Chapter 125

Not long after the housewarming party, winter arrived.

Wearing thick new winter shoes, Mu Jin took out a quilt that was even thicker than the one she used in late autumn from the closet. The bed was covered with two layers of mattresses, which were soft and warm.

When the weather gets cold, the chickens and ducks at home don't lay eggs much anymore; I only occasionally manage to pick up one or two eggs from their pen.

Zhou Linrang kept all the herbs to nourish Mu Jin's body, and did not allow her to sell them for money.

Every morning, I have to make a bowl of steamed egg custard for Hibiscus.

Every day, she makes steamed egg custard, and every three to five days, she stews an old hen. Little Peach has grown quite a bit, but Mu Jin has gained about ten pounds these days, and her face has become much rounder.

As winter approached, Mu Jin's belly grew larger and larger. Just like last year, Mu Zhaoye brought back the wood needed to make furniture to the village, and Zhou Lin and Mu Heng worked on it at home.

Zhou Lin didn't want to be too far from Mu Jin now, so after discussing it with Mu Heng, he started working in the back room of his own house.

As a result, the two rear rooms, which originally contained some miscellaneous items, were now filled with wood in one room and sawdust and tools that Zhou Lin used for his work on the floor in the other.

Wen Zhaoran, munching on a chestnut cake, glanced over and sighed, "Brother-in-law must be working really hard."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Lin looked up at the doorway and smiled, "Don't stand at the door for too long, lest the sawdust gets the chestnut cake in your hands dirty."

"Brother-in-law, would you like to have a piece to tide you over? I'll go get it for you."

Zhou Lin smiled and shook his head, "No need, I can go get it myself if I'm hungry."

Wen Zhaoran nodded, "Then you go ahead with your work, brother-in-law. I'll go help out at the dye shop for a bit."

Bai Qiqiu has come up with many new ideas, and now the family's dyeing workshop business is no longer a seasonal affair, earning about ten taels of silver a month, which is quite simple.

After tidying up the house, Mu Jin went downstairs.

"Where is Li-ge'er?"

Wen Zhaoran stuffed the last bite of chestnut cake into her mouth, swallowed it, and said, "He and Nuoge went to the mountains to collect wood with Lin Huzi."

While Bai Qiqiu was dyeing the cloth, he looked up at Mu Jin and said, "Brother, I've discovered that Brother Li has a strength."

"What are your strengths?"

"She is very skillful with her hands. Although her intelligence is not as good as that of ordinary people, she learns to weave things very quickly and can weave them very vividly and skillfully."

Mu Jin recalled that when they were waiting for the pigs to give birth, Wang Li had used corn husks to weave a grasshopper in no time and gave it to him.

It's so lifelike, Mu Jin really likes it, and it's still sitting on the windowsill in the house.

"Qi Qiu, what do you mean?"

Bai Qiqiu shook the water off his hands. "Li Ge'er doesn't learn much by helping with the fire at home. Yesterday, Mu Zhaoye and I ran into Master Qian."

"Mr. Qian?"

Grandpa Qian is the best at weaving things in Mujia Village. His baskets are sturdy and beautiful, and the birds, raccoons, crickets and other small animals he weaves, with eyes painted on them, look just like the real thing.

Bai Qiqiu nodded, "We saw Li Ge'er and Nuo Ge'er sitting at the door of Grandpa Qian's house, learning to weave things from him. We didn't leave in a hurry, and watched for a while. Li Ge'er's weaving was indeed the best. Grandpa Qian praised him for his talent."

Talent is something that can be encountered but not sought, like Zhou Lin's carpentry or Li Ge'er's weaving of small animals, flowers and birds.

Mu Jin smiled and said, "Have you found a good place for Li Ge'er to earn money?"

“Big brother is wise. Li’er is still young and it’s fine for him to live with us. But when he gets older, the late marriage tax will cost a lot of money. If he has a skill to earn some money, we can help him find a good marriage. Although he is a little lacking in intelligence, it’s not impossible for him to find a good match.”

"Helping him sell the woven animal figurines or something is not a bad idea. We can have A-Lin take them to town and try selling them."

Bai Qiqiu shook his head. "Brother, Mu Zhaoye and I have figured it out. There's a spot in the carpenter's shop. We'll set up a display shelf there and put the things that Li Ge'er and Qian Ye's woven on it. We should be able to sell them for a good price."

Mu Jin's eyes lit up. "In that case, it would be better for you and Zhao Ye to take a cut of the woven goods that Li Ge'er sells than to work as firewood in the dye shop."

Bai Qiqiu was taken aback when he heard this. "We didn't mean to take a cut. We just felt sorry for Brother Li and wanted to help him out. It was just a small thing."

"Although it's a mutually beneficial deal, we still have to take what's due. After all, we're occupying your shop's space, and the shop's accountant will need to keep an extra ledger, which will inevitably require paying more wages. Li Ge'er is mentally challenged and doesn't understand these things. Since I'm currently managing him on behalf of my uncle, I'll decide on a 30/70 split between him and you, based on the money he and Master Qian earn."

Bai Qiqiu thought for a moment, "Then let's do as you say, brother. However, Li Ge'er doesn't know much yet. I was thinking of having Li Ge'er become Qian Yemo's apprentice and learn more. After the New Year, when spring comes, we can set up his display stand in the shop and put the things Qian Yemo made up on it to sell first."

"Alright, when Li-ge'er comes back, we'll tell him about it. He'll definitely be very happy."

Mr. Qian's husband passed away years ago, and his only son also passed away in an accident the year before last. His new husband couldn't stand the loneliness and remarried last year, leaving him with only a three-year-old son.

He earned some money by weaving flower and bird patterns to support himself and his only son's son.

Master Qian is gentle by nature, and his family consists mostly of young men, so he would never do anything to harm Wang Li.

"Should we tell my elder brother and uncles?"

Mu Jin nodded. "I'll go find them later."

Wang Li's future seemed to be brightening, and Mu Jin was happy for the sensible boy.

After the two finished speaking, Wen Zhaoran asked, "Brother, do you still remember that wicked man surnamed Qin?"

"You mean Uncle Qin?"

"Him? A couple of days ago, when I was coming back from Uncle Mu's place, I passed by his house and heard a baby crying inside. Do you think they've gone mad and stolen someone else's child?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Jin frowned slightly, "The child?"

Wen Zhaoran nodded emphatically.

"He must have been adopted from somewhere. Uncle Qin is a good person; he wouldn't do something like stealing someone else's child."

Wen Zhaoran curled her lip, "Not a bad person?! She almost bullied Li-ge'er."

Mu Jin said helplessly, "I'm not trying to defend him. He was wrong, but my uncle and his family went to visit relatives. Even if they didn't stay long, it would still take an hour to go back and forth. I suppose he hesitated at that time."

"Those two are so eager to have a child that they're even plotting to harm innocent young men. They could easily steal a child."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Lin, who was biting into a warm pancake, walked over and asked, "Are you talking about Uncle Qin's child?"

Mu Jin nodded. "You know?"

"That child was adopted by a distant relative of the Qin family. He was adopted back in the autumn. I heard it from my master."

"So that's how it is."

Mu Jin didn't want to know more about the Qin family's affairs, so she asked instead, "Are you done with your work?"

Zhou Lin swallowed the last bite of the pancake. "Take a break. Has Little Peach been bothering you?"

Mu Jin smiled and said, "Perhaps she's asleep. That's strange."

Mu Bai laughed and said, "My little nephew is really strong. He squeezed my hand so hard last time that it hurt."

"He must be a strong man; how could a young man have such strength?"

"Whether it's a little boy or a little man, as long as he's born healthy and doesn't cause trouble for his father, I'll be happy."

Zhou Lin spoke softly, her words carrying a hint of anticipation for her unborn child.

A north wind swept by, stirring up some dust from the ground.

When Wang Li and Lin Huzi returned, Mu Jin and Zhou Lin took him, carrying two catties of pork and a bamboo basket of chestnuts, to Qian Ye's place.

Upon hearing from Mu Jin that he could learn to weave things from Master Qian, Wang Li's eyes immediately lit up.

Mu Jin smiled and said, "Brother Li, would you like to learn from Master Qian and become his apprentice?"

Wang Li nodded emphatically, and following Mu Jin's instructions, knelt down to serve tea, calling out in a clear voice, "Master, have some tea."

Grandpa Qian's eyes crinkled with laughter as he took the tea and drank it all in one gulp.

If he were to travel alone through wind and rain to sell things, that would be fine.

But my grandson is still young and needs constant care. Last time I carried him to town, he caught a cold on the way back.

Not only did he have to drink bitter medicine, but seeing his only son's remaining bloodline in such distress also made him feel terrible. He blamed himself for not taking good care of him.

Now that it can be sold in Mu Zhaoye's carpentry shop, it really saves him a lot of trouble.

It's strangely quiet at home with only him and his grandson. Taking on another apprentice would liven things up a bit.

After becoming an apprentice, Wang Li was reluctant to leave. His favorite thing to do was to learn how to make things from Master Qian.

Now, Master Qian is his rightful master. Mu Jin told him that a master is someone who teaches him to weave things, like a father.

It felt like he had found another home in his heart.

Seeing this, Mu Jin didn't force him to go back with her, but only reminded him, "Remember to come home for lunch."

Wang Li nodded obediently, and Grandpa Qian waved his hand and laughed, "Eating here is the same."

Mu Jin smiled and said, "Then I'll trouble you, Master Qian, to take care of him and teach him."

Grandpa Qian smiled and said, "Li Ge'er is very well-behaved, even better than a little lamb. He doesn't require much effort."

Three-year-old Qian Yang, who was playing with poking the meat, looked up at his grandpa with his big, bright eyes.

The child said in a childish voice, "Grandpa is talking nonsense. The little lamb is the best."

Everyone laughed. Seeing that Wang Li and Master Qian were very close, Mu Jin and Zhou Lin went back first.

On the way, I went to Zhou Fengnian's place and told him about Wang Li.

However, when they reached the village entrance, they saw Zhou Ming stumbling back, as if some ferocious beast was chasing him. In a flash, he disappeared from Mu Jin and Zhou Lin's sight.

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Zhou Lin shook his head. "I don't know. Perhaps it's something urgent."

As they talked, they arrived at Zhou Fengnian's house.

He went to town and wasn't home. Only Zhou Chuxue, the only boy, was in the yard, basking in the sun and embroidering.

With a smile on her face, she welcomed the two into the house, then went to the kitchen to get a freshly made pastry.

Mu Jin picked up a piece, took a bite, and said, "It's really delicious. I've never had a pastry like this in the pastry shops in our town."

Zhou Chuxue smiled and said, "We like to take a couple of packs of our local snacks back with us later."

Mu Jin smiled and said, "Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Zhou Lin explained his purpose to Zhou Chuxue, and as expected, joy instantly filled his eyes.

"This is great news. If your uncle knew, he wouldn't know how to thank you."

Mu Jin smiled and said, "It was Qi Qiu who told me that the shop also belongs to him. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have thought of going there."