“Suniang, you’re still here? You haven’t finished making today’s batch yet?” Mother Zhu walked into the kitchen.
Ning Shu was currently working hard on shaping the tofu. When she heard what Mother Zhu said, she replied, “It’s almost done.”
Zhu Suniang would usually be gone before the sun even rose. However, as of now, it was already near mid-day. When Mother Zhu got up and saw that Ning Shu was still in the kitchen, she came over to take a look and help out.
Mother Zhu would occasionally help out, but she was a rich married woman after all. Even though the family was no longer wealthy, there were some habits that she couldn’t change.
However, Mother Zhu was an intelligent person who had experience presiding over a large household that had many servants, and she was also very good at governing. She would often speak warmly to Zhu Suniang and say that she was a very virtuous daughter-in-law, that it was the Zhu family ancestors that had blessed them with her.
“Suniang, have there been any letters from Yanqiu recently?” asked Mother Zhu.
Ning Shu said, “No, but there probably will be soon.” Zhu Yanqiu who was working on dating always needed more money.
After finally making the tofu come together, she placed the tofu in the buckets, then looped the carrying pole through them before placing the carrying pole on her shoulder. She lifted, but wasn’t able to lift the pole so she sank her energy into her dantian to try again.
This time she managed to lift it, but she staggered backwards a couple steps before she was able to stabilize herself. It was very painful to have the pole crushing her shoulder.
Ever since Zhu Yanqiu left this house to go to Shanghai to study, Zhu Suniang has been doing this every day. However, Zhu Yanqiu didn’t fulfill any of his responsibilities towards Zhu Suniang and simply tried to squeeze every last drop of money that he could out of her.
Zhu Yanqiu accepted the new ways of thought: freedom, equality, brotherhood. Every person had the right to pursue happiness, but he, in the depths of his heart, simply looked down on Zhu Suniang. He looked down on the fact that Zhu Suniang was completely illiterate, that she was unsophisticated.
“Mother, when Siyuan wakes up, please look after him.” Ning Shu turned around to speak to Mother Zhu. Zhu Siyuan was Zhu Yanqiu and Zhu Suniang’s son. He was almost about to turn three.
Mother Zhu nodded and told Ning Shu to be careful.
Ning Shu lifted the pole and left, following Zhu Suniang’s usual route. Some acquaintances would come by to buy her tofu.
Selling tofu wasn’t very difficult, it was just that it is very heavy to carry them. Tofu primarily consisted of water, so walking around carrying two large baskets of water everywhere was exhausting.
She had no idea how Zhu Suniang managed to persevere with this. And even after persevering for the entire day, she’d only earn so much. On a good day, all the various bank notes added up to a fifth of a silver dollar. In this time period, five silver dollars could buy a plowing cow and two silver dollars was enough to support a family of three for a year.
Although it was tiring, she had to earn money so that Zhu Yanqiu would be able to continue living his luxurious lifestyle.
Frick. Ning Shu really wanted to just drop the pole and give up, but when she recalled Zhu Suniang’s son, she could only continue working on selling the tofu.
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