Good Relatives to Recognize

When Uncle Arthur's family heard the news, they all thought, "Lily's really got a good heart—she's made a fortune, but still keeps her relatives close. That's what you call family!"

Uncle Arthur was so thrilled he nearly danced a jig. That very night, he announced he'd personally take charge of renovating Lily's shop on Tenmile Hill. Lily wouldn't have to spend a single coin or lift a finger—the Evans family would handle everything, top to bottom.

Lily was touched by Uncle Arthur's generosity. He insisted that since scholars loved a bit of sophistication, the décor should be elegant and refined—nothing like your run-of-the-mill eatery. It should look more like a study, so all the learned folks could gather and chat about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

And the food prices? Oh, they'd be at least five times higher than the average joint. As Arthur Evans put it, anyone coming for a fancy Vegetarian Banquet wasn't worried about money—a hundred or two hundred taels for a meal was pocket change to them! Price it too low, and they'd think it was beneath their status.

Lily had seen plenty of high-end restaurants like this in her previous life—her family had opened several across the country. So when Uncle Arthur brought it up, it was exactly what she had in mind. She felt even more confident letting him handle the whole renovation.

That night, Arthur Evans was so happy he drank a few extra cups. Lying in bed, he hugged his wife and couldn't stop marveling, "Darling, coming here to reconnect with family was the best move ever. Otherwise, how would we have met Second Sister-in-law and Lily's wonderful bunch?"

Mrs. Charlotte Evans covered her mouth, stifling a giggle. She thought about it and had to agree—it was pure luck. Sure, the Evans family had been tricked at first and lost a few hundred taels, but for them, that was just spare change.

But thanks to that, they'd seen people's true colors and gained a niece like Lily—capable, sharp, and full of heart. Absolutely worth it!

Charlotte smiled as she massaged Arthur's temples, her voice soft and warm. "That's right, this is the kind of family we should treasure! Darling, I can tell Lily's not meant for an ordinary life. Sure, her family's just getting started and can't match our Fortune & Grace business yet, but with her clever mind and people skills, I bet she'll outshine us in a few years. When that day comes, our families will support each other. When Jack and Jill grow up, we'll hand them a thriving legacy—our descendants will never want for anything. That would put my mind at ease."

Arthur replied, "Darling, Jack is almost old enough for school. Once Phoenix Academy opens, why don't we look into sending him there?"

Mrs. Evans smiled and said, "Jack is still just a kid, ah, I really can't bear to let him go. But boys need a bit of hardship, don't they? So, when spring comes next year, we'll send Jack Evans to Phoenix Academy. If Jack makes something of himself and earns a scholarly title, our ancestors in heaven will be so proud!"

Early the next morning, Arthur Evans was up and out, busy overseeing the renovations for the Vegetarian Bistro. Lily Evans tried to hand him some silver, but Arthur refused no matter what. He said his own house was under renovation anyway, and the skilled craftsmen he'd brought from Jiangnan could just work at Tenmile Hill too. He insisted on covering all the costs himself!

Lily Evans couldn't win the argument, so she just kept thanking him and let Uncle Arthur get on with his business. Meanwhile, she took Lucky and Belle out to the fields to prepare for planting mushrooms and greenhouse vegetables.

Belle had already gotten the soil and mushroom spores ready beforehand. She and Lily taught the farmhands how to care for the mushrooms. Thanks to all her hard training, Belle was now more than capable of managing things on her own.

Lily Evans and Lucky sat off to the side, watching Belle instruct the workers. Belle was incredibly patient—even when some of the farmhands were a little slow, she explained things over and over until everyone got it.

The more Lily watched Belle, the more delighted she felt. She thought to herself, 'This girl is truly a gem—saving her was absolutely worth it. If I keep training her, Belle will become my indispensable partner in business.'

But at that moment, Lily Evans had no idea that, behind the far-off hillside, a pair of sneaky, lustful eyes were secretly fixed on Belle...