Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 635 - 0591: Work Hard (2)

It didn’t take long before Song Chunniang and her eldest daughter, who had gone to pick wild vegetables, were called back by the second daughter.

On the way, Song Chunniang heard from the second daughter that her ex-husband and ex-mother-in-law had come to her brother’s house to snatch the daughters again. She was both frightened and angry, but upon hearing that they were scared off by Li Yuzhu, she felt relieved and very grateful.

Then, the second daughter also said that Li Yuzhu wanted to invite her and her four daughters to the Li Family to work, which puzzled Song Chunniang.

Why would the Li Family want to hire her and her daughters?

Returning to her brother and sister-in-law’s house, Song Chunniang indeed saw Li Yuzhu and her young husband sitting in the courtyard, talking to her brother and sister-in-law.

Song Chunniang went over, "Big brother, sister-in-law, I’m back." She also nodded at Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu.

The eldest daughter took her backpack and went to the backyard with the second daughter to sort the herbs they had dug up.

In just one hour, the two of them had only managed to dig up half a backpack of ordinary herbs.

Baoshun’s mother, contrary to her usual cold demeanor, smiled and waved at Song Chunniang, "Chunniang, come over, Li San Niang wants to talk to you."

Song Chunniang went over and sat down on a small stool.

She nodded at Li Yuzhu, "Li San Niang, just now on the way back, I heard from my second daughter that you want to invite us to your house to work. But I have never worked at someone else’s house, and I am afraid I won’t do well."

Although the Li Family is a farming family, they are distant relatives of the County Magistrate and in-laws of the Magistrate, and Mr. Li is also a teacher.

Song Chunniang feared that if she didn’t do well, she would only invite mockery.

Li Yuzhu smiled slightly, "It’s not difficult. You just need to take care of kitchen matters. Your eldest daughter can help my sister-in-law take care of the children, and as for your second and third daughters, they can follow my mother’s arrangement once they arrive. Generally speaking, it’s just housework. Do what you normally do, and that’s all. My family is not particularly strict or demanding."

In the past, when they lived in the Capital, the family was indeed very particular, but since coming to this poor mountain village, the blows of hunger and poverty made them lose their taste for wealth.

Even the big brother, who was once a Princely Heir, has carried manure water to fertilize vegetable fields.

The mother, who was a Princess Consort, washes clothes, wipes tables, sweeps the floors, and makes clothes for the entire family every day, taking care of all the housework.

"It’s housework." Song Chunniang breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was something major like managing the household, which she couldn’t manage.

"Your wages are one thousand coins a month for managing our family’s three meals, and your three daughters will earn six hundred coins a month, with food and lodging provided. How does that sound?" Li Yuzhu, seeing her relax a bit, asked again.

"Chunniang, isn’t that how you usually work at the Zhou Family? Their family isn’t smaller than the Li Family, and after working hard for over ten years, didn’t you get any money? The Li Family is even giving you money, and money for your daughters too." Baoshun’s mother was afraid her sister-in-law’s family might rely on them forever and thus persuaded Song Chunniang.

Song Chunniang, hearing about accommodation and food, was already tempted, and as for the money, she didn’t mind the amount.

Her parents passed away early, and she could only return to her brother and sister-in-law’s place.

The brother and sister-in-law’s family wasn’t rich either, with three young children, and they were still in debt.

Staying and freeloading for a few days, the sister-in-law had already expressed discontent.

She had always thought of moving out, but when the Zhou Family drove her out, they only gave her a few changes of clothes and not a single coin.

"Alright, I agree." Song Chunniang nodded.

At the Li Family, she intended to work diligently for a few years, save some money, and marry off her daughters, hoping for better days.

Whether she would return to her brother and sister-in-law with money or live with her daughters in the future, she’d decide then.

Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "Then it’s settled. You all can come with me now, and we’ll take our mule cart."

"Alright, I’ll go tell my daughters." Song Chunniang, with a smile on her face, stood up and called for her daughters.

She went to the backyard and told her three daughters, who were sorting herbs, about the Li Family’s offer. Everyone was very happy.

Because they heard about moving to the Li Family with money and food and lodging, they were all excited.

"Don’t get too excited just yet. Listen to me," Song Chunniang said with a serious face, looking at her three daughters.

The three daughters stood obediently, looking at their mother.

"The Li Family has a kind heart, taking us all in to work with food and money provided. You must be grateful and cannot cause trouble at the Li Family," Song Chunniang sternly said.

"Understood, Mother."

"Also, the Li Family has many people, both adults and children. You must get along well with others, have clean hands, not be lazy, be diligent, and greet the Li Family when you see them; don’t act like wooden dolls," Song Chunniang reminded again.

"Yes, we understand." The three nodded in unison.

Having thought of just as much, Song Chunniang patted her daughters’ shoulders, "Go pack your clothes, we’re heading to the Li Family."

"Yes, Mother."

The three little girls happily ran to their room to pack their clothes.

Song Chunniang exhaled, reorganizing the unsorted herbs. Such a small amount of herbs wouldn’t sell for much, and bringing them to the Li Family wasn’t appropriate as they were there to cook, not to pick herbs.

Song Chunniang spread the herbs on a bamboo sieve, dusted off her sleeves, and went to pack her clothes.

The mother and daughters had left the Zhou Family with only two sets of padded clothes, two summer outfits, and a pair of shoes, with no other belongings.

Even the face cloths were given to them by her sister-in-law, who tore two pieces of old fabric for them to use.

Song Chunniang packed her own clothes and also took those two old cloths.

The four of them wrapped their clothes into one bundle, which was held by Song Chunniang’s eldest daughter, Pandi.

When they reached the front courtyard, Li Yuzhu immediately said, "All set? Let’s go then."

She walked to the gate and lifted the curtain of the mule cart.

Song Chunniang called to her three daughters, "Quick, say goodbye to your uncle and aunt."

"Goodbye, uncle and aunt," the second and third daughters said together.

The eldest daughter, being older and more sensible, said, "When we earn some money, we’ll come back to buy wine for uncle and sweet cakes for aunt."

This was something Baoshun’s mother liked to hear.

She smiled and said, "Alright, alright, I’ll be waiting for you to come back and show your gratitude."

Baoshun’s father took the eldest niece’s bundle and secretly slipped some copper coins to her, whispering, "This is for you and your sisters, don’t let your aunt know."

Pandi blinked and smiled slightly, "Okay."

Baoshun’s father put the bundle into the mule cart and helped his nieces sit down, "Behave and work well at the Li Family."

"Yes, uncle." The three little girls waved to him.

"Big brother, we’re leaving." Song Chunniang looked at her big brother, holding back tears, and got into the cart.

Li Yuzhu was the last to get on the cart.

Mu Yuanxiu waved the whip and steered the mule cart onto the village road.

Baoshun’s mother breathed a sigh of relief, patted her sleeves, and stood up, "The Li Family is really kind, let’s see how the Zhou Family responds now. I’m finally relieved!"

Song Baoshun, having heard his mother, got up in confusion, rubbing his head, "Mother, did the Zhou Family cause trouble again?"

Baoshun’s mother, with an air of exasperation, said, "You idiot, don’t you want to live? You’re not studying well and keep causing me trouble?"

"No, mother, I’m much more behaved now than before, " Song Baoshun protested, scratching his head in confusion.

Baoshun’s father chuckled, "Don’t I know? Everyone says you’re behaving a lot better these days!"

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