Chapter 176

As the end of the year approached, every household began slaughtering their pigs in preparation for the New Year. Naturally, they invited neighbors and friends to enjoy the celebratory feast, known as the “slaughter pig meal.” Wang Yuan’er attended a few of these meals herself. Unfortunately, her family didn’t raise pigs and thus didn’t reciprocate with their own feast. However, come spring, she decided she would raise two piglets.

Even without raising pigs, making cured meat was a must. Wang Yuan’er placed an order for twenty pounds of pork from Butcher Zhang and started making cured meat with her sisters.

“Hey, Yuan’er, times are tight for us right now. We barely have money to buy pork. Once this cured meat is done, you should send some to your grandfather and grandmother,” said Madam Zhang, leaning against the doorframe of the west room, watching the sisters bustling with their work.

Wang Yuan’er didn’t respond; she was preoccupied. If only she hadn’t dug into the family savings to invest in that trading ship…

But then again, she chose not to mention it, lest people accuse her of hypocrisy—of allowing herself to bend the rules but not others.

“Hey, I’m talking to you! Why aren’t you answering? Are you looking down on us now that you’re running a big business?” Madam Zhang, seeing no response, strode over.

“Second Aunt, are you asking me to send it to Grandfather and Grandmother or you? Grandfather and Grandmother have bad teeth; they barely eat any cured meat all year round. But in previous years, I’ve noticed most of it ended up in your mouths!” retorted Wang Qing’er, cutting straight to the point with an unyielding tone.

Everyone knew the second branch and the main family shared the same dining table. Sending the meat to Grandfather and Grandmother wasn’t much different from sending it to the second branch, yet they felt the need to make it sound indirect!

“Hey, you sharp-tongued girl! What’s the matter? Are you so stingy that you won’t even spare some meat as a filial offering?” Madam Zhang’s scheme was exposed, but she shamelessly continued without batting an eye, “When your sister Min’er got married, she even brought you silk flowers as gifts!”

“She came all the way to give them herself—who even cared for them?” Wang Qing’er sneered, eyeing Madam Zhang’s brand-new embroidered shoes with a mischievous glint. Without a second thought, she picked up a chunk of soy sauce-soaked pork from the basin and slammed it down hard, sending splashes of sauce onto Madam Zhang’s skirt and embroidered shoes, leaving an unsightly stain.

Madam Zhang screamed and jumped away: “You wicked girl! What kind of work is this? My shoes are brand new!”

“Ah, Second Aunt, I didn’t mean it! Let me wipe it for you!” Wang Qing’er grabbed a cloth nearby to clean the stain, but the more she wiped, the worse it got.

“Ahhh! What is this cloth for? Ahhh…” Madam Zhang screamed louder.

What was it for? Oh, whoops, it was just used to wrap pork!

“You wretched girl! You did this on purpose!” Madam Zhang pulled her foot back, grabbed her skirt, and reached out to tug at Wang Qing’er’s double buns.

“Are you mourning or what? Hurry up and make the food!” Grandma Wang suddenly appeared at the main room’s door and scolded Madam Zhang.

“Mother, look at this wretch…” Madam Zhang tried to complain, but upon seeing Grandma Wang’s darkened expression, she begrudgingly shut her mouth, glared at Wang Qing’er hatefully, and stomped back to her room to change her shoes and socks.

Wang Qing’er stuck out her tongue and, seeing Grandma Wang glaring at her, obediently buried her head in mixing the meat—though she secretly chuckled when Grandma wasn’t looking.

“You really are someone who refuses to back down!” Wang Chun’er said with amusement.

“Well, who told her to act so high and mighty? I just can’t stand her entitled attitude. Back then, they hid in their room to eat the good stuff—did they ever let us taste it? Hmph!” Wang Qing’er felt no remorse for her actions.

“Alright, alright, hang up the meat now,” Wang Yuan’er said with a teasing smile. “You always have a reason for everything.”

Madam Zhang really did deserve a little lesson, and giving her a small dose of mischief wasn’t a big deal—it kept her from getting too full of herself.

“Alright, Elder sister, once the meat is done, shall we head to the tailor shop to try on those clothes? If they don’t fit, we can have them altered!” Wang Qing’er suggested. “Since there’s nothing much to do today, they should be ready by now!”

Wang Yuan’er glanced at the sky and agreed, “Alright, while the weather’s good, we can also buy some New Year’s goods to prepare.”

As the year-end approached, it was time to stock up on treats like candies and sunflower seeds. The girls loved dressing up, and since it was a rare occasion, adding a few new items was perfectly reasonable.

“You all go ahead. I’ll stay home with our little brother!” Wang Chun’er said with a smile.

“No, let’s all go. Just carry Baolai on your back—he rarely gets a chance to walk around town,” Wang Yuan’er insisted, not agreeing to let her stay. This second sister was just too quiet and reserved.

After thinking for a moment, Wang Chun’er agreed.

The sisters freshened up and dressed in new clothes before heading to the town.

The Wang family had suffered immense misfortune, with the eldest son and then the eldest daughter-in-law passing away within less than half a year. Everyone in town knew of this, and there were many who sighed and lamented over the Wang family’s plight. After all, death extinguishes all grudges, leaving everything at an end. The family’s orphans left a deep impression on people.

Ever since Wang Yuan’er’s mother had passed away, the sisters had rarely appeared together in public. Wang Chun’er, in particular, had ventured out only a handful of times. Now, seeing the siblings—no, five siblings—together in town drew curiosity and surprise.

In a town where everyone was neighbors, it was only natural to exchange greetings upon meeting. However, this time’s greetings felt overly enthusiastic, especially the gazes directed at her and the second and third sisters. Those gazes resembled wolves eyeing sheep!

As Wang Yuan’er glanced at her youngest sister’s innocent face as she held her hand, she instantly understood.

The Wang family’s eldest branch was known for its “four golden flowers.” Apart from the youngest sister, the other three were of marriageable age. Even Qing’er, though not yet of age, could have a marriage engagement arranged first. In a year or two, she could be married into a household!

Wang Yuan’er felt both amused and a little bitter. This sudden attention only came after her success in business this past year. In the past, especially right after their mother’s passing, people likely avoided them like the plague.

Losing both parents and facing hardships made their family’s situation difficult. Who would have wanted to marry a girl from such a family, fearing she might bring misfortune to their own household?

But things were different now. The eldest branch of the Wang family was thriving, doing one successful business deal after another. They were making money—reputation no longer mattered.

Indeed, people were as realistic as ever. The saying “money makes the world go round” couldn’t be more true!

The sisters arrived at the tailor shop, where Madam Liu greeted them warmly. She brought out the finished clothes and said with a cheerful smile, “I was just thinking of delivering these to your house, and here you are!”

“Is everything done? Let me try mine on!” Wang Qing’er grabbed her set of orange-red clothes and dashed into the inner room.

In no time, she emerged wearing it. The outfit was all red, with camellias embroidered on the skirt’s hem and a silver-edged, cotton-padded jacket. As they say, “clothes make the person”—she looked completely transformed wearing it.

“Oh my, my! If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were a young lady from some wealthy family. You look stunning!” Madam Liu was the first to praise her.

Wang Qing’er blushed and eagerly looked at her eldest sister. “Elder sister, what do you think? Should I have it altered?”

Before finishing her sentence, she spun around on the spot, admiring herself from all angles. Her smile was so bright it was almost spilling over—she couldn’t be happier.

“Third sister looks so pretty!” their youngest sibling, Lan’er, clapped her hands and giggled.

With her face still red, Wang Qing’er bit her lip and looked at Wang Yuan’er. Seeing her sister’s approving smile, she finally relaxed. She then urged the others, “You all should try yours on too!”

Each of them had chosen different colors to suit their personalities. Wang Yuan’er had picked a formal and dignified deep purple, paired with a matching skirt embroidered with crabapple blossoms.

Wang Chun’er chose a warm olive-green color embroidered with chrysanthemums, while the youngest sister naturally selected a delicate pink—looking just like a blooming flower. As for their little brother, though he was small, he was given a fully red festive outfit for the New Year.

The group tried on their outfits together, comparing one another’s styles. Madma Liu was dazzled, her eyes flitting between the sisters. With fair skin and big eyes, each of them had their own charm. If it weren’t for their difficult circumstances, girls like them would surely have suitors lining up to visit their home. But even with the loss of their father and mother, they managed to live prosperous, lively lives. Seeing their well-made, luxurious outfits, one couldn’t help but admire them—who else could afford such elegance?

The eldest sister of the Wang family was known for doing big business with a firm named Jinji. It was hard to predict how much more fortune this family might gain in the future!

It seemed none of the sisters were yet engaged, a fact that Madam Liu considered over and over. Then, with a twinkle in her eye, she smiled and said, “Look at you sisters, the four golden flowers, each outstanding in your own way. Why not wear your outfits home and let the young gentlemen of our town admire your beauty?”

The sisters blushed at the suggestion. Wang Yuan’er replied with a smile, “We only get one new outfit a year, and we’re saving these to wear for the New Year celebration. We can’t risk them getting dirty—let’s change back before we leave.”

It was true that their blossoming youth was worth showing off, but Wang Yuan’er knew better than to flaunt wealth publicly. Walking down the street in coordinated new outfits might as well announce that they’d made a lot of money.

Wang Qing’er did want to wear her outfit home—after all, what girl didn’t love looking stylish? But she was reluctant to ruin such fine clothing with the snow and mud on the ground. What would she do if it got dirty?

Wang Yuan’er paid for the clothes and took her sisters to browse other shops. With the New Year approaching, they had to prepare gifts for their visit to their maternal grandparents during the holiday.

Madam Liu saw them off and, taking advantage of the quiet moment in her shop, began chatting with Shopkeeper Mo next door: “Those sisters are lovely. The way they dress up is no less charming than Min’er. I noticed they bought some rouge from your shop, didn’t they?”

“Yes, they bought two boxes of rouge and picked out a few pearl hairpins.” Happy with the business, Shopkeeper Mo replied with a smile. “I’d say those sisters are far better than someone going to be a concubine. Despite losing their parents, they’ve earned their own money to buy accessories—they’re truly impressive!”

“That’s all because life forced them to grow up.” Madam Liu sighed. “Their grandparents are biased, and their second uncle and aunt are unreliable. If they didn’t stand up for themselves, they’d have been pushed around endlessly. Seeing them now, I feel relieved.”

“That’s true spirit! My wife admires people like them. Those who rely on their looks to curry favor won’t last long. Mountains crumble, and relying on others is never as good as relying on yourself. Just watch—these sisters are bound to have a great fortune!” Shopkeeper Mo said with a mysterious air.

“I wonder which lucky families will marry these girls. It’s a pity there isn’t anyone suitable in my family,” Madam Liu sighed again, thinking of her own two daughters and her three-year-old son.

“Golden flowers always find people who recognize their worth!” Shopkeeper Mo laughed suddenly.

Whether pearls or pebbles, there will always be someone who sees their value. When fortune comes, nothing can stop it.