Xiao Fang Shi settled down in the house just like that. The mother and son had been separated for twenty years, and when they met again, there was always a kind of excessive politeness between them. With Xiao Fang Shi in the house, there was never a shortage of firewood or wild vegetables. Whenever she was found to be not at home, she was definitely up on the mountain collecting tree branches. Fang Shi was so capable.
Qiu Yu was also somewhat nervous, keeping the house so clean that one couldn’t bear to step foot in it. Within a few days, the house was completed. The new home had nothing in it and still needed some things to be furnished. He Zifeng gave his mother one tael of silver and told her to buy whatever she wanted. But everything she bought was for household use. This person compared prices at three stores when buying things, and everything she bought was cheaper than what others got.
Qiu Yu was quite convinced, and whenever something was missing or lacking, he would let Fang Shi go buy it. She was also willing to do this kind of work, strolling through the streets and buying everything back. Every day she bought a cartload, and gradually the new house also took shape. Qinghua’s stable was also built quite magnificently. Soft grass was laid inside, and it liked to play in there very much.
They had already moved over, and after tidying up the old house, they returned it to the original landlord. Living in the new house was still very comfortable, with each person having an independent room. With a larger place, work became more convenient.
Fang Shi saw that He Zifeng had also carried two loads of soil from the mountain and asked: “What are you doing with this?”
He Zifeng said: “Tomorrow my son is coming back. Last time I agreed with Qiu Yu to plant flowers in front and behind the house. Mountain soil is still better.” With decayed leaves to add nutrients to it, it was much better than the hard soil that had been stepped on year-round.
When Fang Shi heard this, she said: “What does little Ranran like?” It was the first time meeting him, so she hadn’t prepared anything. Last time He Zifeng gave him one tael of silver, and there were still more than six hundred wen left. She was thinking of buying something to his liking when she went to set up the stall with them tomorrow.
He Zifeng said: “He probably likes wild flowers and little rabbits and such.” When talking about his son, the corners of his mouth carried a trace of tenderness. Compared to others, his son was too easy to raise.
Fang Shi knew that the two big fat rabbits in the courtyard were raised by little Ranran. Some days ago, He Zifeng had even ordered a new large cage for his son’s little pets. The female one seemed to be pregnant, plucking fur all day long, and quite a bit of rabbit fur had already accumulated in the nest.
After Fang Shi went out, she came back after a while having bought ten little chicks and ten little ducklings from outside. Buying these cost one hundred wen. Now Fang Shi mingled with Liu Saozi and the others, and she knew about any fresh things near the village. Someone specialized in selling chick and duckling seedlings. However, people in the village didn’t like to raise them because little chicks were not easy to raise.
Fang Shi got some coarse grain and put a little water beside it, and the little chicks competed to eat it! She also reclaimed the idle back courtyard, planning to dig some soil in a few days and plant some vegetables.
When He Zifeng heard this, he said: “Why wait? I’ll go dig soil right now!” Then he carried three more loads of soil.
The seeds were all exchanged by Fang Shi with others using cloth scraps and such. These cloth scraps were all selected when Qiu Yu was dealing in them back then, either whole pieces that were left over. At that time, he thought of making something with them, but never did. Moreover, those fabrics were too floral and gradually became useless. When they were tidying up during the last move, they discovered that Fang Shi liked them, and immediately proposed to give all these things to Fang Shi, which would also clear out his cabinet.
Fang Shi got these cloth scraps but treasured them like precious things. These things had great use in her hands. Most people in the village had courtyards at home, and those with good picks had the habit of keeping seeds. These cloth scraps even became hard currency. She exchanged them for many good seeds and also exchanged for more than twenty eggs, saying she wanted to keep them for her grandson to cook and eat when he came back.
In the days since Fang Shi returned, she gradually found her rhythm and said to Liu Saozi and the others: “Life in the village is still more comfortable.” Before, when working for those wealthy families, from morning to night there was simply no leisure time. There were many people, and one had to be forced into scheming and plotting, guarding against people harming each other, and there were some private matters of wealthy families that were hard to watch.
Fang Shi still preferred the days of farming at home. As long as one was diligent, one wouldn’t starve to death. This simplicity made her heart feel comfortable. It’s just that now she had to guard against the little chicks from entering the back courtyard, lest they eat the seeds she had just scattered.
The cage that He Zifeng had previously left idle for the rabbits was just right for the little chicks now that the rabbits had grown smaller. During the day, they were let to run around the whole courtyard, and at night they were shut into the small cage. A group of fluffy little chicks huddled together, so they weren’t cold at night. As for the little ducklings, they were even more hardy.
After raising chickens and ducks at home, the sounds of them could be heard everywhere in the courtyard, making people feel inexplicably good. He Zifeng now made two large pots a day, one pot of braised flavor and one pot of braised bones. Since Gouzi’s father became popular selling braised bones at the market last time, he came to order two hundred jin every time he went to market. The market days in various nearby county towns were different – some were every fifth day, some every eighth day. There were seven or eight times a month, which was another source of income.
Qiu Yu discussed with He Zifeng: “Last time mother bought things for us, she wouldn’t take money when we gave it to her. Let’s give her some silver.” Having all lived through poor days, they knew the frustrating feeling of not having money in hand. Fang Shi only had a few hundred wen in her hand, which He Zifeng had given her last time. Xiao Fang Shi cared about face and was embarrassed to ask her son for money, but she also had quite a few places where she needed to spend money.
He Zifeng said: “Alright, I’ll talk to mother about it.”
He Zifeng went to find Fang Shi, and as soon as he mentioned it, she repeatedly refused, saying: “No need, how can I take your money? You don’t earn money easily either!”
He Zifeng said: “Why be polite with your own son?”
Fang Shi looked at He Zifeng and said: “It’s not about being polite, I really do have some. When I don’t have any in the future, then I’ll ask you for it. I see that several families in the village weave baskets quite well. Why don’t I also do a little business.” She helped at the stall every day and felt that having a small business would also be quite good.
In the village, every household knew how to weave baskets, but they weren’t considered valuable things. Many women and men wove them in their spare time to pass the time. After all, living by the mountains, branches and wood didn’t cost money, and over time, every household had accumulated quite a few. Fang Shi had observed that these things weren’t worth money in the village, but in the county there were still people who used them. For example, when every household bought vegetables and such, putting them in baskets saved having to carry them by hand.
He Zifeng said: “Alright.”
The next morning, Fang Shi was seen moving more than ten baskets, all bought for one wen each. She planned to try it out. When He Zifeng set up his stall back then, he had marked out a large area, so her dozen or so baskets could be placed beside his stall. She hawked them at three wen each. These baskets weren’t woven very delicately, but after shouting once, they were all sold out.
It was easier to make money in the county. The baskets woven by farming families were very practical – they could not only be carried by hand but also slung over both shoulders. Just put the bought things in the baskets and that was it, very labor-saving. Besides, the price wasn’t expensive either. Buy one and it could be used for a long time. Even those who didn’t need one temporarily would buy one, as you never knew when it might come in handy.
This was Xiao Fang Shi’s first time selling things and it went so well. Although forty wen wasn’t much, she hadn’t put in any effort either. It was as if this money was picked up for free!
“Mother is so smart,” Qiu Yu flattered from the side.
Fang Shi said: “I’ll get some more when I go back. Yesterday when I went to collect woven baskets, they even asked me if I wanted more, but I didn’t dare say anything. Now it’s good – these things can be sold! Next time I’ll have them weave more.”
He Zifeng said: “Mother, you’re selling these things too cheaply. I see others selling them for at least five wen.” His voice came from outside where he was driving the cart.
Xiao Fang Shi said: “Making some profit is enough. The children in the county aren’t having it easy either. Their money has other uses.” Being able to earn a little was already satisfying enough. Xiao Fang Shi now had food and drink and could even do a little business – this was a life she had never imagined before.
Fang Shi said: “Should we go pick up Ranran?” Although she hadn’t met this grandson yet, Xiao Fang Shi was very much looking forward to it. Just now she had secretly gone to the neighboring stall and bought a peace pendant for two hundred wen. Although it wasn’t an expensive thing, it was still her sincere intention as an elder.
“Mm,” He Zifeng said.
Qinghua seemed to also know they were going to pick up the little master and walked familiarly toward the private school. This time they didn’t deliberately tease the child and came early. From far away they could see little He Ran looking around over there. When he saw them coming, he immediately started jumping up and down on the spot. He also introduced to the classmates beside him: “That’s my father.” Under the envious gazes of a group of little friends.
He Zifeng called: “He Ran.”
“Daddy.” His son’s voice was very loud.
He Zifeng parked the horse cart properly, then reached out and held his little cub in his arms. The envious gazes of the surrounding group of little friends became even more intense – they had never hugged their fathers like this. He Zifeng held him, then turned to Teacher Lin and said: “I’m taking him home.” Teacher Lin nodded.
Little He Ran obediently said goodbye to the teacher. He Zifeng saw that Gouzi hadn’t left yet and asked if he wanted to go back with them. Gouzi said: “Then I’ll go back with you!” He Zifeng also brought Gouzi onto the cart and said to Teacher Lin with a smile: “We’re from the same village, I’m taking this child back too.” Teacher Lin agreed.
Little He Ran excitedly returned to the cart and immediately threw himself into Qiu Yu’s arms: “Little Daddy.” He was just about to snuggle with Qiu Yu when he discovered there was also a stranger in the cart. He smiled at her somewhat shyly.
Qiu Yu said: “This is your grandmother, your real grandmother.”
Little He Ran’s eyes immediately lit up with a whoosh. He said: “Grandmother.”
As soon as Fang Shi beckoned, little He Ran ran over and hugged her arm, rubbing his little face against Fang Shi’s face. This was the face-rubbing that children liked most. When He Zifeng saw that his son wasn’t shy at all, he couldn’t help but want to laugh. What a little charmer.
When Gouzi came in, little He Ran generously introduced him: “This is my grandmother, my real grandmother.” There was some pride in his tone.
When Gouzi heard this, he said: “I also have a real grandmother. But my real grandmother isn’t good to me.” Gouzi’s father had married into the family. He had the same surname as his mother. Every time he saw his real grandmother, she ran away faster than a mouse.
Little He Ran said: “Don’t be sad. Why don’t I be your grandmother.” Children speak without thinking. This sentence made Qiu Yu unable to hold back his laughter.
Gouzi was several years older than little He Ran and got angry: “No way.” He wouldn’t be a grandson!
R : Little Gouzi wants to be something else ???? (Ɔ ˘⌣˘)♥(˘⌣˘ C)
Oh btw Good news! Starting August 4th, there will be 3 updates a week! 🎉
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