"Old Luo from my family said that yesterday a young man named Lin Dongsheng asked him for a massage. Usually, people give three or five coins, but this Lin Dongsheng only gave one coin."
This was the first time Old Luo had received so little money after starting his massage business at the dock.
It wasn’t about being dissatisfied with the small amount, but rather a lack of respect for his efforts.
"Your Old Luo might indeed have some issues; in the future, tell your man not to go to Old Luo for massages anymore. I’m really afraid something might go wrong, and how would you make up for it then?"
What nonsense, who do you think you are? Enjoying the service and still complaining about it; if it’s just a one-coin deal, we can simply choose not to offer it.
"Haha, exactly. If you’re afraid, just don’t go," chimed in Aunt Zuo from the side. "My husband went for a massage and came back saying it was very comfortable, and said he would go regularly. Though they don’t have much money, they can still afford three or five coins."
One coin, someone actually gave just one coin. Aunt Zuo found it hilarious when she heard this, planning to tell her husband about it when he got back in the evening.
Sister-in-law Luo, seeing Aunt Zuo supporting her, smiled at her warmly.
The Lin family’s daughter-in-law, at a loss for words, walked away grumbling under her breath.
"That woman really has a sharp tongue," Aunt Zuo disapproved: "Seriously, Sister-in-law Luo, you folks are gathering this wormwood..."
In fact, Aunt Zuo noticed something: ever since the Xiao family came, the Luo family has been living more comfortably over the past six months.
The Luo family claimed to have met a hunter, who provided them with ancestral herbal wine.
In reality, Aunt Zuo and her husband didn’t believe even half a word of it.
Who doesn’t know that besides the Xiao family, who else has expertise in herbal medicine?
So, the skills for making the herbal wine and massages were most likely taught by the Xiao family members.
Considering the Xiao family is renting a few old rooms from them, which are nearing the lease’s end, perhaps they could seize the opportunity to raise the rent, or maybe...
But then she thought, the Xiao family probably wouldn’t want to keep living there.
Feeling a bit regretful, it meant they would have slightly less income each year.
"Haha, Aunt Zuo, this matter, I’ll confide only to you," Sister-in-law Luo beckoned: "Chun Nuan mentioned I should share this with you."
"It’s about the wormwood?"
"Exactly, this wormwood, we harvest and dry it before giving it to Chun Nuan, who offers us a little something for our efforts," Sister-in-law Luo explained. "Your family can gather some too, just don’t tell others, or there’ll be no opportunity to earn."
"Really?"
"Look at you, asking questions and then not believing the answers," Sister-in-law Luo replied straightforwardly: "Whatever Chun Nuan offers is what we get, I trust she won’t shortchange me."
"What does Chun Nuan use it for, anyway?"
"This woman," Sister-in-law Luo momentarily regretted telling her, wishing she wouldn’t be so inquisitive: "Chun Nuan has her uses, don’t worry about that. If you want to earn, have your kids gather wormwood; just do as Chun Nuan advises without asking too much."
Did she really need to disclose Chun Nuan’s skills in preparing medicinal materials to her?
"Alright, I get it." Suddenly, Aunt Zuo remarked, "You must’ve already harvested all the wormwood on both sides of the valley, and you’re only now telling me."
"Oh, come on, there’s wormwood not just at the valley sides; it’s everywhere. If this village doesn’t have it, another one will; as long as you’re willing to look, it won’t be lacking."
"You’ve reminded me, there’s quite a bit of wormwood behind my parents’ house, I’ll check it out tomorrow."
Aunt Zuo’s family also joined in the wormwood gathering.
Chun Nuan warmly welcomed Aunt Zuo, who came with Sister-in-law Luo to deliver wormwood.
"Aunt Zuo, you’re just in time. I wanted to discuss something with you."
"Go ahead."
"It’s like this, our lease on your property is about to expire, so we won’t be living there anymore."
"I know, I know, you’re now staying in a big house, that’s great."
Aunt Zuo thought to herself that her thatched house might really be falling apart, who else but the Xiao family would want to sink money into it?
"Even the big house is rented," Chun Nuan said, "Ultimately, having one’s own land and house is still the best way to avoid the hassle of moving."
"That’s true, they say ’a gold or silver nest isn’t as good as one’s own doghouse,’ everyone needs their own home."