Free Web NovelChapter 1916: Chapter 977: Gift Money
In recent years, Lady Zhou’s capriciousness has increased with age, and their dinners have become increasingly early. For example, today, while other families in the village haven’t even started cooking, this family has already finished their meal and tidied up.
This dinner, by the standards of a farmstead, could be considered quite lavish. The staple was refined white rice, accompanied by a big bowl of braised pork, pork skin soup, steamed egg custard, and sauerkraut with white pork, which had plenty of frozen tofu. Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu even warmed a pot of wine, while the side dish for pairing with wine was roasted peanuts shelled by Lady Zhou, Lian Yaya, and Da Niuniu.
Lady Zhou didn’t drink alcohol, nor did she eat even a single roasted peanut.
Given the family’s current circumstances, Lady Zhou could eat better, but she didn’t enjoy stir-fried dishes, only liking heavily stewed ones. She didn’t care for chicken, duck, or fish, only loving fatty pork. So, the family had to accommodate her preferences, eating like this day after day.
At the dining table, Lady Zhou seemed particularly benevolent. She served Lian Shouren meat twice, and specially picked a big piece of braised pork with more fat than lean for Da Niuniu.
Whenever Lady Zhou caused a fuss, as long as she was allowed to vent her anger and the younger ones then followed her wishes, apologizing and taking the blame upon themselves, Lady Zhou wouldn’t hold a grudge. Afterwards, she’d even be especially kind to the ’wrongdoer’ among the younger generation, giving them some benefits.
The so-called "hit with one hand, reward with another" was Lady Zhou’s usual tactic.
During this dinner, everyone seemed to eat happily. Lady Chiang, along with Lian Yaya and Da Niuniu, tidied up inside and out. Lady Zhou glanced out the window, the sun setting in the west was still hanging at the wall top, but for her, it was already late according to the Chinese hour.
"No one should be visiting today, go ahead and bring the chamber pot inside, and bolt the main door," Lady Zhou instructed.
Having just finished eating, it was time to prepare for bed.
"Nai," Lady Chiang quickly said with a smile to Lady Zhou, "The third daughter-in-law of Wang Sixteen at the east end of the village gave birth to a girl yesterday. Today, there’s already milk coming in. When we have events, they come to us. When they have events, we can’t not go, right?"
"She gave birth to another girl, didn’t she?" Lady Zhou said. "Wasn’t it last year that we already gave them milk? One after another, they keep giving birth."
"Last year it was the second daughter-in-law, they separated and live apart now, and their gifts are separate too. This Old Three’s family keeps in touch with us," Lady Chiang explained.
"Well, since they keep in touch, then go," Lady Zhou directed. freewebnovёl.ƈom
"Nai, what should we send?" Lady Chiang asked. In matters of reciprocal visits and customary gifts, what to send and how much was all up to Lady Zhou.
"What do we still have at home?" Lady Zhou asked.
"Nai, we still have over thirty eggs. How about we just send a few eggs?" Lady Chiang suggested. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
In rural neighborly childbirth gifting, sending eggs is highly appropriate.
"Go get the egg gourd," Lady Zhou motioned to Lian Yaya.
Over the past few years, Lian Yaya still spoke little, but had been trained by Lady Zhou to promptly respond to calls. No matter what she was doing, upon Lady Zhou’s call, she would immediately respond and do whatever was asked of her, very efficiently.
Lian Yaya brought over the gourd with eggs and placed it in front of Lady Zhou. By this time, Lady Chiang had also taken out another basket, placing it beside her.
Lady Zhou reached into the gourd, taking out the eggs one by one, counting them on the bed, then selecting twenty eggs out to put into the basket, preparing them as a gift.
At a farmstead, customary gifting typically followed conventions, and twenty eggs as a childbirth gift was considered standard.
"Are you going now?" Lady Zhou asked Lady Chiang.
"I’ll go now, so I can come back early," Lady Chiang replied.
This was what Lady Zhou liked to hear, so she nodded. Only then did Lady Chiang change her clothes, and carrying a basket in one hand while holding Da Niuniu’s hand in the other, headed east out the door. As soon as Lady Chiang left, Lian Jizu also sought permission from Lady Zhou, saying that Chunzhu next door needed him for something, so he’d go over for a while.
Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu were not very good at farming, but over the past couple of years, they had benefited from Chunzhu’s occasional guidance. Like when it was time to prepare for spring plowing, or when it was time to weed, otherwise their yield would have suffered. When Chunzhu’s Wife had free time, she would also come to visit for a while. The family of Chunzhu understood Lady Zhou’s temper well and never provoked her. Their neighborly relations were relatively harmonious.
