Chapter 69: Really on the ball!

Arriving at the Wang residence, Qiao Mai shouted from the carriage.

"Go tell your young lady that the goods she wanted have arrived. Tell her to come to the gate to inspect and receive them."

The guard had already received instructions from the young lady. Hearing this, he bolted into the residence. It didn't take long before Miss Wang brought Wang Zihan running over.

"Oh my, truly punctual."

"If I said I'd come, I'd definitely come. Besides, I still need to get the silver for the New Year."

"Money-grubber, are you afraid I'd embezzle your silver?"

"Isn't that so? I'm running a small business; I can't afford to lose."

This time, without Qiao Mai saying anything, Miss Wang immediately got into the carriage, lifted the quilt, and saw the ten boxes of goods inside, laughing out loud.

"This is truly to my liking. Thank you so much, Sister Qiao."

"You, this friend, I, Qiao Mai, have made. Many thanks."

"You're welcome. Go home early; the road is hard to travel, and it's freezing cold. Remember to come find me if you have good things in the future; I'll help you handle them."

"Thanks."

With the few thousand taels of silver Qiao Mai gave her, plus what she had earned before, her confidence was immediately boosted.

"Definitely."

"You're really something. When you go out to handle business, if it's inconvenient, you can leave the child with me. What if she gets sick from the cold on a trip? Go back quickly."

"Alright, then I'm leaving."

Shopkeeper Lu put down her work and came to the carriage. Qiao Mai took four silver notes from her bosom and handed them to her.

"Mother, little sister, are you cold?"

Then she picked out identical gifts, put them aside, and put the rest of the things bought from the prefecture city into the warehouse and locked them up.

Saying this, she waved her hand at the people behind her, and gift boxes were loaded onto the carriage one by one, almost filling the carriage box.

It wasn't to guard against Yuan Jiaqi and the others, but at night, no one knew what might happen.

Asking questions, her eyes kept aiming at that pile of things.

She took off Ling'er's outer clothes and let her sit on the kang to play by herself. The three Feng and Yun brothers also climbed onto the kang to play with her.

"Good thing!"

Returning to the room, she glanced at the children. Ling'er and her few brothers were playing quite well.

Yuan Jiaqi's eyes flickered. He was very surprised to see fresh fruits and vegetables, but he didn't ask much. He pushed the handcart over, put these on it, and left.

She originally wanted to stroll around the prefecture city to buy gifts for her family, but this carriage of things made her directly dismiss this idea.

Qiao Mai picked out a bag of snacks from that pile of goods and placed it on the kang table for the children to eat.

Shopkeeper Lu then saw that she was still carrying one in her arms and immediately began to scold her.

Thinking of her family, she didn't eat outside and hurried home after buying the things.

"Wait a moment, I also prepared a New Year gift for you."

Returning home, Yuan Jiaqi hurried out to meet her, let her take the children inside, and he and the children helped unload the carriage.

"Originally, it was also intended as a New Year gift for you."

Compared to the boxes given to Miss Wang, these few wooden boxes were clearly several sizes smaller.

This is not a small amount. Even if the daughter marries into a high-ranking family, she doesn't have to fear for the dowry.

Dongzao hadn't been out for a stroll for a long time either. It had gained a lot of weight and was panting while pulling the carriage. It seems there's a need to take it out more often to help it digest.

"You're not going back to your in-laws' on the first day of the New Year?"

So she didn't act coy and immediately bowed to her.

She continued to organize the gifts sent by Miss Wang. A large box contained clothes and shoes for her whole family, all new.

"It's okay, but only put a little in her mouth, not too much."

Qiao Mai tidied herself up and came to the pile of gifts.

As if saying, what's wrong with me? Am I dreaming?

Sometimes in the space, sometimes outside, which shocked Ling'er, who stared at her with wide eyes.

In a corner inside the courtyard gate, the white-bearded old man nodded as he listened to their conversation. Qiao Mai put away the silver notes, jumped off the carriage, and let the servants in the residence unload the carriage.

Shopkeeper Lu slapped her head. "Oh my, that's right. That's fine, come to my house for the New Year, all of you come. Come on the first day; I have to take the children back to my maiden home on the second day."

"The clothes are yours, and I didn't put in any effort. A fifty-fifty split really makes me feel uneasy. This is the money for the clothes; you must accept it, otherwise, I won't go to your house for the New Year."

Kindness was rewarded. Back and forth, Qiao Mai had helped her earn nearly ten thousand taels of silver.

"Some of these things were sent by Miss Wang, and some I bought from the prefecture city. In a while, I'll find some things from the warehouse to add to them, prepare two gifts, one to be sent to the Town Chief's house, and one to be sent to Sister Lu's shop, okay?"

"Come, come to me."

"Really on the ball!"

Qiao Mai left. Shopkeeper Lu wiped away her tears, put the silver notes into her bosom and patted them, then turned and entered the room.

Having obtained a large sum of silver, her mood was very good. When she was almost at Tianshui Town, she moved Ling'er out of the space.

She drove the carriage to the front of the embroidery shop. "Sister Lu, it's already the twenty-fifth today, still not closing?"

Chuan'er held a snack and asked her, "Mother, can this be given to little sister to eat?"

"I've also found a scholar for you, but he said he wants to go to your house to take a look first."

She picked out two jars of wine, four bags of snacks, two soy-sauce ducks, two roasted chickens, paired with two boxes of fruits and four boxes of vegetables.

Looking at the style, it was the new style from the prefecture city. It seems this young lady put in some effort.

Wang Jiaru handed the prepared silver notes to Qiao Mai. "This is eight thousand seven hundred taels of silver. I sold the clothes for a good price of ten thousand taels."

"The clothes sold for ten thousand taels, I gave you one thousand taels, fifty-fifty split, this is four thousand taels."

There was no need to go inside the shop. A shout from the carriage, and the shop assistant weighed it and sent it to the carriage.

"Okay."

"What's the matter?"

"Hehe, of course it's cold."

"Then I won't pay you for these goods; consider it a thank-you gift for me?"

"Okay, if you have nothing to do during the New Year, you can come to my house to find me and play."

Seeing that all the goods were unloaded, Qiao Mai waved at Miss Wang.

"Closing on the twenty-eighth. There are still some people who haven't handed in their work."

"Come, as long as he is willing to come and teach my husband and children, I will definitely treat him with good food and drink."

After moving the things in the carriage to her room, Dongzao was led to the stable to rest, and the carriage was leaned against the outer wall.

"See you next year!"

Seeing that she insisted on giving it, Qiao Mai accepted it. "I have to go to your house for the New Year. We've known each other for so long, and I've never been there."

Qiao Mai opened her little mouth. Inner thoughts: Is this Miss Wang treating herself as a friend? Is this reciprocity?

Qiao Mai didn't stop, hurried to the warehouse, took several boxes of fruits and vegetables from the space, and moved them into the room.

The Wang family didn't lack gold and silver utensils. Compared to those, this made him feel more joy. The old man couldn't help but take the teaching matter to heart.

"These, send them to the Town Chief's house first."

However, she still had to buy some famous snacks, wine, and food from the prefecture city.

"Hmm, if you don't want to go, then don't. There's no need to add to your own troubles. Alright, it's freezing cold, I must hurry back to get warm."

Yuan Jiaqi bolted the door, and the whole family swarmed into Qiao Mai's room.

The white-bearded old man let them put the things on one side of the door and checked them one by one.

Don't say, they were all rare items. If it were summer, maybe they could be bought, but this is the middle of winter. If these aren't considered rare items, then nothing else is.

A few simple words established the relationship between the two as friends.

Shopkeeper Lu sighed. "I won't hide it from you, little sister. Although my parents-in-law are not bad, they live with my brother-in-law's family. It's inconvenient for me to go. Just buy the New Year gifts and send them over. No need to go in person; they can understand."

Shopkeeper Lu took the silver notes with trembling hands, her nose felt sour, and she pulled out one silver note from inside.

There were also two exquisite boxes. After opening them, there were two sets of silver jewelry inside. It seems they were for Qiao Mai.

There was also an exquisite dressing box, also for Qiao Mai. Thinking back to when she went to her bedroom last time and saw that there was nothing, she must have thought of giving this thing.

Qiao Mai smiled, picked up the dressing box, placed it on the dressing table, and wiped it clean with a cloth.

Casually opening one of the compartments inside, it actually wasn't empty.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 70 =====