Yang Cui's home.
"Thank you so much to all my uncles and aunts for coming to help today. Auntie, I bought a duck today, could you please butcher it? We'll all have a simple lunch at home..."
Yang Cui's maternal uncle, An Tieli, said, "Let's skip the meal. We're not hungry. We'll head back now; we have things to do at home."
"Yes, let's go back first. We're not hungry."
"How long will it take to cook for so many people? Don't bother."
"Dafu, we're leaving now. You and your family stay here and keep Xiaocui company, lest those beasts cause trouble again."
...
After An Dafu and his relatives finished speaking, they prepared to leave.
Actually, it wasn't that I wasn't hungry; I was just embarrassed to eat the food provided by an orphan and a widow.
Yang Cui was quite moved. The struggle with the Lin family had been exhausting for her, but thankfully, not everyone in the world was like the Lin family; there was still warmth in the world.
After seeing off the relatives from Anjia Village, Yang Cui said to Wen Shi, "Aunt, let's kill the duck and eat it as a family. I'll take Er Ya and San Ya to see Doctor Qi first."
"Just get a few green beans and eggplants, don't kill the duck, we can raise it for the New Year." An Dafu couldn't bear to eat duck meat unless it was a holiday.
"I bought these to eat. I have something important to tell you when I get back," Yang Cui said in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, An Dafu's heart pounded, guessing it might be related to business.
Yang Cui took Er Ya and San Ya to Doctor Qi's place. After listening to what Doctor Qi said, she decided to take the two children to the city the next day to see a doctor at a clinic.
When they got home, Wen had already cleaned the ducks.
Yang Cui made blood duck, stir-fried eggplant and green beans, and made loofah soup. There weren't many dishes, but the portions were large, enough for one meal.
At the dinner table, Yang Cui placed two large duck legs on Er Ya and San Ya's plates, knowing that the two children had suffered a great deal that day.
Then, Yang Cui picked out two duck drumsticks for An Xiaohu and An Xiaohe: "Thanks to the two of you for coming today, otherwise Er Ya and San Ya would have been beaten to death by those two wicked women. Eat up."
"Thank you, sister."
When asked about today's events, An Dafu sighed: "Xiaocui, why don't you take the child and move to Anjia Village? I think Lin Mingcai is very vicious. It's too dangerous for you two, a widow and her child, to live here. If that old poisonous woman Fan comes to harass you from time to time, you'll never have a moment's peace. Especially since you're doing business now, it'll only make things worse."
Moving away from Ji'an Village is actually a good idea.
A single tree cannot make a forest. If Yang Cui really moves to Anjia Village, away from the Lin family's troublesome place, and lives with her uncle and his family, she can at least have someone to look after her. Currently, An Dafu's family seems to be doing well; although her aunt has some ulterior motives, overall they are quite good.
It's not that I'm cowardly, it's just that I'm really too weak right now. Women already have it tough in this era, and it's not a society governed by the rule of law. Without a background or support, if I'm not careful, I could be devoured without even bones. Temporary forbearance and lying low are the only ways to survive in the long run.
"But there's nowhere to stay in Anjia Village!"
An Dafu's family has three rooms in total. The main room is for eating and cooking, and the side rooms are for the couple to sleep in one room and their sons to sleep in another. It's already very crowded. The reason why the An brothers have been unable to find wives is because their house is too small. Even if they wanted to take in Yang Cui and her daughter, it wouldn't be possible.
"How much would it cost for my uncle to build three small rooms?"
"You want to build a house?"
“If I move there, I’ll need a place to live. I can sell my house and vegetable garden here and build a new one in Anjia Village.”
“That’s a good idea.” An Dafu looked at Yang Cui’s current house. “Your house is so big, plus the large vegetable garden in the back, even without considering the furniture and other items, it could sell for eleven or twelve taels of silver. That money would be enough for you to rebuild your house and settle down in Anjia Village.”
Madam Wen said, “You will all get married eventually, so there’s no need to build three rooms. Just build two small rooms for now. One room can be used for cooking and eating, and the other room can be used for you three to sleep. Take the furniture and other things you have here with you. Two small mud-brick and tile houses will cost at most six taels of silver. Use the rest of the money to buy land. It’s better for farmers to buy land.”
Yang Cui hadn't considered getting married, but when it came to building a house, she definitely needed three rooms. Er Ya and San Ya were getting older, and it wouldn't be good for the three of them to squeeze into one room. If they didn't have the means, then so be it; but if they did, she would definitely want to live in a spacious and comfortable place.
"Then I'll trouble you, Uncle, to find me a suitable house site in Anjia Village."
"Yes, leave this to me," An Dafu said. "Xiao Cui, you said you had something important to discuss. What is it?"
"Xiaohu, Erya, Sanya, you three take your rice bowls and go outside to eat. Keep watch for me and don't let anyone eavesdrop."
Yang Cui sent the three little ones outside, partly because she was afraid of being overheard, and partly because she was afraid that the three of them were too young to keep quiet.
"Stand guard! I'm good at this!" An Xiaohu picked up two pieces of meat and ran into the yard with Er Ya and San Ya.
Yang Cui lowered her voice and said, "I closed another deal today. I still need two hundred catties of plums, but my place is too conspicuous right now. I'll have to go to your house, Uncle, to make them."
"Really?" The An family was overjoyed. This year's fruit hadn't gone to waste after all, bringing in some income and giving them hope for building a new house.
That evening, Yang Cui went to tell Zhou Zhuoshi again that she would ask her daughters Xiaoli and Xiaotao to pick thirty catties of perilla leaves the next day, wash them clean, and deliver them to Anjia Village.
Anjia Village is only about a 40-minute walk from here, which is considered close in those days when transportation was inconvenient.
The Zhou family readily agreed.
That night, Yang Cui slept with Er Ya and San Ya, telling them the story of Snow White. The two children were so engrossed in listening that they completely forgot the pain in their bodies and the grievances and suffering they had endured during the day.
After the story was finished, the two children were still eager for more.
"Go to sleep, Mommy will tell you a new story tomorrow."
"Mom, the story you told was so wonderful."
Sanya snuggled closer to Yang Cui and said, "Snow White is so pitiful. Mother, I think I'm happier than the princess because my mother is good, while her mother is just as bad as Grandma."
——————
ps:
Male protagonist: Author, when am I coming out?
Author's note: Almost there, almost there, don't rush!
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