Chapter 7: Golden Jasmine

At home, there was a large bamboo tray, slightly bigger than a table, woven from bamboo strips. Jin Xiaoye carried two long benches outside, placed the bamboo tray on top, and then spread out the rice to dry inside it.

This type of bamboo tray was mainly used for raising silkworms, but since their family didn’t have a mulberry field, Jin Xiaoye didn’t raise silkworms. Usually, she used it to dry grains and store food.

After drying the grains, Jin Xiaoye returned to the house, took out needles, threads, and a basket, and started sewing.

Li Qingzhi took a glance and noticed that she was cutting up the pants the original owner wore when escaping from the quarry.

These were worn-out trousers, no longer wearable in Li Qingzhi’s opinion. However, Jin Xiaoye cut them short, used the relatively intact fabric from the cut-off pant legs to patch up the upper part of the trousers, and turned them into shorts.

In this era, scholars and wealthy people were more particular about their clothing, not exposing their chests. But ordinary folks, especially those living in difficult circumstances, didn’t adhere to such norms.

Men carrying goods at the dock, working in the fields, rowing boats on the river… many of these men were shirtless.

As for the women, those from wealthier families might wear short-sleeved shirts, but if a family was poor, they would dismantle winter clothes for cotton and roll up the sleeves for ventilation.

The shorts Jin Xiaoye was making were commonly worn by men in the village during the summer.

As she sewed, Jin Xiaoye said to Li Qingzhi, “You don’t want these pants, right? If you don’t, I’ll give them to Dad.”

Jin Xiaoye referred to Li Laogen as “Dad.”

Li Qingzhi replied, “Give them to Dad.” He indeed didn’t want these patched-up shorts.

Mainly because the original owner left behind two sets of clothes, so he didn’t currently lack clothing.

Upon hearing this, Jin Xiaoye continued sewing, also collecting the scraps of fabric she cut off.

These fabric scraps could be used to glue shoe soles.

Jin Xiaoye wasn’t meticulous in her sewing. She never liked doing such delicate work since she was young, but as she worked, someone came in. “Xiaoye!”

Li Qingzhi looked and saw his in-laws entering with his younger brother-in-law.

Jin Xiaoye’s grandparents raised two sons and two daughters. One daughter married in the neighboring village, while the other stayed in their village. The two sons were Jin Xiaoye’s eldest uncle and Jin Xiaoye’s father.

Jin Xiaoye’s grandfather was somewhat skilled in cooking and used to cater banquets for the village. Her eldest uncle relied on this skill and worked as a helper in the nearby military camp, earning two taels a month.

Jin Xiaoye’s father inherited her grandfather’s “business.” Besides farming, whenever there were celebrations or funerals in the village, he would go to cook for the occasion.

The skills of Jin’s father were not appreciated by urbanites, and rural folks didn’t have much money, so he didn’t earn much. He would earn around thirty yuan for catering an event, and if the host was generous, they might give him some additional items.

Speaking of income… Li Qingzhi converted it according to the original owner’s memory and found that in Daqi, where he was, the money was converted based on the price of rice. In this era, one penny was roughly equivalent to two yuan before the apocalypse.

A tael was equivalent to one thousand penny, approximately equivalent to two thousand yuan.

Jin Xiaoye’s eldest uncle earned four thousand yuan a month, while her father earned sixty yuan for catering an event. It seemed very little, but for farmers at that time who had no other sources of income, the fact that the Jin family could earn money like this was already enviable.

As for the value of silver… Generally speaking, one tael of silver is consistent, but in fact, when it is actually on the market, the calculation is not so accurate.

Poor-quality silver might exchange for one tael for one tael, but if the silver was of good quality, one tael could exchange for one thousand three hundred penny. This price could fluctuate, and the value of silver varied in different periods and places.

According to the original owner’s memory, in this era, if a wealthy household hired a servant or a tavern hired a waiter with room and board included, they would pay about a tael a month. Without room and board, they would pay more. Additionally, hiring an accountant who could write and calculate would cost at least four taels a month, along with some other benefits.

Li Qingzhi’s temporary goal was to become an accountant. Anyway, he needed to have some income first to ensure a good life for his family.

Jin’s father and mother came over to visit upon hearing that Li Qingzhi had woken up.

They had come to visit once before, and the two taels that Jin Xiaoye brought for Li Qingzhi’s medical expenses were borrowed from them.

Now that Li Qingzhi had woken up, they would certainly come again to check on him.

Jin Xiaoye’s grandfather had passed away, but her grandmother was still alive, so Jin Xiaoye’s eldest uncle and her father hadn’t split up the family property.

Jin’s eldest uncle had three sons and a daughter, while her father had raised a son and a daughter. Jin Xiaoye was the eldest sister, and she had a younger brother who was only sixteen years old.

Jin’s father was a bit taciturn, an honest and skilled farmer.

At just forty-five this year, his teeth were almost all gone, and his dark face was full of wrinkles, making him look like an old man.

Jin’s mother was in a similar state, appearing quite aged. She was a bit introverted and dared not look at Li Qingzhi, only whispering to Jin Xiaoye.

In contrast, Jin Xiaoye’s younger brother, Jin Xiaoshu, was energetic and talkative.

After they arrived, the main conversation was between Li Qingzhi and Jin Xiaoye’s younger brother. He kept talking about how tough Jin Xiaoye had it these past few years: “The day my sister gave birth, she was still out in the fields planting rice seedlings. Suddenly, she started feeling pain in her stomach, and as soon as she got home, she gave birth to her first and second children.”

Li Qingzhi smiled and said, “I will definitely treat Xiaoye well in the future.”

“Our family didn’t have enough food to eat. My sister even went to the city to find work during the New Year. She hasn’t had a proper New Year celebration in years.”

Li Qingzhi continued to smile, “Xiaoye has really had it tough. Luckily, she has you.”

Li Qingzhi was very fond of his in-laws and this younger brother-in-law.

After all, they were all alive!

As he spoke, his eyes were fixed on them, expressing a great sense of closeness.

Especially the young Jin Xiaoshu—such a spirited young man! It’s a pity he’s not my own child; otherwise, I’d give him a pat on the back.

Previously, like everyone else, Jin Xiaoshu thought Li Qingzhi had probably received news from their hometown and abandoned his sister. At that time, he harbored a strong dislike for Li Qingzhi.

But now that Li Qingzhi had returned… he didn’t dislike Li Qingzhi anymore; he just wanted Li Qingzhi to treat his sister well.

Before coming, Jin Xiaoshu had been determined to have a serious talk with Li Qingzhi, but Li Qingzhi had been looking at him with such fondness, as if he were some treasure… Many of the things he had planned to say remained unsaid.

Alas, his brother-in-law had been detained and tortured for five years, and his health had deteriorated. It was likely that his sister would have to take care of him in the future. Promises of treating his sister well… he couldn’t trust them.

With a sigh, Jin Xiaoshu took out two duck eggs and handed them to Jin Xiaoye. “Sis, I brought two duck eggs. Make something with them to nourish your husband’s body. If I have time, I’ll catch some fish for your husband.”

Seeing that Li Qingzhi didn’t seem to be in good shape, the Jin family didn’t stay long and soon left.

After the Jin family left, Li Laogen came back with a basket of snails and a few small crabs no bigger than ping pong balls.

There were crabs in the river on the Miaoqian Village, but these crabs were very small, only about the size of ping pong balls, and didn’t have much meat on them.

Adult ducks could eat the whole snail, but their ducks were still small and couldn’t manage, so Li Laogen sat at the door and smashed the snails before feeding them to the ducks.

While smashing them, he picked out the meat from the larger snails and put them in a bowl beside him.

He also fed the crab legs to the ducks, but the tiny bit of crab meat on them was also put in the bowl. He instructed Jin Xiaoye, “Xiaoye, when cooking later, put these in to cook. At least there’s some meat…”

“I know! I altered a pair of pants, do you want them?” Jin Xiaoye said, handing the patched-up pants to Li Laogen.

“Yes! I’ll go change right away!” Li Laogen was very happy. He only had one pair of shorts, which he had been wearing when he went to the river just now, and they were damp and clinging to him.

Taking the pants from her, Li Laogen excitedly went inside to change. Even though they were a pair of shorts covered in patches, he treated them like a treasure.

Seeing this, Jin Xiaoye couldn’t help but say, “If you didn’t gamble, you wouldn’t know how many new pairs of pants you could buy!”

Li Laogen smiled awkwardly and went out to play.

Jin Xiaoye couldn’t be bothered to deal with him and took a bamboo strip to stir the rice drying in the bamboo tray, making sure it dried evenly.

It was at this moment that a voice came from next door. “Jin Xiaoye, are you still making pants for him?”

Jin Xiaoye glanced over and realized it was her cousin, Jin Moli.

After Jin Xiaoye’s mother gave birth to her, her health had never been good. She had three miscarriages before giving birth to Jin Xiaoshu after many years. However, her eldest aunt gave birth to three sons and a daughter in succession.

After that, she stopped having children because her eldest uncle went to work as a helper in the military camp, only coming home once a month.

This cousin of Jin Xiaoye’s was only a few months younger than her. They grew up together, but their relationship was quite ordinary.

Jin Xiaoye had never liked this cousin of hers.

Her eldest uncle was successful and eloquent, and her eldest aunt kept giving birth to sons… Her grandparents had always favored her eldest uncle’s family.

Before her eldest uncle went to work as a helper in the military camp, her grandfather had always taken her eldest uncle out to cater banquets, intending to teach him cooking skills.

Since her eldest uncle was favored, this cousin of hers naturally received more attention at home.

Her grandmother often said that since she was the elder sister, she should take care of her younger sister.

At that time, almost all the chores at home were done by her and her mother, while Jin Moli just did whatever she pleased.

The two of them didn’t get along well before they got married, and things didn’t improve after marriage either.

Unfortunately, they still had to deal with each other. Before marriage, both families lived together, and after marriage… Jin Moli married the Yao family next door.

When Li Qingzhi bought land and built a house in the village, he bought land from the Yao family, and the house was built next to the Yao family’s house.

Like the Jin family, the Yao family was considered well-off in the village. The main reason was that the Yao family owned a boat, and Yao’s father did some small business by rowing the boat.

It was just buying eggs and other things from the countryside and selling them in the county town, collecting some travel fees along the way. But Yao’s father could earn at least one or two taels a month, and during the New Year, he could earn seven or eight taels in a month.

That was not all. Yao’s father had only one son… When there were fewer sons, they would be highly valued. Jin’s eldest uncle didn’t send his child to school, but Yao’s father sent his child to school in the county town.

Jin Moli’s husband, Yao Zhenfu, was literate just like Li Qingzhi.

When Jin Moli was about ten years old, she was engaged to Yao Zhenfu and married on the same day as Jin Xiaoye.

Their lives after marriage were completely different.

After Li Qingzhi disappeared, Jin Xiaoye had to support a household on her own, but what about Jin Moli? She lived comfortably in the Yao household.

Jin Xiaoye didn’t harbor any resentment towards Jin Moli, but she didn’t have much to do with her either. “Nobody else would wear these worn-out pants.”

Jin Moli looked at Jin Xiaoye with a complicated expression and asked, “Is Li Qingzhi really alive?”

Hearing this, Jin Xiaoye’s mood improved a lot. “He’s alive.” Li Qingzhi looked much better now, and she probably wouldn’t have to spend money on medicine anymore.

With that, the household expenses in the future wouldn’t be too high, and if they worked hard for another two years, they could pay off their debts and have a better life.

Jin Moli’s expression became even more complicated. “I didn’t expect…”

She truly hadn’t expected Li Qingzhi to be revived.

But even if he was alive, it didn’t matter. Li Qingzhi was just a swindler, and now his health was ruined. He definitely wouldn’t amount to anything in the future.

Yao Zhenfu, on the other hand, was different. He could become a great merchant in the future!