Previously, whenever Zhu Cuiying visited Qiao Xiaomai's house, her small, mung bean-like eyes were always sizing up the three-tiled rooms with malignant intent, and her face was plastered with insatiable greed.
Now the situation had changed. On this visit, her pockmarked face was full of smiles. She sat properly, her eyes not straying around, "Xiaomai, your brother Dazhu's new house is finished. I'm planning on hosting a banquet to celebrate it tomorrow; make sure to come."
To build the new house for Qiao Dazhu, Zhu Cuiying had previously borrowed five taels of silver from Qiao Xiaomai
Last time when the spring tax was due, Qiao Changkang and his wife Wu Yinfeng, in an attempt to muzzle Zhu Cuiying and Qiao Changfu, gave them ten taels.
With fifteen taels of silver, in the countryside, one could build a decent house.
After more than a month, Zhu Cuiying and Qiao Changfu had built three tiled rooms, identical to the layout of Qiao Xiaomai's house.