The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family-Chapter 595: Rivalry Intensifies (3)_1

After the lantern festival ended, Pei Yuan and Pei Qian returned home, where Yang Boyan had someone send over several flower lanterns. Each person got one, but the one for Pei Qian was the most special—it was a revolving horse lantern fringed with a circle of tassels, which was very beautiful.

Fang Liuming just watched from the side.

Pei Qian, holding the lantern, couldn’t help but feel her face grow warm.

Fang Liuming’s heart sank— that Yang Boyan...

Pei Qin pretended not to notice.

After the fifteenth, it would be time for Fang Liuming to go to the county school. He could come by brazenly now, but when the time to leave arrived and he did not go, his cousin would not be polite. He packed up and, waiting for Fang Fu to come over, went to the county school with him.

The house finally became peaceful for a while.

Yang Boyan didn’t leave, but Pei Wendong, Chang Yonglin, and Xiao Yong all needed to go to school. With no young children at home, it was not good for him to come over anymore, so he just sent over snacks and food from time to time.

Pei Yuan and Pei Qian also began to put the noodle shop in order. Starting this year, the noodle shop was officially transferred to Lady Zhao and her sisters-in-law.

Seeing that the siblings had genuinely handed over the noodle shop to Lady Zhao and her sisters-in-law, the villagers were immensely envious.

When Zhao Hongmei’s younger siblings came to the town market and learned about it, they went back home and urged Zhao Hongmei to discuss the sesame pancake business with Pei Qin. They were too busy to manage it anyway—a pancake stall wouldn’t make much money. It was perfect for their family to run and would bring in some extra income. Wasn’t the noodle shop initially intended for them anyway? It was all because of that meddlesome Old Grandma Sun, who ruined it and didn’t even help her own daughter’s family.

Thinking back to the missed opportunity that had slipped through their fingers years ago, Zhao Chengzhi regretted it every time. If they had taken over the noodle shop back then, their situation would have been much better now. Hearing about the housemade sesame pancake stall, he also became eager and urged Zhao Hongmei to ask about it.

Having no choice, Zhao Hongmei came back to visit her maternal family again.

She had just visited relatives on the fifteenth and now, not many days later, she was back—clearly, there was an issue. Seeing her troubled expression, Grandma Sun asked, "Is something the matter?"

Zhao Hongmei bit her lip, finding it hard to speak, "...The family asked me to come to inquire... to ask Xiao Pei about the sesame pancake stall."

"They heard about the noodle shop and set their sights on the pancake stall, prompting you to come, right!?" Grandma Sun snorted angrily.

Zhao Hongmei sighed. Over the past few years, her maternal family had already helped quite a lot, and although her own family’s situation had improved a little, they had their eyes on Xiao Pei’s pancake stall.

Grandma Sun also couldn’t help but sigh, although hers was a sigh full of suppressed anger. If Zhao Chengzhi had been a bit more promising and assertive, they wouldn’t be living like this.

Lady Zou, pregnant with her second child, sat quietly aside, not saying a word. Previously, they had asked her brother-in-law to learn carpentry, but he soon gave up, claiming it wasn’t his thing. He was supposed to sell the small items made at home, but now the family made larger items, which were sent directly to the store—no need for him to sell those. He only had his mind set on the noodle shop, unable to be firm enough to divide the household and have the three brothers go their separate ways.

After a moment of thought, Lady Zou couldn’t hold back and said, "Mother! Why not ask Xiao Pei for help, to introduce some work? Both my older sister and brother-in-law have found jobs and are living outside; even if the house isn’t split, it’s as good as divided!"

"Do they hand over the money they earn!?" Grandma Sun was furious about this. Others hoped for their children and grandchildren to do well, but that damned Old Grandma Zhao just desperately clung to the eldest branch of the family.

As they spoke, Pei Qin, holding Jiujiu and accompanied by Xingwang, returned home and came over for a visit.

Grandma Sun motioned for no one to speak and gave Zhao Hongmei a meaningful look, then smiled and urged Pei Qin to come inside quickly, "It’s still very cold out, and you brought Jiujiu out!"

"This child is really beautiful!" Sun Hongmei looked at Jiujiu and couldn’t help but praise.

Pei Qin smiled and pinched Jiujiu’s little face while Sun Hongmei smiled yet her expression was woeful, and her eyes flashed. Sitting down with a smile, Pei Qin asked about Zhao Hongmei’s eldest son, "He must be about twelve now, right?"