Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 369: Contentment Brings Happiness

Qin Yao poured him a cup of hot tea, sat down opposite him, and asked him what he thought while warming her hands by the fire.

Was he planning to stop collaborating and leave with his money?

Or did he want to resign from the general manager position and only focus on the technical aspects, keeping his shares and receiving dividends as usual?

Qin Yao prayed in her heart, hoping it wouldn’t be the first option.

But often, the more people don’t want something, the more it happens.

Liu the carpenter said, "Let the young people handle the factory. I don’t have big ambitions. I’ve already made a lot of silver, renovated my house, bought dozens of acres of good land, and still saved some. I don’t desire anything more."

"The two hundred fifty taels of silver beforehand can wait until the factory is financially comfortable to give me. For the stationery gift boxes, I’ll just take last month’s dividends. The rest is yours. If you want to try something new in the future, you can still find me. I’ll do it to your satisfaction."

It was his passion, so even if the demands were rigorous, he enjoyed it.

Liu the carpenter said sincerely, "I know leaving now isn’t right, but I just can’t hold on anymore. You’re capable, young, and you should work hard."

Qin Yao said, "Alright."

Liu the carpenter was visibly stunned. He had prepared many apologies but hadn’t yet said them, and she agreed so readily?

Qin Yao said, "I have to go to the Prefecture in the next few days and will return in the middle of the month. We can settle the factory’s accounts then, just as you said."

"T-then I’ll hold on for a while until you get back," Liu the carpenter quickly responded.

Thinking he’d be free again before the new year, he could endure another ten days!

Qin Yao made a gesture indicating it was time for him to leave, and Liu the carpenter sensibly got up to say goodbye.

Qin Yao saw him to the door, and Liu the carpenter thought for a moment and couldn’t help but ask, "If I step down, can you manage such a big factory by yourself?"

Qin Yao didn’t answer directly, only smiled and said, "That’s no longer your concern. You just keep doing your carpentry."

Hearing her say this, Liu the carpenter felt even worse and proactively suggested that the carriages the factory bought shouldn’t count towards his share anymore.

Qin Yao nodded, "Alright."

Liu the carpenter frowned slightly; she agreed so quickly that he could scarcely believe she wasn’t just using a retreat to advance!

But once the words were out, they couldn’t be taken back. On the bright side, he now had a house and land, and could do what he loved, something many envied.

When his grandson started going to school, the newly bought land would support his studies. As for the rest, he had already laid the family foundation. Whether his descendants could climb higher, it depended on their potential.

Qin Yao watched Liu the carpenter walk away with a light step, having fully processed her inner shock.

Having Liu the carpenter leave would indeed bring her many troubles, but they were manageable.

Cultivating new talent in the factory, such as Yun Niang, Liu Qi, the three Liu Bai brothers, and Shunzi, was enough to keep a small factory of a hundred people running.

And Liu the carpenter’s choice was another form of happiness, wasn’t it?

Being content often brings happiness.

Whether his family knew about this decision, or agreed with it, she wasn’t sure.

Qin Yao shrugged; that was not her concern. Since it had been agreed upon, there would be no changes, lest it led to disagreements.

Liu Ji returned home from the Lotus Courtyard and happened to see Liu the carpenter leaving their house. He quickened his steps to catch up at the doorstep, seeing Qin Yao standing as if her soul had wandered elsewhere. He waved his hand before her eyes.

"Snap!" With a crisp sound, as expected, Liu Ji’s hand was smacked away, causing him to draw a sharp breath.

"Why are you back so early?" Qin Yao suspiciously eyed the person before her.

Liu Ji shook his hand twice and gave her a reproachful look, "Wife, you don’t know how to hold back. It’s already cold; if I get chilblains from this slap, I won’t be able to hold a pen and write. How will I keep up with my studies then..."

As Qin Yao’s gaze grew colder, Liu Ji’s voice grew weaker. He quickly changed the subject, raising the ’Magic Book’ he borrowed from Gongliang Liao:

"We depart tomorrow, and the Lotus Courtyard is a mess, so I came back first. Look, wife! The teacher found some books for me so I can self-study at home."

He shook the book cover proudly, "This is a rare copy passed down from a Great Mage of the previous dynasty!"

Ordinarily, she would at least take a look at the book to see what it contained, but today she seemed uninterested, glanced at the cover, and turned to head indoors.

Liu Ji recalled seeing Liu the carpenter and curiously followed, "Wife, what did Liu the carpenter want from you? Is there trouble at the factory?"

Otherwise, why would she look so lifeless?

Qin Yao continued packing the luggage she hadn’t finished earlier, her tone indifferent, "Liu the carpenter wants to withdraw, and I agreed."

Liu Ji raised a surprised eyebrow. He couldn’t understand, truly puzzled!

"Is there something wrong with his head? This is such a profitable business, and he wants out? Is he crazy?"

Qin Yao was amused by his exaggerated tone of distress, shrugged, "Who knows."

Liu Ji’s eyes gleamed, and he excitedly leaned in closer, his peach blossom eyes fluttering, "Wife, what about me? I could be a steward too, right? Keep the benefits in the family; choose me."

Qin Yao tied up the bundle and sternly reminded him once more, "Your task is to study for your official exams, understood?"

With enough money, she could hire several stewards if she wanted, casually choosing any would be more professional than Liu Ji.

Sensing the danger in her warning, Liu Ji immediately focused, "Understood, understood. I’ll go to the study to prepare."

He smiled brilliantly at her and walked to his new study with the book, feeling a bit excited about the trip to the Prefecture tomorrow. Just the two of them, him and his fierce woman~

This time Qin Yao didn’t take the four Da Lang siblings. When they returned from school in the evening, they saw the bundles packed in the main hall and the carriage Qin Yao had taken from the storehouse, and felt downcast.

But once they thought about the gifts their parents would bring back, they quickly regained their energy, noisily gathering around their parents, asking them to bring something back.

Qin Yao promised each a gift, Da Lang said he wanted a travel notes book, Sanlang wanted some delicious pastries, Si Niang shook her head saying she didn’t particularly want anything but wanted to hear about interesting things that happened on the journey from Mother when she returned.

Second Lang was different. He poured two hundred shiny copper coins from his little treasury, handed them all to Qin Yao, and earnestly instructed:

"Mother, when you get to the Prefecture, if you see anything that the Prefecture has but Kaiyang County doesn’t, buy it all for me."