Chapter 10 Goodwill

"Don't say anything when you get back."

The two brothers nodded in unison.

"Don't mention this in front of anyone." Lu Qingyao warned her two sons.

"I understand, Mom. We promise not to tell anyone, not even Sister Qiao'er." The two brothers patted their chests and promised.

I bought a piggy bank, a bow and arrow, some cloth, and some sweet-scented osmanthus cake...

When they arrived at the city gate, Liu Yu Niang was already waiting there.

There were two half-grown hens in the backpack.

He was holding a cloth bag in his arms.

Lu Qingyao didn't ask, and she didn't say anything.

We remained silent all the way.

Jiang Miaomiao was tactful and didn't cry or make a fuss.

After eating and drinking, and having his diaper changed, he is now sleeping soundly in his big brother's arms.

It feels like riding a rocking car.

The car stopped when we arrived at Taoxi Village.

She woke up in a daze.

I heard my mother and aunt chatting.

"Sister-in-law, I think it will take a while for these hens to lay eggs. Why don't you buy two big ones?"

"The big one is expensive, so the small one can grow up easily... I know what you want to ask. You want to know why your family is still in such a difficult situation now that you've already paid us back?"

Lu Qingyao didn't say anything.

But I am indeed curious about where the money she paid back went.

The yard where I live now has been abandoned for many years, so it's understandable that it's a bit dilapidated.

But the house where my eldest brother lived every day was not better than theirs.

Everything is old and shabby.

The only valuable thing is probably the milk-producing sheep.

The clothes worn by Qiaojie and Xuange, brother and sister, looked like patchwork clothes.

Make up for it again and again.

The flowery cotton-padded jacket that my sister-in-law is wearing today is probably her best one.

It should be the kind that you would not wear normally.

Liu Yu Niang lowered her eyes and said, "Your eldest brother used the money to pay off his debts..."

Lu Qingyao and her daughter were shocked.

Could it be a gambling debt?

Liu Yu Niang smiled helplessly, "Over the past ten years, our family has spent a lot of money on your eldest brother and your aunt's medical treatment, and we don't have much income. So, we have to borrow and owe, and the interest is compounded. The amount accumulated over the years is not a small amount..."

“Is it paid off now?”

"Not yet... I still have twenty taels to pay back to Landlord Liu..."

"Sister-in-law, thank you for your hard work over the years!" Lu Qingyao patted her hand gently.

Hundreds of taels of silver is not a small sum for a farmer, but the high interest rolling in over ten years is also shocking.

If I had to, I probably wouldn't dare to borrow like this.

"Why work so hard? Isn't this how all women in the countryside live? When there's a famine, everyone has some debts. Fortunately, everything is almost paid off..." Liu Yu Niang said and turned her face away.

The setting sun in the evening casts a golden light.

There was silence in the air.

All I could hear was the occasional chirping of birds flying by.

There is also the sound of wheels turning.

"Sister-in-law, I want to ask you for a favor." Lu Qingyao said, "You saw it too. I lit up the kitchen on my first day back... I want you to teach me how to cook."

"That's not difficult!"

Liu Yu Niang slapped her thigh, her face full of confidence, "It's hard to say anything else, but as for cooking... every family in the village who wants to get married has to ask me for help, and no one says that my cooking is not delicious..."

"I guarantee I can teach you in three days." Liu Yu Niang promised, patting her chest.

"Sister-in-law, I'm not very good at needlework...but I can draw flowers, birds, and so on..."

"What's the big deal? I'm one of the best at needlework in this area." Liu Yu Niang felt proud when she talked about what she was good at.

"You must not know that when I was a girl, I worked in the embroidery room for a year or two..."

"Sister-in-law, since that's the case, I'll give you some compensation. I can't let you teach me in vain." Lu Qingyao inquired.

"What are you talking about? We are family, so we should keep different opinions. If I teach you how to cook and sew flowers and charge you for it, what kind of person would I be?" Liu Yu Niang pouted.

Suddenly I felt that this sister-in-law was a pretty good person.

I also want to give her a reward.

It's a pity that she had poor vision and married Jiang Yunze, that ungrateful man.

"Okay, I won't say it!" Lu Qingyao grinned.

"Sister-in-law, I bought some cloth today. I was planning to make two sets of clothes for Qiaojie and Xuange as a gift, but my craftsmanship isn't up to par, so I'd rather just give it to you... and I'd also like you to make some clothes for my children."

Liu Yu Niang hesitated for a while.

Although she wanted both the money and the cloth, she would definitely be scolded by her husband if she accepted the money.

I probably won't collect the cloth.

"Sister-in-law, I won't accept the money, but you have to accept the cloth." Lu Qingyao said as she took out several pieces of cloth from the cart.

Without giving Liu Yu Niang a chance to refuse, he picked up a box of osmanthus cake and went straight to her house.

Liu Yu Niang hurriedly chased after him.

"Brother, doesn't mother know how to do needlework?" Jiang Zifeng had a big question mark on his head.

He saw his mother embroider a Han scarf for his father.

Although it’s not very good-looking, it’s acceptable.

All the noble ladies in the capital city know how to do needlework.

No matter how much my mother didn't like it, my grandmother had someone teach her before she got married.

"Brother, don't tell anyone. Mother said this so that my aunt would feel at ease to accept the cloth. Besides... the clothes that mother sews are really not that good." Jiang Ziyan said in a low voice, lifted the curtain and looked at the movement outside.

Jiang Zifeng nodded.

Jiang Miaomiao looked at this strange combination of brothers.

It seems that Jiang Ziyan is the eldest brother. Although he is young, he knows everything.

The eldest brother is just cute and adorable.

"What are you looking at, Miaomiao?" The second brother pinched her little face and stuffed a small piece of osmanthus cake into her mouth.

Sweet, crispy, but a little dry...

"Cough cough cough..." I almost choked to death.

"Don't give this to Miaomiao, she hasn't grown teeth yet." The eldest brother put his fingers into her mouth and took out the osmanthus cake.

It almost made her sick.

Jiang Miaomiao protested, waving her little fists and humming incoherently.

It would be nice to have a sister at home.

This brother is good, but he is not very good at taking care of children.

Some are clumsy...

After a while, my mother came back with a smile on her face.

He also held a small can of goat's milk in his hand.

Soon it entered Jiang Miaomiao's belly. In the past few days, the little baby has become visibly fatter and has learned to lift his head from time to time.

For the next three days, my mother either learned to cook from my aunt or did needlework with her.

I have to say that although my aunt looks clumsy, her needlework is excellent.

Her mother drew a pattern for her.

In addition to making clothes for them, she also embroidered many handkerchiefs and sachets.

My mother drew many patterns, including plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, and double lotus flowers that adults liked, as well as animal patterns such as tigers and rabbits that children liked.

Almost all of them are currently popular in Beijing.

"Sister-in-law, you are so good at embroidery. Why don't you take advantage of the slack season in winter to make more embroidery and sell it in Qingshi Town to supplement the family income." Lu Qingyao handed her the drawn pattern.

"Sister-in-law, your craftsmanship is amazing. Your paintings are even more beautiful than those in the embroidery building. With these patterns, my embroidery will definitely sell for a good price. I will give you half of it then..."

Liu Yu Niang gently stroked the pattern, unable to let it go and praised it repeatedly.

She used to embroider handkerchiefs and sell them.

But they are all old-fashioned.

People who have bought the same pattern once will not buy it a second time.

Can't make much money...

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