CHAPTER 150: CHAPTER 150 BUSINESS OPENS (3)

He didn’t object either, "Since Shuangcheng agreed, I won’t oppose it."

But Liu Laoda was not happy.

He stood up with a stern face and shouted to Lady Liu, "Big Girl’s Mother, let’s discuss something."

After saying this, he walked briskly to the backyard, hands behind his back.

Lady Liu, not knowing what he wanted to discuss, followed him.

"What is it? Big Girl’s Father?"

Liu Laoda glanced at the main room and said sternly, with a cold face, "Hu Shuangcheng can’t have children. If our daughter marries him, won’t she suffer a big loss? How can you agree to that?"

Lady Liu opposed, saying, "Back then everyone said Big Girl couldn’t bear children and Shuangcheng didn’t mind. Now he’s willing to come into our family, and we are shunning him? Aren’t you afraid of what the villagers will say about you?"

"What can they say about me? Big Girl’s arm was broken by Hu Niangzi, and I haven’t even settled that account yet." Liu Laoda sneered.

Lady Liu said, "But Big Girl agrees to it. What do you suggest we do? Haven’t you noticed she hides everything for Hu Shuangcheng? If we keep pushing, what if she does something rash?"

When the Great Princess came to the Liu’s house, she quietly had a chat with Lady Liu, saying that Big Girl once nearly lost hope.

That nearly scared Lady Liu to death.

She once resented her daughter’s lack of ambition but never wanted her to die.

Liu Laoda was annoyed by Lady Liu’s words. He was also afraid his daughter might seek death.

"Alright, let’s leave it at that." Then, remembering something, he laughed, "Haha, Hu Niangzi abandoned my daughter, but she didn’t expect her son to be lost too, heh, that’s karma!"

Seeing that he no longer opposed, Lady Liu was relieved.

The couple finalized their decision and went to the main room to see Hu Shuangcheng.

"Out of consideration for Big Girl, we’ll recognize you, but let me warn you first. If you dare mistreat Big Girl again, I’ll write you a divorce letter!" Liu Laoda said bluntly.

Hu Shuangcheng nodded earnestly, "I would never, Father."

That night, Liu the bricklayer sought out the elder of the Liu clan and registered Hu Shuangcheng’s name into the clan directory.

Marrying into Liu’s house, his name was written alongside Big Girl’s.

This event quickly spread throughout Taohua River Village overnight.

The issue of Hu Shuangcheng’s infertility did not spread; people only knew Liu Da Niu was unable to have children.

Since she hadn’t birthed a child, her mother-in-law wanted to dismiss her, but the husband didn’t mind, and followed her to live in her natal home.

A woman who couldn’t have children, loved so persistently by a man, must indeed be very virtuous.

It also showed how hated the mother-in-law must be, prompting Hu Shuangcheng, the son, to leave home.

Hu Shuangcheng’s marrying into the Liu family brought many positive remarks for Liu Da Niu, but further tainted Hu Niangzi’s reputation.

That night, Hu Niangzi, not seeing Hu Shuangcheng at home, thought he had gone drinking again and didn’t worry, helping her daughter who came home with her children.

But the next day, she couldn’t stay calm.

The news of her son joining the Liu family had spread from Taohua River Village to Qingshui River Village.

Those enjoying stirring up trouble and watching a spectacle deliberately informed Hu Niangzi.

"Hu Family’s Sister-in-law, your son has joined the Liu family, and you’re leisurely taking care of your grandchildren here? Have you chosen grandchildren over your son?"

Hu Niangzi startled, "What are you saying? My son married into a family? Nonsense, your father did!"

"Ugh, I kindly informed you, and you curse me? No wonder, serves you right for losing your son by marriage!"

The passer-by woman stomped and cursed, walking off angrily.

Hu Niangzi, growing more anxious, thought, did her son really marry into another family?

What should she do!

She hurried to Taohua River Village’s Liu’s house.

However, before she could ask, Liu Laoda spotted her and immediately grabbed a stick, charging towards her.

"Wretched woman, you dare come? Return my daughter’s arm, or I’ll break one of yours today!"

How could Hu Niangzi dare to ask about her son? Terrified, she turned and fled.

Liu Laoda chased Hu Niangzi for two miles before letting her go.

After this, Hu Niangzi was too scared to go to the Liu’s to find her son.

It also turned Hu Niangzi into a laughing stock among the villagers.

They mocked her for losing both daughter-in-law and son, suffering a huge loss.

Hu Niangzi’s daughter had many children, too many to handle, so she continued giving two for Hu Niangzi to care for each day.

Hu Niangzi, while juggling two grandchildren, had chores of cooking, cleaning, feeding pigs, and chickens, leaving no time to breathe, while those two little ones refused to behave, crying or causing trouble.

She was so furious she couldn’t stop punishing them.

The Hu family yard was noisy from morning till night, which gave the villagers another reason to laugh.

.

Liu Da Niu always remembered the Second Princess wanted a roasting stove.

After making up with Hu Shuangcheng, she urged him to make a new stove.

When the stove arrived at the Li’s house, the Second Princess was moved to tears.

"Great, a new stove, it’s a bit larger than the old one." The Second Princess circled the stove, smiling as she examined it.

Liu Da Niu said, "A larger stove means more can be roasted at once, saving guests’ waiting time."

The Second Princess nodded, "Good, good, this is good." The previous stove could only handle fifteen at a time; this one can manage twenty-five.

To test the stove’s quality, Liu Da Niu even baked a batch of biscuits.

As the golden, crispy biscuits came out, their aroma filled the air, making the Second Princess salivate.

The Great Princess sneered, "Look at you eating a few as soon as you bake a batch. At this rate, you should just keep them all for yourself instead of selling them."

The Second Princess retorted, "How would I know the quality of the bake if I don’t taste one? Besides, I’ve baked four hundred cakes, enough to sell tomorrow."

"Four hundred? Can you sell that many?" The Great Princess raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm!" The Second Princess stated confidently, "I will sell them all!"

"Don’t boast yet." The Great Princess doubted the Second Princess’s capability.

The Second Princess pulled Li Yuzhu’s sleeve, "Third Sister, you have to help me."

Li Yuzhu calculated her accumulated herbs. She had stored around fifty pounds in her space, which was a decent income.

She nodded to the Second Princess, "I’ll go sell herbs tomorrow, of course, I’ll join you."

"Great." The Second Princess sighed in relief.

Liu Da Niu, having delivered the oven, returned with Hu Shuangcheng.

But she and her sisters, including Li Yuzhu, had planned to go to the market.

At night, the Second Princess and Li Yuzhu worked until midnight.

They wrapped each biscuit and placed them in jars.

Fearing the cakes would become damp and soft, Li Yuzhu decided to take the jars to the market as well.

With a cart at their disposal, pushing a couple of jars was no trouble.

The next day was market day.

Li Yuzhu and the Second Princess got up early.

The Great Princess, hearing their movements, stretched lazily and said, "Seriously, I’ll join too, wait for me."

"Hurry, Big Sister." The Second Princess, unable to curb her excitement, urged impatiently.

Seeing the Second Princess so proactive for the first time, Li Yuzhu couldn’t help but laugh.

"Here I am, look how impatient you are. Who’s to say if those cakes will sell." The Great Princess stretched, getting out of bed.

The Great Princess raised an eyebrow, "Four hundred? Can you sell that many?"

"Yes!" The Second Princess affirmed with energy.

The Second Princess held Li Yuzhu’s hand, "Third Sister, you’ll surely help me, right?"

"I will go with you to sell herbs, of course." Li Yuzhu agreed.

Liu Da Niu remembered that the Second Princess wanted to get an oven.

After reconciling with Hu Shuangcheng, she urged him to make a new oven.

When the oven was delivered to the Li family, the Second Princess was very touched.

"Great, a new oven, it’s bigger than the old one." The Second Princess looked around the oven repeatedly, and smiled as she spoke.

Liu Da Niu said, "A larger oven can bake more at once, saving customers’ waiting time."

The Second Princess nodded, "Great, this is good." The previous oven could only bake fifteen at a time, this one can bake twenty-five.

To test the oven’s quality, Liu Da Niu also tried baking a batch of cakes.

When the golden, crisp cakes came out of the oven, the aroma was mouthwatering, making the Second Princess smack her lips.

The Great Princess sneered, "You bake a whole batch just to eat a few. At this rate, you might as well keep them all to yourself!"

The Second Princess retorted, "If I don’t taste them, how will I know if they’re any good? Besides, I’ve baked four hundred cakes already, plenty for me to sell tomorrow."

"Four hundred? You’ll sell them all?" The Great Princess raised an eyebrow.

"Yes!" The Second Princess said with determination.

The Great Princess wasn’t entirely convinced of her capabilities.

The Second Princess turned to Li Yuzhu, "Third Sister, you have to help me."

Li Yuzhu, who had planned to sell herbs, nodded to the Second Princess, "I’ll be going to the market tomorrow, of course, I’ll join you."

They agreed with the Liu sisters to go to the market together.

That night, the Second Princess and Li Yuzhu woke up early.

The Great Princess, hearing their ruckus, called out teasingly as she entered the kitchen to find the sisters, "Are the suns rising from the west in your room today, Elder Sister?"

Li Yuzhu was surprised, "You too, Sister?" She was happy to see her sisters’ lively energy and greeted them with a smile when she entered the kitchen.

Lady Liu said, "What is this about?"