Song Yanyan didn't take all the money. She picked out a smaller piece of broken silver from the pile and pushed the rest back toward Li Qiyi.
Li Qiyi looked at her in confusion.
Song Yanyan said matter-of-factly, "Why are you looking at me? A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it through proper means. What if I took all your silver and something happened to you later? Wouldn't you hate me to death?"
Li Qiyi wanted to say urgently that he wouldn't, that he wasn't that kind of person.
But Song Yanyan didn't seem to care. After speaking, she waved at Li Qiyi, "I've done all I can. Li Qiyi, goodbye!"
Song Yanyan slung her bamboo basket onto her back and left with a carefree air.
Li Qiyi was too shocked. He stared blankly at Song Yanyan's retreating figure, unable to speak.
Born into a wealthy and noble family, the noble ladies he occasionally encountered would act as if talking about money tarnished their integrity, avoiding the topic at all costs.
He had never met a young girl like Song Yanyan who so directly asked him for money.
But…
Li Qiyi lowered his head and looked at the piece of broken silver in his palm.
He had been deeply moved when he heard the words "A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it through proper means" from that young girl's mouth.
He never would have imagined hearing such words from a country girl.
If you said she loved money, she still left this piece for him!
So…
That young girl named Song Yanyan must have deliberately asked for just a little silver to make him not dwell too much on the debt of saving his life, right?
What a kind-hearted person!
Li Qiyi clenched the piece of broken silver in his hand, his eyes reddening with emotion.
He still had the protection of his ancestors, which was why he encountered such a pure and kind person even in this nearly hopeless valley!
…
Song Yanyan, with a silver ingot and several small pieces of broken silver tucked in her bosom, walked as if carried by the wind!
She might never go to the prefectural city in this lifetime, might never receive Li Qiyi's help there like Luo Jinyu would.
But the silver she could get her hands on now was real, tangible benefit!
Don't call her short-sighted. Her family was nearly destitute! Her sister-in-law was pregnant, her third brother still had to study in the county town, and next spring they would need to ridge the fields and replant crops—everywhere required money!
Real, tangible silver was far better than some vague, possibly useless future benefit, wasn't it?
Moreover…
Song Yanyan thought righteously, she had left some leeway too—she had left him a piece of broken silver!
"Mother! Mother!"
Song Yanyan called out to Tian Denghua and happily ran into the small courtyard.
Her trouser legs were covered in muddy snow, and she had some of Li Qiyi's bloodstains on her clothes, looking rather disheveled.
Tian Denghua had been steaming cornbread buns by the stove. When she came out and saw Song Yanyan like this, she nearly fainted from fright, her voice trembling, "Yanyan, ah…"
Song Yanyan quickly ushered Tian Denghua into the kitchen and, like presenting a treasure, pulled out the large silver ingot and several pieces of broken silver from her bosom, "Mother! Look what this is?"
Tian Denghua's eyes widened, "Child, you… did you rob someone?!"
"Mother, what kind of talk is that? Am I that kind of person?" Song Yanyan complained, but she was good-natured. After muttering, she continued cheerfully, leaning close to Tian Denghua and recounting how she had saved Li Qiyi earlier.
However, Song Yanyan, afraid Tian Denghua would worry, didn't mention that Li Qiyi was originally Luo Jinyu's destined opportunity. She only said she had seen him while chasing a rabbit.
"…I saw he was dressed very well, clearly a child from a wealthy family. I originally only asked for a small piece of broken silver, but he wanted to repay me and gave me all his silver," Song Yanyan said. "Of course, I didn't take it all—I left him a small piece!"
Tian Denghua praised, "Good. Even when robbing someone, you should always leave a little behind. Taking everything makes it easier for them to fight you to the death."
Song Yanyan: "Huh?"
She struggled to explain, "No, Mother, I really didn't rob anyone!"
Tian Denghua wiped her face: "This is almost the same as robbing! So much silver!"
Song Yanyan pouted: "Then… should I return it?"
Song Yanyan had made up her mind. If her mother told her to return the money, she would…
She would secretly hide the silver herself and disobey in secret!
There were so many places at home that needed money!
This shiny silver—she didn’t steal or rob anyone, it was earned through her own efforts. Why should she return it?
But Tian Denghua very naturally… reached out and gathered the silver.
"With so much silver, you're too young to handle it. I'll keep it for you," Tian Denghua said, tucking the silver away.
Song Yanyan’s eyelids twitched violently.
Such familiar words.
In her modern life, her New Year's money had met the same fate when she was a child.
However, Song Yanyan had originally intended to give it to her mother anyway.
Her older brothers all handed over their earnings to the family fund for shared expenses, and she was also a member of the family.
Her eldest sister-in-law was pregnant, her third brother needed to pay his tuition fee after the New Year—expenses were everywhere.
When she was unconscious, she had also heard that her mother had almost spent all the family’s savings to get medicine for her.
How could that be allowed?
This family had given everything for Song Yanyan, so how could she not contribute everything she had for them?
Tian Denghua rubbed the silver ingot in her arms and, quite generously, took out a piece of broken silver and gave it to Song Yanyan.
Now it was Song Yanyan’s turn to be stunned: "Huh?"
Tian Denghua said impatiently, "What 'huh'? You're a grown girl now! Next time I take you to the market, you can buy yourself some girly red string bracelets or small accessories, or at least some candy to eat."
Tian Denghua scared Song Yanyan, "Once your sister-in-law gives birth, you won’t be the youngest in the family anymore. By then, I won’t spoil you like I do now!"
Song Yanyan knew Tian Denghua was just trying to scare her.
In her dream, her eldest sister-in-law had given birth to a pair of adorable twins, but her mother still doted on her dearly.
Song Yanyan held the piece of broken silver, smiled sweetly, and snuggled into Tian Denghua’s arms: "Mother is so good to me!"
Tian Denghua pushed Song Yanyan away in disgust: "Go change your clothes quickly. Look at you, you’re filthy!"
Though she said that, the smile at the corner of Tian Denghua’s mouth couldn’t be suppressed.
…
In the evening, Tian Denghua cooked a huge pot of pork, cabbage, and vermicelli stew. The pork was made from a cut with two parts fat and three parts lean, and the fat was rendered out. When stewed with the fragrant cabbage, the vermicelli soaked up all the rich flavors—it was indescribably delicious.
Song Risheng’s eyes widened, and he was deeply moved: "Mother, you’ve really gone to so much trouble for my wife’s pregnancy…"
Tian Denghua picked up a piece of meat for Qi Lian, then glanced at Song Risheng: "Today’s feast isn’t entirely because of your wife’s pregnancy."
"Then what is it?"
Tian Denghua let out a breath, her eyes and brows unable to conceal her pride: "Your sister today saved a wealthy young master! To repay her, he gave her quite a bit of silver!"
Song Yanyan promptly straightened her little chest with pride.
Song Risheng and Qi Lian both looked over in pleasant surprise.
Even Song Yueping, who had been listless these past few days, couldn't help but show delight on her face, praising: "Our Yanyan is truly amazing."
Song Yanyan, having received her family's praise, was overjoyed, but she didn't forget to be modest: "Not really, not that amazing."
Tian Denghua took out all the silver Song Yanyan had given her.
A large silver ingot and several pieces of broken silver were placed at the corner of the table, illuminated by the candlelight—they gleamed brilliantly!
It looked absolutely splendid!
The Song family's breathing quickened noticeably!