Chapter 4 has failed

In the vast city of Jinling, who does not know that Old Yan, the miser, can hardly fit anything in his mind except for money, which is the only thing that occupies his thoughts

This watch

Jing Xuan stuck out her tongue and handed the dog to the maid behind her. Although her father said it hurt him, he could not bear to see her waste the money he had spent on her belongings

Father this time ... ... sigh

She knows her father all too well; if there were no troubling matters, he would never leave the braised pork untouched. In Jinling City, her father is famously stingy, yet he insists on having a plate of braised pork every day. Although he only eats four pieces each time, according to him, it is essential to have those four pieces of braised pork daily, a dish he dreamed of eating during his impoverished childhood.

Upon careful examination of the watch and platinum chain on the table, although she usually does not concern herself with the pawnshop business, she has, since childhood, developed an eye for it that is no less discerning than her father's through her exposure and experiences.

"Third Master, if you do not respond, then remain silently kneeling and do not rise!"

This pair of eyes has finally met its downfall today

Father's long sigh startled Jingxuan, and at the same time, following his gaze, she looked at the oddly shaped foreign watch and the thick platinum chain on the table. Could this be a lingering concern of Father's?

Again shaking one's head

Sitting in the room, Yan Wenyuan furrowed his brows tightly, puffing on a cigarette with a look of deep concern on his face. Glancing at the platinum necklace weighing nine taels and four qian on the table, as well as the oddly shaped watch on his wrist, he suddenly felt a surge of frustration

Ah!

Seeing Third Master in a state of hesitation and indecision, Chen Moran gritted his teeth, discarded his cane, knelt on the ground, and began to bow repeatedly.

The few words from that limping spendthrift, at first glance, seem to lack meaning, but upon closer examination, Yan Wenyuan could only feel that there was something peculiar about them. As for what was peculiar, it was something he could not articulate.

Ah, it is still because of your dog. As soon as I see it, I am reminded of those fifty taels of silver! It gets meat for every meal, better than what your father and I eat!

Father, this thing still has half a year of life left, you just...

Daughter, your father has really fallen this time

Having spoken halfway, she then noticed that her words carried multiple meanings, and quickly stopped herself, realizing that one should not compare a father to a dog

As he took a drag from his cigarette, Yan Wenyuan increasingly felt that he had been duped today, yet he could not pinpoint exactly how he had been deceived. Spending twelve thousand taels on counterfeit goods was clearly out of the question. These two items, especially that watch, had never been seen worn by anyone. Moreover, it was neither water-resistant nor easily breakable. Although twelve thousand taels seemed high, in reality, if he were to resell them to those foreigners or high-ranking officials, selling them for several tens of thousands or even a hundred thousand taels was not impossible.

I don't have much of an appetite today! The economic situation is not good, so I need to eat sparingly

Yan Wenyuan glanced at her, then looked at the objects on the table

The platinum chain is certainly not a fake; there is nothing else like it. Yan Wenyuan is quite confident in his discerning eye. After decades of navigating the bookshop industry, it is precisely this keen insight that has served him well.

After speaking, Yan Wenyuan could not help but let out a long sigh once again, glancing at the gold chain of the watch on the table, shaking his head in resignation

Turning around, Jingxuan looked at her father, who wore a troubled expression, with confusion

As Yan Wenyuan pondered deeply about what was amiss, Jing Xuan quietly approached him from behind, holding a pug, and suddenly playfully exclaimed loudly

Daughter

Seeing Mo Ran's serious demeanor, Wang Desan waved his hand somewhat helplessly

Father, are you thinking about your money again

Father, what is going on?

Father, this foreign watch is indeed exquisite; the platinum chain is of good quality and weight as well

Chen Moran! Chen the Cripple!

What is wrong with Father today? What troubles is he facing? Besides money, what else could it be? After returning home from the temple, upon hearing the nurse say this, she began to wonder what was bothering Father today. Just yesterday, he was smiling happily about the good business this year. After just one day, why is he so troubled again? Besides money, what else could possibly make Father so worried?

Thirty-two years ago, when he married into the Liu family, Yan Wenyuan had hoped that his future wife would bear several sons, and he would be content with just one son bearing the Yan surname. However, after seventeen years of marriage, his wife had not conceived. Eventually, after praying and seeking blessings, they were granted a child, but it turned out to be a daughter. Although they had a daughter, in order to fulfill their vows, his wife also went to the temple to practice and repay her gratitude. With such a precious child, how could they not cherish her? At this moment, their daughter was so anxious that her eyes were red, and she no longer cared about appearances.

Dong dong

As the words fell, he recalled the jokes circulating among his peers when the esteemed merchant of Jinling was caught in a predicament. Yan Wenyuan let out another long sigh

Seeing that her father was unwilling to speak, Jingxuan reluctantly twisted her body and began to act coyly

The entire day, ever since that spendthrift named "Chen Moran" left, every time Yan Wenyuan thought of the words he had said upon his departure, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Yan Wenyuan, who was deep in thought, was so startled by her that he nearly dropped the water pipe in his hand, and he patted his chest as he spoke

Yan Wenyuan pointed with one finger at his eyes

Jing Xuan advised calmly and without revealing her feelings, yet in her heart, she knew that this watch and this chain were not worth that price. The reason her father was momentarily confused was entirely due to being misled by that Chen Que.

Father, you are pretending to be confused again

Father! Did that Chen Moran, the crippled Chen, bully you?

Father, who made you say that! If you want to eat, surely...

Was that a deception for you

Ah...

Faced with his precious daughter's coquetry, Yan Wenyuan continued to feign ignorance, even going so far as to compete with the dog in a bid to cover it up

Stop! Stop!

Jing Xuan was greatly astonished upon hearing this; with her father's shrewdness, who could possibly deceive him

I will go with you

What exactly is that strength?

The sight of his daughter in such a state made Yan Wenyuan feel a pang of compassion, and recalling the events of the day, he could not help but let out a long sigh

"Third Master, you have no sons or daughters, and you have saved Mo Ran's life. If this kindness is not repaid..."

Sigh! If it were a lie, Yan Wenyuan would have accepted it, but therein lies the problem! It is so perplexing! My lips parted, but no words came out. However, seeing my daughter's anxious expression, I could not bear it and eventually recounted the whole story.

You mischievous girl, you startled me. Quickly take your dog away; you know I cannot stand that thing

The more this was the case, the stranger Yan Wenyuan felt. No one would take something worth over one hundred thousand taels and treat it as merely ten thousand taels, all the while cheerfully thanking themselves, especially after having pocketed the silver.

In the small courtyard, the light filters through the thick paper windows and casts a hazy glow in the yard, creating a layer of golden hue on the snow-covered ground

That's enough, that's enough, I might as well tell you, today... sigh...

After recounting the entire sequence of events, Yan Wenyuan, whose heart ached intensely at the thought of the twelve thousand taels of silver, slammed his thigh with force. He glanced at his daughter, then at the object in her hand, lowered his head, and let out a long sigh

Gratitude and reciprocity are concepts that Chen Mo understands well

You, my son, have been astute all your life, spending your days hunting wild geese, yet today, unexpectedly, a sparrow has pecked your eye

There is none

Observing her father's expression, Jingxuan's eyes turned as she came up with an idea. She then leaned close to her father's ear and whispered her suggestion. At the same time, she secretly resented the person who had humiliated her father.

When her father pointed at his eyes, Jingxuan understood what mattered to him; it was merely about face. Today, that Chen the Lame treated it as a mere object, completely disregarding her father's dignity.

At this moment, far away at the Mufu Mountain quarry, Chen Moran was unaware that he had merely entered Jinling City and had become a "treasure," thus incurring the resentment of others. With a large sum of money in hand, Chen Moran was persistently persuading his silent benefactor, Third Master, who sat at the table.

Silently thanking the shopkeeper for today's high regard, I shall surely repay it in the future

Ah, Father, what is the matter with you today? I heard from the wet nurse that since you returned home today, you haven't smiled at all. You didn't even touch the braised pork, which you love the most, today

Everyone in Jinling knows that Yan Wenyuan is the most miserly person in Jinling, but they also know that he dotes on his daughter the most, wishing he could give her all the stars and the moon in the sky, just to see her happy

My name is Chen Moran

Then that would be it. Perhaps this water-resistant and shockproof watch is truly a treasure! Father, you can rest assured!

Father's metaphor made Jingxuan's face flush with embarrassment, and she quickly spat out a retort

The words of his daughter left Yan Wenyuan feigning ignorance

Seeing the pug that his daughter was holding, Yan Wenyuan's brows furrowed even tighter. If it weren't for the fact that the dog was worth fifty taels of silver, it would have long been thrown out of the house by him

Looking up at the flustered Third Master, Chen Moran wore a serious expression on his face

Looking at the watch that had just been fished out of the basin, it was still ticking, showing no signs of having taken on water. If it were one of those common foreign watches, it would likely have stopped within moments of being submerged, but this watch, having soaked in water for an entire day, showed not a trace of abnormality.