The Farm Girl’s Charismatic Fortune
Chapter 166 - 162 Petty

Chapter 166: Chapter 162 Petty

Jian Li approached with a smile, "Eldest sister, brother-in-law."

Then she turned to greet Ruo Shui and his wife with a smile, because both Ruo Shui and Madam Liu were older than her, she called out, "Fourth brother, fourth sister-in-law."

Ruo Shui and Madam Liu responded with a smile, and had Xuanbao and Ruo Xian call Ruo Hang and his sister "little aunt" and "uncle-in-law."

Ruo Xuan sweetly called out, "Little aunt, uncle-in-law."

Jian Li gently touched Ruo Xuan’s head and said tenderly, "So this is Xuanbao? So beautiful! So smart!"

Being aware of some of the Ruo Family’s affairs due to Ruo Shan working as an apprentice in her own medical clinic, Jian Li’s gaze couldn’t help but fall on Ruo Xuan.

Who would have thought that this little girl, who couldn’t speak just a few months ago, would suddenly speak as if someone had opened her Ren and Du meridians?

And she even managed to save an entire county’s people, receiving a reward from The Emperor!

Xuanbao smiled and said, "Little aunt is very beautiful too!"

Xuanbao also knew of Jian Li, who had married into the second son’s family of Fang’s Medical Clinic.

It was Jian Li who had facilitated the fifth uncle’s opportunity to work as an attendant at Fang’s Medical Clinic.

As a result, Madam Zhuang, the elder sister-in-law of the family, targeted the fifth uncle, believing he was the second wife’s spy in the clinic.

During her last visit to the clinic, Xuanbao had also seen Madam Zhuang bullying Ruo Shan.

However, the fifth uncle said that Jian Li took great care of him, and Doctor Fang taught him generously. After Madam Zhuang was punished last time, she no longer dared to misbehave.

Grandma said that as an apprentice in someone else’s household, it was inevitable to face hardships. No matter what, as long as one could learn, that was what mattered. Once one had learned sufficiently, they could open their own medical clinic and be a doctor, no longer needing to tolerate any mistreatment.

Xuanbao secretly used her mind-reading skill on her fifth uncle and knew that he reported only the good and not the bad. His inner world wasn’t particularly rich, so she couldn’t read exactly what had happened, but she did find out that he probably had a fondness for a girl from the Fang Family, silently cherishing her goodness in his heart.

Upon hearing this, Jian Li’s smile became even brighter. She pulled out a red envelope and handed it to Xuanbao, "Xuanbao is such a sweet talker. Here, may you grow taller and healthier in the coming year!"

She then distributed a red envelope to every child present.

Madam Liu wanted to leave soon to see her own father, so she also happily handed out several red envelopes to the children as New Year’s gifts before bidding farewell, "It’s getting late, and I have to visit my father. We’ll be leaving now."

Madam Jiang didn’t want to give red envelopes to Xuanbao and Ruo Xian, but since her husband was glaring at her, she had to give them out, each containing only a copper coin, specially prepared for such occasions.

The second day of the new year was the time for married daughters to visit their maternal homes. It was not suitable for the Jian Family to keep Ruo Shui and Madam Liu, so they warmly saw them off.

Fang Shude watched as Ruo Shui drove off in his brand-new carriage, pulled by horses that were even better than those of their own family, and couldn’t help saying, "It’s true, when one man gains the way, even his pets rise to heaven!"

Madam Jiang, puzzled, asked, "What’s this about when one man gains the way, even his pets rise to heaven?"

Jian Li replied, "Elder sister-in-law, don’t you know? Xuanbao received a reward from The Emperor."

Madam Jiang’s face showed sheer astonishment, "I had no idea!"

Her mother had been seriously ill, and she had spent the last three months with her two children in the neighboring county taking care of her mother, oblivious to everything else!

"How did Xuanbao receive a reward from The Emperor? What happened?" she inquired.

Jian Li knew her sister-in-law was somewhat mercenary. Ever since the Ruo Family fell from grace, Madam Jiang had looked down on her eldest sister’s family.

She replied with a smile, "You should ask elder sister about that! She knows more about it."

Madam Jiang immediately asked, "Jian Rou, what’s this all about?"

Jian Rou answered indifferently, "It’s nothing much. During the recent flood, Xuanbao saved several counties’ worth of people and received a reward from The Emperor, that’s all."

A feeling akin to being scratched by a cat took over Madam Jiang’s heart, "Xuanbao saved several counties’ worth of people? How did she do it?"

Jian Rou’s parents were also not fond of their mercenary daughter-in-law, regretting that they had not researched more thoroughly before arranging such a wife for their son.

Jian Rou’s father said quickly, "Alright, it’s windy. Let’s go inside!"

At that moment, Jian Yue unwrapped the red envelope given by Madam Liu, revealing a silver ingot shaped like a rabbit’s head and exclaimed, "Mother, this is so pretty!"

Seeing this, Jian Ri hurriedly opened his red envelope, finding a silver ingot shaped like a tiger’s head inside, and excitedly said, "Mine is a tiger!"

Jian Li’s two children, Fang Yao and Fang Fen, also wanted to open their red envelopes to see what was inside, but they were stopped by Jian Li with just a look!

Madam Jiang saw this and scolded, "How could you open your red envelopes so soon! Such lack of manners, who taught you?!"

Madam Liu’s face looked somewhat displeased, feeling that her mother-in-law was deliberately undermining her in front of Jian Rou. She said, "Mother, Ri and Yue are only a few years old, what do they know? Besides, the guests have all left, what’s the harm in opening them now? There are no strangers here, right, sister, brother-in-law?"

Ruo Jiang did not agree, but he also knew it was not his place to say much, so he just smiled, "We can always teach the children slowly."

Madam Jiang thought her cousins from her maternal home were truly not taught well by their eldest sister-in-law, but the children were still young and there was still hope for them. She quickly pacified her mother, "Mother, Ri and Yue are still young, we can teach them slowly, let’s go inside!"

Jian Family’s father also said, "Let’s go inside, quickly!"

Since both sons-in-law were present, any teaching of the grandchildren had to wait until they had left.

Ruo Jiang carried a basket into the house, and Madam Jiang carried two bolts of cloth.

Ruo Hang and Ruo Bo each carried a food box and a bundle, respectively.

Madam Liu eyed the New Year’s gifts the two had brought.

This year, what Ruo Jiang and Madam Jiang brought for the New Year’s gifts only appeared to be two bolts of cloth and a bundle more than previous years.

Because the cloth was protected by a layer of paper, it was impossible to tell what kind of fabric it was, but the wrapping paper looked very high-end, a light gold color, with an embossed character for "tribute"!

Could that be a tribute item?

Cloth bestowed by the Emperor?

Madam Liu wished she had x-ray vision to see what was inside.

Walking at the back, Jian Yuan deliberately lagged a few steps behind the others and asked Madam Liu in a low voice, "How much was in the red envelopes you gave to Xuanbao and her siblings just now?"

Madam Liu’s eyes flickered, "I don’t know, I prepared many red envelopes and just grabbed one at random!"

Jian Yuan snorted coldly, "You wouldn’t know?"

Jian Ri, thinking his mother really didn’t know, interjected, knowing that the red envelopes were wrapped in red paper and he had helped in wrapping them, "I know, a copper coin! I recognize it, I helped pack them!"

Madam Liu glared at Jian Ri!

Jian Yuan’s face darkened! Those were his eldest sister-in-law’s nephew and niece, and she only gave them a copper coin?

The red envelopes Madam Liu gave were supposed to represent both her and her husband.

This was simply an embarrassment to him!

Even if the Ruo Family was poor, the red envelopes given to children during the New Year never contained less than ten copper coins!

From now on, he would feel ashamed to meet Brother Ruo Shui!

Deciding in his heart, Jian Yuan determined that from now on, he would personally educate the two children, lest they grow up poorly.

This daughter-in-law was too stingy!

Inside the carriage

Ruo Xian pinched the red envelope, guessing with Xuanbao how many copper coins it might contain.

He held the red envelope that Madam Liu had just given and said, "This one has a copper coin!"

Xuanbao, "Hmm, it’s a copper coin."

Madam Liu, "....."

Although the amount in a red envelope is supposed to reflect the giver’s goodwill, Madam Liu still felt unhappy; Madam Liu was too grudging!

A red envelope with a copper coin was typically given to neighbors, but who in the family gives such a red envelope to relatives?

She decided next time she would also give Madam Liu’s children a copper coin!