Free Web NovelChapter 36: Chapter 36: Agreeing
Gu’er figured she could use her skills to help out at Aunt Wang’s house. Of course, she wouldn’t do it for free. If she helped them, they would have to show their gratitude. And how? With payment, naturally.
’Naturally, the pay couldn’t be too high, or they wouldn’t be able to afford her. But even a small amount is still money. Every little bit adds up.’
’If I do a good job for Aunt Wang and leave her satisfied,’ she thought, ’maybe she’ll even spread the word for me. Then, if anyone else needs pasta dishes for a wedding—whether it’s for a son or a daughter—they might come looking for me. It’s a potential stream of income. After all, I can’t afford to open a shop, and doing business in these times is difficult.’
"Aunt Wang, why don’t you find someone who knows how to make noodles and steam jujube cakes?"
Having thought all this through, Gu’er answered Aunt Wang with a gentle smile.
Hearing Gu’er’s words, Aunt Wang was taken aback, and the other women were also a little stunned.
"Young lady, I’d love to find someone like that, but I don’t know anyone. Around here, we’re good at making rice. Who knows how to make these things? I wouldn’t even know where to start looking."
Aunt Wang grumbled. She wanted to find someone, but the problem was finding them in the first place.
"Oh, is that so? I happen to know how to make noodles and steam jujube cakes, but...?"
Gu’er paused thoughtfully. She had put her skills on the table, but she deliberately didn’t offer to go to her house. The terms hadn’t been discussed yet, after all.
"You know how to make noodles and steam jujube cakes? You’re so young, how would you know how? You’re not trying to pull my leg, are you?"
Aunt Wang looked Gu’er up and down, clearly skeptical.
"Why would I try to fool you, Aunt Wang? If I did, and you invited me to your home only for me to fail, my lie would be exposed right away, wouldn’t it? I’d just be embarrassing myself. Don’t you think so, Aunt Wang?"
Gu’er kept her cheerful smile. ’It’s no wonder she’s suspicious. People around here really don’t know how to make these things. I’m sure the bride’s aunts could do it, but they’re refusing to do it themselves. They want to make things difficult for the groom’s family—a way to put them in their place right from the start. It sends a message that the bride’s family is not to be trifled with and that they’d better not bully the new wife.’
Gu’er also knew that people from the Central Plains had many customs. Even though things were simpler here, it was still perfectly normal for them to make a couple of difficult requests to test the groom’s family. It was just as Aunt Wang had said: when you’re the one seeking a bride, you have to be humble and accommodating.
Besides, Gu’er knew that the food customs there and here were truly different.
"That’s true. If you didn’t know how, we’d find out as soon as you tried."
Aunt Wang nodded, and her expression immediately changed to an intensely enthusiastic smile. "Oh, young lady, I have a favor to ask you. Do you think you could come to my house and help me out?"
Gu’er felt a slight chill looking at that smile. It was so overwhelmingly enthusiastic that it made her feel bad about refusing.
"I do want to help you, Aunt Wang. Getting a daughter-in-law is a major event, and you have to keep her family happy so that things will be peaceful later on."
Gu’er had just gotten this far when Aunt Wang cut her off. "You’re absolutely right, young lady! That’s exactly it. That’s what I was thinking, too. So you’ll help me then, won’t you?"
"Well..."
A conflicted expression appeared on Gu’er’s face.
"What? You don’t want to go?"
The smile on Aunt Wang’s face stiffened. She thought Gu’er was just toying with her.
"No, no, that’s not it. It’s just... it’s just..."
Gu’er looked at the vegetables on her cart, her face flushing slightly.
"Aunt Wang, you know I came to the city to sell these vegetables. I have to bring money home to my family every day. If I don’t, my father will beat me. If I go to help you, I won’t be able to sell my vegetables, and I won’t have any money to take back. I’ll definitely get a beating. It’s not that I don’t want to help you, it’s just that..."
Gu’er lowered her head as she spoke. ’This wasn’t just an act. While people now were simpler than they would be in the future, who would help a complete stranger for free? If she started out by helping for no pay, what would she do when the next person came asking? Should she charge them or not? That’s why she had to lay the groundwork from the very beginning: she provides the labor, they provide the money. That was fair to everyone.’
"Oh, oh, so that’s what this is about! I was wondering what the problem was. I won’t let you help for free. If you help me, I certainly won’t let you be out of pocket."
Only then did Aunt Wang understand what Gu’er meant.
"That’s right, young lady. If you help Aunt Wang, she definitely won’t treat you poorly," someone else from the side chimed in to persuade her.
Gu’er still looked hesitant.
"My... my father told me I have to bring home at least thirty cents a day. If I go help at your house, it will take at least two days. I won’t be able to sell vegetables, so I’ll need to bring back sixty cents."
This was a number Gu’er had carefully considered. It wasn’t a lot compared to what she could make selling wild vegetables, but it wasn’t a small sum, either.
"Sixty cents..."
Aunt Wang drew out the words. The price was a bit beyond her expectations. She didn’t even know how good Gu’er’s cooking was, yet she was being asked to promise this much money. She wasn’t too happy about it.
"Sixty cents seems a little high, doesn’t it? For just two days of help, it doesn’t seem worth it," someone from the crowd interjected.
"You can’t really say that. This girl probably makes more than thirty cents a day selling vegetables here, so it’s not that high," someone else spoke up for Gu’er. freewebnøvel.coɱ
"It’s not about how much she makes. The problem is, who knows what her noodles and jujube cakes are like? If they’re no good, then paying to hire her would be a total waste, right?"
Someone doubted Gu’er’s skills.
"That’s right, young lady," Aunt Wang said to Gu’er. "My daughter-in-law’s family is very picky. Normally, it wouldn’t matter if you didn’t do a good job, but if they complain now... I’d lose so much face..."
She was afraid Gu’er wouldn’t be able to handle it, simply because she was so young.
"Aunt Wang, if the noodles and steamed jujube cakes I make aren’t to their liking—if they aren’t satisfied—I won’t take a single cent. How does that sound?"
Gu’er said this with complete confidence. ’It wasn’t an empty boast; I’m truly sure of my skills.’ fгeewebnovёl.com
"Now that you’ve said that, I feel more at ease. But the money... How about this, young lady? For two days, I’ll give you fifty cents. We’re organizing a big event, so money is tight, but this is for a happy occasion, so I can’t shortchange you. What do you think?"
Seeing Gu’er’s confidence, Aunt Wang was mostly convinced. In any case, if the food wasn’t good, she wouldn’t have to pay. She wasn’t afraid of being fooled. She had just haggled the price down by ten cents.
"Since you’ve put it that way, Aunt Wang, I can’t really refuse. It’s for a happy occasion at your house, so I have to help. When it gets dark, I’ll go home and have a good talk with my father. I’m sure he’ll agree."
Gu’er thought for a moment and nodded. She could accept that price. Besides, Aunt Wang was also buying her scallions, so she’d earn a little extra from that.
"Good! Then it’s settled. Bring the scallions with you tomorrow, and I’ll take you to my house."
Seeing her nod, Aunt Wang breathed a sigh of relief. Even though she had to spend a little money, she was happy to do it if it meant properly hosting her daughter-in-law’s family.
Then, Gu’er and Aunt Wang arranged a time and place to meet the next day. Aunt Wang left, and Gu’er went back to selling her vegetables. When it was about time, she pushed her cart and headed home.
