Chapter 59: Elegant and unique

"Okay!" Chen Kangbo gritted his teeth, his eyes no longer showing any dejection, only a blazing fighting spirit. "Let's do it! We won't ask anyone for help, we'll do it ourselves! I'll go to town tomorrow and find the best well driller!"

"No need to find a master." Feng Lan shook her head, a mysterious smile on her face, "We can dig this well ourselves."

"Ourselves?" Chen Kangbo was even more surprised.

"Hmm." Feng Lan walked to a corner of the yard, near the back wall, where the ground was slightly lower. She stepped on the soil there, squatted down, grabbed a handful of soil, and put it to her nose to smell it.

A faint, damp earthy smell made her smile even deeper.

"Comber, do you believe me?"

Chen Kangbo looked at her and nodded heavily: "I believe you! Since the day we split up, I have believed in you."

"Okay." Feng Lan stood up and patted the dirt off her hands. "Then from tomorrow on, our family won't be farming anymore. Let's change our careers and become well diggers!"

To the children, this decision sounded like a fantasy, but to Chen Kangbo and Feng Lan, it was a major decision concerning the future of the entire family.

Others cut off their water supply, thinking they were being driven into a desperate situation.

Little did they know that this was precisely forcing them to dig out a fountain of life for themselves in advance so that they could survive the catastrophic disaster in the future.

With their water supply cut off, digging a well became urgent. However, the cost of hiring someone to dig a well was still a considerable burden for the Feng Lan family, who had just separated and were in dire need of money.

Just then, Daya found Feng Lan.

"Mother, my handkerchief is embroidered."

Under the dim oil lamp, Daya handed several neatly folded handkerchiefs to Feng Lan.

Feng Lan unfolded it and was immediately dazzled. On the pure white cotton handkerchief, a few orchids came alive, the stitching was meticulous, and the colors were elegant. It was infinitely superior to the "crooked-neck orchid" bellyband she had seen from Qian last time.

Since the last incident, Daya seemed a changed person. She was no longer silent, a calm and resilient presence now evident. Besides helping with household chores, she spent her free time sitting by the window, quietly practicing embroidery. Feng Lan had taught her some simple stitches and color matching techniques from her past life, and she was surprisingly gifted. She grasped everything quickly, applying what she had learned to other situations, and her progress was remarkable.

"Mom, I want to... I want to take it to town and try it out." Daya's voice was soft but firm. "I want to share some of the burden at home."

Looking at her daughter's sparkling eyes, Feng Lan felt both relieved and distressed. She knew that letting a teenage girl face the hustle and bustle of the city and its uncertainties alone was a test. But she also understood that a young eagle would eventually leave the nest, and she couldn't keep her daughter under her wings forever.

"Okay." Feng Lan refolded the handkerchief and put it in a clean cloth bag. "Go. Remember, it doesn't matter whether you can sell the things or not. What matters is that you come back safely. If you encounter any problems, don't be afraid, and don't force yourself to deal with them. Protect yourself first."

The next morning, Daya changed into a clean indigo cloth dress, combed her hair into a neat bun, carried the small cloth bag containing her hard work and hope, and set off for the town.

Feng Lan stood at the gate of the yard, watching her daughter's frail back disappear at the end of the village road shrouded in morning mist, and silently muttered in her heart: My daughter, Daya, has grown up.

However, what she didn't know was that shortly after Daya left, the dilapidated gate of the west courtyard creaked open a crack.

Fourth Aunt Liu looked around and when she saw that there was no one around, she locked the door and followed stealthily.

Yesterday, she overheard the maids in the East Courtyard say that Daya was going to town to sell embroidery, and her heart perked up. She didn't believe that the taciturn girl could accomplish anything, but she couldn't suppress her curiosity and wanted to go and see what was going on. Ideally, she could catch some evidence to gossip about in front of the old lady when she returned.

When she arrived in town, Daya found a corner of the market and, imitating others, spread a piece of clean cloth on the ground, and then carefully placed her embroidered handkerchief on it.

It was her first time doing something like this, and she was incredibly nervous. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she lowered her head, not daring to look at the people passing by. Half a day passed, and no one asked her about it. Instead, many people pointed at her, their gazes reminding her of the nightmare she had experienced at her doorstep not long ago.

Just when she was about to lose heart, a sharp voice rang out in front of her stall.

"Hey, isn't this the Chen family's eldest niece? What's the matter? Are you out of food at home and running out here to sell this broken thing?"

When Daya looked up, she saw her fourth aunt Liu, who was standing with her hands on her hips, looking at her with a gloating expression.

"Let me see, what is this embroidery? It's so crooked, like chicken claws crawling on it. You want to sell this thing for money? I feel uncomfortable even if you give it to me to wipe my feet!" Mrs. Liu deliberately raised her voice, attracting people around to gather around.

Daya's face turned pale. She wanted to retort, but her lips were trembling and she couldn't say a word. She just wanted to pack up her things and run away.

"You bitch, why does your mouth stink so much!"

An auntie passing by couldn't stand it anymore and said something to Liu.

"Why do I stink? I'm telling the truth!" Liu was unwilling to give in and reached out to grab the handkerchief on the ground. "Everyone, come and see, this craftsmanship..."

Her commotion made the noise even louder.

At this moment, a clear female voice came from outside the crowd: "Make way, make way!"

A young maidservant, wearing an emerald green bodice and a double-ringed bun, squeezed in. Behind her, a maidservant followed. The maidservant immediately spotted the handkerchief on the ground, her eyes lighting up. Without bothering to argue with Liu, she squatted down and picked it up.

"Hey, this orchid is embroidered so elegantly and uniquely." The little maid turned it over and over, then handed it to the old woman behind her, "Mother Zhang, take a look."

The woman known as Zhang Ma took it and looked at it, then nodded. "The stitching is quite neat, and the colors are sober. It's better than those bright red and green ones."

As soon as Liu saw someone who "knew the business" had arrived, she immediately came over, pointed at Daya, and said, exaggerating, "You two, don't be fooled by her! This girl is dishonest and her reputation has long been ruined! Don't buy anything from her house!"

Upon hearing this, the little maid and Mother Zhang frowned and looked at Daya.

Daya was so angry at Liu that she was trembling all over. She mustered up all her courage, met the two men's gazes, and shouted, "I didn't do that! She's my fourth aunt. She has a grudge against my family because of the division of the family property, and she's deliberately ruining my reputation! I embroidered this handkerchief stitch by stitch!"

Her voice was tearful, yet revealed an unquestionable stubbornness.