"I... I guess I won't go," Zhang Dahe said, though he was tempted. The thought of all the wealthy people coming and going made him instantly feel inferior and a bit scared. He was also worried about being a bother to them.
"It's alright. The shop is quite busy these days. Go help me out," Zhang Changhe said with a smile, looking at his elder brother. He knew that only by making his brother feel useful would he not refuse.
As expected, upon hearing that his younger brother needed his help, Zhang Dahe immediately nodded. His brother had brought back a lot of silver recently, and he felt he owed him greatly. He was worrying about how to repay him when the opportunity presented itself.
Fang Xuehua breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. It was best if her husband could go and help. If possible, she wished he could stay at the shop forever. Now that her younger brother-in-law had changed so much and knew to bring money home, their lives had been worry-free for the past few years.
What made her even happier was that not long ago, her younger brother-in-law had actually taught her two children at home, saying he wanted them to learn some characters so they could be sent to a private school. The thought of her two boys being able to study like her younger brother-in-law made her heart feel as sweet as honey.
Although she had once resented her younger brother-in-law for burying his head in books all day and being inflexible, she was actually envious. After all, people like her younger brother-in-law were rare. Most people, if they couldn't study further, would find work as accountants, which could still support a family.
The more she thought about it, the more hopeful she felt about their future. She couldn't help but eat a few more bites. She had felt despair and helplessness in this home, even wanting to leave, but in just a month, everything had changed dramatically. All these changes were brought about by that Miss Li.
Even though Miss Li hadn't entered the house yet, Fang Xuehua had decided that once she did, her word would be law. As long as she didn't harm her two children, Fang Xuehua would even be willing to serve her like a servant.
So, after a moment of hesitation, she asked cautiously, "Miss Li has been so good to you. Shouldn't you find a matchmaker to propose to her?"
Hearing this, Zhang Dahe also looked at his younger brother with a serious expression. Although he hadn't interacted much with Miss Li, he felt that the young lady seemed very pleasant and acted very steadily. Not to mention marrying his younger brother, he would have agreed without hesitation if his younger brother were to become a live-in son-in-law. But the key question was, would the young lady be willing to marry him? Would she look down on their family?
Seeing how serious his elder brother and sister-in-law were, Zhang Changhe was overjoyed. He felt a sense of pride; his wife was truly lovable, having only met his brother and sister-in-law once, yet they were already so concerned about her. Unlike his brother and sister-in-law's urgency, he knew Wu Caiwei wouldn't escape him this lifetime and said nonchalantly, "No rush for now. When we're ready to get married, we'll definitely tell you."
"Why no rush? She's not married yet, and you two are so close. It's bad for her reputation. You don't care, everyone knows you're a wanderer, and at your age, no one wants to marry you. But she's different. She's capable and has money; she can find someone better if she leaves you.
What if you damage her reputation and make it impossible for her to marry? Won't she lose out terribly?" Zhang Dahe heard his brother's words and assumed he was just stringing the young lady along and had no intention of marrying her. He immediately put down his chopsticks and looked at him with a dark gaze.
"Brother, are you really my brother? Why are you considering her in every word? It's not that I don't want to get married, but Miss Li has some matters to attend to. Once those are settled, and I've saved up a certain amount of silver, it will be time to get married," Zhang Changhe said playfully, looking at his brother.
Zhang Dahe coughed awkwardly. He thought his younger brother was unwilling, but it turned out Miss Li had matters to attend to. His expression immediately softened, and he warned him with concern, "Miss Li is a good girl. You must not let her down."
Zhang Changhe nodded immediately, and then they began to eat. Looking at the more abundant dishes on the table, he felt a warmth in his heart, especially seeing his two nephews with rosy complexions recently due to better food.
He didn't know why, but after so many lifetimes, he had always been without connection to his family. This was the first time someone had considered his well-being in every way. To be honest, Zhang Changhe was quite touched. He felt the care from people other than Wu Caiwei. This feeling was new, and he cherished it.
The warmth here contrasted sharply with Liu Baishi's rage. The atmosphere in the Liu family was exceptionally grim. Ren Jiajia looked at the dwindling items in the storeroom. The thought of her son inheriting an empty Liu family in the future made her anxious.
"Master, is there really no other way?" she asked, unwilling to give up.
"What other way can I have? Who could have imagined that woman Li Siqin was so formidable? In just a few months, she has completely crushed our business. How we'll live in the future has become a major problem," Liu Baishi said irritably. This was the first time in many years that he had thought of Li Jinyu. If Li Jinyu were still alive, facing such a situation, could she have fought Li Shiqin to a draw? Or even defeated her? The Liu family wouldn't be in such a crisis.
Ren Jiajia had been with him for so many years and was best at observing his expressions. She knew he was thinking of Li Jinyu the moment his expression changed. She immediately burst into tears, saying aggrievedly, "Are you thinking of her again? I know my business acumen isn't as good as hers, and I'm not as beautiful as she is."
If such a thing had happened before, Liu Baishi would have comforted her. But today, he was not in the mood, and he was indeed thinking that way, so he was too lazy to placate her.
This time, Ren Jiajia was truly hurt. She said resentfully, "When we got married, you knew my abilities weren't as good as hers. I also said early on that I shouldn't manage your business outside. What did you say then? You said you wanted to marry a virtuous wife like me, not someone independent, otherwise, what's the point of having a man?
But now you're going back on your word. If I had known, I wouldn't have married you. Maybe I'd be living a happy and peaceful life now instead of being constantly anxious and having no money to spend in my old age."
Liu Baishi was already angry. Hearing her words, which implied regret, he also became angry. He felt she was being too inconsiderate and shouted, "You're still feeling wronged? All these years, besides managing the household perfectly, what else have you done? What have I gained from being with you? When facing problems, you not only can't help me but also start feeling wronged here. Touch your conscience, in all these years of our marriage, have I ever mistreated you?"