The look on his face was one of desperation, as if he wanted to move Jian Xiu’s head to his own neck.

He had become so excited every time he saw her recently, almost as if she were a good luck charm.

Thinking of her accounting speed, Manager Zhang couldn’t help but feel thrilled when he saw her.

“Look at you, talking as though my brain’s suddenly malfunctioned,” Jian Xiu joked.

Having worked with Wu Mingtang for a while, Jian Xiu had become much more casual around him. Occasionally, she’d even joke with him.

“Oh, right. Here’s the silver from selling the vehicle grass—sixty-three pounds at sixteen wen per pound. The silver is all here. By the way, Manager Qin is very enthusiastic. He asked when you’ll have more good things for him.”

“Oh? It’ll be soon, just tell him to wait,” Jian Xiu replied, lowering her head as she spoke.

She had already planned to venture into the deep mountains, and with her abilities, she was confident she would have some gains.

Upon hearing this, Wu Mingtang immediately understood that Jian Xiu was planning something. He recalled the wild boars from earlier and couldn’t contain his excitement.

He quickly asked, “When are you planning to leave?”

“Oh? You’re interested too?” Jian Xiu asked playfully.

“No, no, my old bones can’t handle such exertion. But you know, if there’s a good catch, our Yuexiang Tower…” Wu Mingtang’s words trailed off.

Even though he didn’t finish, Jian Xiu could tell from his mischievous grin what he was implying.

She smiled and replied calmly, “Well, I can’t guarantee I’ll catch another wild boar.”

Her words were meant to prepare Wu Mingtang, just in case she didn’t manage to catch anything and he would be too disappointed.

“It doesn’t have to be a wild boar, even some wild rabbits or pheasants will do. These are quite popular at Yuexiang Tower,” Wu Mingtang said, giving her an appraising look.

Jian Xiu sighed in resignation, “Wu, with our cooperation, is there anything you can’t say directly?”

“Since you ask, then I’ll speak frankly.”

“Go ahead.”

“About the wheelchair—did you forget about it?” Wu Mingtang asked cautiously.

Jian Xiu blinked, realizing she really had forgotten.

“See, I knew you’d forget. I’ve already had ten orders for them. You’ll need to get on it,” Wu Mingtang said, looking exasperated.

Jian Xiu, a bit embarrassed, quickly replied, “I’ll arrange it as soon as I’m back from the mountains, I promise. I’ll bring three of them the next time I come to the county. How about that?”

“Really?” Wu Mingtang asked, his tone hopeful.

“Of course. When have I ever made empty promises?” Jian Xiu said with a confident smile.

“Then what about the mountain game…” Wu Mingtang trailed off.

“Alright, alright, I’ll see what I can do about getting a wild boar,” Jian Xiu said helplessly.

As soon as Wu Mingtang spoke, Jian Xiu had already known what he wanted—she would keep the game for Yuexiang Tower. Even if he hadn’t said it, she had always intended to.

She wasn’t opposed to hunting boars, especially since she knew where her traps were.

Of course, the most important thing wasn’t the trap—it was the wild boar food she had discovered in the market.

She was curious about what exactly it was that attracted the boars so much.

As they continued their exchange, Jian Xiu had finished her sketch.

“Wu Mingtang, do you know of a good furniture store around here, one that does good craftsmanship?” Jian Xiu asked, putting away her drawing.

She had to visit a furniture store and then pick up the children from school. Actually, there would be three children to pick up in the future, not just two.

Without a carriage, she had considered whether she should let them live at the academy.

That way, they would have more time to study there.

However, Jian Xiu also wanted them to come back home so she could teach them some knowledge from the apocalypse culture.

After thinking it over, Jian Xiu realized she really needed a carriage.

But with her current financial situation, she couldn’t afford a horse.

A cow cost about ten taels, and a horse could be anywhere from a few dozen to hundreds of taels—ordinary ones cost tens to a hundred or more. Right now, her finances didn’t allow for that.

Moreover, buying a horse wasn’t as simple as having the silver; it required approval from the government.

That’s when Jian Xiu thought of Mo Shanrui. Getting official approval from the government wouldn’t be a problem, but her wallet was another story.

She turned back to Wu Mingtang and asked, “How much does a good-quality horse cost here?”

“Ah, Jian Xiu, are you thinking of buying a horse? A good-quality one?” Wu Mingtang asked, intrigued.

He wasn’t surprised she was interested in a horse, as he knew she collaborated with Caifang Zhai, but he wasn’t sure of the details. If she was buying formulas like he did, selling a few more would help her afford one. After all, with her children studying at the academy, it would be much more convenient to have a carriage.

“I’m just observing for now,” Jian Xiu replied calmly.

Wu Mingtang nodded knowingly. “For a good-quality horse, it might cost about this much.” He gestured with two fingers.

“Is it that expensive?” Jian Xiu asked, surprised.

“Mm, but if it’s a medium-quality horse, around a hundred or so taels should be enough. If you just need a carriage, a medium horse will do. It’s more than sufficient.”

Jian Xiu nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Do you want me to take you to the horse market?” Wu Mingtang asked.

“Not yet, I’m a little short on funds. I’ll come back and ask for your help in a little while,” Jian Xiu replied.

She wasn’t experienced with buying horses. If she accidentally bought one that was sick, it would be a huge loss.

She’d need someone knowledgeable about horses to help her pick the right one.

After hearing Jian Xiu’s response, Wu Mingtang immediately offered, “In that case, you can use my carriage for now! It will be much easier for you to pick up Fei Xuan and the others.”

He quickly added, as though afraid she might refuse, “And you’ll need to transport the game you catch in the mountains, right? You can’t just rent an ox cart, can you?”

“Alright, I won’t refuse,” Jian Xiu said with a smile.

In fact, she hadn’t intended to refuse. She knew that Wu Mingtang had two carriages. As he’d said, it would definitely be easier for her to use one.