After more than half a month of busy work, Yu Yin's New Year's gifts were almost ready.
Unfortunately, my brother can't come back for the Chinese New Year this year, so I'll have to send him lots of good food.
At this time, Yu Yin was unaware that a windfall was about to come her way.
"Sister-in-law, look, this is the first time we've left home, and we haven't had a vacation this year. We were thinking of sending some local specialties back home, but we don't know much about it. So we'd like to ask you to help us prepare some. Do you think that's appropriate?"
Is it suitable? Of course it is! It's like finding a pillow when you're sleepy—you couldn't be more perfect.
I've always wanted to generate income, but I haven't had the opportunity. Before, when I traded food with these kids, it was mostly for milk powder. I gave the malted milk powder to the two little ones, so I didn't really have any money.
"How much money are you planning to prepare for the New Year's gifts, one for each person?"
Upon hearing this, Qian Weiguo realized there was hope, and his speech became fluent.
"Sister-in-law, we don't know much about this. We plan to spend 100 yuan each on things. As for how much we can prepare and what we should prepare, you can decide."
"He's quite filial, giving us a hundred yuan right off the bat, which is three months' wages for a worker!"
"Sigh, the money comes from the sheep, how could we have that ability! Now that we've earned our own money, we know how hard life is, so we're thinking of showing some filial piety and letting our families know that we've become more sensible and that they'll worry less about us."
Qian Weiguo is a typical Kyoto lad, very smooth-talking.
"Isn't it so that your family will send you more money?"
Lu Shuqi asked with a look of disgust.
"Hey kid, I see through it but I don't say it."
"Ha ha……"
The two goofy guys amused everyone and made them realize that life wasn't so dreary after all, and that there were still many interesting things to do.
"Alright, I have received and accepted your request, but it's too late for today. Come back the day after tomorrow at noon. I'll have it ready for you to pick up."
"Sister-in-law, this is so much trouble. I thought you usually had enough to dry."
“What I have isn’t enough for your ten dollars. I have to go to that village over there. The real specialties are only available there. I’m just a newbie, so I’m not an authentic one.”
Yu Yin wanted to make money, but she couldn't do it against her conscience. Ten large bills per person, totaling six hundred yuan, was no small sum, so she had to make sure she got the money properly.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, sister-in-law. Now, let's see how your family will treat us. Let them see that we're sincere."
With things starting to look promising, Qian Weiguo began to gloat again.
"Sister-in-law, I have limited funds. Could you please prepare fifty yuan for me?"
Lu Shuqi felt a little embarrassed. His family's support was limited and couldn't compare to those others, but he was earning a salary and had saved some money. He wanted to send some local specialties to his family to put their minds at ease.
"No problem, just do what you can according to your own situation. Good job!"
"hey-hey……"
Several teenagers, barely out of school, were laughing and joking, displaying the youthful energy appropriate for their age.
After seeing the group of young men off, Yu Yin began to calculate how to prepare the New Year's gifts, so that they wouldn't be shortchanged and she wouldn't have worked for nothing.
"You've got another job for me. I feel like I'm living off a gigolo!"
Lu Shurui was truly impressed by Yu Yin. She was always busy, and her little notebook was filled with notes. No wonder she was a finance and accounting major; she was incredibly good at calculating.
"Comrade Lu, there is no distinction between high and low, noble and lowly, in the division of labor in the revolution. You are now the pillar of our family. Without your hard work and dedication, how could I be considered to be so proactive and hardworking? Look, the two little ones have been taught to be sensible and polite by you, the house is spotless by you, and the food you cook is delicious and beautifully presented. I am incredibly proud to have such a husband. It is truly my greatest fortune to have married you. Perhaps my ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke."
Lu Shurui was stunned. His casual joke had earned him such a long, flattering compliment from Yu Yin. He was completely dumbfounded. He had never been praised like this before. In the past, he had only been praised for his good grades and sensible nature. This kind of praise had left Lu Shurui speechless.
Looking at the dumbfounded Lu Shurui, Yu Yin felt a pang of regret. Had she gone wrong? Didn't the internet say that if you want a hardworking husband, you have to praise him a lot? Why wasn't it working? Was her tone wrong? Should she change her tone and try again?
"Cough cough... Where did you learn all these words? You keep calculating, I, I'll go check on the child."
If Yu Yin hadn't noticed Lu Shurui's ears turning red, she would have thought her method had failed. Lu Shurui ran out shyly, and Yu Yin thought to herself with satisfaction that the information online wasn't entirely fabricated; some of it was actually true and effective.
No one likes to be criticized; everyone loves to hear praise—it's human nature.
A couple cannot live together rigidly and dogmatically; they must be flexible, adaptable, and work together towards a positive goal to make the relationship last.
On her day off, Yu Yin went to A Xiang's place early in the morning to exchange honey, tea, sausages, dried bamboo shoots, dried mushrooms, rice noodles, rice cakes... anything Yu Yin didn't have herself, she got from them.
It's the end of the year, and every household needs money, so everyone in the village who had stock brought their goods. Ah Xiang accompanied Yu Yin as they carefully selected what they could use.
Although these pigs are difficult to raise, Ah Xiang's village has its own methods. They raise a lot of local black pigs and make a lot of sausages. Yu Yin's family has also exchanged quite a few, and they even send some to Shanghai.
Speaking of native black pigs, these pigs, which are on the verge of extinction after a few decades, have been squeezed out of their place by foreign white-skinned pigs.
Yu Yin grows various vegetables and fruits in the space, hoping to leave behind the seeds so that decades later, people can still taste the original flavor of the food, instead of food that has been modified and only has a shiny exterior but has lost its unique flavor.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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