Educated Youth in the Countryside: She is the Village's Embroidery Queen!-Chapter 389: No Comparison

Yi Chichi succinctly recounted the course of events. After listening, Liu Lan appeared a bit dazed.

She looked at Niu Niu, who was diligently practicing needlework, then at Yi Chichi, still feeling the development seemed somewhat bizarre.

"So, am I really going to have a little junior sister?"

"I haven’t decided to take on a disciple yet."

Yi Chichi emphasized. Without looking up, Niu Niu replied, "I’ll practice first and wait until I’m good enough before asking Aunt Chichi to be my master."

Hearing her ambitious words, Liu Lan gave a couple of dry laughs and encouraged her.

Then whispered to Yi Chichi, "My husband wrote back, asking me to take the kids to visit him in the spring."

Yi Chichi, "... Visiting in the spring?"

"Yes."

She couldn’t believe it, "What’s on your man’s mind?"

Is the border that easy to reach?

Given the current transportation situation, it’s challenging for adults to make the trip, let alone bringing along two infants under one year old. A normal person wouldn’t make such a request.

It obviously puts people in a difficult position!

Liu Lan didn’t see it that way. She calmly said, "He misses me and the kids and can’t come back. This request isn’t unreasonable, is it?!"

"Wasn’t it exhausting when you went the first time?"

"Exhausting!"

She had to transfer multiple times, not to mention the long duration, and she couldn’t adapt to the climate.

"Then think about it, your two kids are still babies, not even one year old in spring. You’d have to take them hundreds of miles to the border all by yourself. Leaving aside how tiring it would be, what would you do if something unexpected happens?"

Yi Chichi pinched her arm with a look of disdain, "Frankly speaking, with your frail physique, forget human traffickers, even a pickpocket would be too much for you to handle."

Niu Niu’s eyes glanced aside. Is the outside world really that dangerous?

The teacher never mentioned it.

Having only traveled as far as the commune, with the furthest place visited being the county, Niu Niu was filled with yearning for the outside world.

But Yi Chichi’s words cast a slight shadow over the young girl’s innocent heart.

It turns out, the outside world isn’t as beautiful as she had imagined.

She sniffed her nose and once again buried her head, poking at the cotton fabric. She’s still young, with several years before she can go explore outside, no rush.

First, she’ll listen to what her aunts have to say.

Then, with her ears perked up, Niu Niu heard Liu Lan say, "That’s why I told you."

Yi Chichi didn’t grasp her meaning at first, but when she did, she slapped her forehead.

"Don’t even think about it!"

This incomprehensible comment puzzled Niu Niu, but Liu Lan understood immediately, clinging onto her arm while saying, "Chichi, help me out. I can pay for your self-defense powder."

"It’s not about the money."

Yi Chichi peeled off her hand and said helplessly, "Firstly, you lack self-defense skills. Secondly, even if I gave you the powder, you wouldn’t know how to use it properly. Ultimately, it could end up with the bad guy unaffected, but you taking the hit instead."

If that happened, it would indeed be a great sin.

The responsibility would be too heavy; she couldn’t bear the safety of the mother and her two children.

Therefore, no matter what, she couldn’t agree to it.

"Do the elders know you’re planning to take the kids to the border in spring?"

Liu Lan looked a bit embarrassed, avoiding her eyes and looking at Niu Niu, her embroidery frame, and the big tiger, but not at her.

"You haven’t told them?" Yi Chichi was angry; clearly, a family doesn’t enter the door as a unit. Liu Lan’s husband was thoughtless, and Liu Lan wasn’t much better.

Such an important matter should be discussed with family instead of running to her with it. She resignedly accepted.

"It’s just that I haven’t had the chance to say it yet."

She felt somewhat wronged. Yi Chichi almost burst out laughing from being annoyed, "In any case, I can’t help you. I also suggest you communicate with the elders first and listen to their opinions."

Liu Lan, "..."

Well, forget about going to the border.

She felt defeated, "I knew this would be the outcome. I was hoping you could speak up for me, but you don’t support me at all."

Yi Chichi’s reply was a slap on her face.

"You better get lost. You don’t think of me when it comes to good things, but you don’t forget to drag me into bad things."

Getting angrier as she spoke, she couldn’t help but pinch her face in frustration, "I’m telling you, Liu Lan, forget about the border. Either have your man come back for a visit, or wait until the kids can walk and talk, and have your older brothers escort you and the kids over."

Liu Lan, ... Well, that could work, but the costs would be significantly higher.

Ignoring the hand pinching her face, she mentally did some calculations and then enthusiastically proclaimed, "Making money, making money, I need to make lots of money to bring the kids for a visit, and take my brothers to see the outside world."

Finally, she was convinced.

This was the approach of a clear-headed person.

Yi Chichi let out a long sigh of relief and finally let go of her hand.

"As long as you’re clear-headed."

"I have been quite clear."

Liu Lan set up the embroidery frame while threading some silk and neatly hanging it on the frame, sighing, "I just miss him too much and was a bit unwilling to let it go without asking your opinion, especially since you’ve gone on solo visits several times."

"We’re not comparable; I don’t have kids. Besides, I’m a half-baked nurse with some self-defense skills."

Yi Chichi threaded the needle, getting into work mode, not forgetting to advise, "You should also write a letter or send a telegram to your man, explaining your difficulties. I’m sure he’ll understand."

"He will definitely understand, but also be disappointed."

This really is something out of her control and unavoidable.

Reality is not a fairy tale. Living means nothing will go perfectly; instead, there are more compromises to be made.

"It’s not your fault. It’s mainly because his place is too far, and the environment is too harsh. A baby of this age really isn’t suited for long journeys."

Liu Lan acknowledged and said with emotion, "I should wait until they are as big as Niu Niu to discuss taking them for a visit."

Niu Niu, who didn’t expect this to involve herself, looked up and asked, "Why wait until I’m this big? Didn’t Aunt Chichi say they only need to walk and talk first?"

"Better to be a bit older and take care of themselves."

Liu Lan gave a very serious answer. Niu Niu thought about it and agreed, then handed over the cotton fabric to Yi Chichi, "Aunt, have a look."

Yi Chichi glanced at it and clearly pointed out her issue, "When pulling the thread, pay attention to the tension. It’s best to keep it consistent; otherwise, the thread will be uneven, causing protruding and loose stitches."

The embroidered work would look unappealing.

It’s important to know that Su Embroidery is characterized by "flatness, evenness, fineness, tightness, harmony, smoothness, brightness, and evenness."

Among them, flatness refers to the smooth surface of embroidery.

If Niu Niu doesn’t correct this flaw, she will be hindered just by the flatness, not to mention achieving characteristics like evenness and fineness later on.

Glancing between her embroidery surface and Yi Chichi’s, the small figure let out a big sigh, "I’ll try to do better."

"No rush, you’re just starting. You can go slow; there’s nothing in this world that can be achieved overnight, it’s all based on effort."