never refused anyone, would also say harsh words to her.
Moreover, she had said so many suggestive things, making her think that she loved him and had suffered because of him all these years, yet her senior brother was still indifferent to her and guarded against her.
"Senior brother, Wanyue has always treated you like family, so why are you still wary of her?"
Fan Jin stared intently at the woman before him.
To find out whether this reunion was her doing alone, or whether Zheng Pingsheng was involved.
If it were just her doing, it would only be pathetic. But if Zheng Pingsheng was giving her instructions and guidance, then Qin Wanyue would be not only pathetic but also hateful.
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