Chapter 80: He’s Interested in You

Chapter 80: Chapter 80: He’s Interested in You

Hu Liang and Widow Xie finished packing up and also came over to take a look.

They had never imagined an advertisement could be made this way and were naturally full of praise.

But while they usually praised Ji Huan, this time they praised Song Jing instead, saying things like how beautiful his handwriting was and thanking him for his hard work.

Ji Huan wasn’t the least bit jealous. Song Jing was an outsider, after all. People naturally praise guests first.

She also chimed in with a word of thanks.

Who would have thought Song Jing would seize the opportunity to ask, "And how do you plan on thanking me?"

’Even if you hadn’t come, I could have done it just fine on my own,’ Ji Huan thought to herself.

But since she had, in the end, made use of his help, she said, "Come over tomorrow morning. I’ll treat you to a meal."

Song Jing looked at her leisurely. "You said yourself the business belongs to Auntie Xie. Offering me a gift from her table is a bit insincere, don’t you think?"

Ji Huan was taken aback. ’He’s actually getting picky.’

"Then how would you like to be thanked?"

Song Jing pondered for a moment, then put on a reluctant look. "Since you insist on thanking me... as it happens, I need a book copied recently, but I don’t have the time to do it myself. Why don’t you copy it for me? I’ll bring you the brush, ink, and paper tomorrow."

Ji Huan said, "...My, you’re really putting yourself out."

Their lively back-and-forth left Widow Xie and Hu Liang, who were standing to the side, completely dumbfounded.

Even long after Song Jing had said his goodbyes and walked away, the two of them still hadn’t snapped out of it.

On the way back, Widow Xie mulled it over and over. As soon as they got home, she pulled Ji Huan into the east room.

"Wan, do you think Song Jing has feelings for you?"

Ji Huan froze. ’Where is this even coming from?’

"Aunt Xie, what are you thinking? I’ve only just recently met him, and we don’t normally interact."

Other than him introducing her to the bookshop and later helping her inquire about Gu Yutian in town, they had no other dealings.

Widow Xie didn’t believe it. "Then why is he so different with you?"

"How is he different? Are you talking about him coming to help today?"

Ji Huan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "You yourself said he’s always eager to help others. When villagers ask him to write a letter or something, he never refuses."

"But he only helps elders and his peers. When young women ask him for help, he barely says a word..."

Ji Huan raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying he sees me as a man?"

Widow Xie couldn’t keep up with Ji Huan’s train of thought. She couldn’t quite explain it herself, but she felt it was more than just him being helpful.

However, seeing that Ji Huan didn’t seem to be particularly interested in Song Jing, she figured there probably wasn’t anything going on between them.

She felt a little regretful, yet also relieved.

"That Song Jing is a dependable boy, and he’s outstanding, but he’s just *too* outstanding... Even if he did like you, I’m afraid his mother would be a difficult hurdle to overcome..."

’Oh, for heaven’s sake!’ Ji Huan’s head was starting to ache.

Not only did Widow Xie overthink things, but she thought way too far ahead. She was already on to mother-in-law problems.

’Given Song Jing’s tendency to never pass up a chance to vex me, if *that* was his way of showing affection... it could only mean he was destined to be alone for life.’

Besides, he was destined to leave Dafeng Village for bigger and better things. He and she were not even in the same dimension.

Ji Huan moved behind Widow Xie, pushing her toward the door while assuring her, "Comrade Song Jing and I just have a pure, simple friendship as fellow villagers, nothing more. Don’t you worry, Aunt Xie, you can rest a hundred percent assured! Hurry up, Ximei and the others are waiting for us to eat..."

Things had been going extremely poorly for the Ji Family lately, all because of Ji Huan building her house.

That jinx and the Hu Family had been messing around with pickling some vegetables, and who would have known they’d actually make a name for themselves and even establish a connection with the army.

And now she was even building a house!

At first, they thought the most she could manage was a few mud-brick rooms. But then came cart after cart of green bricks and black tiles into the village—she was building a proper brick-and-tile house!

They heard she was also building a large courtyard, and not just the walls—even the outhouse was being made with green bricks.

Everyone in the village was saying that Ji Huan and the Hu Family must have made a fortune from their business this time.

News had just arrived about the commotion Hu Liang caused in Cao Family Village when he went to the Cao Family to propose marriage. If he hadn’t made a fortune, would the Cao Family have agreed? It was said he brought a whole cart of gifts, and the betrothal gift was even more shocking—a full fifteen taels!

And then there was Ji Huan. A short while ago, she’d been cast out with nothing, living in a dilapidated shack without even a warm kang bed, never knowing where her next meal would come from. Now, who wasn’t green with envy over the new house she was building? Forget the old Ji Family residence—it could almost rival the village chief’s large estate.

Lately, there were also faint rumors that the people the Hu Family had hired to help weren’t working for free. Not only did they get paid, but their wages weren’t low!

Some even said the business actually belonged to Ji Huan, that the Hu Family was just helping out, and that Ji Huan made all the major decisions.

When Granny Kang heard these things outside, she came home with a dark face and immediately started throwing basins and smashing bowls.

Ever since the last incident, Mrs. Zhu had been keeping her head down and acting subservient. Now, seeing a chance to both curry favor with Granny Kang and stomp on Ji Huan, how could she let it pass?

"You can see a person’s whole life from how they are at age three. I saw long ago that wretched girl was an ungrateful wolf! She hired outsiders to work, giving money away to them for free, but didn’t she think to ask her own family? Just because she was separated from the family, does that mean we’re not her aunts anymore?"

Mrs. Zhu started trying to rally allies again. "Don’t you agree, Eldest Sister-in-law?"

Whenever Granny Kang flew into a rage, Yang became like a frightened quail. She didn’t even hear what Mrs. Zhu was saying and just nodded along randomly.

"Father, Mother, you see? Even someone as honest as Eldest Sister-in-law can’t stand it anymore. I say we should bring Wuan over for a talk. What’s she doing building such a big house all by herself? She should take out the money she’s earned and give it to her Fourth Uncle to spend. Otherwise, she might get cheated out of it all by some swindler and not even realize it."

Granny Kang’s triangular eyes drooped. She snorted at the suggestion, clearly tempted.

How could she not be tempted? Ever since she’d taken out her coffin money, she had been trying to stretch every single cent. After hearing that Ji Huan was building such a large new house, her heart burned with such envy she hadn’t been able to sleep for several nights.

If it were just chicken feed, she could let it go, but could a house like that be built for anything less than several dozen taels?

’That damn plague of a jinx! She should take a look in the mirror and see if she’s even worthy of living in such a good house!’

’No matter what, she’s a descendant of the Ji Family. The money she earns belongs to the Ji Family!’

Granny Kang shot to her feet with a WHOOSH and started to head out. Mrs. Zhu immediately scrambled to follow her.

Ji Qingshan slammed his tobacco pipe down on the kang table. "Both of you, sit down!"

Ever since he had given the silver to his fourth son behind the rest of the family’s back, Ji Qingshan had been trying to suppress Granny Kang’s temper, afraid she would intensify the conflicts between the different branches of the family.

Granny Kang had tolerated it for this long for her youngest son’s sake, but now she couldn’t hold back any longer. She leaped up and shrieked, "Husband! If we don’t put that jinx in her place, she’ll be squatting on our heads to piss and shit!"

Mrs. Zhu chimed in, "That’s right, Father. The Ji Family at least raised her. Even if she’s not filial to us aunts and uncles, she can’t just disregard you and Mother, can she?"

Ji Qingshan’s face was grim; he wasn’t falling for her act.

"Don’t think I don’t know what you two are plotting. Didn’t you cause enough of a scene at the main gate last time? You’d better remember what that girl said in front of all those people. If you go to her door demanding money now, you’ll really be tossing the Ji Family’s face on the ground for others to stomp on!"

The mention of Ji Huan also made Ji Qingshan extremely frustrated, but he was more rational than Granny Kang. Besides, he had already realized that Ji Huan was no longer the person she once was.

No matter how much money she earned, with her current temperament, there was no way she would let the old Ji Family take even the slightest advantage of her. Wasn’t that pot of overturned bone soup from last time a perfect example?

’Fine. We’ll just consider it as the Ji Family having raised an ungrateful, vengeful brat!’

Instead of fixating on others, it was better to pin their hopes on Fourth Son.

The county examination was in a few months. The Ji Family’s success or failure all hinged on this one event.

As long as Fourth Son passed the exam and became a Scholar this time, what did Ji Huan matter? What did her new house matter? That bit of silver would be even less worthy of mention.

Speaking of his fourth son, Ji Qingshan’s brow furrowed.

It had been a long time since he had taken the thirty taels, and there had been no news.

’How are his preparations going? Has he succeeded or not? It would be good if he could just send a message back... why has there been no word...’

Just as he was thinking this, Ji Xuechan’s surprised and delighted cry suddenly came from the west wing: "Fourth Uncle, you’re back!"