When He Zifeng got home, he said to Qiu Yu, "Go take a nap." People like them who work from dawn till dusk can't keep up if they don't take a nap at noon.
Qiu Yu bought too much pig offal today and still has to clean it up: "Go to sleep first."
He Zifeng said, "I can't sleep without you."
Qiu Yu's cheeks flushed red; her words had been returned to her verbatim.
He Zifeng looked at Qiu Yu and couldn't resist any longer, so he carried her back to the house. Nothing was more important than cuddling his wife and sleeping with her.
Qiu Yu was placed on the bed, and then He Zifeng squeezed in. They had gotten up too early and were sleepy now. There was still so much work to do outside. He was physically exhausted, but his mind was still struggling: "But..."
He Zifeng knew that Qiu Yu wouldn't rest unless he forced her to, and every family member would care for their daughter-in-law: "At worst, we can hire someone to clean up." He thought to himself, "It's a long-term business anyway, I can't let myself get injured." There are plenty of idle people in the village, and for a little money, they can come and help.
Qiu Yu didn't say anything, but her expression suggested she was a little distressed about the money.
He Zifeng said, "I promise you'll make it back later. Now listen to your man and close your eyes to sleep."
He Zifeng said that, but Qiu Yu's eyes were still wide open, her face full of confusion.
He Zifeng said, "If you don't sleep now, I'll kiss you?"
Qiu Yu immediately closed her eyes, pulled the blanket up to cover half her face, her eyelashes still trembling slightly. He Zifeng pulled her into his arms, and they fell asleep in each other's embrace, feeling each other's warmth and breath.
When Qiu Yu woke up again, two hours had passed. He Zifeng was nowhere to be seen in the room. Qiu Yu immediately put on her shoes and went out. She saw her three sisters-in-law, who were close to her, cleaning the pig offal in the yard. They were washing the pig intestines inside out many times.
They saw that Qiu Yu had just woken up, his cheeks were still rosy. He was handsome and charming, and he didn't look like a man who had given birth, but rather like an unmarried girl.
“I see that you look younger every day since you left home,” said Sister-in-law Xia Hua.
“Our Qiuyu is naturally beautiful,” said Sister Liu.
Sister-in-law Xu said, "He Zifeng invited us here, saying he would pay us twenty coins a day. If you ask me, we're all from the village, so what's the big deal about money?"
Although Qiu Yu slept for a long time, he had finished all the chores he was worried about. He felt much more at ease and said, "Thank you for your trouble, sister-in-law. I will definitely pay you."
Xia Hua's sister-in-law said, "If we're talking about work, the most work you do at home doesn't get you any pay. It's better to come out and do it, at least you can have some free time."
"Yes, just let me know if you need any help in the future."
“Okay, sister-in-law,” Qiu Yu said.
Qiu Yu had already cleaned all the pig intestines thoroughly, rinsed them twice with clean water, and put them in to boil. There was a lot today, so he had to cook two pots: one pot for the pig intestines and another pot for the pig heart, pig stomach, and the like. Since the weather was hot, the pork bones wouldn't keep well, so he used a large earthenware pot to stew them separately in clean water.
Besides using Chinese herbs and spices to remove unpleasant odors when simmering braising liquid, there is another crucial method to enhance the aroma: add a large spoonful of sauce. This will result in a savory and delicious braised dish.
As for the two pairs of kidneys that were given as a gift, slice them and stir-fry them later as a dish.
Qiu Yu was always a quick and efficient person, and she tidied up the place in no time.
The women started kneading dough again. These women were all experts at cooking, so kneading dough was a piece of cake for them. They chatted and laughed, not feeling tired at all.
Before long, He Zifeng brought back the ground flour on a cart. He also brought back a melon. This wasn't a local specialty; it was brought from elsewhere. A melon the size of a palm cost five copper coins—extremely expensive!
But as they passed the village entrance, many people bought melons, though the price was high, and they couldn't always get one. Moreover, the melon vendors were shrewd; their melons were chilled, making them even sweeter. In the sweltering summer heat, it would be so refreshing to have one, so He Zifeng bought two.
One tooth was cut into five pieces, and each person got one tooth.
The women repeatedly refused, saying, "No, you should eat it yourselves." This slice of melon was only worth one penny. They couldn't even afford to eat it at home; none of their families were well-off, so how could they let them eat it for free?
He Zifeng said, "Sister-in-law, you should eat. It's all cut up. Besides, we still have a whole one. Let's just try it out."
Qiu Yu warmly welcomed them, and the women, unable to refuse, tried some. And indeed, one bite was refreshingly cool, followed by a sweet and crisp flavor—even better than wild mountain fruits. After eating it, the cool, refreshing melon seemed to dispel the summer heat, making them feel energetic again.
Seeing that Qiu Yu also liked to eat it, He Zifeng saved the last one specifically for Qiu Yu.
The three women were all efficient and capable. After rolling out the dough, they even helped tidy up the yard. They left just as it was time to cook dinner, having finished their work. He Zifeng had promised them twenty coins a day, and they worked half a day, each receiving ten coins.
I felt a little embarrassed when I received the money.
"Too many."
"How about five coins? Five coins is quite a lot."
"Yes, we even ate your melon."
He Zifeng said, "Sisters-in-law, please accept these. It's not just this once; we'll need your help again tomorrow. Probably around this time again!"
“Okay,” Xia Hua’s sister-in-law said.
The three sisters-in-law all went out happily.
Qiu Yu was reluctant to spend money before, but now she thinks it's good. Her sisters-in-law kneaded the dough and cleaned the pig offal, so they don't have to do anything.
Qiu Yu excitedly said, "Why don't we count the money?" They had only collected copper coins. They hadn't kept accounts for the past few days, and had just grabbed a handful to spend money, so they didn't know exactly how much it was. After counting, they realized that after deducting the spent money, there were a total of 2,490 coins.
Qiu Yu strung together two strings of cash, took out four hundred and ninety coins for working capital, and said, "From now on, we'll save two strings of cash every day." In that instant, Qiu Yu felt that all the hard work was worthwhile; she had never seen so much money before.
Although making savory pancakes seems like a small business, it's actually quite profitable. They make a lot of money behind the scenes.
He Zifeng peeled and chopped another melon and fed it to Qiu Yu. He liked seeing Qiu Yu act like a little money-grubber. Qiu Yu opened her mouth and chewed a couple of times, her mouth full of crisp sweetness. Qiu Yu said, "It's a pity Ranran isn't home."
He Zifeng picked up another melon and fed it to Qiu Yu, saying, "I already found out where he usually sells melons when I bought them. When Ranran comes back, we'll go to his house to buy some."
Qiu Yu then threw herself into He Zifeng's arms. He Zifeng hugged her and asked, "What's wrong?"
Qiu Yu smiled and smiled, "Happy."
He Zifeng gently tapped Qiu Yu's nose. Qiu Yu blinked.
This is such a promising life! Qiu Yu felt that this was the most comfortable life she had lived since the family split up.
They asked for help today. They didn't expect their wives to work so hard; they could rest now. But it's still early, so He Zifeng plans to go for a walk around the village with Qiu Yu. That way, he won't be too idle and start thinking about his son.
Qiu Yu asked, "What's gotten better in the village?" He said this insincerely, but he had already changed his clothes and was ready to leave.
He Zifeng said, "Let's go." He had never felt so relaxed and at ease before.
He Zifeng tried to take her hand, but Qiu Yu refused. They couldn't act like this in public, otherwise people would gossip. Some people in the village still say very unpleasant things.
So He Zifeng and Qiu Yu went to see their house. The construction workers were still working on it. Although it was just the foundation, it was already clear how big the house would be. Qiu Yu looked at the house, her eyes filled with longing.
"This is our home." Qiu Yu said this softly, as if she were in a beautiful dream and didn't want to disturb it.
He Zifeng said, "Well, if you have any other ideas, we can add more!"
Qiu Yu said, "It's already very good." She just hoped that she could move into her own home as soon as possible.
On the way back, Qiu Yu was much more lively. He Zifeng watched Qiu Yu with a smile.
People on the street saw the two of them and said, "These two have truly come out on top after suffering."
"Absolutely. He's renting out rooms and making money at the same time. You can see He Zifeng grinding flour at the village entrance every day. He must be making a lot of money."
"The He family is getting worse and worse." It's noticeable that the things Xiao Wan wears on her head are becoming increasingly plain. Wan Hai and Xu Li aren't as friendly as they used to be. He Donglai is acting like a madman, snapping at anyone he doesn't like.
The recent commotion in the village all revolves around the He family; you could find anyone in Chishui Village who could tell you several stories about them.
Just as the two were getting into a great conversation, the person next to him suddenly tugged at his sleeve. He looked up and saw Wan Hai walking towards them with a dark expression on his face.
Although everyone talks about the shameful things the He family has done, it's a different story if others hear it.
Wan Hai said, "Oh, busy?" His face was expressionless.
The two men were at a loss for words, only managing to laugh it off. They felt that Wan Hai's appearance had become much harsher, and he wasn't as approachable as before.
Wan Hai said, "I've been busy going to the market these days, it's exhausting." He started talking about his own affairs, and then said, "You know, my second brother is too stubborn. Everything at home is readily available, but he insists on going out to set up a small stall. How much money can he make? One trip to the big market is enough for them to earn for a month. Next time you see him, please persuade him for me. There's no such thing as holding a grudge between parents and brothers overnight."
This remark drew the attention of those around them, who asked, "Is it really that profitable?"
"Of course it's true, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse!" A smile flashed across Wan Hai's lips, but it quickly disappeared. He said, "You guys keep busy, I'm going back to work."
After showing off, he casually walked away.
Author's Note: I'd like to take this opportunity to say that I have some things to take care of today, so there will only be one update. I'll make up for the missed updates tomorrow.
I'd like to recommend my old novel, "Daily Life in an Ancient Farmhouse," which focuses on farming and has 400,000 words and is now complete.
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