The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 491 - Four Hundred and Eighty: Advice

Chapter 491: Chapter Four Hundred and Eighty: Advice

Shi Xiaoen rubbed his face in frustration, not planning to deal with these two any longer when suddenly the little girl sat down next to him with a sigh, releasing her breath.

Unable to resist, Shi Xiaoen looked at her and recognized her, "Oh, it’s Zhou Wu’s youngest sister."

Manbao nodded and asked, "So, your dad’s alright?"

Shi Xiaoen was confused for a while before he realized what she meant, and he replied slowly, "What could be wrong with him?"

"Your dad sure is carefree."

Zhou SiLang also took a seat next to Manbao and added, "Your dad really has a good temper."

Shi Xiaoen: ....

Manbao sighed again and said, "Brother Shi, you should really quit gambling. In this world, nine out of ten gamblers lose more than they win and end up bankrupt. The remaining one is the gambler who quits. I hope you can be the one who quits."

Shi Xiaoen frowned. He hadn’t expected a little kid to dare lecture him. He had been dominating the gambling scene for years and had only started losing more than winning in the past two years. Given enough money, he could turn things around and even make a big profit...

Seeing his expression, the Manbao siblings knew he hadn’t taken their words to heart.

Manbao didn’t try to persuade him further and stood up to leave.

However, Zhou SiLang patted his shoulder and said, "Eldest Master Shi, I’ve gambled too, and not only did I lose all my savings, but I also incurred debts. My sister’s words might not sound pleasant, but they’re logical. There aren’t many good people in the gambling dens, and few gamblers end up well. You’d be better off quitting."

Zhou SiLang proceeded to empathize, saying, "Even if not for yourself, do it for your family, right? Considering your age, you must have a wife and children, and your old man is surely not getting any younger. Your family doesn’t lack money, so why bother hanging around the gambling dens?"

Originally, Zhou SiLang had come to the county town with his family to pay the grain tax. With his own pocket money in tow, he wandered into a gambling house and saw people winning big.

Swayed by the door talkers from the gambling house, he went inside.

Reflecting on it now, it seemed unbelievable to him; he was just looking to make some quick money and then buy a lot of meat...

At first, he had a good run and won several games. He intended to leave but somehow couldn’t pull himself away from the table, continuing to gamble until he had lost not only his winnings but also his initial stake.

Reluctantly, he stayed, and when someone from the gambling house came forward offering to lend him some money, he accepted.

Unaware, he continued back and forth between wins and losses until he was down fifteen taels.

Remembering it made Zhou SiLang swallow hard as he reiterated with even more concern, "Eldest Master Shi, your family is well-off. If you quit gambling and work hard, you can earn it all back, but if you lose your family’s fortune, it’ll be much harder to recover."

Shi Xiaoen glanced at Zhou SiLang annoyed. Who was he, anyway?

Some random person thought they could lecture him?

The attentive shopkeeper, having noticed the situation, quickly stepped forward to intercept Shi Xiaoen, offering Zhou SiLang a grateful smile.

Zhou SiLang, always astute, naturally understood Shi Xiaoen’s mood.

He had spoken from his own experience, believing they shared a common history, which prompted him to offer his heartfelt advice.

Now, it seemed, he shouldn’t have said anything.

Zhou SiLang nodded to the shopkeeper, and regardless of whether Shi Xiaoen would take his advice to heart, he took Manbao and left.

However, after just a few steps, Zhou SiLang couldn’t help but look back and say, "Eldest Master Shi, if you ever decide to sell your shop, you can come to us. You know my brother Five. We might not have much money, but we don’t go back on our word."

Shi Xiaoen’s eyes shot daggers, offended. With his abilities, he might just turn his luck around tomorrow. Why would he need to sell his shop?

This man was clearly cursing him!

After the Zhou siblings had left, the shopkeeper who was holding onto Shi Xiaoen couldn’t help but tear up as he pleaded, "Young Master, they say the onlooker sees most of the game. The words of that Young Master were very sensible; please consider his advice."

Shi Xiaoen pushed his hand away and said, "Cut the nonsense. Does the family miss the little money I spend? It’s dad who doesn’t want to give me the money..."

The shopkeeper was left speechless. A landlord’s family may have surplus grain, but excessive gambling could exhaust even the largest surplus.

Clearly, Shi Xiaoen failed to realize this, especially today when he had to sell his shop and his old man still sent someone with money to help him pay off his debts.

Obviously, the family wasn’t out of money; they just didn’t want to give it to him to waste.

Walking away, Zhou SiLang shook his head in sighs.

But Manbao had already put Shi Xiaoen out of her mind, considering him just a slightly familiar stranger, one that it was a shame was addicted to gambling.

In terms of familiarity, he couldn’t even compare to their neighbor Laizi.

If she had to be upset about every person she knew who gambled, she would be grieving many times over.

So, soon after leaving the shop, Manbao was looking around with great interest, then tugged at Zhou SiLang to enter another shop.

She saw that they were selling copper mirrors.

Zhou SiLang, seeing her buy three mirrors, couldn’t help but comment, "Actually, being a young lady does have its perks; you always get gifts."

Manbao thought about it and realized, oh yeah, she had been buying gifts for her sister-in-law and Daya, but had forgotten about her brothers and nephews.

What should she give to the boys?

After pondering, her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Silang, let’s go buy some big chunks of meat and a cast iron pot, and have sister-in-law cook us something tasty."

She said, "Since you guys don’t have gifts, I’m willing to buy extra meat, so sister-in-law can cook it for you."

Zhou SiLang: ....

But he was speechless only for an instant before he picked up the things she had bought and started walking, "Come on, let’s go check out the cast iron pots."

Thanks to Manbao’s influence, Zhou SiLang had not only tasted dishes cooked in a cast iron pot but had also seen the big cast iron pot in the Bai Family’s kitchen. It was really something...

They had never dared to use so much iron on the farm tools in his family’s house.

Once they got to the blacksmith’s shop and inquired, they learned that iron pots weren’t made entirely of iron, but they were still expensive, even more so than their farming tools.

After Zhou SiLang heard the price, he turned around to leave with Manbao.

However, Manbao remembered the delicious dishes at Bai Shanbao’s home and thought if they had an iron pot, their sister-in-law could replicate them, so she was reluctant to leave.

Upon seeing the little girl hugging a post and refusing to go, the blacksmith couldn’t help but chuckle. Wiping the sweat from his neck with a towel, he smiled and said, "Kid, if your sister wants to buy it, just get her one."

Zhou SiLang grumbled, "But this is too expensive."

"Don’t you see how much iron is on it," said the blacksmith. "It’s actually cheap now. Eight or nine years ago, there was a war at the border. Back then, you couldn’t even find one to buy if you wanted."

Manbao then looked up at her brother, clinging to the post, unwilling to leave, "Silang, let’s buy it, please buy it."

Zhou SiLang grumbled, "I’m afraid dad will beat me if I bring it home."

"Not if we buy big chunks of meat and have sister-in-law make something delicious with it. Then dad won’t be angry," she said.