Chapter 58 Nitpicking

After being dealt a blow at Qingfeng Residence, Qin Zian returned to the academy, feeling increasingly uneasy.

He held his book for a long time but couldn’t focus on it at all. He simply asked his teacher for two days off.

His purpose was to “complain” to Qin Laotai and to clarify some of his doubts.

When Qin Zian arrived in Datong Township, Old Yang was just leaving with Qin Ruo and the villagers in a donkey cart.

He simply spent thirty copper coins to hire a donkey cart back to Changhe Village.

Qin Zian didn’t hesitate to spend the thirty copper coins, after all, it wasn’t even enough for a pot of good tea at Qingfeng Residence.

Qin Zian stood outside the house, woodenly listening to the conversation inside, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

“Alright, alright, you don’t want to listen, I won’t say anything…”

“Hey, Dalan, why are you back?”

Qin Laotai saw Qin Ruo’s unwilling expression and stopped talking with a smile.

She had just stepped out of the house when she saw Qin Zian standing outside the courtyard, his expression gloomy.

“What’s wrong with you, child? Why aren’t you saying anything? Did something happen?”

Qin Laotai quickly walked over, examining Qin Zian from head to toe. When she saw that there was nothing unusual about him, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“I wanted to come back, so I came back. Grandma, if you don’t want to see me, then I’ll leave.”

Qin Zian’s whole body exuded displeasure, and he responded with a sulky tone.

“Oh, Dalan, don’t be angry. If you don’t want to talk, Grandma won’t ask.”

Qin Laotai was immediately at a loss for words. She simply grabbed the package on Qin Zian’s shoulder and pushed him into the courtyard.

Qin Zian followed behind Qin Laotai, looking at the concern and indulgence she showed, his mood slightly improved.

His position in Grandma’s heart was far beyond what Qin Qiuxi could compare to.

After taking Qin Zian’s package into the house, Qin Laotai didn’t have time to talk to him in detail before rushing back to the kitchen.

Qin Ruo was in the next room, listening to the conversation between Qin Laotai and Qin Zian, and she raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

This good-for-nothing came back to complain?

A quarter of an hour later, Qin Laotai called out to Qin Zian and Qin Ruo to come out for dinner.

Ever since Qin Ruo first went to Taihe County and brought back a cartload of grain, Qin Laotai had once again taken over the cooking.

When Qin Ruo first arrived, she was wary of Qin Ruo’s extravagance.

After the family got a large iron pot, Qin Laotai felt sorry for the cooking oil.

Whenever Qin Ruo cooked, the amount of oil used in a single stir-fry was, without exaggeration, more than the amount used in the previous three months.

In the past, they only had a clay pot for cooking, and they mostly boiled or stewed things.

They would add a few drops of cooking oil, just enough to see a little oil on the surface, everyone did it that way.

Qin Laotai had been poor for so long that she felt uneasy suddenly living such a luxurious life.

That’s why she tried every means to keep the control of the kitchen in her own hands.

However, after eating a few meals of Qin Ruo’s stir-fried dishes, Qin Laotai found that boiled and stewed dishes were bland in comparison.

It’s easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.

Qin Laotai simply let go, letting Qin Ruo do whatever she wanted.

She just listened and didn’t argue.

Although Qin Ruo didn’t hand over the remaining money, she would give her some money every now and then to arrange the family’s meals.

Their standard of living had improved significantly, and Qin Laotai’s cheeks had even become rounder recently.

Most importantly, Qin Laotai had quietly saved nearly one hundred copper coins from the daily food expenses during this period.

Having tasted the sweetness, Qin Laotai was so enthusiastic about cooking that even Qin Zimu was stunned.

The two and the other willing to be hit.

Qin Ruo was naturally happy to be free.

Anyway, she could occasionally give Qin Laotai a little sweetness, and she would be able to figure out how to cook.

Qin Zian stared at the braised fish, scallion stir-fried eggs, and meat sauce tofu on the dinner table, lost in thought.

The coarse rice and rough rice, and vegetable porridge that were usually on the dinner table had been replaced with white rice.

His face became even more gloomy, feeling like he was being subtly excluded.

The privilege that he used to enjoy alone seemed to have suddenly been shared.

Looking at the expressions on everyone’s faces at the dinner table, they clearly looked like they were used to it.

This table of food tonight was clearly not prepared for him.

In other words, they lived like this every day when he wasn’t home?

Qin Zian even began to doubt his true position in the family.

He was going to take the academy exam next year, followed by the provincial exam, the metropolitan exam, and even the palace exam.

Had Grandma been bewitched by Qin Qiuxi? Had she not considered the expenses for his future trip to the capital, the bribes, and other expenses?

Qin Ruo remained calm, unfazed by Qin Zian’s fluctuating emotions.

Qin Zimu ate while secretly observing Qin Ruo’s expression with the corner of his eye.

When Qin Zian wasn’t home, he would still say a few words at the dinner table, but now he just kept his head down and ate.

Over the past ten days, the Qin family had changed from eating two meals a day to three.

Meat dishes were now available at least once a day.

Qin Zimu’s previously sallow face had visibly gained some flesh, and his complexion had become much rosier.

He was clearly more cheerful, but he still felt a deep fear when he saw Qin Zian.

Therefore, when Qin Zian suddenly returned home, he only greeted him and didn’t have anything else to say.

Qin Laotai had been happy all day because she had worked two ridges of land with Qin Zimu.

She hadn’t noticed that Qin Zian was in a bad mood.

“Right, Dalan. I forgot to ask you, how did you get back?”

Qin Laotai casually asked.

“I rented a donkey cart. Should I have walked back?”

Qin Zian dropped his chopsticks and replied coldly.

Although Qin Laotai was usually quite generous with Qin Zian’s expenses, since Qin Ruo refused to hand over the money, she had been very frugal and only managed to save one hundred copper coins from what Qin Ruo gave her.

Hearing that Qin Zian had actually hired a donkey cart back, Qin Laotai’s heart ached.

It only cost three copper coins to ride Old Yang’s donkey cart, how much did it cost to hire a whole cart?

“Ah? You rented a donkey cart back? How much did that cost? You child…”

Qin Zian suddenly stood up, his eyes red as he loudly vented his inner dissatisfaction.

“It only cost fifty copper coins to hire a donkey cart, is that a lot?”

“Are you still my Grandma? Don’t be so partial! You guys eat and drink well at home every day, while some people spend hundreds of copper coins just for a cup of tea at a teahouse. Should I just eat gruel and vegetables at the academy? Can’t I even spend fifty copper coins?”

“That’s right! I’m not as capable as your precious granddaughter, who can easily earn one hundred taels of silver at a teahouse. It’s only right that you look down on me!”

Qin Zian’s angry roar completely stunned Qin Laotai.

She swore to heaven that she had never treated Qin Zian unfairly among her three grandchildren.

Now, her precious grandson was questioning her, blaming her for being partial and unjust?

“Shut up!” Qin Laotai slammed her hand on the table, her eyes filled with deep disappointment.