Free Web NovelChapter 432: Chapter 227: Laixi (2)
Although they had sent their goods to the shop to be sold, they hadn’t expected to make much money from them. After all, aside from farming tools, there wasn’t much of a market for such delicate items in Xiatang Market.
Her big, darting eyes made Laixi’s heart skip a beat. He quickly nodded in confirmation. "That’s right! Some of the wealthy families in town bought a few, and last time Manager Song bought quite a bit to take back to Qinghui. He even told your brother to come up with more patterns. He said the craftsmanship is good, but there are just too few designs."
Liu Xiaomei sighed, her brow furrowed with worry. "My second brother doesn’t dare make too many," she told him. "He doesn’t have the free time right now anyway. If the things he weaves don’t turn into money, isn’t that just a waste of effort? Who dares to eat without contributing something useful?"
Laixi was pleased to see her explaining things to him so earnestly, and he reassured her, "Well, that’s great now. The items your second brother sent over are almost all sold. He should be happy once he gets the money, and I bet he’ll be motivated to make some new things to sell."
Liu Xiaomei nodded, a smile lingering on her face.
Juhua smiled. "This is just the beginning. Once more people start coming to Xiatang Market, his things will sell even better. Mei, just you wait and see your second brother start earning good money!"
Liu Xiaomei grew even happier. As she continued sewing, her eyes darted about, lost in thought, the smile on her face widening.
After chatting for a while, Juhua and Mei drew some water from the well to wash the peaches and apricots. Juhua picked up a clean peach and took a huge bite. Her mouth instantly filled with juice as a refreshing sweetness spread down her throat. It was delicious. Beside her, Liu Xiaomei ate with just as much gusto, too absorbed to even speak.
After finishing a peach, Juhua asked Laixi where the peaches and apricots had come from. She was thrilled by his explanation. ’Now that I’ve eaten the peach, I can save the pit and plant it.’ These peaches looked fresher than the ones from the Liu Family’s trees, as did the apricots. They were clearly a good variety.
As noon approached, Juhua called to Laixi to go with her to the fields to pick some Huangdou and, while they were at it, help her net a fish. "My mom is out weeding in the fields," she said. "We can go get her on the way back. Mei, why don’t you stay for lunch? I’ll make fresh fish with tender Huangdou. It’s delicious."
Liu Xiaomei shook her head. "I can’t. My mom has gone to the fields, and I need to help my second sister-in-law cook. With the family so busy, it wouldn’t look right for me to be out here chatting and not even go home for lunch. I just came to drop something off for you and only planned to stay a moment."
Seeing that her reasoning was sound, Juhua didn’t insist and let her go. She found a fishing net, handed it to Laixi, and the two of them headed toward the edge of the fields.
On the way, Laixi asked Juhua, "Does the Liu Family have many sons? I heard that girl call Liu Ershun ’Second Brother,’ so does she also have an older brother and a Third Brother?"
Juhua laughed. "There are four brothers in her family, and Mei is the youngest child. She’s a wonderful girl—capable, well-behaved, good-tempered, and pretty too."
She had noticed Laixi staring intently at Mei, so she teasingly laid out all the details about Liu Xiaomei for him.
Laixi was so embarrassed that his face turned red. He scrambled for a new topic, but just then they reached the field. Seeing Madam Yang and Zheng Changhe bent over and working in the shanyu patch, he seized the chance and called out, "Aunt, are you weeding?"
Madam Yang looked up at his voice. Seeing that it was her nephew, her face broke into a smile. "Laixi, what brings you here? Is no one watching the shop? How is your grandmother?"
Laixi spotted the fish pond and laid the net on the bank. He walked toward Madam Yang along the furrows of the shanyu patch, smiling. "Grandma is doing great. I got some peaches, so I brought some over for Cousin Juhua. My dad is watching the shop today. Uncle, keeping busy?"
Zheng Changhe lifted his face from under his straw hat and gave Laixi a wide, cheerful nod.
Juhua came over as well. "Dad, Mom, the peaches Cousin Laixi brought are so good! I brought two for you. You two should rest for a bit and eat them to quench your thirst."
Zheng Changhe’s eyes lit up when he saw her hold up a bright red peach, and his mouth started to water. "Let’s rest a while!" he urged his wife. "Juhua brought peaches!"
Saying this, he tossed his hoe aside and went to the pond’s edge to wash his hands. Juhua, Madam Yang, and Laixi followed.
Zheng Changhe took the peach from Juhua and asked, "Did you bring the net to catch a fish?" He then took a large bite and immediately praised its delicious flavor.
Juhua smiled. "Yep! We’re going to catch a fish and stew it with Huangdou."
Madam Yang quickly added, "That sounds wonderful. Your cousin Laixi can try some. Changhe, you go help them catch a fish. I’ll go pick some Huangdou."
Juhua quickly told them, "You two just rest. Cousin Laixi and I can manage catching a fish." Then she urged Laixi to cast the net.
The fish pond was already filled with graceful lotus leaves, and its banks were lush with waterweeds. A few lotus buds rose from among the small, umbrella-like leaves, their pink a delightful contrast to the emerald green. The water bamboo shoots had spread to cover the entire surface of the pond. They grew so densely that they were squeezed together, with some of the plants pushed up out of the water, already dotted with tiny, star-like white flowers.
The pond was packed to the brim, with almost no open water to be seen. Only in the spot where the Zheng Family usually washed their hands had the tangled water bamboo shoots been cleared away, revealing a tabletop-sized patch of water. Due to the abundance of plants, the water itself wasn’t particularly clear.
Aiming for the only available spot, Laixi threw the net into the pond with all his might.
Perhaps because the pond hadn’t been fished in over a year, and Juhua kept adding more fish to it, it was truly teeming. When Laixi hauled the net onto the bank, he was stunned by the sight of countless fish, large and small, flopping wildly inside.
Juhua paid no mind to his shock—she had done this several times and was no longer surprised. She simply picked out two crucian carp that weighed over half a pound each, then tipped the rest of the fish back into the pond and told Laixi to cast the net again.
Laixi asked, baffled, "Cousin Juhua, there were so many fish just now. Why didn’t you take more? What’s the point of throwing them back just to cast the net again?" (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian.com to vote with recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
