"Girl, it's me, Xiaocao!" A timid female voice sounded outside the door.
Li Yan was confused, then opened the gate and saw Chen Xiaocao standing outside the door a little awkwardly.
"Why are you here so late, Xiaocao? Did something happen at home?" Li Yan asked.
Chen's parents were killed by the Hu people, and the three children were young. Li Yan asked the three children what they wanted to do. If they wanted to go back, she would find someone to send them back. If they didn't want to go back, they would stay here, help with some chores on weekdays, and provide food for the three children.
Their parents were dead, and the entire village had been massacred by the barbarians. Who could they turn to if they returned? My younger brother was still young, and going back like this would be a death sentence!
So Li Yan arranged for the three siblings to live at the foot of the mountain. Every day when her aunt made tofu, Xiaocao would help light the fire and lend a hand.
After hearing Li Yan's question, Xiao Cao seemed to muster up all her courage and said, "Miss, I wonder if your shop needs help? I can serve dishes or wash dishes! I can do any job!"
It was nice to live here. Miss Li would send food to the three of them every month and would not let them starve. But she also wanted to make money. Her brothers were still young and would need money for many things in the future. She couldn't ask Miss Li for money then.
This shop obviously needs help, but women are still relatively conservative nowadays. Although they are not so conservative as to never leave the house, other than embroidery shops, other shops rarely hire women to work.
"Are you afraid that it will damage your reputation?" Li Yan asked.
Xiaocao shook her head firmly. Although she had not known Miss Li for long, whether from what she heard from others or from what she saw with her own eyes, she knew that Miss Li was a very brave and intelligent person.
Since she was able to save the child of the Zhao Guo family and leave me, a stranger, behind, she was worth trusting.
"That's fine. Tomorrow morning, you can come with us to the city and get used to the new environment first!" Then he turned to Li Xiaomei and said, "Aunt, I've asked Xiaocao to help out in the shop. I'll find someone for you tomorrow!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaocao quickly expressed her opinion: "Miss, I won't delay helping my aunt make tofu!"
After spending a few months with the child, Li Xiaomei realized that she was a quiet and hardworking girl. She saved the soy milk she gave her to drink and gave it to her two younger brothers. She felt a little sympathy for the child.
She rubbed Xiaocao's head and explained softly, "My Li family is not a harsh family. It's unreasonable for us to ask you to get up early to make tofu and then help out in the shop. Go ahead and do it without worry!"
Chen Xiaocao lowered her head in depression. Her aunt treated her very well. All she had to do every day was pour beans into the stone mill or make fire, which were all light work. From time to time, she would also make soy milk for herself to drink.
She never thought that her aunt would stop her from helping again. Xiaocao's eyes reddened and she murmured, "Aunt..." like an abandoned puppy.
Li Xiaomei patted Xiaocao's shoulder and comforted her, "Okay, you still have to help in the shop tomorrow, so go back and have a rest. If you want to drink soy milk in the future, come and find your aunt!" Then she sent Xiaocao out the door until her back disappeared into the night.
After sending them away, Li Yan said to Li Xiaomei, "Aunt, don't get up to make tofu at night. I'll go down the mountain tomorrow to find Aunt Zhao and the two daughters-in-law of the Guo family and ask them to take turns helping."
"It's okay, I'm used to making it, so I can help you make the dried tofu!"
"There's no rush. I won't be able to sell anything tomorrow anyway. I haven't bought the clay stove or anything else yet. I'll get busy after I find someone!" Li Yan explained.
The aunt and niece discussed tomorrow's arrangements, then washed up and went back to their rooms to rest!
The next day, Li Yan was awakened early in the morning by the noise of talking outside. She opened her eyes dazedly, and then remembered that today was the day for business. She jumped out of bed and quickly got ready to go out.
At this time, the Li family's two mule carts and one donkey cart were all pulled out, and the Li family's father and son were busy packing up the goods: bamboo baskets filled with soy sauce, and three large wooden basins of marinated chicken.
To be on the safe side, because the road was too bumpy, Li Erlang was worried that the bottle would be broken again on the road, so several people put a layer of straw at the bottom of the bamboo basket just in case.
When Li Erlang saw his daughter, he urged her to pack up quickly, as it was the first day of the new shop's opening and they had to get to the shop early.
By the time Li Yan had finished packing, many people had already arrived outside the door.
There were people from the Guo and Zhao families who came to help, and there were also villagers who came to watch the fun. The Li family suddenly sent out three animal carts, and the idle villagers gathered together, stretching their necks to look at them curiously.
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