Apr 14, 2026
Chapter 76 — Trying to Persuade the Little Bun
“I say, why are you crying again?” the old woman scolded gently. “You’re already a grandmother—aren’t you afraid the children will laugh at you? At your age you just suffered a miscarriage, and your body was already weak to begin with. Now you’re crying nonstop. What if you end up with lasting health problems?”
The elderly woman walked over and sat beside the bed, taking Ling Wang-shi’s hand in hers.
After hearing about her daughter and son-in-law’s troubles the night before, she had been so anxious she hadn’t slept at all. Before dawn had even broken, she had hurried over from the neighboring village.
She never expected to encounter such a scene.
After finally driving the Ling family away and seeing her daughter lying pale and exhausted in bed, her heart had felt as though it were being sliced by knives. Again and again, she couldn’t help regretting why she had ever married her perfectly good daughter into the Ling family.
The only comfort was that Jingxuan and Jinghan had both recovered from their illnesses—especially Jingxuan. It seemed that his life was going quite well now. And his son-in-law appeared to be a good man too… just a little too honest and kind.
“I know, Mother, but I just—” Ling Wang-shi choked. Of course she understood the reasoning. The problem was that she simply couldn’t stop herself. Those people had gone too far.
“Alright, Mother,” Ling Jingxuan cut in gently. “Grandmother is right. You’re practically in confinement right now—you really shouldn’t be crying like this.”
“Don’t worry. Jinghan’s health is gradually improving. Once he earns a scholar’s title, who will still dare bully us? Besides…” he added with a casual smile, “we still have Shengrui. The wound on his head is almost healed. Once he fully recovers, taking on ten men at once won’t be a problem.”
He deliberately kept his tone light, trying to put her at ease.
And at a moment like this, how could the two little buns possibly stay quiet?
Xiao Baozi squeezed his way to the bedside, puffing out his little chest proudly. “Grandma, Father is really amazing! Don’t be scared. He’ll beat all the bad people away. I’m learning martial arts too. When I grow up, I’ll protect you!”
Not to be outdone, Da Baozi, Ling Wen, quickly chimed in, “Grandma, Father’s right. Don’t cry anymore. Take good care of your health. When you get better, I’ll go to town and buy you a pair of silver earrings—bright and shiny. They’ll look beautiful on you!”
Ling Wen’s classic trick of coaxing people had made its grand return.
Ling Jingxuan couldn’t help laughing softly. The old woman and Ling Wang-shi also broke into smiles. Whether the boys’ promises were realistic or not didn’t matter—what mattered was the sincerity in their hearts.
“Alright, alright,” Ling Wang-shi said after a moment, wiping away her tears. “Grandma will listen to you. I won’t cry anymore. I still want to live long enough to see you two marry wives.”
The dark cloud over her head finally began to disperse.
The father and two sons quietly breathed a sigh of relief, while the elderly grandmother nodded in satisfaction. Yes—this was how things should be. Only with this kind of spirit could their days hold hope.
“Mother, are you alright?”
Not long after, Ling Jingpeng entered the room. Ling Jinghan and Yan Shengrui followed behind him. Even now, someone’s face was still dark with lingering displeasure.
“I’m fine,” Ling Wang-shi said, shaking her head. “I was just being stubborn. Don’t worry—I won’t feel sad over those irrelevant people anymore.”
After the comfort from her mother, sons, and grandsons, she seemed to have grown stronger in an instant.
In the corner, Ling Chenglong—who had not spoken the entire time—quietly relaxed. But when his gaze shifted toward his sons, naked guilt crept across his aging face.
Jingxuan had finally managed to help him separate from the Ling clan. Yet the moment he heard that the old patriarch might be dying that morning, he had almost gone running back.
He had truly failed his son.
“That’s right,” the grandmother said approvingly. “What do the things those outsiders say or do have to do with us? As long as we close our doors and live our own lives well, that’s enough.”
Then she turned to Ling Jingpeng. “Jingpeng, go tell Old Song’s wife to start cooking. After running around all day outside, I’m starving.”
Ling Jingpeng nodded and went out.
But the moment Old Song and the others were mentioned, Ling Wen—who had been standing beside the bed—suddenly rushed over in front of Ling Jingxuan.
His pitch-black eyes glared fiercely, and his little face was equally dark.
Ling Jingxuan’s mouth twitched.
His heart skipped a beat.
Slowly, he turned his gaze toward Yan Shengrui beside him, silently asking for help.
How had he forgotten about this?
“Daddy, you—”
“Xiao Wen, do you have a moment?” Yan Shengrui suddenly interrupted calmly. “I have something I’d like to talk to you about.”
Here it comes.
The moment Ling Wen opened his mouth, the usually domineering and fearless Ling Jingxuan shrank his neck like a scolded little wife. But in the very next second, Yan Shengrui’s voice rang out like heavenly music.
Ling Jingxuan exaggeratedly patted his chest in relief.
Ling Wen, however, frowned and turned toward Yan Shengrui. “What is it? I have something to say to Daddy first.”
Yes—he had a lot to say.
That morning his uncle had already brought people back to measure more than two hundred mu of land, which was shocking enough. But later, Uncle Zhao and the others had brought back several strangers, saying his father had bought them as servants through a broker.
He had almost exploded on the spot.
If not for holding himself back, he might have personally marched them straight back to town.
He knew his father wasn’t good at managing money and often spent recklessly. But he had never imagined that he would actually go so far as to buy servants.
It was simply outrageous.
This was serious—very serious. He absolutely had to talk to his father about it immediately.
“It’s something important,” Yan Shengrui said calmly. “Let’s talk outside.”
Before Ling Wen could protest, Yan Shengrui scooped him up into his arms and carried him out. As he left, he even winked quietly at Ling Jingxuan, reminding him that he now owed him one.
“Hoo…”
Watching the two figures disappear from sight, Ling Jingxuan let out a long breath.
Everyone in the room couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. Who told you to buy servants? In farming families like theirs, who needed servants? Wasn’t that just asking for trouble?
“Daddy, you’d better be careful,” Xiao Baozi giggled mischievously, covering his mouth. “Big Brother is really angry this time. When he comes back, you’re doomed.”
Even he felt his daddy had gone too far this time. Yes, their family had money now, but that didn’t mean they needed servants. They didn’t even have a proper place to live yet—what was the point of buying servants?
“You little ingrate. Daddy has doted on you for nothing.”
Ling Jingxuan poked his head with a finger in mock annoyance. “Go on, go play. I have something to discuss with your second uncle.”
Throwing Ling Jinghan a meaningful glance, he stood up and turned to the old woman.
“Grandmother, please keep Mother company for a while. We’ll talk later.”
“Alright, alright. Go ahead,” the old woman waved them off kindly. “Grandmother doesn’t need you boys hovering around.”
She looked every bit the typical rural grandmother, just like Ling Wang-shi—simple, hardworking, and deeply fond of them.
Ling Jingxuan smiled before leaving the room with Ling Jinghan.
On a small path not far from the Ling house, the figures of Yan Shengrui and Ling Wen stretched long across the ground under the sunlight.
Ling Wen, forcibly carried outside earlier, still had a fierce expression on his face, clearly displeased. He had been about to talk to his daddy about something important.
“Xiao Wen,” Yan Shengrui suddenly said, stopping and crouching in front of him. His deep peach-blossom eyes fixed steadily on the boy. “Are you upset that Jingxuan bought so much land—and even bought servants without discussing it with you?”
Ling Wen nodded without hesitation.
“At first I really was unhappy about the land,” he admitted honestly. “But then I remembered what Daddy always says about investment and returns, so I thought it through. Even if that land isn’t as fertile as dry farmland, if we raise it properly for a few years we can still grow crops on it. Buying more land isn’t really a problem.”
“But how could he buy servants?”
“We’re just a farming family! How can we let others serve us? If people hear about it, they’ll think our family is incredibly wealthy. Our lives have only just started getting better—Daddy is really being too reckless.”
Just thinking about the money spent on buying people made his heart ache.
He almost wanted to drag his daddy over and lecture him properly.
Yan Shengrui chuckled softly and ruffled his hair.
“Who said farming families can’t have people serve them?”
He pulled Ling Wen down to sit beside him, gazing into the distance as he spoke.
“Xiao Wen, I know you’re very sensible. Because you used to go hungry so often, you’ve become very careful with money. But every time, you only see the money that’s spent—you never think about the money Jingxuan earns.”
“Let me calculate something for you.”
“First, the medicinal fish we sell brings in at least one tael of silver every day, right? That’s about fifty taels a month. And the jam… well, you know the profits from that are even greater. In just a little over ten days, we’ve already sold more than two thousand taels’ worth.”
“And that number will only keep growing.”
“So what if we buy more land? What if we buy a few servants?”
“Compared to the money we spend, we’re earning several times that amount.”
A general who had spent years leading troops on the battlefield was not someone suited to speaking so gently.
Even with his memories gone, Yan Shengrui’s nature had not changed.
But the child before him was his own son. For the boy’s sake, he had already tried to soften his words as much as possible.
If the boy still insisted stubbornly…
Then he would have to resort to stronger measures.
After all, he had already promised Ling Jingxuan he would help settle the matter with the little bun.
“I know our family has made a lot of money,” Ling Wen said quietly. “I’m not saying Daddy can’t spend it. But he shouldn’t spend it recklessly.”
“We don’t even have our own house yet, and he bought a bunch of servants. What are we supposed to do with them?”
“I’ve been trying very hard to stop myself from worrying about the family’s money all the time. But every time I see Daddy spending it carelessly, my heart still hurts.”
“Right now it looks like we’re making money. Maybe we’ll keep making money in the future too…”
“But… but…”
He lowered his voice slightly.
“What if one day we run out of money again?”
“Would we just go back to starving and freezing like before?”
It would be impossible to say that Yan Shengrui’s words had no effect at all. But the little bun had known poverty too deeply. Even now, he had not forgotten those bitter days of hunger and cold.
By the time he reached the end of his words, the stubborn eyes he tried so hard to keep steady had begun to redden slightly. His hands, hanging at his sides, clenched unconsciously.
He was truly afraid.
Afraid that one day they might return to those days of clutching their empty stomachs in hunger.
“Foolish child,” Yan Shengrui said softly. “Even if Jingxuan can’t make money one day, isn’t there still me? Once my injuries are fully healed, I can go into the mountains to hunt and earn money to support the family. I won’t let any of you go hungry.”
He pulled the boy gently onto his lap and stroked his face with clear tenderness.
“Xiao Wen, I’m not saying all this to scold you,” he continued. “I just hope that, little by little, you can forget the past—forget the burdens you always force onto yourself—and simply be a five-year-old child.”
Ling Wen lowered his head deeply.
He neither agreed nor refused.
Seeing that the boy clearly had not given up on the idea of lecturing Ling Jingxuan, Yan Shengrui sighed inwardly. He lifted the child’s face and spoke again, this time a little more serious.
“Xiao Wen, you’ve seen how Jingxuan and the others make the fruit jam these past few days. In this scorching weather they run back and forth between the mountains and home. At night they still have to stay up late, cooking every fruit they picked that day into jam and sealing it in the cellar.”
“Even strong men like your Uncle Zhao can barely endure it. Jingxuan himself has always been frail.”
“Today Shopkeeper Zhang even said that he’ll want more and more jam in the future. That means Jingxuan and Jingpeng will only grow more exhausted.”
He paused deliberately.
“Do you really want them to work themselves to death?”
“No! I don’t!”
Ling Wen waved his hands frantically before the words had even fully left Yan Shengrui’s mouth.
“I don’t want Daddy to exhaust himself! At worst… we’ll just sell less jam.”
His voice was urgent and sincere. He would rather earn less money than see his daddy collapse from exhaustion.
“Exactly,” Yan Shengrui said with a faint smile. “But Xiao Wen, we signed a contract with Shopkeeper Zhang. We can’t simply decide to sell less.”
“For the three months we promised to supply them, whatever quantity they requested, we must produce it. Otherwise, they could take that contract to the magistrate’s office and sue us.”
He deliberately made his tone heavier.
“And then your beloved daddy might end up in jail.”
Ling Wen panicked immediately.
“T-Then what should we do? Daddy can’t go to jail! But I don’t want him to collapse from exhaustion either.” His small hands gripped Yan Shengrui’s shoulders anxiously, tears spilling down his cheeks. “Father… should we hire people instead?”
Just as Yan Shengrui expected—the little bun had taken the bait.
But he forced himself not to soften.
“Hiring people still costs money,” he said seriously. “Do you know how much a hired worker costs these days? Thirty wen a day. And that doesn’t include providing food and meals.”
“When everything is counted together, it’s at least thirty-five wen per person per day.”
“Ten workers would cost three hundred and fifty wen a day.”
“If you calculate a whole month, that’s nearly ten taels of silver.”
“But buying a servant only costs seven or eight taels. Once you buy them, they can serve the household for life.”
He gestured lightly as he continued.
“Take the family we bought today—the Song family. Five people cost thirty taels total. That’s only about six taels per person.”
“So tell me—what’s more economical? Hiring people, or buying them?”
Discussing financial calculations with a five-year-old child—aside from Ling Jingxuan, probably only Yan Shengrui would do such a thing.
From the way Ling Wen stood there with his mouth slightly open, it was obvious he had not understood everything.
Still…
“So… Father means buying people is cheaper than hiring them?” Ling Wen finally asked after a long pause, a tear still clinging to the corner of his eye. Tilting his head, he looked confused. “But where would we get enough grain to feed them? And where would they live? Our own family doesn’t even have a proper house yet.”
It was obvious that although he hadn’t fully grasped the explanation, he had understood the key point.
Yan Shengrui chuckled softly.
“Aren’t we about to build a large house soon? Why would you worry about having no place to live?”
“Xiao Wen, both Father and Jingxuan know that you’re very sensible. You always worry about the family. But these are not burdens that someone your age should carry.”
He cupped the boy’s face gently.
“Promise me this: from now on, focus on studying and taking care of your younger brother. Leave matters of money to us. Alright?”
His voice had softened completely now.
Deep in his heart, he felt the same quiet ache and guilt that Ling Jingxuan sometimes felt.
“…Then… we’ll keep them?” Ling Wen asked instead of answering.
He wiped his tears and looked up at him.
Yan Shengrui nodded with a small smile. “Yes. We’ll keep them.”
“Alright then.” Ling Wen sniffed and nodded with determination, as though making an enormous decision. “Since Father says buying people is cheaper than hiring them… we’ll keep that family.”
Seeing the boy’s solemn, little-adult expression, Yan Shengrui couldn’t help laughing again.
Fortunately, the child cared deeply for Jingxuan.
Otherwise persuading him would not have been easy at all.
“Well then,” Yan Shengrui said as he lifted the boy into his arms and stood up, “let’s head back. It should be time to eat soon.”
With the matter settled, the two walked back toward home.
Later, when Ling Jingxuan learned how Yan Shengrui had convinced Ling Wen, warmth quietly spread through his heart.
Yes, his little bun could be stingy at times—sometimes even headache-inducing.
But between money and his father…
The boy had still chosen him.
And that was enough.
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Translator: LazyHermitGal
Author: LazyHermitGal
A Lazy Hermit Gal wondering in the void and falling into the translation abyss.
