CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 57: DELIVERING MEDICINAL WINE

The spring plowing, summer cultivation, autumn harvest, and winter storage; the Xiao family planted, harvested, and dried for the first time, and for the first time turned their golden rice into milled grain, making them feel capable themselves.

"Grandmother, look at us, we’re amazing."

"Yes, amazing. The first time you make mistakes, the second time you’re familiar, and by the third or fourth times you’ll know what you’re doing. Next year, you’ll be even more skilled at farming." Old Mrs. Xiao was very pleased: "These days, thanks to Nuannuan, all you young ones must learn from your sister."

"Grandmother, we understand."

"Good, good, you are all well-behaved. Grandmother can see it, Chun Ning has grown quite a bit."

It isn’t about growing taller, but growing robust and dark, the scholarly young man from the Capital has become just like the village kids.

Thick-skinned and coarse-looking, this is the true appearance that can withstand hardship.

The three daughters-in-law can do laundry and cook now, and Chunyan and Chun Shu have learned it all, even gathering vegetables from the field has become familiar to them.

The villagers all say don’t underestimate the young because they are poor, the Xiao family surely won’t remain poor forever.

On this day, Housekeeper Ma came to collect rent, looking at the leftover grains of the Xiao family and sighed: You can only say, the Xiao girl’s family isn’t quite adept at farming yet.

But he couldn’t avoid collecting rent, since the girl calculates everything very accurately.

Luckily, there’s cooperation with the master, the tea business at Origin Tea House is doing well, and each month they receive some profits to subsidize the household expenses.

The master said, if Miss Xiao’s family needs any help, don’t hesitate to assist them as much as possible.

The young mistress of the Xiao family gave birth to a son, and Housekeeper Ma also brought a congratulatory gift on behalf of his master.

On Xiao Muyang’s full moon day, Chun Nuan and Mrs. Wu joined forces to cook two tables’ worth of feasts, inviting Old Master Zhang and his wife, Mrs. Zhao and her husband, and bringing ten eggs to Aunt Luo’s family for the elder sister-in-law’s postpartum sitting.

"Aunt Luo, why didn’t Uncle Luo come?"

"Oh dear, his chronic illness flared up again, his knees hurt, and it hurts so much he can’t walk."

Aunt Luo looked at this small courtyard: "I heard from Chun Ning that your family plans to move here to live, did you buy this courtyard?"

"It’s not bought, it’s rented from Old Master Zhang’s." Chun Nuan laughed, "But if we could buy it, that would be nice."

"You will buy it, you surely will."

Aunt Luo viewed the spacious courtyard with great emotion: thinking about Old Luo family, whose roots here span three generations, and knowing they’d only expanded their thatched huts, never considered renting a courtyard in town.

But the Xiao family can do it!

Then, she looked at today’s guests, Old Master Zhang, Mr. Zhao; to her, this chance to drink tea and dine with these folks is something her rural self never imagined having in this lifetime. The Xiao family has only been here four months and is already this familiar.

What they say about a starved camel being bigger than a horse, this is exactly it!

"Haha, my luck is really good, I arrived just when the feast started."

Just before the meal began, Zhao Minghua arrived with Qingsheng: "Miss Xiao, look, what did I bring you?"

What did he bring?

Zhao Chengxun and Mrs. Zhou couldn’t bear it: this silly young one of theirs, how could he be so blatant?

Why not send the gift privately?

"A family letter, from the Capital?"

Chun Nuan saw it right away and was delighted: "Thank you!"

Zhao Minghua mentioned they had a caravan going to the Capital and could help send a letter, so they wrote a letter to Qiu Yan, unexpectedly receiving a reply, much faster than postal relay!

"Is it the letter from the eldest daughter?"

Old Mrs. Xiao, hearing of the family letter, quickly asked.

"Grandmother, it was written by Qiu Yan."

"Oh."

Old Mrs. Xiao didn’t ask further.

The Xiao family was surprised: They’ve been in Shu City for four months, yet haven’t received a single word from Chunyu.

Chun Nuan said she wrote a letter to her eldest sister, but perhaps her eldest sister was in postpartum confinement hence didn’t reply.

Calculating the time, Chunyu should be done with confinement, but this child...

Old Mrs. Xiao and Mrs. Xu felt a little uneasy, wondering how things were for her at the Wu family?

But today was about celebration, with guests for Yangyang’s full month celebration, and other concerns were set aside.

Chun Nuan also, tucked the letter into her pocket, warmly hosting the guests.

With no adult males at home, Chun Ning, Chun An, and Chun Qiang took on the responsibility of entertaining Old Master Zhang, Housekeeper Ma, Mr. Zhao, and Zhao Minghua.

Among the women, there were Old Mrs. Xiao and the eldest aunt handling things.

The entire banquet atmosphere was very good, especially on the gentlemen’s side, Chun Ning talking with Old Master Zhang and Mr. Zhao about something that captured the attention of two older men.

Mr. Zhao frequently glanced at his own young one.

Zhao Minghua always felt something seemed off, but politely suppressed his curiosity, planning to ask his dad upon returning about his standing with the Xiao family.

The ladies were bidding farewell, and Aunt Luo was preparing to leave as well.

Yes, today’s banquet was quite educational for her; listening to Old Mrs. Xiao, Mrs. Zhang, and Mrs. Zhao chatting made Aunt Luo realize the gap wasn’t just about silver coins, it was more about insight, conversation, things she’d never learn in her lifetime.

Yet seeing Third Auntie getting along well with Chunyan and Chun Shu gave her an idea: she must let Third Aunt learn to read and write, so she won’t end up a clueless woman like herself.

"Chun Nuan, I’ll head back with Third Aunt, if you need anything let us know..."

"Aunt Luo, wait a minute, I have something for you."

"What is it?"

Aunt Luo looked puzzled seeing Chun Nuan grabbing a small ceramic bottle.

"What is this?"

"This is medicinal wine," Chun Nuan replied, "Didn’t you say Uncle Luo’s chronic illness flared up again, with leg and back pains? Have him use this wine to rub down at night, for several consecutive days to see if there’s any improvement."

"How much does this cost, Chun Nuan?"

Aunt Luo hurriedly reached for her handkerchief, containing a few dozen coins as emergency money.

"Aunt Luo, this medicinal wine is made by me, it’s not worth anything, and naturally I wouldn’t charge you." Chun Nuan handed it to her, "Take it, have Uncle Luo try it, but Uncle Luo’s been a boat tracker for long, a change of profession would lessen the strain, otherwise it will worsen over time."

"Ain’t that the truth." Aunt Luo sighed: "I thought, perhaps it’s better to stop entirely and just rent a few acres, grow crops at home, as long as we don’t starve. But he disagrees, saying that the kids are still small, needing money for weddings and dowries..."

"Health is the most important," Chun Nuan noted, "Perhaps try finding another job and see if there’s something suitable, when health deteriorates it’s trouble."

"Yes, yes, that’s exactly what I think, Chun Nuan, thank you."

"You’re welcome, this medicinal wine must be used consistently, apply daily to see results."

"Alright, alright, Chun Nuan, you are such a good child."

Good enough for her to want to marry her off into their family, but her own son is too young... no, he simply isn’t worthy. With such a good girl, who knows what kind of son would be worthy of her?