Chapter 272: Filled With Excitement
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After setting the cart aside, Su Fengmao heaved a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, “I’m not that tired.”
There were many things in the cart, but he did not need to push it hard because he had control. Otherwise, it would flip over.
Su Fengmao did not feel tired because he knew how many soybeans they had and thought of how much tofu the family could make.
Su Wenwu and the others had also taken turns pushing the cart as they came down from the mountain, but Su Fengmao did not want his wife and daughter to strain themselves, so he and Su Wenwu took turns instead.
They used a simple cart then, which was a little more challenging to push. Su Binglan’s heart ached as she watched her father bend his waist and push the cart.
Although her father usually said he was not tired, she was the one who felt tired just by looking at him.
“Father and Mother, let’s rest before we do more work. Don’t tire yourselves out too much.”
Su Fengmao took a deep breath and said, “It’s fine. This little bit of work is nothing. Back then, I could carry many bags at once when I moved goods at the dock.
He seldom got tired then because he wanted to work daily and bring some copper coins home. He was capable and could earn some money for his family, as many could not do what he did since they did not have the strength. However, could not return to work at docks after severely injuring his foot.
Su Fengmao always said he was okay to comfort everyone. Still, they all felt uneasy whenever he said such things, especially when Su Binglan looked at him from behind.
Her father hunched his back while his shoulders were high, and the other was low when he walked. Su Binglan knew her father had grown accustomed to using his right hand and shoulder to carry things.
After a long time, Su Fengmao’s shoulder would have gotten used to staying in a raised position as it was slightly higher than his left shoulder.
Su Wenzhe’s eyes reddened slightly, “You’ve worked so hard in the past,
Father.”
“It wasn’t hard at all. I just wanted us to live good lives,” Su Fengmao did not think much of it then and, indeed, did not feel tired.
Everyone in the village was like that because they knew life was not free. Many villagers envied Su Fengmao for being able to work at the dock. They knew he could earn many copper coins daily, which would only add up by the end of the month.
When he severely injured his foot later on, the villagers felt sorry for him and visited him with the few spare things they had in their homes.
Su Fengmao remembered these things and knew he had suffered in the past. Hence, he would cherish his current life even more. In the past, he never imagined his family would have the life they have now.
The family could eat delicious foods, live in such a big house, and buy so much land. Therefore, he felt that pushing a cart was not tiring at all.
Moreover, he was working for himself. The more soybeans he and his family brought home, the more tofu they could make and the more money they could earn. He was just happy.
Su Wenxiu and Su Wenwu were silent for a moment before Su Wenwu said, “I can still work, Father. I’ll go to the mountain and pick more soybeans later. The weather is good today, and the moon will shine brightly tonight.”
Su Wenzhe agreed, “That’s right, Father. I can go and help, too, since I’m back from work.
Su Wenxiu exclaimed, “I can do it too, Father!”
The Su brothers had grown up in the village and were unafraid of hard work. The trio insisted that their parents rest and look after Su Xuexuan and Su Xuehai while they went to the mountain to continue picking soybeans.
It was very late at night when the trio returned home again. Their stomachs even growled with hunger, yet none felt tired—instead, they were excited because they had collected many soybeans.
Shen Qiuhua had already prepared dinner by making dumplings. She knew her children were tired, so she should at least make something delicious. She was not good at other things but knew how to make dumplings.
Many villagers had learned how to make dumplings from Shen Qiuhua. As time passed, she became increasingly skilled at making dumplings.
Her husband rolled the dumpling skins for her while she did the rest. Even Su Xuexuan and Su Xuehai used small rolling pins to help roll the skins.
Although the two little ones rolled the skins very slowly, their grandmother
did not stop them from helping. Instead, she encouraged them since they were willing to do it. After all, it would help them develop the habit of being diligent.
When Su Binglan and the others returned from the mountain, Shen Qiuhua quickly went to the stove to cook.
Everyone ate a lot that night as they were exhausted and hungry. After eating, everyone went to their respective courtyards to rest. The courtyards were large, and they all had rooms attached to them.
Shen Qiuhua had prepared their beds, so they just went straight to sleep.
Su Wenxiu thought this was all surreal as he lay in his spacious room and looked around it. The room was big and was more than twice the size of the previous one.
There was also a cabinet, desk, and wardrobe beside the bed. The house had wooden floors, so the family no longer sat on dirt. The roof over their heads was no longer beams with crevices but an entire ceiling.
This way, insects and other things would not fall on them. In the past, things would fall between the crevices when the family slept during the summer.
Su Wenxiu was initially sleepy, but after looking at these things, he became excited and could not fall asleep.
He got down from his bed and looked at his cabinet with a sliding door. He pulled it open and found his old clothes inside, along with two sets of new ones.
Su Wenxiu carefully removed them from the cabinet, tried them on, and gently felt the cloth. After feeling the cloth for a while, he smiled. Then he carefully folded his new clothes and put them back in the cabinet.
He also had a bench, but it looked different from an ordinary one. It was soft to sit on, and his sister said it had cotton on it. He felt very comfortable when he sat on the plush bench. He could even lean against its back and lie down.
His face appeared conflicted as he had so many new things. His courtyard was vast and had several rooms. If he got married and had kids in the future, he and his family could continue living there.
The more Su Wenxiu thought about it, the more excited he became. So that night, he slept very late, albeit smilingly.
Su Wenxiu was not the only one who could not fall asleep. Even Su Wenwu was excited and did not fall asleep until midnight.
Su Wenzhe and Liu Yinyin were amazed when they entered their room. “This is the dressing table I had mentioned. It’s gorgeous!” Liu Yinyin went up to touch it.
At that moment, Su Xuexuan ran over, “Look at my desk, Mom!”
He held his mother’s hand and wanted her to follow him to his room. He was still young, so he shared a room with his younger brother, Su Xuehai.
However, Liu Yinyin said that when he grew up, he could have his own room if he wanted. Still, the house had plenty of rooms for the whole family and more.
Su Xuexuan’s favorite thing in the house was his desk. Many books were on it, including pens, ink, paper, inkstones, candles, and oil lamps. He liked it so much that he dared not touch it. He could not wait to pull his parents over to
show them these things.
Liu Yinyin said smilingly, “Don’t worry. Your aunt knows you wanted a desk to study quietly, so she prepared it for you.”
Su Xuexuan was typically calm and reserved. He rarely showed such emotions but seemed to be thrilled..
