Chapter 7
The two sisters were deliberating over what to have for breakfast.
Although they had rice at home, they didn’t have much. If they gorged themselves it would be gone in two days. They wouldn’t even think about eating meat like they had the other day.
“Let’s cook some porridge and make a few pancakes,” Sun Xiu said under her breath.
She was afraid of waking up Han Qiao and Sun Ke, who were still sleeping.
Sun Yi nodded. “I’ll start the fire. Then I’ll fetch some water for the vegetables in the backyard.”
It was a hot day, so the ground would dry up very quickly without water. The seeds wouldn’t be able to take root and grow.
The two sisters talked it over.
One started the fire while the other washed the pot. Sun Yi said, “After breakfast, let’s go to the coffin shop to take a look first. Then, we’ll go get some firewood. Mother’s body is covered in wounds. Let her rest for a couple of days.”
“Okay.”
In just a few words, they had decided on what they would do that morning.
When Han Qiao heard the commotion, she felt a little confused. The circumstances quickly returned to her mind, and she sighed. She endured the pain and got up.
She was considering selling Sun Yiming’s books and going to the clinic to buy some medicine for her injuries. It needed to be applied both externally and internally.
When she walked into the kitchen, the two sisters shouted all together, “Mother, you’re up.”
Sun Xiu hurriedly fetched water for Han Qiao to wash her mouth and face with. Like a worker bee, she had not a moment’s rest.
Fetching the water, she quickly mopped the floor.
Sun Yi carried the water to the backyard to water the ground with the same speed and nimbleness. She learned to do these tasks simply by watching her sisters.
Han Qiao had to admit that having the two sisters around would be a great help long into the future.
When the two sisters were busy, she wasn’t idle either. She washed her mouth and face, then went back to the house to comb her hair. She tied her hair into a simple bun and fixed it with the only wooden hairpin she could find. She got up and went back to the kitchen to cut one of the pumpkins. After peeling it, she placed it in the pot to steam. She saw the dough in the pottery basin. She chopped up the meat leftover from yesterday and made meat patties.
“Mom, aren’t you going to keep the meat?” Sun Xiu asked in a low voice.
“No. I’ll buy some more later. We’ll have dumplings for lunch.”
Han Qiao’s casual reply shocked Sun Xiu.
Even Sun Yi, who had come to fetch more water, was surprised.
The sisters exchanged flashing glances. In their eyes, joy mingled with unease.
Who wouldn’t want to eat all that great food?
Even though they knew their situation, they were still children.
Han Qiao looked at the sisters. “I said that I would provide you two a good life from now on, and I definitely won’t go back on my words. So let’s start off by eating well every day.”
As though she could read her daughters’ minds, she continued, “You don’t have to worry about making money. I have ways.”
“Okay, I’ll leave it to Mother,” Sun Xiu and Sun Yi said in unison.
Now that breakfast had been cooked, the whole house was filled with the aroma of meat patties. Sun Ke could sleep no longer. She woke up and ran over to hug Han Qiao’s leg. Her little face turned up and she gleefully called out, “Mother.”
Han Qiao pinched her fair and tender little cheeks. “Wash your face and rinse your mouth. Let’s eat breakfast. Your big sister will comb your hair later.”
“Okay,” Sun Ke answered. Without another word she went to wash her face and rinse her mouth.
Sun Yi had already prepared the water for her.
There was no such thing as toothpaste or toothbrushes in their home. “Rinsing” one’s mouth actually referred to taking a willow branch and putting it in one’s mouth to chew on, then spitting it out and rinsing with water.
The three sisters used the towel to wipe their faces along with Han Qiao. Han Qiao thought that after selling those books, she would go to the cloth shop and get some cloth to make clothes for the three children with. She would also tear up the cloth they used to wash their faces.
She had been a food blogger for nearly twenty years, traveling all over Country H. Not only did she record famous local delicacies, but she could also make her own.Though everywhere she went she met with danger. To protect herself, she learned boxing. She knew a lot of things actually, but outside of cooking and boxing techniques, her knowledge was quite limited.
Making clothing was something new to her. She could only embroider a few plain flowers. While the stitchwork was quite fine, she did not know how to do anything more complicated.
However, considering her current status, she didn’t need anything more complicated than that. If she overdid it, she risked inviting the world’s suspicion.
Han Qiao knew how to sew, but she could only make clothes. She didn’t know how to embroider. Sun Xiu and Sun Yi had learned a little from, so they had no problem assisting her.
While eating, Han Qiao was also thinking about her future possibilities of making a living.
Selling vegetables was the worst option.
Unless she had no other choice, she would not take this step.
First, she would sell the books, then clean up the house and see what she needed to buy back. In this day and age, there was a lot of food out in the mountains, but Ninghe Town was quite a distance from the mountains. It would take about two hours to get there.
Hence a round trip would take four hours. Her legs would be broken by the time she got back. It simply wasn’t practical to make a living off the mountains.
They could make pastries, though they would make less.
They also couldn’t start at once. They would have to get more established first. It would be a last resort.
Seeing Han Qiao’s graven face, the three sisters ate slowly and didn’t dare to make a peep.
After eating, Sun Xiu and Sun Yi quickly put away their bowls and chopsticks and washed them.
Han Qiao got up and went into the study to get a book.
When Sun Yiming saw Han Qiao enter the room, hatred and anger flared out of his eyes.
He had been awake for a while now. He was hungry, in pain and holding back his urine. He couldn’t open his mouth and move. It was really unbearable.
Han Qiao completely ignored him and went to get the book.
“Wu Wu Wu.” Sun Yiming struggled to get any words out.
Seeing Han Qiao wrap up all his books, he suddenly thought of something. He was in such a panic that his heart was beating like a drum. He kept struggling.
“Wu Wu Wu.”
Ignoring him, Han Qiao went out with the books.
She even closed the door, cutting off the sound of Sun Yiming’s struggles and pleas.
Han Qiao called for Sun Yi and Sun Ke. “Your big sister and I are going out. You guys take care of the house. Don’t let anyone in, and don’t go into the study.”
Sun Yi and Sun Ke’s heads nodded up and down..
Han Qiao wanted again to tell Sun Yi not to untie Sun Yiming.
Sun Yi spoke first, “Mother, don’t worry. I know what to do.”
The seven-year-old girl’s face was very tender, but her eyes carried extraordinary determination..
Han Qiao could tell that Sun Yi understood everything.
This child was more mature and sensible than she had imagined.
Han Qiao rubbed Sun Yi’s head and left with Sun Xiu.
Just to be careful, she locked the door.
However, she didn’t expect to bump into Heng Yi from next door.
Han Qiao gave him nothing but a chilly glance and turned to leave. She didn’t even say goodbye.
Sun Xiu, on the other hand, waved, “Fifth Uncle Heng.” Then, she rushed to catch up with Han Qiao.
Pursing his lips, Heng Yi watched the two disappear into the distance.
He casually followed them. When he saw them enter the bookstore, he turned around and headed towards the forestry official’s house.
Han Qiao went into the bookstore with Sun Xiu. The shopkeeper noticed the bundle in her arms, then saw that the mother and daughter were tidied up very well today. He smiled and invited them into a small room behind the counter.
Usually, the shopkeeper would discuss business in this small room.
Han Qiao sat down calmly. Sun Xiu stood beside her, feeling a little uneasy.
Han Qiao opened the bundle and took out the books inside.
“Shopkeeper, please have a look at these books.”
The shopkeeper picked up a book and opened it. Paper, handwriting, arrangement: it was all top-rate. He looked at other books. The quality of each was just as good. What’s more, these books were highly coveted by students looking to pass the first level of the imperial examination.
They would definitely be worth more than 200 cash coins. The woman in front of him did not look like someone who could be fooled easily.
The shopkeeper thought it over for a while. “I’ll take these three for 300 cash each, these five for 450 each, and these five for 600 each. What do you think?”
Han Qiao quickly added it all up. “So, a total of 62,150 cash.”
The shopkeeper was stunned. He did not expect a woman to be able to add numbers up in her head so quickly.
“Precisely.”
“Please hold on a moment. I’ll go get the money for you.”
That was worth more than six taels of silver. Not a small amount. Most people wouldn’t see that much money in their whole lives.
If he gave it all in silver, it wouldn’t be that much. However, if he exchanged it for copper cash, then it would certainly be a lot.
Han Qiao retained a collected demeanor as she took the money. Sun Xiu was so excited that her eyes turned red.
Han Qiao put the silver away and looked at the shopkeeper seriously, “Shopkeeper, can I make a deal with you?”