“This is not my family’s. My family could not afford such a big mule. This was bought by Sister Xichun. From now on, I will be responsible for driving the cart for Sister Xichun. If my mother hadn’t forbidden me from sleeping in the pen with the mule, I would have wanted to sleep with it every day.”
After satisfying his immense vanity, Taozi stopped boasting.
"Sister Xichun, you're amazing! You must have bought all this with the money you earned in the city. It seems like doing business in the city is really easy. Can I do business at your stall?" Many of the friends, seeing Xichun's cheerful smile, couldn't help but ask boldly.
"Hehe, we have enough people at our stall right now, so we're not short of staff for the time being. But if you want to work in the city, I can help you ask around and see if there are any places that are hiring apprentices." Xichun knew that they were all friends with Taozi, so he didn't refuse them directly.
"Really? That's great! Thank you, Sister Xichun!" The boys were excited when they heard about the opportunity to go to the city.
"Xichun, is this a mule? How much silver did you spend to buy it? It looks really powerful. I wonder if it can plow the fields?" The others also wanted to take the opportunity to secretly touch the mule and feel it.
"The village chief helped me buy this. It's even more expensive than a donkey. I spent all the money I earned last year on this mule," Xichun said with a smile, without mentioning the specific price.
Only Aunt Zhang's family knew that she had bought a house in the city. Xichun had also told them not to tell anyone, so everyone just assumed that she had only earned the price of a mule.
"Goodness, Xichun is really something. A young lady like her can run a successful business in the city. She's even more capable than us men. If she were a man, she'd probably be a landlord by now."
"Hehe, no, no, I'm still a villager, and I'll have to rely on everyone to take care of me." After saying this, Xichun gestured for Taozi to go back first.
From afar, Chen Xique heard the villagers' flattering voices. Her eyes never left the mule cart. Why? Why could Chen Xichun, who was cursed to bring misfortune to his father, live so happily and even get better and better, while she couldn't even get married?
"I want to live a better life than Chen Xichun. I want to go to the city and be a city dweller. I don't want to work in the fields all my life. Chen Xichun can live so well even without land, so can I!" Chen Xique thought of something and finally turned and left.
Tomorrow is the day of Qiangzi's engagement. This time, they also bought the betrothal gifts, pork and other things needed for the engagement in the county town. When they arrived at the house, Uncle Zhang and the relatives were already preparing. When they saw the car arrive, they were busy unloading the goods.
“It’s really convenient to buy things in the city. You can buy things that we might not even be able to find in town. It’s so much faster with a mule cart. Xichun is really capable.”
"Yes, Xichun, is it easy for you to do business in the city? We're envious. Like your Aunt Liu's family, they made money selling food in town after you gave them some pointers. They've even built a house. Do you have any other connections? Tell us about them."
With more people helping out, some people inevitably raise this question. Xichun just smiles and says that she doesn't have many ways to make money right now, but if any family members want to go to the city to become apprentices, she can help ask around.
"Really? That's great! Although the first apprentices don't get any money and have to take care of their masters, once they learn a skill, they'll be able to earn money on their own in the future. Xichun, you should ask around for us. I have several children who spend all their time farming with us."
Look at Qiangzi and Taozi. Ever since they went to work in the city, they've become so much more shrewd and articulate. They say that's how you talk to city people.
Xi Chun readily agreed. If there was a suitable match, she could act as a middleman. She hadn't wasted her year in the city; she knew quite a few people.
When the village chief heard about Xichun's promise to someone, he came to find her.
"Xichun, is it true that you're trying to find connections for the villagers? Will it be difficult? If it is, I'll refuse everyone on your behalf."
"It's alright, village chief. I'm doing this to make life better for the villagers. If there are suitable opportunities, they can talk to each other themselves. Besides, not everyone can be an apprentice. I've heard that it involves cleaning up after the master and might even get beaten or scolded. If they can endure it, they'll definitely be able to improve in the future."
"That's true. But even as an apprentice, without a personal introduction, it's not something you can just do whenever you want. There are so many young people in the village, so not everyone can become an apprentice. It would be great if there were some ways to make money so that everyone could have enough to eat and wear. Last year, taxes were already increasing, and I heard they'll be increasing again this year. Sigh, it's getting harder and harder."
"Yes, even the taxes for us street vendors have increased. If we don't have a way to make money, we might not even be able to eat our fill."
Xi Chun was also troubled by this matter. The villagers might not know, but she had heard about it. Some people said that the tax increase was not ordered by the higher authorities, but was done privately by the prefectural city. If they really encountered corrupt officials, would they still have a good life?
"Anyway, you should be careful while you're living in the city. If you hear anything, let me know." The village chief had some guesses in mind, but no one dared to bring it up openly.
As the two were talking, Aunt Zhang and Uncle Zhang came over. They had come to discuss something with Xichun.
"Xichun, we have a request. Tomorrow, Qiangzi's uncle is bringing people to deliver the betrothal gifts, and they'd like to see if we can borrow your car. We'll pay for the rental."
Aunt Zhang originally planned for them to walk, but the relatives said that if they could borrow a car, it would show that they valued the bride's family's reputation more. This reminded Aunt Zhang of the Jiang family's attitude towards them, so she had this idea.
“Aunt Zhang, I don’t need the carriage tomorrow. If you need it, just take it. There’s no need to be so polite. But we still need to find a reliable person to drive it. Otherwise, with Taozi’s driving skills, I’m afraid the bride’s family won’t feel at ease.” Xichun said with a smile.
"Hehe, that's right. Taozi's driving skills are amazing. I kept shouting for him on the way back. I wouldn't feel comfortable letting him drive." Aunt Zhang also breathed a sigh of relief. Although she had known Xichun for so long, she knew Xichun's temper, which was why she felt a little embarrassed.
The next morning, when Qiangzi's family drove the borrowed mule cart carrying the betrothal gifts to the bride's house, the villagers felt it was a great honor and whispered that they would also borrow a cart when their own children got married.
Xi Chun was unaware that his act of lending his car had sparked a trend, with many families subsequently coming to borrow his car, thus expanding his business.
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