The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family-Chapter 596: Rivalry Intensifies (4)_1

"It’s about teaching one’s own child to read and write, but there’s no money in the house to do so. As soon as my brother mentioned supporting my nephew’s education, my mother-in-law had the children from the second and third households join in, causing my son to fall behind till now. He can’t study anymore," she lamented, "He’s twelve this year."

"If he doesn’t pursue schooling, it’s best he learns a craft early on. With a skill in hand, one won’t fear hunger wherever they go," Pei Qin said.

Zhao Hongmei wasn’t stupid, hearing her suggest this, she eagerly pleaded for help with an idea, "...I’ve given up hope on my husband. My hopes rest on the two boys! Xiao Pei, you are capable and full of ideas, please help with a suggestion! The brothers can’t end up like me in the future."

Seeing her eagerness, Pei Qin offered, "Then, send him over, let me take a look."

"He came with me, went to see his uncle the carpenter! I’ll go call him over!" Zhao Hongmei hastily rose to her feet and left.

Sun Tiezhu had recovered and wished to help his sister. His brother-in-law was beyond hope and his nephew couldn’t continue his studies, which made him particularly eager to pass on his own skills to the boy by working with him for a few years until he could make things on his own.

But Zhao Ju really didn’t like carpentry, even though he knew his uncle was well-meaning; whenever he came by, he would stand by and listen.

When he heard that Pei Qin wanted to take a look at him and could offer him a suggestion, possibly a job or a craft to learn, he was extremely nervous.

Once called over, Pei Qin spoke with him for a while, "Then you should start off by helping at the roasted goods shop—Silly Melon Seeds!"

Grandma Sun had been wanting to suggest this but feared Pei Qin might get upset; upon hearing that Zhao Ju was to go to Silly Melon Seeds’ roasted goods shop, she expressed her gratitude over and over.

Zhao Ju also bowed in thanks, glancing at Zhao Hongmei, thrilled beyond words.

Pei Qin went out and called for Sun Quanliang family’s Sun Dalang, having him also join Zhao Ju at the roasted goods shop as an apprentice to do odd jobs.

Old Man Chang heard how readily Pei Qin gave away the noodle shop without a second thought, so he trusted that if she said she would allow their family to open a shop too, she would make good on her word. He didn’t make it difficult for the two apprentices, Zhao Ju and Sun Dalang. Seeing that they were both eager to learn, he took it upon himself to teach them.

Pei Qin continued to seek and recruit people, wanting to ensure she had a contingent of reliable people at hand before she could take over the business.

Back at home, Lu Hao and Lu Hai had already packed everything up.

Having served as Pei Qin’s guards for three years, their time was up, and the siblings were preparing to return home.

Pei Qin handed them some silver, "Though you were repaying Shen Songming for his kindness, you can’t have served as my guards for three years for nothing! Take this silver to spend when you get back home! Anything extra... You both know I’m poor."

Lu Hai scoffed derisively, she herself probably had no idea how much silver she had now! Not knowing what she did to anger Young Master Shen, otherwise her silver wouldn’t have been taken away by him.

"If you see him, be sure to tell him, ’I’m quite poor now!’" Pei Qin had written letters to him, but he never replied.

"I can’t see where you’re poor, and I won’t carry your message for you!" Lu Hai coldly expressed his disdain.

All of a sudden, Pei Qin asked her, "Lu Hai, are you going home to get married?"

Lu Hai’s expression changed, and she said coldly, "I’ve already been married."

Pei Qin was surprised, "I asked you before, and you never mentioned it..."

Lu Hai stopped talking to her and turned back to enter the room.

Lu Hao sighed, "Ms. Pei! We will help transport the soy sauce to the capital, and if we see Young Master Shen, we will deliver your message!" With that, he also went inside.

Pei Qin frowned, wondering what sort of enemy they were facing.

"Her husband couldn’t do martial arts. When their enemy sought vengeance, even their child was killed in their home," Mo Heng explained.

"You knew?" Pei Qin asked him.

"I always thought you knew." As Mo Heng was investigating Ms. Liangsan, he had also looked into Lu Hao and Lu Hai.

Pei Qin had previously asked, even mentioning that Lu Hai’s three years in Taiping Town could jeopardize her marital prospects. Lu Hai had simply kept a straight face and coldly advised her to mind her own business.

"If you can’t bear to see them go, you can offer a hefty sum to hire them back!" Mo Heng suggested.

Pei Qin pondered for a while with a frown, then ran to find Lu Hai, "Xiao Hai! Are you considering remarriage in the future? I can help you screen candidates and find another one!"

Originally not wanting to say more, but seeing her come over with a beaming face, Lu Hai replied coldly, "I haven’t thought about it."

"Really? Look, marriage can be wonderful! With a husband and children around a warm stove..." Pei Qin chuckled.

Lu Hai scoffed, "You yourself can’t even continue saying it, can you!"

"I’ve said, ’Life is tough; let’s not tear each other down’!" Pei Qin pursed her lips, "Brother! While I’m still alive, why don’t you stick with me first? I’ll take care of you!"

"You could easily live for another eighty years; I won’t survive that long," Lu Hai replied, mimicking Pei Qin’s manner.

"You think I can live to a hundred, eh!" Pei Qin laughed heartily; in ancient times, living to seventy was rare. And she was only nineteen, turning twenty next year—so young.

"A disaster like you could plague the world for a thousand years," Lu Hai sent her off with this parting shot.

"Fine! Then do you want to stay with me?" Pei Qin admitted, she indeed wasn’t the easiest person to be with.

Lu Hai paused for a moment, then simply said, "Take care." freёwebnoѵel.com

"Alright! Safe travels then!" Pei Qin didn’t insist on keeping them.

Soon enough, the workshop finished preparing the soy sauce, and Lu Hao and Lu Hai assisted in transporting it, setting off to head north.

"Without a tail, I do feel a bit unaccustomed," Pei Qin mused, "No! It’s that I’m not used to the new tail."

The two people Shen Songming sent afterwards were also martial arts experts, even more stoic than Lu Hai. One of them she had never heard speak; it took Pei Qin more than half a year to realize he was actually mute. Now this mute became her new personal guard, following her wherever she went, silent as a shadow.

When Yang Boyan saw her leaving the house, followed by a sullen-faced man in a gray robe, silent and shadow-like, his curiosity grew stronger. The Pei family siblings were too atypical... Unusually so. He had investigated many days and still hadn’t found anything useful.