The attic connects the past and present; I became a tycoon and got rich overnight!

Chapter 109 Settling the Little Beggar (Part Two)
After the mud dolls washed themselves clean in the river, Song Youan was able to see their appearance clearly for the first time.

Yuan Baosheng had thick eyebrows and bright eyes, and his appearance was very handsome.

Erliang was tall and slender with small eyes and several black moles on his face.

The other boys all had a robust and chubby appearance, but their names were chosen haphazardly, such as Gouzi (Dog), Menbing (Bunny Pancake), and Tieshuan (Iron Bolt), which sounded terrible.

Song Youan gave the three boys new names, using the surname Yuanbao.

Yuanfu, Yuanshou, Yuanxiao.

The boy's name carries auspicious meanings: "Fu" for good fortune, "Shou" for longevity, and "Xiao" for the clouds. It also reflects Song You'an's expectations for them.

Besides Cai Cai, there were two eight-year-old girls who didn't know their own names, so Song You'an gave them new names: Yuan Sui and Yuan Qing.

The girls all looked very frail. Both the tassels and the purse are easy-to-grow plants, which is also Song You'an's blessing to them.

Erliang was the name he was born with, and Song Youan didn't want to change it. But when he saw that his sister had given everyone else new names, he insisted on changing his own.

Helpless, Song Youan had no choice but to give Erliang a formal name, Yuanshun, while keeping Erliang as his nickname, since this name was the only thing his biological parents had left him.

"With your new names, you're now a real family. Let's work hard together to live a good life!" Song Youan said, looking at the children.

The children were very happy and nodded vigorously.

After leaving the dilapidated temple, Song Youan took the children to a fabric shop in Kyoto.

When the shopkeeper saw a group of ragged children suddenly rush in, he instinctively came forward to chase them away.

"You lot are not allowed to come in. You're all dirty and will get my cloth dirty again."

A sharp shout made the children, who had been full of enthusiasm, stop in their tracks and take a few steps back with fear on their faces.

Seeing this, Song Youan sighed silently, though she could understand the shopkeeper's situation.

She stepped forward and said, "Shopkeeper, measure these children and make two sets of summer clothes for each of them."

Before the shopkeeper could speak, Song You'an had already taken the initiative to show a fifty-tael silver note.

Needless to say, money is the foundation.

Sure enough, the other party's eyes lit up the moment he saw the silver note, and his attitude changed completely: "Miss, please come in. What kind of fabric would you like to use to make new clothes for these children? Our cloth shop uses only the best fabrics. You won't find another shop like it in the whole capital."

Song Youan casually replied, "The material and style are up to their preference."

"Alright, alright, please rest for a bit, I'll have someone take the children to choose the materials right away."

When the children heard that they could choose the fabric and color themselves, they perked up again. However, they also knew that their older sister was paying for it, so they subconsciously chose the cheaper fabrics and only picked the colors they liked.

Song Youan did not stop them. They were only about to shed their beggar status, and there was no need to give them the best all at once.

It will only make sense for them to use their earnings to buy better things in the future.

After taking turns measuring the garment, the shopkeeper gave Song You'an a written receipt, which she could use to pick up the finished garment from the fabric shop in three days.

However, the scene of Song You'an leading the beggars to buy cloth and make clothes was witnessed by Cuizhu, who came to check the accounts. This cloth shop was a business of the Marquis of Fuyang's mansion, and Zhu Ling, as a young lady, could not be present in person, so many things were done by Cuizhu.

She was in the back room and did not show herself to greet Song You'an. She just watched curiously as Song You'an chatted and laughed with a group of half-grown beggars.

She remembered that a few days ago, Miss Liu had specifically visited their young lady to mention that Miss Song was associating with a group of beggars, but she never expected that she would see it with her own eyes today.

So when I got back, I told the young lady about it.

"A beggar again?" Zhu Ling frowned, looking worried. "Miss Song hasn't come to talk to me for several days. I thought it was because she didn't want to go out due to the constant rain. How did she end up with a beggar again?"

“This servant does not know, but although those beggars were dressed in tattered clothes, they looked very clean, as if they had just washed themselves,” Cuizhu said.

Zhu Ling sighed: "I don't know what she's thinking. Beggars are all unregistered people without identities. If Miss Song gets into trouble because of her good deeds, it will be a loss for her."

"I didn't think those little beggars meant any harm. They were just kids, all thin and pale from hunger," Cuizhu recalled.

Zhu Ling was still a little worried, so she immediately ordered, "Send someone to keep an eye on the movements of those little beggars, and also find out what Miss Song is up to. If there is any trouble, remember to come back and tell me."

"Yes, slave, go right away."

In Yunli Lane, the courtyard at the end of the lane has been cleaned up spotlessly.

Since it was already a fairly well-maintained courtyard, there wasn't much that needed repair; only the east and west wing rooms had new kang beds built.

There are two small houses side by side against the wall, one is a kitchen and the other is a storage room.

The central courtyard is spacious and clean, and there is a weeping willow tree outside the main gate.

When Song Youan arrived with her people, they just happened to catch Wu Fangsi's people leaving.

"Miss Song, right? This courtyard is all set up. The kang (heated brick bed) is newly built and needs to be aired out for three to five days. You can't sleep on it for the next few days." The other person recognized Song You'an and couldn't help but give her a few words of advice.

Song Youan smiled and agreed. After seeing the person off, she looked at her younger siblings and said, "This will be your new home from now on. Boys will have one room and girls will have one room."

The children ran around the yard happily, glancing at this house and then at that house, jumping and skipping with excitement.

"Sister, from now on we can sleep in a house that doesn't let in the wind or rain, and we won't be afraid of getting cold anymore," Yuanbao said excitedly to Song Youan.

Song Youan smiled and nodded, instructing the group to sort out the purchased bedding first. They would have to sleep on the floor for the next few days until the heated kang was completely dry.

After everyone had settled in, Song Youan called them all to the courtyard.

"I will bring some things over in a few days. You can take these things to the city to sell, two people per group, one small stall in each of the four cardinal directions."

Erliang raised his hand, looking somewhat embarrassed, and said, "Sister, we've never sold anything before, and those younger ones can't even calculate money properly."

They were all illiterate, and their basic arithmetic skills were limited to coins and ounces, and even then, they couldn't guarantee they wouldn't make mistakes.

Upon hearing this, Song Youan smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, I've already thought of a solution for you. Someone will be in charge of calculating the costs for you."

Upon hearing this, the group all showed expressions of joy. Yuanbao even said, "Sister, you don't need to pay us wages. We should repay you!"