Chapter 70 Another Way to Make Money
Everyone had a great time, and their faces were full of happy smiles.
Even after getting ashore, Zhang Zhaodi's face was still flushed. She hugged Sheng An's arm and thanked him, saying, "Thanks to you today, I ate well, drank well, and had a great time. I haven't been this happy in a long time."
It was as if the village gossip was no longer worth mentioning at that moment.
Sheng An pinched her best friend's rosy cheeks: "Come over and play whenever you have time, I'll cook you something delicious."
Zhang Zhaodi didn't stand on ceremony with her: "Okay, I have a lot of dried bamboo shoots and wild mushrooms at home, I'll bring you some next time."
The Zhang family had a daughter who married into a family at the foot of the mountain. Every rainy season, she would gather a lot of wild mushrooms and send some to the Zhang family.
Sheng An didn't stand on ceremony with Zhang Zhaodi: "I'll make you a mushroom and chicken stew, it's delicious."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhaodi couldn't help but swallow hard.
She wasn't hungry, but the thought of the delicious lunch made her feel like she could eat another bowl.
Upon returning to Shengyuan, Master Jiang and his four students rode away.
Xu Cuilian's family was also preparing to go back, especially the Zhang butcher and his four sons, who had to rush to the countryside to collect pigs and could not stay in Shengyuan for long.
Zhang Xiao Kui was reluctant to leave, looking at Sheng An with longing eyes: "Sister-in-law, next time I'll come over for a meal, don't mind, okay?"
Sheng An chuckled and handed him a tightly wrapped oil paper package: "Take this home and eat it. Come over whenever you're craving something sweet."
Zhang Xiao Kui's eyes lit up, and he immediately took the oil paper package and brought it to his nose to sniff: "Wow, it's roast chicken, the fragrant roast chicken we had for lunch!"
Xu Cuilian couldn't sit still any longer and scolded Sheng An, "You're eating and taking things at the same time, do you have too much money to burn?"
Sheng An smiled and said, "A chicken doesn't cost much. Why are you being so polite with me, Aunt? I've eaten plenty of the pork you sent me before."
Xu Cuilian couldn't refuse, so she slapped her youngest son on the forehead: "Hurry up and thank your cousin-in-law."
Zhang Xiao Kui immediately bowed at a 90-degree angle: "Thank you, sister, you're like my own sister!"
Xu Cuilian was both amused and exasperated: "You little rascal, your sister-in-law is your sister-in-law, don't try to claim kinship with me like that."
Zhang Xiaokui, holding a roast chicken, grinned from ear to ear: "Calling me 'sister' makes us feel closer."
We're separated by three thousand miles; calling my cousin-in-law feels too distant.
Everyone was speechless, but they didn't argue with him about the way he addressed them, since they were family.
Zhang Zhaodi also wanted to go back; it wasn't safe for a young woman like her to walk in the dark.
Sheng An also slipped her an oil paper package: "Take this back for your uncle and aunt to try."
Zhang Zhaodi was too embarrassed to accept it, but it was only after being persuaded by others that she finally accepted it.
After seeing them off at the door and watching them disappear, Sheng An locked the courtyard gate and went inside.
"You've had a long day. Go upstairs and get some rest. I'll cook dinner."
Xu Jinnian noticed the fatigue on Sheng An's face and took her hand to walk upstairs.
Sheng An was indeed tired, but she wasn't sleepy at the moment: "Take a shower before you sleep tonight. Remember to boil two extra kettles of water; I need to wash my hair too."
After spending the morning in the smoky, fiery kitchen, she felt her hair had absorbed the marinade.
"I'll go boil water now, while the sun is still shining and it'll dry quickly."
Xu Jinnian came up behind Sheng An and massaged her shoulders, neck and arms, which had been tired all morning.
Sheng An comfortably squinted his eyes and leaned back lazily in his chair: "Tomorrow I'll go to the brokerage firm and bring back the people I've already picked. If all goes well, we'll open for business on the 26th of this month."
Xu Jinnian had no objection: "You can arrange these things as you see fit. Just let me know if there's anything I need to do."
Sheng An nodded: "Could you write an invitation for me? I'd like to invite Master Ding and Young Master Ding to Sheng Garden for dinner as a way of thanking them for gifting us this house."
Of course, the gratitude was just a pretense; the real purpose was to let them know that Shengyuan was opening.
She acquired this house through her own abilities, in an equal exchange with the Ding family, and she didn't feel she owed the Ding family anything.
"Okay, I'll finish writing it tonight and have someone deliver it to the Ding family tomorrow."
On the other side, Zhang Zhaodi and the Zhang family were going to walk together for a while. The four members of the Zhang family, father and sons, walked in front, while she and Xu Cuilian lagged behind to talk.
The two were already familiar with each other, their temperaments were compatible, and there was no generation gap when they chatted.
Xu Cuilian grew increasingly pleased with Zhang Zhaodi, feeling that she was the daughter-in-law destined for her. Taking this opportunity, she intentionally or unintentionally revealed her troubles to Zhang Zhaodi:
"Da Kui is only a year younger than his cousin. Your Uncle Zhang and I are so worried about his marriage that we can't sleep at night."
Zhang Zhaodi glanced subconsciously at the "tower" in front of her, and by sheer coincidence, her eyes met those of the "tower" that was looking back.
She was startled and quickly looked away, her heart pounding wildly.
My goodness, no matter how many times she saw it, she still found this big guy terrifying.
Especially when he's not smiling, it's hard not to suspect that he's had a criminal record.
Well, a pig's life is a life too. Anyway, she was scared by that fierce aura.
Xu Cuilian, oblivious to Zhang Zhaodi's unusual behavior, continued to pour out her grievances:
"This brat is a bit dim-witted. He has no idea how to get along with girls. If he weren't my son, I would kick him into the water and give him a good brainwashing."
Zhang Zhaodi chuckled, then quickly composed herself and reassured her, "Auntie, someone as good as you will surely find a suitable wife. These things take time, you can't rush them."
Xu Cuilian was anxious, fearing that if she delayed, the daughter-in-law she had chosen would end up with someone else.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up with a brilliant idea, and she quickly called to her eldest and youngest sons in front of her:
“It’s not safe for Zhao Di, a young woman, to walk alone. You two are responsible for taking her to the village entrance later, and you should come back after you see Zhao Di enter the village.”
If Da Kui were to deliver it alone, it would be easy for others to misunderstand and tarnish Zhao Di's reputation.
Xiao Kui has a tender face; he looks like a kid who hasn't even grown all his hair yet. With him around, no one will think much of it.
Zhang Zhaodi glanced at the sky and, feeling there was no need to refuse, quickly said, "No need, Auntie. My home is not far from the city, just a few steps away. Don't trouble Brother Da Kui and the others."
Xu Cuilian said reproachfully, "You said it's just a few steps, it's no trouble at all."
Unable to refuse, Zhang Zhaodi could only look to the Zhang brothers, hoping they would be stubborn and refuse their mother's request.
Zhang Xiao Kui, out of love for his cousin-in-law Sheng An, naturally extended goodwill to her only friend and readily agreed: "Sure, Huai Shu Village is nearby, it won't delay my brother and me from going to collect the pigs."
After stammering for a while, Zhang Daikui nodded with a flushed face under Xu Cuilian's threatening glare: "Okay."
However, because his skin was too dark, Xu Cuilian did not notice that her eldest son had blushed. She turned to Zhang Zhaodi with a smile and said, "Auntie doesn't have a daughter and dreams of having one. Come and play with Auntie whenever you have time."
Zhang Zhaodi thought it was just a polite remark, so she smiled and nodded: "I'll go see you when I have time."
She didn't notice that after saying those words, Zhang Daikui's eyes lit up, even though he had been looking down the whole time.
After taking a shower that evening, Sheng An didn't go to bed right away. Instead, she opened the gift that Zhang Zhaodi had brought.
The bundle was light and weightless, but its volume seemed rather large.
Sheng An curiously untied it, and a bamboo weaving half the height of a person appeared before her eyes.
Upon closer inspection, her lips twitched, and she felt an urge to rush to Huai Shu Village, pin Zhang Zhaodi to the bed, and spank her.
Why send a baby statue instead of a kitten or puppy? It's a huge bamboo Guanyin statue, so big that it takes up too much space to hide in a cabinet.
Xu Jinnian walked in with her hair down, surrounded by the fresh scent of a post-shower bath.
Seeing his wife standing motionless, he walked over in bewilderment and saw the excessively large Guanyin statue, and his lips twitched slightly.
Sheng An looked at Xu Jinnian helplessly: "What should we do about this?"
Anyway, I can't let the three elders in my family see it, otherwise they will definitely put it on a shrine and pray to the Bodhisattva to help her get pregnant soon.
Xu Jinnian couldn't help but chuckle and rubbed his wife's head: "There's a big cabinet in the study, let's put it in there, Grandpa and Grandma won't find it."
Sheng An nodded hurriedly: "Okay, your grandparents won't go to your study, so it's safest to put them there."
As he spoke, he picked up the Guanyin statue and prepared to leave.
After taking only a couple of steps, Sheng An exclaimed, "The weaving technique of this Guanyin statue is exquisite!"
She had visited a weaving museum in her previous life and had some knowledge of weaving. She could tell at a glance that this bamboo-woven Guanyin statue was different from ordinary weaving techniques.
Upon hearing this, Xu Jinnian walked over and examined it closely, marveling at its exquisite weaving technique: "Did your friend weave this by hand?"
Sheng An was unsure: "Zhao Di learned bamboo weaving from her maternal grandfather, but her technique wasn't this good, so I'm not sure if she did it."
Immediately, she placed the bamboo Guanyin statue on the table, a thought forming in her mind: "If it's not Zhao Di, then it's someone she knows. I'll ask her about it later."
A well-made bamboo weave can be a work of art.
If it's a work of art, it has the potential to be monetized.
Sheng An felt that he might have found another way to make money, and without having to spend too much effort.
Exhausted from the day, Sheng An slept exceptionally well that night and went to the dental clinic feeling refreshed the next day.
As soon as the slave trader saw her, he immediately greeted her with a beaming smile: "Madam Sheng, the people you chose last time have been trained and their indentures have been processed for you. You can take them away at any time."
Sheng An was very satisfied with the human trafficker's efficiency: "Check the person first. If there are no problems, I'll take him away now."
The slave trader nodded and bowed, "Yes, yes, I'll have them come over right away."
After saying that, he hurriedly walked away.
A short while later, the slave trader returned, followed by eight young men and women, the oldest no more than twenty and the youngest only twelve or thirteen years old.
The eight men had learned proper etiquette, bowing respectfully to Sheng An and saying, "Greetings, Master."
Sheng An looked him over and, after confirming that he was the person he had chosen, took out two ten-tael silver notes from his purse and handed them to the broker.
This is the final payment for the person; sixty taels had already been paid previously.
Seeing Sheng An's straightforwardness, the slave trader's smile grew even more eager, and he quickly handed over the indenture and receipt to Sheng An: "Please take a look."
Sheng An carefully examined the document and, after confirming there were no problems, nodded to the slave trader: "I'll definitely come to you next time I need something."
The slave trader immediately burst into laughter, his teeth practically disappearing from his eyes.
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