She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 96 - 95 Strive for the Best

Chapter 96: Chapter 95 Strive for the Best

Lady Wang stood at the doorway and called Qi Dazhu and Qi Cheng inside with a loud voice.

Qi Yougui relayed Qi Younian’s thoughts to the two men and, without waiting for Dazhu to snap out of his stunned state, asked Qi Cheng, "Your second great-uncle said you and your wife can already manage the rice tofu stall on your own. What do you think? Can you do it or not?"

"It should... be doable," Qi Cheng had already been shocked by his grandfather’s words. Was his second great-uncle implying that he wanted to transfer the rice tofu stand to him? Not just to help out for a wage, but to actually give him the business?

"Either you can or you can’t, what’s this ’should be doable’?" Qi Yougui, who was already troubled and annoyed for having gained such a large property for nothing, pressed him for an answer.

Qi Cheng quickly nodded, "Definitely doable, definitely doable. For several days now, Ye Zi and Nanny Jin have let my wife and me do the work; they only look after the trivial tasks."

Lady Wang and Qi Yougui exchanged glances. So, their second brother and his niece had already thought about giving the stall to Chengzi?

Qi Yougui shared his worries with Lady Wang, "I always feel that if we just take over the second branch’s business outright, the third branch will surely kick up a fuss. You know how Third Brother is, pathetic and shameless in his complaints; it would be bothersome. Besides, as the elder brother, it wouldn’t be right for me to enjoy the good life and ignore Third Brother’s family having to scrape by, would it?"

Lady Wang scoffed, "Just because you’re the elder brother, you think you don’t deserve to have a say? When our parents divided the house and land, it was said to be an even split, but in reality, they favored the third branch. If he can’t manage his own life, who is there to blame? Ye Zi may be sharp-tongued on a daily basis, but she wasn’t wrong on this count. If you want to support your siblings, it also depends on what kind of people those siblings are."

Lady Wang gave Qi Yougui a sidelong glance as Qi Dazhu spoke up, "Dad, ever since Second Uncle came back, Third Uncle acts as if it’s none of his business and refuses to lend a hand, yet he always thinks about taking advantage. Ye Zi has seen all this and naturally wouldn’t be close to him, nor would she hand over any benefits to him. Moreover, there’s the matter of Qi Jiaer. Remember, in the future, Qi Jiaer is someone who will stand at the front for the second branch family."

Qi Yougui furrowed his brows, "What you say is true, but family matters are not so easily reasoned. And where is Third Uncle willing to reason about such things?"

Lady Wang settled the matter, "Old man, just do as your second brother suggests. This is an issue between the grandchildren. Ye Zi is grateful for the help her cousin has provided to her family and is willing to give the business to Chengzi. It has nothing to do with any of you brothers."

Before Lady Wang had finished speaking, a clang sounded from outside the window, likely the sound of a winnowing basket hitting the ground.

Qi Dazhu, who was closer to the window, took a step forward, reached the window, and peered outside.

In the summer season, although it was after dinner, it was still light out.

He saw Lady Han standing under the window, her face full of angered discontent. Seeing Qi Dazhu look her way, she didn’t think to hide and looked up to confront him directly, "Big brother, you’re planning to keep this good fortune from Second Uncle’s family to yourself, aren’t you?"

Hearing this from inside the house, Lady Wang knew the matter couldn’t be kept secret any longer and called outside, "Dagen’s wife, go and find Dagen and your sister-in-law too. Since you’ve overheard, let’s all have a discussion together."

Lady Han furiously went in search of her husband and her elder sister-in-law, Lady Xu, feeling indignant about Ye Zi from the Second Branch family having ill intentions, and also livid about her own parents-in-law favoring her elder brother-in-law’s family.

All the adults in the family had gathered in the main house’s parlor, and Qi Yougui, too lazy to explain everything to his son and daughter-in-law again, delegated the task to Qi Cheng, "Chengzi, you explain it to your second uncle and aunt."

Qi Cheng glanced nervously at the elders present. Although the rice tofu stand belonged to the Second Uncle’s Family and they had the right to give it to whoever they wished, with no objections permitted from others, they had not yet divided their joint family property. As the grandchild in this three-generations household, he had put aside his own farm work to help out at the Second Uncle’s Family, which had led to this great fortune. He knew his second uncle and aunt would definitely not be pleased with the outcome.

Qi Cheng explained the whole situation, stuttering due to his guilt, yet he recounted it clearly enough.

Upon hearing Qi Cheng’s account, Lady Xu naturally felt delighted. Although the family hadn’t yet split, any silver earned from the rice tofu stand had to be handed over to the mother-in-law. However, Second Uncle had made it clear: the rice tofu stand was a gift to his cousin from Ye Zi. When the family split in the future, the stand would belong to her son, Chengzi.

Qi Dagen’s eyes shifted back and forth between Qi Dazhu and Qi Cheng, feeling quite annoyed.

Though it was his father who had arranged for Chengzi to chop wood and carry water for the Second Uncle’s household, Chengzi had sincerely and patiently helped, never showing impatience or doing a slapdash job. In fact, he often took on extra work when heavy tasks arose in the Second Uncle’s family.

Qi Dagen was well aware of what kind of person his wife, Lady Han, was. Back when Chengzi was helping out the Second Branch family, Lady Han had never ceased to make snide remarks. Chengzi, the eldest of the grandchildren, was always the one instructed by their father. Had it been Dagen’s son, Shunzi, being directed instead, Lady Han would have probably not let it pass. Moreover, during the period since Second Uncle’s return, Lady Han had been conspicuously disdainful and critical of the Second Branch family and Ye Zi.

Being unable to change the fact that his wife lacked assertiveness, Qi Dagen intended to grudgingly accept the situation.

However, Lady Han couldn’t accept it. She retorted with a sullen expression, "Father, Mother, our family has never been this unfair before. Chengzi is ignoring his own family’s work to eagerly help out at Second Uncle’s house with things like fetching water and chopping wood, and we never said a word. But if Chengzi helps out at Second Uncle’s house and gets the profitable business all to himself, that seems unfair, doesn’t it? Does this mean the work we do for our own family’s business counts for nothing?"

Qi Yougui glanced at Lady Wang. As his grandson’s father-in-law, he couldn’t just argue back and forth with his daughter-in-law, so he had to let Lady Wang take the lead.

Lady Wang spoke with a grim face, "The matter has only just been brought up and nothing has been settled yet. And here we are, already causing a stir within our own family. Don’t you find that embarrassing?"

Lady Han replied with a stubborn look, "Since when can’t one speak out against something unfair happening right in our part of the household?"

Lady Wang fixed her gaze on her and asked, "When Chengzi was helping your Second Uncle’s family, didn’t you complain about it several times every day? Would you be content if it were your own child? Ye Zi mentioned it was not just out of gratitude for who had helped her family, but to ensure that those who are kind-hearted and willing to help others get their reward."

Lady Han avoided the question and simply said, "I, as a daughter-in-law, can’t manage that much. All I know is that while Chengzi was helping at Second Uncle’s house and earning favors, my Dagen and the kids were still busy with our own family’s work, not idle either."

Lady Xu, usually reserved and reticent, spoke up, "Second sister-in-law, if Ye Zi were to say that she gave the rice tofu stand to Chengzi simply because she found him to be a good, honest person, what would you say then? Don’t forget, it’s not just you in your household, but also the kids. Sanshun has always gotten along well with Third Uncle’s Jiajia, and Ye Zi treats Sanshun quite kindly. You probably wouldn’t want Ye Zi to not only detest us, the older ones, but to also drag the children into this as well, would you?"