Chapter 274: 274 loves a stubborn old man Chapter 274: 274 loves a stubborn old man After Mrs. He left, Old Man Ye finally said to Ye Jiu, “When you have nothing better to do, don’t listen to your mother’s constant chattering; spend your time learning women’s crafts instead. Stay out of adults’ business.”

Ye Jiu personally served Old Man Ye his meal and then asked in a low voice, “Are you still blaming me in your heart?”

“Hmph!” Old Man Ye gruffly continued eating his meal without speaking.

“Father, the wasteland behind the village is just a few acres, worth merely about a dozen taels of Silver. It’s not valuable. Can’t you just indulge Mother to make her happy? Or, if you want the land, we still have hundreds of taels of Silver. We can afford dozens of acres of good farmland. Why must you argue over that trivial matter with Mother?” Ye Jiu just couldn’t understand.

“What would a young girl like you understand?” Old Man Ye bit fiercely into his bun, “The land might not be worth much now, but it’s for building houses later. I, as a dignified man, living in a house registered under your mother’s name, how would that look!”

“Then you just keep on clashing with mother!” Ye Jiu didn’t care anymore. As far as her mother, Mrs. He, was concerned, she wasn’t at a disadvantage. As for Old Man Ye, a trivial old man who was stubborn and lacked ambition, he would just sulk without even the courage to argue with Mrs. He.

If Ye Jiu could have said a few nice words to cajole him, perhaps Old Man Ye would have gotten over his petulance, but his daughter had the same irritable temper as Mrs. He, showing her displeasure at the slightest disagreement.

Brooding, Old Man Ye gulped down three or four buns and then got up to work again.

Farm work was not easy at all, especially since both Old Man Ye and Mrs. He were not young anymore. Watching Old Man Ye struggling with the plow and sweat covering his forehead and face, Ye Jiu couldn’t help but feel pity for him.

Although her foster father had many little faults, he had raised her with his hardworking hands.

Ultimately, Ye Jiu couldn’t bear it. She trotted over to him and said, “Father, don’t be angry. The mishandling of the land deed was my fault. I only thought about making Mother happy and overlooked you. In a few days, when I find suitable land, I will buy some for you too, to honor you, alright?”

With a playful wink, Old Man Ye’s heart softened a bit, “All our money is clenched in your mother’s hands. You, silly girl, even split up the soap business, and now from where will the money come to honor me?”

Honoring him was out of the question now. He just hoped that when this child honored her mother in the future, she would consider his feelings and dignity so he wouldn’t lose face and be a laughingstock.

“Don’t worry, I have my ways. Just you wait and see,” Ye Jiu said.

“Alright, alright. With your little arms and legs, you’re not much help here anyway. Better head back now. You’ve finally recovered some fairness in the past weeks; don’t get sunburned again. A young girl looks better fair and clean,” Old Man Ye said affectionately.

“It’s okay. I’ll help with some work here, just like playing,” Ye Jiu said.

“Suit yourself.” Old Man Ye, pushing the plow, walked on.

Ye Jiu suddenly called out from behind him, “Father, you and Uncle don’t really have big grievances; haven’t you thought about making up with him?”

“Don’t mention that stubborn old man to me. I won’t throw my warm face against his cold backside,” Old Man Ye grumbled irritably.

Old Man Ye’s voice was not soft, and not only Mrs. He, who wasn’t far behind him, heard it, but also Ye Zhong and his wife, who were working nearby, did too.