As the Lunar New Year approached, the family mill was nearing its shutdown for the season. Over dinner one evening, the family began discussing the mill’s recent performance.

Wang Qingchen had visited the family mill twice before: once the day before it opened, checking for any oversights, and another time after operations had settled into a routine. He never inquired about the specifics of its management, staffing, or earnings. In his mind, the establishment was destined to become one of his elder brother’s responsibilities, and interfering too much would only create complications. He kept his involvement minimal, offering suggestions only when he felt it was absolutely necessary within reasonable bounds.

Although Wang Youfu had decided to entrust the mill’s operation to his eldest son, he still maintained a keen interest in whether the business was profitable and by how much. After all, the family had poured a substantial amount of capital into the venture; a failure to recoup those funds would represent a significant loss.

“Qinghua, how has the mill been doing lately?” Wang Youfu inquired, concern coloring his tone.

Wang Qinghua, who had been eating quietly, paused after hearing his father’s question, considered it for a moment, and then replied, “It’s been quite good. With the New Year coming up, more people are bringing grain to be milled. Plus, since we sell the ground grain directly, a good number of people come specifically to buy our milled white rice and flour.”

Wang Youfu nodded, satisfied. “Good, that’s reassuring.” He then recalled something else. “I heard you’ve been learning bookkeeping from the accountant?”

Wang Qinghua confirmed this with a nod. “Yes, Father. I figured since the accountant will eventually have to return to the Zhang family, if we can’t hire a replacement by then, I can at least fill the gap myself.”

“That’s sensible,” Wang Youfu agreed. “But then again, if you’re handling the accounts and busy recording incoming grain and customer details, you might be stretched too thin. We can hire someone else later on.”

Wang Qinghua considered this and conceded the point. Recently, with more customers visiting the mill, he had been so occupied tracking their grain deliveries and quantities that he had barely any time to study accounting. If he took on the ledger work too, he certainly wouldn't manage. Hiring another hand seemed necessary.

“Mmm,” Wang Qinghua agreed.

As for Wang Qinghua being able to run his own establishment, Wang Qingtong was consumed with envy. He had been constantly nagging Wang Qingchen about it recently, venting his fervent desire to own a shop someday.

“Sigh, I’m so envious of Big Brother, getting to run his own shop. When will I ever get to open a shop?” Wang Qingtong sighed, his head resting on the table.

Wang Qingchen glanced at the dispirited Wang Qingtong beside him, shook his head with a slight smile, and said, “There will be a chance.”

“Sigh, a chance, a chance. When will it ever arrive?” Wang Qingtong lamented.

“At least wait a few more years. You’re still young!” Wang Qingchen told him.

“What? You actually called me young! You’re a year younger than me!” Wang Qingtong was nearly jumping in agitation, being told he was young by someone younger.

Wang Qingchen found this slightly amusing. “Have you ever known anyone your age who got to open a shop? Your uncle and aunt would never feel secure letting you!”

“Hmph! Even if they felt secure, they wouldn’t give me the money to start one. They clutch their coins tightly,” Wang Qingtong muttered, slumping back onto the table in dejection.

“You want to open a shop so badly, but have you considered that you don’t understand any of the intricate details involved? If you rushed into it unprepared, you’d certainly lose money,” Wang Qingchen pointed out.

Hearing this, Wang Qingtong abruptly sat upright. “You have a point there! So what do I do? If I don’t open a shop, I’ll never learn the ropes. Does that mean I can never have a shop?” Wang Qingtong deflated slightly, then his eyes suddenly lit up. “Qingchen, I have an idea! Why don't I start by working odd jobs at your family’s mill? I can certainly learn something there, and I’d earn money too! Hahaha… I’m so clever, I even thought of that solution.”

“Uh… I think you might need to ask Uncle and Aunt first. They won't easily agree to you dropping your studies to work as a runner in a shop,” Wang Qingchen cautioned. He knew that any decision Wang Qingtong made required the consent of his parents; otherwise, it was just empty talk.

The mention of Wang Youliang and Lady Tian made Wang Qingtong’s heart sink. “Ah! When can I just grow up!”

Wang Qingchen said nothing more. It seemed clear that if Wang Qingtong genuinely wanted to open a shop, clearing that hurdle with his parents was inevitable.

On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the family mill closed for the New Year holiday, and the children’s school also broke up. That evening, the family gathered to tally the mill’s profits from the past month and a half.

After Wang Youfu and Yang Shi counted the coins in the money box, they totaled six taels of silver and one hundred twenty-six wen. After they confirmed the amount, the three children each happily recounted the sum.

When Wang Youfu brought up their prior agreement—that half the earnings would go to the household and the other half would be saved by Wang Qinghua personally—Wang Qinghua immediately confessed that he had already withdrawn five taels of silver.

“What? You already took and spent five taels of silver? What did you use the money for?” Yang Shi asked, confused.

“I used it to buy some jewelry, bolts of fabric, and other things,” Wang Qinghua said cautiously.

“Jewelry?” Yang Shi involuntarily repeated the word, then a realization struck her. Her son had bought jewelry and fabric—he must have been buying gifts for the daughter of Old Man Luo the Second. Realizing this, Yang Shi suddenly felt a pang of sorrow. After raising her son for so many years, the first thing he thought of after earning money wasn't his mother, but his future wife. The thought left her feeling decidedly sour.

Wang Youfu, who had figured it out at the same time, also felt a knot of discomfort. His son was already trying to curry favor with the girl before she had even married into the family. If she was like this now, wouldn't she completely control him once she was married? The thought of his son becoming subservient to his wife in every matter made Wang Youfu profoundly uneasy.

Wang Qingchen found his elder brother’s handling of the situation quite exasperating. Trying to please his fiancée was understandable, and perhaps he would do the same someday, but did he have to be so conspicuous? If one must do such things, one should do them quietly, in private. Making such displays public—what was he trying to achieve? He knew that the better his brother treated his future wife now, the more resentful his parents might feel later, even if they otherwise liked the girl after she married in. Wasn’t he helping his fiancée by pushing her straight into a pit of fire?

“Mmm, I bought some jewelry, fabric, and gifts for Father and Qingchen too,” Wang Qinghua repeated, slightly bewildered as to why everyone’s expression had changed the moment he spoke, except for Caiyun’s.

“Hmm?” Wang Youfu heard this and realized his initial assumption might have been wrong. He asked again, “What exactly did you buy?”

Wang Qinghua then went to his room and brought some items out.

“This bolt of fabric is for Mother. And these earrings are for Caiyun…” Wang Qinghua said, handing the fabric to Yang Shi, and then the pair of earrings to Caiyun.

“Oh…” Yang Shi took the fabric. “Oh my, this bolt of fabric must have cost a fair bit! Tell your mother, how much did you spend on it?”

Wang Qinghua looked a little embarrassed. “One tael of silver.”

“Oh, you child, why buy something so expensive? I’m just happy you remembered your mother,” Yang Shi chided, a mixture of delight that her son remembered to buy her a gift and dismay that he had spent so much money.

Caiyun, however, wasn't thinking about the cost. Seeing that her elder brother had bought something for her too, she took the item—a pair of lilac earrings—and was overjoyed. “Big Brother, is this for me?”

Caiyun’s joy was understandable. Farming families usually pierced their daughters’ ears when they were very young, and wealthier families might buy them a pair of earrings. Most families, however, wouldn’t spend the money, simply threading string through the holes to keep them from closing. While the family’s circumstances had improved enough for them to afford jewelry now, Yang Shi was often too busy to remember, so Caiyun had never received any. It was no wonder she was so thrilled.

Wang Qinghua nodded at Caiyun.

Caiyun handed the earrings to Yang Shi. “Mother, please help me put them on quickly. See if they look nice.”

Since Caiyun was so happy, Yang Shi couldn't refuse. She took the earrings. “Alright, Mother will help you put them on right away.”

After Yang Shi helped Caiyun put on the earrings, Caiyun kept asking if they looked good. No one would spoil the mood at a moment like this; of course, they all answered that they looked wonderful.

Wang Qinghua then remembered he had items for his father and second brother. He took out a flask of wine and handed it to Wang Youfu. “Father, this is a wine I bought for you.”

Wang Youfu knew it was wine as soon as Wang Qinghua started presenting the items, so he didn't stand on ceremony. He took the flask, opened the cap, and sniffed. “Mmm, fine wine.” Wang Youfu enjoyed drinking and could judge the quality of wine reasonably well.

Seeing that Wang Youfu was satisfied, Wang Qinghua took a small box and handed it to Wang Qingchen. “Qingchen, this is for you.”

Wang Qingchen took it and opened it to reveal a writing brush. Following the method Li Yuntai had taught him for selecting brushes, he could tell this was a very good one. He looked up at Wang Qinghua and smiled. “Thank you, Big Brother!”

Wang Qinghua looked slightly bashful. “Hehe… I’m glad you like it.”

“Did you spend five taels of silver on all these things?” Yang Shi clicked her tongue.

“No,” Wang Qinghua said, noting the expressions of Yang Shi and Wang Youfu. He continued, “I also bought a hairpin for Luo Qing.”

This time, Wang Youfu and Yang Shi didn’t scold him too harshly, as their son hadn't forgotten to show filial piety to his parents. They simply cautioned him that once he was married, he couldn't be so extravagant; he needed to focus on saving money.