He always had this idea, that she could definitely come up with different commodities, different foods, and maybe even some different opinions!

When Ye Ling came out of the kitchen, he saw Dongfang Ming and greeted him. He also washed some fruit. Liu Duo couldn’t do that in time, because the villagers had already come looking for her.

Right then, Li Chunmei came to their yard with her mother, each holding a basket.

Liu Duo was managing the accounts so she didn’t notice them. Ye Ling was the one who spoke. “Chunmei, there’s a weighing scale here you can use.”

Liu Duo looked up and saw the two women. They were here to sell tomatoes, so she didn’t chase them away. This was a different matter.

After she paid the villager she was dealing with, Liu Duo turned to them.

This was Li Chunmei’s first time coming here to sell tomatoes. Her family didn’t plant a lot, but they would have a few stalks every year.

The mother weighed them and reported, “The total is ten jin. The baskets weigh half a jin together so you could write that as nine jin and a half.”

Liu Duo did not show any emotion as she registered the information. She used to know nothing about how heavy tomatoes were, but after working for so long she had a good concept of the weights. She needn’t fear they would cheat!

“And this is your pay. Please count it.”

“It’s correct,” they said, and left with their baskets after that.

But Liu Duo kept her eyes on the two women. There was something strange about Li Chunmei, she felt. Perhaps it was the questionable look the woman had given her yesterday. Liu Duo became defensive around her!

When it was almost noon, Ye Liu and the men rode leisurely on their bullock-cart, heading towards home. A horse carriage was parked outside their front door. Ye Liu said, “Seems like our Brother Dongfang came for a visit!”

He had ridden on the horse carriage before. Of course he remembered.

Ye Mo frowned. “What’s he doing here? Didn’t you meet last time? Hasn’t he gone back to the capital?”

“I don’t know what he’s here for, but I know he won’t be leaving this place for a while. He says he’ll be staying for some time.”

Though Ye Liu wasn’t clear why the man wanted to stay.

They led the bullock-cart into the yard. Ye Mo spotted Dongfang Ming sitting on the stool with a fan in hand.

Similarly, Dongfang Ming spotted Ye Mo, the last member of the household who he had yet to meet.

Their eyes met, and Ye Mo thought, sure, he’s quite handsome, but he’s nothing compared to me and my brothers!

Dongfang Ming wondered, the third brother might not have a good temper. There seems to be devious intentions in those eyes.

“Brother Dongfang, welcome to our humble abode! I hope you don’t mind the lack of hospitality,” Ye Liu giggled as he greeted him.

He knew Dongfang Ming was a rich person, and he was afraid he couldn’t get used to the simple farmhouse.

Dongfang Ming stood up, walked towards them and replied to them in a brotherly manner, “Brother Ye, none of that. I dropped by without notice. Sorry for the disturbance.”

Ye Mo eyed the gentle smile hanging on Dongfang Ming’s handsome face. He wasn’t very pleased. If the man knew he would be disturbing them if he came without telling them first, then why did he still come anyway?

Liu Duo had gone to the outhouse in the back. She didn’t know the men had returned.

Ye Liu quickly made introductions. “This is my third brother, Ye Mo. And this is my good friend, Li Gener, but we usually call him Li Wazi. And that one there is my eldest brother, Ye Yang.”

“It’s nice meeting you,” Dongfang Ming said politely and bowed. “Your wife has introduced Ye Yang to me. I know he’s your eldest brother.”

Li Wazi smiled frankly. “Hello there.”

Ye Mo nodded in acknowledgment, then began to unload tomatoes off the cart. He did not intend to have a conversation with that man.