The Great Martial Saint!

Chen Ping'an hadn't even stepped into the courtyard when he was greeted by a tantalizing aroma wafting through the air.

"Little One, I'm back."

"Brother, you're back~ Come, have some water to soothe your throat."

Chen Erya came out to greet him, holding a bowl of clear water in her hands.

Chen Ping'an took the water and drank it all in one go.

"Ah~ My Sister is so thoughtful!"

As he spoke, Chen Ping'an began to take off his official uniform, chatting with Chen Erya.

The weather wasn't too hot yet, so he hadn't sweated much. He could wear the uniform again tomorrow without washing it.

Washing it every day would not only be troublesome but also wear out the fabric quickly.

He only had two sets, and if they got damaged, he would have to pay a fee to get a new one from the town's garrison office.

"Little One, did you eat properly today?"

"I did! I listened to you, brother. I even had beef for lunch."

"Hmm, good."

Chen Ping'an walked into the kitchen to check on the beef.

Hmm...

Seeing that the beef looked almost the same as yesterday, Chen Ping'an's expression darkened slightly.

"You ate? Why is there still so much left?"

"Ah..."

Chen Erya tried to brush it off with a laugh.

But Chen Ping'an wasn't having it.

Finally, Chen Erya had to confess. She had indeed eaten, but only a small slice.

"I wanted to save it for you, brother. You work so hard outside to support us. You should have the beef to nourish yourself."

"If I want to eat, I can just buy more! Besides, me eating and you eating don't have to be mutually exclusive!"

Chen Erya didn't respond, but Chen Ping'an knew what she was thinking.

It was all about the money! If they had enough silver, they wouldn't have to be so frugal.

Although Chen Ping'an had mentioned that he had a plan to repay the fourteen taels of silver owed to the Tiger Head Gang's Little Tiger, and Chen Erya believed him, the matter was still unresolved, and it weighed on her mind.

With this worry, Chen Erya naturally had to be careful with every penny.

"Yesterday, I told you not to skimp on lunch. But you didn't listen! Are you trying to upset me? And..."

The little girl didn't say a word, just blinked her big eyes and looked at him.

"You..."

Seeing Chen Erya's pitiful expression, Chen Ping'an couldn't bring himself to scold her further. He sighed deeply, the words he had intended to say stuck in his throat. He gently tapped Chen Erya's forehead with his finger, unable to continue reprimanding her.

In the end, it was because his monthly salary was too meager!

"Did you buy the pork leg I asked for yesterday?"

"Yes! I even bought some pig trotters to stew for you, brother. You're practicing martial arts now, so you need to eat more meat."

Chen Erya said with a bright smile.

In the past, they wouldn't have eaten like this. Every meal would have been rich with meat, but it was only in the last couple of days that Chen Ping'an had specifically instructed her to do so.

Chen Erya had already prepared dinner. Though she was only nine years old, she was skilled in all household chores. Her cooking was even on par with Chen Ping'an's.

As they chatted, they worked together to bring the dishes to the wooden table.

Tonight's dinner: a bowl of stewed pig trotters, a bowl of braised pork leg, a plate of green pepper scrambled eggs, a bowl of mushroom soup, and two bowls of white rice.

Extravagant!

Absolutely extravagant!

If they could enjoy such meals every day, they wouldn't trade it for being a god!

This level of dinner was something even the shop owners in the streets couldn't afford to have every day.

Many families in the neighborhood couldn't even dream of having meat in their meals, let alone the fine white rice they were eating. Some could only afford coarse rice mixed with husks, and others, with large families and few earners, struggled to even get by on coarse rice, resorting to eating bran.

Compared to them, Chen Ping'an and Chen Erya were undoubtedly fortunate.

With Chen Ping'an's position as a town garrison officer, they would never starve and could even enjoy meat occasionally.

This was why Chen's father, even on his deathbed, had exhausted all his resources and connections, even borrowing money, to secure a temporary position for Chen Ping'an.

With this position, their days of uncertainty were behind them. Their lives were finally looking up.

However, Chen Ping'an still needed to resolve the issue of the fourteen taels owed to the Tiger Head Gang.

"Little One, don't worry about the fourteen taels. I wasn't joking yesterday; I really have a plan to repay it."

During dinner, Chen Ping'an looked into Chen Erya's eyes and spoke earnestly.

"Mm, I believe you, brother. I know you weren't joking."

"Then you need to take care of yourself. Don't skimp on meals like you did today, eating just a small slice of beef. If we're short on money, just tell me. Once we repay the fourteen taels, with my salary, our lives will only get better. We can afford to be a bit more relaxed with our spending."

Chen Ping'an spoke seriously, and Chen Erya listened intently.

"Brother, I know. But even after repaying the fourteen taels, there are still big things we need to prepare for, and they'll cost money. I want to save as much as possible."

"What big things?"

Chen Ping'an asked curiously.

"Your marriage, brother. You're already nineteen, and next year you'll be twenty. I asked Granny Wang from Changqiao Lane, and she said that to marry a wife, you need at least ten taels of silver!

And my brother is so outstanding; we can't just marry any ordinary girl. So, ten taels isn't enough. We need at least twenty taels for your marriage. Mom passed away early, and there's no one at home to plan this for you, so it's up to me."

Chen Erya spoke confidently, clearly having thought this through. But her words nearly made Chen Ping'an spit out the mushroom soup he had just sipped.

"You little rascal, such a big thinker!"

Despite his words, Chen Ping'an felt a warm glow in his heart.

"My sister-in-law must be gentle and beautiful. So, even if you have a plan for the debt, we still need to save money!"

Chen Erya declared, puffing out her chest.

"Alright, alright!"

Chen Ping'an sighed in resignation.

He didn't argue with Chen Erya.

Since she had this on her mind, no amount of talking would change it. Instead of arguing, he would prove it through his actions.

After dinner, Chen Ping'an didn't help Chen Erya with the cleanup this time.

The door latch was still propped up with a stick of firewood, and he needed to find a suitable replacement. During his patrol earlier, he hadn't found anything suitable. Since there wasn't one, he decided to make one himself.

There was a piece of uncut wood at home that would work perfectly.

In the courtyard, he worked on the wood with a hatchet. In the kitchen, Chen Erya washed the dishes.

As they worked, their eyes occasionally met, and in those brief moments, they both felt an immense sense of peace.

Having family by your side—this feeling of companionship was truly priceless!

This feeling was worth more than gold!