[Mo Dao Zu Shi Fanfiction] I Raise A Ying in Yiling

Back at the inn, Wei Chaoyan brought Qingyan Qiye and the other person down from the room, who had been there all morning. They sat down at the same table they had used that morning, where Grandpa Wei was leisurely drinking tea.

Seeing Wei Chaoyan and the others arrive, he pointed to the tea on the table, indicating that Wei Chaoyan should take it and drink it. He then handed the clay figurines, bamboo dragonflies, and rattles he had just bought outside to Qiye, asking him to take Qingyan to play with them.

While everyone was playing with their own toys and drinking their own tea, a number of guests gradually arrived in the lobby of the inn to order food and drink, keeping the waiter and the owner extremely busy.

As the food ordered by the early-arriving guests was brought out from the kitchen, the enticing aroma instantly filled the entire hall, making Wei Chaoyan's stomach rumble after a busy morning.

Hearing the rumbling of Wei Chaoyan's stomach, Grandpa Wei looked at her with amusement and immediately beckoned the busy waiter to come and order several dishes: a braised fish, a stir-fried cabbage, a steamed egg, and a hot and sour soup.

Hearing Grandpa Wei order the dishes, Wei Chaoyan's mouth was practically watering. Grandpa Wei, speechless, took out the leftover steamed buns and mantou from his bag and handed them to the waiter, asking him to heat them up in the kitchen before bringing them up. He also told him that there was no need to serve rice.

The waiter was momentarily stunned, took the oil paper, pursed his lips, and went to the kitchen to give instructions. Wei Chaoyan stared blankly at Grandpa Wei's actions, "What? Is something wrong?" Grandpa Wei asked, puzzled.

"No, no. I'm just surprised by Grandpa's good memory." She was so busy that she completely forgot about the food she hadn't finished eating in the morning, but she didn't expect Grandpa Wei to remember it and take it out as his main meal for lunch.

After all the dishes were served, Grandpa Wei told Wei Chaoyan and the others to eat quickly, as there were still many things to take care of in the afternoon.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Grandpa Wei, without letting Wei Chaoyan rest any longer, led the three of them straight to the new house. Upon arriving, Grandpa Wei had Qiye take Qingyan to play with toys in the yard, just as he had done that morning. He and Wei Chaoyan then began cleaning and washing utensils, while also receiving the items that the shop owners had brought over that morning, which they had already paid for, and tidying them up and placing them where they belonged.

After several busy hours, by the time everything was basically done and the cleaning was finished, it was almost 17-19 PM. Wei Chaoyan threw the rag in her hand into the basin of water on the floor, stretched, and brought out two stools from the hall. She placed one behind Grandpa Wei, took the broom from his hand, helped him sit down, and then turned around and sat down on the other stool.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Wei Chaoyan gave Grandpa Wei a thumbs-up and said, "Grandpa, you're amazing! You got so many things done in just two days, that's incredible speed!" Wei Chaoyan kept praising Grandpa Wei, saying that if she were to do it herself, well, she really wouldn't be able to do it so quickly.

Grandpa Wei said happily, "Your grandpa has eaten more salt in his life than you've eaten rice. This is nothing, just something I'm used to doing. Back in the day..." He got carried away and began enthusiastically recounting his past, which Wei Chaoyan listened to with great interest. That past included her young father...

After talking for a while, Grandpa Wei stopped talking with a hint of melancholy. "Girl, go to the stall outside and buy a few bowls of noodles. Let's have something simple to eat tonight. After we finish eating, Grandpa has some things to tell you."

Wei Chaoyan went out and bought noodles as instructed. She placed the non-spicy noodles in front of her two younger brothers and the spicy noodles in front of herself and her grandfather. She quickly ate the noodles in front of her and then began to feed the not-too-hot noodles to Qingyan.

After feeding them, I wiped their mouths clean, gave them some water, and then led them to the main hall with Grandpa Wei.

After everyone sat down, Grandpa Wei took out the money bag that Wei Chaoyan had given him yesterday from his pocket and gave it to Wei Chaoyan, asking her to open it and count how much money was left, and then compare it with the places where the money had been spent in the past two days to see if the amounts were correct.

Wei Chaoyan took the money bag without saying a word, opened it, and poured the remaining silver coins onto the table. She counted them one by one, and after counting, she got a number: the original 120 taels for her uncle's house purchase plus the 7 taels left over from the funeral, totaling 127 taels; the 12 taels for the registration and travel permit fees plus the 3 taels for Li the clerk, totaling 15 taels; the 75 taels for the house purchase plus the 5 taels for Liu the broker's service fee, totaling 80 taels; plus the 12 taels for the missing bowls, chopsticks, and other odds and ends, totaling 20 taels of silver left.

Of course, he also had to add the eleven taels of his own hidden savings and the fifty taels in his storage bag, so he would have eighty-one taels of cash, Wei Chaoyan thought to himself.

However, Wei Chaoyan still said to Grandpa Wei, "After spending these two days, we still have twenty taels of silver left."

"Twenty taels? That's enough. Yan'er, if you're frugal, it'll last you a long time. Plus, you can sell your embroidery, so Grandpa won't worry about how you'll live in the future." Grandpa Wei breathed a sigh of relief. Indeed, twenty taels of silver was enough for any family in the village to live on for at least five years. However, it probably wouldn't last five years in town, since vegetables, chickens, ducks, fish, and eggs all had to be sold at stalls and weren't cheap. Over time, it would add up to a considerable expense. On second thought, Wei Chaoyan's embroidery skills were quite good, and she could sell her embroidery for a good price, so he, the old man, wouldn't have to worry about their daily income.

"I'll be going back to Wei Village after breakfast tomorrow morning. After all, the village needs me for all the big and small things." Grandpa Wei continued, "After I leave, Yan'er, you'll be living in town with Qingyan and the others. Be careful and pay attention to safety. Try to connect with Officer Wei and Manager Liu when you have time. I don't expect them to do anything, but as long as they can give you some leverage in your daily life, you'll avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble in the future."

"Don't go out too often unless there's a specific reason. If you do go out, keep a close eye on the two little ones so they don't get lost. And even when you do go out, avoid going to secluded or sparsely populated places, understand?"

"Yan'er, I know you've learned a few moves from Lao San, and your skills are alright, but don't be arrogant. You're still just a ten-year-old girl; you can't fight off everyone who's hostile to you." Therefore, you must be cautious in your actions and not meddle in things that aren't your business, just like what happened yesterday evening. Grandpa Wei stared at Wei Chaoyan with a serious gaze, earnestly admonishing her, especially the latter part of his unspoken advice, which she understood perfectly well.

"Yan girl, Qingyan and the others are boys, so they don't need to be raised too meticulously. Don't work too hard when you're doing embroidery, or you'll ruin your eyes at such a young age!"

“If you really can’t make a living in town, then take them back to the village. At least there are still a few acres of land there, and your grandparents are still here. They won’t let you starve to death. Do you hear me?” Grandpa Wei said, his eyes red.

Wei Chaoyan and the others couldn't help but tear up. Grandpa Wei continued, "Yan'er, you're a woman of your own mind. I won't repeat myself. Just keep it in mind. I don't know what great things you'll achieve in the future, I only hope you'll be safe and healthy year after year." After saying that, he wiped his face and turned to leave. However, his usually straight back was now hunched over, and he seemed to have lost some of his spirit.

Wei Chaoyan hugged her two younger brothers and whispered, "Qingyan, Qiye, when you grow up, don't blame Grandpa and Grandma for their favoritism. They've done their best." Their family was out of place in the village. When their parents were alive, they could get along peacefully with the villagers, but now that they're gone, the accumulated conflicts between the three siblings and the villagers would eventually lead to mutual destruction. Being alone and isolated, they wouldn't have a good ending either. Therefore, leaving the village to live alone in Yiling Town, although it had many hidden dangers, was the best solution for both themselves and others.