Their daughter was about to be married, and the couple had originally planned to come to town to purchase some things for her trousseau. Instead, they happened to see the second son of the Wang family, Wang Youfu, looking at a shop with his son and the town's well-known money lender, Ji. Unable to suppress their curiosity, they followed them secretly and even stopped the seller after the deal was concluded to inquire. The result of their investigation left the Luo couple utterly stunned: When did the second son of the Wang family become so wealthy?

"Husband, did I hear that right? That Wang's second son actually has the money to buy a shop? Where did their family get so much money?" Luo's wife was still in shock, clearly doubting the information she had just gathered.

"Indeed. If they had this much surplus money, how could outsiders know nothing about it? I bet even Wang's eldest son doesn't know. If he knew, wouldn't there have been a fuss?" Old Man Luo was equally puzzled.

The couple lost all interest in shopping and decided to go to Wang Youliang's house to demand an explanation.

"What did you say? Second son's family bought a shop?" Wang Youliang was clearly even more shocked than the Luo couple.

"In-law, you aren't deceiving us, are you?" Madam Tian also found it hard to believe. If it were the third son's family, she might have been more inclined to believe it.

"Oh dear, how could we fabricate such a thing? We saw it with our own eyes and personally inquired from the seller! The seller explicitly said that your second son, Wang Youfu, bought it," Luo's wife insisted urgently.

"In-law, please don't be anxious. We will certainly get to the bottom of this matter," Wang Youliang assured them.

"Yes, even we are still completely in the dark about this!" Madam Tian added.

Hearing Wang Youliang and his wife claim ignorance, it was clear the Luo couple wouldn't get any more information. Since it was improper to meddle in Wang Youfu’s family affairs, they had no choice but to take their leave and return home.

As soon as the Luo couple departed, Wang Youliang and Madam Tian rushed over to the elder master and madam’s room.

Meanwhile, on their way home, Old Man Luo and his wife were still mulling over Wang Youfu buying the shop.

"Sigh, if I had known it would turn out like this, I shouldn't have been in such a hurry to betroth our Da Ya to the eldest son's family. If not, we could have married her into the second son's family now. Their eldest son, Qingchen, is about the same age as Qingyun. That family is flush with cash now; they're even buying property in town, and Wang's second wife is a good-tempered woman. Where else could we find such a good match?" Luo's wife sighed regretfully.

"Who could have known? You were the one who insisted that the old couple favored the eldest branch, and as long as Da Ya bore a son, she would have a good life marrying in," Old Man Luo retorted.

"How much favoritism can the old couple really show? Besides, Tian Shi isn't easy to deal with. Alas, if I had known Wang's second son was so wealthy, I would have definitely secured a match for our daughter with that family. Not only are they rich, but the mother-in-law is good-natured too. For my excellent daughter to only be promised to the eldest branch of the Wangs," Luo's wife lamented her past decision more and more.

Old Man Luo thought his wife was truly fickle. She had previously praised the eldest branch of the Wang family effusively, but now she was criticizing everything about them. Even if the second son had struck it rich, this change of heart seemed excessive. He only thought of getting a small piece of the pie now that the second son was wealthy; he never considered marrying his daughter into that family. With this thought, Old Man Luo arrived home amidst his wife's incessant nagging.

While Luo's wife was consumed by regret, Wang Youliang and Madam Tian were frantic with worry. How could the second son's family suddenly produce such a large sum of money? The couple longed to rush over to the second son's house immediately and demand answers. However, they both recognized that it would be better for the elder master and madam to confront them.

The elder master and madam, upon hearing the news from Wang Youliang and Tian Shi, also found it hard to believe. How could the second son's family possibly have access to so much silver? Yet, seeing the eldest couple about to swear an oath to the heavens, the old couple couldn't help but feel a surge of doubt—could the second son truly have that much money to buy a shop?

The old couple felt they ought to go and ask, but their thoughts differed. The old madam believed that if her son was so rich, he certainly ought to show filial piety to her, his mother. The old master, however, reasoned that after paying the bride price for the eldest son's wedding, there was very little left in the family coffers, making it the perfect time for the second son to provide some assistance.

When the entire entourage from the main house descended upon Wang Youfu's home, Wang Youfu and Wang Qingchen had just returned, utterly bewildered as to why everyone from the ancestral home had come.

Once everyone from the main house was seated in the main hall, the elder master asked, "Second son, I hear you bought a shop in town?"

Both Wang Youfu and Wang Qingchen were startled. How did the people from the main house find out about this? Wang Youfu's first thought was that Wang Qingchen must have told someone, but upon reflection, Wang Qingchen had been with him the entire time, and they had only just returned, so there was no opportunity to speak of it.

Wang Qingchen, assuming someone must have witnessed the shop purchase, asked instead, "Grandpa, who told you this?" Wang Qingchen neither confirmed nor denied the rumor.

"You still won't admit it? The Luo family members saw it with their own eyes! If they hadn't come to tell us, you would have kept us completely in the dark! After all my hard work raising you, second son, have you forgotten your mother just because you have money?" The old madam sternly accused Wang Youfu.

"Yes, second son, what you did was wrong! We are still brothers, yet you didn't tell us about something as major as acquiring property!" Wang Youliang lamented, feigning "heartbreak."

Wang Youfu thought helplessly, If you all knew, would we have managed to buy the property at all? Wouldn't you have found every way to take it? "Yes, that is true."

"Then where did you get all that silver?" Madam Tian pressed impatiently.

Wang Youfu recounted how Wang Qingchen had coincidentally managed to revive a potted plant. The father and son hadn't intended to conceal this matter, as they might rely on it for future income; it was merely a matter of when to reveal it. Now that the land was purchased and the shop secured, they could finally disclose it. However, Wang Youfu omitted the detail that they had three hundred taels, only mentioning that the money left after buying the shop was just enough to pay off debts and arrange a marriage for Qinghua.

Upon hearing Wang Youfu's words, everyone in the room looked at Wang Qingchen. They hadn't realized this child had kept quiet about it for so long; they hadn't caught the slightest whisper. Although Wang Youfu only mentioned buying a shop, for farming folk, purchasing property was a monumental event that required a massive amount of silver. It seemed the boy had earned quite a bit of money. As for Wang Qingchen, he simply maintained a posture of looking at nothing in particular.

Yang Shi, who had been sitting on the kangs doing embroidery, became so emotionally overwhelmed upon hearing the conversation in the main hall that she couldn't speak for a long time. Her family had actually bought a shop, paid off debts, and could even arrange a marriage for their son! Yang Shi felt dizzy from the sheer surprise.

Wang Qinghua in the hall was equally stunned by this sudden windfall. Caiyun quietly tugged at Wang Qingchen, "Second Brother, did our family really buy a shop?"

Wang Qingchen smiled and nodded at Caiyun.

"Oh, that's wonderful! I must go tell Mother," Caiyun exclaimed, running toward Yang Shi's room.

The others in the main hall gradually recovered from their shock. The elder master coughed lightly, "Second son, you're quite wealthy now, but what about your elder brother's family..."

Wang Youfu interrupted him, "Father, have you forgotten what I said last time? Please don't mention supporting anyone anymore; it’s better to avoid souring our relationship."

In the past, Wang Youfu might have considered helping the eldest branch, but after returning from forced labor service, he learned that when Yang Shi suffered a miscarriage and urgently needed money, the eldest branch refused to contribute, not even willing to lend any. This deeply chilled Wang Youfu’s heart. What chilled him even more was the elder master's subsequent defense of the eldest branch: "The eldest brother happened to be dealing with the Luo family's betrothal gifts and couldn't spare the money." Was the elder master only so lenient toward the eldest branch while being relentlessly demanding toward their second and third branches?

"Second son, I am your own elder brother! How can you turn your back on your kin just because you have money?" Wang Youliang chastised him.

"Elder brother, I recall we have already separated our households," Wang Youfu stated coldly.

"Just because we separated doesn't mean we aren't brothers anymore, does it?" Wang Youliang grumbled in dissatisfaction.

"Yes, second son, even if you have separate households, you are still blood brothers. Blood brothers must support each other!" the elder master agreed.

Wang Youfu fell silent for a moment, then said, "Father, Mother, was I adopted? Now that my life is finally getting better, can you not stand it? Are you in such a hurry to demand money from me for your biological son? Have you ever demanded anything from the eldest brother on my family's behalf?"

Yang Shi, hearing this in the room, felt a jolt. She knew Wang Youfu was truly angry, to the point of uttering such things. Caiyun glanced at Yang Shi’s expression and instinctively leaned close to her without speaking.

Wang Qingchen also understood Wang Youfu's frustration, as he himself sometimes struggled to comprehend the elder master's logic.

"What nonsense are you spouting? If you weren't born of me, who was?" the old madam retorted angrily.

"Second son, how can you speak to us like that?" the elder master was also furious.

"Then I'll find the village head to arbitrate. Is this how one treats their own son?" Wang Youfu refused to back down.

"How have we treated you? Did we not give you food or drink? You say! Now that you have money, your wings have hardened, and you won't listen to us anymore. You don't want to honor your parents, is that it? I tell you, this is great unfilial behavior!" the old madam scolded him.

"Qinghua, go to the village head’s house and invite the village head here," Wang Youfu suddenly instructed Wang Qinghua.

"Even if the village head comes, I am still your mother! This is great unfilial conduct!" the old madam remained unmoved.

The old madam might disregard appearances, but the elder master had to consider the family's reputation. Seeing Wang Qinghua about to leave, he quickly called out, "Qinghua, don't go yet. Second son, this is our private family matter; let's not involve outsiders."

Wang Youfu remained silent. As the air was about to turn icy, Wang Qingchen interjected, "Grandpa, last time Mother's health suffered, and the doctor said she needed thirty taels of silver for treatment. At that time, Eldest Uncle and Aunt refused to provide the money, saying they needed it for Brother Qingyun's marriage. Didn't you not blame them then, Grandpa? Why are you pressuring Father now that my brother needs money for a wife? Is Father truly adopted? No wonder you only dote on Eldest Uncle and his son..." As he spoke, Wang Qingchen deliberately sighed.

"This..." The elder master was momentarily at a loss for how to respond to Wang Qingchen.

"Father, even such a young child can see it. How can you make me think otherwise?" Wang Youfu pressed.

"What does such a young child know? He was probably instigated by adults!" Madam Tian scoffed.

"My Qingyun is learning to earn money at such a young age, so can you really say he knows nothing?" Wang Youfu countered.

"This..." Madam Tian was effectively silenced.

The old madam suddenly interjected, "Second son, raising one potted flower can earn so much money, enough that even a little child like Qingchen can manage it. We can surely manage it too. We won't ask you for money anymore. Just help us connect with that Boss Xue. We will go work for him raising flowers in the future, and then we can earn money ourselves."