Chapter 88 Family Business
Whenever the Lin family managed to accumulate a little money, they would always spend it all. First, they bought a house, then their two sons and daughter got married. Although these were all good things, they never managed to save any money.
Lin sighed, "I've been busy for almost a year, and I'm even less money left. When do you think I'll be able to just lie down and have money to spend?"
“That day will come eventually,” Qiao Mianmian said. “Now that you have money, what do you want to do most? Buy land and shops? Or buy a house?”
“No, not at all.” Madam Lin shook her head. “Silly girl, the money you’ve saved up now is all part of your dowry. You’ve already come of age, and the furniture has started to be made. What about the remaining headdresses and jewelry? Don’t you need money for them?”
She smiled and said, "A daughter is like a tree that cannot stay at home once she grows up. I think I will be very reluctant to let you go when you get married."
She only had three daughters in her life, and all of them were going to marry out of the family. Who could she confide in in her husband's family?
Qiao Mianmian snuggled up to her mother and said, "Then I'll marry someone closer to home. You can choose a family even closer than the Wang family, and I'll come to see you every day."
"Is that even possible?" Madam Lin laughed heartily, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes revealing the marks of time. "Besides, you need someone handsome and wealthy; where are you going to find that so easily?"
She shook her head as she spoke, "Luckily you're young, no need to rush. Take a nap, you'll be busy this evening."
Qiao Mianmian nodded, but she wasn't sleepy. She leaned against the window and waved to Zheng Sanhua as she passed by before tiptoeing downstairs.
"Sister Mianmian, here are some chestnuts for you." Zheng Sanhua grabbed a handful of chestnuts; a woodcutter had given them to her as a snack when she was collecting firewood. "How was business today?"
“My business is doing well. What about you? Have you found a shop yet?” Qiao Mianmian asked.
“It’s almost done. There’s someone selling firewood at the market, and I’ve talked to him a few times. My dad was hesitant, but I didn’t listen to him.” Zheng Sanhua thought to herself that there was a reason her father couldn’t make money. While others were trying to find ways to earn more, her father was just content with his small plot of land, happy to earn a few extra coins each day. “Alright, I’m not talking to you anymore. I have to go deliver firewood. Don’t tell anyone about this yet, or the whole alley will know.”
She's a girl, and many people have already said that she's doing this kind of physically demanding work. If she were to open a firewood shop, many people would definitely be skeptical. She wants to wait until the business is booming before letting everyone know that she, Zheng Sanhua, is no less capable than a man.
After watching Zheng Sanhua leave, Qiao Mianmian, thinking that she couldn't sleep, went to the kitchen to chop vegetables and happened to see Wang Sanzhu coming out of the kitchen.
She greeted him, but Wang Sanzhu ignored her.
"Second Brother, what's Third Brother doing here?" Qiao Mianmian asked as she entered the kitchen. "He doesn't seem very happy to me."
"He came to borrow money."
Qiao Jiaxing was chopping vegetables and preparing food. "I used to work with him at the docks, so we were somewhat acquainted. He's a year older than me, but we're not engaged yet. He came to me to borrow money, saying he wanted to buy a hairpin for his daughter. How could I lend him that kind of money?"
Qiao Mianmian thought it made sense. "If it were a legitimate relationship, Aunt Wang would definitely pay for it. Sanzhu wants to get married, and Aunt Wang must also be hoping for him to get married, but Sanzhu would rather borrow money from you than ask his family for money. There is something fishy about that."
“Yes, that’s why I said I have no money,” Qiao Jiaxing said. “I said our family hasn’t separated yet, I eat and live at home, and my mother hasn’t given me any money. He said my wife has money, so can I ask my wife for it?”
He shook his head as he spoke, "Judging from his tone, he was in a very urgent situation, so I definitely couldn't lend him the money."
It's said that you should lend to those in urgent need, not those who are poor. If this money is lent, it will probably be very difficult to get it back.
"Second brother, you're quite clever." Qiao Mianmian rolled up her sleeves and began preparing the dishes.
"Of course, your second brother is very shrewd, I would never be fooled. Mother just received two months' wages, I need to save them." Qiao Jiaxing said he had his eye on a house and planned to borrow money from a bank. "Your second sister-in-law and I will grit our teeth for the next two years, we can just not wear new clothes, pay back the money, and then life will be better."
He'll have children in the future, and there will be even more expenses. Right now, he eats and lives at home, so it doesn't matter if he doesn't wear new clothes. He'll at least have enough to eat.
Seeing that her second brother had such good ideas, Qiao Mianmian realized she didn't need to offer any advice herself.
What Qiao Mianmian didn't expect was that she had a smart second brother and an honest and upright eldest brother.
When she returned home in the evening, she noticed that her sister-in-law looked a little off. Taking advantage of the fact that no one else was around, she went to her sister-in-law's room to ask what was wrong.
"Sister-in-law, did my brother make you angry?" Qiao Mianmian sat down next to her sister-in-law. "Tell me what happened, and I'll go tell Dad."
"It's not that I'm angry with your older brother."
Hearing that her sister-in-law was going to complain, Hu Qianqian quickly explained, "I never thought there would be such shameless people in the world. Mom paid us our wages, and someone asked your older brother to borrow money. Your older brother said it was from the slaughterhouse, someone he used to work with slaughtering pigs with. I asked your older brother if it was reliable, and he said it should be okay, so we lent him the money."
"And the result?" Qiao Mianmian asked.
"He ran away, and now nobody can find him." Hu Qianqian was speechless. "Your older brother's other friends came looking for him, saying they couldn't find him either. That's when everyone found out that the bastard had borrowed money from everyone, as much as they could. Now they can't find him, and even their old mother doesn't know where he is."
“A group of grown men couldn’t very well take their anger out on an old woman. Even if it wasn’t much money, it was still money we worked hard to earn, so we were furious.”
Qiao Mianmian comforted her, "Sister-in-law, don't be angry. Your health is the most important thing. My brother is indeed a very simple-minded person, which is his good point, but sometimes it becomes a shortcoming. After this incident, you should keep your money in your own hands in the future and not lend money to others easily."
Hu Qianqian took a deep breath. "Yes, I won't lend it anymore."
“Learn from your mistakes. Consider it a lesson learned. If your brother needs to borrow money again, use this incident to warn him.”
Looking at her sister-in-law's prominent belly, Qiao Mianmian knew that soon there would be another little life in the family. "Of course, we can't just give him the money for nothing. There's bound to be something going on with that person borrowing so much money. As long as he's alive, he still has to pay it back."
"Your older brother said he'd be embarrassed to accept the money if the person is in trouble," Hu Qianqian snorted.
“Those who owe money are all shameless, but why can’t they ask for it? Don’t worry, I’ll go with you to ask for it. I can talk about this!” Qiao Mianmian patted her sister-in-law’s hand.
"Mianmian, it's all thanks to you. There are so many things you can't explain to your older brother." Hu Qianqian looked down at her lower abdomen. "I wish I could have a daughter as considerate as you."
Cao helped out at the food stall every day. She only had her grandparents at home, but being from two generations apart, it was difficult for them to become close. She genuinely liked her sister-in-law and tugged at Qiao Mianmian, asking for food.
Qiao Mianmian quickly said no, "Sister-in-law, I just ate, I'm really not hungry. You can keep it for yourself."
She really couldn't eat anymore. After exchanging a few words with her sister-in-law, she went out and saw her older brother sitting under the eaves. She went over and squatted down. "What's wrong, brother?"
Is your sister-in-law angry with me?
“No, you lent money out of kindness. You didn’t know the other person would run away. It’s not your fault,” Qiao Mianmian said. “What’s angry about you is the person who ran away. You trusted him so much, but he betrayed you like this. I feel sorry for you too, after all, it’s not easy for you to earn money.”
She smiled faintly, "But now that this has happened, if anyone borrows money from you in the future, just say you don't have any. If they're really in trouble, we'll help if we can, but for the rest, just say you can't make the decision yourself."
Her older brother was honest, straightforward, and didn't know how to be cunning. So her father had told her that her brother wasn't suited for business and would easily suffer losses if he did things with others.
But my older brother is diligent, capable, and never afraid of hardship; he's a great helper.
Qiao Jiawang looked up at his sister and said, "Actually, he used to be a really good person."
“I know, otherwise you wouldn’t have lent him the money. But people change, some for the better, some for the worse, no one can predict the future.” It was already dark, and Qiao Mianmian yawned. “Go in without worry, your sister-in-law won’t scold you. Besides, husbands and wives should be open about everything; keeping things bottled up will only lead to conflict. Look at your second brother, how talkative he is, right?”
Qiao Jiawang nodded, got up, patted his trouser legs, and went to fetch a basin of water for washing his feet.
Qiao Mianmian was sleepy and was about to go to rest when she saw the servant from across the street still standing there. She wondered why the Lu family hadn't rested yet.
Meanwhile, Lu Zhao was alone in the house with his grandmother.
The candlelight flickered in the wind, casting its glow on the faces of the two people, making Old Mrs. Lu's expression appear even more solemn.
"Are you really planning to settle down and build a career in Lin'an?" Old Mrs. Lu asked this question again.
Lu Zhao: "No matter where I am, I don't want to go back to Bianjing."
He couldn't let go of some things, and he didn't want to see some people. He didn't want to be a magnanimous person, nor did he have any ambition to rise to the top.
“Grandmother, when I first came to Lin’an, I was very confused. I didn’t know if I could live this kind of life, and I was afraid that I wouldn’t be used to it, and even more afraid that I would regret it. But as time went by, I felt a liveliness and freedom here that I had never experienced before, and I also experienced a family atmosphere that I envied. I have integrated into it and don’t want to make any changes.” Lu Zhao took a deep breath, and he spoke each word very seriously.
Grandma Lu looked at her grandson with heartache, "Don't you feel it's a pity? You started your education at three, entered the home school at five, and persisted in going to school in the cold winter and hot summer. You were about to make it, but..." The old lady beat her chest and stamped her feet, "but you were delayed by that bastard. Don't you feel regret for yourself?"
Her grandson was exceptionally talented in both literature and martial arts from a young age, even achieving the rare feat of passing all three levels of the imperial examinations. His teachers all said that this child had a bright future and would become a pillar of the nation. But now, her grandson has fled to Lin'an, and not only has he not become an official, but even his ambitions have been extinguished.
It would be a lie to say I have no regrets.
But that was in the past.
Lu Zhao could now look at his grandmother calmly and say, “Grandmother, not everyone has to have the world in their heart and make great achievements. When I was young, I listened to the teachings of my elders and studied hard, thinking that my life only had one path: studying. Later, due to changes in my family, I realized that there were many more choices. If one could go down in history, it would naturally bring glory to one’s ancestors, but I… do not want to bring glory to my ancestors.”
Lu Zhao now only wants to live according to his own feelings.
"Hey, you..."
Grandma Lu looked at her grandson, speechless for a long time. The words of advice she wanted to say stuck in her throat, but she swallowed them back in the end. "Have you made up your mind?"
"Yes, Grandmother."
"Alright, then I won't say any more. I'm an old man, and I don't know how much longer I can hold on for you."
Grandma Lu opened the box on the table, inside were the house deed, banknotes, and a gift list. "With me here, no one in the Lu family dares to say anything to you. But I'm getting old and can't support you for the rest of my life. The main reason I came here this time is to give you these things."
"I……"
"Don't say no, this is what you deserve." Old Mrs. Lu emphasized, "You still have the surname Lu, and you are the eldest grandson of the Lu family, so you should inherit the Lu family. I know that if I hadn't delivered it to you personally, you definitely wouldn't have wanted it."
So she made a special trip. "I'm old, I can't come to see you every year, and I don't want you to suffer. Since you say you don't want to bring honor to your ancestors, I won't force you, but you have to keep the money and the house deed. Do you really want these things to fall into the hands of that despicable mother and son?"
Lu Zhao lowered his head.
Grandma Lu continued, "Keep what is rightfully yours. The deed is for the Lu family mansion; after your father passes away, you can sell it or let others live there as you please. As for the hundred acres of fertile land outside Bianjing, they are all Lu family property. I'll leave a portion for your half-brother, and the majority will be yours."
After Lu Zhao's mother passed away, these properties were managed by the old lady Lu. "I will also send someone to deliver your mother's dowry. Selling the mansion will be enough to settle these things, but how can you fit them all in these three small houses?"
Grandma Lu was adamant: "Since you don't plan to go back, then stay in Lin'an and live a good life. That way I can be at ease. Do you want me to worry day and night?"
Lu Zhao shook his head.
"Since that's the case, you'll listen to me. We'll go buy a house together tomorrow. After I get back, I'll send your mother's dowry over." After saying all this, Old Madam Lu still had one important thing left: "There's one more thing. You're already twenty-two. Shouldn't you be engaged?"
"I don't have that idea for now," Lu Zhao said.
"That third daughter of the Zhao family comes to see me every few days. Anyone with eyes can see what she's up to. Although she's a little willful, she's devoted to you. You might want to consider it," Old Madam Lu suggested. "Otherwise, when I return to Bianjing, you'll only have Qingjiu, that clumsy girl, by your side. You won't even have a close confidante. How can I feel at ease?"
Others at this age are already fathers, and her son doesn't care about his grandson's marriage, so she has to plan it herself.
Lu Zhao: "I have already told Lord Zhao frankly that I am not destined to be with Miss Zhao."
"Alright, if you don't like Miss Zhao, I won't force you. Then we'll look for someone in Lin'an. I'll return to Bianjing whenever your marriage is arranged." This was the most important thing for Old Madam Lu on this trip. "There are many wealthy families in Lin'an. I don't need them to be from high-ranking families. As long as they are good people with respectable family backgrounds, and you like them, that's fine."
"But Grandmother, I really didn't..."
"There's no room for negotiation on this matter." Old Madam Lu said, then called over Granny Kong. "Tomorrow, go and find the best matchmaker in Lin'an City. I want to arrange a marriage for Zhao'er."
Granny Kong smiled and said, "Young Master does need a confidant by his side. I've noticed Qingjiu these past few days, and he doesn't seem like the type to take care of people. Young Master, please make your request, and we'll definitely pick the most suitable one for you."
The man at the door, Qingjiu, was indignant: ...How come he can't take care of people? And how is he not considerate?
He could only keep these words to himself. However, it was indeed a good thing that his master was getting married. He dared not mention this matter on ordinary days, and only the old lady could say it.
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