Qin also wanted to eat meat, but she didn't want Xu Genqing to borrow money from Granny Jiang.
If Granny Jiang blames her for being greedy and forces her son to borrow money to eat meat, she will be scolded again.
Having been beaten up twice, both openly and secretly by Jiang Zhi, she was still intimidated.
“Genqing, don’t lend money. It’s not easy to lend money to your Aunt Jiang. You have to sign an IOU.”
Since your Aunt Jiang says this sugar jar is medicine, why don't I take it to the pharmacy in town and sell it? I can get a few coins and use them to buy things for Lianhua; I won't eat it myself.”
“That’s only a few coins! And we have to walk dozens of miles in the rain.” Xu Genqing shook his head; he didn’t believe his mother’s statement that she wouldn’t eat it.
Even if her mother didn't eat, Lianhua didn't dare to eat alone, because if she did, her mother would definitely say she was unfilial. She should buy more so that both her mother-in-law and daughter-in-law could eat.
Sigh, Aunt Jiang hasn't been in the village these days, so I can't borrow any money.
Xu Genqing decided to first contact Xu Genyou's family to ask if there were any other solutions...
Before he could even move, Qiangzi from Xu Genyou's family came running over: "Uncle Qing, my uncle sent someone to manage the household. He has something to say!"
"You have something to say? What do you have to say?" Xu Genqing and his family of three looked at each other in bewilderment.
I heard from my mother that Xu Genbao, who was working as a cotton flufferer, has returned. I haven't seen him yet.
Xu Gen's house has been repaired, and there's nothing else going on in the village.
Even Aunt Jiang isn't in the village, so what's the sudden request for everyone to come to her house?
Qiangzi said with some pride, "My uncle is back for the New Year!"
Now Xu Genqing was even more confused.
Xu Genbao has been out fluffing cotton for the past six months, and he hasn't even come back to repair the house. Now that he's back, why send people to his house? What is he planning to do?
Qin suddenly became clever. She remembered that Xu Genbao and Wang Xiaoju had returned with large bundles, which must be full of copper coins: "Go, hurry up, it must be because we helped them repair their house and they are going to give money to everyone!"
Xu Genqing: "...Mom, are you out of your mind for money?! Would he really give everyone money?"
He doesn't believe it!
Although the villagers didn't say anything out of respect for Xu Genbao, and even spent three days helping him repair his house, they were very dissatisfied behind his back, including Xu Genbao himself, who complained a lot.
Her mother would curse Wang Xiaoju behind her back every day.
They scolded her for only knowing how to enjoy herself, saying that she used to be a young mistress in her husband's family and then went back to her parents' family to be a great-aunt.
Now that neither of the two families wants it anymore, they've started to wreak havoc on the whole village.
Not only at Xu Genqing's house, but also in another courtyard, Xu Gensheng received the news.
The ground outside was wet. As he adjusted his wooden clogs, he muttered to himself, "Village Chief Jiang used her family's grain funds to help us buy cheap materials."
They also made us repair each other's houses and assigned us work points, but they wouldn't allow anyone to take advantage or suffer losses while working there.
Xu Genbao didn't contribute anything, yet he still benefited from it.
Genyou knows all this, but he still insists on fixing it, saying he'll give everyone an explanation when Genbao comes back. I want to see what he has to say.
Pi wanted to follow along to see what was going on: "Wang Xiaoju must be trying to show off, I'll go see too!"
Xu Gensheng glared at her: "What are you going to do? The house repairs have delayed the work in the fields. If you have nothing better to do, go and pull up the weeds in the fields. I'm going to see if we can get two rabbits from Tian Gui's family to raise."
Tian Gui's family has been raising chickens and rabbits since the beginning of summer. Now the chickens are laying eggs and the rabbits have given birth, which has made many people in the village envious.
Xu Gensheng's family bought a pig last time, and it now weighs about 100 jin (50 kg). They're keeping it for manure and can't bear to slaughter it.
We've been repairing the house all this time, and with all the rain, the wild grass in the vegetable garden is growing tender and lush, perfect for picking to feed the pigs.
Xu Gensheng also wants to raise rabbits, since the house is spacious now.
When Ms. Pi heard that she had to pull the weeds herself, she immediately became unhappy. Pulling weeds in winter makes her hands cold, and she didn't want to do it.
Xu Gensheng didn't care whether Pi was willing or not: "Anyway, you're not allowed to associate with Wang Xiaoju."
Xu Genbao and Wang Xiaoju were publicly punished and then fought and argued while working in the fields, which had already made them a laughing stock in the village.
Pi used to have some contact with Wang Xiaoju, but now Xu Gensheng forbids the two of them from seeing each other, saying that they shouldn't learn that "unsettled" personality.
Pi had always wanted to have her own house, and now that her wish had come true, she didn't argue with Xu Gengsheng: "I won't go, I won't go. Pigs have dry pig feed. I'll go see Grandpa over there!"
The old man was not feeling well, so she, as his granddaughter-in-law, needed to take care of him.
Xu Genbao's new house is also a "small three-section" rammed earth house.
No one lives there, the land hasn't been properly maintained, and there are pits and dents everywhere from when the house was being built.
A broken charcoal brazier sat on the ground, burning scraps of wood left over from repairing the house. The flames were strong, perfect for warming oneself by the fire.
A dozen or so people were gathered around the brazier; they were all people who had participated in the house repairs that day and had been called over.
There were no stools or furniture in the house, so Xu Genbao invited everyone to sit on some leftover timber from the house repairs.
Some people didn't sit; instead, they squatted by the brazier to keep warm.
On a rainy day like this, it's cold no matter how many layers you wear; it's only comfortable by the fire.
Xu Gensheng was the most anxious. Before everyone had even found their seats, he asked, "Xu Genbao, what do you mean by calling us here?"
The others remained silent and waited quietly.
Xu Genbao dragged over a wooden stake and sat down before saying, "I know the village is exchanging labor for house repairs, and my family didn't contribute, but everyone still helped us repair our house a few days ago. I remember this, thank you all!"
A kind word can warm you for three winter months; even if you still harbor resentment, you'll feel better on the surface.
Everyone laughed: "We live in the same village, and everyone needs help sometimes!"
Xu Genbao rubbed his hands together, a little hesitantly, and said, "I heard from my brother that everyone is short of money right now and doesn't have enough for the New Year!"
Upon hearing the word "money," the men, whose eyes were practically glowing with greed, immediately perked up, straightened up, and looked at him with piercing eyes: "Genbao, what do you mean? Are you willing to lend me some money?"
I heard that Xu Genbao made money working as a cotton flufferer. If he's willing to lend me money, that would be a good thing.
Just then, a few people walked in from outside the courtyard. They were all hunched over and had their necks tucked in.
Xu Genyou was walking in front, followed by Tian Gui and Xia Xiucai.
As soon as the scholar arrived, the people squatting by the brazier quickly made way: "Hey, scholar, warm yourself by the fire here!"
The others also made room for Xu Genyou and Tian Gui.
Xu Genyou's expression wasn't very good. He first heated his hands with the hot water, then said in a muffled voice, "Genbao, you said you wanted to calculate everyone's wages, so you do it. It'll be good for everyone to buy things with the money."
Calculate your wages!
Puzzled, the crowd immediately looked at Xia Xiucai, who had already taken out a stack of straw paper and a stone slab from his robes.
The villagers did keep work points, but everyone talked about exchanging work for work, without mentioning money.
Rumors circulate that they have money, but that's only assuming they have money on paper; it doesn't mean that each household is settling accounts separately.
If Xu Genbao could pay everyone's wages, that would naturally be a good thing, but why did Tian Gui and Xu Genyou look so unhappy?
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