Chapter 26 – Showing Off

This time, Master Su had made both money and a name for himself, and now he greeted everyone with a beaming smile every day.

His good mood was plain to see.

Shen Xiuyan marveled—truly a businessman through and through. His future father-in-law was impressive indeed.

With this huge sum in hand, Shen Xiuyan headed straight to the same gold shop as before without a second thought.

This time he had money and could finally select the biggest and best pieces of jewelry with pride.

The shop assistant at the door remembered him. Wasn’t this the young master who fed him a ton of dog food last time?

The assistant greeted him eagerly with a wide grin. “Young master, you’ve returned! What would you like to buy this time?”

Shen Xiuyan waved a hand grandly. “I want a full matching set—big and round. I won’t look at anything under a hundred taels.”

Ecstatic and full of swagger!

The shop assistant was stunned. What kind of good fortune had this young master encountered? In just a few days, he had money to throw around like this?

He grew even more attentive. “Of course, of course. Please watch your step, right this way.”

In a private room, Shen Xiuyan selected a set of jewelry worth a hundred taels. After a moment’s thought, he also picked out a hairpin and bracelet for Madam Zhou.

Of course, they weren’t as expensive—those two together only cost about twenty taels.

If they were too pricey, his mother probably wouldn’t dare to wear them.

When he got home, he called the two family members over. “Mother, I bought this jewelry for you.”

Madam Zhou accepted it with some confusion. Why was her son giving her a gift when it wasn’t a holiday or festival?

Still, she was delighted. After all, this was the first time her son had ever given her a present.

At that moment, Madam Zhou had yet to realize the gravity of the situation.

Sure enough, when she opened the jewelry box, the dazzling golden bracelet inside nearly blinded her.

Terrified, she stammered, “Th-this must’ve cost… how much…?”

Shen Xiuyan waved it off. “Not expensive, just twenty taels total. Make sure you wear it.”

Madam Zhou: “……”

Shen Yuanming: “……”

Good heavens—twenty taels and he had the nerve to say “not expensive”? That could’ve covered their household expenses for four or five years…

Madam Zhou trembled in fear. “Where did you get so much money?”

Xiuyan had a bright future ahead of him—he better not have done something foolish…

Seeing her expression, Shen Xiuyan immediately understood her worries and chuckled. “What are you thinking? Today Master Su gave me my share of the sugar-making profits.”

He patted the box he took from his basket. “I estimate there’s over a thousand taels in banknotes in here.”

“How much?!!”

“Over a thousand taels.”

Madam Zhou’s eyes spun like mosquito coils, and even the usually quiet Shen Yuanming wasn’t doing much better—his mouth was agape enough to fit an egg.

After speaking, Shen Xiuyan generously took out two hundred taels from the box and handed them over.

“Mother, keep this for yourself. I’ll use the rest to find a wife.”

At the mention of finding a wife, Madam Zhou forgot her shock and hurriedly pushed the two hundred taels back into his hands.

“Mother doesn’t need it. You already made me so happy with that jewelry—keep the money for your wedding.”

Judging by what her son had said before, the girl he liked must come from a wealthy family.

She didn’t want him to be looked down on because he couldn’t afford a proper betrothal gift.

Shen Xiuyan smiled and refused. “You don’t need it, but Yuanming does. I’m planning to send him to school this month. You hold onto the money for his studies.”

“What?!!!” Both were stunned.

Madam Zhou and Shen Yuanming looked at each other in bewilderment.

Why was Yuanming going to school too? Shen Xiuyan had never discussed this with them before…

Madam Zhou asked hesitantly, “Isn’t it a bit late for that?”

Shen Xiuyan replied, “It’s never too late to learn to read. There’s no such thing as early or late. By your logic, those nearing sixty who still take the imperial exams should just die of shame.”

Madam Zhou nodded. That did make some sense.

Looking at the two hundred taels on the table, she felt light-headed for the first time. It was just paying for one person to go to school—no big deal.

She never would’ve dared think about it before, but with such an opportunity, who wouldn’t want their son to have a better future?

She nudged the dazed Yuanming. “Listen to your brother. From now on, you’re going to study too.”

Shen Yuanming said nothing, but from that moment on, his path to schooling was set…

At that moment, Shen Yuanming felt like he was dreaming.

He could go study too?!!

How wonderful…

At dinnertime, the sunset bathed the earth in golden light. In the village, groups of people were finishing their farm work for the day and heading home to cook.

Shen Xiuyan, rubbing his growling stomach, stepped outside. “Yuanming, why haven’t we eaten yet today?”

Shen Yuanming gave a sheepish smile. “Brother, are you hungry? I’ll bring it out for you to eat first. Mother’s not back yet.”

“Where did Mother go?” Wasn’t she usually home and finished cooking by this hour?

Shen Yuanming smiled awkwardly. “She went out to chat with people…”

Seeing his evasive eyes, Shen Xiuyan understood instantly. With such an expensive gift from her son, of course she’d go out and show off.

If she didn’t spread the news today, she probably wouldn’t sleep well tonight.

He laughed. “Alright, no need to wait. Just leave some for Mother—you come eat with me.”

Sure enough, Shen Xiuyan was right.

Under the big locust tree on the main village path, Madam Zhou was chatting with several other women.

“Old Zhou, is your Xiuyan taking the county exam this time?” asked a neighbor who was relatively close to her.

“Of course he is,” Madam Zhou answered with confidence.

“He’s taken it three times and still hasn’t passed. What’s the point of taking it again? Seems like a waste of money to me.”

As it happened, someone who didn’t usually get along with Madam Zhou overheard this while passing by—and seized the opportunity to mock her.

At this moment, Madam Zhou acted out of character and didn’t argue. Instead, she smiled and said, “Ah, if it’s a waste of money, then let it be. Ever since we’ve started the sugar business, I haven’t worried about money anymore. If he wants to take the exam, what can I, as his mother, stop him from doing? It’s a good thing he has such ambition.”

After speaking, she casually raised her hand to adjust her hairpin, and her sleeve slowly slid down her wrist.

The setting sun cast its remaining light, making the bracelet on her wrist shine so brightly that it nearly blinded the people across from her.

For a moment, everyone’s attention was drawn to it.

“Goodness, I was just thinking, your hairpin must be newly bought, right? It looks quite expensive. But this bracelet is even more impressive, pure gold! You really spared no expense,” one of the neighbors said, envious.

Madam Zhou smiled warmly. “I didn’t spare any expense at all. It’s all thanks to Xiuyan. The first thing he did after making money in business was buy me jewelry, and such expensive jewelry at that. I can hardly bear to wear it.”