Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Wife Sings, Husband Follows Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Wife Sings, Husband Follows He also quickly stood up and, after returning a toast, pondered for a moment before tentatively saying, “Xuexue, if you have any more ideas for making money in the future, don’t forget about the people in our village!”
Last time, Xuexue made a good sum of silver by planting off-season garlic sprouts, and some villagers followed suit after learning about it. Despite the season nearly ending, they too made a tidy profit. The village head was overjoyed to know this. After all, if the village under his management grew prosperous, it would reflect well on him as the village head, and who knows, higher-ups might just promote him if they’re pleased.
“Xuexue will certainly not forget the kindness the village head has shown our family. Here, Uncle Village Chief, please, have some more to eat,” she said while adding food to his plate with her chopsticks.
“Village head, thank you for the care you gave my wife before. I toast to you as well,” Big Bull, who was sitting nearby eating his meal, put down his chopsticks, stood up, and raised his glass towards the village head.
“Good, good, good! What a fine example of ‘the wife sings, the husband follows’!” the village head joked while also raising his glass.
Upon hearing this, the Elders at the same table all stroked their white beards and laughed while looking at them.
Just as everyone was enjoying their meal and conversation, a series of noisy hoofbeats came from outside.
“Wow! A carriage, a carriage, it’s a carriage!” Children’s exclamations came from outdoors.
Just as Xuexue and Big Bull were about to go out to see what was happening, Chuner and Xiao Gougou, holding hands, bounced into the room…
“Sister, sister, an Old Master has come outside, and he is asking for you.”
Surprised, Xuexue, knowing that except for the villagers, she hadn’t invited anyone else, put down her chopsticks, stood up, nodded to the village head and the Elders, and stepped outside to see who had come.
“Wife, I’ll come too,” Big Bull said, setting down his bowl and utensils, and stood up to follow her out.
“Look, look, didn’t I tell you? ‘The wife sings, the husband follows’!” the village head’s teasing voice came from behind.
Another round of laughter followed from the Elders.
A carriage full of gifts had stopped right at the front door, and a bunch of mischievous kids, driven by curiosity, were circling the carriage, touching and exploring it with great interest.
And why not? Mo Family Village, this remote and meager place, rarely saw the entry of carriages. Even if there were any, they belonged to the wealthy, and the kids dared not touch them. But now, a carriage had appeared right at Xuexue’s doorstep, so they braved themselves to touch it.
When Xuexue stepped outside, she saw several boys holding gifts, following behind Shopkeeper Fan.
Seeing Xuexue walk out, Shopkeeper Fan approached with a beaming smile, “Oh my! Xuexue, such an important event as your house construction, and you didn’t invite me over?”
Xuexue looked surprised, “Shopkeeper Fan, what brings you to grace us with your presence?”
“I heard from someone in your village that your house is getting its beam today, so I shamelessly showed up asking for a drink,” Shopkeeper Fan said with a laugh.
“What are you talking about? We didn’t invite you only because we didn’t want to trouble you. Come in, come in quick,” urged Xuexue, hurriedly inviting him inside.
“What trouble? There’s no trouble at all when it comes to anything about Xuexue,” Shopkeeper Fan declared heartily.
At that moment, Big Bull also came out and was delighted to see Shopkeeper Fan.
“This is for your new house’s beam-raising ceremony, you must accept it,” Shopkeeper Fan said, gesturing towards the packages behind him, and at once, several attendants began to carry in big and small packages of gifts.
The villagers, who were still eating, looked dazzled and thought to themselves about what kind of noble Xuexue must know, for someone to send so many gifts and come by carriage, clearly, a person of wealth.