After sending off Xiao Yi and her group, Xiao Jingting finally breathed a sigh of relief. Remembering the little girl’s vicious glare when leaving, Xiao Jingting felt a headache coming. “A favor of rice becomes a grudge of a bushel” – the original had spoiled those two dead kids, and now they resented him! But two little brats who hadn’t even grown their hair yet weren’t worth worrying about.
“Did you get the money?” Xiao Jingting asked Xiao Xiaofan.
Xiao Xiaofan patted his chest and put on an adult-like appearance. “Father, with me handling it, aren’t you confident?”
Xiao Jingting nodded and smiled. “Confident, confident. My Xiao Fan is so capable, of course I’m confident.”
“The silver is with Big Brother. Big Brother said the amount is correct. If Big Brother is bad at arithmetic and counted wrong, it’s not my fault,” Xiao Xiaofan said.
Xiao Xiaodong glared at Xiao Xiaofan and said haughtily, “Do you think I’m as stupid as you?”
Xiao Xiaofan looked at Xiao Xiaodong dissatisfied, hugged Xiao Jingting’s thigh and rubbed against it, saying somewhat aggrievedly, “Father, Big Brother is mean! He always says I’m stupid. Sometimes I’m quite capable!”
“Right, right, right. Xiao Fan is very capable most of the time.”
Hearing this, Xiao Xiaofan proudly raised his chin at Xiao Xiaodong.
Xiao Xiaodong coolly took out the bank notes and handed them to Xiao Jingting. “It’s all here, two thousand taels total.”
Xiao Jingting put away the bank notes and threw them into his storage bag. “If Xiaodong counted it, it definitely won’t be wrong.”
Xiao Xiaofan competed to say, “Father, I threw a tantrum and grabbed her skirt! Otherwise, the bank notes wouldn’t have been so easy to get.”
Xiao Jingting: “…” Threw a tantrum and grabbed her skirt?
Not noticing Xiao Jingting’s expression, Xiao Xiaofan continued excitedly, “Father, I also asked for two red envelopes, got one for Big Brother too. Big Brother is so stupid! When he met that woman, he couldn’t even speak. Xiao Fan is amazing.”
Xiao Xiaodong: “…”
Xiao Xiaofan said mysteriously to Xiao Jingting, “Just now that girl tried to grab my red envelope, so I gently pushed her and she fell right down. She’s really too weak – does she have anemia?”
Xiao Jingting: “…” He had casually mentioned anemia once, and Xiao Xiaofan immediately remembered it.
Xiao Xiaofan reluctantly took out a red envelope and handed it to Xiao Jingting. “Father, this is the red envelope.”
“How much silver is in it?” Xiao Jingting asked.
“Twenty taels,” Xiao Xiaofan said.
Xiao Jingting stroked his chin. “Twenty taels, just that little? Keep it yourself.” Hearing this, Xiao Xiaofan quickly pulled his hand back.
Xiao Jingting looked at Xiao Xiaofan’s money-obsessed expression and found it amusing.
Xu Mu’an came out. “You two haven’t eaten breakfast yet, have you?”
Xiao Xiaofan nodded. “Right, we haven’t eaten yet.”
Xiao Jingting was stunned. They went to collect debts without eating first – his sons were too enthusiastic, so enthusiastic it made him, as their father, embarrassed!
Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Xiaofan. “Xiao Fan was very capable today, so he can eat more.”
Xiao Xiaofan said with dancing eyebrows, “Mm, eat lots and lots.”
Xiao Yi led the two children back to the Xiao family guest room.
“Mother, did you borrow money?” Chen Xijin asked urgently. It was called borrowing, but it was really asking Xiao Jingting for some silver. Xiao Yi had “borrowed” from Xiao Jingting several times before, never large amounts, and Xiao Jingting had readily agreed each time.
Xiao Yi shook her head. “No.”
“I heard Uncle say that Xiao Jingting spent over a hundred thousand to buy a spirit tower. He’s really rich now.”
Xiao Yi narrowed her eyes. Xiao Jingting was indeed very wealthy, but unfortunately, he was much more stingy than before.
Chen Yueling was still immersed in the pain of being snubbed by Xiao Jingting, saying hatefully, “Uncle Xiao won’t help me. I don’t want to pay attention to him anymore.”
Xiao Yi looked at Chen Yueling helplessly. Xiao Jingting was different from before. Previously, when Chen Yueling threw little tantrums with Xiao Jingting, he would patiently coax her. Now it was different. She heard that Xiao Jingting spoiled that little fool beyond reason and even fought with Xiao Qingyan for him.
“If you ignore him, he’s probably happy not to pay attention to you,” Chen Xijin said.
Chen Yueling’s face reddened, and she said sullenly, “Uncle Xiao doesn’t keep his word. He clearly said before that he loved me most and treasured me most.”
Xiao Yi lowered her head. Before coming, she had heard that Xiao Jingting had changed quite a bit, and Sun Miaomiao hadn’t gotten any benefits from him either, so she was prepared for the current situation.
Though prepared, Xiao Yi still felt uncomfortable. Privately, she had hoped she would be an exception for Xiao Jingting, but unfortunately…
“Mother, I heard Uncle Xiao is now at the fifth layer of Qi Refinement. Are they lying?” Chen Yueling asked. In Chen Yueling’s mind, her father was very capable. Her father had failed to advance to the fourth layer of Qi Refinement, so there was no reason someone as unambitious as Uncle Xiao would reach the fifth layer!
Xiao Yi said, “Your Uncle Xiao has deep fortune. He ate heavenly treasures and reached the fifth layer of Qi Refinement.”
Hearing this, Chen Yueling’s already bad expression became even worse.
“Miss, Xiao Yi came out from Xiao Jingting’s place and seems not to have gotten anything good,” a maid said to Sun Miaomiao.
Sun Miaomiao nodded. “As expected.” Since Xiao Jingting returned, he had been indifferent to her, indifferent to his former good friends, and probably had no good impression of Xiao Yi either.
Xiao Jingting hastily packed some things. Xu Mu’an watched the busy Xiao Jingting and asked, “Leaving today?”
Xiao Jingting nodded. “Yes! The sooner the better. Our son’s troublemaking energy is beyond most people’s ability to handle.”
As long as he wasn’t careful, Xiao Fan could start fighting with people. Though it wasn’t Xiao Fan’s fault, constantly fighting wasn’t good either. He could protect the brat once or twice, but if he kept fighting, he couldn’t protect him anymore.
Xu Mu’an nodded. “True.” It was obvious that Xiao Linfeng and Wang Lu were getting quite impatient with their youngest son. Xiao Linfeng and Wang Lu’s favoritism wasn’t new – it couldn’t be easily changed.
“Pack up quickly. We’re leaving soon,” Xiao Xiaodong said.
Xiao Xiaofan excitedly rolled around on the bed. “Great! Finally don’t have to stay in this awful place.”
Xiao Xiaodong looked at the cheerful Xiao Xiaofan and threw cold water on him. “Right! Staying here, you get beaten every day.”
Xiao Xiaofan gloomily turned over and raised his fist. “That bastard Xiao Yuerong, when I grow up, I’ll definitely make him pay.”
Xiao Xiaodong smiled coldly. “When your strength is enough, you can make him pay. If your strength isn’t enough, he’ll make you pay.”
Xiao Xiaofan looked at Xiao Xiaodong with frustration. “Big Brother is so annoying, always throwing cold water on me.”
Xu Mu’an came in. “Pack up quickly. We’re leaving soon. If there’s no time to pack later, we’ll just leave things behind.”
Xiao Xiaofan immediately jumped up from the bed. “Wait for me, wait for me! I have lots of toys that can’t be left behind.”
Xiao Xiaodong snorted disdainfully. “Little brat is just a little brat, only knows about playing with toys.”
Xiao Xiaofan looked at Xiao Xiaodong and pouted. “Big Brother, you secretly play with my toys. I saw you.”
Xiao Xiaodong’s face reddened slightly, and he said irritably, “You saw wrong.”
Xiao Xiaofan frowned and argued, “Didn’t I? My little duck, I barely played with it before it broke. You broke it.”
Xiao Xiaodong flushed and said, “You didn’t take care of it properly, so it broke. It has nothing to do with me.”
“No! You broke it and then forgot,” Xiao Xiaofan said sullenly.
“You broke it yourself and then forgot,” Xiao Xiaodong said.
Xiao Xiaofan looked at Xiao Xiaodong with a hopeless expression. “My memory isn’t that bad. Don’t think you can bully me because I’m stupid.”
Xiao Xiaodong huffed. “Your memory has always been bad.”
Xu Mu’an looked at the two little ones helplessly. “Alright, stop arguing. We’re leaving soon. If there’s no time to pack, we’ll just leave things here.”
Xiao Xiaofan was shocked. “Then you all slow down!”
Xiao Xiaofan looked at Xiao Xiaodong. “Big Brother, I won’t argue with you about secretly playing with my toys anymore, but you have to help me pack the toys together.”
“I never played with your toys, but seeing how pitiful you are, I’ll help you pack,” Xiao Xiaodong said haughtily.
Xiao Xiaofan nodded helplessly. “Fine, fine, whatever you say. Just help me move the toys to the cart.”
Outside the door, Xiao Jingting watched the two little ghosts bustling in and out, thinking: Without realizing it, Xiao Fan already has so many toys. Little brats are just little brats – the first thing they think of when moving is toys. Xiaodong really has brotherly love! Usually he’s fierce with Xiao Fan, but at crucial moments, he truly shows brotherly love.
“Really leaving?” Xiao Qingyan asked Zheng Pei’er.
Zheng Pei’er nodded. “Yes!”
“So urgent,” Xiao Qingyan said suspiciously. He originally thought Xiao Jingting would stay by their parents’ side for a while, showing filial devotion.
Recently many people had come to visit their parents, praising Xiao Jingting as a prodigal son who had turned over a new leaf. Those who praised him were fewer. He had been at the fifth layer of Qi Refinement for a long time – it was old news.
Being praised more, their parents seemed to soften toward Xiao Jingting.
Xiao Qingyan narrowed his eyes, his thoughts heavy. He had been stuck at the fifth layer of Qi Refinement too long. Though many people stayed at this stage for long periods, if he didn’t break through soon, his position might not be secure.
“Maybe it’s strategic retreat,” Zheng Pei’er said gloomily. With Xiao Jingting’s departure, Father and Mother would feel more guilty toward him.
“Owing ten thousand taels per month, that Xiao Jingting is really crazy. I don’t believe he can repay that money by farming. When he can’t repay, he’ll probably have to cry to Father and Mother,” Xiao Qingyan said sarcastically.
“Exactly,” Zheng Pei’er said. “That guy’s down payment definitely came from selling heavenly treasures.” She just didn’t know what precious spiritual plant it was to sell for so much silver – it must have been extraordinary.
“Heartless bastard,” Xiao Qingyan said. Hearing Zheng Pei’er mention heavenly treasures, his heart ached unbearably.
“Qingyan, should you return to the academy?” Zheng Pei’er asked.
Xiao Qingyan nodded. “Yes.” He had been away from the academy for some time. Though the academy allowed students to leave, being away too long wasn’t good. He had been away quite a while and couldn’t delay much longer.
“I need to ask Father and Mother for more silver. Everything at the academy requires connections,” Xiao Qingyan said.
Xiao Qingyan thought privately: When Father and Mother suddenly disappeared this time, I suffered enough from having no money. Everyone at the academy kowtows to the high and tramples the low. When I had no money, my status immediately plummeted.
“Once I lease out the farmland Father and Mother gave me, I should have a considerable monthly income,” Zheng Pei’er said.
Xiao Qingyan glanced coolly at Zheng Pei’er. “Consider that yourself, but report to me every month.”
During their parents’ disappearance, Zheng Pei’er had made a fuss about divorcing Xiao Qingyan, so he had become much more distant from her. However, they had two sons together, so there was still some affection. Since Xiao Qingyan had no other suitable person to entrust things to, he could only rely on Zheng Pei’er.
Zheng Pei’er nodded. “I understand.”
