Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 640 - 596: The Care of the Li Family, The Change of Li Yu En (1)
Mu Yuanxiu and Li Xingmao, together in the fields, supervised the hired short-term workers planting rice seedlings.
Li Xingmao led people to tidy up a marshy patch in front of the house and expanded some dry land. Now the Li Family has over ten mu of paddy fields and thirty mu of dry land, all relying on short-term workers for help.
In Taohua River Village, families with little land, after managing their own fields, often go out to find other jobs to increase their income.
Working as short-term workers for families with lots of fields is their regular job.
Easier tasks pay sixty wen a day.
For high-intensity work like planting rice seedlings, it’s eighty wen a day, and for those who are quick and do well, it’s ninety wen a day.
The wages for short-term workers at the Li Family are settled on the same day after the work is completed.
Moreover, they provide a lunch and tea.
People in the village compete to do the job.
After reclaiming the fields from the Second Master Chai, the Eldest Young Master Chai gave them to Chai Eying, who then handed them over to Li Xingmao to manage.
Together, the couple now has over a hundred mu of fields in hand.
Li Xingsheng walked to the edge of the field and loudly called out Mu Yuanxiu’s name from the crowd.
Li Xingmao patted Mu Yuanxiu’s shoulder, "Yuanxiu, they’re calling you, go and see what’s up."
Mu Yuanxiu nodded in agreement and walked onto the road from the narrow field path.
"Third Sister healed Pei Wulang’s heart palpitations. But she said the chest wound needs care day and night. Pack some of her clothes, and I’ll deliver them." Before Mu Yuanxiu approached, Li Xingsheng said.
Mu Yuanxiu was surprised, "Brother-in-law’s illness is cured?"
"Yes, at first he refused treatment, that boy, very stubborn, choosing to suffer attacks every few days rather than seek treatment. But your Big Sister is strong, tamed and persuaded him to get treated after all." Thinking of the couple, Li Xingsheng felt both exasperated and amused.
Perhaps, this is what they call a perfect match?
Li Yuwen has such a bad temper, and only Pei Shenyan can bear it. Who knows what method he used to tame Li Yuwen effectively.
Pei Shenyan has high standards, ordinary women don’t interest him, yet he only had eyes for Li Yuwen.
Mu Yuanxiu was happy for Pei Shenyan, "Brother-in-law is better, Big Sister must be happy."
"Of course! Not to mention, after this incident, your Big Sister’s temper has improved significantly." Li Xingsheng laughed.
Mu Yuanxiu let Li Xingsheng wait at the Li Family, while he went back up Niu Tou Mountain to prepare Li Yuzhu’s clothes.
Who knows how many days Li Yuzhu will stay at the Pei Mansion; considering the weather getting hotter by the day and with the Dragon Boat Festival half a month away, Mu Yuanxiu simply prepared Li Yuzhu’s summer clothes as well.
Three spring outfits, three summer outfits, several sets of underclothes, along with two pairs of clean shoes and several pairs of socks, were folded neatly into a rattan box.
He also caught two rabbits, placed them in a cage, and brought them down the mountain together.
Once at the Li Family, Mu Yuanxiu didn’t hand the box and rabbit cage to Li Xingsheng but tied them to his mule, "Second Brother, I’m going too."
Li Xingsheng teased him with a smile, "You two really are inseparable, can’t leave each other even for a few days? Worried we’ll bully Third Sister?"
Mu Yuanxiu twitched his mouth, leading the mule towards the gate, "I’m going to see Brother-in-law."
"Stubborn!" Li Xingsheng chuckled, pointing at him.
He also led out a horse and mounted it.
On the horse’s back, there was a big bundle of supplements and herbs.
This was a gift of supplements from Princess Consort Luling and Chai Eying for Pei Shenyan. They also told Li Xingsheng to convey their message to Li Yuwen that family members would visit Pei Shenyan the next day.
Reaching the field edge, Mu Yuanxiu greeted Li Xingmao and then rode off, one on a mule, the other on a horse. As dusk approached, they rode towards Pei Mansion on the town’s market street.
Li Yuwen saw the two carrying quite a lot of stuff, and laughed, "Have you moved all of Third Sister’s belongings here?"
"Third Sister’s belongings are with Yuanxiu, this is for Brother-in-law Pei, a gift from Mother and Sister-in-law," Li Xingsheng said, stuffing a package into Li Yuwen’s hands.
Li Yuwen opened it and found two pieces of old ginseng inside, along with antler and reishi powder.
She recognized that the County Magistrate’s Wife sent these, have they not used any? Did they bring everything here?
Mu Yuanxiu handed the rabbit cage to Pei Fusheng.
Pei Fusheng was surprised, "Such plump rabbits."
He happily took them to the kitchen.
Li Yuwen arranged for Li Yuzhu to stay in the West Courtyard, and called Aunt Zhou and the little maid Cui Xi to take Li Yuzhu’s luggage to the West Courtyard.
Mu Yuanxiu and Li Xingsheng followed Li Yuwen to the study to see Pei Shenyan.
On the back of Pei Shenyan’s hand, many thin and transparent tubes were inserted.
Li Yuzhu sat by the bed, focused intently on the water droplets in those tubes.
After Li Xingsheng left, Pei Shenyan slept for another hour and now felt much better.
Seeing Mu Yuanxiu and Li Xingsheng arrive together, Pei Shenyan smiled slightly, "Yuanxiu, you’re here?" Then he called out to Li Xingsheng, "Second Brother."
Li Yuzhu turned around and smiled at Mu Yuanxiu, "Why did you come too?"
Mu Yuanxiu glanced at Pei Shenyan on the bed, "Here to see brother-in-law."
"I’m much better, thank you all for your concern." Pei Shenyan said with a smile.
Mu Yuanxiu waved his hand, "Brother-in-law, it’s better to speak less. We’ll ask Yu Zhu."
Li Yuwen walked in with a tray of tea, glanced sideways at Pei Shenyan, and said teasingly, "He just can’t keep his mouth shut! Before his illness, his mouth was like it was sewn shut, wouldn’t say a word for half a day. Now, it’s different, he insists on talking even when told not to, causing problems with his wound, making third sister busy again."
Her sharp tongue was always impressive, making anyone mad in just a few words, but Pei Shenyan never got angry when she talked like this. Especially today, he kept smiling.
This made Li Yuwen criticize him even more.
"Yeah, you better keep quiet. We’ll ask third sister." Li Xingsheng also gestured for him to quiet down.
"Alright." Pei Shenyan still spoke, uttering one word.
Li Yuwen put down the tray, grabbed a feather duster, and waved it at Pei Shenyan, scolding fiercely, "Pei Shenyan, are you speaking again? When you fully recover, see how I deal with you!"
Pei Shenyan blinked and pressed his lips together tightly.
This made everyone in the room unable to hold back their laughter.
Li Yuzhu had to stay with Pei Shenyan to observe the post-surgery reaction.
Mu Yuanxiu, worried she might not be accustomed to staying here, stayed to accompany her.
Naturally, this led to another round of teasing from Li Xingsheng.
Anyone else, like Pei Shenyan, would have blushed and felt embarrassed.
But Mu Yuanxiu was very open, never embarrassed, always retorting, making Li Xingsheng too embarrassed to continue.
.
The next day happened to be a school holiday.
Prince Luling and his wife, Li Yu En, along with Li Xingmao and Chai Eying, brought their children to visit Pei Shenyan.
After resting for a night, Pei Shenyan felt much better, and with Li Yuzhu’s permission, he could say brief words.
After asking about Pei Shenyan’s health, Prince Luling comforted him, telling him to rest and recover without worry, assuring that he would arrange for Li Xingsheng to help with anything needed.
The Princess Consort of Luling checked on Pei Shenyan’s meals, personally going to the kitchen to make nutritious meals with Aunt Zhou for the patient.
The younger children were all urging their big uncle to get well soon so he could take them kite flying.
Pei Shenyan made excellent kites, which Li Jing and Guoguo greatly adored.
"Alright, once I’m better, I’ll make you a big kite," he smiled gently at the children.
Everyone greeted him warmly, except the two-month-old baby Li Yu who couldn’t speak yet.
The enthusiasm of the Li Family deeply touched Pei Shenyan.
He silently vowed to recover quickly and live a good life.
.
Three days after Pei Shenyan could walk normally, Lou Chengye, who had followed Magistrate Lou on an official duty, came to the Li Family.
Li Yu En was very happy to see him, repeatedly asking how he had been lately.
Lou Chengye stared at Li Yu En like he was seeing someone he didn’t recognize, "Aren’t you my wife? Who are you?"
Li Yu En froze, her eyes turning red, and she burst into tears, "Lou Chengye, how could you forget me?"
Lou Chengye hurriedly comforted her, "Don’t cry, don’t cry, I was joking. Yu En, I meant you’ve changed, become even prettier, I almost didn’t recognize you."
It turned out that in the past three months with the Li Family, Li Yu En had been climbing Niu Tou Mountain daily with Li Yuzhu, who had also prepared a slimming menu for her.
Before, making pancakes every day was exhausting, and eating less left her with no energy for work, so Li Yuzhu never insisted on her losing weight.
But now it was different, Li Yu En, as the daughter-in-law of a magistrate, no longer needed to do heavy labor.
With reduced physical activity, Li Yuzhu began reminding her to lose weight.
With everyone’s support, Li Yu En lost ten pounds in three months.
Her previously chubby figure was gone, now slightly plump.
Li Yu En’s full-moon face had slimmed into an oval face.
Moreover, since she was still growing, these changes mutually enhanced her slimmer appearance.
Discovering she looked better, Li Yu En started to consciously control her diet, no longer eating lots of snacks after meals.
Being coaxed by Lou Chengye made Li Yu En feel better.
"Have I become prettier?" Li Yu En looked at her hands and arms, feeling pleased with herself.
"It’s obvious you’ve lost weight, there’s no flesh on these hands." Lou Chengye sighed, "Yu En, have you been missing me?"
Li Yu En felt embarrassed by the question.
She had only missed Lou Chengye for three days, then forgot to continue missing him.
