Zhao Laotaitai was furious at the sight of white rice and pork; she simply couldn't bring herself to eat it.
She said angrily, "I know you've earned a bit of money, but money isn't meant to be spent like this. The harvest isn't good, and there are many places where we'll need money later. Er Gou is at most half a year away from getting married. The family doesn't even have a place for him to live. Aren't we saving money to build a wooden house for Er Gou? I heard from Matchmaker Wang that recently, the betrothal gifts have all increased by half a tael of silver..."
Zhao Er Gou opened his mouth and said, "A-Nai, it's still too early for me to get married."
Zhao Laotaitai didn't think it was early at all. There were several sixteen-year-old boys in the village who had already had sons.
Her gaze rested on Wu Huiniang's somewhat pale face, and she said sternly, "Since you're pregnant, stay home and rest well. Don't run around everywhere. Seeing a doctor costs forty or fifty *wen*. Money doesn't just blow in with the wind..."
Wu Huiniang lowered her head apologetically, "I will listen to A-Nai."
Cheng Loanloan considered in her heart that she definitely couldn't let Wu Huiniang do so much work in the future.
There was at most one more month before the season for eating ice jelly would pass. She had to seize this opportunity to expand the market. She needed her sons to go to town to help. Most importantly, she wanted to broaden her sons' horizons and develop their business acumen or other abilities. She couldn't always be at the forefront herself.
After selling ice jelly in the morning, they could return in the afternoon. Some fieldwork could be done after they returned. Chopping firewood and fetching water could be done in the evening. Wu Huiniang could manage her own lunch. The only thing that needed looking after was the flock of chickens and ducks at home.
If Si Dan were at home, feeding the chickens and ducks could be entrusted to Si Dan. But she planned to send Si Dan to school next. She would ask about it tomorrow to see how things were. Of course, it also depended on whether Si Dan wanted to go. If he didn't, that was fine too; he could just stay home and raise chickens and ducks.
"If you want to do anything in the fields, call Xia Hua to help. Why must you go to the fields yourself and suffer..."
Zhao Laotaitai's mind kept wandering.
Cheng Loanloan smiled and said, "Mother, may I trouble you with something?"
Zhao Laotaitai glared at her warily, "What do you want to do?"
She had suggested that Xia Hua come to help. What other trouble did the eldest daughter-in-law want to cause? She wouldn't want to let Dashan's daughter-in-law come to the old house for a free meal, would she?
One lunch wasn't much, but it wasn't little either... Forget it, for the sake of the Zhao family's bloodline in Dashan's daughter-in-law's belly, one meal was nothing.
"Let me tell you first, there's no white rice or pork for lunch at the old house, only coarse grains and steamed buns. Do you want to eat that?"
Cheng Loanloan: "..."
Where had the conversation gone? When had she said that Huiniang should go to the old house to eat?
She opened her mouth helplessly, "I want Mother to arrange for someone from the old house to come to our house to feed the chickens and ducks, and dig some wild vegetables or something. They only need to be responsible for one lunch. In the evening, after Si Dan returns, he can do it himself. Whoever is responsible for this will be given two copper coins."
"We're all one family, why mention money?" Zhao Laotaitai said angrily. As soon as she finished speaking, the old woman thought of something else. If this money ended up entirely in the eldest daughter-in-law's hands, it would all turn into white rice and pork. This was a spendthrift woman, her fingers full of holes. She had to help her three grandsons save money for their weddings!
Thinking of this, the old madam continued, "Then pay two silver coins. I'll go back and ask who is willing to do this work."
Wu Huiniang opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but Cheng Luoluo glared at her.
Since she was pregnant, she should honestly accept the arrangements. Women in ancient times had lives thinner than paper. If something truly happened, regret would be useless.
Before, there were no conditions, but now that they had earned a little money, she should properly take care of her pregnancy.