My humble days in ancient times

Tian Yuhe returned home and rushed into the kitchen, saying, "Hand over your money. I know you must have hidden it."

Xu Ruyi said, "I'll give it to you in two days, don't worry!" But she was thinking, how did she know that we kept the money ourselves? Didn't we tell her that the money was with the owner of the pharmacy?

After a good rest, the brother and sister continued to go up the mountain to dig for medicinal herbs. Of course, the more money, the better.

While the siblings were away, Tian Yuhe and the two children went to play in the village. They then went into Xu Ruyi's house and searched through everything, but found nothing. The same thing happened in Xu Qinghe's house. Tian Yuhe was puzzled: Why was there nothing there? Could it be that they were involved, or had they colluded with the owner of the drugstore?

When Xu Ruyi returned, she saw the mess of clothes in the house. She was still confused. She secretly admired her own cleverness and prudence. She was also grateful to Tian Yuhe for coming to ask for money at noon, which had put her on guard. They say one should always be on guard against others, and it's absolutely true.

A few days later, the brother and sister went to sell medicinal herbs again. After finishing their business, they went directly to the cloth shop and bought four ready-made clothes, one for each of the four brothers and sisters. They also bought a pair of shoes for each of them.

The four brothers and sisters were wearing new clothes and were all very happy. Xu Ruyuan was even more delighted when she looked at her pink floral dress.

At dinner that night, Tian Yuhe said, "You are still young, how can you spend money so carelessly?"

Xu Ruyi explained: "We don't spend money recklessly. Food, clothing, housing and transportation are all necessities. What's wrong with us earning our own money and buying our own clothes?"

At this time Xu Dachuan said: "Have you spent all your money on buying clothes? If not, please leave it with your mother."

Xu Ruyi smiled and said, "There are still twenty coins left, which is not much. Why don't we keep it with ourselves? It can be regarded as our own private money."

When they heard that it was only twenty cents, the two men finally stopped "chasing her relentlessly." Xu Ruyi could finally eat in peace.

With no work in town for the time being, Xu Dachuan stayed home. Tian Yuhe wanted to raise pigs, sheep, and chickens. Xu Dachuan went to town and bought five chickens. He built a chicken coop in the southwest corner of the yard. Then he busied himself building a pigpen. He hired two more helpers, and the three of them finished it in two days. They built two small rooms, one for the pigs and one for the sheep.

Xu Dachuan went to the next village and bought a piglet and three lambs. This gave Xu Ruyi and Xu Qinghe another task: cutting grass for the pigs.

Tian Yuhe was busy at home every day taking care of herself and making clothes. She said she wanted to make clothes for Xu Dachuan and herself.

The brother and sister divided the work, and Xu Ruyi only focused on digging wild vegetables and looking for medicinal herbs.

Xu Qinghe cleaned the yard, fetched water, fertilized and weeded the vegetable garden, and did other odd jobs. In the afternoon, he herded sheep and cut grass for pigs.

Xu Ruyuan and Xu Qingyan go to school in the morning and go to herd sheep in the afternoon.

This is the time when the grass is lush. You can tie the sheep to a tree or fix them on the ground with a wooden plug, and people can also free up their hands to dig up wild vegetables.

Xu Ruyi found a piece of wood, punched holes in both sides, and threaded a hemp rope through it. Then, he tied it to two trees not too far apart. A simple swing was ready. Xu Ruyuan and Xu Qingyan took turns sitting on it. The children who had been playing on the mountain were also drawn over, and they all sat on it and played.

After Xu Ruyi finished digging a basket of herbs, she would come over to tell a story. She told the story of Sima Guang smashing the jar and drilling a hole in the wall to steal light. The children listened with rapt attention, wanting more. She then told the story of Tian Ji's horse race. The children couldn't help but praise it, saying it was a great story and Sister Ruyi was amazing.

A group of children were playing and making noise. When they saw Xu Ruyi going to continue digging wild vegetables, they took Xu Ruyuan and Xu Qingyan and ran off to play somewhere else, laughing and joking.

After Xu Ruyi finished carrying one basket, she came back to carry the second one. Anyway, Xu Qinghe was there to help watch over her.

When Tian Yuhe went to get a towel from the fence in the yard, she found Xu Ruyi's underwear on her towel. She was secretly angry, so she burned a hole in it with a fire starter.

When Xu Ruyi returned home to collect her clothes, she discovered a hole in her underwear. She asked Tian Yuhe about it, but Tian Yuhe refused to admit it and simply said she didn't know.

Xu Ruyi showed it to her grandmother. Li came over to give Tian Yuhe a try. Although Tian Yuhe still denied it, her tone was at least not as harsh.

Xu Ruyi was no pushover. So while Tian Yuhe was out, she used scissors to cut off one of the mandarin duck patterns on the wedding quilt.

Tian Yuhe found out when she was sleeping at night, and burst into tears in front of Xu Dachuan: "The one that was cut off was mine! It's so hard to be a stepmother..."

Anyway, when Xu Dachuan questioned her, Xu Ruyi just shook her head and said it wasn't her. She even showed her underwear to Xu Dachuan. Xu Dachuan and Tian Yuhe remained silent. Xu Ruyi deliberately said, "I wonder who has a grudge against our family? You don't feel disgusted by touching a little girl's underwear."

Tian Yuhe felt so angry that his teeth were itching.

You bitch, you gossip, I'm so angry! You don't tell me about the bad things you did, and if you don't tell me, don't I have a mouth that won't tell me? I'll learn from you, who's afraid of who?

Xu Ruyi was about to do the laundry. Tian Yuhe wanted her to help, but Xu Ruyi refused outright: "I only wash the clothes for the four of us, you and your wife should wash your own clothes. Besides, we cook, herd sheep, and cut grass for pigs every day, so we should take a break, right?"

Tian Yuhe was furious, and then said, "How about I wash my own clothes, but can you help wash your father's clothes?"

Xu Ruyi simply ignored her: "I'm busy."

Then go.

At noon that day, Xu Ruyi prepared the meal and added a little more salt to Tian Yuhe's bowl when serving it. When Tian Yuhe took a bite, she said, "Why is it so salty? I can't eat it."

Xu Dachuan took a bite seriously and said, "It's quite good, just right, not salty at all."

"That's strange." Tian Yuhe was very confused.

Xu Dachuan picked up Tian Yuhe's bowl and took a sip of porridge: My God, it's really salty, I can't eat it.

Tian Yuhe had nothing to understand at this time, and she hated Xu Ruyi even more.

Xu Dachuan wanted to ask Ruyi: "What's going on? Why put so much salt in your mother's bowl?" But he thought better of it.

Xu Dachuan slammed the table hard, and then said sternly: "Cook properly in the future. If you put so much salt in it, no one can eat it. Isn't it a waste of food?"

Because he was angry, Tian Yuhe said to Xu Ruyi in private with a wooden stick: "You must listen to me in the future and be good. I won't beat you, otherwise, I will be rude to you..." After that, he shook the wooden stick in his hand.

Xu Ruyi was not afraid of threats and said, "If you don't treat me well, I will spit in your bowl every day. I hope you don't feel disgusted and can eat it."

"You, you, you...you are so rebellious..." Tian Yuhe was suddenly deflated.

Xu Qinghe, who was hiding aside, smiled. No wonder his grandfather said to him when he left on the day of his wedding: "Your sister is a capable person with her own ideas. If she were a few years older, I would be completely relieved."

Now that I think about it, it's true. He can tell stories, recognize medicinal herbs, and even confront his stepmother without a fight. Is that what intelligence is? No, it's a gifted talent, a genius!

Xu Qinghe walked over and pushed Tian Yuhe, causing her to fall to the ground. He sneered, "You're still holding a stick like that. Who are you trying to scare?" He kicked the fallen stick away and left with Xu Ruyi.

Tian Yuhe burst into tears. Today was even more embarrassing than her wedding day. The boy wasn't fat, but he was incredibly strong. She suddenly felt powerless. "Xu Ruyi, just wait, and Xu Qinghe too. You'll cry one day," Tian Yuhe vowed silently.