My humble days in ancient times

When everyone heard this, they said: This is really possible.

The village head was also inwardly surprised: a ten-year-old child is quite good at talking and judging people. It would be nice to move in and be neighbors with Xu Xiaohua. To the east is Xiaohua and her grandmother, Mrs. Wu. The two grandmothers depend on each other for survival and are easy to get along with. To the west is Zhang Ming and his wife, who make tofu and sell it every day and are also reliable and capable people.

Li frowned: "You are still young, you don't know the hardship of life..."

"Life is all about feeling comfortable. Life is about living the way you want. Besides, my brother and I aren't children anymore."

"You two are not young anymore, but Ruyuan and Qingyan are still young."

"My brother and I will take good care of them."

"No, it's still not safe." The changes were too fast and Li couldn't react.

At this time, the village head also spoke: "You and Dachuan are still related, so you can live together for the time being."

"Since it's broken, it's natural to break it together."

Everyone was silent again.

Xu Dachuan didn't even recognize the girl in front of him. Xu Dachuan was angry: "Have you had enough of this? Stop talking nonsense. Do you have the ability to support yourselves?"

Xu Ruyi asked back, "Dad, can you support the four of us? If you and Aunt Tian have one or two more children, can you support seven or eight of us?"

Xu Dachuan was silent for a while: "Hold on tight, the day will eventually pass."

"But we can't eat enough now, won't it be the same in the future? Maybe we'll be even worse off. Doesn't it make any difference whether we share it or not?"

He Tiezhu agreed: "Dachuan, you have a heavy burden on your shoulders. It will be very hard for you in the future. I agree that you should separate."

Li was exhausted. "Ruyi and Qinghe, think about this carefully. You are still young, so don't be impulsive. Everyone, please take your seats!"

Everyone left the main hall, and at this time, Mrs. Hu was heard saying, "The men in the Xu family are not good, but the women in the Xu family are okay..."

Many villagers heard this and laughed inwardly. There was some truth to this: Xu Dafu hadn't said much for a while, and it was all because of Mrs. Li's worries. The three sons were gentle, not the decisive and forceful type. The eldest was even more honest. The two daughters lived well, speaking and acting much like Mrs. Li, and were capable.

But Xu Ruyi heard the hidden meaning in this sentence, which was her aunt's dissatisfaction and contempt for her uncle.

Xu Ruyi understood that life was unpredictable: a good man couldn't have a good wife, and a good wife couldn't have a good man. Her aunt's ambitions were high, and her uncle was too honest. Her aunt was smart, capable, and eloquent. But her uncle was dull, boring, and honest.

It is very important to choose the right person for marriage. Choosing the right person will bring you lifelong happiness, while choosing the wrong one will bring you lifelong regrets.

The bridesmaid escorted Tian Yuhe into the Li family's house and brought some food. Everyone quickly took their seats, temporarily forgetting what had just happened, and there was laughter and joy.

After dinner, everyone left one after another. He Tiezhu and He Changsheng also said goodbye to Xu Ruyi and his three siblings reluctantly.

He Tiezhu repeatedly reminded him: "Remember to come to me if you have any problems."

That evening, only the Xu family had a reunion dinner. Mrs. Li and her husband had given money. Except for Xu Chunhua, everyone else was there. The adults sat at one table, the children at another.

After the meal, everyone left. The two tables and the floor were a mess. Xu Ruyi and Xu Qinghe cleared the dishes and bowls, discarding any leftovers and saving the better dishes. After washing the pots and bowls, they boiled a pot of hot water. According to Xujia Village custom, they didn't sweep the floor that night.

The next day, Tian Yuhe was called by Li to sweep the floor, symbolizing good fortune. Li scattered a silver coin and 88 copper coins on the floor. Then, Tian Yuhe went to the kitchen to cook. She simply stir-fried a few dishes with a spatula before leaving. Xu Ruyi cooked the meal, and Xu Qinghe cleaned the yard.

After dinner, the brother and sister went to the mountain to pick wild vegetables. Xu Ruyi went to pick violets, and she asked Xu Qinghe to pick dandelions.

When she got home, Tian Yuhe had already prepared dinner. Dinner was the same as before, but after two days, she stopped cooking. She also started foraging for wild vegetables and sometimes visiting neighbors.

Huang Guiyun was chatting with a group of people that day. She saw Tian Yuhe coming over and pulling her to sit down and chat. Huang Guiyun imitated Xu Ruyi arguing with her and said, "Don't look at her because she's young. I'm afraid of arguing with her. I really can't win. Oh, and she even laughed at me for being ugly and praised herself for being beautiful. Isn't that infuriating?"

Then he asked about what happened on Tian Yuhe's wedding day. Huang Guiyun told him what happened that day and was stunned: "I can't believe that little girl actually wants to break off the relationship with you and refuses to call me mother. Tsk tsk tsk tsk... This girl is amazing. She's only ten years old now. I wonder how amazing she will be in the future?"

It was the first time for the others to hear Xu Ruyi speak in this way. Some sighed in their hearts: This is indeed not something a ten-year-old would say.

Tian Yuhe smiled wryly, feeling secretly proud: "He's still a child. If he really doesn't want to call me mother, then forget it. I can't force him."

Huang Guiyun deliberately stood up for the injustice and said, "You are just good-tempered. Some children are ignorant and just need a beating." After saying that, he looked at the others with a guilty conscience.

Tian Yuhe smiled and said, "It will be fine in two years when the child is older. What does it matter if I suffer a little?"

After chatting with everyone for a while, Tian Yuhe went back.

Xu Ruyi and Xu Qinghe dig up violets and dandelions every day and dry a lot of them. This morning they went to the town pharmacy to sell medicinal herbs.

The shopkeeper weighed the flowers: 22 catties of violet gentian and 35 catties of dandelions. Viola gentian was expensive, at 50 wen per catty, so 22 catties was 1,100 wen. Dandelions were 10 wen per catty, so 35 catties was 350 wen. The shopkeeper brought over a tael of silver and 450 copper coins. The siblings took the money, bought some cakes and sugar figurines, and went home.

The house was simple, but Tian Yuhe knew everything inside and outside the house. She could see the medicinal herbs drying in the yard every day.

So when the brother and sister came back, she said, "Give me the money you earned from selling the herbs today, and I'll keep it for you."

Xu Ruyi smiled and said, "Why do you need others to help you collect the money you earn?"

Xu Qinghe just said: "No."

Tian Yuhe was furious: "You are so young, why are you collecting money? Whose child has so many copper coins in his hand?"

The brother and sister washed their hands and went into the kitchen.

He left Tian Yuhe disheveled in the wind and then stood there like a wooden chicken.

Tian Yuhe reacted: So you were pretending to be deaf and dumb, treating me as if I didn't exist, as if I were air?

Tian Yuhe rushed into the kitchen and tried to persuade the brother and sister in every way, but they remained unmoved, or rather, refused to listen.

At dinner in the evening, Xu Dachuan said, "Qinghe Ruyi, give the money you earn from selling medicinal herbs to your mother, and ask her to buy you some clothes in a couple of days."

Tian Yuhe also said: "Yes, your father and I will not use your money, but will use it on you."

Xu Qinghe was unhappy: "I said, you are not our mother..."

Xu Dachuan's face darkened, and Xu Ruyi kicked Xu Qinghe. There was no other discovery under the table.

Xu Ruyi smiled and said, "I've left the money from selling the herbs with the shopkeeper. I'll go back to sell herbs in a couple of days and settle the bill then."

Xu Dachuan wondered, "Shouldn't we settle it right then? Don't leave it for next time. Just sell it once and get the cash directly."

Xu Ruyi smiled and said, "I understand. I won't do that next time."

Unexpectedly, the next day, Tian Yuhe, blinded by money, went to the town pharmacy to ask for money. There were only two pharmacies in town, so it didn't take much time to ask each one. The owner told her that everything was settled at the time and that she didn't owe her child any money.

Tian Yuhe immediately realized that she had been deceived by Xu Ruyi and was extremely angry.