When Su Li returned home that evening, she pulled her father to sit down.

“Dad, spring is here, and there’s less work in the fields. You’re good at farming, and we can make a lot of money growing medicinal herbs and tending to bean sprouts. So I’m thinking of handing this over to you. What do you think?”

After hearing this, Su Qingfeng looked troubled, his lips moved but he didn't say anything.

Su Li sensed something was wrong and quickly asked, "Father, what's wrong? Do you think it won't work?"

Su Qingfeng lowered his head, fidgeting with his hands, and after a long while, he looked up, his eyes filled with guilt, "Daughter, Dad may not be able to help you..."

"Why, Dad?" Su Li asked, her eyes wide with confusion.

Su Qingfeng didn't dare to look at Su Li, and sighed, "Xiang Ming is still short of money for the imperial examination. I plan to go out and find work to earn more money for the family. I really don't have time to grow vegetables anymore."

After he finished speaking, he looked embarrassed and nervously at Su Li, as if waiting to be scolded.

Although Grandpa Su repeatedly told him to persuade Li'er, no matter how much money Li'er earned at the dock, it was her own ability.

As the father, he hadn't been able to help at all, and he was too ashamed to ask his daughter for money.

But now that his family is facing difficulties, he will not sit idly by. After thinking it over, he has no choice but to go out and find some work.

Seeing her father's hesitant and guilty expression, Su Li instantly realized that someone must have been gossiping about him, trying to get money from her.

Her eyes darkened, her gaze sharp, and she stared intently at her father.

Su Qingfeng felt extremely uncomfortable under Su Li's gaze, unsure of what to do with his hands and feet, and fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on his forehead.

Just as he felt extremely uncomfortable and could hardly bear the pressure of the silence, Su Li suddenly smiled gently.

That smile was like the warm spring sun, yet it also carried a hint of knowing everything.

She nodded slightly and said in a light tone, "Alright, then Father, you can go to work!"

Immediately afterward, Su Li seemed to suddenly remember something and specifically reminded her:

"By the way, Dad, you must remember that Xiangming will be going to take the imperial examination in a month at most. It's only the beginning of spring now, and the weather is still cool, so delaying the planting of vegetables by a month won't have a big impact. We can talk about planting vegetables after you've finished with Xiangming's business. I'm not in a hurry."

Su Qingfeng felt a mix of emotions upon hearing this.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't say anything. He could only turn around and leave with heavy steps to find a job.

The other family members reacted differently when they heard about it.

Grandpa Su had a perfectly calculated plan, hoping that his fourth son could force Su Li to pay up, but who would have thought that this blockhead would actually go and make money on his own.

Not to mention that they can't earn much money, the farm work at home is now in complete chaos with no one to take over.

Grandpa Su looked at Su Li busy in the courtyard, opened his mouth, but swallowed the words back. He felt as if a big stone was stuck in his chest, making him feel suffocated.

After all, Su Li had been paying money into the public fund every month according to the rules, so he had no reason to directly ask for it again.

As for Uncle Su, seeing Su Li busy at the dock and vegetable garden every day, running a thriving business, yet refusing to give money to his son for the imperial examination, the fire of jealousy in his heart burned brighter and brighter.

Those rumors didn't seem to harm this little girl; it seems we'll have to take drastic measures...

Seeing Su Li bent over working in the vegetable garden, he had an idea. He put on an extremely fake smile and strolled over.

"Oh dear, Li'er, you're working so hard in this vegetable garden all by yourself. Why didn't you tell your family? Your uncle will come and help you!"

As Uncle Su spoke, he reached out to pull weeds from the vegetable patch, but his movements were clumsy and awkward. He seemed to be using force, but in reality, he had no method at all. Wherever he went, the originally neat vegetable seedlings were disturbed and bent over.

Su Li straightened up and coldly observed her uncle's every move. She knew perfectly well that he was deliberately coming to cause trouble and take revenge.

Before long, the once neat vegetable garden was a complete mess.

All my hard work over the past few days has been completely wasted!

Uncle Su felt he had taught the lesson enough, so he pretended to realize what had happened, feigning panic and embarrassment, and hypocritically muttered...

“Li’er, I…I didn’t mean it. Your uncle meant well, wanting to help you out, but I didn’t expect it to turn out like this. Please don’t blame your uncle for being useless…”

Su Li's face darkened, her gaze like two sharp blades, shooting straight at her uncle. She felt utterly disgusted by his clumsy trick.

But she suppressed her anger and said coldly:

“Uncle, your ‘help’ is really special. I think you should go back and rest. Don’t tire yourself out.”

Uncle Su chuckled sheepishly, turned and slunk away, but felt incredibly pleased inside.

When Su Li returned home in the evening, she found her younger brother, quietly pulled him to her side, and whispered something in his ear.

Su Xiangsheng's eyes widened, and after hearing this, he patted his chest and assured her, "Sister, this is something I'm best at, don't worry!"

The following afternoon was the time when Su Xiangming was engrossed in his studies behind closed doors.

"Quack, quack, quack——"

In the yard, the ducks quacked and flapped their wings, their noise instantly breaking the original tranquility.

Su Xiangming's pen suddenly stopped.

He slammed down the book in his hand, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, and abruptly stood up. He strode to the window and forcefully pushed it open with a loud bang.

Under the windowsill, Su Xiangsheng was standing there, blinking innocently as he looked at him.

Su Xiangming raised his hand in frustration and rubbed his temples hard. "Asheng, what are you doing here?"

Su Xiangsheng feigned innocence and said in a pitiful voice, "Cousin, I'm so sorry, I was herding ducks home and didn't mean to disturb you. I'll be going now..."

Although he said that, Su Xiangsheng deliberately slowed down his movements.

The bamboo pole in my hand swayed gently, and the ducks remained huddled together under the windowsill, pushing and shoving each other, their quacking echoing in the air.

While slowly herding the ducks, Su Xiangsheng would occasionally steal glances at Su Xiangming by the window out of the corner of his eye.

Seeing Su Xiangming's face turn bright red, his hands gripping the window frame tightly, and the veins on his forehead bulging slightly, it was clear that he was on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

Su Xiangsheng then quickened his pace, forcefully swinging the bamboo pole to drive the ducks away from the vicinity of the windowsill.

Su Xiangming opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed the words back.

As the eldest brother, he couldn't really hold a grudge against his younger siblings.

But in the days that followed, strange things began to happen one after another.

Before dawn, the quacking of ducks could be heard in the yard.

At midday, which should be quiet, the clamor of ducks breaks the peace; even in the dead of night, when all is still, the sounds of ducks can be heard from outside the window from time to time...

Over time, even late at night, when all around was deathly silent, Su Xiangming would lie in bed and always feel the faint quacking of ducks lingering in his ears.

The voice was like an invisible shackle, firmly binding his thoughts and making it impossible for him to calm down.

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