Jiang Yuwei first led everyone to the East Street vegetable market to do some shopping, and then went to Manager Wang's place to put the papermaking tools she had ordered on the cart. It cost a total of one tael of silver. After everything was done, she had Ning Huaizhi drive the oxcart back to the village. Ning Qiu and Ning Daya got off the cart at the village entrance to pick wild vegetables.
When Jiang Yuwei arrived at the courtyard, she saw Aunt Zhou helping to wash the dishes. She quickly went up to Aunt Zhou and said:
"Don't bother, Aunt Zhou. It's already too much trouble for you to help with the cooking. There's no reason for you to help with the dishes. Here, these are some snacks I bought at the market. Take them home and try them."
Aunt Zhou wiped the water off her hands on her apron, took the pastries, and smiled:
"You're such a big spender. We country folk never eat pastries on a regular basis. We don't even dare to step into a pastry shop. How can I possibly eat all these pastries? Leave some for Wan'er."
Jiang Yuwei waved her hand and said:
"Wan'er has it, Aunt Zhou, don't worry about it. Go back and rest. How can you do the washing dishes?"
As Jiang Yuwei spoke, she pushed Aunt Zhou out. Ning Wan was a sensible girl, and seeing that there were still some dishes and chopsticks that hadn't been washed, she took the initiative to go and wash them. Jiang Yuwei helped Ning Huaizhi into his wheelchair and then let him go wash the pots.
After unloading everything from the cart, she led the oxcart to the backyard before washing her hands in the front yard to prepare dinner. The construction in the backyard would be completed in two days, at which point the paper mill would be ready for use. Jiang Yuwei was thinking of passing on the papermaking skills to Ning Tiezhu and Ning Wu from Aunt Zhou's family, as she trusted the character of Aunt Zhou's family.
If the paper mill really grows big in the future, we can open more branches and let the two of them manage them, so I can feel more at ease. If the paper mill business doesn't last long, we can make some money and find another way out. Anyway, Jiang Yuwei has many money-making ideas in her head.
As Jiang Yuwei thought about it, she washed the greens, sliced the pork belly, and bought some pork bones at the market today. She planned to make bone soup for dinner, then braise a fish and cook twice-cooked pork. Stir-frying some greens would be enough.
Jiang Yuwei was busy cooking, so she asked Ning Huaizhi to tend the fire. Ning Wan washed the dishes, picked up her basket, and ran up to Jiang Yuwei, saying:
"Mother, I see the lambs in the backyard have no grass to eat. I'll go cut some grass first and come back for dinner later."
Jiang Yuwei smiled and nodded, saying:
"Okay, it'll get dark soon. Remember not to go too far. Just cut some grass near our house. Make sure you're home before dark!"
Ning Wan nodded obediently and went out. Jiang Yuwei was thinking of squeezing some more goat milk to cook and drink before bed. Just as she picked up the wooden bucket to go to the backyard, she heard her yard gate being kicked open. Turning around, she saw Old Man Jiang carrying Granny Li, each carrying a bundle, rushing in aggressively.
Seeing this, Jiang Yuwei frowned slightly, put down the wooden bucket, walked up to the two of them, and said coldly:
"What are you doing here? Weren't you embarrassed enough by the trouble you caused last time?"
Old Jiang, sporting his swollen, pig-like face, laughed:
"I'm your own father. There's nothing wrong with a father coming to see his daughter, right?"
Seeing this, Granny Li chimed in:
“That’s right, we are your parents. You can’t just turn your back on your parents now that you’re living a good life. Look at your sister’s miserable life. She was sold to a brothel before she was even married. I don’t have the money to redeem her, so now I have no choice but to pack my bags and come live with you. If those wicked people take your sister away, then you will have to take responsibility for taking care of us in our old age.”
Jiang Yuwei sneered:
"Li Cuihua, get this straight: first, you're not my mother; second, he's not worthy to be my father; and third, your daughter was sold to a brothel by your gambling husband to pay off debts—it has nothing to do with me!"
Upon hearing this, Li Cuihua became furious and grabbed Old Man Jiang's arm, muttering:
"Look at this ungrateful child you gave birth to! I raised her with so much care and hardship, and she turns her back on me like that! She even dares to call me by my full name! She's absolutely lawless!"
Old Man Jiang was also very angry at what Jiang Yuwei said. His face turned red and his neck thickened as he pointed at Jiang Yuwei's nose and cursed:
"Don't push your luck! Your mother and I are here today and we're not leaving. Let's see what you can do to us!"
As he spoke, he pulled Li Cuihua to sit down at the stone table. Li Cuihua had already smelled the aroma of the food. Seeing that Old Man Jiang had pulled her to sit down, she stopped pretending and threw the bundle on her back onto the table. She then picked up her chopsticks and began to eat the food on the table.
Jiang Yuwei was truly shocked by the shamelessness of these two.
Seeing that Jiang Yuwei stood still and didn't stop him, Old Man Jiang grew bolder, picked up his chopsticks, and started eating, muttering to himself as he ate:
"There's not enough fish. Make a few more. I see they're simmering bone broth over there. Go get a bowl for me and your mother. You have no sense of propriety at all. How can this be?"
Seeing this, Li Cuihua quickly nodded and said:
"Yes, yes, that's right. This time, we'd better teach our eldest daughter a lesson, lest her in-laws say she's ill-mannered and doesn't know how to be filial to her elders. We've come all this way, and she didn't even bother to help us with our luggage; she just stood there like an idiot!"
Old Man Jiang, provoked by his wife's words, reverted to his domineering patriarchal ways, pointing at the bundle on the ground and shouting at Jiang Yuwei:
"What are you standing there for! Hurry up and bring the bundle inside. Make a room for me and your mother, the biggest one you can make! Oh, right, we've been walking all day on the mountain path, our feet are all swollen. Go and boil some water, we need to soak our feet before we go to bed to relax."
At this moment, the villagers who had been working in the backyard also came to the front yard to wash their hands and prepare for dinner. Seeing that the two people were probably Jiang Yuwei's parents and didn't seem like people to be trifled with, they all greeted Jiang Yuwei:
"Yuwei, we have guests at your house, so we won't eat here tonight. We can eat at our house."
Jiang Yuwei waved her hand and said:
"Don't worry about them, folks. They're not guests. I've prepared plenty of food. Go eat at the other two tables. You've worked all day; I can't let you go home hungry."
As she spoke, Jiang Yuwei scooped out the remaining food from the pot and carried it to the other two tables. At this moment, Ning Wan also returned. Seeing her mother carrying food, she hurriedly put down her basket and went to help carry the dishes.
Seeing that Jiang Yuwei was serving the workers more food, and even the same food as her, Li Cuihua immediately became unhappy. She put on a long face and started cursing as if someone owed her two hundred strings of cash:
"You shameless bastards! Working for the master's family, you dare to eat the same food as them? Don't you even know your own worth? Are we withholding your wages or deducting your pay? How can we let you sit in the master's yard and eat such good food so openly?"
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