Chapter 407 - Her Familys Concern for Her (2/2)
“Silly lass! Living well is the best way of showing your filial respect to me and your mother! Quickly wipe away those tears, your children are watching.” Liu Cunjin patted his daughter’s hand and continued, “I see that your family’s old residence is expanding again. I know you don’t lack money at this point, so I won’t say anything. Your older brothers and I don’t have much to do at home, so we’ll stay around and help you for a few days.”
Madam Liu used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears as she shook her head, “Father, this time, the royal prince found an experienced bricklayer in town to build our residence. Even my husband can’t do much to help. You’re getting old, so in the future, leave the hard work to my older brothers…”
“Don’t think that because I’m in my fifties that I can’t do much. This body of mine is still sturdy and your second older brother can’t even compare with me in the fields. In the future, if you guys need help, please ask us! I’m your father and they’re your blood-related brothers, so don’t take us to be outsiders!” Liu Cunjin knew that his daughter’s family had a good life now. However, as a father, he couldn’t help but worry and always wanted to help. The feelings of parents were always so!
Liu Pei also nodded his head repeatedly, “Father is right! We are your blood-related siblings. If there’s anything going on, just say a word!”
This year, the Yu Family planted all of their fields in Dongshan Village with watermelons. The two brothers, Liu Pei and Liu Han, had rented a shop in the prefectural city. One of them went back and forth between Dongshan Village and the prefectural city to transport the melons, while the other manned the shop and sold the melons. In a month, they made three to four hundred taels!
He had originally planned on collaborating with his second younger brother to buy that shop. That way, when his younger brother-in-law expanded his early-growing green vegetable business, they could buy them wholesale from him and sell them at this stall. However, he didn't expect that his second sister-in-law was short-sighted and refused to take out five hundred taels to buy the store. She was afraid that they’d lose all of their hard earned money in this investment.
At the time, he only had around seven to eight hundred taels on hand. The owner of the store had originally set a price of a thousand and two hundred taels for the shop. He had painstakingly managed to haggle down to a thousand, but he didn’t have enough money on hand. After talking to Yu Hai, his younger brother-in-law didn’t say anything and gave him five hundred taels to buy the shop now. As for the money that was left, once he made enough money, then he could return it!
With the shop on hand, his wife had bought some braised food from Xiaocao’s braised food shop. Every day they could make around a couple hundred coppers to one tael. At this rate, even if they weren’t able to sell the early-ripening vegetables, they’d be able to make all of the money they spent to buy the shop in four years.
When his second sister-in-law found out, she immediately regretted her decision and argued with them to also take a share. Where was she when they needed them? At the time, she refused to take out the money as she was afraid of losing it. Now that she saw them making money, she insisted on cooperating with them. Who was willing to spoil such a person? His father had lost his temper right then and there and his mother had scolded his second sister-in-law later privately. Only then did the woman calm down.
However, towards his younger brother-in-law, who helped them during their times of need, Liu Pei felt immense gratitude. Although they refused his thanks, he couldn’t forget their kindness. In the future, when he had the chance, he would definitely repay them.
Liu Han had a clumsy mouth and didn’t like talking. At this time, he also spoke up, “Younger Sister, if there’s anything you need help with, just tell me. I don’t have much else but I am strong and willing to do hard work.”
Liu Han never said anything about the help his younger sister’s family had given him but his heart knew what he owed. His wife was working in the Zhou Family’s factories because Xiaocao had introduced her to the managers. She made around one tael per month as salary and could also bring some vermicelli and century eggs home from time to time as bonuses. All of the other matrons in the village envied her endlessly. He was only a peasant farmer who knew how to tend his fields. After collaborating with his eldest brother to sell watermelons, they had made a few hundred taels each in the past two to three years. This was something that they would have never dreamed of in the past!
Although his wife had been the one to stop him from collaborating with his eldest brother to buy a shop, he had his own ideas now. He was planning on using their money to buy land. He would plant and take care of any land he could. The rest he could rent out to other people. That way, they’d have an additional source of income each year. If it wasn’t for his youngest sister and brother-in-law’s family, his whole family would only have those few plots of land to take care of and would have to live very frugally! Even his petty and small-minded wife was also very grateful to his younger sister’s whole family.
When Madam Liu saw that her father and older brothers all sincerely wanted to help her, she felt warmth bubble up in her heart. Her maternal family’s living situation had gradually improved over time. Even her youngest older brother had made quite a bit of money working at the docks. Since her family was rebuilding their residence right now, her youngest older brother didn’t say anything and packed all of his gear to come over to help. Right now, no one in their family needed to oversee the work on the house as her youngest older brother had taken charge of everything. With her youngest older brother taking over, as an experienced bricklayer, no one would dare to goof off or try to use shoddy materials to fool them. It relieved a lot of work for their usually busy family.
When the Liu Family’s father and sons saw that there wasn’t much they could help with, they finished lunch and decided to head out. Madam Liu wanted her father to spend a few days with her but he refused, “Right now you guys have a lot going on, so I won’t add to the trouble. Once your house is done, your mother, I, and your brothers and sisters-in-law will all come over to celebrate! At that time, if there’s nothing going on, your mother and I will spend a few days with you.”
After Madam Liu heard her father’s thoughts, she didn’t try to convince him again. She escorted her father and older brothers down the mountain and reluctantly watched as they left.
[1] Wenqu star - 4th star of Ursa major. In Chinese mythology, this star is in charge of scholarly achievements