Ugly girl only wants to farm

After she finished speaking, she started sobbing softly again, her voice becoming a little hoarse: "Sister-in-law, do you think I'm going to die? There was an old lady in the village who kept coughing up blood, and she died not long after."

Xu Chaoyan didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or was amused by what she said. It turned out that her sister-in-law had been acting strangely all day because she was menstruating, and had even hidden under the covers and cried for so long.

Seeing that her eyes were swollen like walnuts, she quickly hugged her and gently comforted her: "You, why didn't you tell me sooner? It's such a small thing, yet it scared you like this. If you had told me earlier, you wouldn't have ended up with walnut eyes."

Meng Jiuxia cried and choked out, "Sister-in-law, how can you still have the mind to say these things here? I feel my pants are wet again. I know I have an incurable disease. I don't want to be a burden to you and my brother. Just leave me alone. I'll go back to my old home tomorrow and let me fend for myself."

Seeing that her words were becoming increasingly outrageous, Xu Chaoyan reprimanded her, "What are you saying? What do you mean you have an incurable disease? You want to go back to your old family home? What kind of people do you think we are?"

Startled by her tone, Meng Jiuxia shrank back and looked at her with a resentful expression: "Sister-in-law, I never thought you were really this kind of person. I said I wanted to go back, and you didn't even pretend to try to stop me. I really misjudged you."

Xu Chaoyan chuckled, lifted her sleeve to wipe away her tears, and then said softly to her, "You're a grown woman now." Seeing that she still looked confused, she added another sentence.

"That means I've grown up, and in two more years I can get married."

Meng Jiuxia was completely bewildered by her words, her face still streaked with tears, and she looked at her pitifully, her voice trembling: "Sister-in-law, I'm already like this, and you still want me to get married in a couple of years? Do you really want to use me to exchange for a dowry?"

Xu Chaoyan was afraid that if she continued talking, the girl's misunderstanding of her would deepen, so she leaned down and whispered a few words in her ear. Meng Jiuxia's face suddenly turned red, and she looked at her in surprise.

"Really? You're not kidding me."

Xu Chaoyan tidied her slightly messy hair before speaking: "You said it was no big deal, you should have said so earlier. I'll go prepare some things for you first. Get up and wash your face, and wipe that walnut you have too. If your older brother sees it, he'll think someone bullied you."

Since arriving in this era, Xu Chaoyan has indeed disliked the menstrual belt, but in this ancient time when resources are scarce, it's already good enough to have one at all. Before, her mother had prepared those for her.

After Xu's mother passed away, it was Meng's mother who prepared some things for her.

Since arriving here, Xu Chaoyan has learned that ordinary women may only have one menstrual belt in their entire lives, while wealthy women from better-off families may have several, and they are all very exquisite. Ordinary families like hers only have two.

She quickly returned to her room, rummaged through the leftover fabric, and decided to make do with what she had for now. She would sew a new one for her sister-in-law in a few days. She wasn't very good at needlework, so she carried the sewing basket to Zhang Yueniang's room.

As dusk settled, a gust of wind blew in from outside, scattering withered yellow leaves across the ground. Meng Jiuhe saw her carrying a sewing basket out and asked, somewhat puzzled, "Wife, it's getting late. Where are you going? Even if there's something urgent, let's talk about it tomorrow. It's quite cold outside."

Xu Chaoyan paused, tightened her grip on the basket, and without turning her head, simply replied, "Go check how the soup in the pot is cooking. My sister mentioned earlier that she had a pattern, but she couldn't decide, so I went to help her. Didn't Mother leave behind many patterns? I'll let her refer to them."

Meng Jiuhe didn't doubt it anymore, but added one last time: "Then hurry back. I'll keep an eye on whether the soup is ready. We'll eat early in a bit. I'll make you a few more hot water bottles. It's getting colder and colder. Tomorrow I'll find some more people to paper the windows."

It seems to be much colder in the county town than where they live. When they eat dinner at night, they usually do it in the kitchen. The embers left over from cooking are scooped out and put into the fire pit to dispel some of the cold.

Zhang Yueniang was picking at some sweet potatoes by the fire when she saw Xu Meizi come over and quickly invited her to sit down: "Why are you here at this hour, Xu Meizi? Come and warm your hands. I have some roasted sweet potatoes here. Would you like to have something to eat first? Did you come here to discuss making tofu with me?"

She had previously agreed with Xu Chaoyan to make some dried tofu and smoke and dry it first, so that she could earn some spare change a few days before the Lunar New Year.

They have tidied up the side room these days, and the stove inside has been cut up. They have also set up a stone mill, but the stove is still a little damp, and they don't know if it can still be used right now.

Xu Chaoyan put down the sewing basket in her hand and said somewhat shyly, "There's something I'd like to trouble you with."

While brushing the dust off the sweet potato, Zhang Yueniang broke off half and handed it to her: "Here, have a bite to tide you over. Just tell me what's wrong, no need to worry about me."

Xu Chaoyan didn't stand on ceremony with her and peeled the sweet potato herself. After taking a bite of the soft, sweet potato, she couldn't help but praise it: "Sister, your sweet potato roasting skills are getting better and better. Why don't you set up a sweet potato stall with me at the entrance of the academy?"

As Zhang Yueniang peeled the skin, she scooped a spoonful and fed it to her daughter, asking with some suspicion, "People actually buy this stuff? It's just a dark, unappetizing thing; who doesn't know how to roast it? It's not some rare delicacy."

Xu Chaoyan explained further: "The students at the academy either eat from the communal pot or have their meals delivered by their maids. Not everyone can afford to deliver food. If we sell hot food at the academy, as long as it's good quality and inexpensive, I'm sure there will be customers. We can also warm ourselves by roasting sweet potatoes around this stove, and we can also put some dried tofu next to it to smoke. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"

Zhang Yueniang nodded: "Yes, sister, you're right. I'll go with you to try it out after I've settled things at home. By the way, what brings you here?"

Xu Chaoyan had almost forgotten about this. Her face flushed slightly, and she said somewhat shyly, "Sister, could you make me a menstrual pad? My sister-in-law is all grown up now, and I've never been very good at needlework, so please don't laugh at me."

Zhang Yueniang then came to her senses and looked at her: "So that's why that girl is like this. I was just saying that she was fine in the yard this afternoon, but suddenly she looked strange and ran back into the house and hasn't come out since."

Xu Chaoyan nodded and helped take out the cloth, then handed her the scissors before speaking: "It took me a long time to get that girl to speak."

Zhang Yueniang took the scissors and the fabric, gestured briefly, and began to cut: "The little girl is so pitiful. She's so young and her mother isn't around. No one has ever told her about these things. She really needs you, her sister-in-law. Oh, right, I just sifted some wood ash there. I'll stuff it in after I finish sewing it for you. This is the first time the little girl has encountered something like this. I'll make her some brown sugar water to calm her nerves later."

Xu Chaoyan nodded and helped her thread the needle. After a short while, a simple menstrual belt was finished.

Zhang Yueniang carefully poured the previously sifted wood ash into the bag, smoothed it out with her hands, and then handed it to her: "Take this for her to use first. I'll sew another one for her tomorrow. Remember to tell her not to get it wet."

Just as Xu Chaoyan was about to leave with the basket, the old woman suddenly came in again. After learning about this, she quickly pulled Xu Chaoyan back and gave her a few instructions: "You young people don't understand these things. Take this menstrual blood to her first. Go and bring Xia'er out in a little while."

Xu Chaoyan and Zhang Yueniang looked at her with puzzled expressions: "Why did you call Xia'er over?"

The old woman slapped her daughter on the head: "Look at you, you forgetful thing! Have you forgotten how scared you were when you first came here? You cried your eyes out, and I took care of you and even made you do something. Have you forgotten?"

Zhang Yueniang racked her brains for a long time before she could recall it.

"Oh! So that's what it was about?"