Chapter 21 Chapter 21: Put away your belongings after moving to a new house. The former owner...
Lin Qiuran was not superstitious, but at this moment he couldn't help but sigh, what a coincidence, it was exactly thirty-seven taels.
If he had bought the bracelet when he first found it, he could have afforded it. But now he had some extra money, so he sold the bracelet and box for twenty-seven taels of silver, fourteen taels more than Lin Qiuran had calculated. After paying back the loan from Aunt Yu and buying the house, plus the intermediary fee and taxes, he would still have ten taels left.
Lin Qiuran smiled at Sun, "Mom, let's go tell Dad, and then go find Zhao Guangcai."
Sun, exhausted from visiting so many pawnshops, now felt refreshed. She nodded. What's that called? It's like searching high and low for gold, yet finding it effortlessly. They'd been worrying about money all these days, scraping together and borrowing, but it turned out they'd already had the money.
But as for money, the more the better, so save the more.
This jewelry is probably worth more than this price. Selling it would be a loss, so it's better to keep it for yourself. But the house must be bought first. I can buy Qiuran other beautiful jewelry later, such as gold bracelets and gold earrings.
The two of them first went to South Street to find Xiao Dashi. Today they were selling carp, and they roasted eight of them. Xiao Dashi had already sold five, and there were three left. It was not even noon yet, so there was no worry about selling them.
There were many people on the street, so Sun didn't tell Xiao Dashi how much the bracelet was worth. She just said, "His father, you sell it first. Qiu Ran and I will go find Boss Zhao."
When Xiao Dashi heard this, he knew that the money had been collected, so he told the two of them to go without worry, as he would be there to take care of the stall.
Lin Qiuran and Sun went to the shop rented by Zhao Guangcai. The shop was not big, with a flag hanging in front that said "Diamond Shop". It was here that they found Zhao Guangcai that day.
The door was locked, and no one was there, so the two of them waited at the door. The dentist spent most of the day out, and after waiting for about a quarter of an hour, Zhao Guang finally came back. When he saw the two of them, he was stunned for a moment, then a look of embarrassment appeared on his face.
Why are you here again? I can’t afford to buy anything, but you always come here.
He had just gone to meet another guest, who was also looking at the house that Lin Qiuran had taken a fancy to. After talking for a long time, it seemed that there was something loose over there, and it would probably take another two days to finish it.
Lin Qiuran still has no news, so he can't just sit there and wait.
Although Zhao Guangcai felt sorry for Lin Qiuran because she had lost her husband and it was not easy for a widow to be pregnant, he was in this line of work after all and made a living by selling houses.
The owner of the house refused to lower the price, and Lin Qiuran had no money. He couldn't just feel sorry for others. If the house couldn't be sold, he would have no food to eat, and he had a family to support.
He sighed and said, "Madam Lin, why are you here? I'm telling you the truth. I've helped you wherever you can and said everything I need to say, but there's really nothing I can do. Even if it's thirty-seven taels, the owner won't give me a penny less. I've been talking so hard that I've been away for several days trying to figure you out. You know that..."
"If you really want to buy it but don't have enough money, why not look for something else instead of wasting your time here? It's not easy for you to come here."
The house hadn't been sold yet. Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "I know, Brother Zhao has been running around for several days and has been waiting for several days, but I didn't come here today to bargain. We've already gathered the money, and I'm telling you. Otherwise, Brother Zhao can go over there and tell them, and tomorrow we'll pay the money, sign the house deed, and do everything we need to do. How about that?"
Zhao Guangcai was stunned again, "Is it all gathered?!"
Lin Qiuran said, "I borrowed some money from my relatives. After all, a good house doesn't wait for anyone. At worst, I can pay it back slowly later."
Zhao Guang was relieved. He said, "Mrs. Lin is frank. What you said is correct. Money can be earned slowly, but a house can't wait. But, Mrs. Lin, I also told you this beforehand. I won't help you look at houses for free. I won't charge a cent. The house is 37 taels, and you can give me 37 cents and 10 cents. That's the market price."
Zhao Guangcai was afraid that Lin Qiuran would bargain again. Maybe he had the money for the house but not for this. "To be honest, I put a lot of effort into this house, running around..."
Lin Qiuran said happily, "Okay."
Zhao Guangcai added, "The tax is two cents of the house's price and is paid to the government. We can't negotiate the price with the government."
Lin Qiuran said, "I know all this, don't worry, Brother Zhao."
Zhao Guangcai smiled and said, "Okay, since you have collected enough money, I will go to the master's house to ask. You just wait for my news here."
If the host is not available, then it won’t be possible until tomorrow. Both parties have to be available to get the job done.
Zhao Guangcai left without even entering the house. Sun was relieved. She was worried that the house would be bought by someone else, but fortunately it wasn't. The family was about to buy a house in the county. She said to Lin Qiuran, "Qiuran, let's not wait here. Are you hungry? Eat something first."
Lin Qiuran didn't know when Zhao Guangcai would come back. She looked around and said, "There's a restaurant nearby. Let's have a simple meal first."
After working for half a day, it was already noon.
The two of them went to a nearby restaurant, where Lin Qiuran ordered two dishes and two bowls of rice. After they finished, Zhao Guangcai returned, sweating profusely. "Madam Lin," he said, "it's already been agreed that we'll go to the government office to get the house deed handed over at 3:30 PM tomorrow morning."
Zhao Guangcai came back late. He just told the person who had looked at houses in the morning that this one had been booked and he would take him to look at other places in the afternoon.
The other party hadn't really made up their minds yet and was slightly disappointed upon hearing this, but they didn't mention anything like raising the price. However, since they had already agreed to Lin Qiuran, Zhao Guangcai wouldn't agree to a higher price. First come, first served, otherwise if word got out, he wouldn't be able to do it anymore.
Lin Qiuran said, "Okay, then, let's go to the shop tomorrow at this time. We'll first look at the house and then go to the government office."
Zhao Guangcai said: "Don't worry, I will definitely take a closer look at the house."
Lin Qiuran said, "Brother Zhao, please go ahead and do your work. We will go home first."
Lin Qiuran finally felt relieved. After so many days, the matter was finally settled. He had also carefully inspected the house last time and was quite satisfied with it.
The two of them were planning to go to South Street. Lin Qiuran didn't know if Xiao Dashi had sold all the fish. When he got there, there was still one left in the bucket.
Sun whispered to Xiao Dashi that the matter was settled, and a smile appeared on Xiao Dashi's dark face.
People were coming and going on the street, and after waiting for a while, no one bought fish. Lin Qiuran was too lazy to wait any longer. She said, "Mom, it's getting late, let Dad eat something first. Let's take this fish back to eat, and then buy some food from the county town. We have such a big happy event today, let's have something good to eat tonight."
Sun thought this was a good idea. No one wanted to start a fire after being out for a day.
She went to the bun stall next door and bought two buns for Xiao Dashi. Xiao Dashi ate the buns while Lin Qiuran followed Sun to put the things away.
Come over tomorrow to get the house deed, and there's nothing else to do. The house is ready and fairly clean and tidy. Find a day to come over and clean it up thoroughly, then choose an auspicious day to move in, and you'll be able to live in the county town in the future.
Not only that, but we still have some savings at home, which we haven't spent all. Whether we want to start a business or something else in the future, we'll have the capital.
Lin Qiuran and Sun had just covered the bucket and tied it up with a rope when a man dressed in a long gown and looking like a scholar came over. Seeing that the stall had been closed, he asked in surprise, "Are you sold out so quickly today?"
Seeing that he wanted to buy something, Lin Qiuran said, "I have only one left, and it's getting late so I want to close the stall. Do you want one?"
The man said, "Yes, please sell it to me. My wife gave birth a few days ago and I've been thinking about it."
Lin Qiuran nodded, untied the rope again, took out the fish and weighed it, "A total of four pounds and two ounces, thirty-three cents will be enough."
The man gave the money and brought a basin. Lin Qiuran put the fish in it and also served him the remaining soup.
Normally, after paying and taking the fish, one should leave. The man looked at Lin Qiuran for a long time and asked, "Can this lady prepare a feast? I always hear your parents-in-law talk about it."
It always sounds like he should be a regular customer. Lin Qiuran nodded and said, "Yes, but I'm afraid I can't accept the wedding banquet."
The man smiled and said, "No, it's my daughter's full moon party. The baby is one month old, and I want to invite some relatives and friends to make it a good feast. But I guess there will only be three or four tables."
He was afraid that Lin Qiuran would think the meal was too small and refuse to accept it.
Lin Qiuran: "When I accept banquets, I not only look at the number of tables, but also the dishes and the number of dishes. Generally speaking, the daily wage is four coins. If there are more tables and we need to prepare in advance, we will pay on a daily basis. A full moon banquet only takes one day. If you book it, you have to pay half of the deposit, otherwise it will clash with other dates and you won't be able to accept it later."
The man thought about it. The child was already born. Today was the seventh day of the first lunar month, and the full moon would be on the second day of next month. He said, "Then I'll give you half of the deposit first. The full moon will be on the second day of next month."
Lin Qiuran said, "Okay, where do you live, sir? I'll come to your house in a few days to order the menu for the full moon banquet."
The man told her where he lived and paid the deposit. After the man left, Lin Qiuran and Sun closed the stall.
Sun couldn't help but say, "I'm so lucky today."
Not only are the bracelets sold at a high price, but business is also booming. We haven't even moved in yet and we're already working. We have to have something good to eat tonight.
Sun thought to herself that there hadn't been a happy event in the family for a long time. When Xiao Xun left, Sun felt like the sky had fallen. It was Lin Qiuran who decided to stay. With his daughter-in-law and children, they were about to move to the county town, and their lives were getting better and better.
Xiao Xun, your spirit in heaven must bless Qiu Ran and the child.
The three of them bought some fruit, roast chicken, pork head, and sesame cakes on the street, planning not to cook when they got home in the evening.
Lin Qiuran also poured two taels of wine for Xiao Dashi. When buying the wine, Xiao Dashi kept saying no, no, but after buying it, he was so happy that his eyes became moist.
Lin Qiuran saw it and sighed softly in his heart. The haze of Xiao Xun's departure had finally dispelled, and life would definitely get better and better in the future.
Moving would be easy, no need to push the cart so far. If business continued to be good, Lin Qiuran planned to rent a small shop and let Sun's Xiao Dashi sell vegetables. He could also teach Sun how to cook. Then, he would only need to buy groceries, cook, and sell them. She would still go out to prepare banquets.
Lin Qiuran quite likes to prepare banquets. She has to follow the steps to make dishes out of a pile of unprocessed meat and vegetables. It is tiring, but it helps her forget about other chores when doing it.
But don’t worry, I’ll slowly make plans after I move here.
When passing by the dim sum shop, Lin Qiuran spent another penny to buy two kilograms of dim sum. When he returned to the village, the sun had already set. Fortunately, the food was already bought, so there was no need to cook.
Putting the things down, Lin Qiuran said, "Mom, go to Aunt Yu's house first and pay back the money. I'm afraid they won't accept interest. Just take the snacks."
The money was borrowed for two days in total. Although the money was not used, it allowed him to see who could communicate and who could not. Lin Qiuran also thought that if there were not enough people in the county, he would ask Aunt Yu to come.
Sun left quickly and came back just as quickly. "If you insist on not wanting it, I'll just leave it and go."
Xiao Dashi said, "We can't let people borrow money for free."
Lin Qiuran nodded in agreement. She took the opportunity to wash a few more cucumbers, as eating only meat would be too greasy.
During the meal, Sun told Xiao Dashi in detail what happened in the county town, and Lin Qiuran listened quietly beside her.
Xiao Dashi also understood, "Then let's go to the county town tomorrow to buy a house, clean it up, and move in on a certain date."
Lin Qiuran said, "The weather is good this season, so if we move earlier, we can start business earlier. We'll wait until the autumn harvest before returning to our hometown."
The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, and Lin Qiuran hopes to celebrate it at his new home.
Xiao Dashi said cheerfully, "I never dreamed that I could live in the city. People always say I'm honest and unmotivated, but I'm blessed, haha."
Sun said, "Alright, alright, don't just drink a few sips of wine and start acting crazy. We have to go to the county town tomorrow, so drink less."
Xiao Dashi narrowed his eyes and put the wine away, planning to drink the rest after moving to his new home.
The next day, the sky was clear and the autumn breeze was refreshing. It was a good day.
The three of them first took a ox cart to the county town, and then went to Zhao Guangcai's shop. After waiting for the owner of the house for a while, they went to see the house together, inside and out. Only after they were sure there was no problem did they follow Zhao Guangcai to the yamen.
However, it didn't take too long to go to the government office to get the house deed, because Lin Qiuran met Wang Zhubu, who took care of the matter.
Wang Zhubu didn't expect that Lin Qiuran would come to the county town to buy a house in just a few days. It would definitely be more convenient to entertain guests in the future. No wonder he didn't want to stay in the post station.
Zhao Guangcai and the previous owner of the house hadn't expected Lin Qiuran to know the county officials. Their attitudes immediately improved, and they signed and stamped their signatures with remarkable alacrity.
When it was the Xiao family's turn to sign, Lin Qiuran said that none of them could write. Wang Zhubu said, "You can just use your fingerprints. Then whose name will the house be registered under?"
Sun and Xiao Dashi said in unison, "Lin Qiuran."
Lin Qiuran said, "Autumn is the autumn of autumn, and Ran is the reason for it."
Wang Zhubu wrote and stamped the house deed, and made four copies of the sales document, one for the previous owner, one for the government and one for Zhao Guangcai, and one for Lin Qiuran. However, this thing was useless and he would not even look at it when he sold it in the future. He kept it just to avoid disputes in the future.
After everyone put their belongings away, the former owner handed the key to Lin Qiuran, "Madam Lin, congratulations."
Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "Thank you."
After leaving the government office, Zhao Guangcai also congratulated her and said, "Lady Lin, please come to me again when you are looking for a house or a shop. Even if I can't lower the price, I can still give you a discount."
This time she could get a bargain, Lin Qiuran smiled and did not explain that she had no relationship with Wang Zhubu, she had just cooked for the adults a few times.
She knew that with such a reputation, life in the county would be easier. Lin Qiuran said, "Okay, I also wish Brother Zhao a prosperous business."
After the work was done, Zhao Guangcai and the other two left.
Lin Qiuran and Sun's Xiao Dashi stood at the gate of the government office. She said, "Mother, let's go take another look at the house."
I just looked at the house to see if there was anything broken. Otherwise, even after the documents were signed and the money was paid, the previous owner wouldn't recognize it. This time I went back to see their new home.
To Lin Qiuran, the Xiao family wasn't her own home, but she had contributed to the purchase of the new house, and would live there from now on. Lin Qiuran couldn't help with the autumn harvest, and she probably didn't return to Xiao Village often.
Lin Qiuran had just been looking around, mostly at the corners and eaves, checking for any broken or missing tiles. This time, he stood at the doorway, taking in the square house, the spacious windows, and the size of the yard. As he looked, he wondered what he could grow in the backyard, where he would put his things in the future, and where he would put his chicks.
When she saw the kitchen, she thought she could ask someone to make a cabinet, put it in the corner, and cover it with a cloth to make it neat and beautiful.
The rooms were divided up immediately. Sun and Xiao Dashi chose the smaller west room, while Lin Qiuran lived in the east. The room was empty, with nothing much in it. If they wanted to live there, they definitely needed a bed. They could move in from Xiao Village, or even get a new one, but they'd have to wait.
Lin Qiuran thought she could build a dressing table under the window, with a wardrobe next to it. If she had more money, she could get a screen to separate the inner and outer rooms, and even build a crib for the child. But there was no rush; she could slowly add to the space after she moved.
Sun and Xiao Dashi went to the west room. Originally, Xiao Dashi thought that this place was not as big as his hometown, but this room had a suspended ceiling and large windows, so it looked very spacious.
The ground was not the muddy ground in the village, but was paved with stone bricks, which felt quite clean when stepped on. Xiao Dashi thought it would be a good idea to move here.
"His mother, when I get back I'll find someone who's studying in the village to find a good day so we can move."
Now that they were there, Sun and Xiao Dashi couldn't sit still, so they cleaned up the house and took out all the clutter.
After finishing the work, the three of them had a meal at a nearby restaurant, then returned to clean up carefully. As they locked the door, Lin Qiuran said, "Let's get a new lock when we move."
Sun suddenly realized, "Qiu Ran is really thoughtful."
The three of them drove the ox cart back to Xiaojia Village in the afternoon. As soon as they arrived home, Xiao Dashi went out to ask someone to calculate the date. Lin Qiuran rested for a while and tidied up the things in the house. It took less than a quarter of an hour to finish the packing.
The original person had just been married and didn't have many things. She had two winter quilts, two summer quilts, a pillow, and some clothes. She didn't have any jewelry, and for combing her hair she only had some hair ties and a cloth to cover her hair.
Xiao Xun still had a few sets of clothes, and Lin Qiuran wanted to throw them away, but for Xiao Dashi of the Sun family, that was all he cared about.
Moreover, if the child was born and asked who the father was, Lin Qiuran could at least produce a piece of clothing. She would tell the child that their father had sacrificed his life for his country, and that the child would follow his example, defend his country, and study hard.
Lin Qiuran packed his things and sorted out his money.
She had the title deed to her old home, and today she also had the title deed to her house in the county seat. After buying the house, the family still had nine taels and eight cents of silver in their savings, leaving them with over three hundred copper coins, some of which Liu had lent her.
Linjia Village is far away, and Lin Qiuran is busy these two days. She plans to collect 150 coins and pay the money back.
A quarter of an hour later, Xiao Dashi returned and said, "It's settled. We'll move on August 12th. We can move there at 12:00 AM."
I first looked at the ninth day, but the time was a bit tight, so I moved on to the twelfth day.
Lin Qiuran felt that this was a good opportunity, so she said, "Mom, I'll go back to my parents' home and pay back the money I borrowed from them."
Sun sighed and said, "Qiuran, Twelve is moving, please ask your mother to come as well."
Although Sun did not like Yu, Liu was good to Lin Qiuran. Even if she wanted her daughter to remarry, it was all for Lin Qiuran's own good.
Lin Qiuran smiled and nodded, "Okay."
Lin Qiuran walked all the way back to Linjia Village. When she arrived, Sun was washing clothes in the yard. Her eyes lit up when she saw her coming, "Qiuran!"
Lin Qiuran was about to speak when Yu came out of the room. "Hey, who's here? You're here to borrow money again!"
Lin Qiuran didn't respond. Liu wiped her hands quickly and said to Yu, "Stop talking. Qiuran, come in."
Lin Qiuran followed Sun Liu into the west room, and Liu closed the door.
Lin Qiuran took out the purse and said, "Mom, here is 150 coins. I'll return the money to you first."
Liu hadn't thought about paying the money back. She said, "You have many expenses, so just take it."
Lin Qiuran said, "We don't lack money now. By the way, we'll be moving on the twelfth day. We'll be living in the county town from now on. Mom can come over that day."
Liu was shocked and said, "Move to the county town!"
Lin Qiuran: "Well, I borrowed the money just to buy a house. I didn't tell you at first because I hadn't decided on a place yet. Now that I've bought the house, I plan to move in first. My parents-in-law chipped in the money, and they've made some money in the past few days, so I'll pay you back first."
Liu was so shocked that she didn't know what to say. It had only been a short time, and she had already bought a house. "Are houses in the county expensive?"
Lin Qiuran said, "It's quite expensive, but I said I would buy it, and for the sake of the child, my parents-in-law agreed."
Mrs. Liu asked her how she made money, and Lin Qiuran said, "I cook some dishes and sell them. I also took on a few banquets in the county town."
Mrs. Liu nodded and kept saying "Okay," "Okay, Twelve Lady will be your housekeeper. My daughter is really promising. By the way, is your name on the house deed?"
But you can’t write about Sun and Xiao Dashi, because then who does the house belong to?
Lin Qiuran knew that Liu was worried, so he nodded and said yes, adding, "I'm in charge of the family now, and my parents-in-law listen to me. Don't worry about me, mother."
Liu didn't expect that Sun and Xiao Dashi would be willing to write Lin Qiuran's name. Even if the money was earned by Lin Qiuran, it must also be their retirement money, which would be good for Qiuran. In this case, it would be good for him to stay in the Xiao family.
Liu had originally wanted Lin Qiuran to marry him, not only because of Xiao Xun's great stature and strength, but also because of Sun and Xiao Dashi's good natures. She patted Lin Qiuran's hand and said, "Very good. It's getting late, you should go back first. Be careful when you walk, don't bump into anything."
Lin Qiuran said, "I'll come see you again in a few days. Oh, and don't bring my sister-in-law with you on the day of the warm-up. She makes me angry just by looking at me. Don't make things difficult for me on such a happy day."
Liu said, "Your sister-in-law has a sharp tongue..."
Lin Qiuran smiled, and Liu stopped talking. "Okay, okay, just don't tell her..."
Liu walked Lin Qiuran to the village entrance and then went home. She still had clothes to wash. Yu came out of the house and snorted, "Last time you came back, you knew to bring two eggs. Today you come empty-handed. How dare you."
Liu wanted to argue, but then she thought that if she said it, Yu would only ask more questions. If she really went to the greenhouse on that day, it would only make things more difficult for Qiu Ran... After thinking about it, she decided not to say anything. Qiu Ran's life was not easy to begin with, and she couldn't let Yu cause any more trouble.
When we returned from Linjia Village, it was 2:15 PM and Mrs. Sun had already cooked dinner.
Sun asked, "Qiuran, will you still sell fish tomorrow?"
Lin Qiuran said, "There are still seven carp, right? Sell them. Mom, tell her tomorrow that we'll be closed for a few days. If it doesn't rain on the 13th, we'll set up the stall and serve new dishes, including braised pork."
Since moving to the county town, cooking and selling meat has become much more convenient, and the stall can be set up for a longer period of time. Lin Qiuran saw that there were many returning customers yesterday. After setting up the stall for a long time, there will definitely be more customers. Now that it is autumn and the weather is cool, Lin Qiuran is not in a hurry to worry about the shop these months.
Sun nodded, and Lin Qiuran asked again, "Mother, are we going to invite someone else to warm up the room?"
Others may not know, but Aunt Yu must be invited. She will not hesitate to ask when borrowing money, and she must be invited when moving.
Lin Qiuran didn’t know about the others.
Sun said, "Call your Aunt Yu and invite the whole family over to have some fun."
There were three people from the Xiao family, Lin Qiuran’s biological mother Liu, and five people from the Li family, totaling nine people, just enough for one table.
Lin Qiuran said, "Mom, I'm afraid they won't come if we just ask them to come for dinner. How about this, ask them to help with the move and leave some food for them."
For fellow villagers, the greenhouse is just for fun. Bring some fruits, vegetables and firewood to symbolize more wealth. If you tell them directly, I'm afraid only Aunt Yu will come.
The last time Lin Qiuran gave Aunt Yu ten cents, she refused to take it. Even the snacks she gave her in return were the same. If Sun hadn't left it behind, she would have probably stuffed it back.
Sun thought it made sense. "That's it. I'll go talk to him tomorrow."
Lin Qiuran planned to prepare a feast. She had to include fish, symbolizing abundance year after year, and braised pork, symbolizing a prosperous future. She also planned to make a pagoda-style dish, a more elaborate dish that required a lot of knife skills, and she didn't make it often. She had a birthday party scheduled for next month, and the pagoda-style meat was shaped like a pagoda, with each section taller than the last, symbolizing good luck.
If she does a good job, everyone in the county will look for her when they hold a full-month or first-year birthday party for their child.
Lin Qiuran felt that if he wanted to keep hosting banquets, he had to have a few signature dishes. Braised pork was one of them, but he also had to have others. Signature dishes had to be memorable, both in taste and appearance.
Since it was all family on moving day, the dishes were larger, so six would suffice. Lin Qiuran couldn't cook more than that, and since it was a busy day, two vegetarian dishes would be enough.
*
It rained the next day and the fish were not sold.
Lin Qiuran picked out a wilted one and roasted it. Sun went out in the rain and came back happily saying, "Your Aunt Yu said that Twelve will come to help us move."
We have packed up quite a lot of things these past two days, and one or two carts may not be able to hold them all. It would be great to have someone to help us, so we don’t have to come back again.
The next day, Xiao Dashi got up early and caught three more carp. It wasn't a lot, but with the ones he had kept in the bucket before, it was enough to sell on the street.
When the two came back, Lin Qiuran asked, "Mom, did you say you wouldn't be here for a few days?"
Sun said, "I've already told you. I've also told the vendors around here. If anyone comes to ask, just let them know."
But no one asked about the banquet, only one person that day.
Lin Qiuran smiled. Sun thought more carefully than she did.
It rained again on the tenth day, but it cleared up the next day. That evening, the Xiao family had already packed up everything, big and small, and placed the items that wouldn't get wet on the cart. They had to get up early to move tomorrow, fearing that everything would pile up by tomorrow morning and they wouldn't be able to handle it.
Except for the bed, all other furniture has been disassembled and will be installed when we arrive in the county town.
Lin Qiuran's room was empty, save for her bed and bedding. Before going to sleep, she touched her belly and felt that it seemed to be getting bigger. "We're moving tomorrow, so let's go to bed early today."
Lin Qiuran hadn't had any morning sickness or reaction. She hadn't gotten used to having a child in her belly, nor was she used to being a mother. But since she had decided to give birth to the child, she would do her best to raise the child well and bring him up.
After a dreamless night, the next day, before dawn, Lin Qiuran was woken up by Sun Shi, "Qiuran, you should get up too. We will dismantle your bed in a while."
Sun and Xiao Dashi had loaded all the big things in the house into the car. They called Lin Qiuran to get up only after they had finished. They would wait for Aunt Yu and the others to come over and move the remaining things into the Li family's car, and then they could leave immediately.
Lin Qiuran nodded, changed for a while and got up. She washed up briefly and was about to roll up her bedding and move out, but Sun didn't let her move. She held a small bag with a few clothes in it, and she carried the house deed, land deed and silver with her.
Lin Qiuran went out to take a look. The cart was loaded with everything: chickens in cages and fresh vegetables. Sun thought that since they hadn't planted their fields in the county yet, she might as well bring what she had with her to save money.
The rest of the things were a mess, including stools, baskets, boxes... Lin Qiuran looked around and saw that Aunt Yu and her family had also come over, and Aunt Yu had brought a bundle of firewood.
Lin Qiuran said, "Uncle Li and Aunt Yu, thank you for coming here today."
Aunt Yu had two sons and a daughter, none of whom were married. The oldest son was sixteen, the youngest was thirteen, and the daughter was eight, and looked very much like Aunt Yu.
Uncle Li touched his head, feeling a little uncomfortable. Aunt Yu smiled and said, "What's so hard? His father, go and help."
Uncle Li brought his two sons to help move things. Aunt Yu looked at Lin Qiuran with satisfaction, "You guys are doing well here."
She had always had a good relationship with Sun, and now that she and Xiao Dashi had recovered from the grief of losing their son, they would be moving to the county town. Aunt Yu was relieved, but also felt that it was not easy.
Lin Qiuran was also capable, leading Sun and Xiao Dashi to sell vegetables and prepare banquets. However, Lin Qiuran had just lost her husband and was supporting a family for her children. So no matter how much money the Xiao family made, Aunt Yu was not jealous, as it was their own ability.
Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "I have to thank Auntie for helping me talk to the Yu family, otherwise there would be no chance later."
Aunt Yu said carelessly: "Hey, that depends on you. If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten about it."
A warm feeling ran through Lin Qiuran's heart. Some neighbors were better than relatives.
Lin Qiuran went back to the house to see if she needed help. They were moving quickly there; everything was already packed, so they could just load it into the car. After they finished moving, she and Sun checked everything carefully again. Seeing that nothing was forgotten, they locked the gate and set off.
The moon is dim and there are a few light dark clouds in the sky. It is very close to the fifteenth day of the lunar month, and the moon is fat.
Xiaojia Village was completely dark, and the villagers were still asleep, completely unaware that the Xiao family was moving. They were the only ones who traveled under the stars. The distance from Xiaojia Village to the county town was ten miles. Sun told Lin Qiuran to sit down for a while if he got tired, and Lin Qiuran didn't hesitate to sit on the cart when he couldn't walk anymore.
After half past the hour of Mao, the group entered the city.
There were already people setting up stalls on the street. Lin Qiuran had never been to the county town at this time, so he felt a little curious to see the bustling atmosphere here.
The vendors were shouting their wares, and people were either walking or stopping. I could go out and buy some breakfast later; I'd have to cook before moving, but with so many people and things to pack up, it would be best to go out and buy some.
Arriving at the Xiao family's house, Lin Qiuran opened the door with her key and moved everything in. She had heard people say that moving is done with certain items, like ladders symbolizing climbing to higher places and candies symbolizing sweetness. She could prepare these items when she got richer and moved to a bigger house.
Now that he had simply moved in, Lin Qiuran was very satisfied.
Aunt Yu put the firewood in the kitchen and said, "Add more firewood and more wealth, and your future life will be prosperous!"
Sun laughed so hard that her eyes almost disappeared. "Qiu Ran, fire quickly!"
Since they had to cook when moving to a new house, Lin Qiuran made two egg pancakes and asked Sun to buy some soy milk and fried dough sticks. The group sat down and ate.
Arriving early, Aunt Yu's family finished their meal and said, "Qiuran, ask his father to help assemble the furniture. Taohua and I will go to the city for a walk. You guys take care of yourselves and don't worry about us."
Lin Qiuran: "Aunt, come back early for lunch."
Yu nodded and left. It was already daybreak. Lin Qiuran asked Sun and Xiao Dashi to clean up first while she went out to buy meat for lunch. She hadn't bought any yet. She had been in the village for a month, and this time she was in the city shopping. Although it wasn't as much as before, Lin Qiuran still felt satisfied.
She had to have fish for the new housewarming, so she bought a five-jin carp and a large piece of pork belly to make steamed pork pagoda later.
The vegetables were brought over. After thinking about it, Lin Qiuran bought a chicken, three meat dishes and three vegetable dishes. There would definitely be a lot for more people to eat.
When she returned, the bed had been made up and the bedding had been made for her by Mrs. Sun.
Lin Qiuran glanced at it and ignored it, going to the kitchen to light the fire and cook.
There is a big stove in the kitchen, and I brought an iron pot from home, which I can use on the stove.
Lin Qiuran glanced at the water tank. It was full of water. He thought that it was fetched by Aunt Yu's son. He was quite diligent.
She stewed the meat first, and the pork belly was stewed in one piece. After stewing, she cut it into pieces, poured the sauce on it, and steamed it.
The shape of Pagoda Meat is as good as its name suggests, but it is not easy to make. Choose a whole square piece of pork belly, slice it from the outermost layer, continue to the other side, cut from the outside to the inside, one piece after another, and finally piece it together from the inside to the outside to form the shape of a pagoda. It is a test of knife skills and tempering.
After all, if the meat is stewed too soft, it cannot be cut, and if it is too hard, the taste will be bad.
Fortunately, Lin Qiuran had made this so many times that practice made perfect. She also stewed three pieces, so if one didn't turn out well, she had two left as a backup. If that didn't turn out well, she could make steamed pork with soy sauce.
She also cooked rice and mixed it with sweet potato rice. To make it more delicious, she added some glutinous rice.
In the morning, Liu came over with a bundle of firewood. She came in and took a good look at the house, then went to help Lin Qiuran.
Lin Qiuran was relieved that she didn't see Yu. She was afraid that her mother would agree but go back on her word.
Liu thought to herself, I've already told you, bringing him here again won't just cause more trouble. She added some more fire to the stove. The fire was burning brightly, and the future would be prosperous!
After the pork belly was stewed, Lin Qiuran also stewed the chicken, cutting it into small pieces and stewing it slowly with spices, and also added side dishes such as potatoes and cowpeas.
There were so many people, especially Aunt Yu's three children, who were just at the age when they could eat, and Lin Qiuran was worried that there wouldn't be enough food.
Around noon, Aunt Yu came back with her daughter, holding two bags of snacks. "They looked good, so I bought one for you too."
They were there to help, but who knew she would leave some food for them? She was a neighbor, and if she left some food for them, it would be inappropriate for them to only send firewood.
Lin Qiuran felt that this kind of give-and-take was a good thing. If she wanted Aunt Yu to help her in the future, she could say that it was because of the favor she had helped her today.
Everyone was gathered and the meal started. The cold dish of smashed cucumber was placed at the top, followed by steamed meat with pagoda meat, braised carp and stewed chicken.
One dish of fried eggplant and one of fried cowpea, and the dishes are complete.
Several people sat around the table. Xiao Dashi took out the wine and drank two glasses with Uncle Li.
No one mentioned Xiao Xun at the dinner table. Why mention Xiao Xun at such a happy time?
Death is like the extinguishing of a candle, and remembrance must have an end. Aunt Yu felt that mentioning it would remind the Sun family of their lost son, and Lin Qiuran of her husband's absence. That wasn't comfort; it was simply rubbing salt into the wound.
Therefore, people like Li Cuihua are truly despicable. They say they're doing this for your own good, but every word they say is truly hurtful. What's their purpose? Do they think it's better to see others remembering their sad past? Knowing that the Xiao family values the child in Lin Qiuran's belly, they insist on saying that Lin Qiuran's pregnancy is not good and that she should go to the county town to see a doctor, hoping that the child will be gone.
Now, I can finally hold my head high.
The food was delicious. Aunt Yu's children were at the age where they could eat. They had never seen such delicious food in their lives. There was fish, meat, and even chicken. However, Aunt Yu had warned them before she came that they should not eat too fast or eat all the food.
However, Lin Qiuran did a lot, and everyone enjoyed the housewarming dinner very much.
After dinner, Aunt Yu wanted to help wash the dishes, but Sun refused. Lin Qiuran even slipped her ten coins and said, "Aunt, thank you and Uncle Li for today. Take the money and take the ox cart. You can't refuse it, otherwise I will have to send you back to the village."
Aunt Yu smiled and said, "Okay, if you need any help in the future, just tell me."
Lin Qiuran also gave Liu money, and she didn't want Liu to walk back a long way.
Mrs. Liu was truly relieved today. She patted Lin Qiuran's hand and said, "Just tell me if you need me for anything. Live your life well. If you meet someone suitable, I'll see if they can accept you having a child. You still have to find someone to rely on."
Lin Qiuran nodded. She had decided to give birth to the child, but she didn't want to live out her life alone. She would consider this.
Everyone left, Sun and Xiao Dashi cleaned up the dishes, and Lin Qiuran felt a little tired, so he went back to his room to rest.
Aunt Yu and her family were strolling around the county town; they didn't come here often, so a visit was a good way to see the world. When it was almost time, they headed back to the oxcart.
The family of five went back to the village directly without waiting for anyone else.
Sitting in the car, Aunt Yu still sighed that the Xiao family had a hard time. Lin Qiuran gave her a key to his hometown and asked her to help look after it. Although there was not much, there were still vegetables in the vegetable garden. Sun didn't pick the cucumbers and beans that were too tender. She would just eat them when they grew up, otherwise they would just grow old.
Yu couldn't help but think that Qiuran was a really good kid.
After returning home, she walked around outside the Xiao family's house and saw Li Cuihua watching from behind, acting suspiciously. When she saw her coming, she asked, "Where are their family members? Why haven't they been seen for a day?"
Aunt Yu said, "We're moving today."
Li Cuihua was stunned. Moving? Could it be that they couldn't stay in Xiaojia Village anymore? "Where did they move to?"
Aunt Yu smiled and said, "The county town. I'll live there from now on."
-----------------------
The author has something to say: Thank you for your support~
As long as my son is here, I will have money and a big house~
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com