Chapter 10: Give It a Try

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Wang Xuezhou fought the impulse to turn his head and curse, stepping forward to tug at Old Mrs. Liu’s sleeve, his voice crisp and clear: “Grandma, I was just too hungry and couldn’t help standing by the noodle stall. Mom had no choice but to buy me a bowl. She didn’t even eat any herself. Please don’t be angry, okay?”

Old Mrs. Liu hadn’t said a word yet, but her grandson was already pleading. Her large hand ruffled the top of Wang Xuezhou’s head gently. “You’ve already eaten it. What else can I do? You make it sound like I’m heartless.”

Wang Xuezhou clung to her sleeve. “When I grow up and study hard, I’ll earn lots and lots of money for Grandma. I’ll buy you meat, a whole pound, and you can throw half of it away if you want.”

Old Mrs. Liu gasped and slapped his bottom. “Damn it, who dares waste food like that! You little waster!”

…That was a misstep.

But the scolding distracted Old Mrs. Liu, and she didn’t argue further about Zhang’s unilateral decision to buy the meat.

Zhang breathed a sigh of relief and pulled Wang Xuezhou back to their room.

As soon as the door closed, she beamed and scooped him up in her arms. “You really are your mother’s good son, so cooperative!”

She leaned in and planted a fierce kiss on his cheek.

Today, they spent twenty wen on meat, three meat buns for three wen, and two steamed buns for one wen, totaling only four wen.

The extra two wen were secretly stashed away.

Unfortunately, her mother-in-law was sharp and hard to fool; she couldn’t sneak any more money from her, so Zhang had to underreport the expenses.

Though two wen wasn’t much, it would add up over time.

Wang Xuezhou understood his mother’s meaning and almost teared up.

He alone knew how, under the dual pressure of Grandma and his mother, he had managed to save ten wen, though last time Zhang had confiscated it when tidying the bed.

“Tonight, quietly call your eldest sister into our room. Then I’ll give you both meat buns to eat, okay?” Zhang whispered.

Seeing Wang Xuezhou nod, she kissed him several more times, smothering her son with affection before finally letting him go.

It was rare for the family to have meat, and even Gao, who usually liked to spar with Zhang, couldn’t open his mouth while eating the meat she had bought.

A big pan of eggplant fried with a bit of pork belly was served alongside noodles, and the whole family dug in heartily.

Before bed, Wang Xuezhou quietly called his sister into the room. Zhang closed the door tightly, took out three buns wrapped in oiled paper from a pile of rag scraps.

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“Eat quickly, and rinse your mouths after. Don’t let anyone smell the food on your breath.”

Zhang handed one bun to each child, urging them to eat fast.

Wang Chengzhi grumbled, “Wife, how could you forget me?”

Zhang shot him an annoyed look. “Saving bun money to buy you new shoes isn’t enough? You’re grown up—stop whining.”

Hearing this, Wang Chengzhi reached out to grab Zhang’s hand. “I knew you could never forget me.”

Wang Xuezhou felt choked and already full before finishing his bun.

Mao Dan didn’t overthink it; while their parents talked, he polished off his bun in a few bites. Second sister ate while watching their parents grin secretly, covering her brother’s eyes as she did.

Zhang gave her husband a sharp look, withdrew her hand, and turned to business. After examining the rag scraps she’d brought home, she had a clearer idea.

She showed the scraps to second sister. “These are the scraps your brother brought back. Starting tomorrow, we’ll make headbands and silk flowers from them to sell for money.”

Second sister’s eyes lit up, and she eagerly agreed.

After second sister finished her bun, Zhang took her hand, carefully scraping some fragrant balm into her palm and gently rubbing it on her daughter’s roughened hands, anger flickering in her gaze.

“Your grandparents know you’re learning embroidery with me, yet they still make you work in the fields. They’re ruining you. Tomorrow, I’ll talk to Grandma and forbid it.”

The next day, Zhang went straight to Old Mrs. Liu.

Fortunately, the harvest was done, and only miscellaneous tasks remained in the fields, so the women didn’t have to go.

After Zhang explained the matter, Old Mrs. Liu didn’t object. Gao muttered sarcastic remarks, but Zhang ignored them.

Although second sister was freed from fieldwork, Old Mrs. Liu assigned her chores like sweeping and feeding the chickens.

Washing clothes, washing dishes, planting vegetables, and picking bugs off chickens were left to the third wife’s daughters, Wang Chuyue and Wang Jiaoyue.

Gao and Ma busied themselves mending clothes torn during recent labor, while cooking fell to the eldest wife’s Wang Lanyue and the third wife’s Wang Xingyue.

After collecting firewood, Wang Xuezhou didn’t go to the fields. Instead, he took over Wang Yaoyue’s chicken-feeding task and urged her to help Zhang make silk flowers and headbands.

Zhang, skilled with handiwork, easily sorted through the scraps and even made a few silk flowers to show Wang Xuezhou.

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Seeing his mother’s craftsmanship, he grew even more confident about selling the silk flowers.

However, the flowers still needed to be finished into hairpins, which required help from Old Wang.

Imagining the prospect of piles of copper coins beckoning him, Wang Xuezhou wiped away his usual listlessness and ran to the fields holding a silk flower.

Old Wang, resting, couldn’t help teasing him, “Are you running like your backside’s on fire?”

Wang Chengzhi and Wang Chengyao laughed heartily. Mao Dan grinned and tried to pull down his waistband, saying, “Let big brother see your butt.”

Wang Xuezhou quickly covered himself and jumped aside, making the adults laugh.

“I have something to ask Grandpa!” Wang Xuezhou declared.

He rolled his eyes inwardly at these adults with their strange sense of humor.

“Oh? What’s that?” Old Wang fanned himself casually, not taking the remark seriously.

Wang Xuezhou clutched the silk flower and lowered his voice. “Grandpa, this is a silk flower my mother made.”

Old Wang glanced at it and nodded approvingly. “Not bad.”

His eyes brightened. “You think it’s good, right? I know you can do some woodworking. Could you make some wooden hairpins? They don’t have to be fancy, just shaped like hairpins. If you drill a hole at the top, I can help your mother wrap these silk flowers around them. Then they’ll be silk flower hairpins we can sell for money.”

Wang Chengzhi’s eyes lit up. “You’re going to make them?”

Wang Xuezhou nodded, leaving Old Wang and Wang Chengyao puzzled.

He briefly explained the idea, and Old Wang looked at his grandson with newfound respect. “You thought this up?”

He nodded confidently. “Yes! Last time, my parents said I should go to school, but Grandma and Grandpa said there wasn’t money. So I thought about how to make money. Today, when my mother and I went to town, we saw someone selling these, so I asked her to get some to try!”