Educated Youth in the Countryside: She is the Village's Embroidery Queen!-Chapter 229: Married a Little Money-Maker

Upon hearing this, Yi Chichi thought of Wu Yongfei.

Wu Yongfei had a similar problem to hers, except it wasn’t her hands but her mouth that she couldn’t control.

But Wu Yongfei’s situation had improved a lot, at least she didn’t slip up with her words as often.

She now thought before speaking.

Zhang Xiaoqin, however...

Should she give it a try?

Thinking of this, she asked, "Can you control your hands, apart from when you’re tending a fire?"

Zhang Xiaoqin pondered seriously, "I’m not really sure, I don’t do much work."

It was only after coming to Kao Shan Village that her godmother and the others made her work as free labor.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have known she had this problem.

Yi Chichi was truly at a loss for words, so she silently stacked the firewood until a roaring fire was going, then urged, "Get cooking."

"Are you going back home?"

"Can you promise not to add any more wood?"

"What if the fire goes out?"

Yi Chichi looked at the firewood in the stove, "There’s enough for you to cook three dishes and some left over."

The only worry was the fire being too big and burning the pans.

"Then I won’t add any more wood."

As long as the fire in the stove was enough for her to cook, she wouldn’t be afraid of her hands getting out of control.

Yi Chichi finally relaxed.

"You do your cooking here, I’m going home to make dinner."

"Why not eat here?"

"What about my mom?"

"Bring her along or take some food home for her."

"No, you go ahead and eat yourselves."

Yi Chichi declined Zhang Xiaoqin’s kind invitation, insisting on returning home despite her enthusiastic offer.

The iron pot heated quickly, Zhang Xiaoqin was busy cooking and couldn’t force her to stay for dinner, so she had to let her leave.

Before stepping out, Yi Chichi advised, "If you’re going to cook rice, control the amount of wood added, don’t overstuff the stove, if you’re making noodles, you won’t need to add wood."

"I don’t know how to cook rice."

Yi Chichi didn’t either; cooking rice was a bit troublesome, needing to put cold water and rice into the pot together, and when it’s almost done, lift it out to steam.

The tricky part was determining when to lift it out as ’almost there’, she couldn’t figure out what ’almost there’ meant.

Ever since making undercooked and tough rice once, Wen’s mother had banned her from entering the kitchen.

She wasn’t needed even as a helper.

Knowing Zhang Xiaoqin wouldn’t cook rice, Yi Chichi left assured.

On the way, she encountered Qiao Jun, covered in dirt and looking tired, walking dejectedly beside Uncle Yaozi, their footsteps heavy as if heading for the gallows.

Uncle Yaozi was scolding him, "Young as you are, why are you so useless?"

Qiao Jun felt aggrieved, "I haven’t done this work before."

With over a hundred pounds weighing on him, it nearly crushed him.

The party secretary sighed, "Today’s young folks are one worse than the other."

The accompanying Bai Chen and others bowed their heads silently, feeling ashamed.

Yi Chichi heard them, didn’t dare make a sound, quickened her pace in hopes of quietly passing by, but Uncle Yaozi wasn’t about to let her go, "Stop right there."

She stopped dead like a quail, obediently greeted everyone.

"Uncle Yaozi, Party Secretary, Team Leader... Aunt Hua..."

A long string of titles rolled out, nearly exhausting her saliva.

Seeing Yaozi calling her to halt, everyone present, one and all, stopped eagerly to watch.

Aunt Hua, more curious, asked, "Yaozi, what do you want from Chichi?"

"What else, join me for mountain climbing tomorrow."

Yi Chichi, "??? For gathering herbs?"

"Yes, the herbs left over from last year need to be picked quickly, to keep for winter using."

"Okay."

This was serious business, and Yi Chichi had no reason to refuse.

The Team Leader heard and advised, "Since you’re going up the mountain tomorrow, take a look at this year’s pine cones over at the pine forest."

Uncle Yaozi grunted, indeed it’s time to check, didn’t pick them last year, if not picked again this year a lot will be wasted.

It’s all money.

Even if not sold, bringing them back to roast as snacks for the village kids would be nice.

"Bring a cloth bag from home tomorrow."

Turning around, he instructed Yi Chichi.

"Sure."

Yi Chichi nodded in agreement, recounted the plan to Wen’s mother for going up the mountain tomorrow to gather herbs.

Wen’s mother stuffed rice into her mouth as she said, "You’ll have to get up early, otherwise you won’t make it back by night, I’ll make some pancakes for you to take."

Before Yi Chichi could respond, she added, "And take two fish."

"??? Dried squid?"

The only ready-to-eat fish at home was dried squid; honestly, she didn’t really like it.

Wen’s mother laughed, "Don’t want dried squid?"

"No."

She spoke the truth, "Just make some pancakes, vegetables can be gathered on the mountain by Uncle Yaozi."

If lucky, maybe they’ll catch a wild chicken, otherwise taking some sauce would be fine.

"You can take some bean paste, if nothing can be gathered just spread it on the pancakes."

After all, they weren’t going for a picnic, gathering herbs was the main task.

Wen’s mother thought it over, feeling it was acceptable.

"We’ll go with your plan."

Bean paste it is, after all, the paste she made was well-loved by Chichi, no problem eating it as a dish.

"Did anything happy happen today?"

She laughingly placed a small abalone into Yi Chichi’s bowl, Yi Chichi chuckled, "Yes, I got more work."

"From whom?"

"From Aunt Ma’s niece Yu Ritang’s recommendation."

Wen’s mother’s eyes lit up, "Big order?"

"Making clothes, five sets, they’ll go to the county to get the fabric tomorrow, and come over the day after."

Before Wen’s mother could ask more, Yi Chichi explained the tailoring fees for several sets.

Wen’s mother... she felt as if her son Wen Shi hadn’t just married a daughter-in-law, but a little treasure.

Who’s got a daughter-in-law like hers, making money right at home.

She was proud yet worried, "Will you have time for the double-sided embroidery piece you have?"

"I’ll have time."

Yi Chichi explained, "The clothes have to be delivered in winter, plenty of time for that."

In winter, there was indeed ample time.

"As long as you’re clear about it, don’t strain your eyes."

"Okay."

She regularly practiced hand and eye exercises, occasionally strengthening her eyes, having her own maintenance routine.

Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted as they ate, once full Yi Chichi thought she was done, but Wen’s mother brought out a large clay jar from the kitchen for her.

"Take this to your grandpa’s place."

"What is it?"

"The seafood stew we just ate."

The seafood sent back had been quite abundant, even sharing some with close families and the Youth Corps Courtyard left a lot her and her mother-in-law couldn’t finish.

Besides, Wen Shi sent it home frequently, they couldn’t eat as fast as he sent it, so they had to share it outward.

Yi Chichi lifted the lid for a peek, the rich aroma was evident, but that was not the point, the point was the somewhat terrifying amount inside.

A jar filled to the brim.

She felt touched, "Thank you, mom."

"We’re family, no need, just treat me well when I’m old so I don’t starve over a bite of food."

She said this with a smile, Yi Chichi felt awkward, she wasn’t that unreasonable.

"Mom, please don’t say this in front of Wen Shi, or he’ll think I’m mistreating you."