The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 20 - The Best Person Besides Mom and Dad

20: Chapter 20 The Best Person Besides Mom and Dad

20 -20 The Best Person Besides Mom and Dad

When they returned home, the sun was already close to setting.

Old Granny Zhang had been waiting since noon at the courtyard entrance, not worried about the little rabbit pups, who were accustomed to the wilderness of the mountains and forests.

The only one she was concerned about was her eldest daughter, who had never been up the mountain, and she had no idea how she might be doing.

From afar, she saw Ming Zhu’s large figure come into view and hurriedly called out to Lady Jiang, who was cutting pigweed in the yard, “Zhuzhu’s back, those at Laosan’s House, how can you be so inattentive, go and pour a cup of water for Zhuzhu, sweeten it with two spoons of brown sugar, to sweeten her mouth!”

Lady Jiang cheerfully agreed, put down her knife, washed her hands, and mixed a bowl of thick brown sugar water for Ming Zhu, leaving it on the table to cool.

Old Granny Zhang didn’t even bother to inspect the basket, urging her daughter to drink the brown sugar water first.

The other three Little Beans, enticed by the sweet aroma of the brown sugar water, smacked their lips and ran to the well in the courtyard, where Lady Jiang had already drawn a bucket of clean well water.

They lined up, each taking a ladle and gulping it down, then gathered again in the main room where Old Granny Zhang stayed.

Ming Zhu wasn’t accustomed to the cloying sweetness of the brown sugar water.

Lady Jiang was too honest; who knew how many spoonfuls of sugar she had put into that bowl.

After sipping just a taste, she set it aside and proudly brought out the Yellow Pine Mushrooms from her basket.

To get a good price and fearing the mushrooms might spoil, they had dug them out with soil still clinging to them, wrapped in moss and leaves.

On the way back, the three Little Beans even covered the basket with a layer of fresh grass.

Now looking at them, the mushrooms were still exceedingly fresh.

Old Granny Zhang was beaming with joy, “Oh my, my Zhuzhu, you really are a huge blessing!

So many Yellow Pine Mushrooms, I’ve lived for so many years and never heard of anyone within ten miles gathering this plentiful amount!

It must weigh nearly half a jin!

My dear dear, my eldest daughter, how can Mom express how delighted she is!

The day after tomorrow is the market day, I shall sell these mushrooms and save all the money for you, don’t worry, I won’t let anyone else use it!”

While speaking, she excitedly touched the leaves wrapped around the mushrooms, grinning from ear to ear as if she had found Golden Ingots.

Generously, Ming Zhu said, “Mom, with the money from selling these, let’s buy two jins of meat to strengthen our family.

The work in the fields is hard now, Dad and big brother are working hard, they won’t last without some good food to eat.

Besides, I’ve grown up being supported by you and Dad, now that I can make money, of course, I should be filial to you both.”

Her words brought tears streaming down Old Granny Zhang’s face as she hugged Ming Zhu, laughing and crying, “I always knew that my eldest daughter was the most filial to me, with such a good heart.

Despite those blind fools who say you’re lazy and gluttonous, pah!

My daughter is a lucky star, naturally she doesn’t need to do the rough work!

Which girl in the nearby villages can match my Zhuzhu for industriousness and bringing such fortune!

In this lifetime, having a filial daughter like you is enough for me!

Not like your brothers, who after getting married, forget their mother, ungrateful wretches.

They’re useless in every way and always keep the best for their wives and children, never remembering the mother who raised them, drenched in piss and shit—”

Ming Zhu felt helpless; no matter what she said or did, Old Granny Zhang had a way of turning it into praise for her filial piety and complaints about her ungrateful brothers.

The nearby three Little Beans didn’t dare to breathe too loudly.

At times like these, their grandmother was the most terrifying.

One wrong word could result in a fierce scolding, not to mention losing out on food.

After a severe scolding of her sons and daughters-in-law, Old Granny Zhang wiped her tears and snot with her sleeve and started to indoctrinate the three Little Beans, “See that?

Your elder cousin has such a kind heart, always thinking of her family, of you.

Even remembering to buy meat for you to eat, you must remember your elder cousin’s kindness and be filial to her when you grow up; listen to her, got it?”

The three Little Beans nodded their heads hastily.

Not to mention that one couldn’t even dream of contradicting Granny’s words—they had to agree.

But for them, they genuinely thought their elder cousin was kind.

Why?

Because she gave them food!

The children weren’t very old and being blood relatives, they were shown kindness with good food, and even large pieces of meat hanging in front of them, which made the three little beans think their old aunt was the best person ever, aside from their parents!

No doubt about it!

As for Old Granny Zhang’s efforts to curry favor with herself, Ming Zhu had no objections.

Right now, she was rummaging through a pile of Yellow Pine Mushrooms with such care that Old Granny Zhang winced in distress, “Oh dear, my precious girl, what are you doing?

These Yellow Pine Mushrooms are so delicate, if they get damaged, they’ll lose their value.”

That’s because she was her own dear daughter.

If it were anyone else, they would have already received a slap across the face.

Ming Zhu, using the knowledge she had learned from the Primary Level Mushroom Growing Guide, picked out two small Yellow Pine Mushrooms with a bit of mycelium at the base: “Mother, don’t worry, I’m being very gentle.

I’ve picked these two to try to grow them at home.”

“Growing mushrooms at home?” If it were anyone but her own dear daughter, Old Granny Zhang would have scoffed at such a fanciful idea, having never heard of mushrooms being grown at home.

“Yes, I see these Yellow Pine Mushrooms are so valuable, rare and hard to forage, I figured if we could grow them at home, it would add to our income, wouldn’t it?” Ming Zhu said confidently.

Old Granny Zhang held her tongue, feeling that her daughter’s idea was simply a product of being too well-fed and a waste.

She thought about discouraging her but seeing her excited eyes shimmering, she just didn’t have the heart to do it.

Her dear daughter deserved to be pampered, even if it meant spoiling her further.

After thinking it over, it was only two small mushrooms, a matter of a dozen or so Large Coins; their family could afford that expense.

So, without further ado, she carefully packed up the rest of the mushrooms, took note of the sky, and ordered Lady Jiang to start preparing dinner.

Lady Jiang went off with Old Granny Zhang to the kitchen to get busy.

Only Ming Zhu and the three little beans were left in the house.

Jinpan, sucking on her finger, asked, “Old aunt, can mushrooms really be grown at home?”

Ming Zhu wasn’t entirely sure either and could only reply vaguely, “I’ll give it a try, old aunt might just succeed, right?

Then we won’t have to go up the mountain to forage for mushrooms.

You guys help old aunt collect some pine needles tomorrow, and if they do grow, old aunt will sew each of you a new set of clothes to wear!”

The three little beans, though also not very convinced that mushrooms could be grown that way, still perked up at the mention of a set of clothes each.

“Don’t worry, old aunt; just give us the work,” the little beans promised, thumping their chests.

Ming Zhu smiled, lifted the bowl containing brown sugar water, and whispered, “Then quickly share this sugar water amongst yourselves.”

Brown sugar water was a precious thing, so the three little beans licked their lips hesitantly, “This is for you to nourish your body, old aunt, we won’t drink it!”

“Drink up!

I don’t like this stuff, old aunt will pour it away if you don’t drink!” Ming Zhu pretended she was about to pour it out.

Quick as a flash, Jinhua snatched it away, “We’ll drink, old aunt, we’ll drink!” she said, taking out a few large, crude tea bowls and carefully pouring the sugar water into them, then diluting it with plain water until the color became a pale yellow.

Only then did she hand a bowl to Jinguan, another to Jinpan, and took one for herself.