Chapter 246: As a mother, she exploited the child. Chapter 246: As a mother, she exploited the child. Actually, what Ye Qinghua said was not unreasonable, nor were the clanspeople too heartless.
The situation was clear; even their own family members felt that the mother and daughters were a burden and were actively trying to push them away, let alone people from other families.
If the conditions were good, they might be able to spare a few bites, but for peasant families, there weren’t many who could afford to eat well, dress warmly, and have leisure time, let alone take on the responsibility of supporting someone else’s wife and children on a long-term basis.
As they spoke, they quickly made their way back home.
The people from the main and second branches were busy in the courtyard with soap-making, the couple from the main house looked encouraged and eager, while Lady Zhao from the second branch was not present. Ye Gaoshui seemed quite happy as well, it appeared that the money they had received this time was quite substantial.
Ye Jiu entered the room to see He Shi sitting on the kang bed, sifting through several bundles of fabric scraps she had asked for when buying cloth. The kang was almost cluttered with them.
“Mother, what are you doing?” Ye Jiu had only asked for these scraps in passing, seizing the chance since they were free. As for his plan, he did have an idea in mind, but with so many things happening these past few days, he hadn’t yet put it into action.
He Shi didn’t even lift her head as she replied, “These were the scraps you brought back with the cloth that day. Although most of them are unusable, I found quite a few larger pieces that I could select and cut to make handkerchiefs.”
Among the scraps were some better quality satin fabrics, the larger pieces could be picked out to make handkerchiefs, the smaller ones could be used for mending, and the really tiny pieces could be pasted onto quilts or used for making shoes.
He Shi, coming from a poor family, was particularly careful in her daily life, never wasting what could be saved.
Ye Jiu joined her in sorting, categorizing fabrics of different colors and textures.
Suddenly, He Shi put down her work and said to Ye Jiu, “The distribution of profits from the business was decided by me. Your eldest and second brother each hold a ten percent stake. Your fourth brother has been involved from the beginning without much credit or hard work, so he gets a twenty percent stake. You contributed the most, so three tenths are for you, and your dad and I, having taken advantage, also hold a twenty percent stake each.”
He Shi’s expression turned complex as she spoke, “And there’s another ten percent, which I want to set aside for your third brother.
Your mother was not successful in her younger years and owed it to him. Afterwards, I thought sending him to school would make up for it, but our financial situation did not allow it. When he came of age, we didn’t have the money, and we couldn’t afford to marry him off.
Instead, he became a live-in son-in-law at the Yan Family, always thinking of his mother. He only said that he’s doing well at the Yan Family’s place and lacks nothing, but I know that the life of a live-in son-in-law is not easy.
For a man to be belittled outside, that is the most heartbreaking.”
Having said that, He Shi looked at Ye Jiu, “Daughter, I can say to myself sincerely that I have not wronged any of your brothers, except your third brother. I think by giving him ten percent of the business, he can have some silver each year to spend freely and not have to look at others’ faces too much at the Yan Family’s place. But if you disagree, then we can forget about this.”
Actually, He Shi did not have much affection for Ye Gaoyun; he was not a child she had raised herself. More than affection, what she had used while he was still young was his sense of guilt.
In He Shi’s heart, Ye Jiu was ultimately the most important.
Looking at her daughter, who was not outstanding, He Shi felt an unusual sense of contentment.
This child didn’t look like her, nor did she look like her father, but she was her continuation.