Chapter 31: Chapter 031: Do Me a Favor
Translator: 549690339
“All right then.” Bai San nodded his head and smiled, “1’11 come back to buy more tomorrow, actually, I’ll do all my shopping here from now on. You don’t need to reserve anything for me anymore, 1’11 come early tomorrow.”
It would save people from waiting around for so long.
“Alright,” Zhuang Qingning also smiled.
After Bai San left, Zhuang Qingning packed up the bamboo baskets and the cloche fabric, bid farewell to Mrs. Liu, and led Zhuang Qingsui to go shopping for necessities.
Besides buying a fixed amount of soybeans and a few packets of rice flour, she kept a surplus for emergency use and led Zhuang Qingsui to look for fabric.
The spring clothes they got from the system were the only ones available. Many farmers used to dismantle winter padded clothes, remove the cotton and sew them into spring clothes, but their winter clothes were too worn-out and there was no need to bother with them anymore.
The ordinary coarse cloth was usually woven by skillful and industrious girls and daughters-in-law at home. Only families with clumsy mothers-in-law or no housewives bought fabric outside. Therefore, coarse cloth was not in high demand and it was sold at a low price.
Counting everything, the sisters bought enough fabric for two sets of clothes and two pairs of shoes which only cost a total of twelve coins. They paid the money, took the cloth, put it in the bamboo basket, and then, as per Mrs. Wen’s instructions, went to buy a pound of pork belly.
Zhuang Qingning decided to buy half a pound of pork belly for herself, planning to make a meat sauce for zhajiang noodles for lunch when she returned.
They also went to the winery mentioned by Mrs. Wen to pick up some wine. Then, the sisters started their journey back home.
After arriving home, they put away their purchases. Zhuang Qingning asked Zhuang Qingsui to wash the meat and knead the dough at home while Zhuang Qingning delivered the meat and wine to Mrs. Wen.
“Why are you back so late?” By the time Zhuang Qingning arrived, Mrs. Wen had already finished her lunch.
She enjoyed a meal of rice, scrambled eggs with spring onions, and mixed spinach.
“There was a bit of a delay,” Zhuang Qingning smiled, “Shall I place the pork belly and wine in the kitchen?”
Just leave it there. I’ll clean it up and put it away later.” Mrs. Wen didn’t even lift her head as she replied.
“All right, I’ll be going then.” After storing things in the kitchen, Zhuang Qingning left.
“Go ahead.” Mrs. Wen continued to eat without looking up.
Zhuang Qingning paused in her tracks for a moment.
In the past, Mrs. Wen would huff in a cold tone when she left, but now she was speaking instead. Her voice even sounded less harsh than before.
Maybe she was in a good mood?
Must be, why else would she buy wine and meat? Perhaps she had something joyful to celebrate.
While Zhuang Qingning was pondering this, she went into the courtyard, where Zhuang Qingsui was already adding water to the dough.
The pork belly was cut into small pieces and stir-fried in an iron pot with ginger, garlic, and green onion until it was turned into a meat sauce. The dough was then rolled thin with a large rolling pin, folded, and cut into thin noodles. After adding the noodles to the boiling pot of water to cook, the noodles were drained and rinsed, topped with the delicious meat sauce, and voila, a mouthwatering bowl of black bean noodles was ready.
Served with noodle soup, the sisters chatted and laughed while enjoying their lunch.
After a short afternoon nap, they woke up in the evening, as usual.
They enjoyed scrambled eggs with spring onions, mixed spinach with glass noodles, rice porridge and scallion pancakes for dinner.
It wasn’t yet dark after dinner.
Zhuang Qingsui was going back and forth between the house and the kitchen, constantly searching for something.
“What are you looking for?” Zhuang Qingning was surprised to see her sister rummaging.
“I’m looking to see if there are any shovels or hoes.” Eventually, Zhuang Qingsui found a hoe in one corner. Because it hadn’t been used in a long time and had been exposed to the sun and wind, it was rusty.
“Well, it can still be used.” Zhuang Qingsui looked at the hoe from all angles and tested it before suggesting, “Our courtyard does have a large empty area that is not being utilised, it seems wasted. I am considering tilling the ground and planting some vegetables to use for our daily meals.”
These past few days, they have had to buy vegetables from the market, costing them extra money. Aware that her sister worked hard to earn money, Zhuang Qingsui felt they should save as much as possible.
Despite being young and not the sharpest of minds, she couldn’t think of any other ways to earn money, so, she pondered ways to save instead.
“That’s a great idea,” Zhuang Qingning agreed, nodding her head, “It’s going to be cucumbers and loofah planting season soon. We can cultivate some of them too. By the time summer arrives, we’ll have plenty of vegetables.”
“But first try to hoe some land, I’m going to visit Aunt He next door and will be back soon. Don’t overexert yourself if you get tired.”
“Alright, sister, you go. I understand.” Zhuang Qingsui found a piece of rough pottery and tried to sharpen the rusty hoe, hoping to make it more efficient.
With a piece of coarse cloth from the cloth shop and a piece of tofu reserved especially in the morning in her hand, covered by a cloche, Zhuang Qingning set off towards Mrs. He’s house.
Mrs. He was extremely skilled in needlework. Many of the clothes Zhuang Qingning used to wear were made by her. Asking Mrs. He to help with making clothes provided an excuse to pay her some sewing fees as a reward.
Moreover, Mrs. He had a soft spot for her and only rejoiced because she made money, she would never gossip about her.
When she arrived at Mrs. He’s house, the courtyard doors were open. They had just finished their dinner, and Mrs. He was asking the children to help clean up the bowls, chopsticks, and benches and fetch water for washing dishes.
“Auntie,” Zhuang Qingning called out in her sweet voice and walked in.
“Ning girl?” Mrs. He was a bit curious to see Zhuang Qingning. Upon noticing something cloth-like in Zhuang Qingning’s hand in the dim light, Mrs. He’s brows knitted slightly.
After instructing her children to fetch water for washing dishes, Mrs. He briskly walked over and took Zhuang Qingning to a corner of the courtyard for a chat, “What brings you here?”
“I have a favor to ask, Auntie,” smiled Zhuang Qingning.
Mrs. He’s brow furrowed at this.
Delaying her reply, she figured Zhuang Qingning might need to borrow some grain.
Indeed, it had been several days, and the cornmeal she sent last time must have run out by now.
Although they heard Zhuang Qingning and Zhuang Qingsui had leased Mrs. Wen’s tofu mill and plan to sell tofu in the town in future, but making tofu was not an easy task. Besides, they also heard Mrs. Wen did not teach them the right method to make tofu. Obviously, the two young girls wouldn’t be able to make delicious tofu and earn much money.
As for the cloth prices, weaving technology greatly developed at the end of the Song Dynasty. By the time of the Ming Dynasty, a tael of silver could buy 33 pieces of cotton cloth, which is roughly 30-plus coins per piece of cotton cloth. These are the prices I have based my writing on..
