Farm Girl Turns Everything Around: Sly Husband, Let's Farm

Chapter 1010: Chapter 1010 Borrowing Money_1 Chapter 1010: Chapter 1010 Borrowing Money_1 Li Rou, holding Tong Xiaoxing’s hand in one and Tong Xiaoyue’s in the other, tightened her grip on the children’s small hands when she heard Tong Tiehu speak. Smiling, she began, “Grandpa, they’ve just returned, and it’s rare for them to visit; they should at least have a drink before leaving.”

“Have you boiled water?” Tong Tiehu, hands clasped behind his back, asked without expression.

“I’ll go boil some now.”

“Don’t bother, they’re not strangers. I run over there every day; no need for such formalities,” Tong Tiehu said, urging Qiao Xiaomai and Tong Sanlang to get on the carriage, “You have a lot of work to do back home, don’t you? Don’t linger here; go back.”

“Wait,” Li Rou interjected, stepping forward with Tong Xiaoxing and Xiaoyue in tow. She smiled and said, “Xiaomai, are you and Sanlang coming over again tomorrow?”

“Yes,” Qiao Xiaomai replied tersely.

“Then, could you lend me some silver?” Li Rou’s face flashed with discomfort, and she didn’t dare to look at Qiao Xiaomai as she spoke softly, “A few days ago, my mother was sick; we had her treated at the town’s Medical Clinic, which cost a lot of silver. My family is poor, and the cost of her medicine alone has drained our savings; it’s going to be difficult to get through the year.”

“So, I was hoping you could lend me some silver; my mother will definitely pay you back in the future.”

Lend money?

Qiao Xiaomai watched her hesitant manner and responded indifferently, “Your husband’s wages from these past days will be paid out this evening, roughly ten taels.”

“Ten taels, plus the private stash you’ve saved up before, should be enough to get your maternal home through the year, shouldn’t it?”

Pork was only thirteen or fourteen wen a pound, and chicken was even cheaper; ten taels silver were definitely enough to have a decent New Year.

Li Rou was stunned; she hadn’t expected Qiao Xiaomai to bring up Tong Daliang’s wages. She forced a smile, “But I have to save a bit for Xiaoxing and Xiaoyue…”

At those words, Qiao Xiaomai couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh, “Your own mother is sick, you have silver but begrudge using it, yet you come to me for a loan; why should I lend it to you?”

“You…” Stung by those words, Li Rou’s eyes reddened immediately, “Xiaoxing and Xiaoyue are young; I save a fixed amount of silver for them every year so they can use it when they marry. That portion of the money can’t be touched.”

“But with the unusual circumstances this year, I haven’t managed to save up the full amount for them.”

“I’m really at my wit’s end, so I thought of asking you,” she continued.

“Hah—so you’re choosing your kind maternal heart over your own mother?” On hearing her reason, Qiao Xiaomai’s face not only remained unmoved, but she also retorted with sarcasm.

The remark turned Li Rou’s eyes misty with tears, “I’m forced into this corner; on one hand, I have my own flesh and blood, and on the other, my own mother. No matter which I choose, it’s painful.”

Qiao Xiaomai looked at Li Rou’s plain face, raised an eyebrow, and reached into her bosom, pulling out two small ingots of five taels each from her space.

She dangled the small ingots in front of her and said, “This is the New Year’s money for the two children; consider it their marriage silver for this year.”

As Li Rou’s eyes fixated on the silver ingots in her hand, Qiao Xiaomai smiled slyly and continued, “However, I’ll keep it for now, and when the children are actually ready to marry, I’ll give them all the savings from over the years.”

Li Rou, looking at the two silver ingots with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, was taken aback by these words.

Not only had she failed to borrow any silver today, but now the children’s New Year’s money had also been withheld?!