Transmigrated into a fat wife, farming, raising children, and picking up husbands

Hu Yidao scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Oh... I didn't think it through. Don't worry, little sister, take your time. Anyway, no one dares to cause trouble now, so you can make money with peace of mind while setting up your stall."

Chen Mingxuan also dropped his joking expression and said seriously, "As for the money... I can..."

Lin Xiuer raised her hand to interrupt him, and smiled: "Young Master Chen, I know you mean well, but everyone has already helped me a lot, and I am really grateful."

"I can't keep asking you for help every time I need something. Trust me, give me some more time."

"I'm still young and I have skills. I can earn money, and I'm sure I can open a shop."

Wu Liangcai glanced at Lin Xiuer, then at the empty chicken stew with mushrooms on the table.

I remember her getting up before dawn every day to knead dough and prepare ingredients, then pushing a heavy cart for miles to town.

Under the scorching sun and exposed to the elements, they also had to deal with all sorts of customers...

He felt a pang of unease, realizing he had almost become a major problem for her.

He had never imagined that behind every bite of food lay such hard work and meticulous planning.

He sighed and spoke, his tone filled with deep regret.

"Alas! What a pity! What a waste of that desolate garden in the west of town! Now that we've made such a big fuss about it being haunted, its reputation is completely ruined. Otherwise..."

He recalled hearing his father slamming his fist on the table, spitting out his beard, glaring, and complaining during dinner last night.

"I heard from my father that Master Mei has drastically reduced the government's asking price for the property to three taels of silver!"

"That property covers at least five or six acres, and it still has a lot of old house frames! If it weren't for its reputation as a haunted place..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

If it weren't for the "ghost" reputation, this house, its size, and the price that's practically free would be like a windfall!

If Lin Xiuer could buy it, she could tidy it up a bit, turn the front into a shop facing the street, live in the middle, and have a large open space in the back where she could grow vegetables and raise chickens...

There's no need to keep running back and forth between the town and the village like this anymore, which is not only tiring but also a waste of time.

Three taels of silver... Even Lin Xiuer felt a moment of excitement and excitement upon hearing this.

But then she shook her head with a wry smile. "Not to mention, we've made that garden even more infamous; nobody dares to even approach it."

"More importantly, even if I dared to buy it, the place is a bit far from the real downtown area, and for a food business, customer traffic is key."

"That place is okay for living, but forget about opening a restaurant. At least setting up a stall at the market entrance is a ready-made gathering place for people."

Lin Xiuer finally said, her tone regaining its composure, "Don't worry, everyone, I'm well-prepared for opening the restaurant. Once I've saved enough money, I'll find a suitable shop."

"Right now, the most important thing is to run the business well, pay off the debts, and make life comfortable for the family."

She picked up the bowl with a little rice wine left, and a smile returned to her face: "Come on, let's not talk about this anymore. Actually, the situation is much better now than it was at the beginning."

"I'm happiest because everyone enjoyed today's mushroom feast! There's a long road ahead, let's take it one step at a time!"

"Yes! Let's take it one step at a time!" Hu Yidao responded immediately, raising his bowl.

"Okay, I wish Sister Lin a grand opening soon! May all your wishes come true!" Wu Liangcai also raised his bowl.

Chen Mingxuan, Liu Ruyan, Liu Sanzhen, and Ping An, who had been quietly listening, all raised their bowls or teacups.

The rough earthenware bowls clinked gently together again, producing a pleasant sound. The remaining rice wine in the bowls shimmered, reflecting on every face offering sincere blessings.

"Okay, I wish us all the best, that all our wishes come true, and that we get what we ask for!" Lin Xiuer said, and then downed the last bit of wine in her bowl.

Reality may have its weight and its helplessness, but the warmth of sitting together and the shared hope for the future are invaluable.

But like the gentle breeze of this summer night, it softly brushes against my heart, bringing boundless comfort and strength.

As night deepened, insects chirped. A sumptuous mushroom feast ultimately returned to the simplest satisfaction and affection between people.

The moonlight, like water, quietly bathed the courtyard and everyone in it. The road ahead was uncertain, but if we kept walking steadily, life wouldn't be too bad.

It was already late when the day ended. After seeing off the reluctant crowd, the courtyard, which had been bustling all day, finally returned to tranquility.

A night breeze carrying the coolness of the mountains and fields gently swept by.

Lin Xiuer and Ping An worked together to clean up the mess on the table. Xiao Bao was already yawning from exhaustion and was carried back to the room by Wang Shi to sleep.

The soft clinking of dishes was especially clear in the quiet night. Lin Xiuer was washing the greasy dishes with her hands, but her mind had already wandered far away.

It drifted towards that desolate garden in the west of the town, now shrouded in night and feared by everyone.

Only three taels of silver...

Lin Xiuer's heart skipped a beat. This number was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, creating ripples that lingered for a long time.

She doesn't actually believe much in ghosts and spirits.

More than twenty years of education in my previous life had already etched the word "materialism" into my bones.

While time travel itself is bizarre, she prefers to understand it as some kind of unexplained spacetime phenomenon or energy field, rather than the power of gods or ghosts.

As for the long-standing rumors of the abandoned garden being "haunted"... based on her extensive reading (novels) and countless viewings of dramas, the trope was all too familiar!

Behind these haunted houses and haunted homes, there are most likely other stories hidden, and most likely, the high-ranking official who was convicted and had his property confiscated back then still has unresolved grievances.

A loyal old servant managed to escape by chance, but his situation was so lowly that he had nowhere to seek justice. He was also unwilling to see his old house fall into the hands of others and be sold off arbitrarily by the government.

That's why they came up with the idea of ​​playing tricks to scare away those who wanted to buy the garden, in order to preserve the old house, and perhaps also harbored a faint hope of "using strange rumors to lure people into investigating old cases".

Just like what they did. Except, they were trying to drive away the bullies, while that unknown "senior" might have had a deeper purpose.

But thinking back, the Black Fish Gang had occupied that garden for several years. Although I was terrified by them the night before last, I didn't seem to have heard of anything major happening before.

Could it be that the old servant who used to play tricks on people is no longer alive?

Or perhaps he felt that these local thugs were no big deal and not worth his time to scare them.

Or perhaps... there really is nothing in that garden except for the wickedness of human hearts?

It's only three taels of silver. Even if you add the deed tax and handling fees that the government might charge, it's only four or five taels of silver at most to get such a large piece of land!

It covers a full five or six acres! It also includes houses that, although dilapidated, still retain their main structure!

What does this mean? In Peach Blossom Town, the annual rent for a reasonably decent street-front shop might be more than this!

She could potentially use that money to buy a garden that's five or six acres in size.

This windfall is so rare, it's the kind of opportunity that probably no one would even want to compete with her for it!