Chapter 107: Chapter 106 Signing the Contract

Hongji, after hearing the housekeeper’s words, felt even more thrilled, his heart starting to race faster.

His heartbeat quickened with excitement, and in his arms, Ye Shiqi could also feel that her father was probably excited because the housekeeper had said her mother could return after the new year. This was a very joyful matter for her as well.

As a little toddler who had not been born long ago, living as if she had no mother, this strong longing for maternal love made her excited too.

In her past life, Ye Shiqi had been a woman who lacked a mother’s love and later endured the abuse of a stepmother. To ensure her father wouldn’t feel lonely in his latter years, she could only bear it.

Every time she saw her half-sisters, who had a different mother but the same father, living happily under the care of both parents, she couldn’t help but feel envious.

Now reborn in a toddler’s body, with both a father and a mother, she yearned for the love of both her parents even more.

“Hehehe, Mama can come back now,” Siwa, who also seemed to understand a bit, laughed and jumped beside them.

Mrs. Lai smiled too, her eyes crinkling as she covered her mouth with one hand to chuckle secretly, trying not to lose her composure.

Ye Shuzhi and Ye Shuzhen just peeked out from their room, and now couldn’t help but come to the doorway, excitedly looking outside.

If it weren’t for the presence of young guards outside, they surely would have dashed out to joyfully jump around in the courtyard.

At that moment, the two sisters fixed their gazes outside, imagining in their heads the wealthy life they could lead if their family struck it rich.

Ye Shuzhen fantasized even more that with her eldest brother becoming a small boss, she would be the sister of a boss–how splendid. In the future, she would have more capital to seek a better match. At over 13 years old, she was at the perfect age for matchmaking.

With the family’s newfound wealth, she didn’t need to rush into finding a match. Once their family became affluent, naturally, suitors would wear out their doorstep, coming to ask for her hand in marriage.

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Ye Shuzhi felt happy for a while, soon to live like a rich lady, but the thought of her impending marriage made her collect her jubilant smile, feeling somewhat reluctant.

She quietly contemplated and told herself that if her family were to become wealthy, she wouldn’t marry so soon. Her elder sister was already married, which was an immutable fact, but being a rich family’s lady would certainly bring benefits too.

Still, she yearned to live more days at home like a lady of wealth, imagining long-term workers and servants being hired, not having to work, and having maids to boss around.

How could she give up such beautiful days to marry into a family of a small shop owner, where she would still need to sell goods herself and might even be treated like a maid by her in-laws? Her eldest sister-in-law was the best proof she had seen of that.

Ye Shuzhi decided to find a way to delay her wedding, thinking she needed to speak with her fiance about it.

On the other side, pretending to drink tea and not listening to their conversation were the guards and the driver, secretly observing the housekeeper and Hongji discussing business.

The driver, in his thirties or forties, they both looked on with envy, feeling that such an opportunity in life was exceedingly lucky for this country lad. If they had such a chance, they wouldn’t need to work for others.

Unfortunately, they had no other skills besides driving carts, so they could only envy Hongji.

The young guards, who had wives, felt that they couldn’t be guards forever with no other skills, just martial artists.

How wonderful it would be to learn a skill and be like Hongji. Their thoughts wavering for a moment, the housekeeper talked about needing people to protect the lumber at this place. It was a tough job, perhaps with nowhere to sleep or bathe.

But they might have the opportunity to learn some carpentry while here.

The young guard’s eyes wandered for a moment, realizing that although this was a farmer family, they were also small business owners, soon to become big Bosses and authors. This family still had unmarried daughters, right?

A guard already engaged felt a twinge of regret, lamenting why he hadn’t had better foresight. His engagement had become a binding agreement, and he could only sigh at the possibility of having missed out on a great opportunity in life.

The guards who were neither married nor engaged saw this as a golden opportunity, as this farmer family had two daughters who were not yet wed.

One had already been betrothed, leaving no chance for others to marry her. For the other, who had not yet been married, there was opportunity for everyone.

The guard who was not betrothed set his gaze on the one standing at the door, Ye Shuzhen, who was a bit plump. Such a figure was also popular in farmer families.

Not like those frail, skinny donkeys, nor like delicate porcelain dolls. As long as a farmer’s daughter was healthy, a common appearance was also well-liked.

The guards inquired around and learned that if the family’s youngest daughter was not a bit lazy, she might have already been engaged.

Unaware that she had become the target of these guards, Ye Shuzhen felt the gaze of the men and shyly turned her face away.

Hongji glanced again at the handwriting in the notebook, then looked up at his father.

At that moment, Hongji’s father couldn’t resist smoking his bamboo pipe and, while indulging in his smoke, felt his son’s gaze and exhaled a puff of smoke. He nodded at his son and said,

“Son, since you’ve already made your decision, go ahead and act on it. We men can’t be indecisive. Although it’s a significant matter and we must think it through, as long as there’s no risk involved, let’s do it!”

Upon hearing his father’s words, Hongji nodded. With his father’s encouragement, he felt even more confident. His father was right; as long as he handled things well, there would be no risk. And besides, what endeavor came without risks?

Like their current work in carpentry, they always feared their materials could be wasted and were even more afraid that customers wouldn’t pay on time.

With a partnership and a big Boss in charge, any risks would be borne by the big Boss. As a small boss, providing only their skills, the risks were already minimized.

Hongji made his decision and firmly gripped the pen in his hand, signing his name onto the notebook.

“Hongji, from now on you’re the small boss of this little wood factory. I’ll call you small boss, and you need to affix your thumbprint here,” the housekeeper said.

Bringing out a box for thumbprints, Hongji dipped his finger in the red ink and pressed it onto the notebook.

“Small boss, there’s one more copy. This is a duplicate; you’ll need to sign and thumbprint this one too. I’ll take both copies back for the Boss to press his thumbprint as well, then bring back the copy that belongs to you,” explained the housekeeper.

Hongji nodded upon hearing the housekeeper’s instructions, looked over the other copy, saw no differences, and repeated the signing and thumbprinting.

Once finished, the housekeeper collected both contracts and then asked Hongji,

“Small boss, where did your youngest daughter purchase the honey she gave to our young Master? Can you tell me where you bought it? I’d like to buy more to take back to Tang Mansion. Madam said she wanted to purchase more honey for New Year’s gifts and to use in preparing sweets and food in the mansion.”

At this, Hongji was taken aback. How was he unaware that his daughter had given honey to the young Master?

What else had his daughter done that he didn’t know about?