Lady Ding widened her eyes and poked Ji Xiulan’s head, "You foolish girl, no matter what, you’re getting sixty cash a day as a wage, what’s wrong with just sitting over there? Did they send you to work yourself to death or something?"
Upon hearing this, Ji Xiulan wasn’t as resistant, but she still muttered, "My hands aren’t used to doing rough work."
Lady Ding sneered and dragged her out directly, "Let’s go say it now, with so many villagers here, they’d surely be ashamed not to give their own family a bowl of rice, right?"
Ji Dashan wanted to stop her, but seeing Lady Ding had already left, he knew he couldn’t, so he hurriedly followed behind, afraid she might make a scene again.
Ji Xinhe’s courtyard was bustling, men gathered in Ji Dong’s room to discuss how to build the new house, where to build it, and all these matters which Ji Xinhe wasn’t good at, had been left to Ji Dong to handle.
In another room, Hong Qin and a few others were busily making pickles, turning the little room into a small workshop.
Ji Xinhe heard the sound of the courtyard door being pushed open and called out without leaving her work, "Who is it?"
As soon as the words fell, she saw Lady Ding standing at their door with a frowning face, dragging Ji Xiulan and followed by Ji Dashan.
Ji Xinhe’s smile faded instantly, "What are you here for?"
Lady Ding widened her eyes, "What do you mean, what are we here for? After we separated only a few days ago, you already forget how to call your parents?"
Xiao Bei was frightened as soon as he heard Lady Ding speak, he quickly hid behind Ji Xinhe, Ji Xinhe’s eyes became colder and she said nothing more.
Lady Ding felt intimidated by Ji Xinhe’s icy glare, she averted her gaze, coughed awkwardly twice, then said, "Forget it, I will not fuss with you over this."
You dare not, right?
Lady Ding pushed Ji Xiulan towards Ji Xinhe, "I heard you’re hiring workers. Your dad and your sister are idle at home with nothing to do. They can come over and help you out."
Ji Xinhe responded with a fake smile, "Lend a hand? I’ve been so busy these days, it’d be great if dad and Sister Xiulan could help."
She had assumed that there would be some haggling before they grudgingly agreed. Unexpectedly, she agreed right away, which startled Lady Ding. After a moment of shock, she said, "That’s perfect! How about starting tomorrow?"
"Sure, I’m really grateful that my parents are so understanding and are specially taking time out to help me out. I’ll keep some tasks for Sister Xiulan and dad. You can come over any time." Ji Xinhe replied cheerfully.
Lady Ding became aware that something was off. What’s this about gratitude? It feels as if she’s offering help for free?
Lady Ding couldn’t help reminding, "What about the wage? It should be at least sixty to seventy cash per day, right? We are family after all, you should give us more."
Ji Xinhe looked amazed at Lady Ding, acting as if she heard something unimaginable, "You’re asking for wages!?"
This immediately infuriated Lady Ding, but she still tried to suppress her anger, "How is it possible to not need wages? Who works for free?"
Ji Xinhe looked flustered as she turned towards Aunt Gui Xiang and the others, "I guess it’s because I’m younger and don’t understand these rules. I thought that when your own father helps you, you probably wouldn’t need to pay him?"
As soon as these words came out, Ji Dashan’s face turned red with embarrassment.
Receiving money for helping your own child, this didn’t exist not just in Yang Luo Bay, but in the whole Great Cold Dynasty.
Aunt Gui Xiang chuckled, "So they’ve resorted to preying on their children after selling all the family land. When our distant relatives need help, we are too ashamed to ask for money. This is the first time I’ve heard of a father charging his own child for a bit of work. Old Ji, you better watch out, don’t let your wife ruin your reputation."
What a joke!
Ji Dashan’s face turned beet red and he quickly said, "Of course I wouldn’t take any money. Xin He, Dongzi, and Xiao Bei are all my own children. Helping them with some work while I am idle is nothing."
No matter how fiercely Lady Ding glared at him, Ji Dashan clenched his teeth and remained silent, unable to utter a word about asking for money.
It’s not that he loves the children too much, but in his heart, what matters most is his own face.
If word of this gets out, it would really be humiliating. How would the villagers look at him then? 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
Only then did Lady Ding angrily say, "You really have the nerve to let your father do your work for free. Do you know your father has to work as a laborer in town to make money? You heartless thing!"
Ji Xinhe blinked innocently, "Dad is doing hard labor? Didn’t we just sell two acres of land recently? We even got fourteen silver for that. Has it all been spent already? With that amount of money, our family could live for half a year. Since dad didn’t give me that money, I don’t know who spent it. It really is heartless to spend such a big amount and let my dad go out to earn money for them."
"You!" Lady Ding was half-dead with anger.
Ji Xinhe laughed, "Why are you angry? I was scolding the person who unscrupulously spent my dad’s land sale money."
At this, there was a burst of subdued laughter in the room.
Ji Dashan couldn’t sit still any longer, his face was burning, he quickly turned around and walked away.
Lady Ding gritted her teeth, giving Ji Dashan an annoyed glance, then she dragged Ji Xiulan and said, "Let Xiulan help you make pickles. She’s not exactly your blood sister, so we naturally have to calculate her wages!"
Ji Xinhe sneered, just a moment ago she was saying they were sisters, and now they were not even close sisters anymore.
There was a hint of mockery on Ji Xinhe’s face as she said sarcastically, "Is that so? But I remember that Sister Xiulan is a noblewoman. You said it yourself. She’s going to be an official’s wife in the future, she won’t be able to do lowly work like us."
"I didn’t..." Lady Ding quickly tried to explain.
Ji Xinhe swiftly cut her off with a cold glance, "You said so much back then, and now I’m hesitating to tarnish Xiulan’s noble future. Let’s have Xiulan sit at home and wait to become an official’s wife, I can’t afford to keep her."
Lady Ding stomped her foot in anger, "Ji Xinhe! Don’t push your luck! While you live comfortably here, your parents, sisters, and brothers are suffering, aren’t you afraid that the villagers will call you unfilial!"
Ji Xinhe nonchalantly said, "What do I have to fear? Was there any fear of village gossip when the Ji family threw a ’bedridden’ brother, a young brother, and me out without a penny in the face of the approaching winter? If parents can be so thick-skinned, why can’t I?"
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