The people selling chili were exceptionally numerous, and the factory had already been purchasing chilies for a month. Therefore, folks in the neighboring villages, within a ten-mile radius, all knew about the county’s Good Mom Food Factory that wanted to buy chilies—and at fair, conscience prices no less. They would take as many chilies as the people brought in.
Every day, aside from his duty as a watchman, Uncle Jiang would weigh these chilies. After having them weighed, he would distribute the money that Ji Ying left with him to those who came to sell their chilies.
One day, when all the chilies had been sold at the factory gate, Uncle Jiang spotted a woman still there. He took the initiative to ask, "Are you here to sell chilies?"
He glanced at the bag in the woman’s hand, which appeared to be filled with chilies.
The woman quickly nodded and handed over the three pounds of dried chilies she had brought, saying, "These are my homemade chilies, exceptionally clean."
Uncle Jiang dumped the chilies into a basket, ensuring they were all of excellent quality before beginning to weigh them. The total came to three pounds and one ounce. Uncle Jiang handed her six yuan and twenty cents. As he saw her craning her neck to look inside, he asked guardedly, "Take the money. If you have more chilies next time, feel free to come back and sell them."
Having said that, Uncle Jiang was ready to close the door.
But the woman followed up to him, eager to look inside. However, she couldn’t see much from the entrance. She asked, "Is Ji Ying working here at the Chili Factory?"
Uncle Jiang naturally knew who she was, but he just looked at the woman without speaking.
The woman became somewhat uneasy and said, "Ji Ying and I are relatives by marriage. My daughter married her son."
Uncle Jiang then understood. He asked, "What’s your daughter’s name?"
"Zhou He," the woman hurriedly replied.
After a moment’s thought, Uncle Jiang said, "Wait here a bit."
After speaking, he closed the door and went into the yard to inform Ji Ying about the situation.
"Xiaohe’s mom has come?" Ji Ying was just about to cook when she heard Uncle Jiang’s words. She quickly called Zhou He over before heading to the factory gate.
"Mom, what are you doing here?"
Upon seeing her own mother, Zhou He hurriedly approached and asked, "How did you find this place?"
Zhou He’s mom usually rarely ventured into the town even once a year, so Zhou He was quite surprised to see her.
"Relative-in-law, please come in and sit down." Ji Ying warmly invited her in. No matter what had happened in the past, with the connection of marriage, they had to get along well.
Zhou He’s mom stepped into the factory, her eyes scanning around everywhere, her curiosity boundless.
Originally, she had no intention of coming, but Zhou’s father kept urging her. He’d heard that her son-in-law, Xu Nianji, was selling bean sprouts at the market, and that her in-law was seen at the Good Mom Food Factory.
Thus, following Zhou’s father’s persistent encouragement, Zhou He’s mom decided to visit.
She saw with her own eyes her son-in-law Xu Nianji selling bean sprouts at the market, and now she saw them in the factory too. Although she didn’t know how much they earned each month, she assumed it wouldn’t be too little.
She never expected that after Xiaohe married into the Xu family, the Xu family’s days would get better and better.
Ji Ying was very considerate, giving Zhou He and her mother a chance to chat together.
"Xiaohe, can you tell mom how much Nianji makes selling bean sprouts every day? And about working here in the factory—you both must be earning a decent amount per month, right?" Zhou He’s mom saw that it was just the two of them and spoke without any reservation.
"Mom," Zhou He said, sensing what her mother wanted to ask. Instead of answering, she asked back, "Did dad make you come here?"