Chapter 27 - Apprentice (1/2)
Everything immediately turned to chaos. Someone went to call the doctor, while another ran out to buy medicine, and so, hundreds of coins flew out of Madam Zhang’s purse. Spending money was bad enough, but her husband also whisked her aside and scolded her profusely. Furthermore, up until the day her third son’s family left to go back to town, her youngest daughter-in-law regarded her with contempt.
Afterwards, Madam Zhang sank into a gloomy depression and almost ended up ill from her pent-up feelings. From then on, she just pretended that the chit, Xiaocao, was invisible. No matter what the little girl did, the old woman would ignore it as if she had never saw it. Luckily the brat, other than mealtimes, kept to her own devices and didn’t cause other problems that Madam Zhang found hard to abide. For the sake of saving money, she could endure anything!
“Mother, mother!” Madam Li’s obese figure hurriedly came back into the courtyard from outside. As she crossed the threshold, the fat woman almost tripped and fell over.
She looked around the entire courtyard furtively like a burglar before she pulled Madam Zhang into a nearby room. She mysteriously said, “Mother, haven’t we spent a lot of money on the household recently? I feel bad for you!! The entire Second Branch really eats too much. Their four children eat almost as much as three adults combined!”
Madam Zhang felt her temper rising again and complained in agreement, “Exactly! A whole bag of coarse grains disappears in a matter of days. Money flows out this household like water from a river. It’s driving me crazy, and my mouth is full of sores from worry. Second Son’s wife comes off as honest, but how come she’s not relieving the burden at home?”
Madam Zhang complained as she slapped her thigh rhythmically. Her entire face was creased with resentment.
Madam Li replied in an empathetic tone, “That’s just how it is! Second Son’s wife pretends to be busy on the surface. She even tells outside people that she is the only one who does housework at home. Is there anyone who doesn’t view her as a good wife? On the other hand, outsiders only call me lazy. However, mother-in-law, you have become an evil mother-in-law who treats her daughter-in-law poorly in the eyes of others!”
Madam Zhang gnashed her teeth together in anger and snarled, “That vile little wretch. She turned out to be such a malicious woman! I’d misjudged her!”
Seeing that her aim had been achieved, Madam Li came to the true purpose of her visit, “Mother, the only reason why she’s doing this is because she has a lot of children. In the future, she’ll have plenty of people to support her, right? However, I definitely have a method to reduce her confidence.”
“The fact that she has many children only means that she’s able to have them. Unlike you who could only lay one egg without any other progress!!” Madam Zhang had always felt bitter that her eldest daughter-in-law only gave birth to Heizi alone. However, now was not the time to pursue this topic. The old woman continued to ask, “What sort of method? I’d like to hear it.”
“My older brother from back home told me that the carpentry shop in town was looking for an apprentice. Second branch’s Xiaosha isn’t young anymore and, as an apprentice, he’ll eat and live away from us. That will save us from feeding another person’s portion of grain, and, in the future, he’ll be able to make a living as a craftsman.” Madam Li’s spit flew out of her mouth as she spoke.
Madam Zhang frowned, “Carpentry shop? Is that the one owned by Zhang Ji? I heard that Shopkeeper Zhang Ji is really cruel and that apprentices in that store keep changing. Some of them had even become permanently injured and disabled, if…”
Madam Li’s waved a plump hand dismissively. “Those are just rumors. My older brother knows Shopkeeper Zhang personally and said he’s usually very friendly. Otherwise, how could he have such a thriving business? He just has high expectations for his apprentices, that’s all. Who doesn’t want to find an apprentice that is more competent and hardworking, right?”
After thinking a bit, Madam Zhang had to conclude that the second branch’s Xiaosha was not a lazy boy. Sending him out to become an apprentice wasn’t a bad idea. After all, in several years, the boy would be able to do woodworking and could make a lot of money.
That night, during mealtime, Madam Zhang disseminated the news to all of the people. “Xiaosha is diligent and sensible. He also learns things quickly. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years he’ll be able to finish his apprenticeship and then make his own money. With a skilled trade he’ll have a much more stable future than relying on the winds and waters to make a living. The carpentry shop is only looking for one apprentice, otherwise, I would also have Heizi go too. In the future, the two cousins could take on work or open a store, wouldn’t that be a good life?”
The rest of the household didn’t have any opinions, but Yu Hai was a bit hesitant. “Mother, I’ve heard that carpentry apprentices spend a long time doing rough and heavy work. Xiaosha is still small, I’m afraid that he doesn’t have the strength to lift and work the heavy wood.”
The old woman’s expression darkened and put her bowl down on the table loudly. “He’s already eleven, you still think he’s small? In two years he’ll be able to marry a wife!! Second Son, you cannot spoil your kids! Mother is trying to treat you guys well. Carpenter Wang back in my hometown worked every year to build other people’s furniture. He always had plenty to eat and clothes to wear. He has a better life by far compared to us!”
Yu Xiaocao looked anxiously at her older brother who was being left out like a tasty piece of meat. Inwardly she cursed, ‘It’s not just Carpenter Wang who has a better life. Most villagers eat better and wear better clothes than us. We don’t live like this because we don’t have money, it’s because you’re too stingy, Grandmother. You only care about Younger Uncle. Trying to send out such a young child out to become an apprentice, you’re truly too heartless!’
She used some force to poke at her bowl of bean soup and muttered, “If this is such a good opportunity, why don’t we send Brother Heizi first? He’s older than Older Brother by three years and is about the size of an adult. He’s still bumming at the village provoking random cats and dogs all day, shouldn’t he go out and learn something?”