Splendid peasant girl busy farming

"Old Xu, I don't agree with you. Our roast duck shop has been renting a shop and purchasing those utensils. You have found a master to learn the skills, and we have ordered 30 ducks from the Zhou family. We can open the shop after the Qingming Festival. How can we back out at this critical moment? I don't agree! I absolutely don't agree!"

On the bed, Yang Huamei fed Sijin in her arms and expressed her opinions to Xu Yuanming in a stern tone.

"You have almost finished the work at the tea garden. If you put off the work at the roast duck shop, what will our family eat and drink?"

"Mei'er, I understand everything you said." Xu Yuanming walked slowly back and forth in front of the bed and continued to pat the back of his daughter Sanjin in his arms.

"I'm not going to back down, but I want to delay the opening time."

"As you know, all three children have been sick recently, and the clinic is already overdue for medical treatment. Especially our daughter, who is very weak. I don't think we can get by without two taels of silver!"

"It's almost the end of the month, and I have to pay Sister Hua and Sister Guihua their wages, and that doesn't even include the food and drink expenses for our entire family."

"Old Xu, Sister Hua and Sister Guihua are old acquaintances. Can we discuss with them and postpone the wages until next month? When we open the business and make money next month, won't we have income?"

In order to run this roast duck shop, Yang Huamei and Xu Yuanming invested almost all of their remaining money into it. Half of their living expenses in the past month were subsidized by Tan.

There's no way. The rent of the roast duck shop is a bit expensive, and it requires a deposit of one third of the rent.

In fact, the three children had been ill intermittently since the beginning of spring, and the money invested was all within the plan.

Especially this time, all three children had diarrhea at the same time, and they had to take medicine and do moxibustion every day, and apply various plasters, which cost a lot.

When these unplanned expenses are added in, the original budget, which is already one thing after another, begins to become strained. Once this kind of spending beyond one's means increases, in the end, the business becomes poor and weak, and it becomes increasingly difficult to achieve the original plan of opening a shop.

After thinking it over, Xu Yuanming decided not to borrow money from the Yang family, and the only way out he could think of was to get back the deposit for the roast duck from the Zhou family and use it to pay for the medical expenses of his three children.

"Don't worry, Mei'er. Listen to me and I'll tell you in detail. This is what I think..."

"Let's get the deposit back first, and then it will be easier to deal with the clinic. We don't have to carry three children to apply plasters and have to bite the bullet and talk and pay the bill. They are paying the bill for your mother's family, the Yang family, but it's not a glorious thing after all."

"So, we use the money to pay for the children's medical treatment, and we have every right to do so!"

Yang Huamei looked at the three children beside them and was silent for a moment. "But what about paying Sister Hua and Sister Guihua their wages at the end of the month? If it really doesn't work, can I say a few nice words to them and delay it?"

"No!" Xu Yuanming interrupted Yang Huamei. "Sister Hua and Sister Guihua's family situations are not much better than ours. The wages we originally offered were not high. How can we continue to delay their payment?"

"If we don't delay payment, how will we get the money to start work? We also need to eat!"

Xu Yuanming said: "Don't panic. During this period of time every year, many wealthy families like to make their own tea and will pay a master to come to their home to make it. I can take this job."

"Besides that, I can also take time out to go to the county dock to unload the goods for ten days or half a month. If everything goes well, I can not only earn their wages before the end of the month, but also save up the deposit for the ducks. By mid-April, our roast duck shop will be ready to open!"

Yang Huamei spent half a cup of tea to absorb Xu Yuanming's words, and said hesitantly: "It seems okay."

It seems to be the only best way to overcome the difficulties without alerting other people and maintaining the face of both husband and wife.

"It's just that I'm worried that such heavy work will wear you out." Yang Huamei raised her head and looked at Xu Yuanming. "Although we are not old, I am in my thirties and you are in your forties, but we are not that young either. If you are exhausted, it will be even more difficult for us..."

If Old Xu collapsed from exhaustion, not only would his money-making process be disrupted again, he would also suffer physical damage and would have to invest more money... It would be even more difficult to open a roast duck shop!

Xu Yuanming understood Yang Huamei's worries, and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Mei'er, don't think too much. I know what's going on. Nothing will happen!"

He glanced at the little girl who had fallen asleep in his arms and said, "For you and the children, it's okay for me to be a little tired. I'm full of energy!"

"Old Xu, I feel relieved when you say that. I didn't find the wrong person." Yang Huamei looked up at Xu Yuanming and was moved by his responsibility. Her eyes were red. "It's just that I also want to help you, but I'm a loser in town. I don't have a field to grow vegetables or raise chickens and ducks. I have to spend money to buy everything. I can't even sew well, and the sewing shops in town can't get any work to supplement the family income. I, I'm a loser and can't help you with anything..."

The more Yang Huamei spoke, the more annoyed she became. She regretted how she was lazy and ate too much when she was a girl in her parents' home. Her third and fifth sisters-in-law were so good at needlework, so why didn't she learn from them?

I heard that if you go to a needlework shop and help embroider a handkerchief, you can get two cents as wages.

If you make shoes or embroider them and your work pleases the shopkeeper, you can get ten cents for a pair of shoes.

But I am a loser who can't earn a penny and can only rely on Old Xu for support...

Xu Yuanming came to the bedside and gently touched Yang Huamei's head with one hand: "You stay at home, take good care of the three children and take good care of yourself, which is the biggest help for me!"

"Providing a family is what a man should do."

"If there is any shame, it should be me who should be ashamed."

"I married you, but I can't give you a better life. My mother-in-law has to pay for your food expenses for the past half month. I have wronged you..."

"Old Xu, don't say that. I don't feel wronged. On the contrary, I feel at ease!"

"Just be steady and don't be afraid. You will definitely get through this difficult time! Trust me!"

"Well, I believe you!"

"The little girl is asleep, put her on the bed?"

"Give it to me, I'll put it next to me..."

……

"Aunt, uncle, are you in the room?"

Outside the house, Yang Ruoqing's voice suddenly came.

Soon, the door opened, Xu Yuanming was the first to go out of the house, followed by Yang Huamei.

"Qing'er? Tang'er? How come you have time to come here?"

"We came back from the county town and stopped by to see you."

"Welcome, welcome. Come, have some tea in the main hall first..." (End of this chapter)