The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 41 - Mom, just tell me what to do
41: Chapter 41 Mom, just tell me what to do
41 -41 Mom, just tell me what to do
With this thought, Wang Yongzhu calmly accepted the ten large coins and casually stuffed them into her purse.
She instructed, “The shopkeeper thinks your purse is well-made, very clever in design, with a good symbolic meaning stitched together.
He wants you to make more of these kinds of purses.
I’ve brought you a packet of fabric strips, come to my room to get them tomorrow.” With that, she left the kitchen.
Lady Jiang was so excited that she was trembling all over, as if in a dream.
She bit her fingertip, the pain snapping her back to reality, yet she still wore a smile on her face.
Someone wanted her embroidery, she had felt the real touch of ten large coins, and her younger sister-in-law was willing to help keep it a secret from her mother-in-law.
Even if she had to give up half of the money, she was happy about it.
She could earn money now, and from now on, life would surely start to get better.
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After handing the money to Lady Jiang, Wang Yongzhu turned back to see that Old Granny Zhang’s adjacent room was already dark, without even a lamp lit.
It seemed Old Granny Zhang was so angry that she hadn’t even done her evening grooming and had gone straight to bed.
From the eldest brother’s side, there was still the faint sound of Lady Lin’s crying, along with Wang Yongfu’s and several children’s voices trying to soothe her.
Wang Yongzhu shook her head, returned to her own room, finished her grooming, and then took the two silver pieces Old Granny Zhang had given her out to look at them for a long time before putting them together with the ten large coins from Lady Lin.
She found a small wooden box in the very back of the wardrobe according to the location in her memory.
Upon opening it, there were twenty or thirty large coins scattered inside, along with several hair ties, a few wooden carved hairpins, and a pair of delicate and exquisite silver lilac earrings.
This was the entirety of Wang Yongzhu’s possessions.
It was truly pitifully poor.
She threw the silver piece and the ten large coins in, locked it up, and placed it back where it was.
After a long day’s journey, finally being able to lie in bed gave Wang Yongzhu a sense of security, and she thought about planning her future life.
However, sleepiness overcame her, and she couldn’t resist falling into a deep slumber.
When she woke up, it was already light outside.
The sound of chopping wood came from the yard, rhythmic and steady.
There was also Old Granny Zhang’s voice, “Laosi, what are you chopping wood for so early?
If you have that spare time, you should go to the mountain with your dad and Eldest Brother first thing in the morning.
Bring back some of the wood that’s on the sunny side to make a couple of pieces of furniture for your house.
Laosan, bake a few more pancakes, I’ll take them later to ask Aunt Wu from the village entrance to set a date at the Li Family.”
Wang Yongping and Lady Jiang both hurriedly agreed.
Seeing that everyone was up, except for the missing figure of Lady Lin and the door to the main house still closed, the anger from the previous night flared up in Old Granny Zhang again.
However, not wanting to wake her precious daughter, she still tried to keep her voice down as she approached the main house’s door, “What time is it?
Still playing dead?
Haven’t you ever heard that if the mother-in-law is up, the daughter-in-law shouldn’t still be sleeping in?
You lazy wretch, get out here this instant—there’s plenty to do today.
If you delay my matters, just wait and see if I don’t skin you!”
The door creaked open, and Lady Lin walked out with red and swollen eyes, her head bowed, likely having been consoled by Wang Yongfu and the children the night before.
She didn’t look too terrible.
Old Granny Zhang didn’t bother to say more, simply relaying the tasks, “After breakfast, tidy up the house properly, and the vegetables in the garden need fertilizing.
Take the next few days to fertilize them well, so when Laosi has his celebration, we can save a bit on the vegetable expenses.”
Lady Lin knew this was a serious matter.
If she dared to utter a single word of refusal, not only would Old Granny Zhang berate her to death, but if people in the village found out, they would also criticize her.
With a drooping face, she too agreed.
Old Granny Zhang distributed the tasks and, upon seeing Wang Yongzhu opening the door, her face immediately bloomed into a smile.
She walked over in two strides, “My dear girl, are you up?
Was it your mother’s loud voice that woke you?
There’s nothing much to do today.
You worked hard yesterday.
Why not eat and then go back to lie down for a bit?”
Wang Yongzhu touched her nose and forced herself to get used to Old Granny Zhang’s quick temper changes.
“I’ve slept well.
Fourth Brother is getting married, how can I, as his sister, stand by idly?
What can I help with?
Mother, just give me your orders—”
Old Granny Zhang tenderly smoothed the stray hairs from Wang Yongzhu’s forehead, “With so many people in the house, where would we need your help?
Don’t roughen your hands.
For girls, hands are most precious.
If you’re bored, just supervise the kids and tidy up the house again.
The room you cleaned last time looked both beautiful and spacious.
When your father and the others finish making the furniture, you can help Fourth Brother tidy up the new room—”
Old Granny Zhang was as biased towards her daughter as ever.
Wang Yongzhu thought about the window cleaning task she hadn’t finished yet and took this opportunity to do so, figuring it was at least worth some points.
She agreed readily.
After breakfast, Old Granny Zhang, carrying the pancakes that Lady Jiang had made, was about to go find the matchmaker.
Just stepping out of the kitchen, Wang Yongzhu waited for her and handed over a piece of rice cake that was specially saved from yesterday, “Mother, take this with you.
It looks both respectable and attractive, and it can help Aunt Wu speak a few more good words for Fourth Brother and our family, to have Fourth Sister-in-law marry in sooner!”
Old Granny Zhang refused to take it, “Such a precious thing, keep it to satisfy your own cravings.
Giving it away to others for what?
It’s already good if a matchmaker’s thank-you gift includes two pancakes.
Our Wang family is more than a match for the Li family, no need for others to talk us up.
Keep it for yourself—”
Without further discussion, she stuffed the rice cake back and, basket in hand, left the house.
Wang Laozhu also took his two sons up the mountain to move wood.
Qilidun was close to the mountains, so there was no lack of trees.
When the family needed to put up beams for the house or make furniture, they would go to the mountain to find their own wood.
Those with foresight would find good trees years in advance, chop them into lumber, and leave them to dry in the shade.
This kind of wood had a fine grain and, when turned into furniture, was more durable and less likely to crack when dry.
Wang Laozhu, being a carpenter, had chosen the lumber for his children’s weddings well in advance and let it dry, ready for use at any time.
Lady Lin, although still a bit upset, went to water and fertilize the vegetables in the back garden.
Wang Yongzhu was left, directing Little Bean and the others, to give the Wang family home a thorough cleaning.
Even the cobwebs in the most hidden corners were swept away.
The yard, which had appeared somewhat messy, was now neatly organized, with all the weeds pulled.
The years-old dust on the window sills was wiped away, brightening the kitchen by several degrees.
The cupboards were scrubbed clean, the grease stains on the stove removed, and the two iron pots were polished to a bright shine.
The pigsty and chicken coop were also cleaned, transforming the entire yard.
Wang Yongzhu did a final check before she was completely satisfied.
At the same time, the system’s notification sounded in her mind, “Congratulations to the host, ‘Bright as a Mirror and Clean as a Whistle,’ room cleaning task is completed.
Reward, 1 point.”
With the points secured, Wang Yongzhu finally let down her guard.
A mosquito might be tiny, but it’s still meat; no amount of points was too small.
Her mood improved, and as she looked at the neat but empty yard, she felt something was missing.
