Chapter 9: Daily Life

Before Chen Ping'an had even stepped into the courtyard, a wave of fragrance wafted toward him.

"Nannan, I'm home."

"Brother, you're back! Come, drink some water quickly to soothe your throat."

Chen Er'ya greeted him from inside, holding a bowl of clear water in her hands.

Chen Ping'an took the water and downed it in one gulp.

"Ah~ Nannan is always so thoughtful!"

Chen Ping'an said as he took off his official runner's uniform.

The weather wasn't particularly hot yet, so he hadn't sweated much. By taking the uniform off now, he could continue to wear it tomorrow.

If he washed it every day, it would not only be a hassle but would also cause excessive wear and tear on the fabric.

He only had two sets in total. If one were ruined, he would have to pay out of his own pocket to get a replacement from the Town Pacification Office.

"Nannan, did you eat properly today!?"

"I did! I listened to Brother. I even had beef for lunch."

"Mm. Good."

Chen Ping'an specifically walked into the kitchen to take a look at the beef.

Uh...

Looking at the beef, which didn't seem much different from what had been set aside yesterday, Chen Ping'an's expression darkened slightly.

"You ate? Why is there still so much left!"

"Oh, well..."

Chen Er'ya gave a hollow laugh, trying to brush it off.

But Chen Ping'an wouldn't let it slide.

In the end, Chen Er'ya had to confess. She had indeed eaten, but only a tiny slice.

"I just wanted to save it for Brother. You're out there working hard to support the family, and it takes a lot out of you. This beef should be for you to build up your strength."

"If I want to eat, I can just buy more! Besides, me eating and you eating aren't mutually exclusive!"

Chen Er'ya didn't answer, but Chen Ping'an knew what she was thinking.

It was nothing more than the issue of silver! If they had enough money, there would be no need to be so calculating.

Although Chen Ping'an had said he found a way to pay back the fourteen taels of silver to Young Master Hu of the Tiger Head Gang, and Chen Er'ya believed him, the matter remained unresolved and was always a weight on her mind.

With that worry, Chen Er'ya naturally had to be frugal in every way.

"I told you yesterday not to skimp on lunch. You didn't listen! Are you trying to make me angry? And another thing..."

The little girl didn't speak; she just blinked her large eyes and looked at him.

"You..."

Seeing Chen Er'ya's pitiful appearance, Chen Ping'an couldn't bear it and let out a long sigh. The words he intended to say died in his throat. He gently tapped her forehead with his finger, unable to continue scolding her.

When it came down to it, his monthly salary was simply too low!

"Did you buy the pork leg meat I asked for yesterday?"

"I did! I even bought pig trotters to stew for you to build up your strength. Brother, you're practicing martial arts now, so you really need to eat more meat."

Chen Er'ya said, beaming with joy.

Not long ago, they wouldn't have eaten like this. Having meat at every meal was only happening because Chen Ping'an had specifically ordered it over the last two days.

Dinner was already prepared by Chen Er'ya. Even though the girl was only nine, she was proficient in all kinds of housework. Her cooking skills were even on par with Chen Ping'an's.

The two chatted as they worked together to bring the food to the wooden table.

Tonight's dinner: a bowl of stewed pig trotters, a bowl of braised pork leg meat, a plate of stir-fried eggs with green peppers, a bowl of mushroom soup, and two bowls of white rice.

Extravagant!

Extremely extravagant!

If he could enjoy meals like this every day, he wouldn't trade it for anything, not even for the life of an immortal!

With a dinner of this caliber, even the shopkeepers in the streets probably couldn't afford to eat like this every day.

One had to know that many families in the neighborhood didn't just lack meat; they couldn't even afford this kind of polished white rice. They only ate coarse rice mixed with rice husks. Some families with many mouths to feed, few laborers, and no special skills struggled even to eat coarse rice, forced to survive on wheat bran.

Compared to them, Chen Ping'an and Chen Er'ya were undoubtedly fortunate.

After all, with his status as a runner for the Town Pacification Office, he would never starve and could occasionally afford a meat dish.

This was why Father Chen, even when he was on his deathbed, had exhausted his efforts, used up all his favors and savings, and even resorted to borrowing money just to secure this temporary runner position for Chen Ping'an.

With this status, the days of living hand-to-mouth would eventually become a thing of the past. Their lives were finally looking up.

However, the issue Chen Ping'an needed to solve was the fourteen taels of debt owed to the Tiger Head Gang.

"Nannan, don't worry about the fourteen taels of debt. I wasn't joking with you yesterday; I really have a way."

During the meal, Chen Ping'an looked into Chen Er'ya's eyes and said earnestly.

"Mm, I believe you, Brother. I know you weren't joking."

"Then you must take good care of yourself. Don't ever have a lunch of just one slice of beef like today again. If the household expenses are short, just tell me. Once we pay off the fourteen taels, with my monthly salary, our lives will only get better. We can loosen the purse strings a bit on food and clothing."

Chen Ping'an spoke seriously, and Chen Er'ya listened just as seriously.

"Brother, I know. It's just that I was thinking, even after the fourteen taels are paid off, there are still big things the family needs to take care of, and there are plenty of places where money will be needed. I still want to save as much as I can."

"What big things?"

Chen Ping'an asked curiously.

"Brother getting a wife, of course! You're already nineteen. By next year, you'll be at the age of manhood. I've already asked Granny Wang at Changqiao Alley; to bring a wife home, the expenses for everything will be at least ten taels of silver!

And my brother is so outstanding, it wouldn't do to just marry any ordinary girl. So, ten taels isn't enough. To marry a wife for you, the family needs to prepare at least twenty taels. Mother died early, and there's no one else to plan for this, so it has to be me."

Chen Er'ya spoke fluently, clearly having thought it through thoroughly. Her words, however, nearly made Chen Ping'an spit out the mushroom soup he had just sipped.

"You little girl, you're acting like a grown-up!"

Despite saying that, a warmth bloomed in Chen Ping'an's heart.

"My sister-in-law naturally has to be gentle and beautiful. So, even if you have a way to handle the debt, we still need to save!"

Chen Er'ya said, puffing out her chest and holding her head high.

"Alright, alright, alright!"

Chen Ping'an looked helpless.

He didn't argue with her.

Since Chen Er'ya had set her heart on this, saying anything more would be useless. Rather than talking, it would be better to prove it with his actions.

After dinner, Chen Ping'an didn't help Chen Er'ya clean up this time.

The courtyard gate was still held shut by a piece of firewood, and he needed to make a proper bolt. He hadn't seen anything suitable while patrolling the streets during the day. Since there was nothing suitable, he would make one himself.

As it happened, there was a piece of wood at home that hadn't been chopped up yet, which was perfect for the job.

In the courtyard, he used a wood-chopping knife to shape the wood. In the kitchen, Chen Er'ya washed the dishes.

In the gaps between their work, their eyes would meet from time to time. In those brief moments, both felt an immense sense of peace in their hearts.

Having family by one's side—this feeling of companionship was truly wonderful!

This feeling was worth more than ten thousand taels of gold!