Chapter 117: Black-Hearted
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“What can they complain about? When we severed ties back then, neither Jiaqi nor I had anything. I earned this house over the past year. Even if they take this to court, I have a strong case.” “Sigh, they are as annoying as flies.”
“How is Xin’er doing?”
“She’s doing well. Her father-in-law and mother-in-law treat her kindly, and they haven’t probed about her dowry. It’s mainly the nanny by her side who takes care of things. As for the shop, it’s just been renovated, and a few cooks are practicing recipes. It will officially open in a few days.”
“That’s good. After the New Year, are you planning to arrange the wedding for Ruyi?”
“She’ll come of age in September. There’s no rush; we can discuss it later.”
Qiao Mai’s eyes flickered, wanting to bring up the topic of the education of the children from the Lu family, but she thought better of it.
Shopkeeper Lu had no temper about her family, let alone from an outsider like her. If she said something that didn’t sit well, it might lead to resentment. “How is Liu Ye doing with Xiu Hong and the others?” “I’ve talked to Xiu Hong. She won’t treat her differently. You can rest assured.”
“Yes, she’s your worker, not a guest of my Qiao family.”
“Understood.”
During this time, the talk of the town was all about Madam Qiao’s ownership of Lucky Garden.
Unconsciously, it spread to the Qiao, the Tian, and the Yuan family.
Qiao Shicheng’s family felt like their hearts were scratched by a cat. “That girl, how could she keep this big matter a secret from us? She’s afraid we’ll share in her glory?”
“She’s a heartless person. None of them deserve a good ending.”
“I heard your sister went to the town after you drove her away, and Qiao Mai arranged for her daughter to work at the Embroidery Workshop?”
Qiao Shicheng gritted his teeth. “More than that. Cuihua’s son also started working at Jingtai Restaurant.”
The family seethed, almost wishing they could swallow Qiao Mai alive. “She’s messing with us. What should we do?”
“Tomorrow, let’s go to the town separately. One will look for Cuihua’s daughter, and the other will look for her son.”
“Is that a good idea? You’ve severed ties with her, and besides, if we cause trouble in the town and affect her business, she won’t take kindly to it. If we stir things up like this, that girl will resent us even more. How can we mend our relationship?”
“Humph, that girl is obstinate. I don’t expect anything from her.”
“Shouldn’t we report her to the authorities?”
“When we severed ties, she had nothing. Reporting her won’t do much. At most, we can complain about the insufficient retirement funds she provides.
We can request the magistrate to reconsider, but it’s best if we can invalidate the severed ties.”
“I’m afraid we might end up in jail.’
“That’s what I’m worried about. I’ve been delaying it so long; let’s wait until after the New Year.”
“Are we still going to the town then?”
“I just mentioned it casually. There’s no need to go.”
Old Tian’s anger was so intense he nearly smashed his bowl. He had a dark and furious expression.
“That wretched woman. She can do double-sided embroidery, relying on her small business to buy such a big house.”
“Old man, don’t get angry. It might not be hers, after all. Why doesn’t she put the Qiao family name on her signboard? It’s merely rumors among the common folk.”
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. You don’t understand anything.”
“Just let it go. What can you do even if it’s hers? Anger only harms your health.
How about we have our meal?” “Ah, if only my third son were here.”
“What use would he be?
“She was deeply in love with him back then. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have allowed you to torment her for so long.”
“She’s already with another man, and he’s handsome and educated. Let’s forget about it. We should focus on providing a good education for Yaohui.”
Madam Tian Li was genuinely afraid. She feared provoking Qiao Mai again, which could lead to more misfortune for their family. Although there was no evidence, Qiao Mai was the most likely to target the Tian family.
She dared not send her family members to provoke her again. If Yaohui got into trouble again, the Tian family would have no way out.
This prompted her to advise Old Tian to give up his greed. Nonetheless, he had lost a lucrative source of income and couldn’t simply let it go.
The Yuan family was in an even worse situation than the Tian family.
Their son was married into another family, and upon learning that the house belonged to Madam Qiao, they were eager to move in.
They fantasized about choosing the best rooms and having all the servants obey their commands.
They regretted their decision and couldn’t help but bash their heads against the wall.
If only they had let their fifth son do as he pleased. Instead, they caused a rift between them by pushing him too hard. If they had left things be, they could have benefited from the situation.
The two of them didn’t sleep a wink all night. The next day, they visited their sons and discussed the matter with them.
The tour brothers sat down together to discuss their next steps.
“Jiaqi is not a heartless person. If it weren’t for our parents’ unreasonable actions, he wouldn’t have become so estranged. After all, we are brothers. Even after splitting up, we could still get by. Why don’t we pool some money, buy decent gifts, and visit him? Let’s not mention helping him financially for now. Let’s take this step first and see how he reacts. What do you think?”
The other three nodded simultaneously. “I think it’s a good idea. As long as we sincerely show our goodwill to Jiaqi, he won’t reject us.”
“Yes, let’s not tell our parents. They can’t control their insatiable greed and might ruin the bond between us siblings.”
“Agreed, that’s the plan.”
Regardless of the rumors circulating in the town, the Qiao family continued to live their lives as they saw fit.
One day, Mayor Qian sent guards to invite Qiao Mai.
Upon arrival, she learned that the beggars in the town couldn’t find a place to stay. Mayor Qian wanted to inquire if she could spare one of her unused shops temporarily, allowing them to sleep inside. The mayor would provide clothing and two meals a day.
“Okay, as long as they keep the place clean and tidy. I’m a clean person.”
“I’ll make sure to convey your instructions.”
Therefore, the Qiao family’s southernmost shop was cleaned out, and two rooms in the rear courtyard were prepared. The mayor’s men purchased mats for the beggars and provided them with blankets and two meals a day.
The mayor’s hospitality made them even lazier, as they had grown accustomed to idleness.
Qiao Mai agreed with the arrangement but planned to find some work for these beggars after the New Year, helping them earn a living. It was better than them living off charity.
This unintentional action once again stirred up a controversy among those families.
They all felt that Qiao Mai was provoking them, as she was more willing to let beggars stay in her house than offer help to her own family members.
It must be said that these people were constantly trying to make their lives worse.
This unintentional action garnered even more attention and praise for Qiao Mai.
She was seen as a person who accumulated great virtue by assisting the mayor in doing good deeds. Business in her shop continued to thrive, and her family’s fortune grew.
Qiao Mai paid no mind to the empty praises. These days, she was busy in the kitchen, dealing with two pigs.
She separated the pork into pieces, processed the soy sauce, and soaked the meat, ensuring it absorbed the flavors.
Afterward, she placed the meat in a large jar and soaked it in soy sauce, removing it every few days to let it air dry naturally under the eaves.
The meat prepared this way was much better than regular cured meat.
She used the four front legs for pickling, while the hind legs were separated into meat and bones. She stewed a large pot of it and fed her two dogs.
The rest went into the ice cellar to be used in cooking.
As for the two pig heads, she inspected them and found that the butcher had done a clean job. She felt at ease.
She divided the work between two stoves, stewing them for two hours. After they cooled down, she separated the meat from the bones and taught the kitchen maids how to prepare pig’s ears and mix the head meat. That evening, every one tasted it, and they all agreed it was delicious.
The butcher had already delivered several batches of pig’s feet and small intestines to her shop.
Qiao Mai considered them insufficient and delayed her preparations for the cured meat. She instructed everyone not to touch the small intestines, as she planned to use them to make sausages before the New Year, which she would keep for personal consumption.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was the twelfth lunar month. The vegetables in the five-acre backyard were growing exceptionally well..
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