Chapter 43 - 43 Chapter 43: Aunt Li
43 Chapter 43: Aunt Li
“Sure!” Big Girl Li agreed readily.
Compared to carrying the ramie back, cutting the ramie was easier. She would rather stay here to cut the ramie.
Moreover, Qin Sanya was stronger than her. She could make three or four trips in the time Big Girl Li took to make one trip.
If Big Girl Li let Qin Sanya carry the things back, both Qin Sanya’s and her overall efficiency would be higher.
Only then did Qin Xiaoyao go off to gather up the cut ramie and tie them into bundles.
After that, she carried two big bundles of ramie home.
When she reached home, she dropped the ramie in the yard and went back into the mountain.
In this way, the two of them harvested enough ramie in the morning to fill an entire courtyard.
“It’s almost enough. Let’s go back after we finish cutting this little bit.” Qin Xiaoyao wiped the sweat off her forehead and said to Big Girl Li.
Big Girl Li stood up and wiped the sweat off her forehead as well.
“Alright.”
Then, together with Qin Xiaoyao, she began to gather up the last batch of harvested ramie.
On the way back, Qin Xiaoyao carried all the ramie on her shoulders by herself while Big Girl Li followed her, carrying only the tools.
The mountain wind blew over her face. Seeing Qin Xiaoyao in front of her carrying the bundles of ramie, Big Girl Li felt that working with her was not bad.
This girl’s strength was truly astonishing. With Qin Xiaoyao’s strength, there was no need for Big Girl Li to carry things on her shoulders.
When they were back at the Song family’s house, only then did Big Girl Li realize that she and Qin Xiaoyao had harvested a large courtyard full of ramie.
“How big… is the net you’re going to make?” she asked in astonishment.
“We won’t be able to use up all the ramie thread. When the time comes, we’ll keep the excess and roll them into ramie ropes. We’ll be able to use them sooner or later.” Qin Xiaoyao replied.
“Alright,” Big Girl Li replied.
“Then what should we do next?” she asked again.
Qin Xiaoyao tidied up the ramie spread out in the courtyard as she said, “These ramie grass need to be dried in the sun first, then they’ll be immersed into the stream to soak.”
“After that, I’ll have to let them soak for at least two days before I can start skinning and drying the ramie thread.”
“Of course, we can’t just wait and do nothing. Let’s go into the mountains again in the afternoon.”
Big Girl Li’s face lit up.
“Okay!” She quickly agreed.
She was now focused on looking for Chinese yam. If she found a plot of Chinese yams, she could also make a fortune!
At this moment, the fragrance of rice wafted out from the kitchen.
Big Girl Li couldn’t help but look in the direction of the kitchen, and then her stomach started to growl.
Seeing Qin Xiaoyao turn around to look at her, or rather, her stomach, she blushed a little.
“Er… I only had a bowl of porridge this morning,” Big Girl Li said in embarrassment.
She was about to say that she should go back now.
“Let’s eat here,” Qin Xiaoyao said. “We can then leave earlier after lunch.”
Big Girl Li’s face lit up. She almost drooled when she thought of the food she had at the Song family’s house yesterday.
“But… how can I…” She said with a slightly red face.
Qin Xiaoyao was amused by Big Girl Li’s expression.
“What is there to be embarrassed about? We’re sisters now, and we’ll be making money together in the future, so there’s no need to be so formal!”
Big Girl Li’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“Thank you, Sister Sanya!” She immediately thanked her.
No matter how much Qin Sanya had bullied her in the past or how much she hated Qin Sanya, at least for now, Big Girl Li felt that Qin Sanya was a good person!
“Hehe!” Qin Xiaoyao chuckled a few times.
She asked Big Girl Li to help out in the kitchen.
After a while, just as Qin Xiaoyao was about to start cooking on the stove, she suddenly heard voices coming from outside.
“Eldest Son Song’s household…”
Qin Xiaoyao was a special ability user, so she had good hearing. As soon as the other party spoke, she heard her voice clearly.
“Coming!” Qin Xiaoyao replied. She put down the spatula in her hand and quickly went out.
At the entrance of the courtyard stood a middle-aged woman.
She was dressed neatly, and there was no patchwork on her clothes. By the standards in the countryside, it was considered more refined and presentable.
“Aunt Li, why are you here?” Within a second, Qin Xiaoyao recognized the person opposite her.
She was the wife of Uncle Li, the village chief of Brook Falls Village.
When Qin Xiaoyao’s predecessor married into Brook Falls Village, this person had even attended her wedding banquet.
Of course, just like the other villagers, she did not extend her predecessor much courtesy.
“Oh, I’m here to bring you a message,” Aunt Li replied. The way she looked at Qin Xiaoyao showed that she wasn’t very happy.
If butcher Qin hadn’t given her two copper coins worth of meat, she wouldn’t have been willing to help bring the message.
“Your father asked me to send you a message, saying that… over at Fortune Mansion, they want you to send another two hundred catties of Chinese… Chinese whatever to them tomorrow. And also… straw sandals. He said they are sold out. He wants you to send some over as well.” Aunt Li stuttered quite a bit.
Primarily, it was because butcher Qin hadn’t explained it clearly, so she had only remembered the rough gist of the message.
Qin Xiaoyao’s eyes lit up when she heard that.
“Alright, I know! Thank you, Aunt Li!” She quickly thanked her.
Just then, Aunt Li suddenly saw many pairs of straw sandals on the steps under the eaves of the Song family’s house.
“Your… your family is weaving straw sandals?” she asked Qin Xiaoyao after seeing the straw sandals.
It was her little grandson’s birthday today, and that was why she went to town to get some meat.
In the end, she saw that butcher Qin was also selling straw sandals in addition to selling meat.
At that time, quite a few people were hanging around looking and buying them, saying that the style was nice and they were cheap.
She watched from the side for a while. She was going to buy a pair as well. However, before she could speak, those few pairs of straw sandals were all snatched away.
Butcher Qin asked Aunt Li to help him pass on a message asking his daughter to send him straw sandals.
She had been feeling puzzled earlier, but now she seemed to understand what was going on.
So, butcher Qin’s straw sandals were sent by the Song family? The Song family knew how to weave straw sandals?
That didn’t sound right. If the Song family had such skills, why didn’t they make straw sandals for sale before?
“Yes, just me, my Mother, and Yun’er. When we’re free, we’ll weave some. After the sandals are done, I ask my father to help me sell them in exchange for a few copper coins,” Qin Xiaoyao replied.
Aunt Li’s expression changed immediately.
“Then, how much are you selling these straw sandals?” she asked Qin Xiaoyao tentatively after listening to her.
Butcher Qin’s stall sold the straw sandals for four copper coins, and everyone was fighting to buy them. She wanted to buy it, but she didn’t even get the chance.
She wondered how much it would cost if she got them from the Song family themselves.
Even if they were sold for the same four copper coins as at butcher Qin’s stall, it was still worth it to buy straw sandals of this quality.
Qin Xiaoyao had an idea suddenly.
She smiled and said, “It’s not anything expensive. People from our village can buy it for only three copper coins.”
Aunt Li’s eyes lit up.
“Three copper coins?” The surprise in her eyes was almost impossible to hide.
“Yes.” Qin Xiaoyao nodded with a smile.
“Aunt Li, do you want to choose a pair? There are all kinds of sizes.” After she finished speaking, Qin Xiaoyao looked at the straw sandals on the steps under the roof eaves.
Only then did Aunt Li suppress the excitement on her face.
“I’ll have three pairs then. Pick a pair for Uncle Li and my two nephews.” After saying that, she entered the courtyard.
At the same time, the way she looked at Qin Xiaoyao was a lot less unfriendly.
“Good! I’ll help you pick.” Qin Xiaoyao quickly led Aunt Li over.
Then, after inquiring about the lengths of the feet, she showed her a few pairs of straw sandals.
When Aunt Li received the straw sandals, she saw that the style and weaving technique were really good. Even the quality was good, and she liked them even more.
“Why don’t… I get a pair each for my two daughters-in-law and my little grandson as well?” Seeing that there were smaller-sized straw sandals, Aunt Li said again.