Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 1493 - 759: Wedding Gifts (Part 2)

"Zhizhi, just accept it. It’s the heartfelt intention of your younger siblings." Lady Zhang said, "When you become someone else’s wife, it won’t be as easy as it is at home. Keep that maid and girl by your side to help manage the household. It will also lighten the load for your mother-in-law and Sister Jiayu."

"As for the man and the boy, let them stay outside and help your father-in-law and Jiaxing with the errands, helping to oversee the fields." Lian Shouxin also chimed in.

"This is a good thing, Zhizhi, you can’t refuse." Lady Zhang Wang followed with a smile, "Just like Manman said, you’re fortunate. Your father is now a Minister, your mother a Lady of Respect, and you are a rich and powerful young lady. It’s only fitting to have people serving you."

"If we were still tenant farmers, then perhaps it wouldn’t be appropriate, for fear of losing fortune. But now, this is how it should be." Lady Li also said.

Zhang Caiyun, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi also urged Lian Zhizhi to accept the people.

"Alright then." Persuaded by everyone, Lian Zhizhi finally accepted the servitude contracts of the four people. She felt grateful for her siblings’ consideration, but being shy by nature, she was not good at expressing it.

"Sister, when they follow you over, discuss with Brother Jiaxing about changing their names or even their surnames." Lian Manman told Lian Zhizhi.

"Mm." Lian Zhizhi nodded with a smile.

"Manman, you said this was one thing, is there a second thing?" Zhang Caiyun asked with a smile.

"Of course, there is." Lian Manman smiled, giving Wu Lang a look.

Wu Lang took out a scroll of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Lian Zhizhi.

Lian Zhizhi took the scroll, opened it, glanced at it, and immediately froze, her hand holding the scroll began to tremble. She forced herself to skim through the contents of the scroll, her hands feeling as if they were burnt by fire.

"This, this won’t do, this absolutely won’t do." Lian Zhizhi handed the scroll to Lian Manman sitting next to her, tossing it like it was a hot potato.

Lady Li, Lady Zhang Wang, and Zhang Caiyun all showed a puzzled expression, as they couldn’t read well and didn’t know what Wu Lang had given Lian Zhizhi that made her so agitated, as if she’d been frightened, and quite intensely at that.

"What is it?" Zhang Caiyun asked in confusion.

"It’s shares of the roast duck shop." Lian Manman smiled and said.

What Wu Lang handed to Lian Zhizhi was a contractual agreement for a share of one-tenth in the roast duck shop.

This was a decision made after Lian Manman, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi discussed it and obtained the agreement of Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang.

Shareholding is not new in Lian Manman’s family.

From the initial piecework pay at Lian’s Bun Shop, to later, even if the family didn’t work at the shop, they would still receive a fixed salary every month, and later, as profits increased and their wealth expanded, the salary amount increased several times. Finally, at Lian Manman’s suggestion, it was no longer a fixed amount but became a profit share, or dividends.

Lian Manman gradually and subtly introduced the concept of shareholding, and the entire family came to accept it.

With the recent opening of the roast duck shop, two shares were given to Shen Liu, and the shop’s key staff like the shopkeeper and accountant received not only monthly wages but also a fixed portion of the dividends. Naturally, these were all clearly written in contractual agreements.

Internally within the family, Lian Manman used the same format to allocate the remaining shares.

Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, Xiao Qi, and herself each received a one-tenth share.

As for the revenue remaining after everyone’s shares are taken, it goes into the communal pot, used to cover household expenses, save up for expanding the business, etc.

One-tenth share of the roast duck shop’s dividends is not calculated in hundreds, or thousands, but in tens of thousands. Although Lian Zhizhi was not clear about the specific accounts of the roast duck shop, she was aware of the general amount of profit.

Therefore, upon receiving the one-tenth share contractual agreement, she reacted as if her hand had been burned, at a complete loss.

"No, this won’t do, I can’t accept it." Lian Zhizhi said urgently, because of her reticence, she became even somewhat incoherent, "I’ve already received enough. This is already too much fortune for me."

"Our family being able to live like this today, I, I truly haven’t contributed much. I can’t compare to Manman. Over the past two years, I’ve just been enjoying life at home. Wu Lang worked hard on his studies and became a Scholar. Manman worries more than anyone about everything inside and outside the house. I won’t go into each specific matter, as we all know. Just this roast duck shop, I really didn’t contribute anything. Manman put in a great deal of effort, and during those months, she worked tirelessly and even lost weight."

"Manman could also come up with ideas, whereas I didn’t even offer any suggestions. This share should rightly belong to Manman, and I shouldn’t take it."

After her initial panic, Lian Zhizhi firmly refused.

"Sister, by your logic, I haven’t contributed much either." Xiao Qi leaned over to Lian Zhizhi, smiling, "At home, I mostly just eat and sleep, but I also get shares, don’t I? Sister, this was decided by our whole family, so just take it."

Lian Zhizhi looked up at Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang, who both nodded.

"But it still won’t do, I can’t take it." Lian Zhizhi said, reaching out to touch Xiao Qi’s head. "Xiao Qi, sister can’t compare to you. You are studying now, and in the future, you’ll become a Scholar like Wu Lang, and then a Graduate, become an official, support our family, bring glory and honor. You taking it is as it should be. I, I can’t take it."

Posted at third watch, seeking pink tickets for support. It’s now at 177 votes, let’s reach 200, shall we (*^‧^*)(To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) and vote with recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)