Chapter 237 Asking Wu Xiaochui for Help
"You! You're still being stubborn!" Old Wu was furious. "Do you know how many people want to learn bricklaying from Master Huang? I went to so much trouble to send you there, you, you..."
"Father-in-law and mother-in-law, please calm down," Cheng Wanwan said softly. "Don't frighten the child."
Grandma Zhao also came over to comfort him: "I think Xiao Chui is a good kid. He stood up for the girl when she was being bullied. He'll definitely amount to something in the future."
Aunt Wu wiped away her tears: "We are a peasant family, how can we expect our children to be successful? We just hope that he can learn a skill so that he can fill his stomach in the future."
"If you really want to learn a craft, why not come with me and become a carpenter?" Old Zhao coughed. "Although my skills aren't great, there's an old saying that goes, 'The master leads you through the door, but the practice is up to you.' Whether you can graduate as a carpenter depends entirely on Little Hammer himself."
Afu, who was eating noodles in the corner, couldn't help but speak up: "Uncle Zhao, I think your skills aren't good enough to be a master chef..."
He had only been learning from Grandpa Zhao for a little over a month, but he had already mastered everything Grandpa Zhao had learned in his lifetime. Recently, he and Grandpa Zhao had been working together to develop the molds that Aunt Zhao needed. He was the one who discovered the trick first; otherwise, it would have taken him at least ten more days to figure it out...
"You little brat!" Old Zhao scolded irritably. "As the saying goes, 'Teach your apprentice, and you'll starve yourself.' You're just here to annoy me, aren't you?"
Ah Fu quickly went over and said, "Grandpa Zhao, don't be angry. I'll find someone else to learn carpentry, and then I'll teach you, okay?"
Old Zhao's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "You have to keep your word."
Wu Xiaochui had no interest in learning carpentry. He sat to one side with a bowl of noodles in his hand, looking rather listless.
After lunch, the Wu family was about to leave.
When they arrived, they brought two pairs of tiger-head shoes, two bibs, ten diapers, and ten eggs, which was considered a generous gift.
Aunt Wu emptied half of her savings to gather these things, all to support her daughter.
But the Zhao family's life is much better than before, so these things of hers don't stand out.
When they left, Cheng Wanwan prepared a return gift: twenty hard-boiled eggs, a packet of brown sugar, a packet of pastries, two catties of braised meat, ten catties of white rice, and a bolt of coarse cloth from the storeroom. It was a custom in Dahe Village to send eggs and rice back to one's parents' home. Cheng Wanwan added everything else herself.
Aunt Wu quickly waved her hand: "No, no, this won't do. I'll take the eggs and rice, but take everything else back."
"Take it. We have plenty of braised meat cloth at home," Cheng Wanwan said with a smile. "Besides, I have something I'd like to ask you for a favor."
Old Wu hurriedly said, "As long as it's within our power, just ask. And if it's beyond our power, we'll find a way to make it happen."
Now that he's come today, he can brag about it when he gets back to the village. His daughter is the daughter-in-law of Lady Sui, who was personally appointed by the Emperor himself, and his granddaughter is Lady Sui's own granddaughter. His family received a personal welcome from Lady Sui today, and the villagers must be incredibly envious!
“Xiao Chui is a good kid. If he can’t find any other work, could he help me with some chores?” Cheng Wanwan said gently. “It’s not hard labor, and you can do it even if you can’t use your left hand. Xiao Chui, would you like to give it a try?”
Wu Xiaochui was somewhat flattered: "Me...can I do it?"
He spent half a day here today and felt like he was dreaming. The food, clothing, accommodation and transportation here have broadened his horizons... But his mother said he was useless and scolded him in front of so many people. He felt very useless and as if he couldn't do anything right.
He planned to go back and farm with his older brother, and then just honestly farm the land and not think about anything else.
But now, Aunt Zhao is actually asking him to help with chores.
No matter what kind of work it is, it's definitely better than toiling in the fields for a living.
He nodded vigorously: "If Aunt Zhao doesn't mind, I'm willing to do anything."
"The preparations aren't finished yet, so you don't need to do anything for now. Come back in seven days," Cheng Wanwan said with a smile. "You'll be staying here, so bring all your daily necessities."
Wu Xiaochui grinned and said, "Okay, I'll come back in seven days!"
Aunt Wu was so moved that she didn't know what to say. She stammered, "Little Hammer doesn't know anything. Won't he ruin your family's plans? If you really need someone, I'll send Big Hammer. Big Hammer is honest and reliable."
Cheng Wanwan shook her head: "I just like Little Hammer."
There are plenty of honest men in the village, but what she needs now is not an honest man, but a clever and bold one.
The only clever children in the family are Er Gou and Si Dan. Si Dan is still young and has to study, so he doesn't need to be involved in the business. Once the soap business is officially launched, Er Gou will definitely be too busy to handle everything by himself and will need a helper. Wu Xiaochui is a good fit.
She really likes this kind of chivalrous and righteous child, and she inexplicably feels a sense of trust towards him.
The Wu family of three left with mixed feelings.
Zhao Dawang witnessed everything. After hesitating for a long time, he finally walked up to Cheng Wanwan and stammered, "Auntie, actually... I can help too... I don't like studying, I want to learn how to do business..."
"You good-for-nothing!" Old Zhao grabbed his ear. "You're the only one we've sent to school, and you don't want to study? When did you become so disobedient!"
Sun was quite envious that the Wu family's children could help Cheng Wanwan with chores, and she felt uneasy about it. However, she only had two daughters. Her eldest daughter was already working at her sister-in-law's house, and her second daughter, Donghua, was only eight or nine years old and couldn't do anything well. So she could only keep quiet.
Unexpectedly, her silence caused the second wife to become uneasy.
She chuckled and said, "Dawang, why are you so insensible? If you were more sensible, how could your sister-in-law not want you, let alone the Wu family's children? You should study hard. People are good from books. If you study more, your aunt will be willing to take care of you in the future..."
"I just don't want to study!" Zhao Dawang broke free and said through gritted teeth, "I can read now, and I can do arithmetic. I've learned everything I'm supposed to learn. I want to do business, I want to make more money, Auntie, please..."
"Shut up!" Zhao Youyin roared. "How old are you? You're already doing business? You think you're so high and mighty? I'll beat you to death!"
"Second Uncle, don't rush to hit the child." Cheng Wanwan stopped a potential domestic violence incident. She pulled Zhao Dawang aside and said gently, "Tell your aunt, do you really not want to go to school?"
Zhao Dawang nodded: "Grandpa wanted to learn it himself, and he forced me to go to school so he could teach me. I really didn't like it..."
Old Zhao, feeling somewhat embarrassed, gave a cold snort.
Cheng Wanwan said calmly, "You and Er Gou will have a math contest. Ten rounds. If you can win three rounds, I will agree to let you join the business. If you lose, then continue to study hard."
In her view, studying is always the most important thing. Wu Xiaochui's family couldn't afford it, but since Dawang had the opportunity to study, there was no reason for him to give up.
Zhao Dawang's eyes lit up: "Okay, let's have a competition!"
He has been practicing arithmetic for a while and has made great progress. Even his cousin Cheng praised him.
Cheng Wanwan had Zhao Dawang and Zhao Ergou sit down before she began to give them the questions.
A crowd gathered in the courtyard to watch the spectacle.
Shen Zheng lowered his voice and asked, "Guess who will win?"
Zhao Sidan blinked: "Of course it's my second brother. My second brother is very good at arithmetic."
"Not necessarily," Cheng Zhao said. "Da Wang's arithmetic has improved a lot recently, so winning three games against Er Gou shouldn't be a problem."
Shen Zheng slammed his hand on the table: "Come on, let's make a bet. If you think Da Wang will win, bet on this side. If you think Er Gou will win, bet on this side..."
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