"Brother Zhang, Sister-in-law Xiuhua, after you finish selling the zongzi on the Dragon Boat Festival, you will both have dinner at my house that night."
Brother Zhang escorted Wei Yuyan to the door, and Wei Yuyan unloaded her things. Then she started talking about coming over for dinner on the Dragon Boat Festival.
"Oh, sister-in-law, you must come to my house for the Dragon Boat Festival, and we'll eat at your house for the Mid-Autumn Festival."
Sister-in-law Xiuhua immediately disagreed, saying she had to make a gesture during the Dragon Boat Festival.
"Oh well".
Seeing Xiuhua's resolute expression, Wei Yuyan stopped trying to persuade her, but she planned to cook a big dish to take with her.
Wei Yuyan put the glutinous rice and jujubes in the bowl, and she would wrap the zongzi in a couple of days.
Every time Xiaolei and Xiaoqian come back, the first thing they do is take care of the chickens and rabbits at home.
They're so well cared for, they're shiny and healthy, but I wonder when they'll start laying eggs.
Wei Yuyan cut half a pound of pork belly for lunch and stir-fried it. She also made an egg and mushroom soup and a cucumber salad.
Wei Yuyan loves eating cold cucumber salad, but she's always forgotten to buy vinegar because she's short of it at home.
"Sister-in-law, the meat is so delicious."
We eat meat at home every few days now, but Qianqian is always very happy when she eats meat.
"If it tastes good, eat more."
Wei Yuyan noticed that her two children had gained a lot of weight in the past two or three months, especially Xiao Lei, who had grown taller.
In the afternoon, Wei Yuyan couldn't resist running to Sister Xiuhua's house again to see what she was doing.
"Sister-in-law, come sit down. I'm shelling peanuts. Your brother Zhang loves peanuts. I traded some with someone today. Would you like to take some home?"
Xiuhua's sister-in-law was sitting in the yard shelling peanuts.
"You're so kind to Brother Zhang. I don't like peanut rice dumplings, so I won't take any."
Wei Yuyan peeled a peanut and put it in her mouth; it tasted alright.
"You said you wanted to buy soybeans and red beans last time, why didn't you buy them today?"
Xiuhua's sister-in-law inquired.
"I don't have time to make soybean paste now, I'll do it after the Dragon Boat Festival. As for red beans, I've forgotten about them."
Wei Yuyan originally intended to develop a new product, red bean rolls, but she kept forgetting about it.
"Have your brother Zhang take them tomorrow. He's going to town tomorrow. How many do you want to buy?"
Xiuhua's sister-in-law chimed in.
"First, buy me one pound each of red beans and white sugar."
Wei Yuyan thought for a moment and decided to buy it first to conduct an experiment.
"Okay, no problem."
Xiuhua nodded and continued peeling peanuts, with Wei Yuyan helping her.
"Did you tell Brother Zhang about that? What was Brother Zhang's reaction?"
Wei Yuyan couldn't help but ask.
“I told you, your Brother Zhang and I had the same reaction. We think the money is too much. Just give us three hundred coins, and we'll help you with the work.”
Sister-in-law Xiuhua told Brother Zhang about it that night, and Brother Zhang's first reaction was also happiness.
If I help Wei Yuyan with chores, I can also take care of my family, and the income will be decent.
"So, you've agreed?"
Wei Yuyan was so happy she almost jumped for joy.
"Yeah, we're so lucky to have such a great boss like you, hahaha~~."
Xiuhua's sister-in-law was almost laughing as she said this.
"Since you've agreed, then so be it. Starting in May, you two will have to help me sell steamed buns."
As for wages, I won't pay less than three hundred coins. The exact amount will depend on how many buns you sell each month.
Please tell Brother Zhang that he's not home.
Wei Yuyan wanted to discuss it with Brother Zhang, but he wasn't home.
"He went to help his older brother repair the kitchen. It's an old house, and the kitchen was leaking, so they asked him to help with the roof repairs."
Xiuhua's sister-in-law explained.
Wei Yuyan played at Sister-in-law Xiuhua's house for a while longer before getting up to go home, as it was time to clean the house.
As Wei Yu approached the wall, he heard someone kicking the door. He stopped to listen to the sound.
"You little brat, open the door right now! I'm your aunt, so open the door. I'm not doing anything, I just want to see if you're doing well."
"……………".
It was Wu Lei's aunt's voice. Wei Yuyan recognized it. There was no sound in the yard, and Wei Yuyan knew that the children were deliberately keeping quiet.
Wei Yuyan's mind was racing, as if she was thinking about something.
"Qianqian, your aunt has brought you candied hawthorns. Open the door quickly."
My aunt's voice came out again; it seemed she had been waiting outside for quite a while.
"Cough cough~".
Wei Yuyan had already figured out how to deal with her.
“Niece-in-law, you’re here. I said I was just coming to see Qianqian and Xiaolei, but they just wouldn’t open the door.”
My aunt looked slightly uncomfortable and embarrassed, but it quickly disappeared.
"It's Auntie. Come in and sit down. Xiao Lei, open the door. Your sister-in-law is back."
Wei Yuyan decided to confront her directly, no longer wanting to hide.
"Squeak~".
Xiao Lei opened the door quickly; he was obviously waiting there.
"You silly child, your aunt called you so hard, why wouldn't you open the door?"
The aunt glared at Xiao Lei, then went inside and began looking around the house. It had been several months since she had last visited.
Fortunately, there was nothing in the yard, and nothing was hung there.
"Auntie, sit down. Come on, let Xiaolei pour you a bowl of water."
Wei Yuyan also sat down, and her aunt felt embarrassed to wander around, so she could only sit down as well.
"My dear niece-in-law, it's like this, Xiao Lei's grandmother hasn't been feeling well lately and needs to take medicine."
Our family doesn't have much money, and we've already spent several hundred coins on this.
We really can't afford anything now. As the younger generation, shouldn't you at least offer something?"
My aunt, acting like an elder, spoke in a condescending and sanctimonious manner.
“Auntie is right, but our family is even poorer. Look, Xiao Lei hasn’t had new clothes made in years.”
Xiao Lei happened to be wearing his old clothes today, and they were a bit too short.
"…………, niece-in-law, stop pretending to be crazy. Let's be frank and speak the truth."
You have to pay this money, or I'll send the old lady to your house.
Don't think I don't know. It's all over the village. You and Zhang Er's family are selling steamed buns together. How could you not have money?"
My aunt stopped pretending, mainly because she couldn't keep up the act any longer.
She had already planned it out on her way here: what if Wei Yuyan refused to give her the money?
She brought the old lady over, and they stopped caring for her. They'd been doing it for so many years, they were exhausted.
“When we divided the family property before, it was agreed that my dad wouldn’t want anything and wouldn’t have to support my grandma.”
Xiao Lei suddenly jumped out and roared, startling his aunt.
"You little brat, why are you shouting so loudly? Are you trying to scare me to death?"
"What are you kids doing interrupting when adults are talking? Go away."
The aunt glared at Xiao Lei and warned him.
“Xiao Lei is right. Wu Chen told me before he left that Grandma’s birth, aging, illness and death are none of our family’s business.”
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