Chapter 56 High-Priced Services: Miao Wuni's Growth

Yao Xiaoyu didn't think too long about which platform to send her manuscript, disguised as a pink bunny. She had tried both official and unofficial newspapers. This time, she planned to step out of her comfort zone and try her luck in magazines. For a small personal reason, Yao Xiaoyu, who wasn't short of money, wanted to submit her manuscript to magazines that had female employees.

After much deliberation, Yao Xiaoyu chose Jinchaixu, a magazine whose editor-in-chief and editors were all women. However, this first choice wasn't her final decision. Yao Xiaoyu planned to wait half a month; if she didn't receive a reply or a rejection letter, she would send the manuscript to other magazines.

Nowadays, editors rarely read manuscripts from new authors. They prefer to work with familiar authors, or at the very least, get a recommendation from an acquaintance. It's lucky if a manuscript is returned to its original source. Many manuscripts may just be piled up together, covered in dust, or even thrown into the wastebasket and never heard from again.

It's not unusual in this era for a situation where there are no manuscripts to publish and submissions are ignored at the same time. Otherwise, Yao Xiaoyu wouldn't have put on such a big show when she submitted her first manuscript. No matter how well the manuscript in the letter is written, what's the point if the envelope isn't even opened?

I hope there are editors in Jinchai Xu who can read newcomers' manuscripts.

Yao Xiaoyu clasped her hands together in devout prayer; she really, really disliked copying.

...

April 1, 1915, sunny, suitable for surgery.

Yao Xiaoyu went out as usual and ate a bowl of smoked bird's nest porridge at a corner stall. Bird's nest porridge is not the wings of wild geese, but rather pork ribs that have been seasoned and smoked with red yeast rice. It tastes good on its own, and when the meat is shredded and stir-fried with mung beans and silver fish, it is even more delicious when eaten with porridge.

Yao Xiaoyu slowly scraped the bottom of the bowl to make sure that her family members were at work or school by this time before heading home with the burly man she had hired in advance.

Knocking on the courtyard gate, Yao Ping'an was nowhere to be seen. Wenrou was clearing the dishes. Although she knew Yao Ping'an was going out today, Yao Xiaoyu still asked about his whereabouts. She was relieved to hear that he had visited a friend. Looking at Wenrou, who was still busy, she hesitated for a while and decided to try to be polite first.

"Mother, do you really not want to unbind your feet?"

If possible, Yao Xiaoyu still hopes that Wenrou will voluntarily go with her.

"Why are you bringing this up again?"

Wenrou was a little confused, but still shook her head. Yao Xiaoyu sighed, sprinkled the powder into the bamboo tube in front of Wenrou, shook it well and handed it over. Wenrou subconsciously took two steps back, and then Yao Xiaoyu covered her mouth.

"It's just a sleeping potion, why don't you just drink it obediently?"

Yao Xiaoyu tried to explain that the powder was harmless, but for some reason, Wenrou struggled even more. She waited patiently for three seconds, and seeing that Wenrou still showed no sign of giving in, she could only signal the strong man to step forward and knock her unconscious with a chop to the neck.

Honestly, why didn't you just take your medicine, go to the hospital, get anesthesia, and have the surgery? Why did you have to hit me on the back of the neck?

"Carry the person over, be gentle."

Wenrou wasn't heavy, but it was still quite a bit of pressure for Yao Xiaoyu. Fortunately, she had made preparations in advance. The people she hired carried her on their shoulders and feet, and without touching a single bit of Wenrou's skin, they successfully transported her to the rickshaw at the door.

Then Yao Xiaoyu turned her head and met Yao Ping'an's shocked gaze, who had appeared out of nowhere.

Yao Xiaoyu: ...

Half a minute later.

"Please don't shout, I'll take you with me, okay?"

Yao Xiaoyu tried to negotiate with Yao Ping'an, whose mouth was covered, but the two strong men tied her hands behind her back and covered her mouth. Yao Ping'an struggled in vain and finally nodded.

Yao Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief and told the burly man who was covering her mouth to let go. Yao Ping'an, whose mouth was now free, was about to shout when an apple was stuffed into her mouth again.

"You'd better calm down. If you struggle any longer, I'll only make you faint too."

Yao Xiaoyu sighed in distress. She had originally planned to take Wenrou away directly, having the surgery first and then informing her family. However, plans changed, and she had no choice but to take her with her. Fortunately, Tao Erni gave her some straw ropes to tie her hands.

With great effort, Yao Xiaoyu moved Wenrou aside, shoved Yao Ping'an into the rickshaw, and used the "add money" method to shut the rickshaw driver up. Just as she was about to settle the money with the two hired men, she heard a familiar voice.

"Little Fish, why haven't you gone to work yet..."

For some reason, Zhou Chunhua, who had also returned, hadn't finished speaking when she saw Wenrou, who was unconscious, and Yao Ping'an, whose mouth was gagged, through the gap in the rickshaw curtain. Yao Tianrui, who was next to her, was completely stunned.

Yao Xiaoyu: ...

Well, perhaps it was destined by heaven that they were to witness it.

Yao Xiaoyu gestured to the two burly men to ask for more money, gave each of them a knife, and helped them to sit down by the rickshaw while the driver glared at her angrily. She then asked the burly men to find a few more rickshaws for them.

Yao Xiaoyu only hired one rickshaw. Her original plan was to put Wenrou in the rickshaw, sit next to her, and let the burly man leave once he had gotten Wenrou into the rickshaw. But now...

"Hire four more rickshaws, and make it clear that each rickshaw needs to carry two people; we can charge extra for that."

Two burly men each rode one car, she rode alone, Zhou Chunhua and Wenrou rode one car, and Yao Pingan and Yao Tianrui rode another car. They set off for the hospital in a grand procession.

Yao Xiaoyu sighed inwardly, but that didn't stop her from putting on an act. It had only been half an incense stick's time since she got on the bus, and the whole street knew that a member of the Yao family had fainted for some reason. Her second granddaughter had hired a rickshaw in tears and, with the help of kind people, had taken the person to see a doctor.

When the Yao family woke up, they were already neatly tied up in the ward that Yao Xiaoyu had temporarily vacated with her money. Even the apples stuffed in their mouths were about the same size—the ones Yao Xiaoyu bought from a vendor. Wenrou had already been anesthetized and wheeled into the operating room.

Yao Xiaoyu wasn't in a hurry to untie the people. She first talked about Wenrou's surgery, then took the apple out of their mouths and let them ask questions one by one.

Why didn't we tell Yao's family about the surgery? We had mentioned it in a previous conversation, but no one agreed.

Where did the money for the surgery come from? It came from the royalties someone offered to publish Ding Xianchuan's book.

...

After all the questions were asked, the three of them seemed to have calmed down completely. Yao Xiaoyu untied the rope, and Zhou Chunhua stretched her sore wrists and slapped Yao Xiaoyu across the face.

"We have money for this damn foot-unbinding surgery, but not money to pay off our debts. What will others think of the Yao family!"

The thought of others pointing at their family and saying that Yao Daniu's family was full of rich people who refused to pay back their debts brought tears to Zhou Chunhua's eyes, and she even wanted to rush over and slap him.

Yao Xiaoyu avoided Zhou Chunhua's raised hand for the second time, and looked at the father and son, whose faces clearly showed they had something to say but ultimately didn't utter a single word. Her gaze grew colder and colder.

"Smack!"

Yao Tianrui covered his face and took two steps back, his face full of grievance—Grandma hit him, why did you hit me?

"It's my own money, I can use it however I want. You can stay if you want, or get out if you don't."

Yao Xiaoyu said coldly, "Zhou Chunhua is old and Yao Ping'an is weak. She would have to pay for medical expenses if she hit him. Yao Tianrui is different. He is strong and recovers quickly. Even if he jumps up and hits, he won't be seriously injured. Most importantly, as the eldest grandson of the Yao family, he holds a lot of weight in the hearts of Yao Ping'an and Zhou Chunhua!"

"I'll only slap him back this time. If you hit him again next time, don't blame me for hiring someone to slap him ten times."

Yao Xiaoyu kept a safe distance from Zhou Chunhua, her face smiling, but it looked like she was crying.

"Those outsiders don't know their own strength. If they break your nose or knock out your teeth, it would be such a pity, brother."

Yao Xiaoyu's face stung with pain. She thought about asking where she could find the best ointment to remove the marks. Her family had always used verbal discipline, and the few times they had used physical punishment, it was just a slap on the palm. In modern times, this was truly the first time she had ever been slapped.

"Don't say you didn't do it. Blame it on the fact that you are Dad and Grandma's darling. It's only natural for a child to suffer for their elders, especially since it hurts them more than you did."

After saying that, Yao Xiaoyu opened the door and left, as she was in a hurry to buy medicine.

The anesthesia was strong enough, and the surgery went smoothly. By the time Wenrou woke up, the surgery was already over.

"...There are people at home to take care of you, so please focus on recovering."

After confirming that Wenrou had accepted reality, Yao Xiaoyu gave a brief explanation, left Taohua and Xiaoxiao, the two caregivers, to take care of her at the bedside, and then left. However, when she returned home that evening, the atmosphere at the Yao family home was inevitably a bit strange.

Yao Xiaoyu didn't approach them directly, but went to wash up on her own. Washing her face with cold water was a little uncomfortable, but it didn't feel as biting as winter. The empty pots and pans didn't contain dinner, but that wasn't a big problem. She had soft pancakes in her trunk for a late-night snack, as well as braised pork that she had bought to prepare as an extra meal for the whole family. The dish was much better than the Yao family's dinner.

Did Yao Xiaoli sleep with Zhou Chunhua at night?

That's even better! Each person has their own blanket, making it much more spacious when sleeping!

The method of passive-aggressive behavior only works on people you care about. Yao Xiaoyu's relationship with the Yao family... Although it's a bit embarrassing, we've only known each other for a few months. In fact, it's similar to that of a roommate with whom you have a casual relationship, except that you have slightly closer contact in daily life.

At first, there might have been some emotion, but once the only daughter, doted on by her parents, sensed that limited love, it became very difficult for her to reciprocate with her whole heart. Perhaps it would have been better given more time, but now…

To put it bluntly, Yao Xiaoyu was actually demonstrating the excellent qualities of respecting the elderly and caring for the young, as well as showing concern for the disabled. Her decision to perform surgery on Wenrou was essentially the same as taking a sick cat to the vet for treatment, simply because Wenrou had been living in her neighborhood for a long time and Yao Xiaoyu had the financial means to do so.

[Should we have mutton rice noodles, beef noodles, or fried dough sticks for breakfast tomorrow morning?]

Yao Xiaoyu stretched and kicked in the blanket, thinking about everything from breakfast to the midnight snack she never had a chance to eat—that's all the greedy girl can do.

Yao Xiaoyu slept very well in her single bed and was slightly surprised when she was able to open the door smoothly the next day.

She thought she would be locked in her room and grounded, and even gave Tao Erniu some instructions on how to deal with it. She didn't expect the Yao family to be so... well, she still had to go out to eat.

After washing up with cold water, Yao Xiaoyu carried her suitcase and walked out under everyone's gaze. She was thinking that if her treatment at home hadn't been restored in a couple of days, the money she gave to Zhou Chunhua would have to be reduced to one yuan per week.

Since she only lived in the Yao family's house and didn't eat there, even including the money for protection, four silver dollars a month was already quite generous.

"If you can find a suitable house, please reserve one for me."

Yao Xiaoyu patted Tao Erniu on the shoulder and ordered a bowl of noodles at the mutton stall. In a short while, the noodles and mutton were served, with tender green peppercorn leaves sprinkled on top, which looked quite nice. Yao Xiaoyu picked up her chopsticks, and in a short while, only two clean bowls were left.

This stall is famous for its roasted mutton. The owner goes to farmers' homes with the butcher in the middle of the night and waits there. The mutton is slaughtered and sold immediately. A bowl of mutton is placed on a copper plate that is half a person wide, and it is all gone in less than half an hour, meat and soup. Yao Xiaoyu was lucky enough to get a taste of it today.

"Let's go."

Yao Xiaoyu stood up, paid the bill, and didn't stop on the way to the hospital. Tao Erniu followed silently behind, her mind constantly wandering to the house.

Having considered the difficulties women face when renting apartments, Tao Erniu had almost given up on the idea, but Yao Xiaoyu's words this time brought those thoughts back to mind.

The house—a house where no one in the family can point their finger at her and tell her to get out if she dares.

...

As the days went by, the cold treatment at home continued. After Yao Xiaoyu refused to let Yao Ping'an copy the manuscript, Zhou Chunhua disappeared without a trace after receiving only one silver dollar. Hot water, clean clothes, and three meals a day were provided again, but Yao Xiaoyu and her family knew that a sad, thick barrier had been erected between them.

Yao Xiaoyu felt a slight sense of loss, but more than that, she felt relaxed—compared to the limited family affection she had received before, this only child who had experienced parental love was more comfortable with this high-quality service that came at a high price.

She went about her usual routine of washing up, eating, writing, and sleeping. She visited Wenrou three times a day. Taohua and Xiaoxiao took good care of her. Wenrou ate and slept well. Although she didn't exercise much except for being carried out to bask in the sun, her complexion looked better as she got better nutrition. Dr. Maria said that at the current rate of response, she would be able to try walking around in a while.

After calming down for a while, Wenrou was able to talk to Yao Xiaoyu normally again. In fact, because she was bored lying in bed and Yao Xiaoyu didn't want her to do handicrafts in bed, she actively learned to read every day to pass the time. In less than a month, she could recite the Thousand Character Classic fluently and could even read the newspaper haltingly, which greatly impressed Yao Xiaoyu.

Indeed, initiative is the best tool for improving efficiency!

Zhou Chunhua and Yao Tianrui would also occasionally glance at Wenrou. Sometimes they would bump into Yao Xiaoyu, which would make them feel a little awkward. Yao Xiaoyu, on the other hand, was fine. In modern times, there are many situations where "even if you squeeze in, you're still an outsider," so this was nothing to her.

Miao Wuni's story has recently reached a crucial turning point, and she's been very busy!

Yao Xiaoyu sat at the table, concentrating intently, recalling the previous plot points—

Miao Wuni saved up four silver dollars thanks to the large sum of copper coins she earned during the Qingming Festival, plus the extra money she made from the 20,000-word essay filled with countless details by Yao Xiaoyu. She was originally happy to rent a house and say goodbye to that small boat that could sink at any time, but this led to her first conflict with her family.

The parents felt that the four silver dollars should be used to buy food, rather than paying rent every month. They didn't even need to say anything more; their skinny siblings were the reason.

Although Miao Wuni felt it was inappropriate, she was young and knew she was inexperienced, so she compromised and handed over the four heavy silver dollars. Her father borrowed a carrying pole that very day and went to Shanghai to buy rice.

Miao Wuni originally wanted to go with them, or at least explain the situation, but her father felt that this was something a man should do, and besides, there was nothing she couldn't do about buying rice, so he resolutely forbade it. Thus, she set off without any knowledge of the market price. When the best rice was 3.6 yuan per hundred catties, Miao's father exchanged four silver dollars for one hundred catties of old rice, and even said that he had met a good shopkeeper.

Isn't he a good shopkeeper? He could have just given you broken rice, but he gave you a slightly better grade of old rice instead.

After Miao Wuni told him the real price of rice, Miao's father initially refused to believe it, and then he started yelling that he wanted to find the swindler and get his money back. After finally persuading him to calm down, Miao's father accused Miao Wuni of not telling him these things in advance, which made him lose face.

Miao Wuni: ...

In short, the family of ten managed to have a full meal for two rare days thanks to this stale rice.

But it only lasted two days.

Because on the third day, all that was left of the food was the ten or so jin (about 5 catties) that Miao's mother had put in the jar in front of her belly, pretending to be pregnant. Miao's father thought everyone was a good person, so he ignored Miao Wuni's warning not to get off the boat. After the child left, he went to dig for wild vegetables, leaving Miao's mother alone to watch the boat.

Then the ship was stolen.

Moreover, the robbers didn't determine the presence of grain by the depth of the boat's draft; rather, the information leaked because Miao's father hadn't stopped yelling at Miao Wuni, and after eating his fill, he was still bragging to others about buying rice.

Miao Wuni: ...

With money and food gone, Miao Wuni had temporarily lost her way to make a fortune and could only work hard to save money again. Finally, before winter arrived, she managed to scrape together four silver dollars. This time, she didn't tell her family but acted first and informed them later, renting a house and having the Miao family move.

Miao's parents originally wanted to teach their daughter a lesson for spending money recklessly, but the small boat that carried ten people for many years had become unusable due to overloading. In order to prevent the Miao family's worthless belongings from going down the drain, Miao's parents decided to move first, preserve their possessions, and settle accounts with Miao Wu Ni later.

The last draft Yao Xiaoyu submitted got stuck on the line where Miao Wuni was made to kneel down after her parents had moved.

Yao Xiaoyu: ...

It's thanks to Pi Kangxiu's perseverance that she was able to overcome it; otherwise, she would have been genuinely worried about getting beaten to death for overdoing it with card games.

Despite her guilty conscience, Yao Xiaoyu knew she still needed to write carefully about Miao Wuni's first major conflict with her family. She reviewed the story's development twice more, making sure the emotions were right before putting pen to paper.

Miao Wuni had a huge fight with her family, and her father's authority was completely shattered in her heart. But life had to go on. After her siblings took her money to buy candy for the fifth time, Miao Wuni realized that this was not acceptable, so she decided to give her earnings to her mother for safekeeping.

Her mother promised to hide the money for her and take it out when she needed it. Miao Wuni saw through her father, but still had some hope for her mother. She believed her mother's words and worked hard every day from dawn till dusk to earn money. She then used charcoal to calculate the total amount of her savings.

During this long period, the family's life gradually improved. After moving to Shanghai, they were finally treated as one of their own and received some basic protection. Relatively lucrative handicraft jobs also opened up to them. Miao's father even started pulling a rickshaw. Rickshaw jobs required a guarantor, otherwise anyone could pull it. What if a scoundrel sold the rickshaw?

Copper coins were put together to make silver jiaozi, and small coins were put together to make silver dollars. Miao Wuni counted that she had saved up six silver dollars, and she happily asked her mother for them: six silver dollars was not much, but it was enough to start the most basic small business and give her the capital to venture out.

Miao Wuni was happily planning for the future, but her mother fell silent.

Where would the money be? The money Miao Wuni handed over had long been used to buy wine for her father, meat for the family, and her brother's apprenticeship gift...

Miao Wuni looked at her mother in disbelief, but her mother avoided her gaze.

That day, the entire courtyard witnessed the great battle of the Miao family. It was the first time they had ever seen that the fifth daughter of the Miao family could be so fierce and strong. Those who had originally intended to propose marriage all gave up their ideas—their families could not afford such abuse.

But life goes on. Miao Wuni, who had run away from home, eventually returned to the Miao family. However, she lost her liveliness. Not only did she earn less money, but she also spent it all on herself and never gave a penny back to her family. Miao's parents were dissatisfied, but they felt guilty and eventually acquiesced after a few arguments.

He always has a deadpan expression, and he can't even scrape together thirty copper coins in a month. He might as well use them himself.

But Miao's parents didn't know that her decadence was just a protective facade to deceive them.