"Repay? What are you going to give me?"
"Chen Qiao owes our family a lot of grain. Do you have the ability to pay it back?"
Hearing Ye Ming's grain repayment, Tian Xiuhua decided to temporarily tolerate Ye Ming's beating.
"Stop talking nonsense. Just tell me how much I owe you."
Tian Xiuhua held up five fingers.
"Five dan of coarse rice and a basket of sweet potatoes."
"Nonsense! I only borrowed one dan of millet and half a basket of sweet potatoes from you!"
Chen Qiao retorted immediately.
"Haven't I got you any interest after lending it to you for so long?"
"Do you really think I'm borrowing it for free?"
Looking at Ye Ming's clothing, Tian Xiuhua was ready to rip him off.
After all, someone who could wear silk must be well-made.
"Xiao Rong, hurry up and leave me alone."
"Tian Xiuhua is robbing!"
Chen Qiao didn't know why her foolish son-in-law stopped being foolish, but five dan of coarse rice was something most people couldn't afford in one sitting.
"I'll give it to you."
"Is one tael of silver enough?"
Ye Ming pulled out a tael of silver from his pocket and waved it in front of Tian Xiuhua, her mother, and her son.
"Enough, enough, enough!"
Now one or two taels of silver can buy three kilograms of fine rice, which is enough.
"Okay, then go away!"
Tian Xiuhua took the silver with a look of joy and prepared to go home.
"Mom, we can't just let them go. This guy just beat us."
"Yes, we have to give some money for medical expenses."
Aren't there a few such top-notch people in every village?
"If you still want medical expenses, you can forget about these two silvers."
Seeing Ye Ming's hand reaching out to grab the silver, Tian Dajiao quickly put the silver in his arms.
"Forget it, today I'll suffer a loss for the sake of these two silvers."
"Big brother, let's go!"
The two brothers made a harsh remark before leaving.
"Humph, don't let me meet you next time."
After the three left, Su Xiaorong and her son began to reminisce about the past.
"Son-in-law, you shouldn't have given them so much money."
"I didn't even lend them that much food."
"Oh, that damn Tian Xiuhua! I should have starved to death if I'd known I'd never lend them food."
Chen Qiao cried, cursing Tian Xiuhua non-stop.
"Okay, mother, let's not talk about this anymore."
"Yes, mother, I don't need this little money.
I'll just feed the dog." "It's cold outside. Let's go inside."
Seeing that Ye Ming and his daughter weren't distressed, Chen Qiao's guilt eased a little.
Once inside, the flames in the fire pit were still extinguished.
However, the firewood piled behind them was almost gone, leaving only a small pile of withered leaves.
Once inside, Chen Qiao pulled her daughter aside and quietly asked about Ye Ming.
Su Xiaorong, in turn, recounted her story of marrying into the Ye family,
but omitted the details about Ye Ming's divine connection.
Hearing how her daughter had lived in the cowshed, freezing when she first married, choked her heart.
Chen Qiao gently stroked Su Xiaorong's face, her voice tearing up as she said, "My daughter, you've suffered so much."
"I haven't suffered much, Mother. My husband treats me so well. He gives me three meals a day, and even meat every day."
"I've gained some weight now."
Su Xiaorong was indeed a bit fatter now than when Ye Ming had just traveled through time.
Her sallow skin had become fairer and rosier, and her spirits had improved considerably.
After listening to Su Xiaorong's words, Chen Qiao also began to carefully examine her.
Confirming her daughter was healthy, a smile finally appeared on her face.
"Good, as long as she's doing well."
"Don't worry, Mother. I'm taking good care of Xiaorong. She won't go hungry."
Ye Ming said as he put down his bundle, which contained ten kilograms of refined rice and some lard.
These were originally meant for his mother-in-law. If she was willing to return to Qingshi Village with him, there would be no need to give them these things.
If she didn't want to leave, he would visit her regularly.
After Su Xiaorong finished chatting with Chen Qiao and her younger brother, Su Xiaofeng, she began to look around.
"Xiaorong, what are you looking for?"
"Mom, where's my second sister?"
"Big sister, my second sister went to work as a farmhand for Mr. Zhou."
Ye Ming seemed to have heard of Mr. Zhou somewhere.
"What, why a farmhand?"
"That wouldn't be like being a servant!"
Rumor has it that Mr. Zhou was fond of women, and his second sister, Su Xiaotang, was already thirteen years old.
Had she fallen into many traps?
Thinking of this, Chen Qiao blamed herself. If she hadn't broken her leg, Su Xiaotang wouldn't have gone to work as a farmhand for Mr. Zhou.
"It's all mother's fault. If you hadn't broken your leg, Xiaotang wouldn't have gone to work as a farmhand for Mr. Zhou just to find a doctor for me."
"What!"
"Mom, you hurt your foot too. Are you okay?"
Chen Qiao shook her head.
"Xiaotang used the money she earned from working as a farmhand to find a doctor for me."
"She's almost healed now."
Su Xiaorong had thought she'd finally be free of worry after seeing her family.
Now, knowing her second sister was at the Zhou household, she was filled with worry again.
She looked at Ye Ming pitifully, and Ye Ming understood what his wife meant.
"Xiaorong, you don't need much. I, your second sister, will find a way to rescue you."
"When our business starts to make money, we will come to your house to redeem you."
Before Su Xiaorong could say anything, Ye Ming had already agreed to her request.
For a moment, she didn't know how to thank Ye Ming.
"Husband..."
Ye Ming gently held her in his arms and comforted her softly, "Okay, we are family, so let's keep our distance."
"By the way, son-in-law, what about the business you just mentioned?"
The fool was no longer stupid, and it was enough to surprise Chen Qiao.
But Ye Ming also said he had property, which shocked her beyond belief.
Aren't those things only city gentlemen have?
"Mom, my husband opened a few brick kilns."
"We can start making money right away."
"The first time I went to the city selling wine, I made two hundred taels of silver, and that's from half a brothel."
"You have many more brothels like this."
Two hundred taels of silver a day, and that's just from half a brothel.
There are many more brothels like this, wouldn't that mean he could make thousands of taels of silver a day?
"Xiaorong, you're not lying to me, are you?"
"Of course not, otherwise my husband and I wouldn't be able to eat meat every day."
Su Xiaofeng was completely excited when he learned that his elder sister was rich.
"Eldest sister, can I go with you to your house?"
"I want to eat meat too."
"Xiaofeng, your elder sister is married, how can you follow her?"
Chen Qiao scolded Su Xiaofeng, and the child continued to hide behind her with a look of grievance.
"Of course you can, of course you can come with your eldest sister to my house."
"And mom, you can come too."
"Of course, if you want."
This time, he had come to pick them up, otherwise Xiaorong would be worried.
After the previous contact, Ye Ming felt that Chen Qiao still loved Xiaorong very much.