Free Web NovelChapter 670: Chapter 670: Truly Fortunate
But the main issue isn’t the parts, it’s the hot water source that’s hard to set up. To get a whole water system, she’d have to tear down the house.
If the trouble outweighs the convenience, forget it.
She’s gotten used to showering, and having a private bathroom is already a luxury.
Qin Yao, with a hint of regret, walked out of the bathroom and looked at Liu Ji, who was waiting there, "What’s up?"
When Liu Ji showed that ingratiating smile, Qin Yao had a sinking feeling.
Sure enough, the next second, he brought over the account book. "Lady, please look. This is last month’s expenses for food and miscellaneous items, the upcoming expenses for the housewarming banquet, and the costs you promised to reimburse me for."
"Altogether, it comes to 85 taels of silver."
Qin Yao frowned slightly and glanced at the account book. Last month’s expenses for food and miscellaneous items were ten taels.
Prices in the Capital are high, and supplies are plentiful. The family indulged in hot pots every now and then. The cost of spices took up most of it, and they bought drinks a few times. With Qin Feng eating and drinking at home, they were not exactly saving. Ten taels is already quite frugal.
Qin Yao didn’t say anything and looked over the costs for the housewarming banquet.
There were two meals in total. In the morning, the family prepared soup, tea, various snacks, and fruits. In the afternoon, they ordered eight banquet tables from the nearby Tianxiang Building.
The neighbors around aren’t ordinary folks. Many work in various mansions, so the standards can’t be too low. Six taels for each table, eight tables make 48 taels.
Adding the expenses for the meal prepared at home, the housewarming banquet totaled fifty taels.
The remaining 25 taels included five taels as Liu Ji’s pocket money for the month and twenty taels he claimed for reimbursement.
"Did you eat gold? How could you spend twenty taels?" Qin Yao questioned with a not-so-friendly look.
A bit sheepish, Liu Ji avoided her penetrating gaze and argued:
"I was only trying to gather information in the Capital for you as quickly as possible. In front of those wealthy young men in the Capital, I, a nobody, needed some extraordinary means to get noticed..."
"I didn’t know the tea in that building was so expensive. I thought it was like our Zijing Mansion teahouse, where a cup of medium-grade tea might cost eight to ten taels at most. But who would’ve thought it’d cost thirty taels!"
Qin Yao frowned, "Then what about the twenty taels?"
"I couldn’t just be taken for a sucker, right? I haggled vigorously to shave it down to twenty taels. I was already being thrifty, lady—" Liu Ji deliberately dragged out the last syllable, looking pitifully at her.
What else could Qin Yao say?
All she could do was give him a light kick on the calf, "I thought you gained some skills, but it turns out it’s all about the power of money!"
Liu Ji hopped ten meters away on one foot, hissing from the pain while curiously asking, "What’s the power of money?"
Qin Yao strode back to her room in the backyard and threw a handful of silver ingots into his arms, "This is the power of money! Money, you get it?"
Liu Ji caught the ingots in his arms and, if not afraid of another thrashing, would’ve laughed out loud.
Compared to silver, the dull pain in his calf was nothing.
Liu Ji earnestly said to Qin Yao, "Lady, I wouldn’t mind if you threw more silver at me."
Qin Yao: "Yeah, right!"
As soon as she raised her fist, he ran off with the silver faster than a rabbit.
"Just kidding, just kidding, lady, don’t take it seriously!"
Liu Ji shouted back to the backyard, "I saw someone selling zongzi on the street. I’ll buy some for us to eat for the festival tomorrow!"
Sanlang and Fourth Sister, who were busy catching bugs in the house, were having none of it. "Dad, we want to go too!"
The Dragon and Phoenix twins bolted out like cannonballs, catching up with their dad, the three laughing and playing all the way to the main street.
From a distance, Qin Yao could still hear Liu Ji doing what he does best:
"Dad’s loaded with money; today we can buy whatever we want. But our Third Brother and Fourth Sister are not freeloaders. When we get home, you’re going to wash my clothes and clean the windows, right?"
Sanlang: "Yes, yes, yes, eat meat zongzi~"
Fourth Sister: "Right, right." Better get the goodies first and talk later.
She’s just a child; Dad certainly won’t hold her to that promise of chores.
Da Lang and Second Lang, who stayed home because they couldn’t run fast, exchanged a glance and shrugged in helpless unison, wondering who was really pulling the wool over whose eyes.
In the evening, Liu Fei arrived.
After all, it was the first day that Third Sister-in-law’s family moved in. He was too busy during the day to lend a hand, but now that work’s over, he has to drop by to liven things up and offer congratulations.
Liu Fei brought two large roasted geese, crispy-skinned and tender meat, the aroma making people drool.
Originally enjoying her meat zongzi, Qin Yao suddenly found it less appetizing.
"Why are you here?"
Liu Ji was the first to rush over, reaching out to take the roasted geese: "Why did you bring anything? We’re like family; your brother would definitely feed you..."
"Third Sister-in-law!" Liu Fei sidestepped him, handing the roasted geese to Ah Wang, smiling, "Freshly made aromatic roasted goose, the signature of the Nine-story Building. It’s usually impossible to get them without queuing up. I had someone go early this morning before dawn, and they finally managed to grab two."
Qin Yao nodded appreciatively at him and instructed Ah Wang, "Keep one for the festival tomorrow, and chop the other for tonight."
The children cheered upon hearing this, calling him "Uncle" affectionately.
Liu Ji was ignored for just a second before he playfully wrapped an arm around his brother’s shoulder, as if nothing had happened,
"Dinner will take a while yet. Come, let Third Brother show you around the house!"
"Don’t leave tonight. Stay at our place; surely your brother won’t charge you rent. Just bring more good food next time, feel free to mooch from our meals..."
While talking, the two brothers first checked out Liu Ji’s new study, roomy, bright, beautiful!
Liu Fei glanced enviously at him, "You won’t find another one as good to you as Third Sister-in-law anywhere in the world."
Liu Ji shook his finger left and right, "Not exactly, not exactly."
With a mysterious wave, he gestured for Liu Fei to come closer, "These days, I’m well-favored by my brother-in-law. This house was set up by him."
After saying this, he raised his eyebrows smugly, arms crossed, waiting for Liu Fei to show a face full of envy, jealousy, and resentment.
However, Liu Fei wasn’t even a bit envious or jealous.
Liu Fei surveyed his third brother up and down, tutting in amazement, "How can someone so shameless exist in this world?"
"Third Brother, now that Third Sister-in-law has reunited with her family, you’re living in their house and spending their money. You should just marry into their family already; otherwise, I feel hot in the face benefiting from Third Sister-in-law’s family."
Unsurprisingly, Liu Ji, red with embarrassment, delivered a swift smack.
"Are you Liu or Qin? Keep turning your elbows out like this, and I’ll beat you to a pulp!"
Subjugated by blood ties, Liu Fei covered his forehead and dared not speak further, quietly following his exuberant third brother as they toured the entire house.
Occasionally, he cooperated with a few "wow" sounds, tears of jealousy practically dripping off his lips.
His third brother, indeed, is truly blessed!
