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After the departure of the man, Wan Chunmei took the red-skinned small radishes from the bamboo basket one by one and placed them into the wooden basin used for washing vegetables. She scooped up water and washed the dirt off them.
She picked the smallest one, wiped off the water, and took a bite.
The rich, fresh scent of the radish instantly filled her mouth, as though she were eating a sweet fruit. The taste was delightfully sweet, and it was very enjoyable.
Satisfied, she placed the cleaned radishes into another bamboo basket to dry off.
On the side, Tan Sanyuan sat obediently, holding little Qiyue in his arms, silently watching Wan Chunmei prepare the pickled vegetables.
The two children, one older and one younger, had clear, innocent eyes that radiated purity.
From a distance, the scene looked like a warm and tranquil painting.
After a little while, Wan Chunmei had cleaned half of the radishes. Tan Yiliang, carrying the remaining radishes, came back with Little Black.
As soon as Little Black entered the house, he wagged his tail frantically, happily jumping around Qiyue.
Tan Yiliang quickly pulled out a leftover chicken bone from the house, tossed it to Little Black, and laughed, “Here you go, Little Black! A little treat for you!”
Little Black jumped up and caught the chicken bone in his mouth, holding it with his front paws, eating it joyfully.
By noon, Tan Xiaomei, who had been outside hanging laundry, also returned.
Wan Chunmei had specially prepared a stew of red-skinned small radishes and pig skin for everyone. The pig skin was from the wild boar left over from last time, which Wan Chunmei had dried and turned into preserved pig trotters. She used it to cook the radishes, and the flavor was excellent.
Little Qiyue held a small bowl and drank several bowls of the soup in a row.
Tan Liujin, who could eat a lot, finished a bowl of the small radishes.
The radishes were cooked so tenderly they melted in your mouth. Tan Liujin, whose teeth hadn’t fully grown in yet, liked them a lot and even had a few more pieces.
Wan Chunmei, fearing he would overeat and get indigestion, didn’t let him eat any more.
After lunch, the family was busy again in the afternoon.
They worked for most of the afternoon before Wan Chunmei and Tan Xiaomei finally finished preparing two barrels of pickled vegetables, but that was still not enough.
After thinking it over, they decided to call over Aunt Xu from the house next door to help them with the pickling.
They planned to give Aunt Xu some payment for her work.
Aunt Xu was a very kind woman and refused to accept any money. She said she only wanted a small jar of pickles in return. Furthermore, she willingly gave Wan Chunmei the leftover cabbages and white radishes from her field. She also didn’t want any payment, just some of the pickled vegetables in exchange.
Wan Chunmei was initially going to refuse, but Aunt Xu was very persistent, so she had no choice but to accept.
This turned out to be a good thing, as it ensured they wouldn’t run out of vegetables to pickle.
The family worked until evening before they quieted down.
Since they were living in a new house, everyone was so excited they could hardly sleep.
Especially Old Tan and Wan Chunmei, who tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep for a long time.
Wan Chunmei turned her head and asked Old Tan, “Husbamd, do you think our life is truly getting better now?”
Old Tan held her and replied softly, “Yes, it’s getting better. Chunmei, you won’t have to suffer anymore from now on.”
Wan Chunmei closed her eyes, smiled, and slowly said, “Husband, you won’t have to work so hard anymore either.”
“It’s not hard, it’s not hard. Supporting this family is what I should do,” Old Tan hurriedly said.
Wan Chunmei squeezed his hand, remained silent for a while, then said softly, “Husband, marrying you was truly the best choice.”
Hearing this, Old Tan felt warmth in his heart and hugged her tighter, a smile spreading across his face. “Alright, Chunmei, let’s get some sleep now.”
“Mhm, you too,” Wan Chunmei responded with a smile.
The two of them cuddled close together and gradually closed their eyes.
The next morning, the villagers learned that Old Tan had moved into a new house, and many of them came to offer their congratulations.
Since Old Tan’s family didn’t have the means to host a lavish banquet, they prepared some simple food and greeted everyone with modest hospitality.
Among those who came, aside from those genuinely offering their best wishes, there were some who came just to see the commotion.
For example, the unlucky wife from the village head’s family, and the unlucky daughter-in-law from the neighboring Old Chen family.
They both looked on with jealousy and resentment in their hearts, but they behaved quietly, standing off to the side and making no move. It was probably because they had suffered not long ago and had been thoroughly disciplined by their husbands.
Wan Chunmei brought out hot water for everyone, and as she moved through the crowd, she accidentally spotted her foolish father, her stepmother, and the now noticeably haggard Third Sister Wan, all of whom had come to gawk.
These three were, of course, there just to watch the spectacle, but the more they watched, the more irritated they became, their faces full of bitterness and jealousy.
The Tan family’s small house wasn’t very large, nor was it particularly impressive in the village, but these people were so used to seeing the Tan family living in dilapidated houses, used to standing above them, that they found it hard to accept the sudden change in the family’s fortunes.
Just as Old Man Wan was about to step forward and cause trouble for Wan Chunmei, Liu Shiye, Liu Zhoucheng, suddenly arrived. This time, he not only brought Madam Liu with him but also a matchmaker and several large boxes of items.
When Wan Chunmei saw him, she quickly asked, “Liu Shiye, what brings you here?”
Liu Zhoucheng looked around the room, his gaze landing on Tan Xiaomei. He took a step back, then bowed deeply to Wan Chunmei and Old Tan. With a gentle smile, he said, “Big Sister, I am here today to propose.”
“Propose?”
Wan Chunmei was shocked.
Not only her, but everyone else present was also stunned.
“Who is this man? He doesn’t look like an ordinary person.”
“You don’t know? This is Liu Shiye from the county magistrate’s house. His family has been scholarly for many years, and they’re quite a well-known family in Pingyang County.”
“So he’s the master! The Tan family’s little girl is truly lucky to find such a good match!”
Just as everyone was praising her, Old Man Wan suddenly said coldly, “She’s just a second-marriage woman, and she’s making such a big fuss. How shameless.”