Chapter 8

When Jiang Rou arrived next door, Aunt Wang was inside the house doing laundry.

Unlike Jiang Rou, who only needed to wash clothes for herself, Uncle Wang not only sold pork but also slaughtered pigs. His clothes were often dirty from the work, requiring soaking in wood ash. Although they had laundry powder at home, after using it for a while, Aunt Wang felt it was a bit costly. Wood ash was better, and the key was that it didn’t cost any money.

The courtyard door of Aunt Wang’s house was wide open. Seeing Jiang Rou approaching, she lifted her head with a pleasantly surprised expression and asked, “How come you’re here?”

Aunt Wang quickly stood up and wiped her wet hands on her apron in front of her. Then, she went into the house and brought a chair for Jiang Rou, happily saying, “Oh, ever since my daughter got into college, the house has been much quieter. It’s just me every day, and I often wish I had someone to talk to.”

She placed the chair behind Jiang Rou and said, “Come, sit down.”

Jiang Rou found her amusing. Although she had just met this woman yesterday, she noticed that every time she spoke, within a couple of sentences, she would mention her daughter being in college. It had become a habitual phrase.

Jiang Rou handed her the plate in her hand and said, “Auntie, I braised these pig intestines last night. I brought some for you to taste. Do you like it?”

Aunt Wang exclaimed, “Oh,” quickly waved her hand, and said, “Oh, you child, there’s no reason to return the things I gave you. You’re too polite. It’s not worth much; just take it and enjoy it yourself.”

“There’s still some at home, I can’t finish it all by myself, I brought some for you to taste.” Jiang Rou stuffed the plate into her hand.

Seeing that Jiang Rou was not joking, Aunt Wang hesitated for a moment and then accepted, “Alright, I’ll take it then.”

Aunt Wang took Jiang Rou’s plate. She casually took a piece and put it in her mouth without much thought. She just found the aroma quite delightful, even better than what she fried with chili. After taking a bite, her eyes widened, and she couldn’t help but taste another piece. She looked at Jiang Rou and said, “This taste is so good; it doesn’t smell at all. How did you make it? It tastes much better than what I made.”

It was savory and rich but not greasy, and it had a good chewiness.

Jiang Rou smiled. “If you like it, that’s great. I was worried you wouldn’t like the taste.”

Aunt Wang didn’t think too much about it and said with a smile, “It’s delicious. Your Uncle Wang will surely like it too. Let me clear the plate for you.”

She went to the kitchen with a plate in her hands, placed the pig intestines in her own bowl, and washed the plate Jiang Rou brought.

When she returned to the yard, Jiang Rou was sitting on a chair, sewing small clothes. After glancing at them, Aunt Wang thought they looked peculiar. Originally planning to ask about how she made the pig intestines, she couldn’t help but speak again: “Are these children’s clothes?”

Jiang Rou nodded and said, “Yes, it’s a onesie.”

She unfolded the clothes and explained the style to Aunt Wang.

Wang Auntie listened and felt that the clothes were also quite good. In the future, when her daughter got married and became pregnant, she could also make two pairs for the child.

With these thoughts in mind and feeling content, Aunt Wang suddenly thought that Li Xiao had chosen a good wife. Despite looking thin and weak, she was quite capable.

Jiang Rou explained to her in detail the advantages of this kind of small clothing. “When my child was born, the weather would be cold. If the little pants get wet, it’s inconvenient to take them off and put them on again, which can lead to illness. These small clothes are much more convenient; you just need to button them up.”

“You’re really considerate,” Aunt Wang remarked.

Jiang Rou continued to talk and then shifted the conversation to the things Aunt Wang should pay attention to during pregnancy. Aunt Wang was talkative, and, thinking about Jiang Rou’s parents not being around and the unreliable mother-in-law, she shared her experiences during pregnancy. She even got excited and scolded herself for the nonsense her mother-in-law did back then.

She then comforted Jiang Rou, “It’s good that your mother-in-law is not around. During my time, even when I was eight months pregnant, she made me wash the entire family’s clothes by the river. It was so cold in the middle of winter. My hands froze while washing the clothes, and I was so tired that I couldn’t stand up. On the way back, I stepped into an icy pit, and half of my pants got wet. Thinking about it now, it was really tough.”

Jiang Rou frowned as she listened. “Auntie, you’ve been through a lot.”

“Not really.”

Aunt Wang got enthusiastic when talking about this topic. She used to tell her husband about these things, but he didn’t care much. After all, it was his biological mother, and talking about it was in vain. He even asked her if she was overthinking it. She also couldn’t complain to her daughter because her daughter would mediate between them. Her daughter was still quite favored by her mother-in-law, and it was not easy to say anything.

Now she finally found someone who understood her and couldn’t help but vent a bit.

Listening to the end, Jiang Rou consoled her: “Auntie, you’ve finally made it through. Your daughter is in college now, and the family conditions are good. Who wouldn’t envy you among the neighbors?”

Aunt Wang felt that Jiang Rou spoke very nicely, praising her in every sentence, making her feel good. She laughed heartily. “It’s okay. Take it slow, and life will only get better. I’m looking forward to my daughter finishing college and taking me to the city to enjoy life.”

Upon hearing her talk about her daughter again, Jiang Rou suppressed her laughter and complimented her again. “Auntie is fortunate. Uncle’s business is going smoothly, and her daughter has also been admitted to university and made a name for herself. All of these are thanks to Auntie’s meticulous planning and good family management. I really need to learn from you.”

After speaking, there was still a hint of envy in her eyes. “Ah, Xiao is going on a long trip this time, and I’ve been worried. I don’t ask for him to make big money, just to be safe. Fortunately, he has learned well now and knows how to make money to support his family. A few days ago, he went to the police station because someone bullied him. I can’t bear it anymore, so he promised me that he will never fight again in the future.”

Aunt Wang thought Li Xiao’s words were not trustworthy. That child had been a troublemaker since childhood; how could he change for the better?

But she had a good impression of Jiang Rou, so she had the heart to teach her, “Men need to be disciplined. My husband didn’t know how to be considerate in the past. Look at him now; he’s skilled both at home and outside. Li Xiao isn’t too bad either. Just let him spend less time with those troublemakers outside. Occasionally, coax him a bit, shed a tear or two, and he’ll listen to everything you say.”

“Mmm”

Jiang Rou seemed a bit shy as she lowered her head and touched her stomach. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something, looked up with a slightly unpleasant expression, and asked. “Auntie, how do you think my pig colon tastes? If it were to be sold, would anyone buy it?”
Aunt Wang was rubbing clothes when she heard these words and looked at Jiang Rou with some surprise. “Do you want to sell pig intestines?”

Jiang Rou, feeling embarrassed, glanced at her, seemingly reluctant to speak but still saying, “We don’t have much money at home. Although Li Xiao left some money for me when he left, I think ahead. There will probably be a lot of expenses when the child is born, and I’m not sure if he can earn money outside.”

Aunt Wang really thought that Li Xiao’s money was not enough, and without hesitation, she angrily agreed, “Men are all the same; they think women at home just drink water directly. All those things like oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, they all cost money.”

Jiang Rou followed her words helplessly and said, “Yes, that’s why I wanted to work with you.”

“Collaborate with me?” Aunt Wang was surprised; even her hand movements stopped.

Jiang Rou continued, “I was thinking that you could provide the pig offal, and I could braise it. Then, we could rent a small stall at the market to sell together. After deducting the costs, we split the profit fifty-fifty. What do you think?”

“This recipe for pig intestines is something I found in Grandma Xiao’s old book. I don’t understand it, but it seemed good. After making it according to the instructions, it really tastes delicious. Unfortunately, there’s only this one recipe, but it should be enough. Aunt, think about it. The braised pig intestines have a good taste. People can buy them directly as a dish, saving time and effort. The female workers in the county should like it.”

Aunt Wang, feeling excited, didn’t hesitate to respond, “Why do we need to rent a stall? Just set up a space next to your uncle’s meat shop.”

“Wouldn’t that be a bit inappropriate?”

“What’s inappropriate about it? Who eats pig intestines? People only buy them to make sausage during the New Year. I haven’t seen anyone selling this in the market. When the time comes, we can raise the price a bit, five yuan per kilogram. You cook, and I sell.”

The more she thought about it, the more excited Aunt Wang became. It seemed as if she could already see herself counting money.

Although her family sells meat, there are several other vendors selling meat in the market, and they don’t make much profit. When customers buy braised pig intestines in front of her stall, they might also buy some fresh meat.

After all, the family is in business, and Aunt Wang feels that she has some foresight and thinks that this business can be done.

Making money is a good thing; why push it away? With Li Xiao not at home and Jiang Rou pregnant, such a good opportunity could only fall to her. Otherwise, she might miss out on her share.

She had only one daughter and no siblings, and now the daughter had successfully entered university. Earning more money was her source of confidence.

Thinking this way, Aunt Wang couldn’t contain her excitement and said, “Girl, wait a moment. There’s fresh pig intestines at home. Take them, braise them today, and we’ll start tomorrow. I’ll go tidy up your uncle’s stall this afternoon. Do you have enough firewood at home? I’ll give you some.”

Jiang Rou didn’t hesitate. “Okay, let’s take as much as Auntie has. The large intestine of the braised pig can be preserved for two days, and I’m not afraid it won’t sell out. I can braise it tomorrow morning, so there’s no need for firewood. We still have it at home.”

“Okay.”

Aunt Wang didn’t wash her clothes anymore, so she went directly to the kitchen to pick up pig intestines. After picking them up, she felt the weight and decided to accompany Jiang Rou back home.

After dropping Jiang Rou off, Aunt Wang rushed away, thinking that Jiang Rou was a good girl. Despite being pregnant, she was still trying to find ways to earn money. It was because of Li Xiao that she even knew this recipe.

Aunt Wang had heard that Li Xiao’s grandmother had once served as a maid in a landlord’s house. Perhaps that’s where she learned about this recipe. Could anything from a big landlord’s house be bad?

Jiang Rou arrived home almost at noon, but she wasn’t in a hurry. She made lunch for herself first, then took a satisfying nap. After waking up, she began to clean the pig’s intestines.

Since she has found a job that can earn money, she didn’t bother making clothes for the baby. She planned to hire someone to do it after getting the money. Her sewing was slow and ugly, but she could repurpose them into diapers and burp cloths.

She also had a cunning mind; after all, her brother and sister-in-law were successful professionals who often talked about business at the dinner table. After listening to them a lot, Jiang Rou was not foolish either. She deliberately praised her a lot and portrayed herself as a bit pitiful. By comparison, she elevated Aunt Wang, making business cooperation a matter of course. When working together, people wouldn’t dare take advantage of her.

Of course, using Li Xiao was not just about gaining sympathy; it was also a reminder to Aunt Wang that she had someone backing her. If they tried to deceive her, dealing with Li Xiao would be troublesome.

No matter what Aunt Wang was thinking at the time, Jiang Rou’s goal was achieved.

The next morning, when Aunt Wang came over to pick up the braised pig intestines, she gave Jiang Rou a basket of fresh pig intestines. However, before leaving, she gave a word of caution: “The first day of business might not be great. Don’t have too high expectations. We’ll take it slowly.”

She was afraid that if the sales weren’t good, Jiang Rou would be disappointed. After all, their family didn’t rely on this for a living, but Jiang Rou had probably pinned all her hopes on it.

Jiang Rou nodded and said obediently, “I understand. Auntie, don’t burden yourself too much. We’re not in a hurry.”

She even comforted Aunt Wang in return.

“Ohh.”

Now Aunt Wang felt much relieved; she found it really comfortable to get along with Jiang Rou.

Carrying a large pot of braised pig intestines, she excitedly rushed away.

In the morning, Jiang Rou didn’t do any work; she only washed her clothes and then sat under the big tree in the yard, sewing her child’s diaper.

Around ten o’clock, someone knocked on the courtyard gate, and Jiang Rou didn’t think much. He thought it was Aunt Wang and shouted out, “Who is it?”

There was a moment of silence outside, and then a girl’s voice came in: “Jiang Rou, it’s me.”