After taking a shower, Song Wangyue draped her hair and came out with the clothes she had changed into.
She put the clothes in a wooden basin and carried them to the well to fetch water for washing.
Song Lin added a handful of firewood to the stove and looked up just in time to see it, telling her to use the water in the tub to wash, “Your third uncle is idle even when you have eaten your fill, just ask him to fill the water tub.”
Song Wan Yue then picked up the side of the jar, scooped the water into the wooden basin and rubbed it.
The Song family did spoil her, but not spoil her. They let her do all the work she could do, and Xu even taught her embroidery and women’s red, but Song Wan Yue stopped learning after only two days, saying she didn’t like it, so Xu didn’t force her anymore.
When she remembered that she had not yet paid Song Ming’s daughter-in-law, she said to Song Wan Yue, “Daya has picked ten catties of mint leaves, and she has not yet had time to pay her.
The two families had now broken off their relationship, especially Song Gua and Song Ming, who had suffered time and again on this side of the family. If they knew that Song Ming’s daughter-in-law was still dealing with this side of the family, they would stumble on her again.
“Okay.”
Xu put the basket down, washed her hands and went to wrap two pieces of the dimsum given by the embroidery shop’s owner Liu, and took out another piece and gave it to Song Wan Yue, “It’s not quite dark yet, the two mothers might still be in the field, so be careful and go back early.”
Song Wan Yue replied, took the stuff and left the house, following the direction she remembered towards the outside of the village.
The villagers were returning from the fields in twos and threes, and when they saw Song Wan Yue, they greeted her warmly.
The Song family also returned with their hoes and saw her from a distance, quickening their pace, Song Shen even trotted over, his head full of sweat, “Yue’er, did the family cook something delicious?”
“No, I’m looking for Third Uncle for something.”
“Oh.”
Song Shen was a little disappointed and put the hoe against the ground as he turned back and shouted, “Third Uncle, Yue’er wants to see you about something.”
Song San Xiao walked at the end of several people.
He had only been honest for a few days and his laziness had returned.
Today, he was seen lazing around by Elder Song and given a severe lecture, so he is now dawdling and listless.
When he heard Song Shen’s words, his whole body gave a jolt and the hoe in his hand almost fell to the ground.
Song Wan Yue came forward and called out to the people one by one, saying, “I haven’t paid my aunt for today’s work yet, I want my third uncle to accompany me to the field to look for her.”
This morning Song Ming’s daughter-in-law had left the mint leaves she had picked at the gate and said so, when Grandma Song and Elder Song were also at home.
At these words Grandma Song nodded, “Go ahead and go home early when you’re done giving them.”
Song San Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, handed the hoe to Song Shu and led Song Wan Yue to the Song Ming family’s field.
There was hardly anyone left in the field, Song Ming’s daughter-in-law was still struggling to hoe the ground, Erma was picking up the gra*s she had hoeed and carrying it to the ridge, she had just put some down when she turned around and saw the two of them, she cried out in fear for her mother.
Song Ming’s daughter-in-law looked over and saw that it was the two of them, so she hurriedly looked around.
When she didn’t see Song Ming, she dared to ask, “Is there something wrong?”
Song Wan Yue had already reached her and handed her the coins and snacks, “This is the money for the work and the snacks, auntie, take it.”
Song Ming’s daughter-in-law’s hand holding the hoe tightened, lowering her eyebrows, “You saved Daya, Young Master Gu also bought Daya for your sake, I can’t repay you for your kindness, I can’t take these.”
The smell of dim sum wafted out through the wrapped paper, Erma couldn’t help but lick her lips and walked over to Song Ming’s daughter-in-law and wrapped her arms around her legs.
At six years old, if she were in a normal household, she would already be very tall, but Erma was not even waist high, her face was yellow and thin, and her hair was sparse.
Song Ming’s daughter-in-law’s grip on the hoe became tighter and tighter.
Song Wan Yue took one of her hands and put something into her hand, “I asked Auntie to pick mint leaves because I wanted to give you a hand, you don’t want Er Ya to be sold in the future too, do you?”
Song Ming’s daughter-in-law’s eyes were suddenly red, she herself had been sold and knew the hardships involved, not to mention the fact that Song Ming was going to sell Daya to who knows where.
“Mother.”
Looking at her daughter’s eager eyes, Song Ming’s daughter-in-law didn’t put up any excuses after all, “Thank you.”
“Family, don’t be polite, if I need mint leaves again later, I will look for Auntie again.”
“Anytime.”
Song Ming’s daughter-in-law said eagerly.
Song Wan Yue nodded and left with Song San Xiao.
Watching the two walk away, Song Ming’s daughter-in-law unwrapped the snack and handed it to Er Ya, who took it and couldn’t wait to take a bite, “Mother, it’s so sweet.”
Song Ming’s daughter-in-law stroked her head, “Take your time, eat only one piece today, and then eat another tomorrow.”
Er Ya nodded and held the snack up on her tiptoes, “Mother, eat it too.”
“Mother doesn’t like sweet things, Erma sit on the ridge and eat.”
Er Ya went over, and Song Ming’s daughter-in-law carried her hoe to the ground and dug a hole at the boundary, putting the copper plate and the dim sum inside, just as she was about to bury them in the soil, she paused again. She put down the hoe, tore off a patch from her own clothes and carefully wrapped the snack in it, before burying it in the soil.
When she had done this, she returned to Erma’s side and saw that she was licking the confectionery crumbs from the paper, and in her other hand she was holding a confectionery that she had only eaten a small amount of.
“Erma, why don’t you finish it?”
Er Ya looked up at the sound of her voice and licked the corner of her mouth, “We’ll take it to my sister when we go to see her in a few days.”
Song Ming’s daughter-in-law stroked her head, “By the time we go to see sister, the snacks will have gone bad, Er Ya will eat them first, and when mother has money later, she will buy them for sister.”
Er Ya was a little reluctant, although she was small, she knew that her sister had gone to work for the Gu family and must not be able to eat such delicious food.
“Eat it.”
……
The following afternoon, when the rest of the Song family went down to the ground, Song Wangyue took out the tonic pills she had brought from Dr. Yao and prepared them into pills.
Bang!
She had just taken out the medicine packet when she heard a sound in the courtyard, which she ignored.
Bang!
Another thump, a little louder than the earlier movement.
Song Wangyue hooked the corner of her mouth and slowly opened the door to go out.
Gu Yi was probing into the courtyard and when he saw her, his eyes curved up, “Little ……”
“Father!”
Song Wan Yue shouted.
Gu Yi froze for a moment, seeing Song Lin step out of the house with one foot, he turned in fear and ran back to the carriage in a flash, climbing up in three or two steps and getting into the carriage, using the curtain to shield himself, revealing only his two eyes to look out.
“Young master, what’s wrong?”
Seeing him like this, Xiao Si asked worriedly.
“Shh!”
Gu Yi gestured for him to be silent, and looked into the distance for a while longer to make sure that Song Lin really hadn’t come out after him, before he lowered the curtain of the carriage and sat down with a palpitating heart.
“Little Four, did I do something wrong to little girl when I was drunk yesterday?”
“No.”
Gu Yi scratched his head, if he hadn’t done anything wrong to Little Girl, how could Little Girl suddenly ignore him today?
