The Peasant Wife: The Prime Minister's Beloved

"Even after the separation, she still goes there every other day. Is it possible that there is one less mouthful of food on our table, or that there is one less scoop of water in the water jar?"

There was a hint of sharpness in Mrs. Chen's words, but they also revealed a subtle worry.

After all, although Old Lady Chen spoke toughly about the ten taels of silver left by Chen Xi, she secretly felt sorry for the younger generation and secretly bought a lot of snacks for Chen Dabao. She only dared to reveal her conflicting feelings when it was late at night and everyone was asleep.

"From now on, Jinyan is not allowed to step into Chen Xi's house casually. After all, we have separated. Why should we ask for trouble and cause trouble?"

There was a hint of determination in Mrs. Chen's words, but they also concealed her complex emotions towards family.

The dispute between Old Man Chen and Old Lady Chen, although minor, was enough to disturb the peace.

Although the two sons heard it, they stood outside the door like sculptures, not daring to make a sound, for fear of adding fuel to the fire and making the atmosphere at home even more tense.

It was not until late at night, when the moon was high in the sky, that the sounds of the argument gradually faded away, leaving only silence, as if nothing had happened.

The next day, the sun shone across the town. Crowds of people gathered in front of Chen Pingan and Chen Ersao's small dessert shop until the last cake was sold out. The couple was about to pull down the door to enjoy the rare quiet moment of the day.

Just then, a well-dressed man in his thirties slowly walked into the store.

"Today's desserts are sold out. If you want to taste them, please come early tomorrow." Chen Ping'an said as he gently wiped the table with a rag, a hint of curiosity and confusion in his eyes.

The man smiled faintly when he heard this, "Actually, I didn't come here to buy desserts."

Chen Pingan suddenly started to wonder, why did he enter this small shop if he didn't want to buy dessert? Could it be that he was here with bad intentions?

"Then what are you here for, sir?" Chen Pingan asked tentatively.

The man spoke calmly and at a moderate pace, "I am quite interested in your secret recipes for making desserts. I am willing to pay a high price for them. No matter how much, as long as you ask, I will take all the secret recipes."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ping'an's face changed slightly. These skills were taught to him by his cousin Chen Xi. He already had great ambitions in his heart and dreamed of expanding this small dessert shop into the largest brand in town in the future. How could he easily show the secret recipe to others?

"I'm really sorry, the secret recipe is a family inheritance and is not for sale. Please forgive us, we have to close for a break." Chen Ping'an's refusal was gentle but firm.

The man heard this, smiling, "You'd better reconsider. My master is Mr. Fang from Fangle Restaurant. You won't suffer any loss if you cooperate with our Fang family. If you insist on not selling, I'm afraid it's hard to say whether your shop can continue to open its doors to welcome customers. I'll give you two days to think about it."

The name of Mr. Fang is known to everyone in the town. He is a well-known landlord with great wealth and power.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ersao panicked and grabbed Chen Pingan's sleeve, her voice trembling, "Dad, what should we do?"

Chen Pingan pondered for a moment, his eyes flashed with determination, "Let's go back and pack up first, and then go to Xiaoxi to discuss countermeasures."

The two men hurriedly closed the shop and rushed to Xianghe Village in a hurry.

As soon as he entered the village, Chen Pingan didn't even bother to drink a sip of water, and couldn't wait to tell Chen Xi about Mr. Fang's affairs.

When Chen Xi heard the name "Mr. Fang from the town", she frowned slightly. She had heard of Mr. Fang's reputation a long time ago. His family owned thousands of acres of fertile land, most of which were rented out to others. There were also many shops in the town, all of which showed his wealthy status.

Facing such opponents, Chen Pingan's worries are not unreasonable. They are just ordinary people, and facing the oppression of power, they seem so small and helpless.

Chen Xi pondered for a moment and gave a reply, "Didn't that person say to give you two days to think about it? You guys go back to town and continue your business. I'll go there in person the day after tomorrow and deal with Mr. Fang."

Chen Pingan heard this, and a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, "Sister, do you have an idea?"

Chen Xi shook his head gently, but his eyes were full of determination. "There is no specific plan yet, but there are still two days. There will always be a way out. You and Second Sister-in-law don't have to worry too much."

Although Chen Ping'an was still worried, he could only put his mind at ease for the time being and returned to the town with Chen Ersao.

Xie Tianyi, who was standing by, listened silently throughout the whole process, and Chen Pingan did not deliberately avoid his presence.

"Are you really planning to sell that secret recipe?" Xie Tianyi's voice was inquiring, yet also contained a subtle concern.

Chen Xi shook his head, his expression firm, "Of course I don't want to, that is the foundation of my existence in this world, I will not give up easily."

"This world?" Xie Tianyi's tone was mixed with doubt, as if he was puzzled by the deeper meaning of Chen Xi's words.

Chen Xi secretly wondered in his heart, does the word "era" imply a concept that is deeper and broader than the change of dynasties?

He hurriedly covered his mouth with his hands, a trace of regret flashed in his eyes, realizing that his slip of the tongue might have leaked information that should not belong to this era.

"It's okay. Perhaps it was just some rumors that caused you to misunderstand. I will handle the matter myself. You don't need to worry too much." Xie Tianyi comforted him, with a hint of doubt in his eyes, but he did not delve into it.

Chen Xi racked his brains, frowning, but still couldn't find a good solution to the current predicament.

Night falls quietly, stars dot the night sky, and time passes in a flash.

As the morning light began to break, Xie Tianyi asked again: "Have you found a good plan?"

Chen Xi shook his head and asked, "Do you have any better suggestions?"

There was a hint of anticipation in his eyes, knowing that as the future Prime Minister with great power, Xie Tianyi must have extraordinary wisdom and strategy.

Xie Tianyi pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "I heard that Mr. Fang's wife is suffering from a chronic disease. Perhaps you can use this as an opportunity to open up the situation."

Chen Xi's eyes flashed with light when he heard this.

The afternoon sun was shining brightly, and Chen Xi set out on the road to the town, planning to visit Fang Yuanwai's mansion first in order to better understand the situation.

However, just as he stepped into the threshold of his own shop and was about to greet Chen Pingan, he was interrupted by Chen Ersao's anxious voice: "That's the one!"

She leaned close to Chen Xi's ear, her tone tense and mysterious.

The man who wanted to buy the secret recipe appeared again, with a calm attitude: "Have you thought it through? I advise you two to hand over the secret recipe, and you will get a lot of money."

Chen Xi's eyes sparkled as he made his request: "Can I meet your master first? Some things are better discussed face to face."

The man hesitated for a moment, and finally put away the thick stack of banknotes on the table. He seemed to be interested in Chen Xi's proposal.

Following his lead, Chen Xi stepped into Fang Yuanwai's mansion. The mansion gate was majestic, and the blue bricks and black tiles revealed an extraordinary style.

Stepping into the mansion, you will find that the three-story house has a rigorous and well-organized layout.