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Chapter 181: Chapter 183 You’re Not Being Honest_1
"How old is your little puppy now?" Qiao Duo’er asked curiously.
Her family threw away quite a few bones every day, so keeping a dog wouldn’t be too bad.
"It’s forty-five days old and can already eat," Chao Lian’s eyes instantly lit up, as she really didn’t want to throw the puppy away.
It was so young, it might not survive if abandoned outside.
Qiao Duo’er peeked into the bamboo basket at the little puppies, one black and one white. Their dark eyes made them look quite cute and clever.
"Why don’t you let me take care of them?" Qiao Duo’er reached out and touched the two little things.
Heaven knows she had wanted to own a dog so badly in her past life, she could barely walk by one without stopping.
But she used to travel all over the place and was often away from home for several months at a time for training, so she never got one.
Chao Lian said excitedly, "Thank you, sister-in-law, they’re very smart, never pee in the house, and even know how to watch the door."
Qiao Duo’er took the two little ones over, absolutely delighted.
Chao Lian was both happy and sad. Wang Cai had given birth to these two, and it had always been she who took care of them. She had come to think of them as her own children.
She knew the puppies would be better off in the Tan family than in her own home, but she still found it hard to let go.
Qiao Duo’er wasn’t very familiar with the people in the village; she could count on her two hands the number of villagers she could name. Currently, she was ill, and had a load of plans for the future, such as building a house, opening a store, and so on, which meant she needed to find someone else to help out.
Chao Lian was deft and skillful, an excellent candidate.
So, Qiao Duo’er said, "Chao Lian, would you like to come and help out at my place?"
"You little rascal, why do you have to make everything your business? They’re just two puppies, how precious can they be? Can’t you do your own chores at home?"
A voice suddenly erupted, and following it, they saw a woman who seemed quite fierce.
Chao Lian timidly replied, "I... I’ll go back right now."
Sun Erhu had mentioned Chao Lian’s background before. She was the child of Lin Jinshun’s late wife, who had died of complications during childbirth. Later, Lin Jinshun took another wife, probably the one in front of them now.
"Chao Lian, are you agreeing to what I’ve proposed?" Qiao Duo’er called out to Chao Lian.
Jiang’s Clan raised her eyebrows, "What were you discussing with my Chao Lian?"
She looked as if bracing for a fight. Chao Lian was fourteen this year and of marrying age, but Jiang had always held her back.
After all, Chao Lian was the one the household depended on for chores, and she could earn some money with her needlework.
"I asked Chao Lian to help out at my house," Qiao Duo’er replied noncommittally.
Jiang’s Clan’s spirits lifted, "From the Fourth Boss’s House, huh? You want my Chao Lian to help out, how much would you pay per month?"
"Mom, we’re all villagers here, why talk about money?" Chao Lian weakly protested.
Jiang’s Clan shot Chao Lian a glance. The girl was indeed a financial burden, thinking of working for someone else without pay!
Didn’t she have enough chores at home?
"I can give you ten Wen per day, you come at noon and stay for dinner."
Qiao Duo’er inwardly had little respect for Chao Lian’s stepmother, who she could tell was nothing but trouble.
Jiang’s Clan replied indignantly, "That sounds a bit mean, doesn’t it? You’re earning so much, and you only offer my Chao Lian ten Wen."
"Then I’ll have to find someone else."
Qiao Duo’er admitted that ten Wen was on the low side, but there were plenty of people in Big Willow Village who would be willing to help.
Most of the women in those days only earned a little money by selling their needlework, and even if they stitched from dawn till dusk, they might not make ten Wen.
Jiang’s Clan thought for a moment. If Chao Lian started at noon, she could still do some work in the morning and earn ten Wen. Surely it wasn’t a bad deal.
