CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 64: STAYING UP FOR THE NEW YEAR’S EVE

The Lin mother and daughter were pushed outside the door like that.

After the two walked out a few steps, Meng Yao leaned against the door and shouted, "Sister-in-law, I’ll be waiting for your letter."

Her voice wasn’t loud, but enough for the neighbors to hear.

Some who were curious and familiar with Lin followed her, asking what matter needed sending a letter.

Those who could speak with Meng Yao naturally inquired about her.

"It’s not a big deal, just that Ruyu wants to learn embroidery, and I feel I can’t teach her well, so I intend to recommend her to the Hundred Embroidery House. My sister-in-law said the child has never left her side, she’s a bit worried, and wants to go home to discuss it," Meng Yao said openly.

The issue of Hundred Embroidery House hiring embroidery girls was somewhat known to the people of Shanghua Village.

Several families in the village had thought about it, but due to the strict rules on the Hundred Embroidery House’s side, none had succeeded.

Now, hearing that Meng Yao could recommend someone, their eyes were eager, implying they wanted to ask if Meng Yao could recommend their daughters, who could leave home; whether resting one day a month or even a year, they were willing.

Meng Yao looked at everyone apologetically, "Ruyu from my brother’s family has been pampered since childhood, hasn’t done a bit of work."

Her little hands were as tender as peeled eggs.

For ordinary embroidery jobs, rough hands were fine.

But for finer ones, hands were strictly required.

This is also why, despite Original Character’s good skills, she could only embroider small items.

Because of overwork, her hands were rather rough.

Of course, compared to most countrywomen, it was much better.

It was this very rule that created a difficult threshold for many.

If rough hands could recover, it wasn’t impossible, soaking them in milk or clam oil, patiently for several months without doing any work. A few months of no work could be done if a family gritted their teeth.

But soaking in milk and clam oil every day wasn’t something ordinary families could afford.

A box of clam oil cost over a dozen tales of silver.

Even if it’s three months, a box a month amounts to over thirty tales of silver.

If a rural family had this kind of wealth, they wouldn’t need to send their daughters to be embroidery girls, right?

The neighbors weren’t difficult for Meng Yao, mainly because she wasn’t deceiving them.

Everyone, one word from this person and another from that, changed the topic, praised Meng Yao’s generosity, considering that people from the Meng Family hadn’t been quiet.

Meng Yao sighed, "What could be done? Where in the world aren’t there problematic parents? As daughters, we can only endure. I do my duties well, setting an example for my children."

Such an image suddenly came up beautifully.

In contrast, the Lin mother and daughter were as oppressed as they could be.

Meng Yao did this deliberately, didn’t she?

She definitely did it deliberately.

Now everyone knew she intended to recommend Meng Ruyu to Hundred Embroidery House as an embroidery girl, putting Meng Ruyu in a hot spot.

Going wasn’t their intention.

Not going made them seem too ungrateful.

How come she was never noticed to be this scheming?

Treading on them to make a perfect appearance!

Meng Ruyu was absent-minded.

Lin believed she was angry with Meng Yao.

"Don’t worry, when we get home, mother and your grandmother will discuss it, surely there’ll be a way," Lin said.

"Mom, did you see? Aunt’s house had someone."

Although it was by accident, it became a stunning glimpse to Meng Ruyu.

Just one glance, and she couldn’t take her eyes off.

Yes, she saw Qin Zheng.

Lin was puzzled, "What someone? Isn’t there a bunch of people at their house? Your cousin, cousin-in-law, cousin, cousin, etc."

Meng Ruyu didn’t reply to Lin’s remarks, her heart and eyes were filled with the sight of Qin Zheng.

How could someone be so handsome?

If a celestial being came down to earth, it would be like that, wouldn’t it?

Who was he anyway?

Lin was eager to go back and discuss with Sun, naturally not paying much attention to Meng Ruyu. Had she been more observant, she’d notice that Meng Ruyu was experiencing young love blossoming.

Meng Yao finally finished dealing with the neighbors and turned to go home.

Zhao Xiaohua was curious, "Mom, do you think they’ll let Meng Ruyu go to Hundred Embroidery House?"

Meng Yao smiled, "They’re set on your second brother; if she went to Hundred Embroidery House, wouldn’t that mean they’d have no chance?"

"Second brother is rather unlucky," Zhao Xiaohua shook his head and sighed, "How did he get liked by Meng Ruyu?"

"Aren’t you unlucky too? Being pestered by Han Muchi?" Zhao Dahe glared at Zhao Xiaohua.

"I got pestered for a reason; I saved him, and am so good-looking. What’s your second brother’s reason for being pestered? I can’t figure it out," Zhao Xiaohua took the opportunity to put down Zhao Dahe.

"Alright, alright, stop bickering. Dahe, hurry back to your room to study. Xiaohua, go help your sister-in-law with the deep-fried food; we need to prepare enough food for the New Year," Meng Yao said.

There’s a lot to prepare for the New Year, but for Meng Yao, the festival sense was rather faint. Though there were memories in the Original Character, Meng Yao didn’t bother to extract them one by one, so she basically left it all for Song Xiu’er to manage.

However, Song Xiu’er was thrilled with the work.

In the countryside, handling the family’s New Year meals was considered a significant task.

It was something only the mistress of the household was qualified to do.

Isn’t this proof that her mother-in-law considered her part of the family?

It was a feeling Song Xiu’er, who had struggled in a quagmire until the moment of her death in her previous life, had never experienced.

It was her mother-in-law who helped her escape the previous life’s quagmire.

This kindness, she would remember firmly.

In a blink of an eye, New Year’s Eve arrived, Song Xiu’er spent the whole day making dumplings with the family; after wrapping, a tray was placed in a frozen water vat to move and freeze solid, then stored in an icy-water barrel wrapped with thick ice layers in the shaded area outside.

Whenever they want to eat, they can cook anytime during the New Year.

This was Zhou Country’s custom.

After dinner, it was time to prepare for the keeping vigil on New Year’s Eve.

Zhao Dajiang, the eldest son, led the younger siblings in a night vigil.

Meng Yao used the excuse of old age to head to her room early to lie down.

At midnight, Song Xiu’er came to call Meng Yao and wake her.

Meng Yao, though reluctant, had no choice but to get up since midnight required having the New Year’s Eve dinner.

As the head of the family, how could she be absent?

With sleepy eyes, she hastily ate the New Year’s Eve dinner and swayed back to her room.

The Zhao siblings were very excited, chirping around, feeling that this year was different, certainly unlike those before, and were very happy.

On the morning of the first day, after Song Xiu’er cooked the dumplings, she called Meng Yao to get up for breakfast.

This meal’s dumplings were different from yesterday’s evening; they contained dates, peanuts, candies, chestnuts, not to mention copper coins.

Each item had its meaning.

For example, eating a copper coin symbolized being able to earn a lot of silver in the new year.

A bunch of dumplings, only eight copper coins were hidden in total, so the chances of finding one weren’t great.

Thus, Meng Yao didn’t have much hope.

Yet, the first dumpling Meng Yao bit into almost chipped her tooth on a grayish copper coin, nearly knocking out her front tooth.