Chapter 10: 10. Chapter 10: Granny Qian's Win-Win Solution

Chapter 10: Mother Qian’s Best of Both Worlds

When Wen Ran saw that the person knocking on the door was an auntie from the same village, she asked in a crisp voice

“Auntie Yongfu, what’s the matter?”

“It’s a disaster! Your mother and grandmother ruined a dress belonging to Landlord Feng’s young miss, and they have to pay for it! You’d better bring some silver over quickly! Otherwise, I’m afraid they’ll have their legs broken!”

Broken legs? Wen Ran’s face turned pale with fright upon hearing this, her voice trembling involuntarily: “How, how much silver is needed?”

There were only a dozen or so copper coins left in the house!

“I don’t know. The landlord’s clothes are all made of fine silks and satins; one piece would cost at least several hundred coins! Some are even worth several taels of silver! You’d better go quickly. I just happened to pass by and saw it. Your mother and grandmother are being held by that old woman from the landlord’s house, demanding compensation! If they don’t pay, she’s going to report them to the authorities and have them beaten with boards!” Auntie Yongfu was a famous gossip in the village. She had nothing to do all day; after eating, she would wander around the neighborhood, talking about this and that. If there was any juicy news, she was always the first to know!

After leaving these words, Auntie Yongfu turned and headed home to eat.

She didn’t know whose chicken porridge smelled so incredibly fragrant, wafting all the way to the end of the village.

She caught the scent of the chicken porridge, and her stomach growled with hunger.

Auntie Yongfu never suspected that it was Wen Nuan’s family making the porridge. That family was dragged down by that sickly, delicate burden, often eating chaff and vegetables—how could they possibly have chicken porridge to eat!

It was fortunate she didn’t suspect it; otherwise, with her thick skin, she definitely would have stayed to eat.

Wen Nuan had already heard their conversation. She rummaged through the cupboard, found the fifteen coins that Madam Wang had hidden, stuffed them into her pocket, and walked out of the room. She said to Wen Ran, who was standing at the courtyard gate, looking terrified: “Sister Ran, let’s go. We’ll go see what’s going on.”

“Oh, okay. Sister, did anyone buy the chicken porridge?” Sister Ran was on the verge of tears. Why did their family have so many troubles!

How much could a pot of chicken porridge sell for? Would it be enough to pay the compensation?

“Let’s go see first. Don’t worry. Grandmother and Mother have been washing clothes for so many years; perhaps there’s some misunderstanding.” Wen Nuan comforted her.

This child had been scared silly by the mention of hundreds of coins and several taels of silver.

“Oh.”

The two of them ran all the way to Landlord Feng’s house in the next village.

Madam Wu had brought Wen Ran here before, so she knew the way.

At this moment, in the courtyard by the back door of Landlord Feng’s four-section compound, an old woman was berating Madam Wang and Madam Wu: “What do you two wretches mean by this? How could a perfectly good dress be ruined the moment it was handed to you to wash? This is my young miss’s new autumn outfit for this year; she hasn’t even worn it once! Don’t think you can shirk the debt! Two taels of silver, pay up now! If you don’t pay, I’m going to report you to the authorities!”

Madam Wu looked anxious: “Auntie, I’m really not lying. I just picked up the dress, and before I even started washing it, I discovered a tear. It really wasn’t me who tore it. If I had done it, I would naturally admit it.”

Madam Wang stood by, suppressing her temper, and said in a low, humble voice: “Sister Qian, I can testify to this. The dress was truly already torn when we picked it up! Could it have been torn when it was bought? You know we’ve been washing clothes for so long, and this has never happened before.”

“Pah! This dress had no problems when it was bought. I checked it once before handing it to you, and there wasn’t a single issue! Don’t try to deny it. Two taels of silver, pay up!”

Wen Nuan and Wen Ran ran to Madam Wang and Madam Wu’s side.

Wen Ran: “Grandmother, Mother.”

Madam Wu was startled: “Why are you two here?”

Wen Nuan was a bit out of breath. She slowed down before saying: “Grandmother, Mother, why haven’t you come home to eat yet?”

Seeing Wen Nuan’s face flushed red and covered in sweat from running, Madam Wang was shocked!

This girl’s health had just improved a little; why did she run over here? She hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her forehead: “Why did you come here? Sister Ran, how could you bring your third sister here!”

Madam Wang’s tone was a bit stern.

Wen Ran also thought of her third sister’s health at this moment, her face turning even paler, and she couldn’t speak for a moment.

Wen Nuan hurriedly tugged on Madam Wang’s sleeve: “Grandmother, don’t blame Sister Ran. I wanted to come myself.”

“You child, why are you so disobedient! Stay home properly and recover your health.” Madam Wang couldn’t bear to scold Wen Nuan after all; after all, she had been weak and sickly since childhood, making people’s hearts ache.

Madam Wu stood on the other side, helping Wen Nuan catch her breath. This child had grown up without even walking fast, let alone running. She was also worried that Wen Nuan’s body couldn’t handle it and would fall ill again, so she hurriedly said: “Sister Ran, take your sister home quickly.”

Seeing the two of them so nervous, Wen Nuan comforted them: “Mother, I’m fine. Why are you and Grandmother so late getting home?”

Mother Qian’s eyes darted between Wen Nuan and Wen Ran, as if evaluating the value of goods. Having made her calculations, she smiled

“Your mother washed my young miss’s dress and tore it. If you want your mother and grandmother to go home early, then hurry up and pay two taels of silver! If you don’t have the money, I think this little girl looks quite pleasing to the eye. If you let her become a child bride for my son, I’ll pay the two taels of silver for you! From now on, you can continue to do the laundry work for the landlord’s house.”

Mother Qian pointed at Wen Ran. As for Wen Nuan, seeing how nervous Madam Wang and Madam Wu were, she was likely that famous sickly weakling and jinx of the surrounding ten miles; she wouldn’t dare take her!

In fact, the reason she wanted this girl as a child bride was because Madam Wu’s eldest daughter had become a child bride for the Qian scholar’s family in their village.

That girl was so gentle and capable!

Working the fields, farming, washing clothes, cooking, raising pigs—she did all the housework in the family by herself!

Moreover, her temperament was exceptionally good. Even when she was beaten and scolded by the scholar’s wife every day, she didn’t dare to make a sound, just burying her head and working. She ate little, worked much, woke up early, and slept late!

The entire Qian family just sat there every day waiting to be fed.

She was so envious looking at that! She wanted a child bride like that so she could sit there like a lady every day and enjoy a life of leisure.

Mother Qian knew they definitely didn’t have the silver to pay!

She had heard that this family had a jinx. To pay for her medical treatment, the family had sold their house, their land, and even people, almost ending up destitute and homeless.

Yesterday, her own daughter had accidentally cut a small hole in the young miss’s dress.

A dress worth two taels of silver was half a year’s wages for her; how could she afford to pay for it!

It just so happened that today was the day Madam Wang and Madam Wu came to wash clothes, so she had used her hand to tear the hole a bit bigger and blamed it on them.

If they had the silver to pay, she wouldn’t have to pay, and her daughter wouldn’t have to fear punishment from the young miss.

If they didn’t have the silver to pay, her family would gain a child bride, and from then on, she could be like the scholar’s wife and not have to do any work at all!

She was truly too clever; she could even think of such a way to get the best of both worlds!

Wen Ran’s face turned pale with fright, and she subconsciously hid behind Madam Wu. She didn’t want to be a child bride and leave home.

But if there was no silver to pay...

Wen Ran glanced at Wen Nuan: Third Sister’s health was poor; she couldn’t be the one to go be a child bride. If she went to someone else’s house, they would definitely despise her.

But, two taels of silver—how could their family afford it?

If they really couldn’t pay... then she would just have to go herself! Wen Ran thought, feeling miserable.

Madam Wu shielded Wen Ran behind her: “Impossible! Don’t you dare have designs on my child! I didn’t tear this dress; I hadn’t even started washing it, it was just soaking in the water! I won’t pay this silver!”

“Don’t think you can shirk the debt! If she won’t be my family’s daughter-in-law, then pay the silver! If you don’t pay, I’m reporting you to the authorities!” Mother Qian looked at Wen Ran, who was hiding timidly behind Madam Wu, and the more she looked, the more satisfied she was!

Timid is good; only someone timid can be thoroughly ground down.

(End of chapter)