The Chen family did indeed have money.
It was her savings for her funeral.
It weighed a full four ounces.
But she didn't tell anyone, not even Old Man Jiang, who shared a bed with her.
At this moment, Old Man Jiang was fast asleep in the house, oblivious to everything happening outside.
He fully displayed his cowardly nature.
"Either you give me the money, or I'll move out next month. You can only choose one. If you don't give it to me, then don't say anything more. I need to go to bed early. I still have to find work tomorrow."
Jiang Dafeng guessed that his mother wouldn't pay.
He lost interest in speaking.
He pushed aside Jiang Dayu, who was blocking the doorway.
I crossed the threshold and prepared to go back inside.
He wouldn't tell you about the job he just found today.
If his family found out that he earned three taels of silver a month, he wouldn't be able to leave even if he wanted to.
Jiang Dafeng deliberately made an excuse that he had to find new work the next day and needed to go to bed early.
"Creak—"
"Bang—" Jiang Dafeng opened the door, went inside, and slammed the door shut, completely ignoring the curses Chen Shi was hurling at him from outside.
The house is only this big.
The noise of his argument with Chen at the door could be clearly heard inside the house. As soon as he came in, he saw Yun sitting on the bed looking at him with a worried expression.
“It’s alright, don’t be afraid. We’ll move next month. I’ve already told Mother.” Jiang Dafeng said before Yun Shi could speak.
"Husband, are you in pain?" Yun didn't respond, but looked at his mouth with heartache.
"It doesn't hurt. The big stone that was blocking my chest is gone. I'm very happy. Ah Wan and Ah Tong, Dad will bring you meat to eat tomorrow. Don't run around. Stay in the house with your mother. Especially Ah Wan, no matter how your grandma calls you, you are not allowed to go out. Lock the door. Except for mealtimes, don't step out of the house. And don't do any work, understand?"
She was worried that her timid daughter would be bossed around by her own mother.
Jiang Dafeng had to give several instructions before he felt at ease.
"I know, Father, I won't go out." Jiang Wan's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. She habitually lowered her head when she spoke, looking timid and submissive.
"I don't know who Awan takes after in terms of personality, sigh."
Jiang Dafeng sighed.
"Alright, stop talking about her. It's better for a young lady to be quiet. If she turns out like those mischievous boys in your older brother's family, you'll have a headache again. Ah Wan, come here, help your mother to the outhouse." Madam Yun was in a hurry to urinate, but she was too weak. If no one helped her, she would faint after taking a few steps.
His body is always covered in bruises.
"Did you sleep for a long time again today?" Jiang Dafeng was very worried when he saw Yun's pale face.
"I've been drinking brown sugar water these past two days, and I feel much better. I haven't been sleeping as long, and my head isn't as dizzy, but I just don't have much energy," Yun replied softly.
“Lying down like this all the time isn’t a solution, Awan. From now on, help your mother get out of bed and walk around every day. Otherwise, if her legs get too thin, she won’t be able to stand up in the future.”
"I understand, Father," Jiang Wan replied, her hands still busy.
She is helping Yun put on her shoes.
Yun's calves were exposed.
It's so thin that only bones remain.
Like a bamboo pole.
"Once I earn more money, I'll definitely raise you three to be healthy and plump." Jiang Dafeng felt really bad seeing this. He sighed and made a promise to his wife and children.
"puff--"
“You idiot, do you think I’m raising pigs? They’re all plump and healthy, as long as they can fill their stomachs, that’s all that matters. Everyone’s like that. When it comes to making a living, we still have to be frugal. We still need to save money for Awan and Atong’s dowry. We can’t keep renting houses after we move out. If houses in town are too expensive, we’ll go to a village outside the city, buy a plot of land, build a small house, and settle down.”
With her daughter's help, Madam Yun stood up, trembling.
She jokingly scolded Jiang Dafeng.
Planning for the future.
People from outside the city would do anything to marry into the town or buy a house there and settle down.
But she wanted to leave the bustling Shuangqiao Town and go outside the city.
In her heart.
As long as the family is safe and sound, and the daughter marries into a good family and the son marries a good wife, she and her husband can cultivate a piece of wasteland, grow some grain, and have enough to eat and drink. That would be the best life for them.
"I'll do whatever you say. From now on, I'll give all my earnings to you to manage. Hurry up and go to the outhouse, Ah Wan, hold your mother steady."
Jiang Dafeng opened the door as he spoke.
While his wife and daughter went to the outhouse, he went to the kitchen to boil water.
After a long day of work, he was covered in dust, so he washed up and prepared to go to sleep.
I have to go to work first thing tomorrow morning.
After washing up and pouring water, Jiang Dafeng took advantage of the fact that no one was in the yard, found a wooden soup bowl in the kitchen, and brought it back into the house.
He made all the wooden bowls in his home himself.
It also comes with a lid to prevent mice from stealing the vegetables inside.
He'll use this to hold his food tomorrow.
To avoid his family seeing him come back with a wooden bowl and asking him all sorts of questions.
Jiang Dafeng then took a small burlap sack and a rope from the storeroom.
Then tie the wooden bowl tightly with rope, so that if the food is put in the burlap sack and shakes over, it will cover the gaps and prevent the smell of meat from escaping and being smelled by others.
Jiang Dafeng planned to go to the street after work to pick up some rotten vegetable leaves and put them inside to cover up the mess.
Let's do it without anyone noticing.
Enjoy a good meal discreetly.
After finishing everything, he went to bed and cuddled his wife for a good night's sleep.
Four-year-old Atong slept in a small bed inside the house.
It was called a bed, but it was really just a wooden board covered with a quilt.
As for Jiang Wan...
He then went back to his own room.
She slept in a room by herself.
It wasn't that her family spoiled her; it was just that she was the only girl in the Jiang family.
Jiang Wan's room is the smallest.
It was very simple. The wooden door was old and dilapidated, with several cracks. Every morning, the glaring sunlight would shine in through the cracks. Luckily, Jiang Wan didn't sleep in, otherwise she would be woken up by the sunlight every day.
There was only a bed and a small cabinet in the room.
There's no room for any more tables.
The patched quilt was clean and smelled of a young girl, indicating that the sheets and covers were frequently washed and dried.
There wasn't a speck of dust on the cabinet.
Jiang Wan took off her coat and went to bed.
She stared blankly at the roof beam, thinking of how her father had protected her today, and felt extremely happy.
Despite her timid nature, Jiang Wan is actually quite intelligent.
Moreover, he is exceptionally intelligent.
Jiang Wan knew that if she disobeyed her grandmother and went to work at the Song family's house, her mother would be secretly tormented and cursed by her grandmother.
Yun's health was very poor.
It can't withstand any setbacks.
To protect her mother and to make her grandmother happy so she wouldn't cause trouble every day, she was willing to obediently listen to her mother.
Night falls.
The light faded.
The weather is not good tonight. Not a single star can be seen, and the moon is obscured by layers of clouds. Everything on earth is pitch black.
The patrolling officials, carrying lanterns, slowly passed by.
At this moment, in the second courtyard of the Yan residence.
A room was radiating light, and inside lived Yan Xia.
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