Chapter 178 Er Ya's Business

"What are you two sisters plotting?" Xia Qianqian walked over with a laundry basin, teasing them on purpose.

Er Ya winked at Da Ya and announced loudly, "We're going to do business! Make a lot of money!"

Daya smiled with her lips pursed, her little face flushed, clearly also infected by her younger sister's ambition.

Xia Qianqian put down the basin, squatted down and ruffled the hair of the two children, her eyes full of indulgence: "Okay, but you have to remember, if you make money, you have to split it equally with your sister, and if you lose money, you're not allowed to cry."

"I know!" Er Ya patted her chest confidently, "We'll definitely make money!"

Watching the two sisters chattering away, Xia Qianqian thought to herself: No matter what the two sisters are up to, I, as their mother, will always cover for them.

As the year draws to a close, the harvest in the fields this year may not be as good as in previous years, but the farmers all have their own standards. Even if they have to tighten their belts and eat sweet potato chips for a month, they will still have to save up for the New Year's mixed flour steamed buns and fried meatballs.

The children were already counting down the days.

Even if parents are tight on money, they still have to buy their kids a new piece of fabric for the New Year. Even if they can't afford a whole set, they'll at least get a new cotton-padded jacket or a new overcoat.

The new clothes were folded neatly and placed at the bottom of the trunk. Only a peek was allowed when the trunk lid was lifted. Anyone who dared to wear them before they got dirty would be in for a beating with a broom.

During the off-season, when there's no work to do in the fields, the village children are like sparrows running wild, going from house to house in groups of three or five, chattering and comparing whose new clothes are made of the best material and have the brightest colors.

Daya and Erya are undoubtedly the "top beauties" of Xiangyang Village.

Xia Qianqian had already prepared all the New Year's goods for the two sisters: a light purple corduroy smock, a maroon cotton vest, and even their thermal underwear was bought from the city.

Er Ya's pigtails were tied with pink ribbons, and Daya's braids had red pom-poms at the ends. When the wind blew, the pom-poms and ribbons swayed, looking absolutely beautiful.

The Lu family had the most children who came to see the new clothes. That afternoon, another group of teenagers came to play with Er Ya, but Er Ya mysteriously led them to her room and then closed the door slightly behind her.

Xia Qianqian was airing out the quilts in the yard when she heard rustling sounds coming from inside the house, mixed with Er Ya's hushed words, "This idea is guaranteed to make money," and "Listen to my instructions."

Before she could think it through, the door creaked open, and a group of children scattered like birds released from their cages, disappearing without a trace.

"Why did you play so fast today?" Xia Qianqian asked Er Ya, who had come over, with a smile.

Er Ya winked at her, made a "shh" gesture with her little hand to her mouth, and ran off mysteriously.

It wasn't until three days later that Xia Qianqian found out what the children had done!

It turns out that Er Ya used the two yuan Xia Qianqian gave her to buy malt candy as "wages," and had her friends carry baskets to fill them with all the old pom-pom hair ties, sequined hair clips, and red ribbons that she and Daya had worn, and started a "headwear rental business" in the neighboring village!

"Pompom hair ties are the hottest right now!" Er Ya said to Xia Qianqian, swinging her toes proudly. "Mom, I'll rent them to my little girl for half a day, 3 cents, 5 cents a day!"

Xia Qianqian thought about it and realized that everyone was struggling financially. It was already a good thing if they could get a new piece of cloth to make a smock for their child. Who would be willing to spend money on "idle things" like hair accessories or silk flowers?

But what little girl doesn't love to look pretty? When they saw Er Ya and the others' shiny pom-pom hair ties and pink silk flower hair clips, their eyes widened and their feet seemed rooted to the ground, unable to move.

The children would throw tantrums around the adults, and the parents, exhausted, would usually give in, thinking that it was the New Year and they could get good luck. A few cents was nothing to them.

This really kept Er Ya very busy!

From the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month to the 15th day of the first lunar month, the sisters' old headdresses were constantly being rented out to neighboring villages. Red pom-poms, pink ribbons, plastic butterfly clips... sometimes changed hands three or four times a day.

Every night, Er Ya would hide under the covers and count her money, saving it up pennies at a time. She actually managed to save up more than three yuan, enough to buy a bag of cornmeal.

"Sister! Let's expand our business!" Er Ya's eyes lit up as she clutched the money. The next morning, she grabbed Uncle Zhang's sleeve and wouldn't let go, insisting that he go to the county supply and marketing cooperative to buy some hair oil and face powder.

"You can rent hair accessories, face powder, and hair oil too!"

Unable to resist her persistent requests, Zhang San had no choice but to bring her back a small box of Friendship brand face powder, a bottle of clam oil, and two packets of osmanthus hair oil for combing.

Er Ya immediately announced: "Renting hair oil and face powder costs five cents per use! Renting a full set of headdress and makeup costs ten cents!"

The kids ran off excitedly with their "new stuff." Xia Qianqian couldn't help but laugh as she watched Er Ya hunched over the table, scribbling and drawing to "keep track of accounts." This girl must have been born with an abacus!

Seeing the fine beads of sweat on Er Ya's forehead, Xia Qianqian quickly took out a warm towel and smiled as she wiped her sweat: "Oh dear, my little money-grubber, it's good that you want to make money, but don't catch a cold."

"I know, Mom!" Er Ya looked up at her mother, letting her wipe her sweat. Her nose was red from the cold, but her eyes were as bright as two black grapes. After saying that, she ran back into the house like a gust of wind and pulled Da Ya to the table to whisper to her.

Xia Qianqian stood at the door, watching Da Ya frown slightly as she gave her younger sister advice. Da Ya looked serious, her eyes were bright, and there was a faint smile on her lips.

It seems she has emerged from the shadow of the past; the weight that had been hanging over her heart for so long has finally been lifted.

As the year drew to a close, her belly grew heavier and heavier, like she was carrying a big, round watermelon.

Wang Meihua came to "inspect" her almost three times a day, not even letting her lift a finger to sweep the yard, and strictly ordering her to "stay put and take care of her pregnancy."

Xia Qianqian couldn't refuse, so she sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) and sewed diapers and made small quilts for the soon-to-be-born baby.

With Lunar New Year's Eve fast approaching, the vegetable farm that Lu Zheng was in charge of shut down early. Along with the workers who had been busy all year, in addition to their wages, they also received a lot of food.

With food in hand, everyone felt at ease. Everyone remembered Xia Qianqian's kindness; without her, how could we have such substantial New Year's goods?

These past few days, the Lu family's doorstep has been practically worn down by visitors. One neighbor brings a bowl of roasted pumpkin seeds, another brings a plate of freshly fried sweet potato balls, and Sister Li even brings the first batch of shredded radish balls.

Xia Qianqian had just finished eating the meatball in her hand when she heard a knocking sound coming from outside the courtyard gate.

"Mom, it must be someone delivering New Year's goods again. Can you see who it is?" Xia Qianqian said to Wang Meihua.

Wang Meihua responded, put down her needlework, put on her thick cotton-padded coat, and walked towards the courtyard gate. Xia Qianqian waited inside for a few minutes but heard no sound. The courtyard was unusually quiet; even the sound of the wind rustling through the treetops could be heard.

Xia Qianqian was a little worried. She wrapped herself in a thick cotton coat, even tying the collar tightly, before slowly moving out of the house while holding onto the wall.

As soon as she stepped onto the veranda, she saw Wang Meihua standing in the middle of the courtyard with her back to her, her shoulders tense. Opposite her stood two tall men.