The old lady has now taken over the task of refining white sugar, so she has more opportunities to interact with Daya. And because she's making jam, the girl basically goes to visit Liu Shi every day.
Daya was also very observant; if she saw any chores that needed to be done, she would lend a hand. Sometimes it was carrying a bucket of water, sometimes washing clothes, or chopping firewood and starting a fire. In short, she would do whatever was needed!
Liu had never seen such a diligent little girl before. Of course, her granddaughter, Anan, didn't count. That child had been spoiled rotten by her mother, and now that she had learned embroidery from Liao Hongying, her hands were even less suited to rough work.
For Liu, it was a blessing that her granddaughter could now access more advanced skills, but that didn't mean she disliked someone as capable as Daya.
On the contrary, as a true peasant, Liu believed that when her grandson looked for a wife, he would definitely want a girl like this who could manage the household.
Of course, the granddaughter shouldn't marry the eldest son in the family; she should marry the youngest son who doesn't need to shoulder heavy responsibilities.
See, this is the two-sided view of things.
However, Qin San Niang cannot be said to be wrong on this point. After all, different perspectives lead to different opinions on the same matter.
"Third Sister, I think Old Han's eldest granddaughter is really quite lovely! What do you think?"
One afternoon in a certain month of a certain year, Liu couldn't hold back any longer. Seeing that her eldest daughter didn't seem to care about her grandson's marriage at all, she, as the grandmother, became a little anxious. Under the bright sun, her heart was filled with restlessness, and she blurted out in her haste.
Huh? What did Mother say?
So I wasn't the only one shipping couples!
Qin San Niang couldn't help but think to herself, "Liu Shi is indeed the original owner's mother; their thoughts are perfectly in sync!" But she still replied calmly and nonchalantly.
"Mother, Da Ya is really good, she's so capable!"
Mrs. Liu put down her palm-leaf fan, slapped her daughter's arm, and asked with a mysterious smile, "What do you think?"
Looking puzzled, Qin Sanniang asked, "What? How is it?"
Liu sighed helplessly and tapped her forehead. "What else can we do? Da Wa is already fifteen! How can you not find him a wife? By then all the good girls will have been picked! I think Da Ya is pretty good, and she's the right age."
Only fifteen? Besides, that's only in the traditional Chinese way of counting age. In fact, my eldest child hasn't even turned fourteen yet!
Seeing that she was thinking, Liu continued, "It's not that Mother is in a hurry, but you know, once these girls turn fifteen, they'll definitely be betrothed. In our village in the past, good girls were all engaged by the age of thirteen or fourteen. I see that Daya's family is doing better now, and she's capable, so she'll probably be bombarded with matchmakers! Old Han will probably arrange a marriage for her eldest granddaughter too!"
Qin San Niang was speechless. Why was she getting so worked up about competing with Shiwu?
“Mother, does it have to be arranged for marriage at fifteen? If a girl doesn’t find one she likes, can’t she stay at home for a few more years? My little darling A’nan is no exception; she has to choose one herself!” Qin San Niang said impatiently.
Women already have it tough enough; they search high and low, and still might not find a good one! All this hasty engagements and forced marriages will only create so many unhappy couples!
The thought of her own soft and adorable little girl being taken by a pig made her feel incredibly uncomfortable!
Putting herself in the shoes of Old Madam Han and Daya's biological mother, she felt that this matter couldn't be rushed.
Upon hearing this, Liu became genuinely angry. "You silly girl, why are you so serious? In our Dasheng, girls who are fifteen years old and unmarried have to pay double the head tax. Have you forgotten? Sigh!"
Speaking of this, Liu couldn't help but recall that her eldest daughter was quite good-looking and had a good temperament. She also knew that her daughter was interested in the scholar at the edge of the village, but the young man's mother was picky. If it weren't for that, she wouldn't have been in such a hurry to bring up the marriage proposal with Qin San Niang's former mother-in-law, Xu.
It wasn't that she was stingy with the tax money, but if she thought like Liu back then, she was afraid that she would be too old to find a good husband later!
Moreover, Xu and she were acquainted, and Xu was a mother-in-law with a righteous mind. As for Xu's early death due to illness, no one expected it!
Ah, it's all fate!
Even now, Liu still feels a pang of regret. Her daughter probably didn't want her daughter to get married so early, perhaps because she had some lingering regrets.
Qin San Niang: That's really not true! I have no idea about this at all!
Seeing the sadness on Liu's face, Qin Sanniang quickly comforted her, "Oh dear, Mother, I really forgot about that! I was just thinking about how these little rascals were still babies! And now they're all grown up? It's really hard to accept getting old!"
"If that's the case, then we really need to find a good match for Da-wa. Da-ya is quite nice, and I like her a lot too. By the way, Mother, Xiao-er is going to take the imperial examination. I don't want him to get married so early and have his studies delayed, don't you think? If we have to pay double taxes, then we have to pay them."
Qin San Niang thought of her second son. He Yingyuan had said that with his talent, he would have no problem taking the imperial examinations. If that was the case, then she couldn't let him get married so early!
In Qin Sanniang's view, for a couple to stay together until old age, it is not only a matter of matching family circumstances, but also of being compatible in spirit.
It's impossible for one's son to be a scholar while his wife is an illiterate peasant girl, is it? Cinderella stories only exist in fairy tales; married life isn't based on love alone. Otherwise, if you talk to me about highbrow topics and I argue about the price of coal, even the most passionate flame of love will be extinguished, leaving not a trace!
Madam Liu nodded and said, "That's natural. Your mother isn't unreasonable. If Xiao Er can pass the imperial examination and become a scholar, he won't have to pay taxes, and there's nothing else to worry about. But Da Wa is the eldest son, and he's not young anymore, so you'll have to keep an eye on him."
"Yes, those who have obtained official rank don't even have to pay land tax! How could she forget that!" Qin San Niang quickly said, trying to cover it up.
“I understand, Mother. Don’t worry, this matter requires both children to be willing! There’s no use in us just worrying here.”
Qin San Niang smiled and sighed. In her opinion, these two children hadn't figured things out yet!
However, ever since then, whenever Qin San Niang sees Da Wa, she thinks about how this child will soon be getting married and starting a family, and she really feels reluctant to let him go. Recently, the child has shown excellent management talent, which has also led Qin San Niang to discover a new world.
The saying "Everyone has their own unique talents" is indeed not just an empty phrase!
Da Wa managed the jam workshop business very well, ensuring that the quality of the jam remained stable and that there were no major problems with the supply. This allowed her to focus on brewing wine with peace of mind.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com