The seashells washed ashore are all dead objects, and the fishermen, who only care about fish, are not interested in them. But just because the people of Carp Village don't like them doesn't mean that people in other places feel the same way.
Su Xiaoning loves shopping, and she has been to Qinghe Town several times, each time seeing different novel trinkets. She remembers once passing by a small jewelry stall displaying several handmade seashell ornaments, which, although crudely made, were very popular.
She was struggling to come up with a good way to enable the women of Carp Village to create considerable value, and here comes the solution!
The more Su Xiaoning thought about it, the more feasible the plan seemed. She immediately picked up a bunch of seashells and went back to try making some handmade jewelry.
The wind chimes, strung together with smooth, bright seashells, shimmered with a silvery light under the candlelight. A breeze, seemingly from nowhere, swept through the room and tinkled the chimes, producing a clear, ethereal, and delightful sound.
Something like this is sure to be popular in Qinghe Town.
...
The next day, Su Xiaoning told the village women about the solution she had come up with.
“These seashells wash ashore every day, and since they’re just sitting there doing nothing, why don’t we collect them and make some handmade jewelry? People in Qinghe Town really love these things. I have some connections, so bring all your finished handmade items to me, and I’ll sell them for you. I’m sure that will make those men realize your value!”
After hearing this, the women immediately accepted the suggestion and went to the beach to collect seashells to take home and make handicrafts.
The women in the village have always been skilled with their hands, and making handicrafts is naturally a piece of cake for them. The jewelry they made amazed Su Xiaoning, and she quickly took it to Qinghe Town to contact merchants for sale.
As she expected, these exquisite handmade ornaments were very popular in Qinghe Town, and the women who made them earned a considerable income.
With the real money in their pockets, the men noticed what the women had been doing lately and were immediately taken aback. They told the old village chief about it.
Upon hearing this, the old village chief was so angry that he puffed out his beard and glared at his opponent.
No, we can't let women have a say anymore. Now is the best time to bring this up directly!
The old village chief made a decision, and one day he gathered all the men, women, and children in the village, pointed his cane at a woman, and cursed:
"You women just don't know what it means to be content! We don't let you go out to sea to fish for your safety. You should just stay home and take care of the children. But instead, none of you are doing anything productive. You're all making handicrafts. Let me tell you, if you forget your proper job, no matter how much money you earn, it's useless!"
The woman, who had been scolded for no reason, was stunned for a moment, and then an expression of shame and anger appeared on her face. "I earn money on my own, how am I useless?"
“The village chief says you’re useless, then you are useful! Women should know how to behave!” The men stood on the old village chief’s side, showing no weakness.
The women erupted in chaos, their anger escalating as they launched into a tirade of insults, each word a condemnation of the men's dominance. The men, equally enraged, retaliated by blaming the women.
The smell of gunpowder in the air grew stronger and stronger. The men and women had consciously formed two groups, glaring at each other and exchanging barbs.
Su Xiaoning and Su Qingcai stood awkwardly between the two groups of people. They both wanted to speak up and persuade them, but they couldn't get a word in edgewise. After exchanging a glance, they both showed helpless bitter smiles.
The two sides continued their verbal battle incessantly, seemingly possessing inexhaustible energy, until sunset when the old village chief finally stepped in to mediate. Out of respect for the old chief, everyone fell silent, but the resentment lingered. After returning home, some even slept in separate beds with their spouses.
For the next few days, Carp Village was shrouded in an eerie atmosphere.
The men no longer went out to sea to fish, and the women no longer collected and processed seashells. Every household closed their doors, and if they encountered a member of the opposite sex on the street, it would inevitably lead to a quarrel.
The conflict between the two groups is intensifying, and now it is showing signs of mutual destruction.
This is the situation that Su Xiaoning least wants to see.
Her education taught her that men and women are equal, and that it is wrong for either side to look down on the other; both sides must recognize each other's importance.
After thinking for a while, Su Xiaoning finally asked Aunt Xu to help gather all the women in the village.
"Ladies, you've been arguing so much with the men lately, it's exhausting. Why bother? Getting angry is bad for your health. When we're unhappy, we're only hurting our own bodies. There seems to be some kind of event in Qinghe Town recently. Why don't you all go and have some fun for a couple of days to relieve your stress?"
Su Xiaoning was a little worried that the women wouldn't agree, so she added, "...Also, we can leave all the housework to the men and let them experience how hard the aunties work to manage the household. Why not?"
Since she's said that, how could I possibly disagree?
The women nodded and all agreed to Su Xiaoning's suggestion to go on a two-day group trip to the town.
On the day of departure, Su Qingcai followed Su Xiaoning. He glanced at the group of women around him and immediately felt extremely embarrassed.
He was the only man among this group of women, which was quite conspicuous.
"Since you're taking the women out to rest and play, why did you have to bring me along? They probably don't want to see a man around them either," Su Qingcai said somewhat dejectedly. He subconsciously moved closer to Su Xiaoning, feeling uncomfortable with the other women in the village, and only felt at ease being with Su Xiaoning.
"You're overthinking it. They'd love to soak up some of the Fish God's divine aura, so why wouldn't they want to see you?" Su Xiaoning teased, then suddenly put on a serious expression. "Don't feel uncomfortable, I arranged it this way on purpose."
"Women can indeed surpass men, but that doesn't mean women can live without men, just as men can't live without women. I've heard a saying, 'Men and women working together makes the work easier.' It's good that you, as a man, stay here. If something happens, it will be a good opportunity for them to understand each other's importance."
Unexpectedly, Su Xiaoning had this idea. Su Qingcai was taken aback, lowered his head and thought about it carefully. After a while, he raised his head and chuckled, "Your point of view is indeed unique... but I like it very much."
When he said the word "like," his eyes were fixed on Su Xiaoning. Su Xiaoning felt a sudden panic for no reason, and it was her turn to lower her head in embarrassment.
After a brief interlude, the group played around for a while and soon arrived at Qinghe Town.
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