After a busy day the next day, Meng Zhao took off her apron and said to Gu Shi, "Mother, I still have some things to do. Why don't you take the two children to buy some gifts so we can bring them back tomorrow?"
As she spoke, she took out two pieces of silver from her purse. "Take this money. See if there's anything you want to buy. It's been so long since I visited my grandmother's house, so you should bring back some things."
Madam Gu quickly pushed her hand back.
"Oh, how could I use your money? I don't usually need to spend money. I save all the wages you give me. Don't worry about this. Go and do your work."
The two children also gathered around, saying, "Sister-in-law, we brought our wages with us today. We also want to buy a gift for our grandmother, so you don't need to spend any money."
Meng Zhao smiled and pinched their cheeks. "Alright, then it's up to you. If you run out of money, just ask your sister-in-law for more."
Meng Zhao was already familiar with the way to Chunfeng Tower. He went in for less than half an hour and came out again, carrying a contract worth more than 900 taels and a deposit of 100 taels in his arms.
She was so afraid of accidentally dropping it that she checked it several times along the way before she could feel at ease.
There's no need to set up the stall tomorrow, and I had nothing to do this afternoon, so Meng Zhao stayed in the house for half a day before finally listing out the instructions and precautions for using starch clearly.
The precautions and potential problems in the starch production process were also listed.
When Gu called her for dinner, Shen Qinghe had just arrived home.
"Second brother, you're back. Have you eaten?"
"I've already eaten, sister-in-law, you guys eat." Shen Qinghe put down her things, walked around the yard, and finding no chores to do, sat down to chat with them.
"Brother, we're going to Grandma's house tomorrow!" Shen Qingyu happily told her brother about tomorrow's itinerary.
Shen Qinghe looked up at his mother and sister-in-law, and after receiving their nods, the corners of his mouth turned up, and his tone was also filled with a smile.
"Okay, we're going to Grandma's house tomorrow. Do you two miss Grandma?"
Shen Qingze swallowed the bun in his mouth, lowered his eyes and said, "I remember the last time I saw my maternal grandmother, it was my eldest brother who took us there."
Gu's mother was old and had difficulty walking, so she rarely went out. She didn't come when Meng Zhao and Shen Qing'an got married, and only sent Gu's two brothers with their wives and children.
Later, when Shen Qing'an went to perform corvée labor, Meng Zhao made a mess of the house. Then came the news of Shen Qing'an's death. One thing after another happened, and Gu Shi was unable to go home to visit.
Later, they set up a stall at the dock. In order to make money, they never stopped except when it rained, and they had no time to go there.
Mentioning the late Shen Qing'an, the people at the table all looked somewhat melancholy.
Meng Zhao hugged the two children and said softly, "It's okay, you'll see your grandmother tomorrow, and you'll also see your cousins. Then you can play together."
Since they were going out the next day, they all went to bed early.
The next morning, Meng Zhao woke up just as dawn was breaking. She didn't have to set up her stall today, so she unusually lingered in bed for a while.
Only after vaguely hearing noises outside did he get up and go out.
Shen Qinghe was fetching water outside, preparing to water the vegetable plots in the yard. Meng Zhao and Gu Shi had often tampered with these plots.
I planted some cabbage, eggplant, chives, and sunflowers, but it didn't look messy at all.
The chickens in the coop had been clucking for a while, probably because they were hungry. Meng Zhao and Gu Shi mixed some chicken feed and fed them. They also cleaned the coop and took out seven eggs, which they put in the egg basket at home.
After finishing their tasks in the yard, they sat down together and ate breakfast.
A bowl of hot multigrain porridge with freshly fried potato and egg pancakes, served with Meng Zhao's pickled vegetables, makes for a very satisfying meal.
After cleaning up the dishes, they all changed into the new clothes they had made a few days ago and went out together.
When I reached the village entrance, I encountered a few villagers working and chatting under a tree. When I saw their family, I greeted them.
"Qinghe has returned from the county."
Although Shen Qinghe was a scholar, he did not have the bad habit of being arrogant, and he replied in a friendly manner.
"Yes, I'm off today. I just got home last night."
Seeing that they were carrying a cart full of goods and it wasn't their turn to set up their stall yet, the man asked curiously, "Where are you going with such a large load of stuff?"
Madam Gu replied with a smile, "I've been busy these days and haven't been to see my mother in a long time. Today, since Qinghe is here too, we'll go back to my mother's home together."
When villagers passed by, they mostly didn't stop to chat much; after exchanging greetings, the group continued on their way to Gujia Village.
After they left, the group of people who had been chatting while working stopped what they were doing and started discussing it for a while.
"Did you see that cartload of stuff they were pulling? Even a whole family stocking up for the New Year wouldn't buy this much. If you ask me, that cartload of stuff must be worth at least two or three taels of silver."
"Tsk, not only that, didn't you see there are still several pieces of cloth? They're the same patterns I couldn't bring myself to buy last time. Those few pieces of cloth alone are probably worth several hundred coins."
"The Shen family is really living a good life now; they're all wearing brand new clothes. I never would have guessed that they're all so good-looking."
"Ha, no matter how good-looking they are, they're still two widows. If you ask me, the feng shui of the Shen family's courtyard is bad, otherwise how could two men have died in a row?"
These words are indeed harsh and sarcastic, but that's how it is in the village. When you're doing well, there are people who envy and yearn for you, but there are also many who are jealous and resentful.
However, Meng Zhao and the others couldn't hear these words.
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