The busy autumn had passed. Although it was cold in winter, Lingcheng was well - situated, and it wasn't so cold during the day that people couldn't go out. Diligent families still tried to find some work to do even in winter to supplement their family income.
Now that life had improved, those who were always on the go remained so. In the small village in particular, the women managed to find some work like washing and mending, while the men had little to do.
Staying at home, they watched their wives teaching their daughters who could handle needles how to embroider. They all said that if the girls did well in embroidery, they could work as embroiderers in Shen's Embroidery Workshop in the future.
The men felt bored at home and went out for a stroll. As they walked, they ended up outside Uncle Zhang's house. The Zhang family was now in the limelight. Although they had no sons, the son - in - law had brought back a younger sister who was much more capable than many sons in other families.
It was said that the workshop had made a lot of money right after its opening. They rented a house in the town and rarely came back to live in the village. Uncle Zhang didn't have to worry about anything. He just took his grandson out for a walk every day.
For example, at this moment, Uncle Zhang was holding an eight - month - old baby in his arms. He was holding a slingshot and teaching a six - year - old little girl beside him how to shoot at sparrows.
Yuanbao shot and hit a sparrow with a “pop”. The bird was just startled and fluttered away.
“Why did it fly away? Grandpa, your stone is no good. It couldn't hit the bird,” Yuanbao complained.
Uncle Zhang chuckled. He squinted at the slingshot and waved his hand. “Forget it. It's not easy for the birds. Let's not shoot them. Let's go home.”
Yuanbao was unhappy. She snatched the slingshot and ran towards the bare ridge of the field, hoping to find another tree to continue shooting.
Uncle Zhang, holding Huzi in his arms, shouted repeatedly, “Yuanbao, don't run too far...”
Uncle Zhang's younger brother, Zhang Mo, stepped forward and sneered. “A girl, yet you treasure her so much.”
Then he stepped forward to tease Huzi. “Come on, call me Second Uncle.”
Seeing someone teasing him, Huzi grinned and drooled. He giggled at Zhang Mo. Zhang Mo quickly grabbed his sleeve to wipe Huzi's face.
But Uncle Zhang slapped his sleeve and glared at him. “It's so dirty. Huzi's skin is tender. How can you wipe his face with your sleeve? Huzi, be good. Don't pay attention to your Second Uncle. He dislikes your sister.”
Zhang Mo mumbled a few words. Knowing his elder brother's temper, he moved closer and continued to tease Huzi. “Brother, you've got a treasure now. Your family has made a fortune. You've got to think about your younger brothers.”
The other villagers quickly nodded and tried to claim their relationship with Uncle Zhang.
Uncle Zhang glanced at him. “Didn't you always laugh at me for not having a son? You even refused to let the son I picked up outside take my surname. Why aren't you so picky now? Well, you're right. I'm so ashamed. Look at me now. I'm so pitiful without a son. I have to rely on my son - in - law and his family.”
Although Uncle Zhang's tone was sarcastic, the others didn't mind at all. They coaxed him, saying that girls could be very capable. They also said that thanks to the embroidery workshop, their wives could get more washing and mending jobs than those in other villages.
As they were talking, Yuanbao bounced back. She put a bird on the ground, put her hands on her hips, and proudly raised her chin at Uncle Zhang.
The bird wasn't completely dead. It flapped its wings. Seeing this, Huzi babbled and pointed at the bird, asking his sister to catch it for him.
Yuanbao carefully picked up the bird and handed it to Huzi. She was very careful not to let the bird's sharp beak and claws scratch Huzi.
At this moment, Zhang Mo didn't show the slightest bit of disgust. He just laughed heartily. “I said Yuanbao is amazing. She's no worse than a boy. At such a young age, she can catch a bird by herself. Yuanbao, do you want to eat this bird? I'll ask your Second Aunt to cook it for you.”
Yuanbao immediately protected the bird like a precious treasure and shook her head. “No, no. I scared it with the slingshot and it got hurt. I brought it back because I want Grandpa to treat its injury.”
Her childish words made everyone around laugh. But Uncle Zhang really handed Huzi to his younger brother. He picked up the bird and went back to look for a clean cloth to bandage the bird.
But the bird was obviously badly injured. It was dying and couldn't be saved.
Yuanbao was quite dejected. She lowered her head and murmured, “I'll never shoot them again. They're so pitiful.”
Uncle Zhang stroked her head. “It's too young. It couldn't fly far and was left behind. Even if you didn't shoot it, it wouldn't survive when winter comes and the snow falls.”
Yuanbao raised her head and asked, “What about its family? Why didn't they stay with it?”
Uncle Zhang replied casually, “Who knows? Maybe they're already dead. Maybe they thought it was a burden and didn't want it.”
Yuanbao was a bit anxious. “Why didn't they want it? Aren't families supposed to be together and help each other?”
Hearing her words, Uncle Zhang hesitated. Although he knew the bird couldn't be saved, he still found a warm place for it and put a handful of millet in front of it.
After he finished, he got up and went out. He saw a group of old and strong men with nothing to do. They were each holding their young children, gathering together, chatting and having fun.
The adults were comparing their children, saying that someone else's child wasn't as strong as theirs, or that someone's child wasn't as smart as another's.
Uncle Zhang took Huzi from his younger brother's arms. “I'm not very capable, but my niece Yuning is very smart. Come with me to the town. Let's see if she can come up with a way for us to make money together.”
Hearing this, the men got excited. They all shouted that they wanted to go with him and thanked Uncle Zhang as if the money was already in front of them.
Uncle Zhang waved his hand repeatedly. “Come on, don't make a fuss. This thing hasn't even started yet. If you all rush there in a hurry, won't it put pressure on niece Yuning? If it doesn't work out, you'll all have made a wasted trip. Let's go and ask first. If there's good news, we'll surely think of you.”
Zhang Mo quickly agreed. He happily followed his elder brother. Seeing that Yuanbao was walking slowly, he even wanted to carry her on his back cheerfully.
However, Yuanbao waved her hand. “No, I've grown up. You're old. You can't carry me.”
Zhang Mo said seriously, “Don't worry. I'm different from your grandpa. I'm very strong. I can even carry your uncle on my back.”
Uncle Zhang glared at him. “You're such an old man, yet you're still like a child. If you hurt your back later, you'll blame Yuanbao for being too heavy.”
Zhang Mo gave up. But he still stepped forward and teased Huzi for a while. Then he asked, “Brother, why are you willing to take us with you?”
“Don't get your hopes up. We don't know how this will turn out yet. No matter how capable Yuning is, she's just a girl. She doesn't understand men's work. Don't try to get on my good side. I'm not doing this for you.”
Zhang Mo scratched the back of his head. Seeing that his elder brother was a bit tired, he quickly took Huzi from him and laughed again. “I know you. We've slept in the same bed since we were kids. You've never really looked at me in all these years. But it's different today.”
Uncle Zhang didn't say a word. He snatched Huzi back and walked forward with his head down.
Zhang Mo followed behind, as happy as a child. “I know you. You've been stubborn since you were a kid. You have a sharp tongue but a kind heart. You even felt sorry for outsiders living in your house and didn't want them to suffer. How could you be harsh on me, your own younger brother? After all, you're just mad at me for having two sons...”
Uncle Zhang looked back and glared at him again. “Your two sons aren't half as considerate and sensible as my Rong'er. They're not as down - to - earth and hard - working as Fugui. What are you so proud of?”
“Yes, yes, yes. My two useless sons will surely suffer sooner or later. They're not even half as good as Rong'er. I've seen clearly now. Daughters are much more considerate than sons. They only know how to make people angry. Huzi, you mustn't make your grandpa angry in the future!”
As Zhang Mo said this, he reached out to poke Huzi's forehead. Uncle Zhang blocked his hand and glared at him again.
The two of them were like quarreling, exchanging glances and words. Soon they arrived in the town.
There weren't many people in the embroidery workshop at this time. Shen Fugui and Zhang Rong were guarding the shop. Uncle Zhang peeked inside but didn't disturb them. He took his younger brother and entered through the back door.
The embroiderers in the backyard were sitting in the yard embroidering. Shen Yuning was beside Xi'er, carefully explaining the essentials of this embroidery to her.
Next to them, a young man was sitting in front of the window in the room, with his head down, holding a book. From time to time, he would pick up a pen and copy the sentences from the book onto the paper.
Yuanbao came in and looked around. Seeing the situation in the room, she immediately rushed into the room, called out “Brother Xuanzhi”, and then sat down at the table, waiting for Xuanzhi to write characters for her to copy.
Uncle Zhang coughed. Shen Yuning looked up. “Uncle Zhang, Uncle Zhang the Second, why have you come today?”
Zhang Mo, holding Huzi in his arms, smiled awkwardly. “I've got nothing to do. I'm just wandering around.”
Shen Yuning nodded and then lowered her head to talk to Xi'er again.
Zhang Mo was a bit anxious, but Uncle Zhang just took him around the backyard of the embroidery workshop.
The embroidery workshop's business was much better than before. There were more than a dozen embroiderers, and several of them had voluntarily signed contracts. Just like the embroiderers from the Yong family, they ate and lived in the workshop and took money home every month.
It was said that because the Yong family's cloth store thought the way of calculating wages by piece - work in Shen's Embroidery Workshop was very good, they had also changed their own way of calculating wages.
There were also many embroiderers who came from afar, traveling a hundred miles, just to work in the embroidery workshop. As a result, the workshop's houses were obviously not enough. Shen Yuning's plan was to rent another yard after the New Year and then recruit another batch of embroiderers.
It was not until Shen Yuning finished her work that Uncle Zhang stated his purpose. “The people in the village are envious of our family's prosperous life. They also want to find some ways to make a living. But we're all clumsy, so we've come to ask if you, Yuning, have any ideas.”
Zhang Mo, who had urged his elder brother earlier, now changed his tune. He waved his hand and said, “We're not in a hurry. We're just idle and want to find some work. It doesn't matter if you, niece Yuning, have no way.”
Uncle Zhang looked at his younger brother with a piercing gaze. The contempt in his eyes was self - evident. But Zhang Mo just smiled awkwardly and ignored his elder brother.
Shen Yuning only remembered that her second elder brother had once said that Uncle Zhang had little contact with the clan and the villagers because he didn't have a son. But since she had come to the small village for more than a year, she had the deepest feeling that the people here were really kind - hearted. Even if there were verbal disputes, they wouldn't hold grudges.
For example, because of her, Uncle Zhang's family was living a better life. No one in the village was jealous or did anything bad. They all sincerely wanted to rely on their own labor to get a better life.