Transmigration: A Farm Girl's Brocade-Chapter 55 - Reconnaissance_1
Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Reconnaissance_1
Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Reconnaissance_1
Qian Yixiu clung to Qian Xiang’s garment and said, “Auntie Grandmother, Embroidery is here too. Embroidery misses Auntie Grandmother.”
Qian Xiang happily picked up Qian Yixiu and kissed her, saying, “Auntie Grandmother heard that our little Embroidery can already earn silver now. You’re really capable.”
Qian Yixiu giggled, clinging to Qian Xiang’s neck.
Qian Xiang had inherited the Qian family’s good genes, tall and full-figured, with a round face and beautiful features, especially her bright and expressive large eyes. Because she took good care of herself and dressed well, even though she was nearly forty, she looked like a beautiful woman in her early thirties. It was no wonder Uncle Li adored her deeply.
In theory, a country girl like Qian Xiang couldn’t have hoped to marry into the Li family. Although the Li’s were butchers, they had a substantial family income. Uncle Li, an only son, belonged to a middle-class family in Xishan County Town.
It was said that when Qian Xiang was young, she went to the county town to see the lantern festival and got separated from her family. She was stopped and harassed by two ruffians, just when the strong and tall Uncle Li happened by. Uncle Li heroically rescued the beauty and was smart enough to inquire about her family’s address.
Uncle Li’s parents disapproved, feeling that their son shouldn’t marry a village girl. But Uncle Li was a man of deep sentiment and would accept no one other than Miss Qian. Out of options, Uncle Li’s grandmother stealthily visited the countryside and discovered not only was Qian Xiang good-looking, but she also had wide hips, a sign of fertility. The Li family didn’t have many children, so childbirth was naturally a major concern.
Uncle Li’s grandmother grew fond of her as well and soon sent a matchmaker to propose.
Qian Xiang didn’t disappoint, giving birth to two sons in the first three years of marriage and another little son a few years later, making her in-laws overjoyed. Now that Uncle Li’s grandmother had passed, Qian Xiang ran the household and their lives were very comfortable. Even though she often helped her natal family, Uncle Li didn’t mind at all.
When Qian Manduo saw Qian Yixiu had come, she ran over and tugged at her, “Sister Embroidery, come down. Let’s play together.”
Qian Xiang put Qian Yixiu down, helping Old woman Qian, Qian Sangui, and the others into the main house. Qian Yixiu wanted to follow them inside but was entangled by little friend Duoduo and couldn’t get away.
Though Qian Manduo was two years younger than Qian Yixiu, she was much chubbier and even a bit taller. Qian Yixiu felt utterly helpless; her frail body needed better nutrition and exercise. No matter how pretty her face was, it was useless if she didn’t grow taller.
“Sister Embroidery, let’s make flower crowns,” Duo Duo said.
“Sister Embroidery, let’s play with mud,” she suggested.
“Sister Embroidery, let’s play house. I’ll be the daddy, and you be the mommy,” she insisted.
…
Playing flower crown required leaving the courtyard, playing mud was too dirty, so she reluctantly agreed to play house with the little lolita.
“Mommy, go, bring me the footbath water,” the little lolita ordered in a husky voice, her snot dribbling down with the command.
Watching her sniffle up the snot that almost reached her mouth, Qian Yixiu frowned. She wanted to use her own handkerchief but felt it was too dirty, so she picked up two leaves from the ground to wipe her instead.
The little lolita was still not satisfied. “I told you to wash my feet, not to wipe my nose,” she grumbled.
While they were playing, Lady Wang shouted from the kitchen door, “Yixiu, come help your Big Auntie with the fire.”
Compared to playing these unproductive games with the little lolita, Qian Yixiu would rather build a fire, so she took the displeased little girl to the kitchen.
On the kitchen countertop, there was a strip of pork, and the pot was cooking pork meat, pig’s trotters, heart, and head—all these must have been brought by Qian Xiang. On the ground, another basin held two more pieces of meat, surely meant for the second and third branches of the family to take home. Qian Xiang was loved by everyone in the Qian family.
Seeing so much meat, not to mention Qian Yiduo licking his chops, even Qian Yixiu started feeling happy.
At the moment, only Lady Wang and Qian Mandie were busy in the kitchen. Qian Dagui was in the main house entertaining guests, while Qian Manchuan and Lady Xu had gone up the mountain to collect Xia Grass. The household of Qian Manchuan and the second branch’s Qian Manhe couple were responsible for the Xia Grass business. Three people would go to the mountain to collect the grass for half a day, and one would go sell it in the county town. Today, it was Xu Manhe’s turn to go to town.
Qian Yixiu sat at the stove, feeding wood into the fire, while Duo Duo squeezed in to sit beside her.
Lady Wang poked the meat in the pot with her chopsticks, fished out the pork and the pig’s heart, and Qian Mandie started slicing the meat. Lady Wang fed a slice of meat to both Yixiu and Yiduo, and asked with a smile, “Does it taste good?”
“Yes, thank you, Auntie,” Yixiu replied sweetly.
“Hmm, Embroidery is such a good child,” Lady Wang said with a smile, then in a lowered voice asked, “Embroidery, apart from farming and weaving grass baskets, did your grandparents do anything else?”
Qian Mandie scolded Lady Wang with a word, “Mother.”
Lady Wang ignored her and continued to smile at Yixiu.
Was she trying to probe if her family had any other sources of income? She really thought she was dealing with Duo Duo.
Yixiu naively said, “Yes, there is.”
“What?” Lady Wang asked eagerly.
“My grandpa also weaves grass mats, grass shoes, and grass plates,” Yixiu said with the innocent look of a good child.
Lady Wang felt a wave of disappointment, while Qian Mandie started giggling uncontrollably, which made Lady Wang pinch her out of irritation.
“Auntie, the meat is delicious, want more,” Duo Duo said pouting.
Lady Wang said annoyed, “All you know is to eat, there’s none left. Not sensible at all, Embroidery is only two years older than you, but so much wiser. Not only can she work, but she can also earn silver.”
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Yiduo’s mouth puckered, about to cry, when Qian Mandie turned around to feed her a slice of meat and then gave another to Yixiu.
As they were talking, they heard Lady Tang’s booming voice and the laughter of another young woman.
Lady Wang put down the food she was holding onto the chopping board with a thump, “Even my own married daughter doesn’t get to eat so comfortably at her mother’s house, but she dares to call her married daughter back to eat at her elder brother’s. How thick-skinned!”
Qian Mandie softly persuaded, “Mother, let it be, they have already come. A person with a big face can’t be embarrassed, it wouldn’t be nice.”
They were talking about Qian Ergui’s second daughter, Qian Mandua. Mandua had a personality somewhat like Lady Tang, liked to eat, and was unwilling to work. Married into Green Willow Village, her family was not doing very well financially, and it was said she often returned to her parents’ home to scavenge for things.
Actually, Mandua should have been the prettiest among all the daughters in the Old Qian Family (excluding the not-yet-grown Yixiu), even prettier than Qian Manxia and Qian Xiang, with small and delicate features, but Lady Tang had spoiled her. Fond of taking advantage and with shallow judgment, she was lured away by a man for a few silvers, ending up having to marry him.
The fact that she could shamelessly come over for a meal was one thing, but she didn’t even offer to help in the kitchen, instead following Lady Tang straight into the main living room. And as soon as Lady Xu and Lady Wong returned from picking Xia Grass on the mountain, they rolled up their sleeves to help in the kitchen, freeing Lady Wang.
At noon, two large tables were set up in the main hall. Old Lady Qian sat at one table with Qian Xiang, her three sons, and two grandsons, while the women and children sat at another.
It was Yixiu’s first time eating with so many relatives. In addition to Cheng Yue and Qian Manxia who were at home, Yishan and Yijin who were at school, Old man Qian and the fourth branch who were far away in the provincial city, plus the married daughters Qian Manwan and Qian Manhua, the entire big family of the Old Qian Family had gathered, even Manhe who went to town to sell Xia Grass had rushed back.
Manhe also came to their table with a smile and handed a small paper-wrapped malt candy to both Yixiu and Yiduo.
Both children thanked him.
Qian Mandua rolled her eyes and asked, “Manhe, what about your blood-related niece?”
………………
Thanks to Jian and Rose, Sister Lu, Hera@Qianlin, and 260430780 for the coin purses; thank you to josephine11 and “pretending to be strong even when not” for the gifts, thank you! Thanks for the support and recommendations. The novel has made it to the featured list this week, Wenwen is about to go on sale, and Qing Quan is nervous.
