Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 90 - 0: Snowing

Several families were delighted to hear this figure: "In just one day, we can earn more than five hundred copper coins, which is equivalent to a month’s wage for a strong laborer."

All the men in these families had taken odd jobs back in their hometown. They would toil away for a whole month, practically working themselves to half-death, and at most, they could only earn up to five hundred copper coins. People like Uncle Tian, who had no special skills and could only carry sacks, would earn just three hundred copper coins a month.

Thus, upon hearing that their own family could earn five hundred and thirty-nine copper coins in one night, Uncle Tian’s hands trembled with excitement, and Aunt Tian even started wiping away her tears, thanking Gu Jinli: "Xiao Yu, your auntie must thank you. Without the tofu you made, our family wouldn’t be able to get by."

Gu Jinli smiled and said, "What’s there to thank me for? Everyone pitched in to make this tofu business work."

Making and selling tofu was extremely laborious and complicated. Her own family alone certainly couldn’t handle it. Plus, there were many women and children in her household, and the village wasn’t very safe. If she wanted to protect her family, they had to band together with several others. That way, in times of trouble, they’d have some help.

Mrs. Chen couldn’t care less about being moved; her eyes sparkled with greed as she stared at the pile of copper coins and, rubbing her hands together, asked: "Third Grandpa, should we... start dividing up the money now?"

Why talk so much? Hurrying up and distributing the money so she could get her hands on it was the real matter at hand.

Knowing everyone was poor, Third Grandma said: "Alright, let’s go ahead and divvy up the money just as Good Brother An calculated, but each household needs to keep one hundred copper coins as capital."

The families all agreed. Each household set aside one hundred coins and only took home four hundred and thirty-nine.

The Gu Jinli family was entitled to a forty percent profit share, meaning they needed to keep four hundred copper coins aside. With that, the capital reserved by the few families amounted to one tael of silver, which was enough for the tofu stall to operate.

This tael of silver, serving as their capital, was held by Third Grandpa, and the ledger book that Gu Jin’an used for keeping accounts was also entrusted to Third Grandpa for safekeeping.

After finishing up, Third Grandpa pointed to the basket in the house, saying: "I bought seven bowls of sweet rice dumplings. Each family take a bowl home so we can properly celebrate the Lantern Festival."

"Eh." Mrs. Chen was the most unabashed. She immediately ran to the basket, picked the bowl with the largest dumplings, took her child, and went home with Gu Dagui and Gu Dafu.

The other families also took their bowls of dumplings.

Qin San Lang, taking both the silver coin and the bowl of dumplings, returned to the Qin family house with Elder Qin. As soon as they entered the home, they were met with Qin Er Lang’s taunting voice: "Helping those bumpkins out, and all you got is a bowl of dumplings about to fall apart?"

Elder Qin frowned slightly, somewhat displeased with Qin Er Lang’s words.

Qin San Lang, on the other hand, didn’t mind at all. He smiled and said, "Er Brother, Third Grandpa bought dumplings. I’ll take them to the stove to warm them up, and after our family of three enjoys them, we can go to sleep."

"What ’Third Grandpa’? Some bumpkin dares to be called ’Grandpa’ by you and me?" Qin Er Lang was agitated. He stepped forward, and with a slap, knocked the dumplings out of Qin San Lang’s hand, stared at him angrily, and said: "Don’t forget who you are. Our ancestors of the Qin family made a name for themselves, not for you to become a bumpkin. You’re disgracing our Qin family ancestors!"

Er Lang, have you caused enough trouble?" Elder Qin finally couldn’t help but scold Qin Er Lang.

Qin Er Lang ignored Elder Qin, storming back into his room, and with a bang, he shut the door. The door, old and partly rotted from years of disrepair, had a chunk of rotten wood fall from it due to his forceful slam.

In the light of the fire in the hall, Qin San Lang looked down at the dumplings scattered all over the floor, feeling quite a pity. He went outside to grab a broom and dustpan to sweep the dumplings up and then took the dirty wooden bowl to wash.

Elder Qin came to the kitchen, poured a basin of warm water for Qin San Lang, and suggested he soak his feet, saying: "San Lang, don’t take it to heart. Er Lang didn’t mean to blame you."

He continued: "What you’re doing is not wrong. Now, we must become close with the Gu family." Only by doing so could they prevent outsiders from doubting their identity.

"Grandpa, don’t worry, I don’t blame Er Lang... He’s just not willing to accept it." Qin San Lang said with a faint smile: "Our Qin family was originally peasants, and there’s no shame in me becoming a peasant again."

Elder Qin felt saddened upon hearing these words, as he looked at Qin San Lang washing his feet by the stove, if only...

...

The atmosphere at the Qin family was not very good, but it was very warm at Gu Jinli’s house.

Their family of six, together with Third Grandpa and Third Grandma, reheated two bowls of glutinous rice balls, and the eight of them shared them. Although each person only got two balls, the rich sesame aroma inside made it a treat for all.

After finishing the rice balls, the family soaked their feet in warm water and could no longer fight the drowsiness, they each headed back to their rooms to sleep.

Before dawn, Gu Jinli was woken up by the cold, muttering to herself, "Why is it so cold?"

Gu Jinxiu, who was adding firewood to the stove inside the house, saw her awake and hurriedly said, "Xiao Yu, cover yourself with the quilt properly, it’s snowing outside."

"Snowing?" Gu Jinli was overjoyed, got up and put on her cotton clothes and cloth shoes, clomping to the door where she saw Third Grandpa and Third Grandma standing inside looking out. Through the half-open door, she too could see the flurries of white snow falling from the sky and covering the entire courtyard: "It’s really snowing."

Third Grandma choked up and said: "Yes, it’s finally snowing. With this snowfall, there’s no worry about spring farming."

During their escape from the famine, they had passed through areas where there had been no rain or snow, only a thin layer of frost, and she had been very worried, fearing that the drought would continue. Now that it was snowing, the drought could be given a respite. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Because of the snowfall, Gu Dashan and Gu Jin’an got up and chopped wood for the fire, warming the house up, and the family then went back to sleep in for a bit.

By the time Gu Jinli woke up again, the outside was a vast expanse of white, with the snow already above ankle deep.

Third Grandpa and Gu Dashan were clearing snow off the rooftop, to prevent the heavy snow from collapsing the old house.

The other families were also clearing snow, making a path from their courtyards to the old well.

Due to the snowfall, they couldn’t set up a stall today, so Third Grandpa called the men from a few families to discuss reclaiming the wasteland.

Da Feng Village was large, divided into Front Village and Back Village. Centered around the village, within a five-mile radius, most of the village’s farmland was situated nearby.

Over the New Year’s days, Third Grandpa and the men from several families had already scoured the nearby areas and set their eyes on a piece of wasteland to the left of Back Village.

"That piece of wasteland is big and the soil quality is decent, better than the wasteland back at our old homes, and it’s close to where we live. Let’s go talk to the village chief today and say that our families plan to reclaim that piece of wasteland after spring begins."

The men from the few families were all eager about farming. Hearing Third Grandpa say this, they all went together to the village chief’s house.

Due to the snow, the village chief’s family was all at home. The wife of He Dacang opened the door for them, and upon seeing the half-piece of cotton cloth and two packs of caramel they carried in their basket, she smiled and said: "Have you come to see my father-in-law? He’s in, come on in."

He Dacang’s wife led them to the front door of Village Chief He’s main house, called inside, took the gifts from Third Grandpa, and left.

"Elder Gu has arrived, please come in." He Dacang came out to welcome them, leading them into the house.

Inside, Village Chief He was wrapped up like a cotton ball, sitting in a Taishi Chair in front of a brazier, warming himself. When he saw them arrive, he said: "You’re here about the reclaiming of the wasteland, aren’t you?"

Village Chief He was aware of the Qin, Gu, Luo, and Tian families having checked out the wasteland.