Song Sanniang's Journey to Wealth

The ox cart stopped in front of a blacksmith shop. There were many things on the cart, so Song Dazhi didn't go in. He just waited at the door.

When Song Laoer and his family walked in, they saw several naked men in short coats holding hammers and vigorously hammering red-hot iron blocks. The muscles in their arms were tense and sweat was dripping from their foreheads.

Song Lao Er shouted, "Brother, I'm here to see you."

When Boss Song heard the familiar voice, he looked towards the door. He happily put down the hammer in his hand and said to the men working with him, "My brother is here. I'll talk to him first and finish the work later."

One of the tall and big men said in a muffled voice, "Go ahead, your brother hasn't been here for a long time."

Boss Song picked up the towel from his neck and wiped the sweat off.

He said happily to Song Laoer's family, "Why are you all here? Are you here for the market today? Sanniang has grown taller. Haha, have you had breakfast? Second brother, let me treat you to a meal. Don't you like the wontons from the shop across the street? Come on, let's go eat together."

After saying that, he happily pulled Song Laoer out.

As soon as he walked out of the door, he saw Song Dazhi at the door as well. He walked over in surprise and patted him on the shoulder. “Okay, Dazhi, why are you here too?”

"Brother, I'm bringing my second brother to see you." Song Dazhi said happily.

"Haha, come on, let's go eat together." Boss Song said and wanted to pull Song Dazhi to go with him.

Song Dazhi gestured to Song Lao Da to look at his ox cart, "Brother, look at all the things on the cart, how dare I leave? Go and eat, have a good time together. I just had breakfast this morning, so I'm not hungry."

When Boss Song saw the full load of things in the car, he asked curiously, "Why did you buy so many bamboo bowls and fruits?"

Song Lao Er said at the right time, "Brother, Sanniang and I are doing some sweet soup business at home to make a little money. There are too many things and it's not convenient to choose by myself, so I asked Dazhi to help me."

When Boss Song heard this, he felt that there was something fishy going on. Why did his brother go into business for no apparent reason? However, he did not ask any more questions. He only said to Song Dazhi apologetically, "Let's go eat first and I'll bring it back to you later."

"Thank you, big brother." Song Dazhi didn't want to refuse.

Four people walked into the wonton shop, found a table near the corner, sat down, and ordered their food.

"What's going on?" Boss Song asked.

Song Laoer scratched his head, not knowing how to start.

"Sanniang, you are the most obedient, so you speak." Boss Song turned to ask Song Sanniang.

Song Sanniang looked at Song Laoer and then at Song Ersao who was keeping her head down and not saying anything. She sighed and told Song Laoda everything about how she got sick, split up the family, and started selling sugar water at her own home.

After listening to this, Boss Song remained silent. Finally, he said, "As your brother, I am sorry for you."

Song Lao Er patted Song Lao Da's shoulder and said, "Brother, what are you talking about? How can you be so sorry to me? I am doing well selling sugar water now. I earn much more than before, and I am not tired at all."

After saying that, he looked around and made a mysterious gesture to Boss Song, "I can earn so much every day now." With a little pride in his tone, he tried hard to dilute the strange emotions brought by Boss Song's words.

Boss Song knew that his wife was the reason why his brother was separated from his family. The thing he regretted most in his life was marrying her.

He grew up with his younger brother. He was several years older than his younger brother and had always taken care of him. Neither he nor his younger brother were good at studying. They only learned a few words and some arithmetic from their father and then stopped studying.

He was tall and strong, with brute force, and was noticed by his father-in-law, who made him an apprentice blacksmith. He also liked this job. He liked the feeling of slowly hammering a piece of rotten iron into a perfect piece of iron tool with his own hands.

While he was working, Mrs. Song would come out from time to time to talk to her father. Gradually, his master saw something and told Mr. Song that he wanted him to marry his daughter, but Mr. Song refused.

Because Boss Song never even looked at Sister Song. He was a gentleman, and he was also devoted to his work. He didn't have extra time to waste on looking at girls, and he didn't think about this matter.

Song Dasao was a person who would do anything to achieve her goal. She secretly found someone to leak the news to Mrs. Song. When Mrs. Song heard that the girl's family lived in the city and had a blacksmith shop, and that she was her son's master, she was immediately overjoyed. She found someone to propose marriage herself, and only found out about it when the matter was finalized. Mrs. Song had no choice but to accept it.

Ever since Mrs. Song came into the family, Song Laoer's situation began to become a little difficult.

Because at that time Song Laoer was still young and had not gone out to work, and Mrs. Song also loved her youngest son, so naturally she would give Song Laoer the good things.

Mrs. Song treated him with disdain, and in order to please the new daughter-in-law, Mrs. Song had to be less nice to Mr. Song at first.

At first, Song Laoer was very confused about why his mother suddenly changed, but as time went by, he gradually understood. He began to become silent, and the relationship between the brothers began to become alienated.

It was not until Song Lao Er married Song Ersao despite Mrs. Song's objection that the mother and son became estranged. At that time, Song's father passed away, and Mrs. Song blamed Song Ersao for the incident, thinking that she was the one who killed Mr. Song.

When Song Ersao gave birth to Song Sanniang and the other two, Mrs. Song wanted to divorce Song Ersao immediately. So the family was divided when Song Sanniang fell ill.

Boss Song sighed inwardly. He didn't know what to do. She gave birth to four children for him, but she also made the family live in turmoil. He didn't know how to face his brother.

So this is why his father-in-law asked him to stay in the store to help and go home when he had something to do, and he agreed.

Facing the gesture made by Song Lao Er, he pretended to praise, "Not bad, much better than your brother, I can earn a hundred coins a day."

"Brother, it's not a hundred cents." Song Lao Er winked proudly.

Boss Song gasped, this time he was really surprised. "One or two?" he asked quietly.

Song Lao Er nodded.

"My brother is amazing." Boss Song said with full of pride.

After hearing what Boss Song said, Boss Song felt a surge of heat in his heart, which hit his eyes. His eyes turned red, and he wanted to say something but couldn't.

At this time, the food was served.

The steaming bowl is filled with a clear soup made from pork bones and dried bonito flakes. Plump wontons are floating in the soup, and it’s garnished with a little green onion.

Take a bite of the wonton, the wonton skin is as smooth as silk, chew it carefully, the meat filling is fresh and delicious, and taste it again, sesame seeds are added in it.

The sesame seeds feel a little crunchy when bitten, followed by the full aroma of sesame oil, which makes people unable to stop eating.

All four of them were sweating from eating, but they couldn't stop. Song Ersao ate the slowest. By the time she had finished her last mouthful of soup, the waiter had packed up the takeout for Song Dazhi.

A small wonton like this cost eight cents and a large one ten cents, for a total of forty-six cents. Song Lao Er stopped Song Lao Da, who was half a head taller than him, to pay the bill.

Boss Song patted Boss Song's shoulder again, but said nothing.

"Brother, have you ever thought about not working as a blacksmith anymore?" Song Lao Er suddenly asked.

Boss Song thought about it seriously, and then said, "I haven't thought about it. While you can still work, do more. Your two nephews haven't married yet, and you still have to save up dowries for your two nieces."

"Brother, have you ever thought that you might not be able to get back the money you deposited with your father-in-law?" Song Lao Er asked again.

Boss Song worked as an apprentice for a year, and became a master after marrying Sister Song.

Apprentices did not receive any salary. After becoming a master, they received 500 wen a month. Later, after Mrs. Song gave birth to a child, the salary increased to one tael.

In fact, this price is very low. You should know that an ordinary piece of iron tool costs two or three hundred coins. Every month, Boss Song can make more than twenty pieces of ordinary iron tools, four or five large pieces, and the large pieces range from one or two taels to dozens of taels.

At the beginning, the monthly salary was paid in full. When Song Dalang was ten years old, his father-in-law Gao the blacksmith only gave him 300 coins per month, and said that he would keep the remaining 700 coins for him to be given out after Song Dalang and he got married.

Mr. Song refused, but Mrs. Song cried and made a fuss, insisting on giving the money to his father for safekeeping. Mr. Song thought the money would not run away, so he had to agree.