Chapter 18: Get moving, everyone!
Auntie San, who had been listening intently, suddenly paused and asked tentatively, "What do you mean?"
What exactly did Sang Zhixia agree with the old man behind his back?
The old lady listened to the whole thing but could not find any reason to refute. Seeing that she and Aunt Xu still had confused expressions on their faces, she sneered in anger.
These two idiots!
The idiot was a little anxious, but Sang Zhixia smiled calmly after getting his approval.
Seeing that she didn't speak up, the old man knew that this evil person could only do it himself. He paused and said in a tone that did not allow for discussion: "From today on, all household affairs will be divided equally among the three families. The three people who are out are not counted. The rest of the people must move."
"Ou'er's wife will make a list that clearly specifies what each person needs to do every day. We'll take turns assigning tasks, from washing clothes and cooking to working in the garden. Everyone will be assigned an equal share of the tasks. No shirking or procrastination is allowed. Do you have any objections?"
Simply put, Sang Zhixia proposed a simple version of the personal responsibility division system.
All tasks, big and small, are assigned to everyone and must be completed every day.
In order to shut everyone up as much as possible, she also proposed a rotation system: today Second Aunt would do the laundry, and tomorrow she would cook, and they would take turns.
In short, the purpose is: none of you here can escape, everyone, get moving!
If it was Sang Zhixia who made this statement, or anyone else present, there would be objections.
But it was the old man who spoke.
Sang Zhixia smiled with her eyes wide open, hiding her achievements and fame. Second and third aunts were angry but dared not say a word in the face of the heavy responsibility that suddenly fell upon them.
Seeing that the situation was settled, the old lady simply agreed with the old man and said, "That's fine."
"We can't just dwell on the past. It's time for some new things to happen at home."
Sang Zhixia nodded vigorously, knowing how to read people's expressions, and echoed, "Grandpa and grandma are wise, but you two elders are the best!"
The old man looked at her with an indescribable look, and a hint of softness inexplicably appeared on his tense face.
He put down his bowl, stood up and said, "Hurry up and make a list, and let everyone know what they are going to do."
"I'm going out for a walk around the village."
Sang Zhixia answered crisply, "Okay, Grandfather, take care."
This was the first time the old man walked out of the gate after arriving in Luobei Village. For the first time, everyone who was only interested in complaining and not working felt what it meant to be helpless in facing reality.
The old lady went back to the house to avoid the storm.
Second Aunt Xu looked at Xu Minghui who was forced to carry the bucket, and she gritted her teeth in pain: "I'll go wash clothes, Minghui will carry water, plus the second master who went out, there are three people from the second house!"
"There are also three in the eldest house."
Sang Zhixia said calmly, "Xu Yu is out. I'll be in charge of cooking, and my mother-in-law will be weeding the vegetable garden. Isn't that enough people?"
"Second Aunt, Third Aunt's whole family is out, but your family still has Mingyang staying here, which is already good enough."
After she finished speaking, she didn't know what Second Aunt was saying. She picked up Xu Jinxi and said, "Grandma, let's go and teach you how to weed."
Fearing further blame, Xu Wenxiu quickly grabbed the basket and followed. However, when they arrived at the vegetable garden, it was Sang Zhixia herself who took action first.
She spoke confidently, but Xu Wenxiu was not even a laborer at all.
Xu Wenxiu grabbed the hoe awkwardly and tried to turn the soil. After shaking it a few times and finding it didn't work, he looked at Sang Zhixia for help.
The current predicament was like hell to everyone in the Xu family, but Sang Zhixia adapted to it at an astonishing speed.
Watching her skillfully cut the knee-high weeds and tie them up on the ground, Xu Wenxiu couldn't help but wonder, "How did you learn all this?"
Sang Zhixia's mind flashed back to the countless odd jobs she had done in her past life to make a living. Without even looking up, she said, "I learned it to survive."
What she said was true, but the first thing Xu Wenxiu thought of was the miserable life she had as a concubine's daughter in her parents' home.
I've heard for a long time that the Sang family values legitimate children, and that illegitimate children have a particularly hard time.
Is it really so difficult for Sang Zhixia to have such a hard time at her mother's home?
Xu Wenxiu's expression was indescribably complicated.
Sang Zhixia noticed her silence and mistakenly thought that she felt the work was too hard, so she simply moved Xu Yu, who was moving bricks outside, out.
"Mother-in-law, Mingxu and Jinxi are still young. We can't just wait for Xu Yu to do the hard work. If they want to take root here and survive, we have to help them."
In other words, are you willing to let your precious son suffer alone?
Xu Wenxiu couldn't bear to leave.
Thinking of Xu Yu's rubbed shoulders and head, her eyes reddened and she began to work hard.
Seeing this, Sang Zhixia's lips curled up silently.
After laying the groundwork for a long time, this is exactly the effect she wanted.
The vegetable garden is not big, but it takes a lot of work to clean it up one by one.
Sang Zhixia roughly explained to Xu Wenxiu what could be kept, and when the time was almost up, she washed her hands and went into the kitchen.
Aunt Xu is in charge of this area and has already washed and arranged everything that needs to be washed.
The basket she brought back contained some potatoes that she had dug out from the soil.
Because they grow in the soil with no one to take care of them, the fruits dug out are of different sizes and shapes, but they are fine as long as the skin with mud is peeled off, and they are just right for making potato stewed rice.
She first cut the peeled potatoes into finger-sized pieces, washed the white rice, put a little lard in the pot and fried the raw rice, waited until the oil was fully absorbed into the rice grains, then added the diced potatoes, stirred evenly, added water and began to simmer on low heat.
The bok choy you find can be used to stir-fry mixed greens, and can also be used as a side dish for rice.
The smoke from the stove lingered, and Aunt Xu, who had gone out to wash clothes, came back cursing and carrying a large basin.
Sang Zhixia pretended not to see her dark and ferocious face, and said with a smile: "Second Aunt, the rope is in the basket over there. Tie it to the trees at both ends and hang the clothes there at the same time."
Aunt Xu glared at her hatefully and went to tie the rope.
Xu Minghui could never fill up the water tank no matter how hard he tried. After walking back and forth nearly ten times, he finally filled the water tank.
Unlike the anger on Aunt Xu's face, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and said politely, "Sister-in-law, is there anything else I can help you with?"
The second brother, who had been hiding in the house and never came out, was inexplicably enthusiastic.
Why didn’t you move earlier?
Sang Zhixia added two pieces of thin firewood to the stove and said playfully, "You've finished your work, so just go and rest."
Xu Minghui smiled subtly and went into the house despite feeling uncomfortable all over.
Sang Zhixia had nothing to do while sitting by the stove, so she simply took down the old clothes that Xu Yu had hung on the tree yesterday.
Times are different now. Xu Yu didn't have two sets of clothes to change into. He could just patch up the worn-out clothes and continue wearing them.
This was the scene the old man saw when he came back from his walk.
Noticing the thicker material Sang Zhixia had deliberately sewn onto his shoulders, he quickly closed his eyes and said, "Do you know what kind of work Yu'er and the others are doing?"
Hearing the inexplicable tension in his words, Sang Zhixia guessed that he had found out where Xu Yu's six copper coins a day came from, and said with a smile, "Grandfather, this place is rich in blue bricks."
"If you're doing physical labor, you're either moving bricks or making bricks and firing kilns. What else could it be?"
Xu Yu has put in so much effort, old man, you'd better not be partial.
Hearing the hidden meaning in her words, the old man, whom few people dared to contradict, smiled softly in surprise.
"You are quite brave, girl."
Although it lacks the etiquette of a lady from a wealthy family, it is difficult to protect the wife in this situation.
He exhaled slowly and said in a deep voice, "What was the plan for burning charcoal that you told me about this morning? Come over here and tell me in detail."
This is what Sang Zhixia has been waiting for.
She moved a small stool and sat down next to the old man, clearly introducing the outline of the plan she had in mind.
The old man would ask a few questions from time to time, and she could answer them fluently, looking like she was fully prepared.
In the west room, Xu Minghui saw through the gap in the window that Sang Zhixia was having a great conversation with the old man, and his heroic brows silently furrowed.
"Mom, it seems that my eldest brother has married a good wife."
A concubine's daughter who is not valued by anyone is gradually gaining the attention of the old man.
This is not a good thing for people in the second and third rooms.
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