in2ebook Chapter 137 The First New Year's Eve Dinner After the Family Division
Chapter 137 The First New Year's Eve Dinner After the Family Division
Liu breathed a sigh of relief. "You were gone for a whole day and didn't come back. I was so worried that my eyelids were twitching. I was afraid that something had happened to you. Thank God it was just a false alarm."
Liu put her youngest daughter on the mule cart and walked home with her husband, who was leading the mule.
After waiting for so long, Xiaoyu was overjoyed to finally see her father and sister return, and she hugged her sister tightly, refusing to let go.
That night, the couple were busy making braised pig's trotters and barely slept. Before the moon had set in the morning, Lin Qingchuan pulled a mule cart to Dushui County to deliver the braised pig's trotters. This time, he did not take his eldest daughter with him.
By the time Lin Xiaotang rubbed her eyes and got out of bed, it was already daylight.
Good heavens, how did she oversleep?
She quickly dressed, put on her shoes, and ran out the door. Her mother had just finished the last pot of stew and put out the fire.
"Mother, where is my father?"
When Liu heard her daughter calling her, she quickly turned around and answered, "Your father said you've been running around with him lately and it's been too tiring. He left early today, so he didn't call you. He wanted you to rest at home."
So that's how it is. That silly father of his, she could have caught up on her nap on the mule cart, why did he leave her alone running back and forth? It's really worrying.
After a while, the waiter from Yunlai Restaurant came to collect the braised pig's trotters.
Fortunately, it's close by, so putting the last two pots of braised food from Yunlai Restaurant won't cause any problems.
After lunch, Lin Qingchuan returned with the mule. Despite the weather, he was sweating profusely, his shoes were worn out, and he had blisters on his feet, which distressed his wife and daughter.
Liu was so heartbroken that tears streamed down her face.
“Dad, you went to two counties, one to buy supplies and the other to deliver goods. Why did you walk so fast? You could have rested while you walked. Why rush back? You’ll wear your feet out and make walking feel like being cut by knives.”
"Yes, Dad, you can't do this. What will you do if your health collapses?"
Lin Qingchuan grinned and shook his head to indicate that it was no problem. "I have to go back to Guihua Village later to ask Shuisheng if he would be willing to lend a hand and go shopping with me. If we reach an agreement, we will hire a carriage immediately. With a carriage, we won't have to walk, so you don't have to worry."
With tears in her eyes, Liu immediately went to cook for her husband. Xiao Tang boiled water and brought a basin to her father so he could wash his feet and clean the blisters. She also applied some wine used for braising meat.
When Lin Qingchuan finished eating and returned to Guihua Village, he told Shuisheng about it. Shuisheng hesitated. He wanted to agree but was worried about his sick mother. In the end, it was his mother who made him agree.
After reaching an agreement, the two began inquiring about hiring a horse-drawn carriage. The next day, they set off to different counties to purchase the goods, which were eventually delivered to Wanhe Restaurant in Dushui County and stored in an ice cellar.
We were busy until Lunar New Year's Eve, and finally we had enough to last until the Lantern Festival. After the New Year, we can have half a month without having to buy anything. We just need to deliver fresh braised pig's trotters to Wanhe Restaurant as usual and pick up the raw pig's trotters from the ice cellar to take home.
Lin Qingchuan paid Shuisheng one tael of silver as wages.
According to the town's wages, it was much higher than expected, but Shui Sheng was kind-hearted. He had helped him build a house and even saved his life. During the busiest time before the New Year, he diligently followed him around. Shui Sheng was a man of his word; he would ask what he should ask and never say what he shouldn't. Such a good brother deserved this wage!
Shuisheng was so happy he didn't know what to say; this grown man was so moved his eyes welled up with tears.
"Brother Qingchuan, sister-in-law, I must have accumulated good fortune in my past life to be able to meet you two. Such a high salary is probably the highest I have ever been able to find in my life."
Lin Qingchuan sighed, "If I get too busy in the future, as long as you don't mind the extra work and are willing to help, I'll still ask you for help."
"With such high wages, what's the big deal about being tired? I don't mind being tired. If you and your wife are ever too busy in the future, just call me and I'll be there whenever you need me."
Lin Qingchuan hugged Shuisheng, and the two brothers smiled at each other.
Before leaving, Liu packed two portions of roasted sweet potatoes, six pieces in each portion, and also packed two portions of braised pig's trotters, the same amount, and handed them all to Shuisheng.
"Shuisheng, here are roasted sweet potatoes and braised pig's trotters. Take them back and eat with Aunt Xiangqin. This other portion is for Old Shen's family. Could you please deliver it for us? We're busy and can't leave. Besides, if we go back, we'll definitely start arguing. It's the New Year, and arguing isn't good."
Shuisheng had already heard about what the Shen family had done and how they owed Juxian Restaurant several hundred taels of silver. He also knew that Qingchuan and his wife had severed ties with the Shen family and fully understood their difficulties.
"Alright, I'll go for you. Don't overthink it. You two have severed ties with them. The fact that you still think of them and send them food during the New Year is already very good."
As for the Shen family, whether they appreciate it or not is their business.
"Well, it's getting late, so I won't keep you at home for dinner. See if you need anything else, and buy it quickly so Aunt Xiangqin doesn't get impatient waiting at home alone."
"Okay, Brother Qingchuan, I understand."
After seeing Shuisheng off, Liu worked hard for a long time and finally prepared a New Year's Eve dinner.
The family of four happily gathered around the table for their New Year's Eve dinner. This was the first time since they separated their households, and also the first time in their lives. This meal was a celebration of freedom and happiness. The food was delicious, and hope filled the air.
In Guihua Village, the Shen family was in complete chaos.
It's almost Chinese New Year, but we haven't even cut any meat at home. We're cooking brown rice porridge and eating black cornbread. Two of the four plates of green vegetables are wild vegetables that we dug up.
You can't see a trace of oiliness at all!
The family had been scrimping and saving for so long, eagerly anticipating the New Year, only to find that they couldn't even see any meat. Everyone in the family, young and old, was immediately unhappy.
Shen Changyan pouted and said irritably, "Grandma, in previous years, at least we had eggs and meat for the New Year. This year we have nothing. You should at least cut some meat so that everyone can have a taste."
The third son's twins nodded vigorously.
"Yes, yes, Grandma, we want to eat meat."
Shen Xiaochuan's face darkened as he looked at the awful-looking food on the table, so angry he wanted to flip the table over.
He said with great dissatisfaction, "Mother, is this New Year's Eve dinner? Is this what you're feeding beggars? We've been busy for so long, and this is what you're feeding everyone?"
The sons and daughters-in-law of all the families were gossiping and questioning her. Sun's head was buzzing, and she couldn't hear what any of her sons and daughters-in-law had said.
She covered her face in grievance and sat on the stone bench, crying loudly.
“You all blame me for cooking awful food, but we don’t have a single penny at home. What am I supposed to use to buy it? What am I supposed to use to cook it? Are you going to cut off my own flesh to make it?”
The two daughters-in-law asked in unison, "Mother, what do you mean by that? What about the money we earned from embroidery and weaving?"
"We haven't even had a chance to warm up before we gave it back to Manager Zhang. He has the money but won't pay it back. Are we just waiting for him to order his people to take our house and land away and sell them?"
Yes!
The meager earnings aren't even enough to pay off Manager Zhang's debt!
Everyone was disheartened and squatted down on the stone bench, their faces all looking miserable.
It's all listless!
Shuisheng carried roasted sweet potatoes and braised pig's trotters into the Shen family's house, only to find the whole family looking dejected around the dining table, the atmosphere incredibly somber.