After Qiao Shengwen played the good guy, his caring daughter-in-law had to take on the good guy role.
Miao Wan gave her father-in-law a look that said "look at me" and attentively poured water for the elders and a few strong men.
Except for her who drank hot water, everyone else drank the Sun family's winter herbal tea. It was still warm, but it could calm the restlessness in their hearts caused by the money.
Miao Wan's voice was very pleasant in both her lives. Her voice was crisp and pleasant, and her pronunciation was as cheerful as silver bells, which made people smile when they listened to it.
But when she spoke softly, her voice was light and gentle, and she slowly delivered each word into people's ears, making people feel much more at ease.
"The Lunar New Year is coming soon, and we're giving out wages and bonuses to cheer everyone up and to dispel the bad luck of being robbed during the day. But I'm sure everyone has experienced how hard our business has been these past few months, and there are still many issues that Awan must discuss."
Miao Wan took a sip of water, giving everyone time to collect their scattered thoughts and listen carefully.
"First of all, after we earn money, the children in our family, even Donkey and Dog, should go to school for a few years, right? Even if we can't change the Zhang family's fortune, it will be easier for them to earn money after learning to read and write, and then we won't be able to man the stalls in the tile market."
She held Madam Zhang's hand and said, "Before, whether it was braised food or spicy skewers, the stove at home was always occupied, and we had no idea when to eat.
Am and her sisters-in-law not only have to be busy with chores at home and outside, and take care of the children, but also have to deal with the neighbors who come to visit. Even if they don't intend to steal the recipe from the kitchen, the children will go in when they smell the food.
I see dark circles under Am's eyes. I bet she couldn't sleep well after being so restless all day. My sisters-in-law should be feeling the same way."
Madam Zhang lowered her head uncomfortably to drink water, not wanting others to see how haggard she looked.
Making money is always tiring. Compared to the past, she is happy to earn more for her children and grandchildren, even if it means a little more hardship and effort, or even living a few years less.
"Secondly, just the spicy skewers and dim sum are enough to keep everyone busy. Everyone is busy the moment they open their eyes.
It was fine when the third brother came back in the afternoon. He could arrange anything. When he went to Wa City, Ada was so tired from slaughtering pigs that he couldn't even lift his hands. The eldest brother had to help Ada collect and slaughter the pigs, chop wood and fetch water by himself. He got up so early every day and didn't get enough sleep.
Although my eldest brother didn't say anything, he must have been hurt. Aunt Geng told me that she saw my eldest sister-in-law wiping away tears of heartache several times.
Butcher Zhang subconsciously glanced at his eldest son's wrist.
Once, Zhang Dazhuang was so sleepy that he nearly cut his tendons while removing the bones from a pig's leg. He was so frightened that he couldn't recover for a while.
"There are many ways to make money, but now my family has no peace and I'm exhausted. So I was wrong to help the Zhang family make money." Miao Wan said with a choked voice. She looked particularly pitiful when she choked.
In addition, she was pregnant, so her face was chubby and her red eyes made people feel even more distressed.
Madam Zhang quickly hugged her and comforted her, "Awan, don't say that. Without you, even if we were butchers, we wouldn't have the luxury of eating delicious food every day. It's because Ada and Amu are useless."
Miao Wan shook Madam Zhang's arm to stop her from continuing. She wiped her eyes embarrassedly and said, "I'm not saying this to make you feel bad, I just want you to know that I've never done business before and I don't know how hard it is to make money. We all move forward by trial and error.
With the help of my father-in-law and my husband, I also remembered some of the things my mother told me about my maternal family, so I wanted to buy a shop so that I could make money more easily.
Everyone listened more attentively after hearing this. The Zhang family had heard Miao Wan mention that the Ruan family used to run a big restaurant in Jiangnan.
"If we buy the shop, the Qiao family can hire some contract workers to work as waiters and kitchen helpers. Not only will the family have peace and quiet, but at least we won't have to worry about the recipe being leaked.
From now on, my eldest brother can concentrate on learning how to butcher pigs with Ada, and my eldest and second sisters-in-law will be free to inspect and approve the few jobs we hand over and then send them to the shop. At least the women in the family can have some free time to do needlework and take care of the children."
Of course, Miao Wan does not discriminate against women and does not insist that men work outside and women work inside.
She said this to appease the elders, but in reality she hadn't taken out the most profitable part of the pig yet!
By then, more careful women will definitely be needed to take charge. Everyone is so busy, who can she turn to?
"As for the shop, let Third Brother take charge. With Sun Ada watching over it, even if Third Brother does something inappropriate, the father-in-law and son-in-law will help each other and will surely be able to gain a firm foothold in the street slowly."
Zhang Erzhuang looked at Miao Wan eagerly, feeling uneasy. What about him?
Even someone as thick-skinned as him couldn't help but feel a little aggrieved.
As the second child, he has older brothers and younger brothers. Although Adam is very kind to him, he is still more neglected than his brothers.
Even though he was the one with the most sons in the family, Zhang Erzhuang knew very well that he was the most useless among his brothers and would definitely not live as well as his brothers in the future.
But we can't just ignore him, right? Even if we let him work for our third brother.
Mrs. Zhang couldn't bear to see her second son's rough face showing such a pitiful expression. If it was a donkey, she would feel distressed, but a son? She just felt itchy.
Fortunately, Miao Wan would definitely not forget him. She spoke slowly, and with every sentence she finished, the person she was talking about became more and more excited.
Miao Wan smiled and looked at Zhang Erzhuang: "As for Second Brother, he has always been the most indispensable among us. Now I want to recommend that you entrust the most important thing to him."
Zhang Erzhuang's eyes lit up, he stood up excitedly, then sat down again. He couldn't help rubbing his hands and listening attentively to what Miao Wan said with bated breath.
"Erzhuang is responsible for the most important thing?" Mrs. Zhang was not as excited as her second son, and could not think of what Zhang Erzhuang could do.
Miao Wan smiled: "Mom, don't forget, it's the second brother who does the most work every day, whether setting up or closing the stall. Without him, the eldest brother won't be able to rest when we get home, and the third brother won't be able to take inventory of so many goods. Our family really can't do without the second brother."
Madam Zhang looked at Zhang Erzhuang's chuckling face and scolded him with a smile, "Don't say that. He looks unpromising, but he does have a lot of housework to do."
Miao Wan: "So, whether we do business or open a shop in Wa City in the future, we will definitely need to slaughter more and more pigs. Ada and Big Brother won't have as much time to collect pigs. And I heard Big Sister-in-law say that because we collect too many pigs, some people are thinking of squeezing us out. Will the price of pork go up?"
Even Butcher Zhang would get angry when talking about this.
It was fine in the village, but when I wanted to buy pigs from people in Xining Town, especially from the other butchers, they would ask for seven cents per pound.
That's the price they used to pay the butchers.
But a lot of pigs from the surrounding villages were taken away by these people, and they needed a large quantity, so sometimes they had to buy them with a pinch of their nose.
The time Butcher Zhang was hit on the leg by a pig, he was so angry that he didn't pay attention for a moment.
"Have you ever thought about raising pigs ourselves?" Miao Wan said something that she had been thinking about for a long time. Although she spoke softly, she was indeed a little excited.
This is her specialty!
"My second brother and his wife are both strong people. Besides, my eldest and second sisters-in-law will need pigs in their families in the future and will help take care of them. We can build a pig farm and raise hundreds of pigs all year round. It will definitely not be a problem."
The more she spoke, the more excited she became, and her little fleshy hands began waving again.
Qiao Shengwen lowered his head and tried to suppress his laughter, not knowing why his daughter-in-law was so passionate about pigs.
"Then the eldest brother will kill pigs, the second brother will raise pigs, and the third brother will sell pigs... We can be completely self-sufficient in terms of food and will not be constrained by anyone.
Even if the Zhang family becomes too prosperous and has to split up in the future, the three families will still be closely connected and their relationship will definitely be better than that of other brothers."
Miao Shiren felt that the chicken blood was not enough, and she had to use something more substantial. She clenched her fist and said, "As my father-in-law said, brothers united as one can cut through metal. Gold! Then we can cut through gold!"
Qiao Shengwen: “…” Did he say this?
Madam Zhang: “…” Okay, no need to say anything else.
Just by looking at the three silly sons with flaring nostrils and burning eyes after being tricked by Awan, you can tell that they would not feel cold if they were asked to run a few laps shirtless at this moment.
Sun Laohuo laughed and interrupted, "Don't tell me, Erzhuang's knife skills are much better than Sanzhuang's. I wanted to ask him a while ago if he wanted to learn cooking. Raising pigs would also be a good choice. He would definitely be an expert at butchering pigs."
All the men present felt a chill down their spines. The three excited brothers put their legs together and tried to calm down a little.
Zhang Erzhuang: "..." He, he really may not be able to do it. This is more sinful than killing a pig!
Miao Wan smiled and nodded. "Sun Ada is right. It doesn't matter whether Second Brother wants to be a chef or raise pigs. Dad and I have said so much because we hope everyone can think it through. We will definitely make more money in the future, but I wanted to make money to make life better for my family, not to risk my life for it. I definitely can't do the same thing in the future and ruin everyone's health. If I do that, I will be a sinner."
Before Madam Zhang could say anything to warm her heart, Miao Wan clapped her hands again, her voice becoming clearer, "Of course, it's a little early to talk about this today. I said it early so that everyone has time to discuss it.
We must welcome the God of Wealth after the New Year before we can buy a shop and start preparing for next year's work. Before that, let's eat, drink, and rest well, and we can talk about it after the New Year!"
Her words were applauded by everyone.
Even if there is no danger, something as big as buying a shop requires discussion with the whole family and careful consideration. We must not make such a hasty decision.
It was getting late, so Miao Wan and the others went home first.
After distributing the money, nothing else is more important than celebrating the New Year.
Qiao Rui had already gone to bed with Cui Ya, and Changshou was pulled over by Lu Dan and Goudan.
The children had just received their wages today, and they all had at least a few dozen copper coins in their hands. They were extremely excited and liked to huddle together and chatter, and sleep whenever they felt sleepy.
It was snowing heavily, so the adults just let the children go.
Mrs. Geng and Aunt Geng supported Miao Wan, while Qiao Shengwen and Uncle Geng supported their wives.
Sun Yaozu, who was thanked by many people tonight and flattered by Donkey Egg and Dog Egg, refused to sleep with the children and insisted on following his master. He was now behind Miao Wan.
He thought that if Sister Awan or Mr. couldn't stand steadily, he could still serve as a cushion.
Old Sun was standing behind them, and when he saw his son staring intently at the backs of the Qiao family, he felt more sad than relieved.
He had never seen his son look so happy chasing something.
When they arrived at the door of the Qiao family, Sun Laohuo suppressed the idea of taking his son home for the New Year and bowed to Qiao Shengwen.
"Tomorrow I'll deliver the New Year's shopping to the Zhang family. Mr. Qiao will take care of Yaozu. I'll take him to visit our ancestors' graves later."
Sun Yaozu was stunned for a moment. He actually wanted to celebrate the New Year with Ada Amu.
But he couldn't bear to give up the sense of security given by his husband, and his sister also gave him many instructions and asked Ada for permission to let him stay.
But he was worried about Am, wondering if she would cry and keep vigil during the New Year.
Thinking of this, he became even more uneasy, his face turned pale again, and he stammered as he wanted to walk towards Sun Laohuo.
Qiao Shengwen held him back and said to Sun Laohuo with a smile, "Yaozu's injuries haven't healed yet, so it's not appropriate for him to travel around right now. But the New Year should be a reunion for the whole family. Otherwise, why don't you bring your sister-in-law to spend the New Year at Zhang's house?"
Sun Laohuo refused without thinking. Someone had to stay up at the Sun family house to welcome the new year and bid farewell to the old year. It would definitely not be appropriate to do so at someone else's house.
Miao Wan's eyes flickered, and she quickly spoke, "Yes, Sun Ada, I remembered a few particularly delicious recipes, and I've always heard that Sun Ada's roasted lamb is amazing. Every time I hear about it, my stomach dances with cravings. Come celebrate the New Year with us next year, or I'll start crying again."
Qiao Shengwen: “…” This daughter-in-law is a bit shameless, and his grandson is too innocent.
It is obvious that Sun Laohuo's nature of being soft-hearted and not tough has been fully understood by Miao Wan and the children.
Hearing Miao Wan talking so pitifully while clutching her stomach, he felt a little hesitant: "Then... then I'll bring my wife over tomorrow, and we'll go back after the New Year's Eve dinner."
Sun Laohuo was confident that he could tell his good daughter-in-law not to cry at other people's New Year's Eve dinner.
It is not unusual to wait until after the New Year’s Eve dinner before going home to stay up until the New Year.
Miao Wan was very happy, and Sun Yaozu also smiled secretly. It was great to be able to celebrate the New Year with Ada Am without having to leave the Qiao family!
After watching Sun Laohuo leave, Miao Wan asked Qiao Shengwen with a chuckle, "Dad, was what I said good tonight?"
Is this a good match for you? Come on, praise me!
Qiao Shengwen was amused and smiled widely. "Awan said it perfectly. I even suspected that you and Ruichen were born in the wrong body. Maybe you were my son in your previous life."
In terms of eloquence, Qiao Ruichen is indeed not as good as his daughter-in-law.
Miao Wan was so flattered by her father-in-law that she smiled from ear to ear.
Mrs. Geng and Uncle Geng were both laughing so hard. Everyone was having fun in the snow. When they looked up, they saw Qiao Ruichen with an expressionless face.
Geng's heart inexplicably tightened, and she looked away guiltily.
Oh, it was so lively at night that she forgot that her son had not returned home yet.
When she saw her son, she realized... Ah! It's snowing so heavily tonight!
When Qiao Ruichen realized that he had not been home for just over ten days and he no longer had the right to sleep with his wife, his face became expressionless and he looked at Sun Yaozu with cold eyes.
Sun Yaozu shuddered and hid behind Qiao Shengwen. Qiao Shengwen coughed lightly a few times. It was obvious that Geng was not the only one who had forgotten to make arrangements for her son.
Miao Wan was the only one who was not embarrassed among all the people. It was none of her business whether others were embarrassed or not. She was always thinking about Qiao Bailao.
"Husband, you are finally back. Are you tired? Are you cold?"
Qiao Ruichen's expression softened considerably, and he shook his head, "I'm not tired, and I'm not cold."
In fact, he had been lying outside the garrison for several nights, and had braved the snow to go to Bayin's place. He had slept for a maximum of two hours a day during these days, and was very tired and cold.
But there was nothing. His wife was eagerly looking forward to asking about his well-being. Her coming comforted him and relieved all his fatigue.
Miao Wan became even more enthusiastic upon hearing this. She took the hot water that Aunt Geng poured for Qiao Ruichen and carefully put it into Qiao Ruichen's hands.
"I've been thinking about when you'll come back for days. Every day I think you'll be back soon, but you never come home."
Qiao Ruichen was a little frightened when he saw her walking around with a big belly. He didn't care about the elders who were watching the fun on the side, and protected Miao Wan with his empty hands.
Miao Wan took his arm and pushed him into the house, "Husband, go and rest quickly. Make sure you get a good night's sleep!"
Then her true nature was revealed in the next sentence, "This way you can get up early tomorrow. I've written a long list of things that Uncle Geng can't buy. I guess there won't be many people outside tomorrow afternoon, so I'll have to trouble you to go out and buy them early."
Qiao Ruichen: “…” Well, not surprised at all.
However, looking at the melted snow floating in through the door, he also thought, this snow is really heavy.
The author has something to say:
Qiao Ruichen: I should thank the author for giving me my name.
Goji berry: Ahem... after the Chinese New Year, I promise that you will not only have a name, you can also... be a background board with a sense of presence.
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