Chapter 78: Silkworm Room Work Begins [VIP]
After Fang Qiankun left, Manager Ren was afraid of spoiling the other customers' mood, so he asked the waiter to send a plate of pastries to each table.
In the private room upstairs, Luo Dunzi and Shitou told Chen Yao and Yang Jizong the hilarious scene of how Fang Qiankun was humiliated in front of Brother Xiaofu, using both words and gestures.
Chen Yao stopped using her chopsticks and looked at the man beside her who was still picking fish bones for her with a hint of worry: "Will Fang Qiankun target Brother Xiaofu everywhere from now on?"
"Yeah, what should we do?" Shitou also turned his head to look at Luo Dunzi.
"Don't be afraid, I'll write down his name, and then..." Luo Dunzi stomped his feet, put his hands on his hips, and was about to imitate his grandmother's recent action of stepping on the villain at home.
Before his little hands could touch the pen and ink on the table, Zhao Xiaofu had already picked him up from behind and lifted him off the ground.
"Don't learn these weird things anymore." Zhao Xiaofu helped him sit on a stool. "We are all scholars. The truth will be revealed in the exam hall. We shouldn't be afraid of a mere Fang Qiankun."
"Su Xing is right. We should focus on the college entrance examination and prepare well. If we can take office one day, we must benefit the people and repay the emperor's kindness." Lin Zhenyu followed him into the private room, speaking with his chest puffed out and his head held high.
Hu Shijie also echoed his friend: "That's right."
The two young students' bold words filled people's hearts with excitement.
As they drank and exchanged cups, Zhao Xiaofu had become close friends with the two men.
From beginning to end, Yang Jizong was only responsible for taking care of Chen Yao and the three students' food and drink at the dinner table, and had no intention of stealing Zhao Xiaofu's limelight.
It's just that his temperament is outstanding, even if he sits aside and doesn't say anything, it's hard to ignore him.
When they parted, Lin Zhenyu and Hu Shijie couldn't help their curiosity and asked who Zhao Xiaofu's husband was.
After learning about Yang Jizong's true identity, they were both stunned. After being surprised, they almost performed the ceremony of becoming his apprentice on the spot.
Others may not know the Hongnong Yang family, but everyone knows that they are from a poor family.
However, the apprenticeship ceremony between the two did not take place, but Yang Jizong promised to guide them in writing articles in the future.
On the way back to the village, Chen Yao sat next to Yang Jizong in a corner of the ox cart, staring at him from time to time.
But when Yang Jizong's eyes looked at her, she immediately turned her head and looked away, her cheeks flushed.
There was no way, she was afraid that she would not be able to resist kissing him. She knew that the person she liked was excellent, but she did not expect him to be so outstanding.
Zhao Xiaofu leaned on the cart and pretended to be dizzy. With the careful care of the three children, he finally made it home.
The first thing he did when he got home was to give all the ten taels of silver that Manager Ren had given him as a writing fee to his mother.
His calligraphy was hung in Zhiwei Building by Manager Ren for display.
Mrs. Xu held the heavy purse in her hands, tears streaming down her face. "Tomorrow, mother and I will go burn incense for your father and make him happy."
Zhao Xiaofu responded softly.
After Xu put away the purse, she told her son that the rabbit house was looking for an embroidery manager.
"Xiaofu, if you don't want me to go, then I won't go. I'll listen to you about all the matters at home." Her son is a virgin now, and she has to consider his future reputation.
Zhao Xiaofu understood his mother's concerns, she was afraid of what outsiders would say, but this was an opportunity his mother had earned through her own ability, so what was there to say about it?
"The teacher said that I will need a lot of money to take the exam for the scholar in the future. I want to earn some money by copying books while studying like the teacher, but it is definitely not enough. If I can get this job, I can relax a lot."
What Mrs. Xu was most worried about was that she could not share the burden with her son and was afraid of becoming a burden to him.
Hearing this, she was very happy: "Then I will accept this job tomorrow. I am actually a little worried that I can't do it well. Huang Songbai and his men are all kind people and they pay a lot of money."
After all, there are other requirements in the employment contract.
"There is definitely no problem with mother's embroidery skills, but if you want to manage your subordinates well, you have to be stricter. You can't be lenient just because they are from the same village. That will not be good for anyone." Zhao Xiaofu gave his mother advice.
Now that her son has become very successful, she naturally listens to whatever he says.
Zhao Xiaofu looked at his mother's white hair, and the corners of his eyes gradually turned red. "You have your son here. If you have any questions in the future, you can ask Dongsheng's parents first. If all else fails, you still have your son to support you. Don't be afraid."
"Hey, mother, I'm not afraid."
The mother and son exchanged many heartfelt words on this day, and the relationship between them became deeper than ever.
In the afternoon, Yang Jizong and Shen Yao returned home. Before they could prove their guess, they were dragged out by Shen Qingshan to dig a trench.
Chen Yao was also urged by her mother to go out to the village to collect rabbits. The rabbit house would start construction in a few days, and they had to divide the rabbits into cages in advance, otherwise the Tianhuang family alone would definitely not be able to handle it.
Yang Wenying sat in the courtyard, embroidering with her head down, her lips never frowning. She could see that her brother and Shen Yao were like a pair of separated mandarin ducks.
There can't be a moment's separation!
Mid-April.
The Shen family set off firecrackers in Shanghe Village. At the door of the silkworm room, they waited for Shen Qingshan's order and then entered the room with a winnowing basket in their hands.
A layer of mulberry leaves, with young silkworms crawling on the layers of leaves, gnawing on them with a rustling sound.
The silkworms are in a fixed area. There are five layers of wooden racks, all of which were built by Tanaka Masaru and his people. The surface is polished smooth and the top is tied with red silk.
After the winnowing baskets containing the silkworms were placed on each shelf, the windows on both sides were opened to let the sunlight in.
Everyone listened to the rustling sound in the winnowing basket which was getting louder and louder, with smiles on their faces.
After finishing these things, Shen Qingshan took the men and carried baskets into his own mulberry forest to collect mulberry leaves. They picked a branch from the beginning to the end. Everyone moved very quickly, otherwise they would not be able to keep up with the silkworms' eating progress.
Because they didn't have a cat, Chen Goudan and Maizi took on the security work of the silkworm room. The two kids discussed with each other how to take turns guarding the room day and night to prevent mice from having the chance to steal the silkworms.
"Ayao, do you want to go with us to the wasteland to plant cassava and millet?" Grandma Wang took out the key and opened the door of the warehouse.
Eight old men came out, each carrying a basket of cassava.
Chen Yao couldn't help but grin as she looked at the well-preserved cassavas. She said hello to her mother and Yang Wenying in the same room, picked up the chicken feet rice, and followed the old people to the wasteland.
Yang Wenying was about to follow Chen Yao out, but Huang Xing stopped her in time, "Let's go home and take care of our own things."
"But..." Yang Wenying glanced at Chen Yao who was happily planting cassava in the wasteland. She also wanted to go.
"Okay, listen to your aunt. Let's go home. If A Yao likes to tend to the fields, let her do it. She will rest by herself when she is tired. Don't worry about her." Huang Xing carried a small basket, said hello to the two kids in the silkworm room, and hurried home with Yang Wenying.
Chen Youfu and his two companions had already dug countless ridges in the wasteland. Chen Yao and the old men buried pieces of cassava in the ridges. Everyone cooperated with each other, one digging holes while the other sowed the seeds. Even the largest wasteland could be planted by working together.
After sorting the cassava and spreading the chicken feet and millet, Chen Yao no longer had the strength to walk back home. She kept grunting and refusing to move.
"Dad, you take the uncles and aunts back first. I'll go back with Zi'an after I've rested enough." Chen Yao sat on the bench and let Yang Jizong massage her arms and shoulders.
Shen Qingshan looked at his daughter's enjoying expression and felt a little disappointed with her.
"Go home early, okay?"
"I understand."
Grandma Wang and Grandma Maizi brought them some sweet soup. Seeing how affectionate the young couple was, they didn't disturb them. Instead, they took some mulberry leaves that had been dried with dew to the silkworm room to supplement the silkworms' food.
At this time, the sunset covered the entire sky, and the evening breeze blew across my cheeks, taking away a trace of fatigue.
"Ayao, are you comfortable?" Yang Jizong slowly moved from the shoulders and neck to the forearms, then slowly held the pair of fingers with thick calluses and stopped moving.
Chen Yao was originally enjoying it with her eyes closed, but when she realized her hand was being held, she turned her head with confusion in her eyes.
Why did you suddenly stop pinching?
Today the silkworm room at home started working, and the whole family wore neat and clean clothes, especially Chen Yao. Since the family had some savings, she had more and more clothes.
Shen Qingshan loved to buy things for her, and Huang Xing dressed her up in different ways. Every day, the rice washing water at home was saved for her to wash her face and hands.
Not only that, Yang Jizong also bought two pieces of scented soap for her and Wenying respectively.
Now she is no longer the skinny bean sprout.
In fact, she understood her parents' concerns. After Yang Jizong came back from the quarry, he became more and more attractive. Many young girls in the city blushed just by looking at him.
Although her face is pretty, clothes make the man. She works in the fields all day and dresses like an old farmer. No matter how you look at her, she and Yang Jizong don't look like the same kind of people when standing together. They don't look like a good match.
"Ayao, let's go home. I'll carry you." Yang Jizong held Chen Yao's hand tightly, but his eyes stayed on Shen Yao's face. He stared at Chen Yao's lips without blinking. His throat moved and his mouth was inexplicably dry.
When Chen Yao heard that he was willing to carry her back, she immediately called out to the elders, "Grandma, uncles, Zi'an and I are going home first."
After shouting, he gestured to Yang Jizong to squat down and carry him on his back, as if he was afraid that he would go back on his word.
Yang Jizong was amused by her impatience.
Chen Youfu came out of the kitchen to ask the two children to stay for dinner, but who would have thought that they had already left the village.
"Those two kids left, and you didn't invite them to dinner?" Grandma Chen asked her son while leaning on her crutches.
Chen Youfu supported his mother and sat down at the door of the silkworm room: "They left in a hurry. When I came out, they were gone."
Out of Wanhe Township.
Yang Jizong took out a handkerchief from his arms and handed it to Chen Yao.
"What is it?" Chen Yao opened the handkerchief and saw that there were wild berries inside. She couldn't help drooling just by looking at them.
It tastes sour and sweet in the mouth.
"Is it delicious?" Yang Jizong couldn't see Chen Yao's expression because he was facing away from her, but he could sense her happiness from her shaking legs.
"It's delicious, sweet and sour. Didn't you taste it yourself before picking it?" Chen Yao pinched one and fed it to Yang Jizong's mouth, "How is it? It's delicious, right?"
Yang Jizong took the raspberry she was twisting between his fingers into his mouth, put her down, and wiped the berry juice from her mouth. "It's really sweet."
Chen Yao was dazzled by his smile, and finally couldn't help herself. She stood on tiptoe, hooked her arms around his neck, and kissed the lips she had always longed for. The man in front of her was hers.
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