Period drama: Old Cao's carefree life

Chapter 119 is so wonderful to even think about!

"Brother, what's the point of this little bit of money? After we finish eating and drinking, what will we do? Starve?"

Mo He looked helpless. Most of the time, her brother was like a child who never grew up, always doing whatever he wanted.

Twenty silver dollars is a lot, but with the prices in Beiping these days, that amount of money wouldn't even be enough for two people to live on for three months.

In addition, her brother spends money extravagantly, so it's uncertain whether they can even last a month.

She grabbed her brother, took out three silver dollars from her pocket, then thought for a moment, put one back, and stuffed the remaining two silver dollars into his hand.
"Brother, here's the money. Take some cornmeal back with you, and I'll go for another stroll around Guanghe Restaurant."

"Oh dear, my sister, why won't you listen to your brother?" With a casual shove of two silver dollars into his hair, Fifth Master Fan said domineeringly:
"Listen to me, girl, we're not selling these cigarettes, and we're not buying any cornmeal either. We're not cooking today; we're going to a restaurant with two meat dishes!"

"You heard it today too. Your Brother Cao asked me to help him out today. Putting everything else aside, the brokerage fee alone is enough for us to live a life of luxury."

"I've already made plans. First, I'll help your Brother Cao buy some antiques and paintings. Once we have some money, we'll open an antique shop. And when we become rich, I'll hire ten maids to serve you!"

Mo He was both amused and exasperated. "Brother, I have hands and feet, why would I need a maid to serve me?"

"Besides, you can help Brother Cao buy antiques and calligraphy, and I'll still sell my cigarettes. Every little bit helps."

"You silly girl, why can't you think straight?" Master Fan said, exasperated, as he pulled her forward, saying as they walked:
"Don't think your brother is blind. Your brother has very sharp eyes."

"Girl, tell me honestly, are you in love with that kid Cao Weida?"

Mo He was deeply embarrassed, and her struggles weakened considerably. "Brother~~ what are you saying!"

"What did I say? I said the cycle of Heaven, Earth, and Man!" Master Fan glared at her, then his face darkened, and he sighed:

"It's all my fault for being useless. I can't help you with anything. You're already twenty. You should have found a husband long ago. Because of me, you're still single."

"That Cao Weida is a good guy. I've inquired about him for you. He's a good match for you in terms of both character and looks."

"Although that guy has married two concubines, he's incredibly good to his women. If you're with him, you won't suffer."

"If you really like him, I'll help you make arrangements. Once I have some money, I'll give you a grand wedding, which will be a way of repaying your mother's trust in me."

"When your brother dies someday, he can at least smile and give your parents a proper farewell."

Mo He quickly covered his mouth and scolded, "Brother, what are you saying? What are you talking about dying? Pui pui pui, it's bad luck."

"We're both fine, don't keep talking about dying all the time."

"Hey, I was just using an analogy," Fifth Master Fan laughed carelessly. "So tell me honestly, what exactly do you mean?"

"I'm telling you something serious, bro. That guy is really good. Looking around this overpass area, there's no one more suitable than him. He has a good personality, good character, and most importantly, he's rich. If you really marry him, you can expect to enjoy a life of luxury."

"Brother, I do like Brother Cao quite a bit, but... he already has two concubines, so I... I think I'll pass." Mo He stammered, lowering her head in frustration.

She did have a good impression of Cao Weida, but she had her own bottom line.

She yearned for true love, and becoming a concubine meant dependence and inequality, which violated her commitment to her independent personality.

Master Fan understood Mo He well; he naturally knew what she was thinking. He patted her shoulder and sighed.

“Mohe, I know this is unfair to you, but there aren’t that many fair things in the world.”

"If I could, I would certainly hope that you would pursue your own love and be loyal and steadfast in true love, but that's how the world is, what can we do?"

"If that Cao Weida kid is someone who can't be brought up, then I won't waste my breath. I can't push my sister into a fire pit, can I?"

"I've inquired about that kid. Although he married two concubines, he didn't marry a wife. Moreover, the relationship between the two families is quite good. They each live in a small courtyard, without any backstabbing or infighting. They also don't have any elders above them, so they won't have to follow any rules set by their elders when they go there."

"If you're ambitious enough to give him a son or daughter in the future, you might become his first wife. Wouldn't that be great?"

He straightened Mo He's posture, "Look into my eyes."

Mo He looked up at him with a wronged expression, biting her rosy lips with her pearly teeth, her eyes filled with mist.

Master Fan was heartbroken. "Alright, alright, Mo He, don't cry. I'm not doing this for anything else, I just want you to have a good life in the future! Would I ever harm you?"

"Just tell me the truth, do you like Cao Weida or not?"

"If you say even one word that you don't like it, then I promise I'll never mention him and you again."

Mo He clenched her teeth even tighter. She wanted to say that she liked it, but the thought that Cao Weida already had two concubines made her very conflicted.

But she was unwilling to admit she didn't like it.
Seeing that she hesitated to answer and looked conflicted, Fifth Master Fan understood and said with a smile, "Alright, I get it. The fact that you didn't immediately refuse means you like her." Mo He blushed at his words.
"Girl, let me tell you something. Happiness isn't something you can just wait for. Once it appears, you have to grab it right away, you know?"

"What's wrong with having two concubines? In the past, which of us Manchu families didn't have several concubines? We lived together just fine, didn't we? Besides, you two live separately."

"Let me tell you, I've been watching Cao Weida's eyes closely. The way he looked at you today didn't seem like he wasn't interested in you."

"Since you both love each other, why not just be together? If you give up now, there'll be no going back."

Master Fan's mouth was truly something else; he rattled off a whole bunch of things with great enthusiasm.

If it were anyone else, Mo He would naturally not listen, but Fan Wu is her brother.

One word from your family is worth a hundred words from others.

In addition, Mo He already had a good impression of Cao Weida, and as he listened, he actually started to imagine things.

Her change in expression was immediately noticed by Master Fan, whose eyes flashed with amusement, and he became even more enthusiastic in his persuasion.

If Cao Weida becomes his brother-in-law in the future, Mo He will live a good life, and he himself will also benefit from it. Just thinking about it makes him incredibly happy!

Night fell earlier than usual tonight.

The weather was rather gloomy during the day, and a light drizzle began to fall at night.

The lights were on in a residential house at the junction of Outer Second District and Outer Third District.

Inside the reception room, a bald man with a dark red birthmark on his face sat with an unpleasant expression. He was Scarface, the leader of the Dongsi Gang.

Scarface was originally just a pickpocket in Beijing, spending his days stealing chickens and dogs. Back then, he was just a nobody that everyone could bully.

He has a dark red birthmark on his face, which looks particularly unsightly. Because of this birthmark, he has been ridiculed and bullied by many people.

Later, when the Japanese came, he quickly seized the opportunity, hooked up with a traitor, and made his fortune by trafficking laborers.

The so-called trafficking of laborers refers to the arrest, forced conscription, or deception of Chinese laborers, who are then sold or forcibly transported to various places at home and abroad to perform hard labor.

In their eyes, these laborers were not people, but rather commodities that could be sold at will.

Women, in particular, are seen as easy prey by them.

If she's even slightly attractive, then she's the fattest sheep among the fattest sheep.

His rise to power was a history of blood and tears for laborers. Countless Chinese laborers were persecuted by them, and it is no exaggeration to say that their deaths were in vain.

Inside the reception room, broken teacups lay scattered on the floor, tiny shards flying everywhere.

A man dressed as a lackey stood obediently, not daring to breathe.

They knew how ruthless their boss, Scarface, was.

"That good-for-nothing bastard dares to spout nonsense even at the police station! Why didn't that bastard Xu Hancheng just shoot him on the spot!" Scarface's face was full of malice, and a fierce light flashed in his eyes. He touched his swollen face and felt a faint pain, which made his anger even greater.

That afternoon, Nao Tazon called him to the police station. As soon as he entered, Nao Tazon slapped him hard across the face more than a dozen times, almost beating him to death.

Nao didn't tell him why. After giving him a beating, she warned him that if he couldn't control his dog, she would get him a different dog to serve him!
After returning home, Scarface, looking completely bewildered, immediately sent someone to investigate what had happened. He then learned that it was his brother-in-law who had recklessly caused the trouble, which angered Scarface so much that he smashed a cup on the spot.

A woman in her forties standing nearby was smoking a pipe. Her eyebrows were long and thin, which was the standard of beauty for a woman with willow-leaf eyebrows, but the upward slant of her eyebrows and the narrow spacing between them made her look somewhat mean.

Adding the mole below the corner of her mouth further accentuates her sharp tongue.

She slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, her sharp voice neither sarcastic nor effeminate: "I told you long ago, that little slut is no easy person to deal with, and her bastard brother is even more of a troublemaker."

"I just find it strange. Are those two ounces of meat down there so restless? They lose all sense of direction as soon as that slut teases them."

"Now look what's happened, we've caused a huge mess. If you had listened to me earlier and put that slut in the secret door, we could have made some money back for us."

"Alright, what's the point of saying all this now!" Scarface was already furious, and her words only fueled his anger.

Wow~~
He swept all the food off the table, his sinister gaze fixed on his underling, making the underling shudder. "Tomorrow, bring a gift and go tell Jin Hai to shut that bastard Louzi up!"

"Yes, I'll go prepare right away." The younger brother felt as if he had been granted a pardon and hurriedly ran out.

(End of this chapter)