Chen Daniu and Chen Fangfang visited Xu Chuan's home again, arriving just in time for lunch.
Bai Jing naturally welcomed them.
Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan weren't attending school, they were both studying at home in their spare time. Sometimes, the Chen siblings would bring textbooks and homework from school for the two brothers to reference.
It must be said that both Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan were quite intelligent.
Their knowledge was no worse than the others, and they had even broader perspectives.
Tempering themselves through real-life experiences had polished them to be even more exceptional.
Three days later, in the evening.
Chen Ergou stepped through the evening glow carrying a bottle of excellent yellow grain wine as he entered the Xu family's courtyard.
"Sister-in-law, has Brother Chuan returned?"
"My husband should be back in a little while. If you need to see him, sit down and wait a bit, and stay for dinner while you're at it."
"Thank you, sister-in-law. This is good wine I stole from my father, he's been hiding it for over ten years and doesn't have much left."
Bai Jing smiled in surprise, took the wine and brought it inside, then brought out a stool for him.
Chen Ergou looked at Xu Mingyuan's characters and nodded, saying, "Much better than my Daniu's. Sister-in-law, you really know how to teach."
"I don't have that ability. It's all your Brother Chuan teaching them by hand. I just supervise them completing the homework my husband assigns them each day."
"Brother Chuan's level of learning, he could be a teacher at school."
Bai Jing giggled. Hearing others praise her husband naturally made her heart happy.
"What are you chatting about so happily? Ergou's here?"
Chen Ergou turned his head to look, and saw Xu Chuan and Xu Mingwei both carrying hoes with their pants rolled up as they approached.
Xu Mingwei was also carrying an iron bucket in his hand.
"Brother Chuan, you're back."
Xu Mingwei handed the iron bucket to Bai Jing and smiled honestly, saying, "Mother, I caught quite a few river snails with Father today."
"Tsk, quite a lot indeed." Bai Jing smiled faintly, "But the river snails need to be kept for a day or two, otherwise they'd be perfect as drinking snacks for your father and Uncle Ergou right now."
"You have something to tell me? Let's talk inside, dinner will probably be a while yet."
Chen Ergou nodded.
At this moment, Xu Mingxuan saw Xu Chuan return and ran over with quick steps, wanting Xu Chuan to play with him.
Xu Mingwei picked up Xu Mingxuan, "Tantou, big brother will play with you. Big brother will show you some boxing."
"Yes, yes, I want to watch boxing." Xu Mingxuan clapped his hands happily.
Bang bang bang~
As Xu Mingwei practiced his boxing, the air erupted with a series of explosive sounds.
Chen Ergou was startled and stared at Xu Mingwei in the courtyard for quite a while.
"Brother Chuan, Shitou is remarkable. He feels like a martial artist. I'm afraid in just a few years, he'll be able to become a true martial artist."
Chen Ergou's perspective was ultimately limited.
If his older brother were here, he would have seen at a glance that Xu Mingwei was already a martial artist who had generated internal energy.
He only needed to open thirty-six acupoints to become a third-rate martial artist.
After several years, Chen Daming, now in his thirties, was still only a second-rate martial artist.
Although he had talent in martial arts, it could only be considered average. Throughout his life, he would probably reach only the realm of a second-rate martial artist.
"My brother said you couldn't practice that Lesser Dragon Elephant Technique, but I think it's his own talent that's not high enough."
Chen Ergou laughed twice, "Next time I see him, I must mock him properly. I wonder how his green jade pear tree is growing."
"Alright, let's talk business. What did you come to see me about today?"
Chen Ergou said, "It's about what Ahyuan mentioned to my two boys the other day. I think it's very suitable."
"Now, the Xu family has already been developed by you to a certain scale. If you want to expand further, you definitely can't manage everything by yourself. You also know I'm rather free, so I can handle matters you don't have time for."
"This way, everyone will be happy."
"Uncle Chen agrees?"
"My father thinks very highly of you. As soon as I told him, he agreed and even said I'd finally gotten some sense."
Xu Chuan smiled slightly, "So how do you plan to cooperate?"
"Let's choose the second option. I'll sell products from both our families. Your family's profits all go to your family, and for my family's profits, we'll split them seventy-thirty."
"Thirty percent of the profits, that's no small amount. Are you really willing?"
Chen Ergou patted his chest, "Even forty percent would be fine."
"I appreciate your kindness."
"Brother Chuan, you won't agree?" Chen Ergou became a bit flustered.
"No, I mean to say twenty percent is enough. You handle the planting of the fields yourselves, it doesn't matter how much. I'll only provide guidance. Your family handles the selling, but my family will also send someone."
"It's not that I don't trust you, but this way it's fair."
"Brother Chuan, you'll personally take action? Can you manage it?"
"Of course not me, it's my Ahyuan." Xu Chuan smiled, "He has considerable talent in commerce. Letting him spare time to run around with you and broaden his horizons is very good training."
"Ahyuan is indeed excellent. If he hadn't suggested this, I absolutely would never have thought of it."
Xu Chuan nodded, "Also, I suggest you find your brother and hire a few honest, trustworthy martial artists during those days of selling, in case any accidents happen."
"Brother Chuan, your thinking is thorough." After careful consideration, Chen Ergou said, "I heard my father mention recently that there's been a disaster to the west, and quite a few refugees are heading toward our area."
"Is that so?"
Xu Chuan narrowed his eyes, feeling that when he had time he should divine whether this matter was auspicious or inauspicious.
Recently he'd been busy with farm work, so he'd only been using his divination for things like today's weather.
After the two families agreed on their cooperation, Chen Ergou's anxious heart finally settled down. He thought to himself that when he went back tonight, he could finally sleep peacefully.
That evening, Chen Ergou drank himself into a stupor, and it was Xu Mingwei who helped him home. However, on the road, suddenly a figure sprang out, and a club struck Xu Mingwei on the head, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.
His hand loosened, and Chen Ergou fell directly to the ground with a cry of pain.
Xu Mingwei covered his head and turned to look carefully.
Though the night was hazy, he also had a pair of uncommon eyes.
He saw in the dark corner a beggar in tattered clothes, holding a wooden stick, his body trembling slightly, his eyes glowing green like a hungry wolf as he stared at Xu Mingwei.
Seeing that his full-strength strike had no real effect on the other person, his eyes were filled with disbelief.
"Who are you?" Xu Mingwei shouted loudly.
As soon as the words fell, the disheveled beggar turned and ran.
Xu Mingwei wanted to give chase, but Chen Ergou was hugging his leg and wouldn't let go, shouting, "Wife, wife."
Xu Mingwei couldn't possibly leave Chen Ergou alone there, so he helped him up and sent him home. Then, he didn't forget to remind Xu Yan not to go out casually at night, saying that he himself had been clubbed.
If not for his good physical condition, the two of them would probably have had all their valuables robbed, and might even have been in mortal danger.
"So that's what happened. Then Shitou, you be careful going back too."
After Xu Mingwei returned home, he also told Xu Chuan about this matter.
"A beggar?"
"Looks like things are going to be chaotic for a while."
"Don't go out at night recently unless necessary."
"Understood, Father."