Ugly girl only wants to farm

Chapter 310 The Calm Lake (50)

As May approaches and the weather gets hotter, they're making less tofu pudding at their shop. Who wants to sit around a stove and cook vegetables in the middle of the day?

But there are also those who have a sweet tooth who are willing to brave the sweltering heat, sweating as they eat and wipe away their sweat.

Now they mainly sell refreshing and delicious side dishes, cold noodles, and mung bean jelly. The income from their small shop is just so-so.

Xu Chaoyan kept thinking about what other ways she could make money. If she really left, she couldn't possibly survive on such paltry sums.

If she successfully divorces Meng Jiuhe, then the young girl, who is with her older brother, will have to prepare a dowry for him.

The little girl has had a tough six months with me, but she's become much more sensible since her parents went missing.

She and Meng Jiuhe had been in a cold war for almost a month, and she had taught him a lesson. Just like her older sister said, men always care about their pride, and she should give him some face. Besides, he couldn't sleep well in the study, and those dark circles under his eyes were indeed a source of gossip.

During this time, Meng Jiu had been diligently coming to the shop as soon as school was over and doing all the chores. He picked her up to go home; she had caught a cold a few days ago and her voice was hoarse. He was very worried, going to the doctor for medicine and making ginger soup.

Xu Chaoyan silently thought to herself, "I should give him another chance. Now isn't the best time for me to leave. I'll earn some more money before I decide."

Qi Yu has also cheered up during this period, and through an introduction, she started to teach children at a school.

Aunt Qi no longer had to work so hard washing clothes for others as before. Instead, she spent her days planting vegetables and picking bamboo shoots with her mother. She smiled much more often than before.

The only thing that worried the two old ladies was that when they got together, they would worry about their sons' marriages. Their sighs were louder and louder than each other's.

Xu Chaoyan encountered two old ladies several times, sighing and saying they didn't know if they would ever be able to hold their grandchildren in their lifetime.

Then, the two old ladies cast expectant glances at her, which startled her so much that she glanced at her stomach and quickly ran away. These two old ladies probably just wanted her to have a baby so they could play with it. They already have Yaya in the house, and they're still not tired of it?

"I'm so thirsty, Xia Xia, quickly pour Brother Shen a bowl of tea, my throat is parched."

"What are you doing? You're covered in sweat, like you were pulled out of the water."

Xu Chaoyan took the pottery pot, poured a bowl of water for Shen Siheng, and handed it to him. Meng Jiuhe looked at her expectantly, but the second bowl ended up in Zhang Xuyang's hands.

He looked at Xu Chaoyan with a hesitant expression and his lips moved a few times: "Wife, what about mine?"

Xu Chaoyan smiled slightly and shook the pottery pot in her hand: "I'm really sorry, there aren't any left for you."

Shen Siheng suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He thought he had stumbled upon something unclean every time he got up too early. He turned around with a "whoosh" but found nothing.

"Sigh, sister-in-law, I don't know what those old men are thinking, having to hold a dragon boat race in this sweltering heat. It's so boring."

Xu Chaoyan: "Isn't it perfectly normal to hold a dragon boat race a month or so before the Dragon Boat Festival? It's a good opportunity for you all to relax a bit."

Shen Siheng slammed the bowl down on the table: "I didn't say that holding a dragon boat race was bad, but we always lose every year. Why do they have to make us embarrass ourselves? Mingyue Academy wins every year, leaving us far behind. We can't afford to lose face like this anymore. I don't know what those old men are thinking. Do they have to make us stand out to highlight the excellence of others?"

Zhang Xuyang chimed in, "That's true. I also learned from several classmates that the two academies hold a dragon boat race every year around the Dragon Boat Festival. They say that since the two academies rarely meet, they take this opportunity to exchange ideas. Do you think we scholars have the strength to row? I heard that those people are like bulls, and I don't want to embarrass myself by going."

Shen Siheng snorted twice: "That's because you don't have the strength, not that I don't. Although those old men are really annoying, it's not bad to not have to study and go out to play in the water on a day. It's just that those bastards from Mingyue Academy always leave us far behind, making us look bad and be laughed at for many years."

Xu Chaoyan wasn't particularly interested in the dragon boat race at first, but then a thought struck her: wouldn't the weather get even hotter in another month or so?

There will definitely be a lot of people watching the dragon boat race on the river, which is a business opportunity. She can prepare various drinks, ice jelly, and grass jelly.

She asked about all sorts of things that happen during the dragon boat races every year, her face beaming with excitement.

Shen Siheng looked at her suspiciously: "Sister-in-law, weren't you just a little uninterested? Why are you so interested now? Do you also want to see those talented men from Mingyue Academy? I knew it, you young ladies all like those hypocritical guys. They're just a little fair-skinned, and they wave around a folding fan like they're so charming, acting like anyone can do that."

Xu Chaoyan: "There are so many handsome men to look at."

Shen Siheng said with a disdainful look: "Those few show-offs come out to the river every year and jump around aimlessly. They say they're there to support them, but I spit on them. They're just like sluts showing off."

Meng Jiuhe frowned as he heard Shen Siheng say that the young ladies all liked to catch a glimpse of the handsome and talented men from Mingyue Academy.

He felt a tightness in his chest. Could it be that his wife had grown tired of him and was now seeking something new? No wonder she had been so critical of him lately, and apologies had been useless. This shouldn't be happening. He couldn't help but touch his face. Had he been neglecting his health and gotten a tan?

Xu Chaoyan was too lazy to listen to their nonsense: "I'll have Xia bring you some ice jelly in a bit. I'm going to get back to work now."

There will definitely be a lot of people watching the dragon boat races. It'll be hot, so she'll have to order a large umbrella or set up a sunshade. She'll also need to set up a table and brew all sorts of drinks, which will be chilled. Wow, this is a real business opportunity! Another way to make money has come up!

In the days that followed, their shop gradually started selling various drinks, which became quite popular among the students.

Looking at the small bucket of grass jelly, Zhang Yueniang couldn't help but praise, "Xu Meizi, you really have a knack for business. I used to know that grass jelly was just something to eat with some honey water, but I never expected you to add so many ingredients."

Xu Chaoyan smiled and ladled a bowl of ice into her bowl, adding various toppings: "Try it. The only pity is that we're short of ice. Resources are scarce in our small town. Only wealthy families use ice."

It was a luxury for them. She wanted to use saltpeter to make ice, but she was a terrible student and couldn't figure out the steps no matter how hard she tried. Oh well, it would be good to use the water from the deep well to chill it later.

Zhang Yueniang then got to the point: "Sister, we're going to set up a stall by the river on Dragon Boat Festival, and we need to rent a stall in advance. My concern right now is whether we can break even. I heard that the competition for those stalls is fierce, and the rent is quite a sum."

"Don't worry, sister. In this sweltering heat, our drinks, grass jelly, and ice jelly will definitely be popular. Besides, our products are of good quality and low price. Let those people try to steal our business. We'll just do our job well."

She also had long-term plans in mind; they couldn't stay in this county forever. The two of them would have to participate in the provincial and imperial examinations later. This small county town wasn't a place for them to settle down. Earning money here would only be enough to make ends meet.

Actually, she had been planning how to make money and wanted to go to a larger prefecture to try her luck, but she hadn't brought it up yet.

The two families have finally settled down here and made many acquaintances, especially the older woman and her husband, who have been smiling more often since they settled in. If the topic of leaving were brought up abruptly, they probably wouldn't be able to accept it.

She also wanted to take some time to go to the state capital to see what kind of business would be better.

That day after school, Shen Siheng sat with a long face, holding a few books, looking utterly hopeless.

"Brother Meng, may I come to your house to study these few days? If there's anything I don't understand, may I ask you for help?"

Zhang Xuyang mocked him, "That's what you call cramming at the last minute. I told you to work harder a while ago, and all you were thinking about was cricket fighting or talking to people about which girl was pretty?"

Shen Siheng blushed with embarrassment and tried to defend himself.

“I admit I was involved in cricket fighting. When did I ever say any young lady was pretty? They were the ones talking, I just overheard a few words.”

"You've only listened for a few minutes, and I can see your whole ear is practically touching their mouth. Why are you so anxious about this little test?"

Shen Siheng was too lazy to argue with him and still spoke with a spineless expression: "The small exam is coming up soon, and I'm afraid my dad will beat me again. Brother Meng, Brother Zhang, please take me with you since I've always treated you well."

Zhang Xuyang snorted twice and left.

Meng Jiuhe: "I don't have any problem, but after school I need to go to the shop to help my wife. As for studying, I only have a little time to go back, so I'm afraid it will take up too much of your time."

Shen Siheng said with a long face, "Brother Meng, you are my salvation. After school, I will go and help my sister-in-law. Let's go back and study early. There are many things I don't understand. My father has said that if I get another C this time, he will skin me alive. I have already said that I am not cut out for studying, but he still has to waste this money to make me study."

Meng Jiuhe patted him on the shoulder: "Your father is just eager for his son to succeed. You should at least give it a try. How do you know it's impossible if you haven't even tried?"

When Shen Siheng found the bedding on the small couch in the study, he burst into laughter: "Brother Meng, so you've finally achieved something! You always get top marks in your studies. Look at your status at home."

Meng Jiuhe's gaze turned somewhat cold. Shen Siheng quickly shut up, thinking of how to salvage the situation: "Do you want me to give you some advice?"

Seeing that Meng Mengjiu's expression was not good, he quickly picked up the book and casually flipped to a page: "Let's start now." He sat there with a serious look on his face, as if he were studying diligently.

"Tell me what advice you can give me?" Shen Siheng almost dropped the book in his hand, somewhat incredulous.

"What did you just say? Did I hear you wrong?" He couldn't help but pick at his ear again and again.

Meng Jiuhe looked at him with a dark expression and repeated, "You heard me right, what I want to ask is what tricks you have up your sleeve?"

"Well, come here, I'll discuss this with you slowly."

The next day, after school at noon, Meng Jiu deliberately shrugged off the two and left early. Clutching the box in her hand, she walked nervously into the shop.

postscript

"Wow, bro, you scared me to death! People can be really scary in the middle of the night."

"What's there to be afraid of if you haven't done anything wrong?"

Meng Jiuxia pointed to the white stuff on his face, still shaken: "What are you doing?"

Meng Jiuhe was a little embarrassed and didn't know how to start the conversation, so he began to shoo the child away: "Little kid, go to sleep quickly or you won't grow tall." With that, he pushed the child back home.

"Brother, don't push me, I need to get up in the middle of the night."

"Why is a child getting up at night? He must be sleepwalking. Go back home quickly."

Meng Jiuhe was almost in tears when she finally broke free, running faster than a rabbit.

Meng Jiu scratched his face and muttered, "This Shen Siheng is really unreliable. He said he could make my skin whiter, but it's getting itchier and itchier. I shouldn't have listened to him." He couldn't help but reach out and scratch again.