Chapter 290: Chapter 290

Li Lixing carefully read each word of the contract twice, then blew the ink dry and tucked it into his sleeve.

With his hands behind his back, he imitated an adult’s manner and coughed lightly, "I hope Second Master Chai keeps his word."

Second Master Chai regretted it as soon as he finished writing the contract.

How could he dare not to keep his word?

If he compensated, he’d go bankrupt.

"Definitely, definitely, Mr. Li, please rest assured, I will certainly discipline my second daughter well and not let her trouble E Ying anymore." Second Master Chai smiled, though he was feeling quite bitter inside.

"Well then, it’s settled." Li Lixing patted his sleeve and stood up, "I’m going to play chess."

After saying that, he turned and left.

"Mr. Li." Second Master Chai hurriedly pulled his sleeve, smiling, "Will Lord County Magistrate come to the town for an inspection? If he comes, please come to the Chai Family, I will make sure to clean the house and prepare good wine to welcome him."

He hinted that he wanted to entertain the county magistrate.

Li Lixing blinked, "I don’t know, my father is busy with something, he never tells me anything."

Second Master Chai smiled and said, "No problem, Mr. Li just has to mention to your father about our family, Xingfu Town, Chai Family, please make sure to remember."

Li Lixing nodded, "Chai Family, hmm, I’ll remember."

Second Master Chai was delighted and thanked him repeatedly.

Li Lixing frowned, "Second Master Chai, do you have anything else? If not, please leave, I still have to learn chess."

Second Master Chai said, "Nothing major, just wanted to invite Mr. Li over to my house to have some tea, fruits, and to explore."

Li Lixing glanced outside.

The blazing midsummer sun shone brightly on the ground, and the afternoon was the hottest time, causing the leaves of the trees and grass to wilt.

The cicadas were crying feebly.

Li Lixing shook his head, "No, no, it’s terribly hot, I don’t want to go anywhere."

He waved his hand, indicating that Second Master Chai could leave.

Second Master Chai frequently glanced at Eldest Young Master Chai, hoping he would speak up for him, so he could stay and chat more with Li Lixing.

But Eldest Young Master Chai didn’t even glance his way, and without receiving the cue, he remained indifferent.

Li Lixing, however, kept urging him to leave.

Second Master Chai had no choice but to say, "Mr. Li, being busy, I shall come again another day to visit."

"Alright, then hurry up and leave today." Li Lixing, getting impatient, stood up.

Second Master Chai, with a forced smile, cupped his hands to Li Lixing and left the house with the coachman.

He didn’t even get a cup of tea.

Li Lixing handed the contract from his sleeve to Eldest Young Master Chai, "Brother Chai, take the contract, you gotta keep it well. If Miss Chai troubles Sister-in-law again, just take out the contract and demand compensation from their family. If they don’t pay, come to the county town to find my dad, he’ll definitely arrest them."

Eldest Young Master Chai took the contract and laughed, "Brother Li, thank you so much."

Li Lixing generously waved his hand, "No need to thank me." He scratched the back of his head, a bit embarrassed, and said, "If you’re truly grateful, have Sister-in-law E Ying give me a few picture books? The kind Guoguo and Jingjing have that show monkeys and tigers fighting, oh, I want colored ones, black and white sketches aren’t appealing."

Li Lixing was extremely envious when he saw that Li Jinghe and Guoguo each had several of the picture books drawn by Chai Eying.

He tried to ask the little ones for them, but they wouldn’t give him a single one.

Even Guoguo, who could only speak in single words, guarded against him tightly, holding the book with both hands and feet, refusing to let him see.

If he touched it, Guoguo would scream loudly.

So he became the bully who picked on babies, and everyone wouldn’t let him near the two little kids.

He didn’t even get a chance to sneak a glance.

Eldest Young Master Chai, upon hearing his request, laughed and said, "What’s so difficult about that? If you stay a few more days, your Sister-in-law will draw them out. She can draw seven or eight pages a day, two or three days for a book."

Li Lixing happily clapped his hands, "Great, then I’ll wait another two or three days before going back."

Eldest Young Master Chai and Li Lixing entered the side room, and Li Lixing quickly recounted the matter of the contract signed by Second Master Chai.

Chai Eying was very pleased, holding Li Yuzhu’s hand and said, "Third Sister, thank you, you came up with a good idea."

She knew that Second Master Chai was greedy and would certainly keep a tight rein on Miss Chai to avoid losing money.

Her days would be peaceful from now on.

Li Yuzhu smiled, "Big Sister, we’re family, you’re my sister-in-law, who else would I help?"

Chai Eying smiled, "Yes, we’re family."

Seeing the sisters talking affectionately, Sister-in-law Chai was even more delighted.

When sisters-in-law get along, when mothers and daughters-in-law get along, treasured by men, even tough days pass smoothly.

Li Lixing dragged Li Xingmao off to play chess again,

and after learning a few moves, Li Lixing went to challenge Li Xing’an.

After letting him win a few times, Li Xing’an then played seriously, and Li Lixing got thoroughly beaten, so he went to Li Xingmao with a miserable face for guidance.

He was having a lot of fun.

Chai Eying took Li Yuzhu to the bedroom to paint.

Although the County Magistrate’s Wife’s illness had greatly improved, she hadn’t fully recovered yet, so Li Yuzhu needed to go for a follow-up visit, and Li Lixing had to return home early.

Chai Eying knew about the County Magistrate’s Wife’s illness and didn’t rest for even a moment, painting all the way until evening.

She painted very quickly and had already finished five paintings.

Li Lixing couldn’t get enough of them, repeatedly exclaiming that the more, the better.

By evening, it was time to go home.

Eldest Young Master Chai arranged a banquet, and after everyone had dinner, they set off for home.

Of course, before leaving, Sister-in-law Chai stuffed a lot of things into the mule cart, including local specialties from home and some useful items.

Everyone received a gift.

She listed them one by one, "These are fabrics for the two in-laws, these are head flowers and shoe fabrics for the three young ladies, these are hats and waistbands for the two gentlemen and Young Master Li, and these are for you two."

When it came to her own gift, Chai Eying immediately went to see what it was.

Unexpectedly, she found some fabric for newborn baby clothes.

Chai Eying’s face turned red.

Married for only three days, and her sister-in-law was already urging her to have a child?

She secretly looked at Li Xingmao, who was smiling slightly, looking at her.

Sister-in-law Chai then pointed to several parcels and said, "These contain some beans, some high-quality polished rice, and some dried jujube from my maternal family’s shop. These are little shoes for the two children, and some small toys for the children. We have extra at home, so they might as well be used. They’re new and haven’t been opened yet."

Even gifts for the children were prepared, and Li Xingmao smiled and thanked them.

Looking at the increasingly crowded mule cart, it was almost full.

Chai Eying joked, "Sister-in-law, if you keep loading, the mule won’t be able to pull it."

Sister-in-law Chai laughed, "It’s not that much."

Everyone waved goodbye to Eldest Young Master Chai and Sister-in-law Chai.

The group returned home, and as soon as the Second Young Master opened the courtyard gate, Li Jing ran out, "Why are you all back so late? It’s already dark."

He was holding a small lantern.

"No one played with me. Second Uncle just got back, Second Aunt and Big Aunt ignored me, and Guoguo doesn’t know how to play either." Li Jing sighed, complaining repeatedly.

Chai Eying got off the mule cart, bringing two large boxes to him, and said with a smile, "Come, Jingjing, there are gifts for you."

Li Jing stuffed the lantern into the Second Young Master’s hand, happily lifting the box lids, discovering several roly-polies, a few rattles, and two mud doll figures inside.

He opened his eyes wide and smiled happily, "Wow, are these for me?"

"Some are for you, some are for Guoguo," Chai Eying said with a smile, "You two share them." Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✶𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲✶𝗻𝗲𝘁

"Okay, the dolls with skirts are for Guoguo, and the ones without are mine." Li Jing pointed at the little clay figures in the box and laughed.

Li Lixing came over to have a look too.

Li Jing immediately said, "These are for little brothers, big brothers can’t play with them."

Li Lixing had a dark look on his face, "I don’t care for them."

While he said he didn’t care, he still leaned in to secretly glance at them.

The two government officials and Uncle Gui, led by the Second Young Master and Li Xing’an, carried the gifts into the house.

Li Xingmao held Li Jing’s hand, "Let’s go inside, it’s dark outside and there are little bugs that bite your toes."

Li Jing was so frightened that he held his father’s hand with one hand and Chai Eying’s with the other, "Yes, yes, yes, Dad is right, we need to go inside quickly, there are bugs outside."

As he walked, he kept looking at his feet.

This made Chai Eying laugh nonstop.

Li Yuzhu moved the gifts for her sisters into their bedroom.

The Great Princess immediately opened a box to see, finding her beloved hair accessories and eagerly putting them on her head.

The red peony-shaped pearl flower matched her pink dress quite well.

The Second Princess took a light yellow one, looked at the Great Princess, and said, "Elder sister, don’t you hate artificial flowers in this color the most? Mr. Pei gave you such artificial flowers, and you didn’t want them."

Li Yuzhu responded, "Oh, did Mr. Pei give elder sister artificial flowers?"

"Yes, after you left, he came to the house, gave wine to Dad, gave a basket of lychees to Mom, and gave artificial flowers to elder sister, but she didn’t want them," the Second Princess truthfully narrated.

Li Yuzhu laughed and said, "Mr. Pei has a fondness for elder sister."

The Great Princess sneered, "What? Just a scoundrel!"

The Second Princess and Li Yuzhu asked together, "How is he a scoundrel?"

The Great Princess, "..." She glared at her two younger sisters, "Just, just, just... anyway, that’s how it is! Hmph!"

She stomped out of the room in a huff.

The Second Princess asked Li Yuzhu, "Third sister, do you know?"

Li Yuzhu thought for a moment, shook her head, and said, "I don’t know." It couldn’t be that Pei Shenyan’s words during his confession were not to the liking of their proud elder sister, which annoyed her?