Chapter 67

Shuiqing was surprised that ever since this young boy had returned, he had been working with such dedication.

Gone was the rebellious attitude he had when he first arrived, and gone was the hostility he harbored towards everyone. He now blended in with her five children, digging pits and running wildly across the hills like a husky.

So, despite the fun and mischief, this child had not forgotten his true self?

“You want to build a house?”

Bai Ziqian’s mouth opened wide in shock and took a long time to close before he asked, “How did you know?”

Shuiqing wanted to call him a fool; his expression was practically broadcasting it.

Kids are kids. Did her little thoughts show on her face when she was young too?

Did the adults find her equally obvious?

She didn’t answer but continued to ask, “Want to make money?”

Bai Ziqian lowered his head in embarrassment, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides repeatedly before he softly murmured, “Yes.”

He had overheard the two old women talking and knew that selecting helpers was strict.

Only the able-bodied were chosen; the old and the young were not.

He realized how naive his previous thoughts had been. The villagers had to go out to earn money; how could they possibly hire him for work?

And even if they needed to hire someone, a single shout would bring the entire village running, from which they’d choose the strong and hardworking men, who would earn no more than twenty-something wen a day.

Shuiqing wasn’t angry, just curious, and asked, “This is just a trivial amount of money to you. Building a house is exhausting. Are you sure you want to earn such a small amount? Why?”

Who didn’t want to earn money as a child? She understood.

But this rich young master seemed particularly fixated on earning money.

Fan Jin, listening quietly beside them, now spoke warmly, “We’ve been together for more than a month, intending to get to know each other better. If you don’t want to say, you don’t have to.”

Shuiqing nodded, “In our family, there’s no age restriction. You can work with Dajiang and Dahai. They wanted to earn their own money too.”

She didn’t mention that Dajiang and Dahai’s daily wages were discounted.

Bai Ziqian’s eyes reddened, and he said with a nasal tone, “I don’t want to be called a freeloader by my family, constantly reminded that without them, I wouldn’t exist, that I should be grateful and sensible;

Nor do I want to be mocked outside, told that I rely on my family and am useless, that without their support, I’d starve, that I couldn’t earn anything on my own.”

Shuiqing glanced secretly at Fan Jin.

This was a family education issue. With no experience raising children, she left it to Fan Jin.

Fan Jin was indeed reliable, discussing everything from the heavens and earth to life and ideals with the boy.

Bai Ziqian gradually brightened, resolutely clenching his fist, “Uncle Fan, I understand. I can earn money on my own and shut those people up!”

Shuiqing had been happily listening, but now she stepped in to teach, “Understand what? Don’t be foolish. Gossipers will always gossip, no matter what you do. They’ll never shut up!

You need to learn not to care about those people. Focus on your own path and don’t let them distract you.”

Bai Ziqian looked at Shuiqing, puzzled.

Shuiqing, though not experienced in child-rearing, was wealthy back in China. The way the rich handled things and thought was different from laborers. She asked the boy, “Working for others, you earn no more than twenty or thirty wen a day. It’s barely enough to support a family. If disaster strikes and you have no extra grain or much silver, what can you do besides wait for help?

If at this time, city grain merchants hoard grain and refuse to sell, waiting for prices to skyrocket, even if the authorities arrest them, they still claim there’s no grain. What can you do?”

Bai Ziqian thought for a long time, realizing it was a dead end. Without money, grain, or people, he had no solution.

He shook his head in frustration.

“If you were a merchant with lots of grain and wealth, employing many helpers, and disaster struck, and the government’s relief grain was on its way, other grain merchants hoarded grain for exorbitant prices, and officials approached you. You sell grain at a reasonable price or slightly higher. Other merchants, fearing they won’t sell their grain once the relief arrives, also start selling.

Wouldn’t the city be saved? Wouldn’t many avoid starvation?

Even in the worst-case scenario, you have grain, money, and people. While others starve and sell their children and ignore their elders, you can protect your family, ensuring their well-being in chaotic times. Doesn’t that avoid the feelings of frustration and helplessness?”

Bai Ziqian looked up in amazement, his eyes meeting Shuiqing’s.

Shuiqing patted the boy’s shoulder, satisfied, “You see, money isn’t a bad thing, right?

Don’t be misled. Only by standing tall can you see far.”

As a businesswoman, she loved money but had her limits—never profiting from national disasters.

“Standing tall to see far,” Fan Jin murmured.

Should he also aim to stand tall to realize his ambitions?

Bai Ziqian stood for a long time, until his legs went numb, then firmly told Shuiqing, “I will return home tomorrow.”

He then solemnly bowed to both, “Thank you. I now realize how narrow and biased my previous thoughts were.”

He should learn the ways of business, not worry about being a laborer.

He indeed benefited from his family, but that wasn’t bad. Repaying them was enough.

As for others, why care about their opinions?

Whether in prosperous times or chaotic years, he needed the ability to protect his family, and they were his family!

He would protect them in the future too!

When Shuiqing heard Bai Ziqian say he would return home tomorrow, she first acknowledged it, then realized that no one would be left to dig the pit behind the mountain.

She had truly dug a pit for herself, and she sighed deeply, “Let’s see our good deeds through to the end. Here, this is your jade pendant. Take it, and tomorrow, let your Uncle Fan take you home with the ox cart.”

Bai Ziqian hadn’t expected to get back the jade pendant he had worn since childhood, nor had he expected that Auntie Shuiqing, who begrudged even a few wen for a laborer’s wages, would be willing to return a jade pendant worth hundreds of gold.

He had tears in his eyes, but when he heard Auntie Shuiqing’s next words, the tears were pulled back.

“Your clothes are really shabby. But you’re unlucky; Sister Guifen is responsible for making clothes, and the ones Granny Li brought today didn’t include yours. Otherwise, wearing new clothes back home would look better and not so downtrodden, right?

You’re still young and don’t understand how harsh the outside world can be. Look, even your clothes are lost. Luckily, you met someone kind-hearted like me. I really am quite good, aren’t I?”

Bai Ziqian: ….. Who praises themselves like that!