Since Liu Shi was no longer making that miserable face and was digging up herbs just as fast as Lin Chaobei, Yue Jiuyue didn’t send her away. She let her stay and contribute.
Even two-year-old Xiaoman knew how to help. Obediently staying away from her mother, she followed Yue Jiuyue’s lead and threw herbs into the basket.
Yue Jiuyue suspected the little girl was just playing, and she had evidence.
At noon, Lin Chaodong passed by on his way home carrying water and took his wife and daughter back with him.
It wasn’t that Yue Jiuyue didn’t want to go home. The problem was that Lin Chaobei had become obsessed. He wouldn’t even go home to eat—he just tightened his belt and kept swinging his hoe.
And Yue Jiuyue didn’t want to go home either. That family of three had their dynamic: the man worked outside, the woman managed the home, and a child brought them joy. She wasn’t about to be a third wheel.
Before long, Lin Chaodong’s family of three returned—the man carrying an empty water bucket and holding the child, the woman carrying a basket and watching the two of them. They looked like a very loving little family.
“Chaobei, it was agreed: you dig herbs in the morning while I fetch water. In the afternoon, it’s my turn to dig herbs and your turn to fetch water.”
Before Lin Chaobei could even swallow the wild vegetable soup in his mouth, he heard the terrible news from his elder brother.
Fetch water?
What was so good about fetching water? You just stood in line forever.
Digging herbs was much better. Sure, it was tiring, but each herb was a copper coin!
Lin Chaobei quickly gulped down the rest of the soup in his bowl, then grabbed Lin Chaodong’s hand and started whining and acting spoiled.
“Big brother~ just let me dig for half a day longer. I promise, you can have all of tomorrow. Deal?”
Lin Chaodong hesitated for a moment, then agreed. After all, Chaobei had said he could have all of tomorrow. He could earn money tomorrow too!
“It’s settled then. Tomorrow I dig herbs. And when tomorrow comes, you can’t go back on your word.”
Lin Chaobei promised:
“Big brother, I swear I won’t go back on my word!”
Lin Chaodong walked off with his water buckets, his back radiating energy.
Yue Jiuyue struggled through a large bowl of wild vegetables. The children meant well by giving her more vegetables and less soup, but she found it incredibly hard to eat. Her face scrunched up just as much as when she smiled—like a flower that had already wilted.
After finally finishing her “meal,” Yue Jiuyue felt as energized as if she’d been injected with adrenaline. She picked herbs and sold them to the mall at the same time, the corners of her mouth nearly reaching her ears.
But little Xiaoman was getting drowsy.
Sitting on the coarse burlap sack spread on the ground, Xiaoman’s little head kept nodding. It was rather amusing to watch.
“Liu…”
Yue Jiuyue started to call out “Liu Shi” but felt the address was too cold. She thought for a long time before remembering—Liu Shi’s name seemed to be… Dahua?
The original owner had always called her daughter-in-law “Liu Shi.” Because Liu Shi never smiled and had only given birth to a daughter, Xiaoman, with no further children, the original owner—a true product of ancient times with its preference for sons over daughters—had looked down on Liu Shi.
Before this morning, Yue Jiuyue had also disliked Liu Shi.
But starting this morning, that dislike had faded. That was why “Liu Shi” now felt too cold.
But was “Dahua” a bit too familiar? If she actually called Liu Shi “Dahua,” would it scare her? Would it ruin her persona?
She’d meet in the middle.
“Xiaoman’s mother, Xiaoman is getting sleepy. Hurry and take her home for a nap.”