Song Ruier walked to the outside of the Song family's kitchen, and seeing the somber atmosphere of the Song family eating, she was a little hesitant to go in.
Song Lao Er glanced outside with a gloomy expression and waved to him.
"Come in."
He would have to rely on Song Ruier to break the pot for him in the future, but he never thought he would actually starve to death.
She had been starving for several meals, and Song Ruier knew she wouldn't be able to endure any more hunger.
Song Ruier breathed a sigh of relief and slowly moved inside.
"Serve your own rice, and eat only half a bowl." Chen was also a little impatient.
Song Ruier was already full, but she still scooped out a small half bowl and sat down next to Song Lao Er.
"Things at home aren't as good as they used to be. Now there's another mouth to feed, it's tough. I don't know when we'll be able to fill that hole," Chen said, deliberately sighing.
In her view, with Qiao Yunni gone, Song Ruier became an orphan, and it was their kindness in raising Song Ruier that she felt was a great favor.
If it weren't for the fact that she would break the pot later, Song Ruier would be an outsider.
"Alright, say less. Rui'er is my Song family's grandson." Old Mrs. Song said, "He's a member of the Song family from birth. Even if you don't raise him, I will."
Chen dared not utter a word, and Song Ruier felt a little better.
He was thinking about what he could say to show his importance, and he carefully recalled what the Qiao family had said earlier. The Qiao family had deliberately lowered their voices, but he still pressed his ear against the door and listened for about 60 or 70 percent of it.
"Grandma, I heard from the Qiao family that they made nine taels today, and they might make a little over ten taels tomorrow."
"What? They only have a little bit of mushrooms at home?" Chen exclaimed loudly upon hearing this.
Old Mrs. Song was also surprised: "How can it sell for so much money?"
The Han family wouldn't be so foolish as to offer the Qiao family exorbitant prices.
"I don't know about that. Maybe they have other things to sell."
The Song family members exchanged glances. They had just been gloating, but little did they expect that when the villagers went up the mountain to divide up the mushrooms, the Qiao family would be the one that made the most money.
At this rate, they really will build a huge courtyard—
"Go and keep an eye on his house, see what other ways they're hiding to make money," Song Lao Er assigned to Song Ruier.
Song Ruier was eager to make a contribution, so she quickly agreed.
As long as he is useful, his situation will be better.
Moreover, he saw that Qiao Yunni's legs were almost healed. At that time, the Song family must have known that she would recover sooner or later, but they still insisted on kicking her out. There must be an inside story behind this.
He hoped he would be right on his gamble and that some good fortune would fall into his lap.
After the meal, two more families came to sell matsutake mushrooms. They bought six jin (3 catties) of them, bringing the total to thirty-eight jin (48 catties) including the ones they found on the mountain.
Two jin were kept for eating, and all thirty-six jin were boiled into dried mushrooms. As for the seven jin of mixed mushrooms, one jin was kept for stir-frying, and the other was fried in oil.
Based on the calculations, I can sell thirteen taels tomorrow. After deducting the cost of five and a half taels, I will make a profit of seven and a half taels.
The harvest in the village was not good today. Other families sold a little over two ounces at most, but this was the most they earned in the village. The Qiao family was still quite satisfied.
Grandma Qiao gave everyone instructions: "Tomorrow, the women should go up the mountain to find mushrooms, and the men should go to the fields, to the wheat fields, to pull up all the weeds and deal with the pests. The wheat can be harvested in ten days, and that's when it attracts the most pests."
Sometimes locusts fly in. There aren't many locusts here, but in some years they still manage to take away most of the wheat.
“Eldest daughter-in-law, you and Xi’er are also at home. When you’re not busy cooking, help Lian’er harvest the matsutake mushrooms.”
"Okay," said Mrs. Feng, thinking that since she was at home, she should put more effort into making even more delicious and visually appealing dishes.
In order to get to Qingshui Town as soon as possible and avoid being discovered by the villagers, the Song family set off early.
Before dawn, Chen and Song quickened their pace on the dimly lit road.
He kept looking back, like a thief.
Little did they know that the villagers thought the same way, and they quickly sold the mushrooms and went up the mountain to pick more, because every extra person meant extra strength.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
