The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 94

The Xiao family's house is under construction in full swing.

With Uncle Luo's help, Chun Ning is busy with the important matters of the new house every day.

"Chuning, the roof beam is about to be raised, what are you planning to do?"

Raising the roof beam of a new house is also a very important event.

Chun Ning had heard Uncle Luo mention that regardless of whether a family is rich or poor, certain etiquette should be observed.

Of course, it's up to each person, whether they prefer a more luxurious or less luxurious meal, and it depends on the host's arrangements.

“I’ve discussed it with my family, and we’ll do it like any other ordinary family.”

Chun Ning only vaguely understood the need to treat the house repair workers to a meal and to sprinkle pastries and sweets on them.

"Uncle Luo, how many tables of food do we need to prepare for the house roof-raising ceremony?"

“Normally, we would invite the craftsmen who helped us to a meal, partly to make it more lively and partly as a way of expressing our gratitude. But some of the boatmen are busy pulling the boats and probably can’t come. There are still more than ten people helping to repair the house. You should prepare three tables, including your family.”

“My grandmother is unwell, and my aunt and the others aren’t coming.”

The women of the Xiao family have always adhered to the principle of staying within the family compound, so they wouldn't come to join in the fun.

Only a few of my siblings came.

My eldest sister-in-law will probably come too.

"By the way, Uncle Luo, can I ask Aunt Luo to help prepare the meal?" Chun Ning said, "I'll go buy whatever ingredients are needed."

"Okay, let Aunt Luo cook. Her cooking isn't the best, but at least it's cooked." Uncle Luo laughed. "She can cook enough for two or three tables. As for grocery shopping, have Xiao Gang go with you."

"I'll buy anything else I need as well."

Chun Ning said she really didn't understand.

"You need to buy a big rooster, some red rice cakes, and some sugar." Uncle Luo said that when the roof beam is being raised, some small coins are also placed inside, to be scattered down for people to pick up: "These are all customs. If you believe in them, you can do them; if you don't, then forget it."

"I believe it, of course I believe it." Chun Ning had heard her elder sister say that every region has its own customs, and there is no such thing as a custom that is done in vain; they should be respected and followed.

Aunt Luo wasn't surprised to hear that Chun Ning was going to entrust her with the task of cooking for the housewarming party.

"Your sister is coming, right? Why don't we let her cook? Xiaogang and Sanya both said Chunnuan's cooking is delicious."

“Aunt Luo, my sister said that she can cook for a few people, but she can’t handle cooking for a large number of people at all. You should cook, and she will bring Chunyan and Chunshu to help her.”

My sister's original words were: "The people in Sichuan eat differently from us, and they may not like what I make."

When asked about pastries, the older sister said she could make them.

Chunnuan makes pastries at home, which is her forte.

Moreover, the pastries she makes taste different; you can't buy them anywhere else in this town.

Wu was helping Chunnuan in the kitchen when she was amazed by the array of ingredients lined up in a row.

"Girl, actually all you need to do is make some rice cakes."

"Adding some red dates and walnuts to the rice cake would also be fine," Chunnuan said. "Everyone has worked hard; we'll eat these pastries when they're served."

As for what was thrown down from the roof beam, let's just steam rice cakes.

The Wu family knows how to do this.

"Steam the pastries, take some back to see your daughter." After resting for a few days without returning to the Cao family, Chunnuan could see the emotions she was trying so hard to suppress: "Tomorrow you will come back to the village with me to help with the cooking. There are many customs in Sichuan that we don't understand, you are more familiar with them."

It must be said that Madam Wu was indeed a very good person. Although she was a wet nurse, she did everything perfectly, from washing clothes and cooking to cleaning and tidying up. She was capable of doing the work of two or three people, and earning a monthly salary of one tael of silver was a great profit. Madam Wu felt that everyone in the household treated her well and did not treat her as a servant at all. Every few days, they would let her go home to see her daughter. She felt that she could never repay this kindness.

"Thank you girl."

My employer is really kind to me; she understands how much I miss my daughter. She even let me take some pastries back to see her daughter. She's so considerate.

"You're welcome. This is a joyous occasion, so let your daughter share in the happiness."

Chunnuan is that kind of person. I see and remember all the kindness you've shown me, and I will do my best to be good to you in return.

Ms. Wu couldn't bear to leave her daughter at home, so Chunnuan created more opportunities for her to go home and see her.

However, Chunnuan never expected that this trip back would greatly change Wu's mind.

Ms. Wu returned in the evening, holding a child's hand.

The child's face was covered in bruises, some of which were bleeding.

"What happened? How did the child get like this?"

As mothers themselves, Zhu Lingling knew immediately that the little girl in Wu's hand was her daughter. However, she was heartbroken and surprised by the scars on Wu's face: girls care most about their appearance, and such obvious scars would leave her with a face full of marks, which might make her feel inferior and cause her to be looked down upon when dating.

"Young mistress, I've brought my eldest daughter with me." Madam Wu's eyes were red and swollen, and her voice choked with sobs. "If my eldest daughter stays in their house any longer, she will be abused to death!"

"This..." Zhu Lingling didn't dare to ask who hit her: "This injury... I'll go find my second sister to treat it for her. She has some ointment. Please don't let it leave a scar."

Knowing that Wu had brought her daughter back, and that her daughter's face was covered in injuries, Chunnuan sighed.

See? There's nothing that can't be done, only things you don't want to do. Or rather, God will give you a chance to make a decision.

Spring warmth prompted Ms. Wu to bring her child to the pharmacy.

The child's face was covered with both new and old wounds, all of which were horrifying.

"Was it hit with brambles?"

Da Ya nodded.

"Who hit me?"

"Grandma, Aunt, and my brother, and Dad even said they had to beat me hard so I would remember it."

Why did I hit you?

“They wouldn’t give Daya any food, and she was hungry, so she went and got some meat from the kitchen.” Daya swallowed hard. “They said the meat was for ancestral offerings and that I was greedy. If I had known it was for ancestral offerings, I wouldn’t have eaten it. But I was really hungry.”

"How much did you eat?"

"So much!" Daya gestured. "It smells so good, I ate it all."

Chunnuan estimated that the little one had about a pound of meat on him. Seeing this tiny child do something so incredible, it was truly...

"I'll apply the medicine for you first. You need to apply it every day. Your face will itch in a couple of days. Remember, you absolutely must not scratch it with your hands. If you do, it will really leave a scar." Chunnuan said to Wu Shi while applying the medicine, "The child hasn't eaten meat in a long time. She won't be able to handle eating so much all of a sudden. I'll prescribe some medicine for you to decoct and give to her later."

"Thank you, miss. Don't worry, I will keep a close eye on Daya and won't let her steal any more food."

“The child was just hungry, there’s no question of him stealing food,” Chunnuan said. “In our family, we wouldn’t let a child go hungry like that.”

Da Ya looked up at Chun Nuan upon hearing this.

"Sister, you look so beautiful, like a Bodhisattva!"

(End of this chapter)