Chapter 32: Selling Flowers 2/3

Although the Yao family didn’t have savings, they did have land.

Over the years, the price of land had been rising, and by selling four acres of land, the Yao family could raise one hundred taels. By then, she would have one hundred taels of silver, and she could find a widower with a well-off family and children to marry, thereby securing her future for the rest of her life.

“Look at him. Even if we ask for more, he will give it. And the Yao family only has him as a son… Are you really just asking for one hundred taels?” Shen Da asked his sister.

Xuniang glared at her brother. “A cornered dog will jump over a wall. If we push him too hard, we might not get anything at all. One hundred taels of silver is not a small sum!”

Yao Zhenfu was unaware that he was being manipulated. He rushed to find his father. When boarding the boat, he accidentally stepped into the water, soaking his shoes and pants.

On the other side, Li Qingzhi arrived near the river wharf close to the Zhu family and met Jin Xiaoye.

Li Qingzhi had been writing books at the Zhu family for almost two months.

When he first went to the Zhu family, he was very thin, but now he had gained a bit of weight, and his hands and feet were much stronger than before.

To fully recover, he needed more energy, but now he could live like an ordinary person.

Of course, in the eyes of others, he still looked a bit too thin. The chef at the Zhu family was quite puzzled.

Li Damao and Li Ermao, who followed Li Qingzhi to the Zhu family, had gained a lot of weight, and their faces were a bit whiter. They looked much cuter now, but why was Li Qingzhi still so thin? His hand was like a skeleton when he reached out.

He obviously ate so much!

In response, Li Qingzhi had no choice.

His physical foundation was very good, but the consumption over the past five years had been too great. When he first arrived, his body’s bones and even organs had problems.

After two months of sufficient food supply, the priority was to repair the hidden injuries inside his body rather than gaining weight.

Fortunately, at this moment, all those hidden injuries had been repaired. Although he was still thin, his internal organs and bones were very healthy now.

Li Qingzhi held the hands of Li Damao and Li Ermao, who were wearing new clothes and new shoes and were walking with a bounce, and they came to the riverside, where they saw Jin Xiaoye.

Jin Xiaoye usually wore a straw hat, otherwise, in the hot summer, rowing outside would cause sunburn or even fainting.

But at this moment, she was not wearing a straw hat, revealing her coiled-up hair.

Jin Xiaoye had a lot of hair, but it was a bit dry and rough… People lacking nutrition in this era were basically like this.

Although Jin Xiaoye had been eating well for the past two months, her hair hadn’t grown back.

But now… in her dry, yellow hair, there was a beautiful red cloth flower.

During these two months, Jin Xiaoye had made new clothes for Li Damao and Li Ermao, even making a set for each of them, but she hadn’t made any for herself. She had always worn dull gray clothes.

And now, this flower in her hair looked even more vibrant.

Li Qingzhi thought the flower was extremely beautiful. “Xiaoye, you look really beautiful today.”

Jin Xiaoye smiled, revealing a slightly tanned face.

Li Qingzhi, accompanied by Li Damao and Li Ermao, boarded the boat. Jin Xiaoshu asked, “Brother-in-law, what did you bring back today?”

Li Qingzhi replied, “There’s a salted duck egg and stewed tofu with meat. We’ll eat the stewed tofu with meat when we get home, and you can take the salted duck egg. We’ll have it for lunch tomorrow.”

Since Jin Xiaoye started rowing, they had been having three meals a day. After all, without enough food, they wouldn’t have the energy to work.

In the morning, Jin Xiaoye would cook a pot of rice, with one portion for herself and one for Jin Xiaoshu and Li Laogen.

She would split her portion into two meals, one for breakfast and one for lunch.

By the time they got home in the evening, Li Laogen had already cooked dinner, and Li Qingzhi would bring back some meat dishes for another meal.

In fact, the meat dishes Li Qingzhi brought back were very few. The meals prepared by the Zhu family were for one person each, even if Zhu Xunmiao instructed them to give Li Qingzhi a bit more, the portion was still small.

But even with so little, it was still profitable.

And considering they had been eating dry food all these days… Jin Xiaoye and Li Laogen’s complexion had improved a lot, and Jin Xiaoshu had also grown a bit.

Jin Xiaoye put the salted duck egg in her pocket, smiled in response, and touched the small red flower on her head with her hand.

“Mom, this flower looks really nice!”

“Mom, you look really nice.”

…

Li Damao and Li Ermao chimed in one after another.

Jin Xiaoye smiled even more happily upon hearing this.

The family sailed back home happily. Along the way, Jin Xiaoye saw Mr. Yao.

When Jin Xiaoye first started rowing, she wasn’t very skilled.

But she was determined and would row slowly while chatting with the passengers.

Li Qingzhi would tell Li Damao and Li Ermao stories and jokes every night, and she would remember them and tell the passengers when she was rowing.

After she told a few stories, Jin Xiaoshu also started telling them. After they started chatting with the passengers, even if they rowed slowly and clumsily, most passengers didn’t mind.

But after half a month, Jin Xiaoye could row fast and well. Now, she would listen to the two children recite poems while skillfully rowing the boat.

“Aye, Uncle Yao!” Seeing Mr. Yao, Jin Xiaoye greeted him with a smile.

Mr. Yao smiled back, but as soon as he finished smiling, he frowned as if he had encountered something unpleasant, looking very unhappy.

Jin Xiaoye sensed that something was wrong and stopped talking.

Li Qingzhi wouldn’t speak either. Although Yao Zhenfu was a living person and he didn’t dislike Yao Zhenfu, he didn’t want to be overly friendly… They hadn’t spoken at all in the past month.

Previously, Yao Zhenfu had lent him books, so Jin Xiaoye had specially sent him a few eggs to return the favor.

“By the waters of separation…” Li Damao and Li Ermao looked at the scenery on the shore and recited poetry loudly.

When they were at the Zhu family’s place, they restrained themselves and didn’t speak loudly. But now, they relaxed.

When people passing by saw them, they couldn’t help but greet them, “These two children are so cute!”

Mr. Yao also couldn’t help but show some envy when he saw them.

He also had a grandson, but his grandson couldn’t recite poetry.

“Dad, why are you rowing so slowly? Can’t you go faster?” Yao Zhenfu said.

His shoes and pants were all wet, and he wanted to get home quickly to change!

Mr. Yao was already in his forties. In Daqi, people of this age among the lower class already looked quite old.

Mr. Yao was exposed to wind and sun every day, so he didn’t look young at all, and his physical strength couldn’t compare to that of younger people.

After rowing all day and helping with cargo, he was already exhausted, and his waist was hurting badly. But since his own son said so… Mr. Yao could only speed up the boat.

Jin Xiaoye glanced at Mr. Yao and slowed down.

Jin Xiaoshu had learned how to row the boat. They would occasionally switch hands during the day, and since they didn’t take on the task of helping with cargo, they wouldn’t get as tired as Mr. Yao.

When Li Qingzhi and the others arrived at the riverbank, Mr. Yao and Yao Zhenfu had already gone home, and Li Laogen was standing on the steps, stretching his neck to look at them.

“Xiaoye, Ah Qing, you’re finally back! Ah Qing, did you bring back anything delicious today?” Li Laogen asked.

“I did.” Li Qingzhi replied helplessly.

But Li Laogen was overjoyed. “That’s great, that’s great! I’ve already cooked porridge!”

Seeing this, the villagers chimed in, “Li Laogen, you only ever think about food!”

“Li Laogen, how old are you?”

“Li Laogen, you’re finally living the good life!”

…

Recently, with the agricultural off-season, there were many people around the riverbank. At first, everyone was smiling and talking to Li Laogen, but when Jin Xiaoye’s boat docked, their attention shifted to her.