Having received a specific address, Shiyan became cheerful again, " Aunt Yao, I haven't eaten breakfast yet, can I have a steamed bun?"
"Of course," she said. As long as she didn't have to call her "Mom," she would give up not just one steamed bun, but an entire steamer full of them.
Jin Shanyao bun, and almost bumped into Shiyan as she turned around. She had intended to give him a bun and send him away.
Shiyan awkwardly sat down next to Meng Anzhi and introduced himself, "Hello, I'm Meng Anci's classmate, my name is Shiyan."
Meng Anzhi nodded, "I know you. My younger brother was bullied by you on his first day at the academy, and your mother even brought people to block our way."
Shiyan's face flushed red, this time not from awkwardness, but from embarrassment... His eyes darted away, "I... I've changed. I don't bully people anymore."
Meng Anzhi smiled, "I know, that's why I gave you the purse last night." Her gaze swept over Shiyan's waist, and her smile became even more beautiful.
Shiyan was stunned, "Sister..."
"Who are you calling 'sister'? Stay away from her."
Meng Anci reached out and pulled Shiyan off the chair, shoving a steamed bun into his hand. "Come on, let's go to the academy."
"Sigh..." Shiyan tilted his head, wanting to say something to Meng Anzhi, but was pushed out of the Anzhi Hall by Meng Anci.
The two walked towards the academy together, Shiyan kept turning back, saying, "Your dog followed us out."
"It's alright, it's taking me to the academy."
Shiyan took two steps, then suddenly turned around and stomped his foot, trying to scare Dahuang away. But Big Yellow didn't even lift an eyelid and just followed behind Meng Anci.
"No, the way it looks at you doesn't look like it looks at its master."
What does it look like?
Shiyan turned his head and looked at it again, then said with certainty, "It looks like a bone, as if afraid someone else will snatch you away."
"Nonsense, I think you're the one who looks like bones."
"Believe it or not, I have four or five big dogs, and none of them have such sharp eyes as this one."
Meng Anci glanced at him leisurely, "That's because my dog never wags its tail and begs for mercy," he said, pointing at Shi Shiyan's hand as he walked two steps away.
"If you dare put your arm around my shoulder again, I'll unleash the dog on you. Then you'll know whether it considers me its master or not."
Shiyan is half a head taller Meng Anci and always likes to put his arm around Meng Anci's shoulder. Because of this, Meng Anci can eat half a bowl more rice every day.
The two of them entered the academy, chatting casually.
Time flew by and it was already mid-October, time for the busy farming season and the academy to close for the holidays.
At Lush Mountain, Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi, wearing straw hats and holding medicine hoes, had their brows furrowed tightly.
Looking at the workers, they sat in groups of three or five under the shade of the trees, drinking tea and chatting. My aunt said that we shouldn't bully those who do hard labor, but she didn't say that we should spoil them.
Meng Anzhi glanced at the shadows of the trees on the ground, walked over and smiled, "Uncle Wang, a few herbs fell from that medicinal field just now, look..."
Wang Zhuzi had dark skin and spoke in a rough voice, "Young boss, no matter how busy you are, you have to let people catch their breath, right?"
We just sat down and you came over to kick us out. Who's going to do your chores anymore?
Meng Anzhi suppressed her anger and said with a smile, "Uncle Wang, you've already rested four times in just half a day."
Wang Zhuzi was furious upon hearing this. "Young boss, what do you mean? So you're counting how many times we get a break? Everyone, listen to this! Is this the kind of boss you're talking about?"
His voice suddenly rose, and he pointed at Meng Anzhi, shouting at the crowd. Meng Anci's face immediately darkened, and he ran forward to shield Meng Anzhi behind him.
He roared, "But you've already rested for two quarters of an hour! At this rate, you won't have dug up a single basket before dark!"
Wang Zhuzi laughed heartily, "Young master, gathering herbs is a meticulous job, it can't be rushed. Besides, who am I doing this for? I don't want you to earn more."
If these herbs are damaged, you'll be the ones who suffer the loss.
Someone chimed in, "Exactly! Don't let your status as a small business owner fool you; you're too young and don't know anything."
A hint of sarcasm flashed in Meng Anzhi's eyes. " Wang Zhuzi, I call you Uncle. You don't really think I'm easy to bully, do you? No matter how young I am, I'm still the owner of Lush Mountain."
She grabbed the basket next to Wang Zhuzi and dumped it all on the ground, sending weeds, dirt, and herbs rolling out. "This is the meticulous work you were talking about."
Wang Zhuzi laughed sarcastically, "Young master, is it normal to get a little mud on your hands when digging for medicinal herbs?"
Meng Anzhi laughed in exasperation, mimicking his tone, "You slack off and waste herbs, so it's normal for your employer not to pay you, right?"
"What did you say?" Wang Zhuzi stood up abruptly, the seven-foot-tall man blocking Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci completely. He glared fiercely at Meng Anzhi.
"I, Wang Zhuzi, never work for free, and no one dares to withhold my wages."
Meng Anzhi resisted the urge to back away, looked up to meet his gaze, and said, word by word, "Not only do you not get paid, you also have to compensate me for the cost of the herbs."
Wang Zhuzi hadn't expected this girl to be unafraid of him and even dare to negotiate with him. He couldn't help but burst into laughter, "Little brat, aren't you afraid I'll crush you with one hand?"
Before he could finish speaking, a hoe struck him three inches below his navel. Meng Anci's eyes were filled with malice. "Believe it or not, I'll make sure you're childless."
He secretly resented his height, which meant he could only prevent Wang Zhuzi from having any descendants; he couldn't reach him even if he were taller.
Wang Zhuzi subconsciously took a half step back, a cold sweat instantly breaking out on his back. He hadn't even realized when the child had made his move, and the people around him burst into laughter.
" Zhuzi is no good; he's been outmaneuvered by those two kids."
Feeling humiliated, Wang Zhuzi's face darkened and his expression became ferocious. "I quit! Eighty coins a day, not a penny less! Pay me back right now!"
Meng Anzhi, "If you still want your wages, you'd better think about how to compensate for the herbs first."
"Damn it... Ugh..." Wang Zhuzi spat fiercely, "Two little brats who aren't even as tall as me stacked up dare to try and extort money from me? Don't they know how many eyes Lord Ma has?"
"Oh... how many eyes?"
Wang Zhuzi subconsciously turned his head and saw Jin Shanyao against a tree trunk with her arms crossed, staring at them with great interest. He didn't know how long she had been there.
Wang Zhuzi choked for a moment, then realized what was happening. "Boss, you've come at the right time! The two young bosses not only want to kick me out just because I rested for a while, but they also want me to pay for the medicine."
Jin Shanyao chuckled, "There's nothing we can do; they're your employer."
"What do you mean?" Wang Zhuzi was surprised that Jin Shanyao was siding with the two children. "It's the busy farming season now. If we leave, all your medicinal herbs will rot on the mountain."
"You don't need to worry about that. Just know that Lush Mountain belongs to the Anzhi Hall, Anzhi Hall belongs to Meng Anzhi, that's enough."
The crowd gasped in astonishment; it turned out that the mountain and the shop both belonged to the young master.
Jin Shanyao walked to the basket, looked at the ruined Bidens pilosa, and laughed, "Three coins a pound, I estimate it's only a dozen coins. Why don't you weigh it?"
Wang Zhuzi gritted his teeth, "I've never lost money on a job."
Jin Shanyao smiled and said, " Anzhi Hall is truly lucky to have you set a precedent."
As she spoke, she turned to Meng Anci and asked, "What does the law say about damaging the master's property?"
Meng Anci said crisply, " Sheng Dynasty Laws, those who discard, damage, or cut down trees or crops will have their stolen money counted as theft, but will be exempt from being flogged. Those who refuse to repay will be punished with thirty strokes of the cane and one year of imprisonment."
Upon hearing this, Wang Zhuzi turned pale, his neck stiffening, "A few tattered blades of grass aren't worth you reciting the law with me. How much? I'll give you."
Meng Anzhi glanced at the ground and estimated, "Sixty copper coins."
Wang Zhuzi wanted to curse him for trying to extort money, but then Jin Shanyao holding a whip in her hand. She flicked her sleeve, pulled out sixty coins, threw them on the ground, and turned to leave.
Meng Anzhi was about to bend down to pick it up when Jin Shanyao her way. She looked at Wang Zhuzi with a stern face.
"Pick it up, I don't want to do it a second time."
For some reason, Wang Zhuzi suddenly felt a sense of fear. He swallowed hard, bent down and picked up the copper coins one by one, handing them to Jin Shanyao.
Jin Shanyao to the side, revealing Meng Anzhi. Wang Zhuzi understood and quickly handed the money to Meng Anzhi before slinking down the mountain. This woman was too frightening.
The way he looks at people, especially his eyes, seems to be able to shatter their souls.