Chapter 130 (1/2)
Chapter 130
Chapter 130 - Visitors
“Eldest Maternal Uncle, Second Maternal Uncle, Eldest Maternal Aunt! Third Uncle? Why are you guys here?” Yu Xiaocao unlocked the latch, opened the door, and saw several people standing in front of the door . She couldn’t help but cry out in surprise .
Xiaocao’s third uncle, Yu Jiang, looked inside the courtyard and smiled, “I heard from Second Brother that you’re alone at home picking vegetables today . There must be a lot of work, right? Your eldest granduncle told me to come over to help you . ”
“I can manage . Auntie Zhou and two older sisters came over to help . There’s also Auntie Qian!” Xiaocao quickly guided them into the yard .
Eldest Maternal Uncle Liu Pei’s hair was dripping wet from either the morning dew, or the sweat from hastily running over . With a smile on his simple and honest face, he loudly asked, “Xiaocao, did your father go to the fields? Let’s quickly go over to help them then!”
Seeing that they didn’t need his help at home, Yu Jiang turned to Xiaocao’s two maternal uncles and said, “Do the two older brothers know the way to the fields? I came over to help too . Since there’s not much to help out with at home, I’ll go help turn up the soil! Come, I’ll take you guys over!”
Xiaocao finally understood the reason for her uncles’ visit . She was moved by their intention and said, “Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, you guys have much more land to work on at home . Everyone is busy with spring plowing right now . If you guys came over here, would Grandfather and the rest of the family be able to handle all the work?”
Eldest Maternal Aunt caressed Xiaocao’s fair, delicate face and wiped off the dirt on her chin . She smiled and said, “Your maternal grandfather is worried about your family’s spring plowing work . He said that your father’s leg isn’t very nimble and Xiaosha is injured . So, since your family has less land, we should help plow and sow your family’s fields first!”
Yu Jiang also smiled and said, “Our family also thought that way . Many hands make light work! With us here to help, it would take less than half a day to plow your family’s three plots of land . ”
“Oh! Why is it so lively today?” Qian Xiaoduo drove the carriage and trotted over . From afar, he had seen a number of people standing in front of the Yu Family’s old residence . He was afraid that something had happened, so he accelerated the speed of the horse carriage and rushed over quickly .
“Older Brother Xiaoduo, you came pretty early today . We haven’t even finished gathering the vegetables . You can sit in the yard, take a sip of water, and rest for a bit . ” Yu Xiaocao had noticed that he usually came with the Yao Family’s Xiaosi, so she looked behind him . Sure enough, the Yao Family’s horse carriage was coming over . ”
Qian Xiaoduo laughed bitterly and said, “Miss Yu, our young boss treats you as his younger sister . So how can this lowly one let you call me ‘older brother’? Please just call me Xiaoduo!”
“You are you and he is he! Our relations.h.i.+ps don’t interfere with one another!” Yu Xiaocao smiled sincerely .
Liu Pei looked at the sky, and then told his wife, “You don’t have to go to the fields . Stay here to help gather the vegetables and with the cooking . Xiaocao, we’ll go to the fields first . ”
“Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, you guys have rushed over from so far away . Have a drink of water and rest for a bit!” Her maternal grandmother’s family lived in Xishan Village . When coming over, they needed to travel across a big mountain . Seeing that her uncles’ trouser legs were wet from the morning dew, she knew that they had set out before dawn .
“No need! We’ll go plow the fields first!” Second Maternal Uncle Liu Han had a more quiet temperament and didn’t talk much .
Seeing that she couldn’t get them to stay, Xiaocao got water bags from the kitchen and filled them with diluted mystic-stone water . Then, she had her uncles take the water bags with them . Not only would drinking the mystic-stone water quench their thirst, but it could also eliminate fatigue .
Under Yu Jiang’s lead, her maternal uncles set out to the fields . Xiaosi’s carriage has also arrived at the entrance and began unloading the bamboo baskets . The bamboo baskets used to pack the vegetables were all made by Yu Hai . They needed a large quant.i.ty of baskets every day, so when he was free at night, he would chop some bamboo and weave baskets .
“Miss Xiaocao! Starting today, we need double the amount of vegetables . Our old master’s friend had a meal at our estate and said that our vegetables tasted better than the ones that they bought! The two families live close by, so they wanted me to help them buy some vegetables . ”
The vegetables that the Yao Estate bought were mostly for the master and stewards to eat . They didn’t need a lot every day, so half a carriage was enough . Thus, he was still able to transport the vegetables even after doubling the amount needed .
Qian Xiaoduo drank all the water that Xiaocao gave him in one breath . After finis.h.i.+ng, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and smiled, “Mountain spring water is surely different . There a sweet taste to it . My whole body is full of strength after drinking it . Xiaosi, drink quickly and start working!”
Every time Qian Xiaoduo came, he would drink a bowl of the Yu Family’s water . Although it was just plain water, it was more refres.h.i.+ng than the best tea .
Xiaosi also swiftly finished drinking his bowl of water . He waved his arm and laughed, “Go! Let’s go gather vegetables!” These two would help with some work every time they came, as if it was their own home .
With the addition of three labor forces, the vegetable picking speed was naturally much faster . A few moments later, the empty baskets were filled with fresh and juicy greens .
Xiaocao washed a few cuc.u.mbers and gave one to each person, “They’re homegrown, so don’t act so courteous . Try and see how it tastes!”
Madam Fang refused and shook her head repeatedly, “Your family’s vegetables aren’t sold at a cheap price . These cuc.u.mbers probably weigh a few catties, which can be sold for several hundred copper coins . Don’t waste them . Quickly put them in the basket!”
The little glutton Zhou Shanhu had already opened her mouth wide, and just hadn’t put the cuc.u.mber into her own mouth yet . She pouted her lips when she heard her mother’s words, but she conscientiously put the cuc.u.mber into the bamboo basket .