Chapter 16: Making Sugar-Coated Hawthorns

Next, pour rock sugar into a pot, add an equal amount of water, and heat over medium heat. You can slowly stir with a spoon to speed up the dissolving of the rock sugar.

When all the rock sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to low and continue heating slowly. This takes a while, about seven or eight minutes.

Carefully observe the foam in the sugar syrup. When the color of the syrup turns slightly yellowish and the foam becomes abundant and crowded, it’s almost ready. Quickly dip the strung hawthorns into the syrup, roll them around, and take them out to place them on an oiled iron plate. Let them cool and solidify for 10 minutes.

Mi Xia made a dozen or so, then helped Zhang Hongxia prepare dinner. In the evening, they made congee, some wild vegetable and wheat flour pancakes, and roasted a few sweet potatoes. Mi Xia loved roasted sweet potatoes; she often ate them before she time-traveled.

After Mi Qiu and her nephews returned, Mi Xia brought out the finished sugar-coated hawthorns, one for each person, both adults and children.

The children’s eyes lit up when they saw the sugar-coated hawthorns. In this era, sugar-coated hawthorns were considered a high-end snack, so everyone was very happy.

Mo Haoyue was also happy because his wife was so capable.

During dinner, there was a sudden, urgent knocking at the door. Mi Qiu ran to open it, thinking it was a neighbor coming for a visit. Then she heard a series of shouts and curses from outside.

“Alright, Mi Xia, you little vixen, you incited my son! As soon as he came back, he distanced himself from me. Before, my son gave me all his wages, but now he only gives me some money each month.”

“It must be you, this little vixen, who instigated him! How could you be so despicable?”

Mo Haoyue’s mother immediately sat on the ground and started to feign crying, slapping her hands and cursing, “Oh dear, how could I be so blind to marry such a troublemaker! I didn’t want to at the time, but my son’s grandfather insisted. Now look what happened, she’s come to sabotage our mother-son relationship!”

“She bought a bicycle and a sewing machine but didn’t send them home; she sent them to this little vixen’s house instead!”

Many people gathered outside to watch the commotion, and Mo Haoyue’s mother cursed even louder.

“Everyone, come and see! When looking for a daughter-in-law, never find one like this! She’s alienated my son from me, and she’s sending the bicycle and sewing machine to this little vixen’s house!” Mo Haoyue’s mother cursed, glaring fiercely at Mi Xia.

Mo Zhixia, hearing her grandmother’s voice, was frightened and hid behind Mi Xia. Mi Xia only heard the people outside gossiping about her, and felt a sense of oppression and discomfort in her heart. She hugged Mo Zhixia tightly.

Mi Xia’s eyes widened, about to retort, when she heard Mo Haoyue say, “Mother, do you have to make such a scene? Don’t you know why Mi Xia is at her parents’ home? I’m married, and I still give you my wages. How did you treat my wife and my daughter?”

“Do you really think I don’t know? I just returned to the village, and everyone told me. Because you raised me, I didn’t mention these things.”

“What are you doing here making a fuss? Mi Xia is my wife. Is it wrong for me to buy her a bicycle and a sewing machine? My wife has been forced by you to live at her parents’ home, so shouldn’t I give her my wages? Mother, do you want to break up your son’s family?”

With each sentence Mo Haoyue spoke, his mother’s face became more and more unsightly. Perhaps she knew in her heart how badly she had treated the original Mi Xia.

Mo Haoyue took his mother away, and the Mi family lost their appetite.

“Little sister, you suffered so much in Mo’s family. It’s my fault, big brother didn’t protect you well enough.” A grown man said, shedding tears.

Mi Xia knew her older brother truly cared for her. After their parents passed away, her older brother had always been very good to her.

“It’s alright, big brother, it’s all in the past. From now on, our lives will get better and better.”

“What about Mo Haoyue? What are you thinking? If it doesn’t work out, we’ll just divorce him, and your brother and sister-in-law will support you.” Zhang Hongxia asked, choking back tears.

Mi Xia felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

“Sister-in-law, these things have nothing to do with Mo Haoyue. He’s been very good to me. He will protect us, mother and daughter, in the future. Let’s eat, the food is getting cold.” Mi Xia calmly and composedly urged everyone to eat.

“Little aunt, I’ll protect you too.” Mo Aiguo said seriously.

The younger children also pledged their loyalty.

“Okay, I’ll rely on you all to protect me in the future.” Mi Xia smiled.

The family resumed eating, though not as heartily as before. Mi Qiu quickly said she was full after a few bites.

Mi Xia ate a few bites and couldn’t eat anymore, so Zhang Hongxia collected and washed the dishes.

Mo Haoyue didn’t come that night. Xia Xia asked about him, “Where’s Dad today?” Perhaps it was a blood tie; after only two days, she had already started asking for her father.

After putting Mo Zhixia to sleep, Mi Xia went into her space. Although she had showered outside, she still wanted to take another bath in the spiritual spring water. After a comfortable soak, she began to organize her supplies.

She prepared the goods to sell to Zhang Xiaoyu the next day. The fish in the space were already very large and could be sold.

The chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs she raised in the space had also given birth, and the offspring had grown up and reproduced. This time, she would sell ten pigs, and a certain number of chickens, ducks, geese, cattle, and sheep, along with 1000 eggs.

100 jin each of sesame oil, peanut oil, and soybean oil; 500 kilograms each of white sugar, brown sugar, and red dates; and 1000 jin each of rice and flour.

The rice and wheat in the space could mature in a few days, so she had accumulated a lot.

1000 jin each of millet, red beans, green beans, sesame seeds, and glutinous rice. By the time she finished organizing everything, it was 11:30 pm.

She slept in the space and would go out early the next morning. Mo Zhixia usually slept through the night, and if she woke up, she could also leave the space.

The next morning, Mi Xia got up early to cook. Although she had gone to bed late, sleeping in the space meant she was still energetic.

For breakfast, Mi Xia made congee, a plate of wild vegetables, a plate of wood ear mushrooms, and some fried pancakes.

After breakfast, her sister-in-law cleaned the table, and the three nephews went to gather pigweed. Mi Qiu didn’t go to work today because Mi Xia was taking her to the county to buy a job.

Mi Xia watched the two girls playing together and couldn’t help but smile happily. After her sister-in-law finished cleaning up the dishes, she put on her backpack and went to the county with Mi Qiu.

Today, Mi Qiu rode her newly bought bicycle, the kind with a crossbar. Mi Qiu was 178 cm tall and could easily reach the pedals.

Mi Xia was 171 cm, and could also ride this type of bicycle. So she ultimately decided to buy this type, as it would be convenient for her older brother to ride even if she went to Kyoto. If she bought a women’s bicycle, it would be awkward for her brother to ride.

Once they arrived, Mi Xia locked the bicycle at the door and knocked. After a while, Zhang Xiaoyu came out.

“Hello, big brother.” Zhang Xiaoyu enthusiastically grabbed Mi Qiu’s hand.

Then, turning to Mi Xia, he said, “I guessed it was you. Let’s go. We’ll go now. The person who sells jobs works at the electric motor factory; I’ve already found out everything for you.

The working hours are from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. Workers have a twenty-minute break in the morning and afternoon, and a 90-minute lunch break.

So the total working hours are less than eight hours a day, and there’s no attendance system. Even if you’re late, as long as you have a valid reason, it’s fine.

The holiday benefits are also good. This is the place.”

Mi Qiu, who thought her younger sister wanted to buy a job herself, listened and thought the job was good, so she didn’t interrupt.

After Zhang Xiaoyu knocked on the door, a man in his 40s came out.