Chapter 194: Hiding One’s Contributions and Name Deep Within
Li Yi watched the entire family discuss the matter from beginning to end, seeing nothing but Wen Yao’s little mouth going yap, yap, yap as she settled the whole business with absolute ease.
Crucially, the adults of the Wen family, including the two elders, surprisingly harbored no objections whatsoever.
This Wen family was truly very interesting.
Once Old Madam Luo and the others had all departed, Wen Xiuyi finally asked Wen Yao, “What are you trying to pull this time?”
Wen Yao put on a face full of innocence. “I’m not trying to pull anything. It’s just that when Great-Auntie mentioned this afternoon that Eldest Cousin is currently working as a bricklayer under someone, I simply had this sudden thought.”
Wen Xiuyi: “…”
Wen Jun interjected from the side in a low, ghostly tone, “One thought from you, and a whole group of people will run their legs off.” After saying this, he laughed himself, glaring at Wen Yao with quite some helplessness.
Wen Yao feigned anger and shook her fist at Wen Jun. “This is called leading the entire family to prosperity, do you understand?”
Even though she truly had just thought of it randomly and mentioned it casually—without even thinking through the details of how to actually carry it out—who could have known her family loved her this much?
Sigh, a child wrapped in love is truly very happy—like her, for instance.
Wen Xiuyi was also at his wits’ end with this girl, saying, “Forget it, I’ll think about it some more. But I don’t understand the inner workings of this trade either. Weren’t all the renovations in our previous house handled by you and your brother?”
Wen Jun spread his hands. “Regrettably, I can’t help. I was only responsible for reviewing the blueprints and plans with the people from the interior design company; they did all the actual work.”
“My eldest cousin has been working under a contractor for quite a while, so he must know a bit about the trade more or less. Dad, you can just ask him tomorrow. It’s getting late, so goodnight, Dad, Eldest Brother.” Wen Yao patted her bottom and walked away.
Leaving only the father and son staring at each other.
“Forget it, she’s my own flesh and blood daughter.” Wen Xiuyi sighed helplessly, slapped the dust off his clothes, and turned back to his room.
Wen Jun smiled helplessly and left as well. The exceptionally lively courtyard instantly became incomparably quiet, leaving only the chirping of crickets outside the wall.
Although Wen Yao claimed she wouldn’t involve herself, she spent a good part of the night staying in her space studying books on interior design, to the point that she couldn’t even get up to make breakfast the next morning.
It was only when Old Madam Luo led the others in preparing it and sent Xiaohua to call her that she finally got up.
By the time she reached the front courtyard, Wen Jun had already left with the few boys who attended school, leaving the courtyard considerably emptier.
“Grandma, morning.”
Wen Yao entered the kitchen while yawning.
Old Madam Luo glared at her with a mixture of helplessness and indulgence. “Your great-aunt and eldest cousin arrived bright and early this morning. Heaven knows what you were up to last night; I sent people to call you twice, and you didn’t get up either. Hurry over and eat your breakfast, then go take a look. Your father and your eldest cousin are in the study.”
Old Madam Luo appeared to be in a very good mood. As Wen Yao sat down by the table, a steaming bowl of noodles topped with a poached egg was immediately served to her.
Old Madam Luo sat down across from her, looked at Wen Yao, and suddenly spoke up: “Yao’er, Grandma thanks you.”
“Huh?” Wen Yao wore a thoroughly dazed and cute expression. “Grandma, what’s wrong with you? Thanks me for what?”
Seeing her like this, no matter how many moving words Old Madam Luo had at the tip of her tongue, she couldn’t say them anymore. This wretched girl truly was completely heartless and carefree.
“Forget it, just hurry up and eat. Go take a look after you finish eating. Your father said he called for Carpenter Zhang, who will probably be here in a moment. Since you came up with the idea, you have to go join them to figure out how to do this work. As for your eldest cousin, he is an honest man, so you and your father must help him a bit so he doesn’t get swindled by others,” Old Madam Luo instructed.
Wen Yao waved her hand while slurping her noodles. “Grandma, rest assured. Uncle Zhang is also a decent and dutiful person. I think this matter can definitely work.”
Carpenter Zhang was an old acquaintance of their family, and his household had looked after them quite a bit back at the docks. He could be considered trustworthy, so Old Madam Luo didn’t say anything further.
After finishing her breakfast, Wen Yao ran to the study. Wen Xiuyi had already spoken quite a bit with Jiao Jian. The moment Wen Yao entered, she saw this eldest cousin of hers flushed red with excitement; the gaze of this man, who looked thoroughly sturdy and honest, instantly lit up upon seeing her.
“Yao’er, you’re up! Why didn’t you sleep a bit longer?” After hearing from the younger Old Madam Luo last night, Jiao Jian was moved to tears of gratitude toward this niece, secretly vowing that he must work hard.
When he arrived this morning, his maternal aunt had said she would go call Wen Yao up, but he had stopped her. It was normal for a young child to sleep a bit more.
“Eldest Cousin,” Wen Yao greeted him, found a place to sit down, and asked, “Dad, have you and my uncle finished discussing things?”
Wen Xiuyi nodded. “Yes, your eldest cousin also understands a bit about the trade. I chatted with him for a bit and think this matter is viable. Now we are just waiting for Carpenter Zhang to arrive to ask his opinion. If it works, the two of them will team up to work in the future, splitting the earnings straight down the middle.”
Wen Yao looked toward Jiao Jian again. “Uncle, what do you think?”
How could Jiao Jian possibly be unwilling? Splitting down the middle was already exceptionally good, and since two people were teaming up to work, things ought to be clearly divided in the first place. Currently working under his master, let alone half, it was good enough if he could get one-tenth into his hands.
He nodded repeatedly. “Yes, I will listen to everything Eldest Brother says.”
Well, no wonder Grandma said this eldest cousin of hers was honest and dutiful; he truly was honest enough.
Not long after, Carpenter Zhang arrived riding in the Wen family’s carriage. After Lu Jiang dropped off Wen Jun and the few boys who went to school, he went over to the docks to fetch Carpenter Zhang.
Along the way, Carpenter Zhang had asked, but Lu Jiang didn’t mention what it was about either, leaving Carpenter Zhang with no choice but to arrive at the Wen family with a belly full of doubts.
Wen Xiuyi didn’t beat around the bush either. After introducing the two to each other, he directly explained the situation to Carpenter Zhang this way and that way.
Finally, he said, “Old Zhang, we are old acquaintances too, so I’ll give it to you straight. This matter was brought up by this girl Yao’er on a whim, and it just so happens that this cousin of mine does brickwork. We figured that since you are a carpenter and he is a bricklayer, if the two of you team up, you might actually achieve something significant. That’s why we called you over to ask your opinion.
There’s no need for you to rush to give me an answer either. After all, this matter is also on us; it’s too sudden.”
Who could have known that the moment Wen Xiuyi finished speaking, Carpenter Zhang would stand up in excitement, gripping his hand tightly while saying emotionally, “Brother Wen, from now on, you are the great benefactor of my, Zhang Qiao’s, life! In the future, if you ever have any business, you just say the word. If I, Zhang Qiao, ever dare to shrink my head back, I am not a human being!”
“No, no, no, brother, don’t get excited. Are you going to do this or not?” Wen Xiuyi hurriedly tried to soothe him.
Carpenter Zhang nodded hastily. With such a wonderful opportunity, he would be a fool not to do it.
“I’ll do it, Brother Wen, I’ll do it! Rest assured, from now on, Brother Jiao Jian and I are one family, and you are my own eldest brother.” Had he not been afraid of scaring Wen Xiuyi, Carpenter Zhang would have had a good cry right then.
The Wen family truly was the benefactor of their household.
“Ah, ah, ah, you let go first. Let’s speak properly.” Wen Xiuyi was being pulled so tightly it actually hurt, so he hurriedly wrenched his hand out.
Carpenter Zhang scratched his head sheepishly, grinning broadly. “My apologies, my apologies. Just a momentary surge of excitement.”
Wen Xiuyi looked at the two of them. Since both of them harbored this intention, then they might as well do it.
Wen Yao arched her eyebrows, stood up, clapped her hands, and walked away, hiding her contributions and name deep within.
As for the expression behind her where Wen Xiuyi gnashed his teeth and wished he could give her a beating? Terribly sorry, but she couldn’t see it—couldn’t see it at all.
