Farmhouse wife: Selling steamed buns to support her younger brother-in-law and sister-in-law

"Xiao Lei, Xiao Qian, your sister-in-law is going to town tomorrow. Do you want to go?"

Wei Yuyan thought that she hadn't bought anything for tomorrow, so she could take the children shopping.

"I'll think about it."

Wu Qian really wanted to go, so she skipped and hopped over.

"Okay, then we'll get up a little earlier tomorrow and take you to town for breakfast."

Wei Yuyan wanted to try some wontons or noodles from the town.

Wei Yuyan took out the lean meat and stir-fried it in oil so it wouldn't spoil easily; she could just add some when stir-frying vegetables.

Before dark, the carpenter arrived as promised.

"Wow, sister-in-law, is this the bathtub you bought?"

Qianqian had long envied other people's homes for having such a bathtub, so that it wouldn't be cold to take a bath in winter.

The next morning, Wei Yuyan didn't need to wake the two children; they got up early.

The three of them arrived at Xiuhua's house, where Xiuhua was already waiting at the door.

"Let's go, your Brother Zhang has gone to drive the oxcart."

The group headed towards the village entrance, and Brother Zhang's oxcart soon arrived.

The group got off at the market, and Wei Yuyan pulled Xiuhua's sister-in-law to go have breakfast.

"Sister-in-law, I've already eaten. Your brother Zhang is going to eat at home tomorrow morning. I ate with him this morning too. If I had known you were going to treat us, I wouldn't have eaten."

Xiuhua's sister-in-law joked.

"Okay then, I'll treat you next time."

Wei Yuyan was both amused and exasperated.

"Are you going to walk back or something?"

Xiuhua's sister-in-law inquired.

"Let's walk back. Let's meet at the town gate later, around the end of the 11 PM."

Wei Yuyan thought that she hadn't bought anything today, and that it wasn't difficult to carry or walk on.

"Okay, see you in a bit. I'm going to buy some meat now, or there won't be any good meat left."

Xiuhua's sister-in-law went into the vegetable market.

"Children, what would you like to eat? Shredded pork noodles, or wontons, or dumplings?"

Wei Yuyan let them choose for themselves.

"I want to eat dumplings."

Qianqian rarely gets to eat dumplings, so she's a little craving them.

"Then I'll have shredded pork noodles."

Wu Lei doesn't care about these things; he's happy as long as he's full.

"Boss, boss, two servings of dumplings and one serving of shredded pork noodles, please."

Wei Yuyan also wants to eat dumplings, but she can make them at home next time.

"Sister-in-law, where are we going?"

After leaving the wonton stall, Wu Qian asked Wei Yuyan.

"I don't know, I just wanted to wander around."

Wei Yuyan couldn't say that she actually wanted to find a way out for Xiaohua.

"OK then"

The three of them strolled leisurely through the town.

As she passed by the clinic, Manager Qian happened to be standing at the door, so she greeted him.

"Oh, Madam Wu, what a coincidence! Have you been digging for medicinal herbs lately?"

Manager Qian was still thinking about her medicinal herbs.

"I'm sorry, Manager Qian, I've been unable to dig for medicinal herbs recently due to a foot injury."

Wei Yuyan told the truth that she might not dig for medicinal herbs much in the future.

"Why don't you come in and sit down?"

Manager Qian invited me.

"Okay, actually I have something I'd like to ask you about today."

Wei Yuyan didn't know anyone in town, so if she wanted to ask something, she could only ask Manager Qian.

Tell me about it.

Manager Qian led them to the backyard and even made them tea.

"There was a young girl in the village, just the age of blossoming youth, but her parents wanted to marry her off to a fool."

I was thinking that it would be great if a wealthy family in town wanted to buy a maid. It would be better for her to work as a maid in a wealthy family than to marry a fool.

Wei Yuyan thought that maybe Manager Qian knew some wealthy people.

"Miss Wu, you may not know this, but they prefer to buy maids from human traffickers rather than from private individuals."

They say they don't know the rules, but human traffickers are all trained.

After Manager Qian analyzed the situation for Wei Yuyan, Wei Yuyan's mood soured.

"Well, there's really nothing we can do about it then."

Wei Yuyan sighed.

"Don't worry, Madam Wu, I've thought of another good place."

Manager Qian kept everyone in suspense.

"Where's a good place to go?"

Wei Yuyan straightened up again.

"The embroidery workshop—it's the most famous embroidery workshop in our town, employing dozens of embroiderers."

Manager Qian poured Wei Yuyan a cup of tea.

"But the little girl is from the countryside, she doesn't know how to embroider."

Wei Yuyan felt there was little hope after hearing this.

"That's not right. Embroidery skills depend on talent. A person with exceptional talent can embroider in one day and do it better than someone who does it in ten."

Manager Qian explained patiently.

"Shall I go ask?"

Wei Yuyan thought this was the last resort to save Xiaohua from her predicament, and she had to try it no matter what.

"You didn't bring your girl today. You need to bring her over so we can ask them for a price."

Manager Qian offered his guidance.

"Yes, I understand now. Manager Qian, thank you so much for telling me so much today."

Wei Yuyan bowed gratefully to Manager Qian.

"Oh, I'm not happy with what you're saying. You sold me such good medicinal herbs, I already consider you a friend. Just don't forget me if you get any good medicinal herbs in the future."

Manager Qian also wanted to make good friends.

"Okay, no problem. I won't bother you any longer. Goodbye."

Wei Yuyan led the two children away.

"Sister-in-law, were you just talking about Sister Xiaohua?"

Qianqian finally understood that her sister-in-law had come to town specifically because of Xiaohua's matter.

"Yes, I wanted to ask her about it, and look, I found out!"

Wei Yuyan was somewhat pleased; although it was only a small lead, at least there was hope.

"Sister-in-law, you are so kind."

Qianqian was happy for Xiaohua, who no longer had to marry a fool.

"Don't tell anyone about this."

Wei Yuyan reminded Xiao Lei and Qianqian that the matter had not yet been settled.

The two children nodded obediently.

"Candied hawthorns, candied hawthorns, one penny each."

Just then, a man selling candied hawthorns passed by, and Wei Yuyan quickly called out to him.

"Grandpa, five candied hawthorns, please."

Wei Yuyan handed over five coins.

"okay".

The old man quickly gave two to the child, and wrapped the other three in paper.

"Sister-in-law, I haven't had candied hawthorn for over a year."

Qianqian held the candied hawthorn berries, reluctant to eat them.

"Should we eat now or go home?"

Wei Yuyan was afraid that she wouldn't be able to hold it and it would fall.

"Eat now."

Qianqian quickly licked it.

"Let's wait here for a bit, Sister Xiuhua should be here soon."

Wei Yuyan checked the time; it was just past 9 AM.

After waiting for about fifteen minutes, Sister-in-law Xiuhua arrived.

"Oh dear, I was sure I'd be ahead of you two, but I didn't expect you two little gluttons to have already eaten candied hawthorns."

Xiuhua's sister-in-law casually hugged the two children.

"Sister-in-law Xiuhua, I bought some for you too, come on."

Wei Yuyan took out a candied hawthorn and handed it over.

“I’m not a child anymore, no, no, save it for the two of them.”

Sister-in-law Xiuhua refused to eat it, so Wei Yuyan had no choice but to put it back in the paper package.

On the way back, they walked slowly, taking into account Xiaoqian's pace, walking and resting intermittently, and it took them half an hour to get home.