"Even though my house is located in the village, it lies at the outer edge of Qinghe City, only half a day's walk away. It is perfect for low-income residents of Qinghe City. Living together with family inside the city costs a lot, but if their family lives here, they can visit them easily on the days they take leave.
Since our house has multiple rooms and a small courtyard, it is suitable for small trading families and can be rented out for two taels of silver per month.
The warehouse, on the other hand, is a very important asset left behind by my parents. They built it so they could buy and store rice, millet, wheat, cotton, ginger, and garlic, goods that are always in demand in Qinghe City and can also be purchased in this village. It was constructed using sturdy wood, tightly sealed to prevent rain leakage or damage, and heavily secured.
Because it is located outside the city, there is also the benefit of reduced taxes. Therefore, it can be rented for at least six taels of silver per month.
Finally, there are two mu of farmland. My parents purchased it for the purpose of renting it out to farmers. The land is well-drained and naturally sheltered from harsh winds by nearby hills. It is suitable for farming spices such as ginger, garlic, and turmeric, and the Qinghe River flows nearby. As such, the two mu of land can be rented for at least three taels of silver.
Lastly, I want Uncle Chen to help sell depreciating assets like the dried spices stored in the warehouse, silk clothing, and other items in the house… so I can—"
"WAIT! Stop for a moment!"
Uncle Chen cut me off mid-sentence.
For some reason, both he and Madam Liu were looking at me strangely, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.
"Mm?"
I looked at them in confusion.
They were just staring at me blankly without speaking.
Then it suddenly clicked for me, I had asked for a lot.
They must have thought that I didn't have that much money to begin with.
Realizing this, I took out the clay jar, placed it on the table, and said with a smug smile on my face,
"Uncle Chen, you don't have to worry about the money for your fee. I have eighteen taels of silver and hundreds of copper coins in this jar. If it's not enough, I can pay the rest with the rent afterward, so please don't worry…"
I assured them confidently, but the looks on their faces didn't change at all.
They both looked at each other.
Then Madam Liu dramatically placed her hands on her cheeks and said to Uncle Chen,
"Guangyi, I think I finally understand why you always wanted a son. To think even a boy younger than our Yulan could be this smart… Are all boys this intelligent?"
Uncle Chen immediately shook his head with intense denial.
"No, definitely not. I was once a child too, and I was never this thoughtful when I was young. This kid is the weird one…"
Weird…? Me?
I blinked blankly, completely confused.
What did they mean by weird?
Was I not normal?
Just as I was about to ask if there was any problem, a little girl, barely able to stand steadily, suddenly appeared in the hall, shouting, "Daddy!"
Seeing her, Uncle Chen immediately walked over and carefully lifted her into his arms.
Not long after, two more girls appeared.
One was taller than me, while the other looked slightly younger.
Uncle Chen introduced us to each other.
The youngest one was four years old, named Yuer.
The tallest was Yulan, fourteen years old, and the remaining one was Yuxin, eight years old.
Instead of continuing the discussion, Uncle Chen told me to stay in the house until his guards, Zhao Hu and Sun Tie arrives, the same names Madam Liu had mentioned earlier.
Madam Liu then prepared food for everyone: white rice, pickled mustard greens, and shredded chicken with ginger and scallions.
I tried to refuse politely, but my stomach growling loudly betrayed me.
Unable to resist the allure of the food, I ate everything they placed in front of me.
This brought smiles to both of their faces.
Madam Liu muttered softly,
"Now he really looks his age."
Uncle Chen nodded in agreement.
I asked hesitantly, "Am I not normal?"
They exchanged glances.
Instead of answering directly, Uncle Chen asked,
"How do you know so much about your parents' assets and their rental value?"
I didn't expect that question.
Without thinking, I almost blurted out the details I had gained from the Heavenly Ledger Eye.
I had assumed it was obvious that I knew about my parents' assets but judging by their reactions, that wasn't the case.
However, I couldn't tell them about the system or anything related to it.
That was a secret I couldn't reveal, or dangerous people might come after me.
So I said instead,
"I learned it from my parents. They told me everything about the assets and other related matters…"
"Were they also the ones who taught you about contracts and asset registration?"
I nodded in return.
"Do you know how to read and write?"
I nodded again.
"How about maths? Do you know how to calculate money?"
"I can do even complicated calculations," I said immediately, full of confidence.
I wasn't bluffing, I was telling the truth.
After I absorbed the red crystal into my forehead, I had already started doing even more complicated calculations in my mind.
Uncle Chen nodded repeatedly to himself before saying,
"When your parents were bragging about you before, I thought they were joking, exaggerating… but they weren't. You are definitely not normal."
I was genuinely confused.
In the memory of the kind man from the other world, everyone knew how to do these things at a very young age.
I found it normal; I might be a little smarter than most children, but definitely not weird.
Suddenly, the eldest daughter, Yulan, arrived and said in a loud, commanding tone,
"Did you say you can read, write, and do complicated maths?"
Looking into her fierce eyes, I didn't know what to say.
Was that a big deal?
My parents never made such a fuss about it.
Hesitantly, I nodded.
"You're lying! Even I, who went to a private school, haven't fully mastered this… How could you learn everything without a teacher?"
"I learned it from my parents…" I replied.
"Hmph… Wait here."
With that, she stomped away with a serious look on her face.
Uncle Chen didn't even try to stop her; he looked rather amused while eating his food.
Is it okay to stay silent when a child behaves like that?
I didn't know.
Not long after, she returned with three huge books.
She handed one to me and said,
"Read this."