“Li Shi, you reckless woman! What are you fiddling with? Always causing trouble—firewood costs money too!”
“This stuff can’t be eaten or drunk, and you spent so much on herbs! Do you think money grows on trees? I’ll tell you, Li Shi, don’t think that just because you’ve made a little money, you can get arrogant.”
“Li Shi, you are my Gu family daughter-in-law. You still have to rely on my son to support you. From now on, you can only rely on the Gu family.”
“As long as you live in the Gu household, you’d better behave. You can’t be satisfied with just eating and drinking—you still want to mess around with useless things like washing hair and bathing…”
Madam Zhou pointed at Li Xingyue and went on a tirade.
Li Xingyue was furious, itching to argue with the old lady.
But no—this is the ancient era, where filial piety is above all.
She took a deep breath and pretended not to hear Madam Zhou.
Beside them, Gu Wan’er seemed startled as well. After a moment, she pulled Madam Zhou out of the kitchen, gently saying,“Mother, please stop scolding.”“And, sister-in-law is spending her own money. Why interfere so much?”
Madam Zhou scoffed, “Her own money? She’s my Gu family daughter-in-law. Any money she earns belongs to the Gu family too.”
Li Xingyue rolled her eyes in silent exasperation.
It seemed she couldn’t stay in this household any longer. She quietly resolved to find a way to move out as soon as possible.
After persuading Madam Zhou away, Gu Wan’er came back and looked at Li Xingyue with guilt in her eyes,“Sister-in-law, my mother has that temper. Don’t take it to heart.”
Li Xingyue forced a smile and nodded slightly.
Gu Wan’er hesitated, then asked,“Sister-in-law, the things you make… can they be sold for money?”
Li Xingyue shook her head slightly.“I make them for my own use.”She added, “It’s not impossible to sell them, but you’d have to go out and find buyers.”
Gu Wan’er nodded, half understanding.
Making shampoo and body wash to earn money was fine, but with the current drought, even the common people were struggling.
In this era, shampoo and body wash were luxury items. Ordinary people couldn’t afford them. Selling them meant targeting only wealthy buyers.
With the famine likely in three months, Li Xingyue also needed to save more money.
She took out the herbs she had boiled for half a day, drained the liquid, and continued simmering the remaining liquid in the pot until it became thick.
For the shampoo and body wash, she made roughly five jin of each, storing them in plastic bottles she had prepared in advance.
That evening, Li Xingyue didn’t volunteer to cook. She simply instructed Gu Wan’er to ask Madam Zhou to supervise the cooking.
So dinner was prepared by Madam Zhou herself: coarse rice porridge, black wheat bread, and a few slices of meat stir-fried with cabbage.
At dinner, both Madam Zhou and Li Xingyue looked grim, and Gu Wan’er didn’t dare to speak.
Li Xingyue ate half a piece of black bread and finished a bowl of porridge before speaking,“Father, Mother, I want to go to the town to do some small trade. Starting tomorrow, I will move to live there.”
Hearing this, Madam Zhou’s face darkened further. She shouted,“Li Shi, what do you mean? I just scolded you a few times, and now you want to live in town? You’re just a woman—what business do you have running a trade alone?”
Li Xingyue didn’t respond.
Gu Qishan also spoke,“Yue Niang, your mother isn’t entirely wrong. You’re a woman, and now with a child. How can you go out to show yourself? It’s better to stay home and rest.”“If you really want to trade, wait for Xiao’er to come back. You two can do it together, and your mother and I can rest easy.”
Seeing her sister-in-law silent, Gu Wan’er quietly said,“Sister-in-law, Father isn’t entirely wrong. If you have any plans, wait for Brother to return and discuss it then.”
Li Xingyue still didn’t speak—neither agreeing nor refusing.
Madam Zhou slammed her chopsticks on the table, glaring at Li Xingyue in anger.“Li Shi, are you showing us attitude?”
Li Xingyue replied calmly,“Mother, you’re overthinking.”
Madam Zhou snorted coldly,“Li Shi, you’re my Gu family daughter-in-law. You should follow your in-laws’ arrangements. Stay home and do nothing. Nowhere else.”
Li Xingyue paused, then lifted her head with a determined look,“Father, Mother, I know you mean well, but I have my own plans.”“Even though I’m pregnant, I’m healthy and will be fine.”
Madam Zhou angrily slammed the table again,“You think you’re grown now, refusing to listen to us! A woman going out to show herself—what propriety is that?”
Gu Qishan frowned,“Yue Niang, think it over again.”
Li Xingyue inwardly fumed. Women can’t show themselves in public? Did they think they were from some noble household?
She took a deep breath,“Father, Mother, my mind is made up. I promise to take good care of myself and the children.”
Gu Wan’er wanted to say something but stopped.
Seeing she couldn’t sway Li Xingyue, Madam Zhou angrily returned to the inner room.
Gu Qishan sighed and followed her.“Wife, couldn’t you say a few fewer words? Yue Niang isn’t asking for silver to waste—it’s fine to let her do what she wants.”
Madam Zhou, feeling blamed, got teary,“You blame me too? I do this for the family! Xiao’er and you work hard for money, and this reckless woman doesn’t know how to manage a household.”
She continued bitterly,“When Xiao’er returns, not a single coin will go to that reckless daughter-in-law.”
She wiped her eyes, and Gu Qishan didn’t say more.
In the main room, Gu Wan’er cleaned the dishes while Li Xingyue returned to her room with little Yan’er to pack her things.
She planned to leave first thing in the morning.