My Taoist nun girlfriend is from the Republic of China era, 1942.

Chapter 40 Bookkeeping
At dinner time, Chen Xiaomiao brought the last dish of stir-fried vegetables to the table, wiped her fingertips on her apron, and called out to the study as usual, "Lu Yuan, dinner's ready..."

Compared to usual, Chen Xiaomiao's voice was much softer today, as if she was unsure of herself.

Lu Yuan walked out of the study, pulled out a chair and sat down. He looked up and saw Chen Xiaomiao still standing by the table, her hands folded in front of her lower abdomen, looking like a little wife waiting to be scolded.

"What are you standing for? Sit down."

Lu Yuan nodded his chin toward the chair opposite him.

Chen Xiaomiao slowly sat down, her bottom barely touching the edge of the chair, her back ramrod straight.

She took a deep breath and mustered her courage: "Lu Yuan, I... I shouldn't have acted so impulsively this afternoon. It was my fault."

"Eh!?"

Lu Yuan had just picked up his chopsticks when he heard this and was taken aback.

He didn't expect Chen Xiaomiao to calm down so quickly and even take the initiative to apologize.

This was the first time Lu Yuan had ever seen Chen Xiaomiao angry.

Although the girl neither cried nor made a fuss, but just worked hard, Lu Yuan could still feel her emotions.

Lu Yuan asked calmly, "Xiao Miao, why are you angry?"

"I...I'm just...I'm just a little worried."

"What are you worried about?"

"Worry……"

Chen Xiaomiao paused for a moment, and when she spoke again, it was with a kind of resolute determination that seemed almost like she was going all out.

"I know I'm just a woman and shouldn't meddle in your affairs, but I still have to give you some advice!"
Don't associate with those disreputable women outside, and definitely don't marry one of them! That...that's absolutely unacceptable!

Lu Yuan was both amused and exasperated: "I only chatted with her for a couple of minutes, how come I'm already thinking of marrying her as my wife?"

Seeing Lu Yuan's dismissive attitude, Chen Xiaomiao frowned in distress.

“There’s a guy in my temple named Chen Xiaogu. His father thought he was smart back then, and that he was just playing around with women from brothels.”

But in the end, he was bewitched by the woman from the brothel and insisted on marrying her. As a result, his family was thrown into chaos, and in the end, his family was ruined, and he... well..."

Seemingly feeling that what she was about to say was too ominous, Chen Xiaomiao swallowed it back and emphasized it again.

"Anyway, you shouldn't get involved with that kind of woman. Take my advice!"

Lu Yuan didn't answer immediately, but just quietly looked at Chen Xiaomiao's cheeks, which were flushed with excitement, and his foxy eyes were filled with pure worry.

Is it jealousy? Perhaps just a tiny bit.

But Lu Yuan could understand that what this girl felt more like an instinctive panic.

She was terrified that she would be led astray by a "bad woman," and she was terrified that the peaceful life she had finally achieved would be disrupted.

You should know that Chen Xiaomiao still holds onto the old-fashioned ideas of "three obediences and four virtues" and "men are in charge of external affairs and women are in charge of internal affairs."

Therefore, she didn't dare to really lose her temper in front of Lu Yuan, and could only express her slight dissatisfaction by sulking and doing housework.

That "admonition" she just gave required immense courage; it was an "overstepping" of her dignity that she dared to utter.

Seeing that Lu Yuan remained silent for a long time, Chen Xiaomiao's courage, which had just been mustered, shrank back, and her heart gradually rose to her throat.

Is Lu Yuan angry?

Will you think I'm being ungrateful and nosy?

Oh no, oh no, what if he kicks me out...?

Just as Chen Xiaomiao was lost in thought and her palms were sweating, Lu Yuan finally nodded.

"Well, I listen to you."

Just one sentence, nothing else?

Chen Xiaomiao froze, blinked incredulously, and cautiously probed, "You... don't have anything else to say?"

Lu Yuan picked up his chopsticks, placed some ribs in her bowl, and teased, "What do you think I should say? Scold you and tell you you're meddling? Or... like you used to do, slap you twice to teach you a lesson?"

Chen Xiaomiao's face flushed bright red instantly, burning from her cheeks all the way to her ears, and a thin layer of pink rose on her neck.

She didn't say anything, but quickly lowered her head to pick at the rice in her bowl, her appearance clearly indicating that she had indeed thought so.

Dinner ended in an eerie yet harmonious atmosphere.

Lu Yuan slumped back onto the sofa, scooped the dog into his arms, and idly petted it while scrolling through his phone screen with his other hand, checking the latest financial news.

After quickly tidying up the kitchen, Chen Xiaomiao took out a brand-new hardcover notebook, sat upright on the small stool in front of the coffee table, and began to scribble and write.

The living room was quiet, with only the occasional contented hum of an idiot and the scratching sound of a pen nib across paper.

After about fifteen minutes, Chen Xiaomiao stopped writing, picked up her notebook, and handed it to Lu Yuan.

"Lu Yuan, take a look, this is half a month's expenses."

Lu Yuan put down his phone and took the homework. The paper was written in delicate, elegant calligraphy, and the accounts were clearly categorized and listed.
-
**Rice, Flour, and Cooking Oils:** Rice: 68.5 yuan per bag; Flour: 42 yuan per bag; Oil: 39.8 yuan per bottle; Salt, Sugar, Soy Sauce, Vinegar, etc.: 27.3 yuan.
**Meat, Eggs, and Vegetables**: Pork 85.6, two trays of eggs 28, various vegetables (cucumber, potato, leafy greens, green beans, etc.) 176.4-
**Fruit Snacks**: Apples and bananas 32.5, watermelon 25-
**Daily Necessities**: Dishwashing liquid 9.9, garbage bags 5.5, dog food refill pack 58-
**Other miscellaneous items:** 12
The last line is the total: **Total expenditure: 610.5 yuan**.

Next is the income:
-
**Lu Yuan's living expenses:** 2300-
**Chen Xiaomiao's Income**: 300-
**Total Revenue**: 2600-
**Surplus**: 1989.5
Lu Yuan glanced at it and knew what was going on.

The bulk of the expenses are for food and drinks, which is normal, but...

Lu Yuan's gaze fell on the line for "miscellaneous expenses".

If it were anyone else, they wouldn't even blink at ten or so yuan.

But this account was kept by Chen Xiaomiao. A girl who would record even five yuan and fifty cents for a garbage bag, what "odds and ends" could she possibly gloss over?
Lu Yuan asked curiously, "What did you buy with those twelve yuan in odds and ends?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Xiaomiao's expression changed.

Her eyes darted around, and she stammered, "I...I just bought some...little things...not worth mentioning..."

Seeing that she looked like she'd been caught red-handed, Lu Yuan roughly understood what was going on and didn't press the matter further.

These days, the online world is so flashy and sophisticated, with big data providing precise recommendations. Who knows what gadgets this girl might like?

Lu Yuan handed the notebook back to Chen Xiaomiao and changed the subject: "The accounts are fine, just remember them, but there's something I need to make clear to you."

The money I gave you is for household expenses. Keep the three hundred you earn as your own savings; don't combine them.

"No! No!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaomiao immediately became agitated and retorted righteously: "I live in your house, eat and drink your food, and I'm already taking advantage of you for nothing. How could I possibly save money on my own?"
I can't keep wasting your money, that's not right!

Lu Yuan knew she would react this way, so he patiently persuaded her: "How can this be considered a waste of money? You buy groceries, cook, clean, take care of that idiot every day... and keep the house in perfect order. Aren't these chores?"

"Can……"

"How about this."

Seeing that he couldn't persuade them, Lu Yuan proposed a compromise.

“From now on, we’ll split household expenses 80/20, I’ll pay 80% and you pay 20%. For example, if we spend 610.5 yuan this month, I’ll pay 488.4 yuan and you’ll pay 122.1 yuan, okay?”

Chen Xiaomiao counted on her fingers, but still kept shaking her head: "How could I possibly take such a big advantage..."

"How is that taking advantage?"

Lu Yuan continued to coax him gently: "First of all, I'm a grown man, and I eat twice as much as you. Secondly, you're busy at home every day, while I just eat what's served to me."

So, if you calculate it this way, it's actually me who benefits by having to pay 20%.

Chen Xiaomiao was a little dizzy from Lu Yuan's rambling. She was fiddling with the edge of her notebook, her mind still in turmoil.

Seeing that things were about right, Lu Yuan finally made the decision: "It's settled then! Do you want me to feel uneasy about it?"

That's not what I meant...

"That's fine."

After Lu Yuan coaxed and persuaded her, Chen Xiaomiao finally gave up and reluctantly agreed with a soft "hmm" like a mosquito's hum.

(End of this chapter)