Chapter 10 Life without money is too hard

Everyone who came home later had the same reaction as Huo Bing Xiaohua.

There was surprise, shock, joy, but more of it was disbelief and unworthiness.

Those were white flour dumplings, how could mother bear to give them up? In the past, mother would only scoop a little to make a pancake or a noodle soup for my younger brothers, so how could she bear to give them to them now?

The most shocking thing was the river water.

She carried a basket full of wild vegetables, thinking it would be nice to have more wild vegetable porridge in the evening. When she came back, her mother took the basket from her and urged her to wash her hands before eating dumplings.

When he held the bowl, he saw the same white flour dumplings inside as those of his third and fourth brothers, and even the same number. By the way, his mother also specifically explained that his fourth brother had caught some shrimp, so there were two shrimp dumplings, and asked them not to mind.

Why would I mind?

This is made of white flour, and there are lots of scrambled eggs in it. She doesn't get less than her brothers because she is a daughter, nor does she not get white flour because she is a daughter, nor do they specially give her dumplings with less eggs because she is a daughter.

The reason why the fourth brother got more shrimps was not because he was a boy or a son, but because it was the fourth brother who caught the shrimps.

Jiang Shui found that she didn't mind at all, really.

The quarrels and fights in the past over thicker porridge or more wild vegetables no longer exist.

She liked the way her mother handled things, and she liked it even more when her mother would specifically explain it to her.

Mother is so good today. She prays to God that this is not a dream and that her mother will not change back to her original state when she wakes up.

Shen Qing didn't know what her children were thinking, but seeing them happily eating the dumplings she made, she felt a sense of accomplishment for no reason.

She would not treat herself badly, and she ate her fill early with the first pot. Now that she had nothing to do, she took the opportunity to pick up a large basket of wild vegetables that she had dug back from the river.

The most common one among them is Amaranthus, which is also sold in Huaguo Supermarket. The difference is that the one in the supermarket is grown in a greenhouse and the stems are green, while the stems picked from the river are reddish and have a stronger aroma.

Shen Qing loves to eat it and can cook it. After blanching it, cut it into small pieces, add salt, minced garlic, chili pepper, aged vinegar and sesame oil and mix well. It tastes delicious.

Shen Qing looked at the vegetable basket again. There was a lot of purslane. The way to eat it was similar to that of amaranth. It also had the effects of clearing away heat, detoxifying and stopping diarrhea. It was very good for people to eat.

Unfortunately, there is no aged vinegar or sesame oil now.

No oil required for stir-fry.

Well, we can go to the city tomorrow to buy the necessities.

Shen Qing basically didn't recognize the rest. They looked familiar to her, but she couldn't name any of them. As long as she knew they were edible, she didn't worry too much about it.

"Why didn't you wait for me to start eating?"

Unpleasant words came from the courtyard gate.

The third and fourth brothers, who were originally eating happily, curled their lips, lowered their heads and continued to eat without paying any attention.

Jiang Shui looked at Shen Qing nervously, biting his lower lip, not knowing what he was thinking.

Shen Qing looked up in surprise, only to see a childish boy in a long gown, frowning and looking at them with a reproachful look.

Oh wow, this is Jiang Xiangzhong, the young master of the Jiang family, back.

Speaking of Jiang Xiangzhong, he was the one favored by the original owner. He was put first in everything and was spoiled without any bottom line.

With four capable sons in the family and two capable daughters, Huo Bing and Jiang Shui, who were good at cooking and washing, they would never have been so poor. At least they would not live in a shabby house, eat coarse food and have little savings.

Just because I had to pay Jiang Xiangzhong a tuition fee and buy paper, ink, brush and inkstone!

Reading is a good thing, and raising a scholar with the whole family's strength can change the family's fortune. Of course, the prerequisite is that the person being supported is grateful and not ungrateful.

Jiang Xiangzhong used the money earned by his four brothers and enjoyed the care of his eldest sister-in-law and elder sister, thinking it was his due and never showing any gratitude or respect.

Over time, except for the eldest brother who was the most foolishly filial, Huo Bing who could not resist, and the second brother who was as hardworking as an old ox, the other family members were only harmonious on the surface, but were cursing each other in their hearts.

"I was talking, didn't you hear me?" Jiang Xiangzhong frowned even deeper, his eyes swept over his brother and sister, and finally fell on his mother.

He wants his mother to give him an explanation!

How could these people eat without waiting for him!

Shen Qing saw Jiang Xiangzhong looking at her and didn't say anything.

Behind every naughty child there is a naughty parent. What others hate is not the naughty child, but the naughty parent who spoils and indulges him/her. She hates naughty children, so she doesn't want to be a naughty parent.

Seeing that everyone ignored him, thirteen-year-old Jiang Xiangzhong was immediately furious. He stamped his feet and shouted fiercely: "Mom! You haven't eaten yet, how can they eat first? If you don't take care of it, will they still take you seriously in the future?"

Shen Qing uttered an "ah" and answered irrelevantly: "I've already eaten."

Jiang Xiangzhong was stunned. Did he mean to ask this?

No, how could Mom eat without waiting for him? Mom actually ate too!

"Mom, why did you eat first?"

"I'm your mother. What's wrong with me eating first?" Shen Qingcai didn't want to be acquiesced and asked back coldly.

Jiang Xiangzhong choked, pointed his finger, and finally landed on Jiang Shui, and said angrily: "How can she eat first? Shouldn't she wait until I come back before eating?"

Shen Qing glanced at Jiang Shui and said calmly, "She is your sister, there is an order of seniority, do you think she can eat first?"

The corners of Jiang Shui's mouth widened little by little, and finally he lowered his head and continued eating dumplings.

The dumplings are so delicious, even sweeter than before!

Jiang Xiangzhong opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. He just felt that his mother was so strange today.

He argued unconvincedly, "But she's a woman! She's inherently inferior to men, how can she be ranked ahead of me?"

His mother had always told him that Jiang Shui was a worthless and money-losing commodity, and that when he was ready to take the imperial examination in two years, she would marry Jiang Shui to a wealthy family, and the betrothal money would be enough for him to take the examination.

After he passes the imperial examination, he only needs to support the Jiang family and not worry about Jiang Shui. If she marries into another family, she will be someone else's and have nothing to do with him.

Why should he respect an outsider!

Shen Qing was so angry that he almost laughed.

“Since you think you are inferior, why do you let them wash your clothes, why do you eat the food they cook, and why do you use their money?

You are a scholar, you are proud and noble, you should maintain your own integrity. If you don't like it, then rely on yourself! By the way, the dumplings tonight were made by the woman you call low-class, so you'd better not eat them. "

She knew where Jiang Xiangzhong's ideas came from. They were taught by the former bishop, but he was different from the eldest and second brothers. He had gone to school, read books, and met all kinds of people, including some who were well-versed in reason and knowledgeable. He should have his own judgment on what his mother said.

He didn't, and still believed as always what his mother, a country woman, said. Otherwise, it would prove that his reading of the sage book was useless. If that was the case, then there was no need to read it any further.

Otherwise, it means that this is something he already approves of. After all, who wouldn't be happy to enjoy other people working for him openly and without asking for anything in return?

There is no need for selfish people to spend the hard-earned money of other relatives on their studies.

Jiang Xiangzhong was stared at by his mother's knowing and smiling eyes. He felt that his little thoughts were all seen clearly. He snorted angrily: "If you don't want to eat, then don't eat!"

Even if his mother comes to beg him to eat, he won’t want to eat it!

Then he remembered that some of the bristles on his brush were bald today, and he wanted to use the money to buy another one. But he gritted his teeth and thought, forget it. If his mother asked him to eat it later, he would just eat it reluctantly. It would be a way for his mother to save face. If she asked him to buy a brush again, his mother would definitely return the favor and maybe buy him two at once.

Jiang Xiangzhong waited and waited, but his mother still didn't come to him to beg him to eat dumplings until the sun had completely set.

His stomach growled and he couldn't help swallowing.

When he passed by, he saw that even the bowl of river water was filled with white flour dumplings!

That was white flour, the only white flour he could eat on weekdays, but he even drank river water.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got, and the angrier I got, the hungrier I got. Feeling both angry and hungry, I felt the night was especially long.

·

The other members of the Jiang family felt particularly comfortable and relaxed today, especially at night, when they ate their fill and no longer had to go to bed hungry.

Shen Qingze didn't dare to sleep too deeply.

She took Xiaohua to her room to sleep.

In the evening, Jiang Xiangdong boiled some herbal medicine for Xiaohua, but the medicine was extremely bitter. Xiaohua vomited as soon as she drank it and almost vomited out the dumplings she had eaten.

Shen Qing felt heartbroken when he saw this.

She immediately suggested that she take care of Xiaohua, and let the eldest brother take good care of his wife and little daughter.

Shen Qing looked at Xiaohua, whose face was flushed with fever, and bought some strawberry-flavored fever-reducing medicine, telling her it was sugar water and letting her drink it.

"Grandma is so nice. She gave Huahua some sweet water. Huahua likes her." The man, who was in a daze due to fever, did not forget to praise Shen Qing.

Shen Qing's heart almost melted.

She finally understood why so many people wanted to have daughters!

It hurts so much.

Who doesn’t love a sweet and soft girl?

Shen Qing tested Xiaohua's forehead every two hours, observing whether she had any other symptoms and adding medicine at any time.

Thank God, the little girl slept well all night and did not have a high fever again. By the early morning, there were signs that the fever was subsiding.

Shen Qing felt relieved.

She lay on the wooden bed with her clothes on. When the sky turned white and roosters crowed, she quickly turned over and got up.

I'm going to the city today to find ways to make money!

The hard bed board, the crusty quilt, the blackened quilt cover and the thin clothes woke her up again and again in this cold spring.

She wants to replace them all!

And a comfortable life cannot be achieved without money.

Life without money is so fucking hard.