Daily Life

Chen Ping'an hadn't even stepped into the courtyard when waves of fragrance reached his nose. "Nannan, I'm home." "Big Brother, you're back~ Come, drink some water, wet your throat." Chen Er Ya came out from inside, still holding a bowl of clear water. Chen Ping'an took the water and drank it down in one gulp. "Ah~ Nannan is so thoughtful!" Chen Ping'an took off his official uniform while talking with Chen Er Ya. The weather wasn't hot yet, so he hadn't sweated much. Once the uniform was off, he could wear it again tomorrow. If he washed it every day, it would be troublesome and especially hard on the clothes. He only had two sets in total; if one was ruined, he'd have to pay out of pocket to get a new one from the Suppression Office. "Nannan, did you behave and eat your meals today!?" "I did! I listened to Big Brother, I even had beef at noon." "Hmm. Not bad." Chen Ping'an even went to the kitchen to check on the beef. Uh...... Seeing the beef was barely different from what had been cleared away yesterday, Chen Ping'an's face sank slightly. "You ate? How is there still so much left!" "Ah......" Chen Er Ya laughed it off, trying to gloss it over. But Chen Ping'an wouldn't let it go. In the end, Chen Er Ya had no choice but to confess. She had eaten, but only a small piece. "I just wanted to save it for Big Brother. Big Brother is out earning money to support the family, using up a lot of energy. This beef rightfully belongs to Big Brother, to nourish your body." "If I want to eat it, I can just buy it! Besides, my eating and your eating don't conflict!" Chen Er Ya didn't answer. But Chen Ping'an knew what she was thinking. It was nothing but the matter of silver! If there were enough silver, who would need to be so frugal? Although Chen Ping'an said he had already thought of a way to repay the fourteen taels of silver to Little Tiger of the Tiger Head Gang, and Chen Er Ya believed her brother, the matter wasn't resolved, and it remained a worry. With this worry, Chen Er Ya naturally had to be frugal everywhere. "Big Brother told you yesterday, don't make do with lunch. You didn't listen! You're trying to make Big Brother angry, aren't you! And......" The little girl didn't speak, just blinked her big eyes and looked at him. "You......" Chen Ping'an saw Chen Er Ya's pitiful look, couldn't bear it in his heart, and let out a long sigh. The words he had wanted to say would no longer come out. He lightly tapped Chen Er Ya's forehead with his finger, unable to continue scolding her. In the end, it was because his monthly stipend was too little! "Did you buy the pork leg I asked you to get yesterday?" "I bought it! I bought pork trotters too, stewed them to nourish Big Brother's body. Big Brother is practicing martial arts now, exactly the time when you need to eat more meat." Chen Er Ya said with a beaming face. In earlier days, they wouldn't eat like this. Every meal was meat dishes, but that was only because Chen Ping'an had specially ordered it these past two days. The evening meal had already been cooked by Chen Er Ya. This girl, though only nine years old, was skilled in all household chores. Even her cooking wasn't inferior to Chen Ping'an's. The two of them talked while working together, carrying the dishes to the wooden table. Tonight's dinner: a bowl of stewed pork trotters, a bowl of braised pork leg, a plate of green peppers stir-fried with eggs, a bowl of mushroom soup, and two bowls of cooked white rice. Luxurious! Extremely luxurious! If they could enjoy this every day, not even a deity would trade it! A dinner of this caliber, probably even shop owners on the streets couldn't have every day. You see, around here there were many families who couldn't afford meat dishes, and couldn't even eat cooked white rice made from refined rice. They only ate coarse rice mixed with rice hulls, extremely rough. Even worse, some families had many people and few laborers, with no special skills; they couldn't even manage coarse rice, and only ate wheat bran. Compared to them, Chen Ping'an and Chen Er Ya were undoubtedly happy. After all, with the status of a runner at the Suppression Office, they would never starve, and could occasionally enjoy meat. This was also why Father Chen, even though he could barely get out of bed, still expended effort, used up all his connections and savings, even borrowed money, to secure a temporary runner position for Chen Ping'an. With this status, the days of uncertainty would bid them farewell. Their days would ultimately be more and more hopeful. However, what Chen Ping'an needed to resolve was the fourteen taels of silver owed to the Tiger Head Gang. "Nannan, about those fourteen taels of silver owed, you don't need to take it to heart. Yesterday Big Brother wasn't joking with you. There really is a way." During the meal, Chen Ping'an looked into Chen Er Ya's eyes and said seriously. "Mm, I believe Big Brother, I know Big Brother wasn't joking." "Then you must take good care of yourself. What happened today at lunch, eating just a small piece of beef, must not happen again. If household expenses are short, just tell Big Brother. Once we repay these fourteen taels of silver, with Big Brother's monthly stipend, our days will ultimately get better and better. The household's food, clothing, and daily needs can all be appropriately loosened." Chen Ping'an spoke seriously, and Chen Er Ya listened seriously. "Big Brother, I know. It's just that I'm thinking, even after the fourteen taels of silver debt is repaid, there are still big matters to take care of in the family, and there are plenty of places where silver will be needed. What can be saved, I still want to save as much as possible." "What big matters aren't taken care of?" Chen Ping'an asked curiously. "Big Brother getting married, of course. Big Brother is also nineteen now; by next year, that will be the age of twenty. I asked Granny Wang at Changqiao Lane—she said that to bring a wife home, the expenses in every aspect would be at least ten taels of silver! "And my Big Brother is so outstanding; marrying just any ordinary wife home wouldn't do. So ten taels isn't enough. For Big Brother's marriage, the family needs to prepare at least twenty taels of silver. Mother passed away early, there's no one in the family to plan this for Big Brother, so it has to be me." Chen Er Ya spoke briskly, clearly having thought it through deeply. But what she said almost made Chen Ping'an spit out the mushroom soup he had just swallowed. "You little girl, so young and yet so crafty!" Even so, a warmth rose in Chen Ping'an's heart. "My sister-in-law, naturally she must be gentle and beautiful. So, even though Big Brother has a way to deal with the silver debt, the family's silver still needs to be saved!" Chen Er Ya said, chest out and head held high. "Good, good, good!" Chen Ping'an looked helpless. He didn't argue with Chen Er Ya. Since Chen Er Ya had this matter in her heart, no matter how much he said, it was useless. Rather than that, it was better to prove it with actual action. After finishing the meal, Chen Ping'an didn't clean up with Chen Er Ya this time. A door bar was still wedged at the courtyard gate's latch; he needed to get a suitable stick. During the day, while patrolling the streets, he hadn't found anything suitable. Since there wasn't anything suitable, he'd make one himself. Fortunately, there was a piece of unchopped wood at home, which could just be remodeled. In the courtyard, he held a woodcutting knife and worked on the wood. In the kitchen, Chen Er Ya washed the bowls and chopsticks. During breaks in their work, their eyes met from time to time. Just for an instant, both felt extremely reassured in their hearts. Having family nearby, this feeling of companionship was truly wonderful! This feeling was worth ten thousand taels of gold!