Chapter 103: Girl, I Regret It!

She searched online again, looking up how to plant rubber trees, how to cut them, how to collect, how to boil the latex, and memorized it all.

She began rummaging for seeds; last time she bought over three hundred varieties at once, so they should be there.

With a try‑it‑out mindset, she actually found some.

She grinned, cleared another ten mu of empty land, sowed the rubber‑tree seeds one by one, spacing each ten meters apart—four per hundred square meters—so on the ten mu (over 6,000 m²) she planted just over sixty trees.

After watering, she cleared another ten mu, planted lingzhi; without Meditation she immediately began planning the space.

Ten mu, re‑sown ten mu, so the space can double the amount of land.

Next, she planted Dendrobium, gastrodia, notoginseng, snow lotus, polygonum multiflorum, eucommia, poria, patchouli and over a dozen other precious medicinal herbs, filling the rest of the land.

Once these herbs mature, the space's land will increase by nearly five hundred mu.

When the time comes, harvest a batch and replant, so the expansion is faster than the previous selective planting.

She dares not be lazy any longer; she is eager to buy the actual items online and eager that after SpaceUpgrade she can save the costly expense of buying spirit stones.

"That residence belongs to my sister; my two young ladies and I live at my sister's house, not at my family's new residence."

"I see their family so enthusiastic, even more than when the marriage proposal was made; I knew they had ulterior motives."

"The former meaning is clearer; their family isn't magnanimous, otherwise after all these years they wouldn't still be a middle‑class household in the County Town."

Upon the completion of the new residence, she built an oven in her courtyard; moreover, she ordered a flat‑bottomed skillet from the blacksmith shop, suitable for making pancakes or searing Beefsteak.

"Good day, Madam Feng."

"So when shall we go meet the family, otherwise we might lose our way at the Wedding ceremony."

"Regardless of them, I'll do my part; besides Moon Cake, I'll make something else, since I still owe the town mayor a favor—promised to sell him a recipe—and it's been almost a year, I must fulfill it."

"It won't be until September, right? By then the rain lessens and the autumn is clear and crisp."

"You go with me; you may not refuse. Previously you wanted to see Ling'er, had no time, so I won't say anything; I consider you as a close sister."

"Truly, I feel ashamed to receive the congratulatory gift."

After a good night's rest, the next day Qiao Mai began preparing the ingredients for Moon Cake.

"Oh dear, I just sent someone with a congratulatory gift, and you're here in person?"

"Perhaps it's a misunderstanding—thinking this was your residence, the move wasn't announced to the in‑laws; or maybe they knew we had honored guests and didn't invite them, deliberately giving a cold reception? Or perhaps it's a sincere congratulation?"

Madam Wang took a piece split in two, handed it to Xin'er, "You try some too!"

Shopkeeper Lu glanced at Qiao Mai, and Qiao Mai immediately understood and said.

Everyone inhaled deeply; Qiao Mai, wearing an apron, saw them and smiled, saying.

"How about we go on the eighth day of the ninth month?"

"What's that?"

On the way back, Lu San‑niang grinned and sighed.

The two alighted from the carriage, glanced at the doorway, and said to the gate‑keeping old woman.

"No need to be polite!"

"Never mind that, the Yueyuan Festival is approaching; I need to make some Moon Cake, and the oven hasn't been used yet."

Hearing this, the old woman quickly bowed to the two, turned and went inside; shortly after, the matriarch of the Feng family arrived herself.

The Feng family's Tutor was fairly decent; meals were orderly and the atmosphere pleasant, though only when outsiders were present.

These past days she has often followed Madam Wang, learning her gait and speech tones, increasingly resembling a young lady of a great household.

The three entered the Feng Zhai's living room; Qiao Mai glanced once, then sat down with Lu San‑niang.

"Xin'er is getting married, so it's at the new residence?"

The Feng Zhai, with its three‑by‑three courtyards, about sixty‑seven percent new, bearing repair marks, has likely been inhabited for many years.

"Girl, I regret it!"

"It's too late."

Lu San‑niang chatted with Madam Feng for a while, while Qiao Mai sat silently; after about seven minutes, Lu San‑niang was about to leave.

Madam Feng insisted they stay, refusing to let them leave until after lunch.

"Thank you, Madam."

She doesn't go with the flow; she has the means, but her disciple cannot, and she belongs here, so she'll follow the local rules.

"Sister's word is law; my home is sister's home."

Without Lu San‑niang and Qiao Mai, who knows what it would be like?

They had someone hitch winter jujubes to a carriage, sent a horse‑driving old woman to follow, and from Qiao Ji Snack Shop prepared some gifts; the two then headed straight to the County Town.

"Alright, I'll accompany you."

"I won't tell you; when the time comes I'll whip something up for you to eat."

"I know the consequences of ruining a marriage."

The aroma of Moon Cake drew Madam Wang over; she came with Xin'er and the servant girl, to Qiao Mai's courtyard.

After it was made, it hasn't been used yet.

"What do you mean?"

It's a good chance for them to become closer; ideally the two will bond, so later, even if she's absent, Xin'er can still turn to Madam Wang for help.

Lunch was laid out, fairly sumptuous; at that moment Yinshi returned from the School.

In the Xiaochufang, she alone pounded the mixture; having gained first‑time experience, this time she worked faster than before.

"Have someone unload the gifts from the carriage; it's the first time I'm bringing my sister to the house, so I can't come empty‑handed—these are fine items from her shop, try them fresh."

"Good, good, quickly, please come inside, please come inside."

After everything was ready and lunch finished, they began baking.

Qiao Mai watched and felt delighted; as long as she learns something, that's enough.

It's not that; it's that Xin'er has taken a liking to Feng Yinshi. If the marriage is ruined, wouldn't that be separating lovers? She'd be struck by lightning.

After presenting the gifts to Lu Sanniang and Qiao Mai, they obediently sat to the side and began eating.

"Go tell your matriarch, saying that the Lu family from Tianshui Town is visiting."

Yuehong stared at Ling'er herself, while Yuexia cleaned up, took two plates, and likewise picked up a few Moon Cakes and placed them on the table.

"How about you go to the Feng Family and clarify this, so misunderstandings don't pile up and cause an ugly scene later."

"Both County Town and Fucheng sell them now; you didn't know, but these Moon Cakes are very popular, and the Qian Family has made a lot of silver."

It seems quite lively, but on closer look, some people are only smiling on the surface, not genuinely—so fake.

Seeing this makes Qiao Mai feel a bit nauseous; although in her past life as an agent she said whatever was required, this life she wants to live according to her own wishes.

"Yes, my sister said that our household is just the three of us—mother and two daughters; once Xin'er gets married there will be even fewer, which is why we moved over to live together."

Looking at the courtyard filled with Exquisite boxes, and the Moon Cakes baked on the table.

Having no choice, the two of them stayed to eat again; at noon, Lord Feng, the matriarch of the Feng Family, the Old Lord, several concubines and their children all arrived in the front hall.

"This is my sister,"

"We'll take it one step at a time."

"Girl, you say we didn't place a bet, so why did they bring gifts?"

Lu Sanniang, in the Keting, looked at that box of gifts with a rather displeased expression, and she asked someone to bring in Qiao Mai.

On the tenth day of the eighth month, the Feng Family sent a box of gifts to Jixiang Yuan, saying it was to congratulate Shopkeeper Lu on moving to a new residence.

The matriarch of the Feng Family then saw Qiao Mai beside her and asked, "Who is this?"

"Fine, fine."

"Sit wherever; I'm busy here, you can take the Moon Cakes yourselves and eat."

The carriage didn't enter the Feng Zhai; the two sets of in‑laws met, holding hands warmly.

"Mmm, the taste is really good, similar to the pastries from Fucheng; is the Qian Family's recipe yours?"

Qiao Mai smiled and nodded, neither confirming nor denying.

"I told you so."

"Yuexia, give each person one, let everyone have a taste."

(End of chapter)