Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 407: Hating Myself for Being a Wretch
On the first day of the New Year, the entire village of Liu Family Village gathered funds to build a large water mill, which was inaugurated and officially put into use.
The riverside beneath Qin Yao’s house grew quiet. The usually bustling mill suddenly fell silent.
Second Lang carried back the money box and counted the copper coins inside, a total of eleven copper coins.
"From now on, no one will visit our water mill."
Second Lang regretfully patted the well-worn money box on the table, storing away this final income from the water mill.
Liu Ji also sighed, "Even mosquito legs are meat; accumulating small amounts adds up. Each month, it used to bring in about one hundred and seventy or eighty coins."
Da Lang listened to the sound of the large waterwheel turning from the village entrance and the villagers’ cheers of surprise at the large millstone, and remarked cheerfully:
"But we no longer rely on the water mill’s income for sustenance. It’s a good thing the village has its own mill now."
"Moreover, if we need to use the mill, we don’t have to wait for others to finish. We can use it whenever we want."
Most importantly... Da Lang looked at his father, who was reluctant about the copper coins, and said, "Father, you don’t have to repair the water mill every few days anymore."
With fewer users, the wear and tear is slower. Previously, it needed repairs several times a month, but now, two or three times a year will suffice.
Liu Ji raised his eyebrows; thinking about it like this, it didn’t seem too bad.
After the fifth day of the New Year, the weather grew warmer day by day, and with seven or eight consecutive sunny days, the ice and snow melted, and spring had arrived.
With the river water warming, Ah Wang gathered a large bucket of dirty clothes and called Liu Ji from outside the study door to go to the riverside to wash clothes.
At that moment, the sky was still dim, with a layer of gray-white mist, and the village women’s laundry cohort was not yet up.
Going to the riverside at this time allowed the two grown men to avoid ridicule.
Though Ah Wang usually appeared emotionless, he would flee hastily when faced with the Liu Family Village women’s playful teasing.
Thus, the laundry duo reached an understanding, acting an hour ahead of the laundry cohort each time.
Bed sheets and covers that had slept through the winter needed to be cleaned thoroughly and dried during the warm, sunny weather.
Unable to spread out in the courtyard, it was more practical to go to the riverside.
Liu Ji put down his book, emerged from the door, took a bucket of Qin Yao’s clothes handed by Ah Wang, pulled the collar up to cover his nose, and both of them, skulking through the dim light, made their way to the riverside.
Ah Wang, being strong, was responsible for washing heavy bed sheets and blankets.
Liu Ji took on the lighter laundry tasks.
Today, there weren’t many dirty clothes from Da Lang’s siblings, mainly those of Qin Yao.
Liu Ji had to wash her clothes, shoes, and socks himself; if Ah Wang dared to help, he’d surely get scolded by the master of the house.
This was also why Ah Wang would insist that the unwilling master of the house join in tasks he could have completed alone.
After staying in the village for a long time, whenever Ah Wang fetched water from the well, the village women would often tease him.
Initially, Ah Wang didn’t notice the nuances between husbands and wives, but now, after hearing the women’s hints, he understood that some chores were inconveniently left for the master of the house to handle.
Liu Ji watched Ah Wang, having finished washing the bed sheets early, standing aside with arms folded, staring blankly while waiting for him, and felt resentment!
He cursed himself for being spineless!
The wicked woman tormented him countless times, yet he coldly washed her intimate garments by the riverside!
"Master, they’ve set off!" Ah Wang’s voice sounded slightly tense.
Clearly, the laundry cohort had left a significant impact on the young man’s mind.
Upon hearing, Liu Ji quickly looked up.
He saw a squad of women, led by He and Sister-in-law Zhou, heading towards the river, holding buckets in one hand and bats in the other, chatting and laughing.
Liu Ji was startled awake, hurriedly dunked the robe skirt in his hand into the water, rinsed it twice to remove the soap suds, wrung it out messily, tossed it into the bucket, lifted the heavy wooden bucket, and called Ah Wang, "Let’s retreat!"
"Eh?"
Sister-in-law Zhou curiously pointed towards the bridge, "Isn’t that your third child, He Hua?"
"Where?"
He looked over suspiciously, only catching a glimpse of a familiar silhouette, seemingly carrying something and darting into a house, only managing to catch sight of a wet hem.
Turning back to exchange a glance with Sister-in-law Zhou, the two of them smiled knowingly.
Others asked what they were laughing about, and the two feigned ignorance, but their laughter grew louder and more penetrating, turning Liu Ji, who was hanging laundry in the courtyard, red with embarrassment.
"What’s so funny!" Liu Ji grumbled quietly.
Ah Wang earnestly said, "They’re laughing at us."
After speaking, his neck turned bright red.
Liu Ji replied, "Look at your timid demeanor; we’re grown men with some pride. What are we afraid of? We’re not doing anything shameful. If they want to laugh, let them. They’re just full to bursting!"
Ah Wang mumbled in agreement and continued hanging the sheets.
The sun rose, and smoke curled from the rooftops of each household as a new day began.
Today was the sixteenth day of the New Year, the first day of factory work.
After breakfast, Qin Yao left for the factory to organize the new year’s production work.
The holiday had lasted for twenty days, but it felt to her like it had passed in a blink.
On the first day back at work, the factory was bustling; everyone was still reminiscing about the New Year’s joy, and the entire factory atmosphere was harmonious.
Qian Wang had returned to Liu Family Village the previous day. He had rented a room in Liu Dafu’s ancestral home, tidying it up yesterday, and this morning, carried a stack of slips and accounts to find Qin Yao.
At the start of the new year, deposits for materials and payments for workers were to be arranged, and various financial matters were handled. The abacus in Qin Yao’s hands crackled with sparks.
Having settled the accounts, Qin Yao handed the necessary silver to Qian Wang, then slouched back in her chair, exhaling deeply.
The sun shone brilliantly at the doorway, slanting into the room. With nothing pressing to do, Qin Yao moved the chair to the office door, soaking up the sun and waiting for her family to call her home for lunch.
If there wasn’t anything urgent in the afternoon, she’d tidy up the damaged bows and arrows from the previous wolf hunt.
As she pondered, the sound of rolling wagon wheels and trotting hooves echoed from the factory entrance.
Though Qin Yao didn’t have a supernatural memory, the sound of hooves at the main gate felt particularly familiar to her.
As she wondered, Shunzi came rushing over, "Manager Qin, someone from the Ding Family is here! They asked if you’re at the factory. If you are, they asked me to notify you that they will wait for you at your house!"
Sitting leisurely on the chair, Qin Yao stood up, "Where are they?"
Shunzi halted, catching his breath, and replied, "They just entered the village. About a dozen people came, and a carriage too. The person who spoke to me seemed like the second young master of the Ding Family, and in the carriage... might be Landlord Ding!"
Qin Yao’s brows furrowed slightly. The Ding Family had only one young master and one young lady, so where did this second young master come from?
Before she could inquire, Shunzi mumbled to himself, "Wasn’t Landlord Ding in the Capital? Since when did he return?"
Qin Yao glanced at the sky; it was less than two hours until noon.
"Shunzi, let Yun Niang and the others know I’ll be heading back first."
With that, she left promptly.
