Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 451 - 412: Passing the Problem to Him (2)

Mrs. Wu almost fainted from anger at Li Mingtan’s words, "You’re talking as if I haven’t tasted good pastries before. Every time I go back to my parents’ home, I eat these pastries casually. Since your mother wants to eat them, then let her have them.

However, I have something to tell you. We’re out of money at home, and your father’s medicine is also gone. Today is only the tenth, and it’s still twenty days until you get your salary. What do you think we should do?"

"Aren’t these things always your responsibility? Don’t bother me with these matters!" Li Mingtan buried his head in the books, trying to avoid the issue.

"Yes, I manage these things, but the money I borrowed from my family some days ago is gone again. I’m too embarrassed to ask them again. You are the head of the family; you come up with a solution, okay?"

Previously, Mrs. Wu, in order to let Mingtan concentrate on his duties at the Hanlin Academy, never mentioned these things to him, let alone openly discussed the financial difficulties at home with Li Mingtan.

Now, after listening to Yu Xiaolian’s words, she directly threw the problem at Li Mingtan. Seeing his embarrassed look, Mrs. Wu couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of satisfaction.

Two words, relieving her anger!

Li Mingtan’s fingers clenched tightly around the book, pretending to be surprised as he asked, "When did you go back to borrow money from your family again? How much did you borrow? Didn’t I tell you not to borrow money from your family?"

"Li Mingtan, are you pretending to act innocent? Don’t you know how many doses of medicine your father’s year-end bonus can buy?

Your father has been taking medicine costing two taels of silver per day since the sixth day of the first lunar month, don’t you know that?

I borrowed a total of 120 taels of silver from my family last year. My stepmother was already very unhappy with me when I returned a few days ago. I won’t ask my family for money anymore; you’ll have to figure out future expenses!"

Although Mrs. Wu was a concubine’s daughter in her family, she was very much loved by her father, so the issue of her stepmother making things difficult for her never existed. Mrs. Wu said this because she had listened to Yu Xiaolian’s advice and planned to toss all the problems to Li Mingtan, letting him deal with them himself.

"120 taels? How could it be so much?" Li Mingtan’s surprise wasn’t faked. He thought Mrs. Wu had only borrowed a few dozen taels of silver at most, but he hadn’t imagined she had borrowed over a hundred taels.

"You only realize the cost of household expenses when you’re running the family..."

Mrs. Wu detailed the entire family’s expenses to Li Mingtan, from rent to food, to clothing, down to the monthly money for buying firewood and the ink, paper, and brushes that Li Mingtan bought.

Li Mingtan remained silent.

After a long time, Li Mingtan said, "How about I go borrow some money from my colleagues at the Hanlin Academy tomorrow?"

Mrs. Wu turned her body, "That would be just perfect; otherwise, this large family won’t be able to make it to the end of the month. Oh, I forgot to tell you, our rice jar is almost empty. If we eat it dry, it will last about two days, and if we make porridge, it might last five or six days."

After finishing her words, Mrs. Wu didn’t wait for Li Mingtan to say anything else and stepped out of his study. She feared that once she saw his defeated look, she might soften, so she simply avoided seeing his expression.

Li Mingtan felt a headache splitting his skull; the sense of helplessness and defeat made him feel like a particularly incompetent person.

After pondering for a long while, Li Mingtan helplessly walked into his mother’s room. It was impossible for him to borrow money from his colleagues; he couldn’t afford the disgrace. In fact, his colleagues often laughed at him behind his back for living off his wife’s family; he couldn’t bear that disgrace.

Originally, he thought that when he mentioned borrowing money from his colleagues, Mrs. Wu wouldn’t agree, and she would silently resolve the matter as usual. But unexpectedly, Mrs. Wu was actually willing to let him face that disgrace.

There was no choice. Li Mingtan thought his mother might have some private savings. After all, all the money he earned from the bookstore over the years had supplemented the family. Before leaving Taohua Village, his mother had also sold the house and land. She should have at least a few dozen taels.

Old Mrs. Li was sitting on the warm bed, eating pastries brought by Yu Xiaolian. When she saw her youngest son come in, she invited him to sit on the bed and eat with her.

Li Mingtan took off his shoes and sat on the warm bed, feeling as if the bed was burning hot, and thinking of the money needed for buying firewood, he hesitated for a moment before asking, "Mother, it’s already spring, why is the bed still heated this warmly?"

Old Mrs. Li couldn’t imagine her son was worried about the cost of firewood, and without thinking, she responded, "Your father and I like a warm bed. It’s only before noon now, and we’ll need to heat it once again in the evening!"