Chapter 241: Delusional Wish

"How could that be?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao immediately pouted and said, "By then, you'll be the Boss Lady—you're the one who should be paying others, not the other way around."

Qiulian Niang laughed uncontrollably at Jiang Xiaoxiao's words.

Jiang Wei carried a tray of pastries into the courtyard and, seeing the two cheerful women, could not help but smile slightly.

She had just set down the tray when Jiang Xiaoxiao eagerly picked up an osmanthus cake and fed it to Qiulian Niang, laughing, "Qiulian Yi, taste this—it's made by my mother, the osmanthus cake—how is it?"

As autumn was about to end, Gao Xiaoshuan feared the osmanthus flowers on the mountain would wither, so for these past several days he gathered Wang Goudan and other children to help, stripping nearly all the osmanthus flowers from the hill and delivering them straight to her home.

The soap workshop couldn't use so many osmanthus flowers at once, so Jiang Wei selected some fresh ones to make osmanthus cakes.

Qiulian Niang took a small bite from the cake Jiang Xiaoxiao fed her—it was soft, glutinous, sweet but not cloying, with a rich, fragrant osmanthus scent, even tastier than the pastries sold at the town's pastry shop!

"Delicious!" Qiulian Niang couldn't resist taking two more bites. "How did you make this?"

"It's simple—just glutinous rice flour, sugar, and osmanthus honey. When you're free, I'll teach you," Jiang Wei said, seeing Qiulian Niang enjoying it. "There's still plenty left in the kitchen—take some home when you leave, for Tiezhu and the others to try."

"Alright, then I won't be polite," Qiulian Niang agreed cheerfully, no longer as reserved as before.

Jiang Xiaoxiao ate the osmanthus cake with great delight, but her peripheral vision couldn't help but drift toward the second-floor balcony.

In the shaded corner of the second-floor balcony, Shen Que sat there, a plate of osmanthus cake and a teapot on the table; the tea in the cup had grown cold, yet he remained absorbed in the account book he had flipped through countless times.

The faint fragrance of the osmanthus cake made the pigeon beside him hop forward occasionally, but the thin chain tied to its leg instantly pulled it back, forcing it to flap its wounded wings helplessly, pitifully.

Shen Que glanced at it sideways: "Greedy."

Yet his fingers pinched a piece of cake, crushed it, and scattered it before the pigeon.

The pigeon finally stopped fussing and began pecking at the crumbs.

A Huang, who had been dozing nearby, lazily lifted its head, saw the pigeon happily pecking, seemed to sneer, its round, fat tiger eyes narrowing slightly as it let out a low, mocking growl.

It was a rare moment of tranquil beauty.

Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but smile, then heard Qiulian Niang begin speaking of Old Li Family.

"... Yesterday, when I passed by the Li family's home, I saw the courtyard in chaos—the whole family was shouting about something, making a racket like chickens and dogs flying everywhere."

Jiang Xiaoxiao smiled upon hearing this.

She naturally knew what they were quarreling about—it was nothing but the fifty-plus taels of silver hidden in the dog hole.

Old Master Li had sold off all the family's land to save Li Shoude, only to find all the money wasted in the end; no wonder Li Shoucai was going mad.

Probably, Old Master Li had revealed to them that Li Jinfeng had secretly stashed the money in the dog hole behind the Huang Fu's backyard, to calm Li Shoucai down.

The whole family now argued over who should own that sum of silver.

The money was Li Jinfeng's own savings; Sun Shi naturally refused to hand it over, especially now that Li Shoude was dead and she had no lingering attachment to the Li family—she only waited to get the money and leave.

Old Master Li also wanted that money, solely to redeem the thirty mu of land he had sold.

But Li Shoucai disagreed—he believed half of the fifty taels should belong to him.

He had given so much for this family; to support Li Shoude's pursuit of official rank, nearly all household labor had fallen on the Second Branch—so Li Jinfeng's hidden money rightfully belonged half to them.

Before the money was even in hand, the three sides each held firm to their claims, arguing endlessly.

"Sister-in-law," Zhu Shi declared firmly, "your husband is dead—what use do you have for so much silver? Better to let the Second Branch use it."

As she spoke, her back straightened more than ever before; even Li's Old Matriarch, glaring furiously beside her, failed to frighten her.

Now, the only ones in the Li family who could still stand up were the Second Branch; no matter how tyrannical Li's Old Matriarch had been, she dared not beat or curse Zhu Shi as she once did.

Furthermore, after her husband had gone mad in the courtyard last time, Li's Old Matriarch now feared Li Shoucai, terrified he might grab her by the hair and slam her head into the ground again—so she treated Li Shoucai with extreme caution.

"Son, we're farmers—those thirty mu of land were passed down through generations. We mustn't forget our roots—we must redeem the land," Old Master Li said, smiling nervously, his voice unusually gentle.

His forehead wound had not yet healed; this smile tugged at his facial skin, making him wince in pain, yet he dared not show it.

"Father, you know the land was passed down from our ancestors?" Li Shoucai sneered. "Then why didn't you listen to me when I begged you not to sell it?"

"Father, Father was wrong—I regret it now... Son, can you forgive me? I know I treated you poorly before, neglected you—later, I'll make it up to you..." Old Master Li said, pounding his chest in self-reproach, as if to prove how deeply he regretted his past actions.

Li Shoucai watched his father's performance coldly, unmoved, and replied icily: "This is non-negotiable—the money, once received, will be in my hands. From now on, I decide all family matters. Buying land can be discussed later."

Now that he knew the Li family had such a large sum of silver, Li Shoucai would never back down.

Fifty-plus taels—more silver than he'd ever seen in his life.

With this money, why should he remain a miserable farmer?

He would use it to start a business in town, earn money, buy a shop, make money from money, then build a big house...

Previously, all family money had been controlled by Old Master Li—nothing could be done. Now, with this money, Li Shoucai's heart brimmed with endless hope—he would make Old Master Li witness with his own eyes that he was not like his useless elder brother, who relied entirely on the family and sucked the blood from those around him—he would carve out his own destiny through his own strength!

Li Shoucai was filled with hope and drive for his future.

He naively believed that Jiang Shi, a woman, could run a business and earn money—why couldn't he?

He only lacked capital to start a business; with this money, he would earn far more than Jiang Shi!

He would build a house bigger than the Jiang family's, making the whole village come to flatter him, to beg for his favor...

Li Jinfeng stood beside them, her belly swollen, deeply displeased as Li Shoucai unilaterally claimed her money; she wanted to speak up, but Sun Shi stopped her with a glance.