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When he returned, he enjoyed being with his wife. He would make tea for her while watching her read.

He handled all the household matters, allowing her to relax.

He embraced the role of an exemplary husband. This made Qiao Mai content. Naturally, when her husband had needs at night, she would satisfy him.

Yuan Jiaqi constantly chastised himself, as he had promised not to be captivated by the allure of women. While marital intimacy was normal between a husband and wife, he could not control himself when he approached Qiao Mai.

He did not realize he was falling deeply in love.

Only when he likes something or someone so much would he be unable to resist wanting it repeatedly, as if wanting to incorporate it into his very being.

Just like a beloved pet, when you love it, you can’t help but shower it with affection, wanting to kiss and cuddle it as if you wish to embed it deep into your very being.

During the day, when he watched Qiao Mai read earnestly, he couldn’t help but think about their intimate moments.

So, he often found excuses to go outside and avoid turning into a lustful tiger, wanting to satisfy himself without end.

Qiao Mai saw through him but didn’t expose him. She waited until he escaped before indulging in gentle laughter.

In the middle of December, Mayor Qian’s health had recovered. To express his gratitude to Qiao Mai, he prepared many gifts and personally visited Lucky Garden.

“Madam Qiao, I must sincerely thank you!”

“No need to be so polite. Our families have had a good relationship for so many years. Having you as the mayor is much better than anyone else. I wouldn’t want you to suffer because of your illness!”

“Haha, I’ll take your good wishes. I must live to be eighty.”

“Better prepare for your wedding soon. This way, Sanniang won’t be lonely by herself at home.’

“It must be done. I’ve waited for her so many years.”

“Do you need any help?”

“You just have to prepare for the wedding. When the time comes, you can attend.”

Qiao Mai glanced at the pile of gifts in the living room and pointed at them.

“This doesn’t seem like your style. Is something going on?”

Mayor Qian chuckled and handed over a few sheets of paper from his sleeve. Qiao Mai looked at him and took them.

“Oh, ten thousand taels of silver notes, and ten of them at once. What do you want?”

“I’d like two boxes of the pill you gave me. Do you have it?”

“Who’s it for?”

“My older brother. He’s like me. After the funeral, he’s on the brink. My older brother is the head of our Qian family, and we can’t do without him.”

“How old is he?” “Almost sixty.”

“Wait a moment!”

Qiao Mai returned to her room, entered the space, refined a few more pills similar to the one, placed them in a jade box, and handed them to him when she returned. “Are you sure he’s similar to you?”

“Absolutely!”

“Then give it a try. It won’t harm him; it can only bring benefits.”

“If his condition improves, I’ll give you another hundred thousand taels of silver.”

“Stop talking about money. Your one hundred thousand taels of silver wouldn’t even cover the cost of one pill. If I didn’t consider you a friend, I wouldn’t have given you this pill.”

Mayor Qian took a sharp breath, “Is this medicine that expensive?”

“It’s a lifesaving medicine. There’s only one in the world, and you think it shouldn’t be expensive?”

“It should be expensive.”

“Also, I want a peaceful life. I don’t want others to know about this pill.”

“I understand. Rest assured; I’ll only save my older brother with it. As long as he gets better, I won’t tell anyone, no matter what they ask.”

“You’re a sensible person.”

After seeing off Mayor Qian, Qiao Mai had her servants move the gifts into her room.

She selected a few to give to Old Mistress Wang and put some in the space for Greeny to take care of. She kept a set of red-gold jewelry and stored the rest in the warehouse.

She would pass the silver to Yuan Jiaqi.

Holding the jewelry set, she put on her coat and went to the front store. Madam Liu Qiao was sitting there talking to the matchmaker.

“The family you mentioned, the Dong family, I’ve inquired about them. They look decent, have good character, and my daughter is happy with them.”

“Oh, sister, you’ve set your sights on this family?”

“Yes.”

“Their family is the worst-off among the ones I mentioned. Why are you interested in them?”

“It’s because of their good character.”

“True, when marrying into a family, it’s not just about their social status; character matters. Alright, since you’ve chosen the Dong family, I’ll make sure to match it properly. Do you have any requests?”

“As long as their family is genuinely interested in marrying, we can negotiate everything. ”

Just as they were talking, Qiao Mai called from the doorway.

“Aunt, are you inside?”

When Madam Liu Qiao heard Qiao Mai’s voice, she happily rushed out and grabbed her hand to bring her inside.

“If you have something to tell me, you can have someone relay it. It’s so cold, but you still came here.”

“I was free and wanted to take a walk.’

When the matchmaker saw Qiao Mai, she instantly smiled brightly.

“Madam Qiao, hello.”

“Please have a seat. Is it for my sister’s marriage proposal?”

“Yes, yes!”

Qiao Mai gave the gift box from her arms to Madam Liu Qiao. “This is a set of red-gold jewelry I thought looked nice. You can give it to Liu Ye as a dowry; it’s not an additional charge.”

Madam Liu Qiao joyfully accepted it. “Thank you, Mai.”

“Are you satisfied with it?”

Madam Liu Qiao opened the box, almost drooling. It was a set of red-gold jewelry, glittering with golden radiance.

“Isn’t this too valuable?” “Just take it; you don’t have to be polite with me.”

“I’m not being polite at all!”

At this moment, Liu Ye came in. She had heard Qiao Mai’s voice and immediately embraced her arm affectionately.

“Cousin!”

“I came to see if you have a family in mind.”

Liu Ye blushed. Madam Liu Qiao hurriedly closed the gift box lid.

“In Tianhe Town, there is a family surnamed Dong. They run a grocery store, and there are two brothers in the family with a younger sister. The one we are considering is the second son. He’s upright, has studied, and knows how to read. The younger sister isn’t married yet, but she will be soon. The family gets along well. The older brother manages the shop, and he is the accountant. The family has never had a conflict and are easy to get along with.”

“You investigated them?”

“Yes.”

“I won’t interfere in your family matters. If you think they are suitable, then they are.”

She had learned her lesson from the incident with Lu Ruxin. She spoke out of turn a few times, and it ended up causing trouble. It seemed like she had done something bad.

Qiao Mai only stayed for a short while before leaving. The matchmaker left soon after. Madam Liu Qiao happily handed the gift box to Liu Ye.

“Your cousin gave you this as a dowry, so keep it in reserve. This set of jewelry is valuable.”

“Cousin is so good to our family.”

Madam Liu Qiao pursed her lips. “If our family were like your uncle’s, she would have severed ties long ago. Mother has seen it. She only interacts with kind-hearted families. You’ve been in town for so long; didn’t you notice?”

“I’ve noticed it long ago. Everyone who interacts with cousin’s family would subsidize the commoners.”

“When our family buys a house and doesn’t need to worry about money, we should also set up a charity. You must remember to interact more with your cousin and let her guide you. You mustn’t be as obstinate as the older child from the Lu family.”

“I understand, Mother!”

Lu Ruxin hadn’t been seen for a long time. Since leaving the Lu family, she bought a house in the capital.

The three years of drought hurt her small business. The cost of water in the city was incredibly high, and the amount of water she used in her shops was significant. This increased her water expenses, evident in the store selling cold noodles. If she didn’t raise the prices, her profits would be meager. Unfortunately, fewer people could afford them during those times.

Her customer base gradually dwindled. Few people had the luxury of eating cold noodles when they couldn’t even access clean drinking water.

Those who could still afford were from wealthy families. Now that the water supply was more stable, her prices had returned to before.

Her business had improved, but it hadn’t returned to its peak. She was making money, but not as much as before..