I rely on the system to support my eighteen brothers and sisters

“This account book…isn’t it right?”

Qiao Linxi looked at the accountant's face and said, "Looks like this is newly written, right?"

"Hmm? Really? Let me see."

Officer Li took it and took a look. Before he could say anything, the accountant spoke.

"How could it be wrong? I copied it down from the notebook I used to record my work."

"Yes, I come here every day and I have checked the wood. The number can be verified." Officer Li also said.

Qiao Linxi smiled and said, "If that's right, then why are you so nervous?"

"Hey, I..." The accountant wiped his forehead and said, "I roughly calculated it when I was doing the accounts, and this is probably the number I need."

Looking at the two fingers of the accountant, Qiao Linxi laughed again: "Twenty thousand taels?"

"Ah? No, no, it's not that much. The wages of the craftsmen plus the cost of materials only amount to about two thousand taels."

"What's my job? It's okay. I can afford it. Later, you can ask the craftsmen and material suppliers to bring their work certificates and sales lists to Qiaoji Snack Shop to collect the money."

"Work certificate?" The accountant was stunned: "What work certificate? And what is a sales list?"

"You don't think I will pay according to this account book just because you say so, do you? How do I know if there is any discrepancy between the number of working days you record and the actual number of working days? And those material suppliers, you can't just tell me how much wood they sold me without any proof, right?"

"This..." The accountant was a little embarrassed: "They are all illiterate people, how can they keep accounts?"

"I don't care about that. I will only pay according to the salary slip."

Qiao Linxi is not stupid. Two thousand taels is not a small amount. These people are talking without any evidence. Can she give it just because she says so?

"Brother Li, find some people to plant some flowers and plants in the empty space in the yard, and pave the road from the entrance of the academy to the street. The road to the academy can't be this kind of muddy road, right?"

"This……"

"Don't worry, I will pay you in full after I finish this. Not a penny less. But I still say that I will pay you based on proof."

After explaining all these things, it was already evening when Qiao Linxi returned to Qiaoji Snack Bar. Before he could have dinner, all the craftsmen had arrived.

"Miss Qiao, this is my work record, check it."

Qiao Linxi looked at these simple and honest middle-aged men with a little surprise. They actually knew how to record work.

Qiao Linxi flipped open the paper the man handed over. It was covered with crosses and circles. The man explained, "I can't read, so I can only remember it this way."

Qiao Linxi checked and found that the man's name was consistent with what Gongtian and the accountant had recorded, so he paid double the amount as agreed.

Holding the few taels of silver, the man thanked Qiao Linxi profusely, which made Qiao Linxi gain another wave of gratitude.

The craftsman's salary was more than half the cost of the materials, about 1,600 taels, doubled to more than 3,000 taels. After paying for the materials, Qiao Linxi spent 3,500 taels in just over an hour, which made Qiao Wan'er beside him stare in amazement.

"Qiao Linxi, you're such a spendthrift. You've already spent more than three thousand taels in just one hour."

Qiao Linxi didn't feel sorry for him, but Qiao Wan'er did, and kept complaining about him.

"Shut up, you're making so much noise."

Qiao Linxi really didn't know where Qiao Wan'er got the confidence to talk nonsense with her here.

"Grandma, look at her. She treats me like this. If she goes back to the Qiao family, where will I be able to stay?"

"Qiao Wan'er, why are you yelling like that? What does it have to do with you how much money I spend? The money is not yours."

Qiao Wan'er didn't think she had done anything wrong. She straightened her back and said, "Since you are the granddaughter of our Qiao family, your money belongs to the Qiao family. You should use it to honor your grandmother instead of spending it lavishly. It's only because your grandmother is kind. If it were any other grandmother, you would have been beaten a long time ago."

"Why would my money belong to your Qiao family? I will be filial to my grandmother, not just spend money. Qiao Wan'er, you are so filial, how much money have you given to your grandmother?"

"Wan'er, stop talking nonsense." Old Mrs. Qiao's face looked particularly bad. One reason was that Qiao Linxi was indeed a spendthrift, and the other was that Qiao Wan'er spoke rudely.

When she said that, didn't she mean that she was an old lady who only cared about money?

"Grandmother, I am not talking nonsense. Qiao Linxi has not yet acknowledged her ancestry and she doesn't take you seriously. Once she returns to the capital and is included in the family tree, who knows how she will show off her power over you."

Qiao Wan'er had always been hostile to Qiao Linxi. Previously, it was just because Qin Xiaoqing and Qiao Linxi were close, but now the hostility had risen to hatred. She hated Qiao Linxi for stealing her title as the eldest daughter of the Qiao family.

She hated that Qiao Linxi would take away her favor when she returned to Beijing. She was very popular among the young ladies in Beijing, because those young ladies did not dare to offend her for fear of offending Old Master Qiao.

"Who said I'm going back to the capital with you?" Qiao Linxi looked at Qiao Wan'er sarcastically, "I don't think I've realized that I'm going back with you? Why, Miss Qiao, are you afraid that after we go back, you, the fake daughter, will be abandoned and your love will be taken away, so you're targeting me like this?"

“I…” Qiao Wan’er blushed when her heart was touched, and she said in a stumbling tone, “No way, I’m just standing up for my grandmother. You’re being unfilial by not taking her seriously.”

Originally, Qiao Linxi didn't want to have any unpleasantness with Old Lady Qiao because of Qiao Wan'er, but Qiao Wan'er insisted on coming in front of her, so she had to tell the truth.

"Qiao Wan'er, do you know what filial piety is? It is the respect of the younger generation for the elders in the family. To be honest, grandma just came to my place today. We are not familiar with each other, and it is not confirmed that we are grandma's grandchildren. To me, she is just a stranger. Do I have to kowtow and serve tea to a stranger to be filial? Isn't it ridiculous?"

"you……"

"What do you mean by 'I'?" Qiao Linxi immediately retorted, "Think about it yourself, is this true? To put it nicely, I call her grandma, but to put it bluntly, she's just a stranger. You're using filial piety to pressure me, how can this be justified?"

"And this money, maybe you don't know who it belongs to, then I'll tell you, this money is an apology gift from Gu Changfeng to me, are you sure you want me to take it to show my filial piety to your grandmother?"

Hearing the name Gu Changfeng, Qiao Wan'er reflexively showed a horrified expression, "Gu, Gu Changfeng? How do you know Gu Changfeng?"

"Don't disbelieve me, this is really what Gu Changfeng left here. If you don't believe me, ask Lord Qin."

Qin Guozong also nodded in agreement: "Indeed."

Old Madam Qiao finally looked at Qiao Linxi straight in the eye. After staring at her for a long while, she said, "Wan'er, stop messing around. Since it's your sister's, why would you ask her to give it to me?"