Today, something unusual happened at the threshing ground in the Gu Family Village. The Gu Stone family (Gu Eldest) worked harder than ever—everyone in the family was busy, including the three Gu brothers, Qian Shi, and the little girls like Gu Sanni.
Usually, when the old madam was around, Qian Shi and Gu Second Brother would still slack off a little. But today, with the old madam not present, they instead worked extra hard. Their palms were rubbed red, yet no one complained. It was quite a miracle.
When the sun was directly overhead, Gu Eldest estimated the time and looked at his family members who were all drenched in sweat and looked ready to collapse from the heat. He said, “It’s getting late, let’s pack up and head back.”
Gu Second Brother immediately dropped what he was doing. “Big Brother, how am I doing today? When we see Mother later, you must speak well of me. I really didn’t slack off today.”
He knew very well what kind of person he was. Before the old madam left, she had said that whoever didn’t work properly would not get meat buns for lunch, and that was serious.
Even though they had fried cicada nymphs for lunch these past two days, Gu Second Brother still craved meat buns.
Not just him—everyone in the Gu family did. Except Gu Liu, who continued to ignore everything and acted as if she didn’t belong to the family. The younger ones, Nan Feng and Chun Yu, had gone up the mountain again, while the rest worked at the threshing ground.
Gu Eldest was fair when it came to this. When the old madam wasn’t around, he was in charge of assigning work.
Gu Second Brother came late today after going to nearby villages, so he was afraid he wouldn’t finish his share, working harder than anyone else.
Gu Eldest glanced at him and simply gave a “hm.”
Gu Second Brother immediately jumped up. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go! I wonder if Mother has already returned home at this time.”
Then he leaned toward Gu Third Brother and whispered, “Do you think those shepherd’s purse plants (wild greens) can really be sold?”
They had spent over a hundred copper coins on them. If they couldn’t be sold, wouldn’t that be a loss?
Gu Third Brother was packing up and said honestly, “I believe Mother.”
Gu Third Brother had always obeyed his mother completely and treated her words like imperial orders. Asking him was useless.
Guessing that the old madam might take the ox cart back, Gu Second Brother deliberately took a detour past the ox cart driver’s house.
From afar, he saw his mother struggling to get off the cart. Gu Second Brother suddenly didn’t feel tired anymore. He ran forward and took the basket from her back with a flattering smile.
“Mother, you’ve worked hard. Let me do it, let me do it.”
The old madam gave him a glare. “Useless thing, don’t you see your sister is still carrying hers? Hurry and take hers first!”
Because there were limited seats on the ox cart, carrying baskets on board required extra payment. To save a copper coin, the two of them carried their loads all the way.
Her precious girl was filial and had insisted on carrying the heavier basket herself so she wouldn’t be tired.
If Gu Second Brother was really filial, why didn’t he take his sister’s basket first?
Thinking of this, the old madam snorted heavily again.
Gu Second Brother didn’t mind being scolded in front of everyone—he was already used to it. He obediently took his mother’s basket first, then his sister’s.
Carrying two baskets, he almost buckled his knees from the weight. But he straightened again.
Heavy baskets were nothing—he just needed to be happy. The more his mother bought, the more they earned.
Gu Second Brother grinned. “Mother, let’s go.”
Gu Yuan followed behind and couldn’t help laughing. She suddenly found her second brother a bit cute.
Back home, the old madam arranged the grain in her room and called the three daughters-in-law over.
“Boss’s wife, go knead dough. Second’s wife, go chop amaranth greens. Third’s wife, go cut meat. We bought good pork today—separate the fat and render oil. Mix the cracklings and lean meat into the filling.”
Each daughter-in-law had her task, and the old madam personally measured out flour.
Even though they bought a lot of white flour today, she still couldn’t bear to make pure white flour buns. Usually, she mixed in a lot of coarse grain. This time, she was already being extravagant—half white flour, half coarse grain.
Then she shooed everyone out, leaving only Gu Yuan behind.
She mixed the flour and grains together again. Seeing Gu Yuan confused, she explained, “Our grain is too good. It’ll attract attention. Mixing it like this is better.”
Gu Yuan nodded, learning something new.
Lunch that day was much later than usual. Everyone’s stomachs were growling, but no one complained. Adults and children alike stared toward the kitchen.
As the aroma spread, even the children were drooling, sucking their fingers while waiting.
This showed how absolute the old madam’s control over the family was.
The buns were steaming in a large pot, with cabbage soup underneath. The soup had three eggs in it.
Wang Shi’s cooking skills were excellent. The soup looked so rich it felt like it had thirty eggs instead of three.
Gu Yuan gave a thumbs-up. “Third sister-in-law, your cooking is amazing.”
Wang Shi smiled naturally. “You’re different. You’re going to be a lady of a noble household in the future. Noble ladies don’t cook.”
But Gu Yuan didn’t agree. “What’s the difference? We all have two eyes and one mouth.”
She wasn’t interested in becoming a noble lady.
Soon, the buns were served. The old madam distributed them strictly.
The children got portions according to rules, men got three each, and the adults were evenly divided. Only the old madam and Gu Yuan were not counted in the distribution—they took as much as they wanted.
Gu Yuan only ate half a bun and drank a lot of soup.
Seeing this, the old madam secretly stuffed two buns away for her to eat the next morning.
After lunch, the family continued working.
Gu Sanni tried to take advantage and asked to deliver buns to Gu Liu so she could get an extra one, but the old madam slapped her hand away immediately.
“If you want to be a good person, use your own share. Don’t use the family’s things.”
The old madam’s words were blunt and firm. No one dared to argue.
The Gu family’s lunch ended with full stomachs—and full satisfaction.