“Recently, we’ve been selling flavored snails. Erhu and the others also set up a stall today. As for whether they’ve made a lot of money, I don’t know.” Qian Yueniang said casually, plucking a red date with each bite. “My mother-in-law controls all the money we earn each day. My daughter doesn’t get a single penny.”
"Oh my! I heard from the villagers that five small stone snails cost a copper coin, and I thought they were just bragging, but I didn't expect it to be true!" Mother Qian slapped her thigh, her old eyes flashing with a sharp light. "You must teach your older brother about such a lucrative business."
Qian Yueniang glanced at her, and knew perfectly well what she was up to.
He spread his hands and shook his head, saying, "Mother, my eldest brother can't do this snail-selling business."
"What?" Madam Qian's eyes changed, her face full of disbelief. "You girl, you've gotten married and now you're siding with outsiders, neglecting your own family. You don't even help your own brother?"
Qian Yueniang quickly pulled her back and sighed, "Mother, what are you saying? This recipe was Hua'er's idea. She said to use certain medicinal herbs to stir-fry it, but my mother-in-law locked the herbs in the cupboard. Every time she stir-fries snails, she kicks us all out. She guards against us like we're thieves. I have no way of learning how to make this kind of snail dish."
"That silly girl from the Su family? How is that possible!" Mother Qian exclaimed in surprise.
I couldn't believe it.
That girl who was like a pig, only knowing how to eat and sleep all day long, actually knows how to make money?
“It’s her.” Qian Yueniang nodded and pointed to the kitchen. “The wild boar meat that my daughter brought today was also hunted by her. A few days ago, my sister-in-law suddenly stopped being stupid and even… knows a lot of things. Only she and Su Baishi know the recipe.”
Qian Yueniang did not reveal that Su Hua had received guidance from Meng Po.
After all, Su Hua has always been the darling of the Su family, and Madam Su Bai has instructed the whole family to keep this a secret. If they find out that she has told others, they will probably not get away with it in the future.
"How could a fool suddenly become smart overnight? Is he possessed by a ghost?" Qian's mother exclaimed in horror.
Not only did she suddenly become good at making money, but she could even hunt wild boars. You know, even an adult man would run away if he encountered a wild boar. How could the young lady of the Su family be able to hunt and eat wild boar meat? Isn't this possession by a ghost?
“Cough cough…” Qian Yueniang frowned. “What ghost possession! My sister-in-law has had unusual signs since birth, and a high monk even predicted that she was destined for wealth and honor. How could she be possessed by a ghost? Mother, please don’t say such things in the future.”
She always felt more love than hate about her sister-in-law's recovery from mental illness.
If it weren't for her sister-in-law becoming smarter, how could she have gone from not even being able to afford an egg to eating fish and meat all these days, and having three different meals a day? The Su family is also making money every day. Who in Shanghe Village isn't envious?
She has gained even more weight.
This all started because of my sister-in-law.
Of course, Su Hua is quite cunning these days.
Getting anything out of her is harder than climbing to heaven.
"Fine! If you don't want to talk about it, then don't." Mother Qian didn't take it to heart, gently took Qian Yueniang's hand, her eyes full of eagerness, "Anyway, you should keep an eye on this snail business every day. There are thousands upon thousands of snails in this river, and the Su family can't earn them all. It's better for us to make money together. We're all family, so there's no need to be so distant."
"I know, daughter." Qian Yueniang nodded.
Seeing this, Qian's mother nodded in satisfaction, glanced at the sky, and said, "It's rare for you to come back, so let's have a long chat. When your sister-in-law comes back, I'll have her cook you some plain porridge for dinner, stir-fry some wild boar meat, and fry some eggs! Daughters suffer the most at their husband's house, so they should be pampered when they come back to their parents' home!"
"Thank you, Mother..."
The sun sets in the west.
The sky was gradually painted into a mottled watercolor painting.
At the entrance of Shanghe Village, Zhao got off the oxcart carrying two full baskets of vegetables.
But after taking only a few steps, a green figure blocked their way.
"Sister-in-law, where have you been? Why are you carrying so much stuff? This load of vegetables must be very heavy. Let me help you carry some."
The girl's voice was gentle and soft.
This made Zhao's heart skip a beat.
She took a step back, avoiding the girl's outstretched hand. "No need."
Seeing that she was avoiding her, Meng Yun'er bit her lower lip lightly and said in a rather aggrieved voice, "Did Yun'er do something wrong to displease her sister-in-law? When we were little, she often made pancakes for Yun'er and said she liked Yun'er very much. Why has everything changed now?"
Madam Zhao frowned slightly. "You're mistaken. The pancakes were made for Hua'er. You took them."
"Besides, I've never said anything like 'I like you'."
Meng Yun'er choked, but shook her head. "That pancake was given to me by my sister Hua'er. She said that my sister-in-law's pancakes are the worst, and she couldn't eat them, so she gave them to me. I have never taken anything from her."
“The pancakes I made were really bad.” Zhao paused for a moment.
Her cooking skills have never been very good; she can only make steamed buns and mantou, not pancakes.
Even I find the pancakes I make too hard to chew.
It's normal that Hua'er doesn't like to eat it.
Suddenly, Zhao remembered the expression on Hua'er's face when she ate the pancakes made by Su Baishi. She secretly made up her mind to learn more cooking skills from her mother-in-law in the future, so that she wouldn't be unable to make the things that Hua'er liked to eat.
Meng Yun'er's lips twitched violently, and then she affectionately took Zhao's arm.
“Sister-in-law, there are no outsiders here, so let’s speak frankly. You know the situation of the Su family. Aunt Su only has Su Hua in her heart. All three brothers are just doing the work for Su Hua. You work hard every day to catch and sell snails, but in the end you can’t even see a single copper coin. Don’t you feel it’s unfair?”
Zhao looked at the green sleeve on her arm and said nothing.
Meng Yun'er smiled slightly, "Sister-in-law, instead of working for others all day long, why not think about yourselves? Eldest brother is the eldest son of the Su family, and the eldest and second sons are growing up day by day. Do you really want them to be like eldest brother, toiling in the fields all their lives?"
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Zhao asked, her eyes lowered and her voice cold.
"Heh—" Meng Yun'er chuckled softly, her watery eyes filled with determination.
"Sister-in-law is a smart woman. As long as you tell Yun'er the recipe for this delicious snail dish, Yun'er will definitely give you a generous reward, enough for your family to live a life of luxury and never have to worry about anything!"
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