CHAPTER 344: CHAPTER 321: GAMBLING TALENT

Actually, Qi Shanhe wanted to ransom that girl from the Qianse House because he’s been eager for a son all these years.

Qi Shanhe is thirty-seven years old and only has one daughter, and his wife Xing Shi hasn’t gotten pregnant since she gave birth to Xiaosui.

In Yu Xiaolian’s mind, Qi Shanhe isn’t really a bad person; he’s just dumb.

How dumb can Qi Shanhe be? So much so that he doesn’t even know how to properly do a bad deed.

This time, for example, he teamed up with people from the Zhao Family Gambling House to spread the news that he owed them money—an incredibly foolish move.

A student of the Confucian classics being a hopeless gambler, Qi Shanhe himself ruined his own reputation.

And all this is just for a child that he doesn’t even know if it’s his own flesh and blood.

"So... why doesn’t Qi Shanhe just tell the truth to his mother instead of trying to ransom the girl?" Yu Changhe really couldn’t understand why Qi Shanhe was putting on this act.

Yu Xiaolian guessed, "Maybe he’s afraid his mother won’t agree. After all, spending over a hundred taels of silver for a courtesan."

Sun Shi nodded in agreement. With more than a hundred taels, one could marry several good daughters from respectable families. A regular family wouldn’t want to marry a courtesan—it’s just asking to be ridiculed.

Moreover, Xing Shi often boasts that they are a family of scholars. Qi Shanhe surely tested the waters with Xing Shi, and since she didn’t agree, he came up with this idea.

"Qi Shanhe has around a hundred taels himself and asks his mother for fifty taels, spends a hundred and twenty taels for the ransom, and is left with thirty taels, which is totally enough to rent a yard in Luocheng and live with the courtesan.

Tsk tsk... He’s calculated it really well!" Yu Xiaolian said with a mocking expression.

Sun Shi said to Yu Changhe seriously, "Go call Fengshou over; I have something to tell him."

Yu Changhe agreed and turned around to leave.

Once Yu Changhe left, Yu Xiaolian reclined on the bed, "Mom, what are we eating tonight?"

Sun Shi laughed and asked, "What do you want to eat? Whatever you want, I’ll make. Today, I’ll cook for you myself, how does that sound?"

Yu Xiaolian chuckled, "Mom, I want dumplings with chive and shrimp filling, and braised ribs."

"Alright, I’ll make them for you." Sun Shi replied lovingly.

For her daughter, who couldn’t stay home for more than a few days throughout the year, she certainly wanted to fulfill her wishes.

Soon, Yu Changhe brought Sun Fengshou over.

On the way, Yu Changhe had told Sun Fengshou bits and pieces, so when Sun Shi brought it up, Sun Fengshou agreed immediately without hesitation.

In fact, his stance wasn’t as firm as his wife Qi Dalian’s; he was the kind of person with a tough mouth but a soft heart, just like his mother.

There were times when Qi Dalian refused to let Xing Shi in, but he and his mother had persuaded her more than once. In hindsight, the two of them needed someone with strong opinions to oversee them.

And Qi Dalian was precisely that person with strong opinions.

Qi Dalian went to great lengths to prevent her mother from taking advantage of the Sun Family.

"I understand, sis, from now on, I will never lend money to my mother-in-law." Sun Fengshou sometimes wondered how someone as unreasonable as Xing Shi ended up having such a good daughter as Qi Dalian.

According to Qi Dalian herself, she takes after her father and not at all after her mother, whether in personality or appearance.

Sun Shi sighed, "You’re now working in the workshop, and with the harvest from the land, we do earn a hundred taels a year, but we shouldn’t spend money like this.

Think more often of the days when we ate chaff and wild herbs, and you’ll realize these good days didn’t come easily. We should save more money to ensure our descendants live better lives.

If there’s ever turmoil or a famine, the silver we have might only be enough to buy a few bags of grain."

Sun Fengshou saw Sun Shi’s worried look and quickly said, "Big sis, I’ve got it. My brother-in-law needs fifty taels, and my mother-in-law shamelessly asked Dalian for a hundred taels. This person is just...!"

Sun Fengshou was so angry, he couldn’t even describe such a person—too despicable.

Yu Xiaolian leaned in front of Sun Fengshou, "Uncle, Qi Shanhe might be average at studying, but he’s really good at playing dice. I heard from Zhao Biaotou that Qi Shanhe almost always wins money when he gambles!"

Sun Fengshou sneered, "Good at dice? What kind of skill is that?"

"Why isn’t it a skill? Playing dice requires talent too. Qi Shanhe used to just play small bets at the gambling house, but if Xing Shi can’t get the money together, he might risk all his savings for a big win."

When Sun Fengshou heard that, his heart sank, "If he loses all the money, what can be done?"

Yu Xiaolian smiled slyly, "Maybe his savings will double!"

That day, Zhao Biaotou said his fourth brother thought Qi Shanhe had talent for gambling and was interested in hiring him at his gambling house.

Now it seems that Qi Shanhe was tempted by Zhao Zhixin’s offer; otherwise, he wouldn’t have demeaned himself like this, ruining his own reputation.

Sun Fengshou chuckled, "It would be great if the savings doubled."

He hoped his brother-in-law and mother-in-law would live affluently, so he wouldn’t have to worry about his mother-in-law visiting unannounced. It would be best if his brother-in-law struck it rich.

Then they could each live their own lives well.

However, gambling brings money fast and loses it fast; becoming rich or poor happens overnight, and he’s worried Qi Shanhe can’t handle it.

If Qi Shanhe truly lost all his savings, Sun Fengshou could already envision Xing Shi coming to his home, crying poverty.

With this in mind, Sun Fengshou decided to go home and light a stick of incense to the Bodhisattva, praying for Qi Shanhe’s smooth success and doubled savings.

After Sun Fengshou left, Sun Shi went to the little kitchen and started busying herself with the dumpling filling.

Once Sun Shi finished kneading the dough, Yu Xiaolian had already peeled the cooked white prawns.

Since Sun Shi and Yu Changhe often thought of eating things not easily found in Luocheng, like seafood, which is unavailable here, Sun Shi transformed the west side of the main room’s back chamber into a small kitchen for cooking seafood-based dishes, creating a little feast for the family.

For example, the white shrimp used in today’s dumpling stuffing was Yu Xiaolian’s from the supermarket.

The ribs were the same; otherwise, in mid-winter here in Taohua Village, you wouldn’t find fresh ribs.

"Mom, let’s steam some green crabs too; it’s been a while since we’ve had them, and there’s still plenty in the space!" Since Yu Xiaolian started living in Luocheng herself, she hasn’t steamed crabs.

If Luocheng sells crabs, it’s during September and October, brought by merchants from coastal cities, and they’re expensive even if available. Without prior reservations, they might not be obtainable.

Only those with money and influence can eat something fresh.