Fortunate Wife

The next day, after breakfast, Li Man did not go to town immediately, but arranged tasks for everyone at home.

Mainly Li Yan's.

Li Man thought about opening her own shop, the models, the cabinets, and at least the hangers for hanging clothes. Li Yan had to leave all of these to Li Yan.

She drew the blueprints and asked him to follow suit.

As for Li Hua, they still make clothes at home. Although they made her clothes yesterday, their own clothes haven't been moved yet.

Xiao Wu, Li Man was also afraid that he would be bored at home, so she assigned some homework for him.

Therefore, the only ones who can accompany Li Man to the town today are Li Mo and Li Shu, but Li Yan said that it is not enough to go up the mountain alone to chop wood, and you have to find a helper. Li Shu was left behind.

This made Li Shu very annoyed, thinking that the second brother was avenging his personal revenge, and he was jealous because his daughter-in-law treated him well yesterday.

After the arrangements were made, Li Man and Li Mo set off.

Nuanxiang building was much more lively than usual, they waited in the kiosk for a while before mother Rong showed up with a little girl.

"Oh, Miss Li, wait a minute." Rong's mother looked very young today, with a radiant face.

Li Man got up and smiled at her, "It's okay, where are the girls?"

"I'm busy, you have some tea first." Rong's mother said, she sat down with her, and the little girl who came with her poured the tea deftly.

Li Man didn't drink, but looked at Mother Rong suspiciously, "What? Isn't it time for class?"

"Hey, I've almost learned it." Rong's mother smiled, "It's all thanks to Miss Li's serious and strict teaching. Those girls usually play tricks with me, but in front of you, they compete one by one. Compared with studying, at night, those who don’t even want to accept business, just practice hard in the room. I see, they have learned almost the same, let them rest.”

Li Man nodded. In fact, she has taught everything that should be taught. Whether they learn well or not is a matter of their talent and hard work. The reason why she has been persisting in helping to supervise and guide is that she has to be worthy of the thousand dollars no matter what. For two silver, she will do it seriously before others say they are satisfied.

"That......"

"Girl, don't worry, I've prepared the six hundred taels of silver for you a long time ago, but, today, I have another thing to ask you to do." Rong's mother said cheerfully.

Li Man had already guessed, "Is it about those twenty little girls?"

"Yeah." Rong's mother nodded, "I gathered them all together and said a few words, you came here, I just want you to show me, by the way, help me see, what can be made material."

"I can't do this." Li Man hastily declined, and also didn't want to see those twenty little girls.

"It's all here, just take a look." Saying that, Mother Rong ordered the little girl beside her to lead someone.

The little girl ran away quickly, and after a while, a row of little girls followed behind her.

These little girls are indeed very small. According to Li Man, the older one is no more than ten years old, and the younger one is a little girl with two braids, a round face, and a pair of ignorant big eyes. Eye.

Li Man felt sad and distressed, squatted down, touched the little girl's head, and asked softly, "How old are you?"

"Five years old." The little girl looked at Li Man timidly, and replied in a childish voice.

five years old? As expected by Li Man, "What's your name?"

"Little Cao'er." The girl replied.

Mother Rong saw that this little grass spoke clearly, and her appearance was not yet opened, but those big eyes were very beautiful.

"Hehe, Miss Li, to tell you the truth, I was able to keep this little girl because of her eyes. Look, how beautiful and juicy she is."

Li Man didn't pay attention to her mother, and then looked at each of them. Most of them were about seven or eight years old, and they didn't grow any flowers.

But in a place like this, even if she becomes a beauty who can overwhelm the country and the city, she is blessed?

"You were all sold by your family?"

Some nodded, some shook their heads.

"I was sold by my uncle and aunt, sister, please accept me?" One of the girls, who looked to be at most eight or nine years old, knelt down in front of Li Man with a plop, "I must be obedient , study hard, and in the future, I want to become the oiran of Nuanxianglou and the entire Xingrong Street, and I will definitely repay you well."

Li Man was shocked, "You?" Who taught her this?

Before she came back to her senses, Rong's mother smiled with satisfaction, "Is your name Erni? Well, mom, I like you just like you. I think you look delicate and weak, but you are strong inside." , Soft yet strong, not bad, not bad, but the name is a bit rustic."

"Please give me a name from mother." The little girl immediately said piously.

Mother Rong looked at her little face carefully, and suddenly smiled, "Let's call you Lan'er, I hope you will be more beautiful than orchids in the future."

"Thank you, Mama Rong." Xiao Nizi bent her eyes happily, with a confident light shining in her eyes.

Mother Rong nodded, "Get up."

Xiao Nizi looked at Li Man again.

Li Man didn't know what to say, but at this time, Lan'er hadn't gotten up yet, but the other little girls followed her example and knelt down together, and they all vowed to promise like Rong's mother that they would be obedient in the future, study hard, and keep warm Xianglou struggles or something.

Even Xiaocao'er next to Li Man's legs, seeing her sisters all kneeling, also knelt along in a daze.

Li Man looked very distressed, but she didn't know what to say.

"Miss Li." Mother Rong yelled a few times before Li Man came back to her senses, "What's the matter?"

Seeing Li Man's expression, Mother Rong couldn't help laughing, "I know that Miss Li has a kind heart and can't bear these little girls to fall into prostitution, but have you ever thought about it, since they are here, besides being obedient and learning some skills, There is no other way out. It's better to have a man holding this kind of place than to be an old man and no one to look at it. Besides, if they have the ability, it is not impossible for them to marry a good man in the future. Maybe. , to be a concubine or something for a rich family, and give birth to a male and a half female, so that you can eat and drink for the rest of your life, so it's worth it."

Rong's mother crackled and said it all. In fact, it was what she taught these little girls before. She wanted to give them a bright future, so that they could be obedient.

Facts have proved that such words have indeed had a good effect.

Li Man frowned, feeling that she had to do something for them, but what to do? Redemption?

Does she have that ability?

"Mother Rong. I want to..." Suddenly, Li Man reached out and took Xiaocao'er's hand, and brought her up.

"No." Rong's mother seemed to see her thoughts, and quickly refused, "I like this little girl as soon as she comes, and I hope she will add luster to my Nuanxiang Building in the future."

"Then how many years will it take you? Five years, oh no, at least ten years." Li Man held Xiaocao'er in her arms without giving in.

There are so many girls, she can't control it, it's ridiculous that Cao'er is only five years old, when she opened her big innocent eyes and stared at herself eagerly, her heart has already softened.

She really couldn't imagine what such a child would be like in five or ten years in a place like Nuanxianglou.

"Heh, in a place like ours, the slower you move, the more precious you are. To tell you the truth, as long as this little girl is built by me, it really won't take ten years. After five years, she can be guaranteed to be popular." Through Xingrong Street." I don't know if it's because Li Man has taken a fancy to her, but Mother Rong didn't notice it before, but the more she looks at Xiaocao'er now, the more pleasing she feels.

Li Man decided not to go around the bush, and asked directly, "How much money? I redeemed it."

"Yo, isn't it? Girl, you want to compete with me for business?" Mother Rong looked at Li Man in surprise.

Li Man said seriously, "Only Xiaocao'er, I hope Mother Rong will give you a high hand, how much money will I pay?"

Mother Rong looked at Li Man carefully, she couldn't see her real face through the veil, but she could still feel her persistence, so she couldn't help laughing, "Oh, Miss Li, what money are you talking about here? Money? If you like this little girl, just go and order her around. Anyway, if you come to teach these children for me every day in the future, this little grass will naturally follow you."

"No." Li Man understood what Mama Rong meant, it was to make herself have to teach these little girls in the future, which she didn't want, "Mother Rong, as for teaching them, please find someone else. , The little things I know have already been taught to you girls here. Today, I just have one request, no matter how much it costs, I want to redeem Xiaocaoer’s life.”

Xiaocao'er didn't quite understand Li Man's words, but she seemed to understand when she heard about the redemption. Her little hand held Li Man tightly, as if she had met a savior, which made Li Man even more determined to want her.

"This?" Rong's mother showed a perplexed expression, "Girl, you also know that I hired someone and spent a lot of money to find these girls, especially this girl—"

"How much money?" Li Man didn't want to go around in circles with her.

"I really can't, it's not that I don't give the girl face, but this little girl, what's the use of redeeming you back, girl? It's better..."

"I happen to be in need of a girl who is pleasing to the eye." Li Man said.

"There are so many smart girls, what can she do with so little?" The more Mother Rong looked at her, the more she felt that Xiaocao'er would have a bright future, and the more reluctant she was.

"Mother Rong, I won't come to teach you these girls again, but if you have any problems in the future, you can always come to me, how about it?" Li Man finally made a compromise.

Seeing her firm face, Mother Rong felt more and more that leaving Xiaocao'er was equivalent to leaving Li Man behind, and how could she let go so easily, "Miss Li, it's really not that I refused to let her go, that's why I entered my warm house." As for Xianglou, it's unlucky to be taken away by you without waiting for Cishi all day. Besides, Xiaocao'er is small, and she is favored by you. Mom, I promise you, I will never treat her badly. What if? Don't worry, you can come to see her often. Doesn't Ms. Li just treat us as a business relationship these days? Seriously, if Ms. Li doesn't come here in the future, I'm going to worry about it, Mom Woolen cloth."

Li Man immediately understood what she meant, and wanted to use Xiaocao'er to keep herself working for Nuanxianglou, "But I really have nothing to teach you."

"Oh, Ms. Li is out of touch by saying that. Can't you come and play if you have nothing to do? It's okay to talk with me, I like to talk to people like girls." Rong's mother smiled and praised Li Man, facing the ground Those little girls waved their hands, "Okay, you all go down."

"Hey." Li Man wanted to keep Xiaocao'er, but was stopped by Rong's mother, "With me, I won't let her suffer. If you miss her, just come and see her often in the future. I will tell you Guaranteed, let her eat and drink well and sleep well every day, isn't that enough?"

Li Man stared at Rong's mother with some annoyance, saying that prostitutes and sons were ruthless, as expected, Rong's mother was not soft on what she could use.

"Okay, I'll ask Mother Rong to take care of that little grass." Li Man said helplessly.

Mother Rong smiled, "That's natural. When they come to me, they are all my children. If I don't take care of them, whoever will take care of them."

After finishing speaking, she took out a six hundred taels of silver bill from her bosom and handed it to Li Man, "Miss Li, this is the remaining taels of silver. It's all here, take a look."

Li Man took it, and after a closer look, it was indeed correct, so she turned and handed it to Li Mo.

"It's nothing, so let's take our leave first." She didn't want to stay here for a minute, and she hated seeing her mother's hypocritical face.

Mother Rong smiled, "Okay, Miss Li, walk slowly, if you are free, come and play often." Anyway, she is sure that with Xiaocaoer, Li Man will definitely come here often without worry.

——

After leaving the back door of Nuanxiang Building, Li Man's expression was still not good.

Li Mo felt distressed, "Man'er, don't think about it, if you really like that little girl, let's figure out a way in the future."

"Yeah." Li Man thought about Xiaocao'er's staring eyes at her when she was taken away, her heart ached, her eyes turned red, "That child is poor, he's only five years old."

Li Mo patted her on the back lightly, "I know, let's think of another way."

But Li Man knew that that kind of place was a pit for eating people. Anyone who entered that kind of place would have no way of getting out without being skinned. Cao'er has earned a penny, and she will never let go of it easily.

Thinking of this, I couldn't help feeling discouraged.

"Man'er, should we go to the shop and have a look?" Li Mo changed the subject.

Li Man shook her head, "The things are not ready yet, it's useless to go now, let's go home."

"Oh." Li Mo hurriedly helped her to sit on the trolley. Seeing her depressed expression, she was also worried and anxious along the way. He, who was always reticent, finally managed to tell her two jokes.

In the end, it wasn't the joke itself that amused Li Man, but Li Mo amused her.

The jokes were all when he was injured in his leg, he lived in his own room and had nothing to do at night, so she said it was to relieve his boredom.

He wrote it down, but his memory was wrong, and he told a few jokes mixed up, and the donkey's head was wrong with the horse's mouth.

Seeing Li Man smile, Li Mo was happy, but also a little embarrassed, he knew what he said was not good.

Li Man finished laughing, and looked at him seriously, "Brother, I'm fine, you don't have to worry."

"I... Don't worry, we will take care of Xiaocao'er's affairs." Li Mo assured her.

Li Man was very relieved to hear that, and thinking that Xiaocao'er is young, she doesn't have to worry about what will be lost for the time being, she still has a lot of time to rescue her from the fire pit.

In this way, she has a little more confidence, she must be stronger, stronger and stronger.

——

Today, because there was no class, I returned home very early. It was only in the afternoon, and the men in the family woke up after a rest, ready to work, and saw Li Mo pushing Li Man back.

"Daughter-in-law." Li Shu hurriedly dropped the saw in his hand and ran towards Li Man.

Li Man saw that he was shirtless and his shoulders were red from the pressure, and felt very distressed, "You carried the tree down by yourself?"

Looking at the several big trees lined up side by side in the yard, she felt even more distressed. How heavy is such a big tree, and it just weighs on her shoulders?

"Ha, what is this? I can carry two trees at once." Li Shu said with a smile, because the second brother said that the mountain road is slippery, so he is not allowed to carry two trees together, otherwise it would not take such effort.

Li Man's head was full of black lines, and she glanced at him, "I know you are strong."

Pulling him to squat down again, he saw that there was some purple in the bronzed skin, which was obviously pressed by a heavy object, and he reached out his hand to touch it distressedly, "Does it hurt? It's all blue."

"It doesn't hurt," Li Shu smiled, "Daughter-in-law, once you touch it, it won't hurt anymore."

"I'm still poor, let's use a cart next time." If she had known that she would carry it on her shoulders, she wouldn't need a cart.

Li Yan walked over and said with a smile, "Such a small car can push you. How can you pull such a big tree? Besides, it's not easy to use a car to pull it in the mountains."

Li Man looked up at him, her shoulders were the same as Li Shu's, "You carried it too?"

"Well, my second brother and I carried two trees. Look, daughter-in-law, is it enough for you to hit everything?" Li Shudao.

Li Yan also looked at Li Man, took out the drawings she left in his arms in the morning, pointed at one of the objects that looked like a human body, "You said this is a model?"

"Yeah." Li Man nodded, "It's hard to make, isn't it? Why don't you just make a similar shelf that can stretch out the clothes."

"It can be done, but it's a bit more troublesome." Li Yan curled his lips into a smile, and then looked at the model's elegant and protruding painting, and couldn't help but glance at Li Man.

Li Man didn't think of anything else, seeing Li Mo carrying a bundle of firewood into the kitchen, she hurriedly ran away.

They didn't eat at Nuanxianglou at noon, and they are a little hungry now.

"What did you have for lunch?" Li Man suddenly turned to Li Yan and Li Shu when they walked to the door of the kitchen.

Li Shu said loudly, "I left some porridge in the morning, mixed it with water and boiled it again, and my second brother even made some corn bread."

"Oh." Maybe it's nature. Few men like to cook. Even if Li Yan and Li Hua can cook, they are afraid of trouble, and often make some cakes and steamed buns, just make do with it.

But Li Man doesn't think so. Food is the most important thing for the people. If they can't eat well, what can they do to be strong? What's more, what men do is physical work, and they must eat well.

She took the silver today, but unfortunately she was in a bad mood and forgot to buy some meat back from the town.

At this time, Li Mo was sitting under the stove, looking at Li Man, "Man'er, do whatever you want."

"Yeah." It was mid-afternoon, and I could only cook something simple, so Li Man scooped up the noodles, rolled out some noodles, brought out some sauerkraut, chopped them up, mixed them with some oil and chili peppers, and fried them. Sprinkle over noodles.

In this way, a big pot of hot pickled cabbage and spicy noodles is made.

She cooked a lot of noodles on purpose, and when they were done, she served a bowl for Li Mo, and went to the door to call Li Yan and the others.

"Don't do it all, come in and have some noodles."

"Daughter-in-law, it's not dark yet." Li Shu wondered if the dinner was a little early.

Li Man raised her lips and smiled, "Come and eat the afternoon tea for you."

After finishing speaking, he went to the east room again, and saw Li Hua sitting on the kang, sewing clothes earnestly, and Xiao Wu leaning against the small window, earnestly writing on the sand table. Didn't notice Li Man coming.

Li Man laughed, "Are you so serious? I cooked delicious noodles, would you like a bowl?"

Li Hua and Xiao Wu were taken aback at the same time.

"Yes." Xiao Wu hastily threw down the sand table and slipped down towards the kang. He was not full at noon, and he kept thinking that his sister would cook something delicious when she came back at night.

Li Hua packed up the sewing materials properly, stood up with a smile, and said, "OK", the noodles made by Man'er are the best, even if he is not that hungry, he still wants to eat some.

The brothers washed their hands together and went into the kitchen, where Li Man brought the noodles that had already been served to everyone.

"Daughter-in-law, it smells so good." Li Shu felt that it was a kind of enjoyment when he smelled the fragrance of noodles. Sure enough, in contrast, how did he swallow the cornbread made by his second brother at noon?

Li Man smiled, seeing the brothers eating happily, she was also happy in her heart.