Lady of Fortune, Jiao Niang

Chapter 37

On New Year's Eve, early in the morning Qi Yun went to the front hall, and when he returned he carried a red cloth bundle.

When he set it on the table, it made clinking sounds from inside.

Ye Jiao had just finished inserting her hairpin, specifically choosing the jade hairpin Qi Yun had given her, and was patting rouge on her cheeks. Hearing the sound, she turned to look and immediately saw the red cloth bundle on the table.

Setting down the rouge box, Ye Jiao got up and walked to Qi Yun's side, helping him hang up his fur coat, asking with some curiosity: "Husband, what is this?"

Qi Yun untied the knot on the cloth bundle while saying: "This year's profits from the shop." As he spoke, he spread open the cloth bundle.

Inside were a pile of small silver ingots squeezed together in a jumbled heap, along with seven or eight strings of copper coins.

Ye Jiao's eyes widened slightly. Though she wasn't a money-obsessed type, this was still the first time Little Ginseng had seen so much silver since becoming human.

Looking at Qi Yun, Ye Jiao pointed at the pile of small silver ingots: "How much is this?"

Qi Yun smiled and pulled her to sit down, then said: "152 taels and eight qian."

152 taels...

Seeing her dazed, Qi Yun explained: "In our family, whether from shops or estates, after earning money, what's given to the family is a fixed amount. Whatever remains, no matter how much, is our own profit. The wine shop's business has been good, so this year's income was higher, and naturally what we received was more."

Qi Yun spoke modestly. Actually, calculating strictly, previously it was at most breaking even. The real money-making period was less than three months.

And in three months, to be able to operate such a large enterprise, no wonder Manager Song worshipped Qi Yun like a god of wealth.

Ye Jiao reached out and poked at these small silver ingots, looking at Qi Yun.

The man's expression was calm, his lips curved in a smile, as if waiting for his wife's praise.

The next second, she heard Ye Jiao say: "Husband, this dozen or so pounds of stuff, did you carry it back yourself? Was it heavy, were you tired, do your arms hurt?" As she spoke, Little Ginseng reached out to touch Qi Yun's arms, rubbing them for him.

This made Qi Yun both laugh and cry.

If others knew he had earned a hundred taels of silver, they'd probably be too happy to contain themselves, but his wife's first concern was whether he was tired from carrying it?

But thinking of this, Qi Yun smiled again.

This was his Jiao Niang, always so warm it made his heart feel heated.

However, Qi Yun wouldn't tell her that he indeed couldn't carry it back, and Tie Zi had held it the whole way.

The man changed the subject: "I brought some cash back now because I was thinking that when the streets get lively in a few days, there will be many fun and beautiful things to see. It's good to have some silver on hand for buying."

As he spoke, Qi Yun pulled down Ye Jiao's hand that was massaging his arm. He wasn't tired at all, and couldn't bear to make his wife work.

Ye Jiao looked at him and asked: "If we don't use silver, what do we use instead of silver?"

"Bank notes." As he spoke, Qi Yun took out a bank note and handed it to Ye Jiao as well.

This bank note was for 50 taels, also part of their income, but instead of being exchanged for actual silver, it was a thin piece of paper, rectangular, with many words written on it and several official seals stamped on it, with "50 taels" written clearly in the center.

Ye Jiao held it in her hands, feeling it was light and thin.

In her memories, bank notes had never existed. Ordinary families lived in poverty, and being able to save one or two taels of silver in a year was already good, so they had no use for bank notes.

This was the first time Little Ginseng had heard this term, and also the first time she'd seen a bank note. She looked at Qi Yun: "Don't worry, I'll help you keep it safe."

Qi Yun touched her temple hair and smiled: "You must keep all of this safe. I was thinking that little box from before probably isn't big enough anymore. Let's get a bigger one to store everything."

Ye Jiao glanced at that small pile of silver ingots and nodded in complete agreement.

Then she looked up at Qi Yun with a smile: "Husband is really amazing."

This was exactly what Qi Yun had been wanting to hear. Now that he'd heard it, he contentedly pulled Ye Jiao into his arms, his lips touching her forehead: "Thank you."

Ye Jiao looked up at him: "Thank me for what?"

Qi Yun said softly: "Thank you for helping me manage the money." Then Qi Yun's voice paused: "This money I've earned back, if it just sits there unused, it's like stones. It would trouble my wife to help me spend some of it."

Ye Jiao nodded with a smile, as if she'd received some important task: "Don't worry, husband. I'll work hard."

Then Ye Jiao saw Qi Yun bury his face in her neck, seemingly laughing.

What was he laughing about?

Little Ginseng didn't have time to ask before she heard someone outside calling them to the front courtyard.

Today was New Year's Eve, and according to custom, the whole family should gather together to make dumplings.

Usually the Qi family's meals were handled by the cook, but today was different. The front courtyard's main hall had prepared dumpling dough and filling early, waiting for everyone to come and make them by hand.

This year's biggest difference from previous years was that there were three more people making dumplings.

Qi Yun's condition had improved, Ye Jiao had newly joined the family, and though Little Shi Tou was young, he could still pinch a few in a proper manner, making Liu Shi watch and smile until she couldn't close her mouth.

Usually Liu Shi was the most dignified and composed one, but what mother doesn't pray for her children's health and the addition of sons and grandchildren?

While making dumplings, Liu Shi would make one, then look up at her sons and daughters-in-law, feeling she could never see enough of them.

Eventually, while making dumplings, Liu Shi even began to cry, particularly remembering how at this time in previous years, she would worry about Qi Yun's illness, fearing that the cold wind would take away her beloved son. Comparing that to the current liveliness, it was truly like heaven and earth.

Fortunately, after suffering came sweetness. Liu Shi turned away, wiping her tears with her wrist that hadn't touched the dough, and when she turned back, she still wore a smile. No one noticed she had been crying.

The joy of making dumplings lay in the whole family gathering together, chatting and laughing as the day passed.

When the finished dumplings were taken down to be cooked, Little Shi Tou was holding a piece of dough, kneading it.

He was supposed to be making dumplings, but children's attention spans are limited after all. After pinching two, he got bored, so Fang Shi gave him a piece of dough to play with.

Little Shi Tou stood obediently on a chair, his chubby hands kneading the dough, playing for a long time without getting tired.

Ye Jiao couldn't help asking: "Shi Tou, what are you making?"

Shi Tou looked at Ye Jiao and answered in his baby voice: "Brush."

Ye Jiao looked at what had been rolled into a long strip and was somewhat surprised: "Making a brush?"

"Yes, making a brush, writing words." Shi Tou spoke while working hard to shape his dough brush, looking especially focused.

Qi Ming nearby heard this and immediately praised Shi Tou seriously: "Shi Tou, it's very good that you like studying. Why don't you let Little Uncle teach you to read and write in the future?"

Shi Tou looked at him and shook his head: "I don't want to."

Qi Ming was stunned: "Why?"

Shi Tou continued kneading the dough in his hands, his voice soft: "Little Uncle is so small. Shi Tou wants to learn words from grown-ups."

Qi Ming was typically mature beyond his years. At the academy, he studied with a group of people much older than him. Now to be called small by a child not even two years old, Qi Ming immediately said: "How am I small? After New Year, I'll be 15!"

Who knew that Liu Shi heard this and couldn't help saying: "Yes, Third Son is 15, it's time to arrange a betrothal."

Qi Ming choked and turned to Liu Shi: "Mother, I don't want..."

"Little Uncle is just small, so much shorter than Father and Second Uncle." Shi Tou's voice carried childish innocence, but it made Qi Ming puff up his cheeks in anger.

Ye Jiao found this amusing and leaned over: "Shi Tou, how about Auntie teaches you to write?"

Qi Ming really wanted to say: Second Sister-in-law, your writing really can't be used to teach people.

Who knew that Shi Tou actually agreed immediately: "Good!"

Qi Ming was completely bewildered: "Why can she, but I can't?"

Shi Tou answered honestly: "Second Auntie is prettier than you."

Qi Ming: ...

Ye Jiao wasn't really planning to teach him. She also knew her round scribbles were better not used to mislead children.

But Shi Tou's words pleased Ye Jiao, so she leaned over and kissed his cheek, making Shi Tou work even harder at kneading his dough.

But before Ye Jiao could tease Shi Tou more, she felt her waist tighten.

Turning around, she saw her husband had quietly pulled her over.

Ye Jiao couldn't help saying quietly: "Husband, what's wrong?"

Qi Yun didn't speak, just lowered his head slightly, saying nothing.

Ye Jiao looked around and saw that now in the main hall, besides herself and Qi Yun, there was only Shi Tou concentrating on his dough, and Qi Ming staring at them.

But after receiving a glare from Qi Yun, Qi Ming tactfully looked away.

Ye Jiao gently stood on her tiptoes and pecked Qi Yun's cheek.

Qi Yun was satisfied.

Then she heard Ye Jiao ask with some confusion: "Husband, do you need to leave for something?"

Qi Yun was slightly startled: "Where would I go?"

Ye Jiao tilted her head: "Then why did you want me to kiss you?" Wasn't that only done before parting?

In that instant, Second Young Master Qi experienced what it meant to shoot oneself in the foot.

Fortunately, at this moment everyone returned to the main hall, and the dumplings came out of the pot steaming hot.

When the dumplings were served for dinner, the family sat around the round table. Father Qi smiled and said: "Shi Tou, do you know the story of the Year Beast?"

Shi Tou was just over a year old, still confused and bewildered, his eyes full of dumplings, his nose filled with their aroma. Hearing his grandfather's words, he just shook his head blankly.

Father Qi immediately told him a section of the Year Beast myth and legend. When he got to how scary the Year Beast was, Shi Tou shivered.

Seeing this, Liu Shi immediately reached out and secretly pinched Father Qi's waist: "How old are you, still scaring children."

Father Qi had always been very dignified in front of his sons, but in front of Liu Shi, he was completely obedient. Though the pinch hurt, he still smiled cheerfully: "Alright, I'll listen to you. I won't say anymore."

Shi Tou was sitting in Fang Shi's arms, looking around, then focused on Ye Jiao.

He already liked Ye Jiao, and now he leaned over, asking softly: "Second Auntie, aren't you scared?"

Ye Jiao blinked: "The Year Beast? Not scared."

Shi Tou immediately widened his eyes, which looked like two small black grapes.

He stretched out his two chubby little hands and waved them, trying hard to make himself look super fierce: "But it's a big monster, really scary, roar!"

Ye Jiao was amused by him, and not just Ye Jiao, all the adults laughed.

But while others found Shi Tou cute, Ye Jiao laughed because she thought of the various spirits of birds, beasts, flowers, and insects she had lived with day and night before.

Speaking of strange shapes, Ye Jiao had personally seen the little fox when she hadn't fully transformed, with a fox head, human body, and a big tail, looking quite odd.

She couldn't help touching Shi Tou's head, thinking that with some things, once you'd seen enough, you were no longer afraid.

But sometimes precisely because she'd seen so much in a thousand years, she felt how precious these current days were.

Ye Jiao looked at the dumplings again, sincerely thinking that being able to eat dumplings was really wonderful.

She never wanted to eat soil again.

At this moment, Father Qi picked up his chopsticks first, Liu Shi also picked up her chopsticks, and only then did the others follow suit and pick up their chopsticks to grab the dumplings in front of them.

White and slippery, you couldn't tell what filling was inside just by looking from the outside. Only by biting into them could you know.

And inside these, many different things had been wrapped while making them, all to get good omens tonight.

Among everyone, probably only Ye Jiao was most eager to eat.

She had never eaten them before. This was her first time, so naturally she was curious.

Ye Jiao picked up one, brought it to her mouth and blew on it, tested the temperature with her lips, and when she felt it wasn't too hot, she bit off half of it.

The next second, she frowned slightly, feeling a strange sweet taste in her mouth.

Her tongue rolled around and Ye Jiao spat out a date pit.

Nanny Liu beside her had good eyesight and quick reactions. She immediately called out loudly: "Second Young Mistress will have children early in the new year!"

These words made Qi Yun cover his mouth and cough twice, while Ye Jiao looked enlightened.

So eating a date meant having children early?

Who's having children, me?

But this dumpling really tasted somewhat awful. Ye Jiao poked Qi Yun and said quietly: "Husband, can I not eat it?"

Hearing this, Qi Yun immediately stopped coughing.

How could she not eat it?

She absolutely had to eat it!

Qi Yun had originally wanted her to endure it, but then he thought again that his wife's greatest pleasure was eating, and forcing her to eat something unpleasant would definitely make her uncomfortable.

Normally you couldn't share dumplings, but Qi Yun looked at the remaining half date in the dumpling, and ultimately couldn't bear to make his wife suffer.

Qi Yun pointed to his own bowl: "Give it to me."

But Ye Jiao didn't put it in his bowl. Instead, she brought the remaining half dumpling directly to Qi Yun's mouth. Qi Yun froze for a moment, his eyes sweeping over his family members who seemed to be watching the show with amusement. His ears turned red as he opened his mouth and ate it.

Ye Jiao didn't feel she had done anything remarkable and excitedly went to pick up a second dumpling.

The result was another strange taste when she bit into it...

Little Ginseng was exasperated. She really just wanted to eat a dumpling, a fragrant, meaty dumpling. How come everything she ate had weird things in it!

This time when she looked, she discovered it was leaking brown sugar.

Nanny Liu said again: "Second Young Mistress will have a sweet and beautiful new year!"

The omen was good, but this dumpling wasn't exactly tasty.

Ye Jiao said nothing and fed the remaining half to Qi Yun again, feeling she was unlucky to not even be able to eat a good dumpling.

Little did she know that in others' eyes, Ye Jiao was greatly blessed.

Liu Shi and Father Qi exchanged glances, both seeing the amusement in each other's eyes. Qi Zhao and Fang Shi just found the couple's interaction interesting. After all, usually Qi Yun was always cold and distant, speaking little, without even a smile.

But what was the result?

Even the hardest stone could have a soft day.

Only Qi Ming and Shi Tou persevered in eating dumplings, hoping to also get some good omens. Like a game, children were always especially fond of this.

But when Ye Jiao picked up her third dumpling, she hesitated without biting into it.

Previously it was a date, then brown sugar, both still normal things. But what if she bit into something really weird?

After thinking about it, Ye Jiao wanted to put it back on the plate, but heard Qi Yun say quietly: "Once you've picked it up, you can't put it back."

Ye Jiao immediately pulled her hand back, not eating, but staring at it worriedly.

Seeing her like this, Qi Yun quietly pushed his bowl over. Ye Jiao immediately put the dumpling in his bowl, making Qi Yun find it quite amusing.

It seemed that in his wife's mind, ordinary happiness couldn't compare to having a good meal of dumplings.

While thinking this, Qi Yun picked up this dumpling and put it in his mouth.

"Mm..."

Qi Yun also frowned and took out what his teeth had bitten into.

It was a copper coin.

"Second Young Master will have abundant wealth in the new year!" Nanny Liu's words were especially loud and fitting.

Qi Yun was now in business, so didn't he want exactly this kind of abundant wealth?

But Qi Yun looked at Ye Jiao, thinking that perhaps everything was destined by fate. His current situation had all started from the day Jiao Niang married into the family.

His left hand reached out and gently grasped Ye Jiao's left hand, giving it a squeeze.

Ye Jiao looked down at their clasped hands, looking at him with some confusion.

Then she heard Qi Yun say quietly: "The second round of dumplings coming up won't have omens. If you don't want to eat the omen ones, just wait."

Ye Jiao smiled and nodded.

Then, one by one, more omen dumplings were found, and the meal passed harmoniously and happily.

After dinner ended, each family returned to their own courtyards to keep vigil, staying up until after midnight.

Qi Yun had matters to discuss with Qi Zhao and Qi Ming, so he had Ye Jiao go back first.

This was something done every year. The three brothers would spend about half an hour together, chatting about the past year, checking in with each other, especially for Qi Ming, as this was when Qi Yun would test his studies, which couldn't be taken lightly.

Ye Jiao didn't ask many questions and returned to the room, sitting on the soft couch, swinging her little legs, suddenly feeling somewhat bored.

This was probably the first time when night fell that she was alone in the room.

Though she knew Qi Yun would return soon, even this brief separation made Ye Jiao feel uncomfortable.

She couldn't clearly explain it, just felt empty inside.

Little Ginseng didn't yet understand this was called loneliness. She just thought maybe she had forgotten to kiss him when they separated just now.

When her husband came back, she definitely had to make up for it.

With nothing else to do and unable to sleep, Ye Jiao stood up, planning to find a book to read from the bookshelf.

Then she saw the book she had casually placed on the shelf before.

It was from Dong Shi, wrapped in blue cloth. It seemed she hadn't opened it to look since Dong Shi gave it to her.

If she hadn't seen it now, Little Ginseng probably would have completely forgotten about it...

Reaching out, she took the blue cloth bundle down from the bookshelf and neatly unwrapped it.

Feeling it was somewhat dark, Ye Jiao took scissors and gently trimmed the candle wick on the table. The light became much brighter.

Only then did Ye Jiao sit down and look at the characters on the cover.

"Six Wonders of the Flower Formation." Was it about how to grow flowers?

Little Ginseng's pale fingertips opened the book pages, flipping through a few pages before tilting her head in some confusion.

As a gift, this book was extremely well bound, the paper was of the highest quality, and the text and illustrations inside were all vivid and lifelike. You could tell it was a good book.

But... why weren't the people in here wearing clothes?