CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23: MANAGER LIN OF THE EMBROIDERY WORKSHOP

"Ah, Chun Nuan, you don’t know, our poor family is not the kind that can afford medicine easily." Aunt Luo was doubtful of Chun Nuan’s medical skills, and indeed thought medicine was expensive: "The two pharmacies in town, Hundred Herbs Hall and Qianjin Hall, have expensive medicines. Without two taels of silver, don’t even think about getting a consultation and medicine. Our lives are cheap; for minor illnesses, we bear them ourselves, for major ones, we meet King Yan."

"Yes, medicine is indeed expensive." Chun Nuan nodded in agreement: "For an illness like Aunt’s, you don’t necessarily need medicine, just pay attention to rest, especially during those days of the month, be careful not to overwork, avoid cold drinks, and cold water."

"There’s another way; postpartum illness is treated postpartum. Taking good care when having another child can help recover somewhat."

"No more, no more." Aunt Luo laughed: "I’m already forty-six this year, had nine children, three of them died young, the rest are big-hearted and survived. I went through menopause at the end of last year, I’m old, no more children."

After speaking, she laughed again.

"Look at me, a young girl, why am I telling you all this?" Aunt Luo spoke directly: "Alright, Chun Nuan, once these melon vines are planted, go scoop some clean manure water to water them, and every three to five days, give a little water, don’t let them dry out, but don’t overwater either."

"Thank you, Aunt Luo."

Watching Aunt Luo walk away, Chun Nuan sighed.

Aunt Luo ultimately didn’t believe her.

Of course, she was right in saying medicine is expensive.

Grandfather was right, the women never considered themselves valued; all these discomforts are not treated as illnesses. As long as they don’t die, they just endure!

Following Aunt Luo’s instructions, Chun Ning borrowed the dung bucket to scoop manure.

At this age, Chun Ning was confronting the things in the cesspit for the first time, feeling disgusted, smelly and gross.

But he knew, there was no retreat for him.

This was the life of farming, and he had to face it.

If he doesn’t scoop, who will?

He couldn’t let his sister do it.

Chun Ning forced himself to scoop half a bucket of manure, inserted the pole into the strings, only to find the pole couldn’t rest on his shoulder.

"Haha, Chun Ning, you’re not even taller than the manure bucket." Aunt Luo laughed: "With the bucket frame and the strings, you can’t reach, put the pole under the frame, you can carry it this way."

With Aunt Luo’s guidance, Luo Ning finally managed to carry the bucket.

Wobbling, he carried it to the ridges of the sandy fields and watered the vegetables.

Coming back after finishing work, Chun Ning was sweating all over, yet full of excitement.

"Sis, I learned a lot today."

"Yes, you did great."

But just Chun Ning’s attitude is worthy of praise, although she doesn’t agree with glorifying hardship, what good is complaining when faced with hardships in life? Better to work diligently and keep at it, the river shifts every thirty years, just keep working hard until you can’t, she believed, the Xiao family would overcome this challenge!

"I think I’m quite impressive too." Chun Ning nodded: "I learned to climb trees in three days, now I can climb up to pick flowers like Xiao Gang; I learned how to sell flower cakes; learned to bargain with shopkeepers and assistants; learned to dig soil and plant vegetables..."

Chun Nuan smiled with tears in her heart: Brother has truly, truly grown!

"Tomorrow, when you go to the dock, ask who owns the embroidery workshop, see if you can find some embroidery work for mother and the others to do."

"Sis, we can support the family, we shouldn’t let them strain themselves, doing needlework hurts their eyes."

"Chun Ning." Chun Nuan knew his filial love: "The family is everyone’s home, and there are many expenses; Chun Yan and Chun Shu are working hard, if we don’t let Aunt and Mother do some work, they will feel like idlers, once idle, people tend to overthink. We don’t care how much the embroidery is worth, we want them to find they can contribute to the family, and keep busy to avoid thinking too much about other matters."

"Sis, I understand."

Chun Ning knew, the elders in the family didn’t speak it out, but their hearts were attached to the relatives exiled in the Northern Desert.

He heard Chunxin mention seeing the eldest sister-in-law crying secretly.

Chun Ning taught him, asking him to take care of the eldest sister-in-law, giving the responsibility of looking after her to the two-year-old Chunxin, to make her laugh more.

Sure enough, because of having to take care of Chunxin, the eldest sister-in-law didn’t have much time to think about her brother.

After selling flower cakes at the dock, Chun Ning went to the embroidery workshop to see the embroideries.

"Young man, are you buying it to gift to some girl?"

Manager Lin, a charming mature woman, leaned against the doorpost jokingly teasing Chun Ning.

"No, no." Chun Ning’s face reddened to the tips of his ears: "Manager, my mother can embroider; I want to see if you need an embroiderer here."

"No need." Manager Lin, hoping she had finally attracted a buyer to make some money, ended up with someone wanting to earn money from her instead.

"It’s okay if you don’t need one now." Chun Ning took out a handkerchief embroidered by his mother to show Manager Lin: "The bamboo on this handkerchief is embroidered by my mother. If you need an embroiderer, my mother can help."

"This..." amateurs watch for fun while professionals mind the details, Manager Lin glanced at Chun Ning’s handkerchief and froze: "Let me see."

"Manager, please look."

"Judging by the needlework method and embroidery skill, is this Shu Embroidery?" Manager Lin looked Chun Ning up and down: "Where do you live, is your mother an embroiderer?"

"We live in Shuikou Village, An Nan Town. My mother isn’t an embroiderer." Chun Ning spoke openly: "She just likes embroidering and wants to find something to do, earn some money to help with household expenses."

Manager Lin eyed Chun Ning skeptically: Woman, I don’t believe half a word you’re saying!

In Shuikou Village, her maiden home, she recognized the women, none had such embroidery skills, not to mention, she had never seen this young fellow before.

"You’re from Shuikou Village? What’s your surname? What are your parents’ names?"

Kid, revealing your lies takes only a moment!

"My surname is Xiao, my father is Xiao Changqing, my mother is surname Huang."

"Surname Xiao, Xiao Changqing?" Manager Lin laughed sarcastically: "I was wondering why you’re so young yet choose the wrong path; what good does it do you lying to me? Where would people with the surname Xiao come from in Shuikou Village? Oh, there is a Xiao family in An Nan Town, between town and dock, the Xiao Family, they have people with the ’Chang’ generation name. Don’t tell me you’re from the Xiao Family!"

"I’m not from the Xiao Family."

They had been removed from the clan, the Xiao Family looked down on them, and they didn’t try to cling to them.

"But we are indeed surnamed Xiao, we’re not locals, just moved here, renting land from Old Master Zhang, and the house from Aunt Zuo."

"You’re from the Capital’s Doctor Xiao’s family?"