Chapter 99: No Takebacks
Lu Chengjing was helpless. “You sure know how to do business.”
“How is this doing business?” Qiao Yu’an said. “You know I get a huge headache just looking at the account book. I don’t trust anyone else, so I can only find you.”
Lu Chengjing glanced at him. “Why not hire an accountant?”
Qiao Yu’an didn’t know what came to mind, a trace of gloom flashing in his eyes, then he smiled again. “How about you come be my accountant? I’ll pay you double the monthly salary.”
After saying that, he waited for Lu Chengjing to refuse. After all, he had invited him many times before, but unexpectedly this time Lu Chengjing didn’t outright reject it.
A small bit of anticipation immediately rose in his heart. He persuaded, “Lots of money, little work, can be done at home. Think about it?”
Lu Chengjing pondered for a moment, then asked solemnly, “How much is the monthly salary?”
“You… serious?” Qiao Yu’an was so shocked his eyes nearly popped out. He couldn’t help looking toward the horizon.
The sun didn’t rise from the west either.
He hurriedly said, “Four taels of silver per month. If you agree, no take-backs.”
Four taels… Lu Chengjing did some mental calculations. He couldn’t help much with family matters now and was often a burden instead. Four taels of silver could at least cover his monthly brush and ink expenses, and even subsidize the family a bit.
Qiao Yu’an looked at Lu Chengjing eagerly, waiting for him to nod.
But Lu Chengjing didn’t agree rashly. He asked, “My legs and feet are inconvenient. Normally I can’t do the accounting work in the shop. You still want to hire me like this?”
“Why bother you with those trifles? Just leave them to the shopkeeper.” Qiao Yu’an said, “You just need to check the accounts for me once a month. I’ll have A Le deliver them to you. It’s just that the accounts are more at mid-year and year-end, so it’ll require a bit more of your effort.”
Whether intentionally or not, he emphasized the words “your effort.”
Lu Chengjing’s eyebrow twitched slightly as he looked at his friend.
Qiao Yu’an still had that carefree expression, his eyes full of expectation as he waited for him to agree.
Thinking of Qiao Yu’an’s big family, Lu Chengjing sighed inwardly and finally nodded in agreement.
Qiao Yu’an jumped up excitedly, directly took off his sachet and stuffed it into Lu Chengjing’s hand. “Deal. This is this month’s monthly salary.”
Lu Chengjing weighed the sachet. More than four taels. So he came prepared after all.
“This trip was worth it.” Qiao Yu’an hummed a little tune, tapping a rhythm with his folding fan.
Once he took the money, he had to handle affairs. Lu Chengjing took the account book and flipped it open, about to check the accounts, when Qiao Yu’an’s humming suddenly stopped. His voice was different from his usual cheerfulness. “Since you knew there was something wrong with the tea, why drink it?”
Lu Chengjing paused, and only after a long while said, “Wanted to investigate some things.”
Hearing this, complex emotions flashed in Qiao Yu’an’s eyes.
“Does younger brother’s wife know?”
“Didn’t know before.” Thinking of Shang Wan’s exceptional hearing, Lu Chengjing helplessly curled his lip. “She might know now.”
Qiao Yu’an immediately changed the subject. “You’re really not going back to the county school?”
“Not going back.” Lu Chengjing slowly turned a page.
Qiao Yu’an turned to look at him. “What are your plans going forward?”
Lu Chengjing didn’t know what came to mind, a light laugh spilling from his lips. “Recovering from injury, living life well.”
“You sure think openly.” Qiao Yu’an sighed lightly. “Do you know your good big brother’s leg is broken?”
“Not on the same family tree.” Lu Chengjing said indifferently. “Lots of people breaking legs lately.”
Qiao Yu’an nodded. “Yeah, not one of them is worry-free.”
After that, the two no longer talked. Lu Chengjing took the money and checked the accounts, while Qiao Yu’an went to play with Yuan Yuan and took the chance to pet the wolf.
Meanwhile, the master and two disciples sat briefly to rest. Gao Yan picked up the medicinal tea and drank half a bowl in one go, feeling a refreshing sensation spread from his mouth to his stomach, invigorating his spirits, both relieving fatigue and comfortable.
He SIZhi had no interest in tea, looking repeatedly toward the wooden shed, uncertainly asking his two disciples, “Take a look for me. Where’s Liang Liang?”
“Isn’t Liang Liang playing turtles with the host family’s baby?” Ma Jieyong pointed at Qiao Yu’an who was squatting with Yuan Yuan watching ants, suddenly noticing the clothes color was wrong.
Not only the clothes color was wrong, the figure was wrong too.
“Oh no, that’s not Liang Liang!”
He SIZhi immediately grew anxious. “You two rest a bit and then keep working. I’ll go find Liang Liang.”
“Liang Liang went to play with kids from the village. He’ll be back before mealtime.” Hearing He SIZhi ask, Lu Chengjing comforted him warmly.
Thinking of Liang Liang’s shy and timid nature, He SIZhi worried his son would be bullied and grew even more anxious. He hurriedly asked, “Where did he go to play?”
This stumped Lu Chengjing. To watch the excitement was definitely at Gao Family, but Gao Family’s excitement should be over by now. Kids ran all over the village. How would he know exactly where?
“What’s wrong?” Qiao Yu’an saw He SIZhi full of anxiety and couldn’t help coming over to ask.
He SIZhi didn’t know him and saw from his attire he wasn’t a villager, so he didn’t say much, just that he needed to find Liang Liang.
Seeing him so anxious his forehead was sweating, Lu Chengjing naturally didn’t stop him.
Hearing it was to find a child, Qiao Yu’an wanted to stroll around the village anyway, so he went along too.
Under Yuan Yuan’s insistent babbling demands, she was also taken along.
As soon as she left, Xiao Hui followed on its own.
With Xiao Hui and Yuan Yuan, finding a child in the village was a piece of cake.
When the group found Liang Liang, the kid was with other children, all pouting their butts playing marbles.
His usually expressionless little face was flushed with excitement, eyes sparkling bright, looking full of vibrant energy.
He SIZhi was directly stunned, standing in place without going over.
Qiao Yu’an turned to look at him and saw his eyes red like he was about to cry, couldn’t help secretly sighing that marbles had great charm.
He SIZhi sniffed, laughing wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes. “Let the kids play.”
Qiao Yu’an was just accompanying to find the person. Since the kid’s own dad had spoken, he naturally had no objection.
As for little friend Yuan Yuan, the only one with an objection, she had already fallen asleep in Qiao Yu’an’s arms, missing the chance to play marbles with the little brothers.
The group returned the way they came. Liang Liang seemed to sense something and looked up, only seeing a wolf tail.
Li Xiaoshan shouted urgently, “Liang Liang, quick, hit Jin Shun’s. Knock his marble flying!”
“Okay.” Liang Liang agreed, aimed at Jin Shun’s marble and shot, actually knocking it flying.
Jin Shun, closest to the cave, stomped in anger and ran to pick up his own flown marble.
Hu Zi laughed gleefully, but the next second his own marble was knocked flying too, and he couldn’t laugh anymore.
Meanwhile.
In the mountain forest, Xiao Huan was like she had entered treasure mountain, hands and mouth never stopping.
She plucked wood ears from the tree trunk, muttering they could be eaten cold-mixed.
She pushed aside a pile of rotten leaves and deftly pried out several wild mushrooms, chattering that they made delicious soup.
For plants that were like weeds in Shang Wan’s eyes, she “crack crack crack” snapped them off. This one cleared heat, that one reduced fire, good eaten in porridge, good stir-fried.
Bamboo shoots were good too. Dig a few to take away.
Even after the bamboo basket was full, she still grabbed two handfuls of unknown grass to bring along, handing one to the absent-minded Shang Wan. “Sis, try this. This grass is sweet.”
