Just then, the goose returned with a flock of chickens and ducks, and Xiaoyue filled their basins with some water.
After steaming the cornbread, Xiaoyue realized she hadn't cleaned the goose pen for several days. She collected a pile of ramie bark and moved the chicken droppings and other manure to the northeast corner of the house.
After tidying up, Xiaoyue ate a bite of food and then immediately began pulling out the mats from the shack, moving out a stool, placing the mats on the stool, and starting to pick cucumbers.
The autumn sun was scorching. Xiaoyue picked a basket of cucumbers, set aside the old ones, and sliced the green ones to dry in the sun, to save for winter.
Xiaoyue didn't finish drying the cucumbers until evening.
Taking advantage of the fact that there were fewer people fetching water at night, Xiaoyue found a carrying pole and a wooden bucket and went to the village's big well to fetch water.
When they arrived at the well, Xiaoyue hung the bucket on the hook and started turning the pulley to draw water. Just then, she heard Hu Zhu, who was enjoying the cool air by the well, gossiping: "Has anyone seen Ge Erping's new son-in-law?"
Monkey's wife curled her lip and said with a look of disdain, "I saw him, he's a cripple."
Someone chimed in, "At least Ge Erping has a certain height, so how could he have chosen a cripple?"
Monkey's wife then said sarcastically, "That cripple's family gave fifty taels of betrothal gifts. Even someone like Old Madam Ge would be overjoyed with just ten taels. Let alone a cripple, she would have been willing to be his concubine."
Hu Zhu patted her chest, "Oh dear, oh dear, that was close! My younger brother didn't take a liking to Ge Erping after all."
Xiaoyue had already filled two buckets with water. She bent down and carried the carrying pole to fetch water when she inadvertently saw her second sister-in-law, Xiao Sun, rushing towards the well. Not wanting to run into Xiao Sun, Xiaoyue quickly carried the water away.
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