Chapter 294: Chapter 294 - 275, The Prodigal_1

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As soon as the Academy closed for the holiday on the seventeenth of the twelfth lunar month, the three Yan Wenxiu brothers returned home. This year, the epidemic had caused their elder family members much worry, so they needed to spend more time accompanying them at home.

The twentieth of December was Yan Wenkai’s fifteenth birthday. On this day, Xiao Yeyang arrived with Dong Yuanxuan and Su Hongxin.

Li Xingnian also came over, firstly to celebrate his nephew’s birthday and secondly to take Li Zixuan and Li Zixin home.

With the New Year approaching, it wasn’t appropriate for the two young ladies to stay at the Yan Family’s house indefinitely.

“You want to give me land again?”

In the Yan Family’s garden, Daohua looked at the deed Xiao Yeyang handed her with a face full of refusal, arms crossed: “Out with it, what’s the reason this time?”

Xiao Yeyang was at a loss for words: “Miss Yan, can’t you at least look at what it is before you speak?”

Daohua was taken aback, sheepishly said, “It’s not a land deed?” As she spoke, she reached for the deed to take a look. After reading it, she looked somewhat speechless.

What’s the difference between a house deed and a land deed?

“Last time, you gave me land because of the grain seeds, which was understandable. But why on earth would you give me a house without any reason?” And it’s not just any house; it’s a triple courtyard, and it’s in Beijing!

Xiao Yeyang was so frustrated he couldn’t stand it. It was a unique experience for him to have gifts received with such reluctance. He took several deep breaths, “Isn’t your father supposed to take up his post in Beijing? Where’s he going to live?”

Daohua fell silent. She hadn’t really thought about that: “… Well, Beijing’s so big, there must be someplace to stay, right? An inn? Or at worst, there’s my aunt’s place.”

Xiao Yeyang: “Whether it’s staying in an inn or at a relative’s place, it’s always inconvenient. It’s better to live in your own house.”

Daohua shook her head: “That may be so, but I can’t just take your house.” Saying so, she thrust the house deed back into Xiao Yeyang’s hands.

Seeing the deed back in his own hands, Xiao Yeyang didn’t know what to say.

At that moment, Daohua began to ponder with her chin propped on her hand: “You do have a point. My eldest brother will indeed need to come to Beijing for his exams in the future, and owning a house here would definitely be more convenient.”

“In that case, I’ll discuss it with my mother later and have her buy a house in Beijing. Since my father is going there, he can take a look as well.”

Xiao Yeyang: “… You aren’t familiar with Beijing at all, how can you buy a good house? Even if you manage to find one, I bet it would be close to the outskirts. Wouldn’t it be more convenient to just take the house I’m offering?”

As he spoke, he stuffed the deed back into Daohua’s hands. Seeing her about to refuse again, he added, “If it really bothers you, consider that I sold it to you, all right?”

This time, Daohua wasn’t as resistant as before. She looked at Xiao Yeyang and asked, “How much silver?”

Xiao Yeyang was somewhat caught off guard by the question. Unsure about these matters, he glanced at Defu standing behind him. Seeing Defu gesturing two, he suddenly knew what to say. Thinking Daohua was a miser, he said, “Two thousand taels.”

Hearing this, Defu almost knelt down.

He meant twenty thousand taels, not two thousand.

The house their master was giving away wasn’t very large, but the location was prime. Nowadays, if someone else wanted to buy such a house, it would cost at least thirty thousand taels, and that’s if you knew the right people.

He thought shaving ten thousand off the price was already doing a favor due to the relationship between the two families. He never expected his master to be so ruthless, settling for just the tip of the iceberg.

This was way too extravagant!

“Two thousand taels is quite cheap!”

Daohua wasn’t very familiar with housing prices either, but considering that more than two thousand taels of silver could buy a medium-sized estate, she assumed it could also get a triple courtyard.

Daohua looked at Xiao Yeyang: “Are you giving me a discount?”

Having interacted with Daohua for quite some time, Xiao Yeyang knew what she meant by a discount. He nodded: “With our relationship, how could I not give you a discount? Rest assured, I haven’t let you benefit too much.”

Upon hearing this, Defu rolled his eyes behind him and thought ‘heh’ to himself. He was too lazy to even comment on his master anymore.

Daohua, wearing a satisfied smile, said, “Alright then, wait here for me. I’ll go ask my mother for the silver.” With that, she happily ran towards the main courtyard with the house deed in hand.

Seeing this, Xiao Yeyang breathed a sigh of relief.

He had finally managed to giveaway the house!

At that moment, Defu spoke up faintly: “Master, that house is worth over thirty thousand taels of silver.”

Xiao Yeyang casually gave Defu a flick on the head: “Keep that to yourself, don’t let Daohua hear it.”

Defu struggled to hold back but ultimately couldn’t: “This servant thinks it doesn’t hurt to tell Miss Yan, right?”

Xiao Yeyang: “Do you think Daohua would spend twenty or thirty thousand taels of silver on a house?”

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De Fu fell silent.

Given Miss Yan’s money-loving nature, it seemed quite unlikely.

Xiao Yeyang was very philosophical about it, “Think about it, that residence was originally meant to be a gift for Daohua. Now, she is even giving us two thousand taels of silver. When you look at it that way, we’ve made a profit.”

De Fu listened, bewildered.

Had they really made a profit?

It sounded reasonable on the surface, but why did it feel so odd?

…

“Two thousand taels?!”

When Madam Li heard that a three-section residence in Beijing was only two thousand taels of silver, she was stunned.

Daohua smiled and said, “It’s definitely worth more than two thousand taels. I think it should be at least three to four thousand taels. However, this is Xiao Yeyang’s kindness, and we shouldn’t dismiss his feelings.”

Is that so?

Madam Li still felt that the amount was a little low, but since she had never been to Beijing and didn’t know much about it, seeing the character for ‘suburb’ in the address of the property deed made her assume that the residence was in a remote location.

“If it’s in the suburbs, it might be a bit cheaper.”

With this thought, she gestured for Ping Tong to fetch the silver note.

Soon enough, Daohua arrived in the garden pavilion again, holding the two thousand taels silver note and a small embroidered pouch.

“What is this?”

Xiao Yeyang told De Fu to put away the silver note while he himself focused on the embroidered pouch in Daohua’s hand.

Daohua glanced at the bruise on Xiao Yeyang’s wrist, swiftly pulled out a round box from the pouch, opened it, and quickly, the fragrance of medicine wafted out.

“This is an ointment to promote blood circulation. When you train in martial arts, it’s inevitable to get bumps and bruises. Applying this will heal them quickly,” she explained.

Xiao Yeyang picked up the medicine box, smelled it, and then looked up with a smile: “Thank you.”

Daohua focused on his wrist, “Try it now.”

Xiao Yeyang paused and, following Daohua’s gaze, realized his bruised wrist was showing. He tugged at his sleeve, about to say he’d apply it when he got back. But then, a thought crossed his mind, and holding the medicine box, he looked at Daohua, “I can’t apply it well with just one hand. Could you help me out?”

Daohua wouldn’t indulge such a lazy person, who expected everything to be handed to him. She lifted her arm and demonstrated, “It’s on your arm, it’s easy to apply, alright?”

Xiao Yeyang’s face stiffened momentarily.

At that moment, De Fu quickly stepped forward to save his master from embarrassment, “My Lord, allow me,” he said, and slowly rolled up Xiao Yeyang’s sleeve.

“Who hit you?”

Seeing the bruises all over Xiao Yeyang’s forearm, Daohua immediately leaned in closer.

De Fu, ever the observant servant, hastily retreated, even cleverly placing the medicine box into Daohua’s hand, despite her having no intention of helping with the ointment.

Xiao Yeyang, however, seemed unconcerned, “It’s part of martial arts training, getting hurt. Ow, it’s a bit cold outside; you should apply it quickly.”

Daohua looked at the medicine box in her hand and, with resignation, sat next to Xiao Yeyang to start applying the ointment.

Watching Daohua so close, Xiao Yeyang’s breathing slowed involuntarily. As the cool sensation spread through his arm, he began to feel uneasy inside.

“Don’t train too hard.”

Daohua said softly as she applied the ointment.

“You’re still growing, don’t ruin your health with excessive training.”

“Ah, not having an elder around to watch over you is not good; there’s no one to restrain you. De Fu and the others don’t dare to hold you back too much, either. You have to take it easy, don’t just do whatever you please,” she continued.

At first, Xiao Yeyang listened attentively, but gradually, Daohua’s elder-like tone began to irritate him.

What was she getting at?