Chapter 494 Sweet

Chu Heng glanced down, smiled meaningfully and then opened his mouth to hold the spoon in his mouth.

Ye Muyu moved the spoon slightly, wanting to take it out, but Chu Heng didn't loosen his grip.

She felt a bit embarrassed. "Let go, if you want to eat, I'll feed you again."

"That's fine." Chu Heng finally let go and watched as Ye Muyu earnestly scooped up the pastry for him. Suddenly, he said, "It's very sweet."

"It's made by you. Whether it's sweet or not, you know, there's no need to talk nonsense." Ye Muyu felt a bit embarrassed and deliberately retorted.

A faint smile appeared on Chu Heng's stern face. "It seems like Ye Muyu misunderstood. I meant, the pastry you've eaten is very sweet."

"Chu Heng!" Ye Muyu suddenly realized. She had just fed Chu Heng using the spoon she had used, which meant that the two of them had indirectly... made contact and the sweetness in his mouth naturally didn't refer to the pastry.

"You... I won't talk to you anymore. You eat it yourself, I'm leaving." Ye Muyu handed the pastry to Chu Heng and put down the spoon, turning to leave.

In the next instant, a powerful force grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him.

Chu Heng put the pastry on the desk behind him, then reached around to embrace Ye Muyu's waist, lowered his head, and touched her lips.

Ye Muyu's eyes widened in shock.

But she almost drowned in a pair of eyes that were more vast and deep than the starry sky. The warmth of his lips made her stop struggling and she nervously grabbed the front of Chu Heng's shirt.

Chu Heng's eyes were filled with warmth, gently touching, not moving.

After a while, he spoke, "Ye Muyu, in the future, if you have any worries, just tell me. I am your husband and your support. People don't like being alone. Shall we walk the road ahead together?"

His words sounded like a promise, making Ye Muyu slightly stunned.

"I am willing to trust you."

After a long time, she said softly, as if in an instant all her anxiety disappeared.

Chu Heng hugged her tightly, holding her in his arms, his smile growing wider and more genuine in a place where she couldn't see.

"Okay, let's go eat. It's getting late." Ye Muyu lightly patted his shoulder.

Chu Heng nodded and let her go, reaching out to smooth the hair on her cheek before turning around and walking ahead.

In the main hall, Chu Jin, who was playing around with Chu Ziluo, saw Chu Heng at the door and quickly stopped playing, sitting properly at the dinner table and obediently calling out, "Dad, Mom."

Chu Ziluo followed suit.

Ye Muyu smiled lightly. "Are you hungry? Let's eat."

As usual, Chu Heng was the first to start eating, and the two children began their dinner.

After dinner, Chu Ziluo asked, "Mom, I'm going to Aunt Wang's house tomorrow. She asked me to catch fish in the pond."

"Mom, I want to go too. I have a day off tomorrow." Chu Jin also chimed in.

"The pond? The one in the village? Are there adults with you?" Ye Muyu knew about the pond in the village. It had lotus roots planted in it. She hadn't paid attention, but the water didn't look deep. However, if they were to go down, they might get stuck in the mud.

"Mom, yes, Second Uncle is there, and also the village head." 

"The pond is owned by the village and the fish and lotus roots have to be shared evenly." Chu Ziluo seemed to understand more.

Chu Jin was more concerned about whether he could participate in catching fish tomorrow. "Mom, I won't go into the water, just watch by the shore but I want to touch the fish in the bucket."

"Don't you usually see fish at home?" Ye Muyu smiled.

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 493: Homemade Pastry

She taught every step to Chu Heng.

Unexpectedly, Chu Heng understood it as soon as he heard it and his movements were extremely precise, without any mistakes.

Hu Shi was also surprised. You see, very few men have such good cooking skills.

Especially scholars.

Because of this, she felt even more that her master was talented and not someone ordinary could compare to.

While respecting him, she also felt a hint of admiration.

Two quarters of an hour later,

The sky had completely darkened.

Chu Heng held the finished sugar-steamed pastry in his hand and walked towards the east wing room.

Meanwhile, Hu Shi gave the extra portions to Chu Jin and Chu Ziluo, who were reading in the study.

In the east wing room,

Chu Heng pushed open the door and saw Ye Muyu sitting on the bedside. The dim light of the oil lamp cast a shadow of her black hair on her face. She was wearing a plain green cotton jacket and her long hair was casually tied up with a jade hairpin. Her white and tender profile, slightly lowered eyes, casting a shadow, and moist lips made his eyes darken.

Chu Heng walked over and sat on the stool in front of her, his pair of jet-black bright eyes silently watching her.

"Ye Muyu"

He called softly, as if he had called it a thousand times.

Ye Muyu raised her head in a daze, saw Chu Heng and was momentarily stunned. She then reached out to rub her eyes. "You're back?"

"I came back early. Here, try this." Chu Heng placed all the needlework and oil paper fabric she had in her hands on the nearby bed.

With his other hand, he placed the sugar-steamed pastry in front of her.

Ye Muyu came back to her senses and looked at the dessert in front of her with some confusion. "Where did this come from?"

"Try it first." Chu Heng didn't answer directly but used a small spoon to scoop up a bit and fed it to her lips.

Ye Muyu's ears turned slightly red and she quickly said, "I can do it myself."

"I want to feed you. Will you fulfill my wish?" Chu Heng insisted.

Ye Muyu didn't expect him to be so straightforward, but strangely there was no hint of ambiguity in his eyes.

"Well... okay." Ye Muyu leaned over slightly and gently took a bite.

Chu Heng stared at her lips intently, his voice hoarse, "Are you feeling better now?"

"You know?" Ye Muyu suddenly realized. The dessert was made by Chu Heng himself and he even fed her personally because he knew about what happened in the afternoon. Even now, his actions were to comfort her.

This discovery shocked Ye Muyu. Her eyes widened and her lips moved slightly.

Chu Heng reached out and rubbed her cheek, looking at her blushing cheeks with satisfaction. He then earnestly admonished, "What did Mother say?"

"It's nothing much. Mother asked me to tell you not to help Sister-in-law and Qingxiang. Let Sister-in-law and Qingxiang see for themselves what life will be like after marrying Song Lu." 

"Right, about the matter with the Song family, do you..."

"I already know, probably even more than you." Chu Heng intentionally left his sentence unfinished, but his expression was very serious.

It made people think he wasn't deliberate.

Ye Muyu glanced at him and then followed his lead to ask, "What's the current situation with the Song family?"

"As a wife, shouldn't you care if your husband is tired or not?"

"Why are you always concerned about other people's family affairs?"

"It seems like I need to inquire more gossip in the future to make Ye Muyu ask me questions voluntarily." Chu Heng looked at her firmly, narrating with a storytelling tone.

Ye Muyu's ears grew hotter, realizing that Chu Heng deliberately asked like this. She slowly raised her gaze to him, reached out for the spoon, scooped up some pastry and fed it to the man.

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 101: Change of Masters

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  Chapter 216: Inviting Guests to the Warm Room, Buying Cattle and Horses (9)

With the big yellow ox around, even without a rope, the calf obediently followed along.

This time, the big yellow ox didn't resist. It happily followed Li Zhong, licking the calf as they walked.

The group, with three oxen in tow, followed the cattle dealer's directions and went to a reputable horse shop.

The horses at the shop varied. There were low-grade horses used for grinding, which were the lowest tier. These horses were small, with poor strength and speed, and could only run around the grinding mill.

Next were the horses used for pulling carts. These horses couldn't carry heavy loads, but they had decent speed and strength, making them suitable for pulling carts.

Then there were the riding horses capable of covering hundreds of miles in a day. These horses had excellent endurance, strength, and speed, but they were very expensive, and ordinary horse shops usually didn't have them.

Mo Yan only needed a horse for pulling a cart, so it didn't need to be too good. Besides, with space available, regularly feeding them spiritual spring water and vegetables and fruits would quickly improve their quality.

Therefore, she chose the lowest grade and cheapest horse, costing only eight taels of silver, even cheaper than the oxen.

Li Zhong was puzzled, but Mo Yan always acted with discretion, so he didn't try to persuade her.

Learning that the shop also sold horse carriages, Mo Yan couldn't be bothered to go elsewhere. She spent thirty taels of silver on a well-decorated carriage and had the shop assistant attach it to the horse she had just bought.

Seeing a shabby and small horse pulling an expensive carriage was quite discordant, attracting many curious glances along the way. People thought the buyer had been cheated by the shop. Otherwise, why would they buy the lowest-grade horse when they obviously had money? 

Knowing that Li Zhong could drive a carriage, Mo Yan tied the three oxen to the carriage and got on herself.

This peculiar combination attracted even more attention. Li Zhong sat at the driver's seat, reluctantly driving the carriage until they returned to Liuyang Village, where they received envious looks from the villagers.

Mo Yan looked at the panting horses in the stable and shook her head speechlessly. These horses really had poor stamina!

She fetched some spiritual spring water and added plenty of clean water to it for the horses to drink.

Even a red python couldn't resist the temptation of spiritual spring water, let alone a horse. The horse drank the entire bowl of water in one go, licking its lips with satisfaction.

The upgraded spiritual spring water had a much stronger effect than before, so Mo Yan didn't dare to give them any more.

Before long, villagers who had heard the news came to see the horses and oxen Mo Yan had just bought.

Considering that the entire village didn't even have a single ox, Mo Yan's purchase of three oxen and a horse at once naturally aroused curiosity.

Mo Yan couldn't refuse to let these people see, but when they saw the sickly-looking horse standing there, defecating and emitting a foul odor, they were taken aback.

Wasn't this the horse that was just bought? How did it get sick so quickly? Did they buy a sick horse due to their poor eyesight, or was there something wrong with Mo Family's Feng Shui?

The crowd started to gossip, with some genuinely concerned for the Mo Family, while others took pleasure in their misfortune.

Mo Qingze and Li Zhong hurried over, seeing the already weak horse looking even worse now, feeling extremely worried. Li Zhong blamed himself for not stopping Mo Yan, resulting in this situation and becoming the subject of ridicule.

Mo Yan also came over, looking at the unusually cheerful horse defecating, nodding to herself. After a few more times, pulling out the impurities from its body, and feeding it some good food from the space, this horse would surely rise to become a good horse!

Mo Yan naturally didn't miss those who were taking pleasure in their misfortune, remembering them silently in her heart.

Just then, a sharp voice rang out, "Hmph, who knows if it's because of too many evil deeds that you're suffering retribution? On the first day you moved into your new home, your child fell seriously ill, and now the horse you just bought is dying. Even if you buy more, you won't be able to keep them alive."

The voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for everyone present to hear.

Mo Yan looked sharply at the speaker, a middle-aged woman she didn't recognize standing among the crowd. She had narrow, triangular eyes and was provocatively staring at the Mo Family, malice undisguised on her face...

▶▶The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor

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 Chapter 992: The Fan Family's Separation

Mei Shi narrowed her eyes and suddenly got off the bed. "Then let's separate. After the separation, I have the right to use the money that belongs to the First family, right?"

Madam Fan was shocked and quickly turned around. "Daughter-in-law, what are you saying?"

"Mother, considering the situation we're in now, why don't we just separate? It has been half a year since Third Brother got married anyway."

The more Mei Shi talked, the more she felt it was feasible. She had long been tired of living under the control of the family's matriarch, having to ask her for permission and a voucher to withdraw money from the office for every expenditure, feeling restricted in every way. Sometimes, she even had to use her own dowry.

But once they separated, it would be different. Traditionally, the First Family always received the lion's share of the separation, and it would be more than just twenty-two thousand two hundred taels.

She would have control over the household, and she could even kick the troublesome Third branch out. Just thinking about it made her feel relieved.

Madam Fan disagreed, but in reality, everyone present had considered the idea of separation.

Third Young Master Fan sneered. "Have you made up your mind, sister-in-law? Then let's invite Eldest Brother and Second Sister-in-law over."

Before Madam Fan could say anything, Third Young Master Fan had already sent someone to find them.

As the matter had reached this point, it was an internal affair of the Fan family, and Shu Yu didn't need to listen further.

Seeing the decisive actions of Third Young Master Fan and the seamless cooperation with Ding Yuehua, Shu Yu believed that they would achieve their goals today.

It was getting late, so Shu Yu stood up to bid farewell. "It seems that I won't be able to get the money today. I don't care how you resolve the matter within your family, but I will give you three days. If I don't see the compensation by then, I will go directly to the county yamen."

After saying that, she signaled to the excited Ding Yuehua and left with Ying Xi.

As they walked out of the Fan family's gate, they coincidentally saw Eldest Young Master Fan hurrying back.

It was the first time Shu Yu had seen First Young Master Fan, who looked more than ten years older than Fan San Shao and had gained some weight. He was sweating profusely from running too fast.

When First Young Master Fan entered the gate, Shu Yu retracted her gaze and murmured to Ying Xi, "It seems that the future of the Fan family will rely on Third Young Master Fan."

Third Young Master Fan seemed like someone who could get things done, and with a capable wife like Ding Yuehua, their combined strength would ensure that even if they didn't gain much from the separation this time, their future would only get better.

As for First Young Master Fan, he seemed unrestrained and unproductive, and he had a wife who held him back. It would be interesting to see how he would turn out in the future.

Shu Yu didn't wait for long. Three days later, while she was inspecting the progress of the house renovations, Ding Yuehua came over with a joyful expression on her face.

Speaking of which, she hadn't visited the house yet. Now, as she looked around and followed Shu Yu, she began recounting the events of the separation that day.

After Shu Yu left, First Young Master Fan and the Second Madam, Mo Shi, were both invited to the meeting. The three families sat down to discuss.

Naturally, First Young Master Fan disagreed. Why would they separate when everything was fine? They would only become a laughingstock if they made a big fuss.

He tried to assert his authority as the eldest brother and scolded Third Young Master Fan. However, Third Young Master Fan said that the idea of separation came from Mei Shi. First Young Master Fan was suddenly at a loss for words.

What surprised everyone even more was that Mo Shi, who usually didn't meddle in family conflicts, agreed with the separation.

With both families in agreement and Mei Shi causing the issue, even if First Young Master Fan disagreed, it would be in vain. Moreover, if they didn't separate, Mei Shi might be sent to the authorities, which was unacceptable. By then, whether it was First Young Master Fan or their children, they wouldn't be able to hold their heads up high.

First Young Master Fan was never a decisive person, and Mei Shi had said something to him that no one else knew. In the end, all the members of the Third Family agreed.

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  Chapter 238 The Vest Falls Again

"Do you think someone who dares to take on a billion-dollar task would be willing to work for someone else?" Si Yechen countered.

"..." Well, yeah, the main reason people take orders online is because of the freedom to complete them at their own pace, without the nine-to-five clock-in.

"Moreover, in less than half a day, he can crack the original system and establish a completely new model. With his level of skill and ability, how could he be willing to cooperate with other team members and spend every day in the research room?"

With his own abilities, he can create a new system, so why would he need others? Are they just in the way?

Qing Mu thought it made sense, but it's really a pity to let such a big shot go to waste!

The abilities of a big shot are definitely above those of their research team!

If they could recruit talents like him, it would greatly help the future development of their group.

"How about we offer him a bonus? As for working hours, he can come whenever he wants! As long as he helps us create a more powerful system? Or invest in other research?"

"Instead of that, why not give him another billion and let him establish a completely new system?"

"That's also..."

"This new system is very important to us, so it's best if our own people research it."

No matter how capable the other party is, if they have ulterior motives in the future, in the end, they would be the ones at a loss.

"Understood." While Qing Mu felt regretful, he could only give up on this impractical idea.

After ending the call, Si Yechen worked on his computer for half an hour before getting up and heading towards the bedroom.

"Yan Yan, are you asleep?"

He knocked on the door, but there was no response from inside.

He wondered if the little girl had covered herself with a blanket. It was summer, and if the air conditioning was too cold, catching a cold wouldn't be good.

With that in mind, he turned the doorknob. Inside the bedroom, it was quiet, with only a gentle breeze lifting the curtains. The girl was sleeping on the bed, as beautiful as a painting.

Si Yechen suddenly wished time could stand still like this because the scene before him made him feel like everything was peaceful.

The snowy white bed made Ou Yan feel like she was in a snowy field. Her skin was already fair, lying on the large bed, she looked delicate and lovely.

Si Yechen approached gently, tucked her in, and her phone suddenly fell from the blanket to the floor.

Didn't expect the little girl to play with her phone before bed?

Si Yechen picked it up and realized the page hadn't been closed. It seemed the little girl fell asleep while using her phone.

The page showed the backend of her profile, with only two characters for the username: Lord Ou.

The little girl is Lord Ou?

Looking at the taskbar on the page, it showed that the billion-dollar task had been completed an hour ago. Looking at the specific completion time, the whole process took her only thirty-two minutes, and it was completed after the date, during her leisure time!

At first, Qing Mu thought he took almost half a day, which was already amazing, given that their team had spent several months trying to crack it...

But unexpectedly, the little girl didn't take half a day but only thirty-two minutes!

Thirty-two minutes, to solve a problem that their entire team couldn't solve for several months!

If Qing Mu knew, he would probably be shocked and start doubting life...

Si Yechen's gaze fell on the girl's fair and beautiful face. Another new alias, just now Qing Mu suggested to recruit this hacker big shot to work for them?

Si Yechen smiled. How many identities does this little girl still have that he doesn't know about?

One is more powerful than the other, one is more stunning than the other.

Gently covering her with the blanket, Si Yechen leaned down and placed a kiss on her soft lips.

"Sleep well."

Si Yechen's gaze repeatedly admired her, as if he couldn't get enough, before finally locking his phone and placing it on the bedside table, then he left lightly.

Not knowing how long she had slept, Ou Yan woke up to find that the clock was already pointing to half past four in the afternoon. How could she sleep so soundly and comfortably in Si Yechen's place?

The white curtains in the bedroom swayed gently with the wind, as if in a beautiful scene from a movie. She picked up her phone and suddenly found someone had placed an order for her again, a billion, the task was simple, be kind to those around her.

What does this mean??

Did that person place the order by mistake? She gets a billion if she's kind to those around her? Is that person crazy?

But the money had already been deposited into her account, and the task automatically took effect.

She could only open the chat box and type a question mark.

After sending it, she got up, tidied up, and went downstairs.

Si Yechen stood in front of the huge French window, his figure tall and straight.

He held a glass of red wine in one hand, gazing at the scenery outside the window, lost in thought.

"Didn't you take a nap?" Ou Yan thought he would take a nap after finishing his work, but she didn't expect to find him standing here. Did he encounter some tricky problem?

"Awake?" Si Yechen turned around, placing the wine glass on the tray held by the butler, and walked towards Ou Yan in three or two steps.

He touched her cheek and kissed her gently. "Did you stay up late again last night?"

"No."

"I had someone prepare afternoon tea. Let's have some in the garden together." Si Yechen held her hand, his tone gentle.

When the butler placed the items on the table in the garden, he couldn't help but glance at Ou Yan. Miss Ou Yan looked even more beautiful up close. Was it because she had just woken up? Her clear, watery eyes sparkled like stars in the sky.

The master is really fortunate to have such a partner.

"You slept soundly just now," Si Yechen said softly. Did she like his bed, or did she like his scent?

Ou Yan suddenly realized, "Did you come in just now? So, my phone..."

He saw it?

Si Yechen smiled, realizing that she was smart and reacted in less than two seconds.

"When I was covering you with the blanket, your phone fell to the ground, and you forgot to lock the screen."

"So, you saw it all? You're the one who placed the order? You're Mr. M?"

"Mr. M is Qing Mu's account, but yes, it was me who placed the order."

At first, it was to hire top hacker Ou Ye to crack the system, but after knowing the little girl's identity, another billion was added.

"...No wonder, only you would do such a thing, splurging a billion just to make me treat you better?"

"Do I usually treat you badly?" Ou Yan raised an eyebrow.

"You're good." Si Yechen picked up a pastry and fed it to her. "But if you could be even better..."

"Like?"

"Like... feeding me one too."

"...Dream on!"

"Ten billion is too little for Yan Yan's skills." Si Yechen continued to feed her, smiling, "If I knew you were the number one on the leaderboard, I would have added one more zero."

One hundred billion??

"Anyway, all the money I make is for my wife, whether it's early or late."

"...". Ou Yan didn't expect that the person who wanted to crack the system was him. After thinking about it, she came up with an idea.

Didn't he order a billion just for her to treat him better, right?

Tonight she will create a completely new system for him, so the ten billion won't be for nothing.

▶▶After breaking off the engagement, Mr. Si chased his wife to the crematorium!

  Chapter 237: A Bonus Package

With these thoughts in mind, they sweated even more, feeling extremely anxious.

"Mr. Si, please give us another chance! We're really sorry!"

"We'll strengthen our defense next time, and we'll never let such a thing happen again!"

"We're willing to guarantee with our lives!"

Si Yechen just left with Ou Yan, saying, "Do as you see fit."

"Aren't you supposed to let me down?" 

"Give me another hug," Si Yechen had originally planned to have a good date with her on Saturday, but he didn't expect to have his mood ruined by Lin's interference. Ruining his business was one thing, but ruining his date was another matter entirely.

He definitely couldn't let this slide!

"Next time, I'll take you somewhere else," Si Yechen said gently.

Anyway, they had already tried many attractions in the amusement park, so they could consider this visit done.

"What do you usually do on weekends?" Ou Yan asked, looking up.

"Before I met you, I worked."

After meeting her, he thought of her every day and wanted to free up more time to be with her.

At this moment, someone saw Si Yechen carrying  Ou Yan towards the exit. Under the sunlight, the two of them were too dazzling with their looks, their height, and their temperament. They seemed like a perfect match.

"Look, that girl is so lucky, being carried by her boyfriend..."

"So sweet... I wish my boyfriend would do the same to me."

"Come on, you don't even have a boyfriend!"

"Although I have a boyfriend, he would never carry me in front of so many people! He feels embarrassed."

"Good boyfriends are all from other families. So jealous!"

"Have you noticed that the guy looks familiar? I feel like I've seen him somewhere..."

"Now that you mention it, I think I've really seen him somewhere, but where..."

Si Yechen put Ou Yan in the passenger seat, fastened her seatbelt, and opened a bottle of water for her.

"Have this for now, I'll take you to drink something else later."

Ou Yan looked at the bottle labeled Kona Nigari. This bottle of water cost over two thousand. It was extracted and desalinated from thousands of feet below the sea surface of the Hawaiian Islands. Not only was it beneficial for health, but it also improved skin condition. Was this expensive water for casual drinking?

On the other side,

Gao Yang sent Bai Muyao back to the Bai family and went to his parents to have a showdown.

"Muyao and I are already committed. The engagement banquet must proceed as planned. I'll take responsibility for her no matter what!"

Gao Yang's mother, upon hearing about their situation, was furious. "How could I have such a fool for a son! Can't you see? That girl is playing you. She deliberately let you succeed!"

Gao Yang impatiently interrupted, "Mom! You're too biased against Muyao! You don't know how kind she is! In order not to embarrass me, she took the initiative to break off the engagement. She defended our dignity word by word in the breakup letter! She left me, didn't ask for the house, money, or any compensation, just asked for a rose bush representing the past!"

Only a very kind and innocent person would make such a request.

"You, you fool, are simply beyond redemption!!" Gao Yang's mother pounded the table in anger, her temples throbbing with pain, and her heart aching.

"You unfilial son, look at what you've done to your mother!" Gao Yang's father hurriedly patted his wife's back and said, "Next Monday is the original wedding date. I'll ask you one question: are you sure you want to get engaged to her?"

"Yes!" Gao Yang was resolute, as if he had made up his mind to give his all for love.

"Good, as you wish!"

"Honey!!" Mrs. Gao wanted to say something, but Mr. Gao gestured for her not to rush. Anyway, it was just an engagement banquet. Let the Bai family think the wedding was on, relax their guard. If they did anything to disappoint their son, breaking off the engagement was a matter of course!

"However, we're old. You'll have to handle the arrangements for the engagement banquet, guests, and everything yourself." Mr. Gao obviously didn't care much about the little girl from the Bai family and didn't value this engagement banquet at all.

But Gao Yang was satisfied. He was happier to handle it himself. He would ask Muyao's opinion later and make sure the engagement banquet was arranged to her liking!

Seeing him leave in high spirits, Mrs. Gao questioned, "Not only do you not stop him, but you also indulge him? That little girl from the Bai family is no simple character. She's very cunning! Marrying her? It's better to marry Ou Yan!"

"Miss Ou Yan is a piano master. Would she look at your son? Rest assured, the Bai family won't last long. Their financial problems are getting worse. Bankruptcy is imminent in the near future! At such a critical moment, our Gao family always acts with loyalty and integrity. Holding the engagement banquet as scheduled will earn us a good reputation."

"But..."

"It's just an engagement, let the Bai family think the marriage is set. If they can't hold out, if they do anything to disappoint our son, breaking off the engagement is just a matter of time..."

"But what if they don't do anything to disappoint our son?"

"Have you forgotten? That little girl from the Bai family was raised by a janitor when she was young. I found out that the Bai family treated that janitor very poorly. After the engagement, if we really don't want her, we can expose this scandal. If she couldn't treat the woman who raised her for eighteen years well, how could she treat their in-laws well after marriage?"

"That makes sense..."

"Just relax, what we need to do is help our son gradually let go of her..."

Meanwhile,

Si Yechen took Ou Yan to lunch before bringing her back to Moon Lake Bay.

"Take a nap at my place today," Si Yechen rubbed her head. "I'll go to the study to deal with some work first. You sleep for a while, and I'll take you somewhere this afternoon."

There was some urgent business he needed to deal with on the computer right away.

"Okay."

After Si Yechen left, Ou Yan took out her phone to crack the battle system.

The system was very complex, showing that the team behind the system's program was highly skilled. However, under her operation, the system gradually collapsed.

After a while, she finished cracking the system and sent it over, along with a bonus package, taking a total of thirty-two minutes.

After finishing her work, she went to the balcony to admire the countless cosmos flowers. Under the sunlight, the sea of flowers bloomed beautifully, and the beautiful Crescent Moon Lake shimmered in the sunlight.

With nothing else to do, she lay back on the bed and played with her phone, first sending the billion she earned to her subordinates, then scanning the task list to see if there were any simple and lucrative tasks to do.

Meanwhile,

Qing Mu excitedly called Si Yechen to report, "Master Chen, that Lord Ou actually cracked the system in less than half a day and even gave us a bonus package!"

"What bonus package?" Si Yechen asked in a deep voice.

"He probably guessed that we would develop a new system after cracking the current one, so she directly provided us with a preliminary model for the new system. I didn't expect him to have such high talent in this area! Master Chen, should we bring him into our fold?"

▶▶After breaking off the engagement, Mr. Si chased his wife to the crematorium!

  Chapter 215: Inviting Guests to the Warm Room, Buying Cattle and Horses (8)

Mo Yan didn't know how to choose, so she let Li Zhong decide for himself after listening to his explanation of the advantages of the two yellow oxen.

Li Zhong immediately began bargaining with the cattle dealer, "Brother, I see you're an honest man, but fifteen taels for one head is too expensive. I think ten taels for one head is more reasonable."

"Big brother, these two oxen are the best in my family. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been so interested at first glance, right? Fifteen taels for one head is really not expensive. If you don't believe me, you can ask elsewhere. You won't find a better deal."

The cattle dealer was overjoyed to see that these two were buying two oxen, but he wouldn't make much profit if he sold them for ten taels each.

Li Zhong knew that asking for ten taels was a bit harsh, but two oxen were definitely worth more than thirty taels. He couldn't let Mo Yan be taken advantage of.

After some back and forth, the two parties finally settled on twenty-five taels of silver.

Mo Yan gladly paid the money, and Li Zhong happily took the reins from the cattle dealer. He was ready to go with Mo Yan to see the horses, but the two-and-a-half-year-old big yellow ox stubbornly refused to move, bellowing loudly.

"What's going on? Are you not willing to leave?" Li Zhong joked with the cattle dealer.

The cattle dealer was also anxious. He picked up his whip and gave the ox a light smack. He didn't dare to hit it too hard now that the ox had been sold, but even after several light smacks, the ox still refused to budge, digging its hooves into the ground.

Li Zhong was also worried now. He could ask the cattle dealer to refund the money and not buy the ox, but it was indeed a good ox. He couldn't bear to give it up.

Mo Yan watched the scene of one person pulling and the other pushing the ox with amusement. She held back her laughter and carefully inspected the big yellow ox.

When she saw under the ox's belly, she understood. She said to the cattle dealer, who was still pushing the ox persistently, "Where's its calf? Bring it here and try."

The cattle dealer understood Mo Yan's meaning and quickly went into the house. In a moment, he led out a calf that was up to the waist.

As soon as the big yellow ox saw the calf, it broke free from Li Zhong and ran towards the calf. It stuck out its tongue and kept licking the calf, mooing softly in a surprisingly gentle tone.

The calf also mooed in response, rubbing against its mother's neck playfully, its innocent eyes full of affection.

Seeing this heartwarming scene, all three of them felt moved and didn't have the heart to break up the bond between them.

The calf was only five or six months old. Mo Yan thought for a moment and said to the cattle dealer, "I'll buy this calf too. How much do you want for it?"

The cattle dealer was taken aback for a moment, then smiled, understanding that the girl couldn't bear to see the mother and calf separated. He said, "The calf isn't worth much. Three taels of silver will do."

Li Zhong looked at Mo Yan, then at the mother and calf snuggling together, without objection. He was just surprised that the cattle dealer asked for only three taels of silver.

It was worth noting that even if the calf couldn't work the fields immediately, as long as it was one year old, there would be no problem. Usually, you couldn't buy one for less than five or six taels of silver.

Mo Yan didn't know this and just thought that buying a calf was much more cost-effective than buying an adult ox. She took out three taels of silver and handed it to him.

The cattle dealer took the money and handed the calf's lead rope to Li Zhong, saying, "The calf is still small and its nose hasn't fully developed yet, so it can't wear a nose ring for now. Wait until it's a bit bigger before putting one on."

At this point, the rope was just looped around the calf's neck. If the calf wanted to resist, even an adult would have to use considerable force to pull it.

▶▶The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor

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 Chapter 991: Compensating with the Bride's Dowry

As she spoke, Shu Yu glanced at Mei Shi lying on the bed and noticed her eyelids twitching.

She smiled faintly. "Let's calculate it this way. Lord Yao's one blueprint is worth a fortune, so two blueprints would be worth twice that. As for the issue of renovating my house, taking into account the costs of labor, materials, and the emotional and social losses I suffered from explaining to Lord Yao, it should amount to two thousand two hundred taels."

Two thousand taels plus two hundred taels.

Shu Yu pondered for a moment. "Let's have the First Young Madam compensate with twenty-two thousand two hundred taels. It should be a manageable amount for the Fan family, right?"

Madam Fan screamed, "Twenty-two thousand two hundred taels? That's robbery!"

Shu Yu looked at her lightly. "Madam Fan, are you implying that Lord Yao's blueprints are worthless?"

"I, I didn't say that."

Shu Yu then turned to Third Young Master Fan. "And what does Third Young Master think?"

"It's acceptable, but the money won't come from the Fan family. The person who made the mistake should bear the responsibility. Let's use the bride's dowry."

After Third Young Master Fan finished speaking, Mei Shi, who had just been unable to get up from the bed, suddenly sat up.

"It's impossible. I don't have the money." Twenty-two thousand two hundred taels? Are you kidding? Her entire dowry wouldn't add up to that much.

"Then we'll involve the officials."

Mei Shi couldn't believe it, and Madam Fan pulled Third Young Master Fan hand. "Third son, she's your sister-in-law. If you send your sister-in-law to the officials, what will others say?"

"She was the one who made the mistake." Third Young Master Fan's expression turned serious. "If the blueprints are wasted in vain, why don't you ask Lady Lu if she's willing?"

"I have the same thought. If there's no compensation, then let's involve the officials," Shu Yu said.

Madam Fan opened her mouth but couldn't say anything. She wanted to argue that they shouldn't have to compensate that much even if they did compensate. However, this matter didn't really concern her. The eldest daughter-in-law had caused this trouble herself, and if she interfered, Lady Lu would definitely target her.

Besides, if they used the eldest daughter-in-law's dowry to compensate, she wouldn't suffer any loss. After all, besides the eldest daughter-in-law, no one else would be able to spend it.

Mei Shi could see through Madam Fan's evasive behavior. She immediately understood that her mother-in-law and Third Brother-in-law were united against her.

She gritted her teeth and said with hatred, "I said I don't have the money. Even if you kill me, I still can't come up with twenty-two thousand two hundred taels. Since Lady Lu insists on such compensation, then let's involve the officials. When the time comes, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Fan family will be in prison, and the rest of you won't have it easy either."

Madam Fan immediately objected. "No, we can't involve the officials." The Fan family couldn't afford to lose face.

Shu Yu looked at her coldly. It seemed that Madam Fan couldn't stay out of it anymore.

Yu Shi wanted to negotiate with Shu Yu, but the latter didn't give her the opportunity. "Not a single coin less."

Madam Fan finally closed her mouth. Twenty-two thousand two hundred taels, although the Fan family was wealthy, it was still a considerable amount to compensate at once, and it hurt.

After thinking for a long time, Yu Shi finally called the servant next to her. "Go to the office and get the money to compensate Lady Lu."

The maid was about to leave when Third Young Master Fan smiled and said, "I said earlier that it's not the Fan family compensating, but the eldest daughter-in-law herself. The money in the office doesn't belong solely to the First Madam. The Second and Third Madams also have a share. Why should our money be used to compensate for the mistakes made by the First Madam?"

Ding Yuehua chimed in from the side. "Exactly. If we, the Third Family, disagree, the Second Madam won't agree either. With Second Brother not present, do you really want to bully a widow like the Second Madam?"

Madam Fan was furious. "What exactly do you want? Are you really willing to let the eldest daughter-in-law involve the officials?"

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