I Got Rich in Period Fiction-Chapter 586 - 580: No Silver Here Three Hundred Taels

Li Mingguang glanced at Zhou Pengcheng’s expression without a trace, and continued in a much more earnest voice, "I know you’re smart and not fooled by your stepmother’s seemingly kind exterior, but really be careful. That woman is extremely crafty, and they say you should never underestimate someone who can handle matters heartlessly—she’s just like that. She doesn’t say those things for your benefit at all, she might be plotting to ruin both of you."

Zhou Pengcheng scratched the back of his head, speaking dismissively, "I think the one with more schemes might be you. Even if she means harm, how could she have the capacity to ruin both of us? How would she do it? I don’t engage in wrongdoing, and Rongrong doesn’t either..."

Li Mingguang looked at Zhou Pengcheng with a look of frustrated concern, "I don’t care how she might ruin you, but if you drag Rongrong into this, I, Li Mingguang, will never forgive you!"

At that moment, from a distance came Liu Ying’s voice, "Zhou Pengcheng, come back for a meal."

Zhou Pengcheng thought for a moment then asked Li Mingguang, "Were you serious about what you just said?"

"Of course I was serious, ’A gentleman’s promise is as fast as a mustang!’"

"You’re clever and your brain works well; earlier when I asked you what this place was, why didn’t you tell me?" Zhou Pengcheng asked with a sideways glance of dissatisfaction.

"Because I don’t know either," Li Mingguang replied innocently.

Zhou Pengcheng looked suspicious, "You really don’t know?"

Li Mingguang spread his hands, "I really don’t. Why don’t you go home and ask your sister? Your sister is very capable."

Indeed, although that little girl hadn’t always ranked first in her class, this term and the last, she had never scored lower than Zhou Ruoruo.

One must admit, some people are naturally quick-witted.

The two chatted as they walked shoulder to shoulder out of the Poplar Forest, crossed the concrete road, Li Mingguang continued forward while Zhou Pengcheng pushed open his home’s door.

The table was already set with food, and Liu Ying was a woman not to be underestimated; when she put her mind to something, she really did it well, at least her culinary skills were genuinely impressive.

Grinning broadly, "Wow, this smells wonderful, Auntie, your cooking skills are getting better and better."

He and his sister had never called Liu Ying ’Mom.’ Firstly, Zhou Hai didn’t approve, and Liu Ying herself didn’t have the desire, so for many years they had always just called her Auntie.

Liu Ying, unlike before, did not respond warmly. Her gaze at Zhou Pengcheng was somewhat inscrutable. Then she remembered something her daughter had said and quickly averted her gaze, urging Zhou Pengcheng, "Hurry and go wash your hands."

She also called out to her daughter in the bedroom, "Ruoruo, your brother is back. Hurry up and come out to eat."

Zhou Ruoruo opened the door just as Zhou Pengcheng went to the bathroom to wash his hands. Zhou Pengcheng stopped in his tracks and asked with a smile, "Ruoruo, what’s the phrase about this place?"

"Are you talking about an idiom or a proverb?"

"Four characters, an idiom, I remember the phrase is quite long—it’s not an idiom, is it?" Zhou Pengcheng was uncertain.

"There are many phrases that start with this place, ’This place isn’t to linger’?"

"That’s not the phrase."

"This place bears no three hundred taels of silver!" Zhou Ruoruo spoke again.

Zhou Pengcheng’s eyes lit up, he clapped his hands and gave a thumbs-up, "Ruoruo, you’re really smart. Yes, that’s the phrase, ’This place bears no three hundred taels of silver.’ That darn Li Mingguang knew and he wouldn’t tell me."

Hearing Li Mingguang’s name, Zhou Ruoruo, who intended to go eat, stopped in her tracks and casually asked, "Brother, you were just with Li Mingguang what were you two talking about?"

"Nothing much, just boys’ stuff. Don’t be nosy, sweetie. Go eat now."

With that, Zhou Pengcheng strode off towards the bathroom.

Zhou Ruoruo stood still for a while, then headed to the dining room.

Just as she was about to sit down, the front door opened. She glanced outside, her eyes suddenly lighting up, her face all smiles, "Mom, Dad is back..."

Then she ran outside like a butterfly fluttering away.

Liu Ying’s heart skipped a beat. Although she harbored resentment and even some contempt for Zhou Hai in her heart, she was still excited when she heard he had returned.

She knew that she was able to do her job now because of Zhou Hai’s influence.

But lately, she had new ideas.

Zhou Hai had just returned, and she wanted to discuss them with him.

With the arrival of a spring rain, it seemed that the grass turned green in the blink of an eye.

The water-fed trees nearby also sprouted tender green buds.

Even the wind felt much softer.

Qiao Qingyu was starting to tend to her little plot of land again.

Usually, during such times, He Xiuyu was at home.

This year, the courtyard was much quieter. Chaoxuan was now living in Xichuan with his grandpa and great-grandpa.

The two of them had taken their holidays together, yet they didn’t sleep in. They got up early, finished breakfast, and smoothed over the front and back vegetable gardens.

This year was easier because at the start of spring, Qiao Zhicai had already turned over both patches of the vegetable garden.

Now, only minimal work was required.

The back yard still grew cabbages and radishes, and a few ridges of potatoes were planted in the north. Although the base had plenty of vegetables, those grown in their own garden were more convenient to consume.

Besides flowers, the front garden also housed cabbages, lettuce, green onions, cilantro, tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans—almost enough to guarantee summer meals.

Farming was hard work. When the sun came out, He Xiuyu asked Qiao Qingyu to rest under the roof’s eaves. He hadn’t farmed before, but over the years, he had become quite skilled.

He prepared the ridges, dug holes, added base fertilizer, and then scattered the already sprouted vegetable seeds into them.

In the afternoon, they planted cabbages and radishes and selected good-quality potatoes that had been processed in the lab’s equipment, sprouted, and then directly buried in the soil.

Old Lady Zhao had gone back to her hometown, so in the vacant space beneath the wall in the back garden, Qiao Qingyu planned to plant pumpkins and horned melons.

She had grown them before, but Old Lady Zhao, who liked to climb over the wall, had damaged quite a few.

There wasn’t much she could say or scold about it, so she simply left the space near the wall empty.

Last year, they had harvested quite a few pumpkins and horned melons there.

Farming was tiring, and they sweated profusely. After taking showers, the couple nestled on the couch watching TV.

For the two of them, it was a rare moment of leisure.

Such days, just the two of them, seemed very rare since they got married.

He Xiuyu turned to look at Qiao Qingyu, who was leaning against him.

Her eyes were moist, her skin delicate and fair; despite all her traveling these years, it seemed not to have left any traces on her face.

He Xiuyu couldn’t help but lean in, his gaze affectionate as he kissed her gently and intensely. As they kissed, they moved to another place and drew the curtains.