I bring bad luck to my husband, you bring bad luck to your wife.

"Dinner's ready," Xiangxi called to Yang Tongchuan, who was still playing with the dog in the yard.

"They're here."

There are only two people in the family, so there's no need to go to the main hall; they can just eat at the small table in their west wing.

Looking at the food on the table, Yang Tongchuan felt it was a bit bland, so he went back to the kitchen and took out two salted duck eggs.

"The duck egg white is salty, you eat the yolk." Yang Tongchuan peeled the salted duck egg and put the oily yolk into Xiangxi's bowl.

"Mmm, delicious." Xiangxi used to refuse Yang Tongchuan's offer, but now she's completely forgotten about it.

The two finished their simple meal.

Yang Tongchuan conscientiously washed the dishes and tidied up the kitchen.

After lunch, with nothing much to do in the afternoon, Yang Tongchuan taught Xiangxi to recognize characters at the desk in the room.

The main reason for learning to read is to make it easier for Xiangxi to look at picture books at home, so that she doesn't have to guess when she encounters unfamiliar characters.

That evening, when no one was in the courtyard and Xiangxi's condition had stabilized, Yang Tongchuan's little schemes began to stir.

"No, what if you hurt the child?"

"You won't get hurt. Do you remember the drawings I made before? I've drawn a few new ones. Look." Yang Tongchuan had already put all his thoughts on paper.

"How dirty is this?" Xiangxi was shocked when she saw the content of the drawing. She never expected that Yang Tongchuan would have such wicked thoughts.

"It's not dirty, it's clean now, give it a try, if it doesn't work, then forget it."

"No, how could a decent husband do such a thing? That mouth of his..."

Yang Tongchuan didn't give Xiangxi a chance to continue speaking, but instead kissed her passionately. Yang Tongchuan's idea was simple: as long as he made Xiangxi happy and confused, Xiangxi would naturally be willing.

Facts have proved that it is true.

Afterwards, Yang Tongchuan offered to pour water for Xiangxi to rinse her mouth.

The deodorizing tea was prepared in advance.

This was premeditated.

Xiang Xiqi wanted to throw the cup of tea in Yang Tongchuan's face, but his mouth felt so uncomfortable that rinsing his mouth was the most important thing.

After being relieved of his burdens, Yang Tongchuan felt extremely satisfied.

He wanted to hold Xiangxi while sleeping, but Xiangxi got angry and wouldn't let him.

He wasn't annoyed.

"Just for a little while. It's getting chilly in autumn, let me warm your feet." Yang Tongchuan's skin was getting thicker and thicker.

She wrapped her thighs around Xiangxi, and her toes tentatively tickled the soles of Xiangxi's feet, making Xiangxi feel uncomfortable all over.

Anyway, there's no one else in the yard, so it doesn't matter how much noise these two make.

------------

During the few days that Mr. and Mrs. Yang stayed in the countryside, the tenant family treated them very well.

He even had his third son, Niu Sanli, accompany him the whole time to serve him.

The tenant farmer of the Yang family was surnamed Niu.

The elderly couple had three sons and one older brother.

The eldest and second sons got married one after the other, and the eldest son's wife is now pregnant.

My youngest son got sick at the beginning of autumn, which cost a lot of money, but he's just getting better now.

After arranging weddings for their two sons and paying for their youngest son's medical treatment, the elderly couple had completely emptied their savings.

When it came time for their third son to be married, all they had to offer was a mountain of famine.

The third son of the Niu family was born prematurely and was not well cared for as a child. At fifteen or sixteen years old, he was a head shorter than his peers.

The villagers joked that the child was stunted by his cunning.

Niu Sanli was not physically strong and did not look like a capable farmer.

In addition, his family was poor, so it was even less likely that any girl or boy in the village would be interested in him.

Niu Sanli understood this perfectly, and besides, he didn't want to stay in the village.

I always felt that farming, a job that depends on the weather, wasn't suitable for me.

Niu Sanli saw this as an opportunity when the Yang family went to the countryside for a visit.

Since he wasn't as good at farming as his two older brothers, he might as well beg the Yang family to take him to town to make a living.

He took the initiative to mention to Old Man Niu that he wanted to sign a five-year contract with the Yang family to work as a lowly servant.

He had tricked Yanzi into revealing that she had a fixed contract with the government and received 150 coins a month, while he himself had a flexible contract, which might be less, but not by much, since the Yang family was a kind and honest family.

"Even if you want to go, the Yang family might not want you." Old Man Niu was unwilling to agree to this, mainly because he felt it would be shameful and he was afraid of being gossiped about by the villagers.

"Dad, the young men in our village who go to the docks to move goods only earn this much money a month. Is it possible for me to work at the Yang family's place to be more tiring than moving goods at the docks? We have to pay back the debt we owe to Uncle's family by the end of the year. If I don't go out and earn some money, how will I pay back the money by the end of the year?" Niu Sanli was quick-witted. Although he didn't know many characters, he had a good eye for things.

Since the Yang family arrived, he has been serving them hand and foot, helping them arrange their accommodations and showing them around.

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Yang family casually asked if there were any wild fruits in the mountains at this time of year.

He turned around and went into the mountains to pick a bag of wild fruit and came back.

Yang Jia Dalang was going out to inspect the land, so he went ahead to harness the oxcart, clean it up, and waited at the door early.

That day, the Yang family packed up their grain for the year and prepared to return home.

Before returning home, Yang's mother ordered ten more hens from Old Man Niu's family, asking them to deliver them to her home in a while, saying she wanted to raise them herself and save them for her second son's husband to eat during his postpartum period.

Niu Sanli took on the job, saying he would definitely choose the fattest old hen and send it over.

------------

With the return of Mr. Yang, Mrs. Yang, and their elder brother and sister-in-law, the house became lively again.

That day, Niu Sanli drove a donkey cart to the Yang family to deliver the hen that Yang's mother had ordered.

Mrs. Yang was very satisfied with the items and gave them a few extra coins when she paid the bill.

Niu Sanli, clutching the money, immediately knelt down before Yang's parents.

She then recounted the hardships her family faced.

He begged the Yang family to let him stay and serve as a lowly servant.

After thinking for a moment, Yang's father felt that this was not a good idea.

Yang Tongshan and Yang Tongchuan's jobs were unusual and easily aroused suspicion. If the neighbors saw this, it would be obvious that the two had only been working for a few years, yet their family had already hired servants.

Inevitably, some negative speculations will arise, which will have a bad impact on the two children, so I don't plan to agree to Niu Sanli's request.

Unfortunately, Niu Sanli was lucky.

Yang Tongshan is resting at home today.

The pawnshop owner where he works has made money in the past few years.

I plan to open a treasure pavilion to put together overdue and outsourced jewelry, calligraphy and paintings, and even antiques, refurbish and repackage them, and then sell them to the public.

Because Yang Tongshan had done a good job at the pawnshop in recent years, the boss intended to transfer him to be the manager of the Treasure Pavilion, the kind with profit sharing.

The owner meant that shops like Treasure Pavilion not only cater to locals, but also to merchants from all over the country.

They have plenty of money, they buy and sell quickly, and all they see is pure profit.

During the last few days Yang Tongshan spent in the countryside, he noticed that Niu Sanli was quite clever.

Since he wants to find work now and I need someone to help me, I might as well keep him.

"Our Yang family certainly doesn't need any servants, but if you're willing, you can wait until my boss's Treasure Pavilion opens and work there. You can work for me as a waiter, and you'll earn more than a servant."

"Thank you, Uncle Yang, thank you, Uncle Yang." Niu Sanli grew up in the village and had never been to a pawnshop or a shop that sold "expensive" things.

He originally thought that being a servant would be the best outcome.

Unexpectedly, Yang Jia Dalang was able to point out another way for him to survive.

"Don't worry about the wages, they'll definitely be more than what you'd get working at my house, but the work will also be harder than being a servant. If you think it's okay, go back and discuss it with your family, and come over the day after tomorrow with your luggage. I'll show you around the shop."

"Okay, I'll definitely come early the day after tomorrow." Niu Sanli got up and hurried home, wanting to tell his family the good news.

This year, our family has enough money to pay off our debts.

When Yang Tongchuan returned from his shift that evening, he heard about what had happened.

I have to admire how clever my brother is; it's like using his employer's money to hire a lackey for himself.