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Unlucky?
Zhang Shi was taken aback at first, then nodded as if pecking at grains, “Yes, quite unlucky.”
Especially Jiang Chunhe, his luck was exceptionally bad.
First, he went into the mountains and found almost nothing. Then, the roof collapsed, causing severe injuries. Even the meat brought by Jiang Youcheng when he visited was snatched away by wild cats…
Even during regular work, Jiang Chunhe always seemed to be hitting something or getting bruised in one spot or another, leaving him with a variety of strange bruises.
“It’s all because of the Third Branch,” Zhang Shi fumed. “Blame that wretched Jiang Mixia and her useless husband!”
All the bad luck started from the trouble caused by those two…
Thinking about these things left Jiang Chunhe with a complex expression.
He had asked Jiang Mixia for a rabbit, but she didn’t give it, and now he couldn’t catch any rabbits at all. When he tried to incite trouble at Jiang Youcheng’s house, the next day the roof collapsed. An unfortunate accident, leaving a large scar at the corner of his mouth that still hadn’t healed…
Since last year, Jiang Chunhe felt that nothing had gone smoothly for him. It seemed that everything turned out to be unlucky.
Why did it feel like the Third Branch’s family was so peculiar?
“Mom, Third Uncle’s house is just plain unlucky. Every time something’s arranged, something goes wrong,” Jiang Chunhe said with a bitter face. “I think we shouldn’t go eat the stew. Let’s not stir up more trouble.”
Jiang Chunhe was indeed somewhat afraid.
Last time when the roof collapsed, he felt like he was about to die. He never wanted to experience that suffocating feeling again.
“What trouble could we stir up?” Zhang Shi didn’t seem to care. “The Third Branch is unlucky, but this time it’s not their business. It’s about Zhu Yongwu’s family. How can the Third Branch’s bad luck extend to their family?”
Seeing Jiang Chunhe’s unwillingness, Zhang Shi was getting annoyed. “You used to be bold and capable, but now look at you?”
“I think you’ve been influenced by Wu Shi, as timid as a mouse!”
Wu Shi, brought up out of nowhere, suddenly looked aggrieved but dared not speak.
Seeing Jiang Chunhe looking as hesitant as Wu Shi, Zhang Shi’s temper flared. She snatched the bowl from Jiang Chunhe’s hand. “Stay home. I’ll go!”
With that, she took the large bowl and left.
“What… what should we do? Should we ask Mom to come back?” Wu Shi asked cautiously.
“Will You go?” Jiang Chunhe replied irritably.
Wu Shi didn’t dare to stop Zhang Shi and lowered her head obediently.
“Go and make a fire for cooking,” Jiang Chunhe instructed.
He didn’t want to be involved in anything related to the Third Branch now, and he didn’t dare to eat the stew that was to be brought back.
What if it’s really bad luck? What if it gets stuck in my throat and chokes me to death?
“Alright.” Having received her husband’s instructions, Wu Shi breathed a sigh of relief, then coaxed the children to play off to the side before busying herself in the kitchen.
She prepared sweet potato noodles with a bit of white flour, planning to cook them with spinach and add a bit of lard for a fragrant touch.
Jiang Youcai returned with a hoe on his back and, smelling the cooking, furrowed his brow. “Why are you making food? Didn’t your mother go to Zhu Yongwu’s house to get the stew?”
“Dad, I…”
Jiang Chunhe began to explain, but before he could speak, a voice was heard from outside.
“Uncle Youcai, Brother Chunhe!”
The voice approached, and Jiang Yintian from the village hurried to their door, panting. Seeing Jiang Youcai and Jiang Chunhe at home, he breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said, “Your mother fell into a pit. You guys should go and take a look!”
Fell into a pit?
Jiang Youcai and Jiang Chunhe were stunned.
“How did Mom fall into a pit?” Wu Shi blurted out inquiringly.
“I heard she was chased by a group of geese in the village, and while trying to run, she accidentally fell into a pit…” Jiang Yintian explained.
Similar to the pit left unfilled during the construction of Jiang Youcheng’s family’s weaving workshop, there were multiple pits in Jiang Family Village. Due to long neglect, and the fact that the village had a pit where rainwater accumulated during summer, these pits often became a feeding ground for ducks and geese raised by various households.
On regular days, these pits were used for disposing of dirty water and snowmelt, and due to the heavy snowfall during the winter and the subsequent snow removal, much of the snow was dumped into the pits. This spring, with not enough dry weather, the pits were somewhat filled with water, turning into muddy ponds after being stirred up by ducks or geese.
The village’s geese, regardless of their owners, were known for their formidable strength, and even the village dogs had to steer clear of them.
Being chased by a group of geese, Zhang Shi naturally ran, paying little attention to her path.
“Why are you still standing there…”
A grown adult actually fell into a pit!
Feeling deeply embarrassed, Jiang Youcai hurriedly pulled Jiang Chunhe along to search for Zhang Shi.
As they hastened along, Jiang Chunhe couldn’t help but feel apprehensive. He had just mentioned the Third Branch’s bad luck and expressed reluctance to be involved with them, and now this worry was coming true?
He couldn’t help but shudder.
Despite the fact that it was a bright spring day in March, he inexplicably broke out in a cold sweat.
In the bamboo weaving workshop, over half of the apprentices were ready to transition from apprenticeship to official work, getting paid based on the pieces they produced. A few others still needed to wait a bit longer due to their skills not being quite up to par, but it seemed that in about a month, they would catch up with the others.
As the weather warmed up, the tea plantation became busy. The bamboo baskets used for drying tea leaves, the cool mats, and the bamboo baskets used for tea picking were considered durable goods and not subject to frequent wear and tear. However, upon learning that the bamboo weaving workshop could make waterproof bags, the plantation ordered a batch of waterproof bamboo boxes for transporting tea leaves. Although the tea leaves would ultimately be sealed in cans or wrapped in oil paper for preservation, they still needed to be packed for transportation, hence the decision to use waterproof bamboo boxes for an added layer of protection.
While the tea produced here couldn’t be considered top-grade or rare, due to the clear river water nurturing the tea leaves, they were highly fragrant and quite popular as mid-range tea, yielding considerable profits.
Therefore, Manager Zhou was willing to spend more money to ensure the quality of the tea during transportation. Meanwhile, Zheng’s Grocery store side also received several orders, mostly for sturdy bamboo boxes for cargo. Some customers requested simple, rugged boxes, and were not overly concerned about the rough appearance, but they wanted them at a reasonable price.