Chapter 10: Their Little Source of Income

Once they had a place to live, the weight lifted instantly from the third branch’s hearts.

After Lin returned home, Old Wen and Wen Chuizi immediately set off to the new house to prepare repairs.

Upon arriving at the thatched cottage, they saw Wen Shengli squatting on the roof, laying fresh straw. Catching sight of Old Wen, he gave a simple, goofy smile.

After the father and son went out to fix the cottage, Lin dared not idle either.

She gathered all the family’s dirty clothes, preparing to wash them by the river.

When Luo saw this, she immediately ran back to her room, grabbed a pile of clothes, and tossed them into Lin’s basket with a forced smile.

“Sister-in-law, please have mercy! I’m feeding the chickens and cooking; I really can’t spare the time.”

Today’s talk about dividing the family property left Luo and the eldest branch dissatisfied.

The split was demanded by the third branch, so they should leave empty-handed, perhaps even pay silver for the privilege.

Yet, somehow, their mother had made a misstep—rather than asking for money, she had given them a whole acre of land.

But Old Madam Wen hadn’t uttered a word, and the eldest branch dared not complain.

Seeing the division imminent, Lin wanted no trouble and carried the clothes outside.

Luo, noticing Lin’s willingness to wash for her, felt a bit relieved.

Inside, Wen Ye happened to glance out the window, catching the scene.

Wen Lan anxiously grasped her hand. “Sister, let it go. In ten days, the division will be done. We just have to endure.”

A flash of sarcasm crossed Wen Ye’s eyes. “Do you really think they agreed?”

Wen Lan blinked in confusion. “What? You think they’re lying? That can’t be!”

“Wait and see. We’ll find out soon enough. After all, it’s only ten days,” Wen Ye said, leaving it at that.

Wen Lan’s delicate face filled with worry, hoping the division would go smoothly.

“Let’s think about how to make money instead,” Wen Ye said, pressing her knuckles, ready to take action.

“Make money? Sure!” Wen Lan said, climbing to the foot of the bed and rummaging through a chest. “I’m not washing clothes with mother because I have more important things to do!”

Soon, she pulled out a stack of handkerchiefs, some fully embroidered, some unfinished.

“Wow, sister, your embroidery is so good!” Wen Ye’s eyes lit up as she held one.

Wen Lan chuckled softly. “You’re not bad yourself.”

Wen Ye touched her head, realizing she might actually have some memory of embroidery skills—quite fitting for her.

“I didn’t expect we had a little income source! How much can we make from this?”

“One handkerchief, plain ones bring three wen, patterned ones four wen. Plain takes half a day to make, patterned a whole day. Plain is more worthwhile.”

Wen Ye shuddered at the thought—only a little over a hundred wen a month! At that rate, she’d wear herself out without earning even one or two silver coins.

This little income was too meager to be true!

“Now we finally have time. After division, the income is ours alone, no longer confiscated by Grandma.”

Unlike Wen Ye’s shock, Wen Lan was full of determination for just over a hundred wen a month.

She picked up a handkerchief and began working against the clock.

She always cherished her embroidery time, and now, knowing the money was hers, she worked with even greater zeal.

Wen Ye flipped through the embroidered handkerchiefs.

The patterns were ordinary flowers and grasses, with winding tendrils along the edges—rustic and unsophisticated.

Suddenly, Wen Ye’s eyes brightened. “Sister, let’s stitch something novel!”

She rummaged through the cabinet for a while before finding the treasured brush and ink Wen Chuizi secretly kept.

They were discarded items from Wen Chengwen and his brothers: worn brushes, used scrap paper, and leftover ink blocks.

Looking at the shabby brushes and waste paper, she sighed softly.

Finally, she spread the scrap paper on the table and drew a cute cartoon rabbit clutching a carrot—round and chubby, utterly adorable.

“How cute!” Wen Lan exclaimed. “When did you learn to draw?”

“Just... doodling,” Wen Ye answered vaguely. “Let’s embroider this—modern and adorable.”

Wen Lan shook her head. “No. The embroidery shop has set patterns. If we stitch wrong, they’ll deduct money. If worse, wasting thread and fabric, we’ll have to pay damages.”

“Let’s just try,” Wen Ye’s face tightened. “If it fails, we’ll just consider it a loss.”

Desperate to earn, she had no time to waste.

Heaven only knew how miserable she felt! This hard life was unbearable—literally.

The damp, cramped thatched cottage, the broken wooden bed less than five feet long, three squeezed together… every part of her ached.

Every meal was coarse rice porridge, leaving her numb.

The rough clothes scratched her skin like insects biting, making her itch all over.

She couldn’t bear even a bit of hardship! She truly couldn’t!

Wen Lan, seeing Wen Ye’s tense expression as if she couldn’t endure it, was almost scared to tears. Could her little sister suddenly be ill?

Quickly, she nodded. “Alright, alright! We’ll stitch the little rabbit.”

Besides, the embroidery shop held a two hundred wen deposit. If lost, they could at least work off the cost by serving the shop for half a month.

Wen Ye immediately brightened. “You’re the best, sister.”

Money, money, money! Only money could free them from misery!

Wen Lan smiled at her.

After finishing a floral bird pattern, she took a new handkerchief and began stitching the rabbit holding the carrot that Wen Ye had drawn.

Wen Ye also picked up needle and thread, trying a few stitches. With her muscle memory and knowledge, she quickly got the hang of it.

Before crossing over, as the Wen family’s daughter, she had been well-rounded—cultured, intelligent, and physically adept.

Her grandmother loved classical culture; while others learned Western instruments, she studied calligraphy, chess, painting, and even embroidery.

Before eighteen, she was the perfect noble daughter.

After eighteen, following her grandmother’s death, she suffered a slight trauma, becoming somewhat wild and mischievous, but otherwise still perfect.

The sisters focused on their work, quietly engrossed.

Though the round rabbit holding a carrot was novel, it was far simpler than the floral bird patterns.

Wen Lan finished a handkerchief in less than half a day.

Looking at the finished piece, she felt uneasy. “Will the embroidery shop think we’re cutting corners? Maybe we should add some winding tendrils around the rabbit?”

“No tendrils. That’s a different style from the cartoon… If anything, add a small carrot by the rabbit’s feet, like this.”

Wen Ye cleared her throat and added a small carrot to the original drawing.

Wen Lan nodded and added the little carrot as instructed, though it still seemed too simple. She felt worried.

As evening approached, Old Wen and Lin returned home one after another.

Luo, seeing Lin drying clothes in the yard, still felt angry.

The more she thought, the more she regretted giving land to the third branch, and she brought it up several times to Old Madam Wen.

Old Madam Wen scolded her sharply. “The matter’s settled. Why do you keep nagging me? Are you not troubled enough already?”

Luo, scolded again, felt even more stifled.

After dinner, she slammed the dishes on the table noisily.

Wen Ye yawned. Under the glaring eyes of Old Madam Wen and the eldest and second branches, she took a bowl, scooped some food, and retreated to the thatched cottage, slamming the door behind her.

“That little bitch! Before the division’s even official, she’s already ignoring us!” Luo cursed, pointing toward the third branch’s direction.

“Enough, sister-in-law. It’s no big deal. Let’s eat,” Fang tried to calm her.

Old Madam Wen also wanted to scold but thought of the plan ahead and held back, glaring at Luo. “Stop yelling! If you don’t want to eat, then get out!”

Only then did Luo quiet down.