Chapter 82: Making It Clear
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
When they returned home, Chu Qingzhi asked Chu Qingshuang to wash the leaves. She brought Chu Qingning along to process the green beans and red dates.
Green beans were soaked in clear water, while red dates were de-cored.
Chu Qingzhi poured all the red dates into the sieve and placed it on the table. “Qingning, go get a few chopsticks.”
Chu Qingning nodded and left in confusion.
She brought the chopsticks over and handed them to Chu Qingzhi. “Fifth Sister, why do you want chopsticks?”
“You’ll know soon.” Chu Qingzhi took a pair of chopsticks and pierced it through the middle of the date. The date core fell out easily.
Chu Qingning was surprised. “Fifth Sister, you’re so smart.”
This was just a small life hack… Chu Qingzhi handed Chu Qingning a pair of chopsticks. “Fourth Sister, try it.”
Chu Qingning tried it and easily removed the core. “Fifth Sister, your idea is too good.”
A villager who had just gotten off work walked into the central room. When he saw the sisters standing by the table and de-coring the dates, he stopped to watch.
“We normally used scissors to take out the cores. I didn’t expect there to be such an easy way to do it?”
“Let me try.”
As he spoke, he picked up the extra chopsticks at the side and tried. Then, more and more villagers tried. With so many helpers, all 20 catties of red dates were de-cored.
Seeing that there was nothing else to do, the villagers left.
At this moment, Li Qingyu’s voice sounded. “Everyone, stop working. Come and help carry the dishes and prepare to eat.”
Chu Xuyuan and Chu Xuyao had both come home from school. They were originally doing homework in their room… Today’s homework was to copy the Three Character Classic twice. When they heard the sound, they ran to the kitchen.
Chu Qingzhi and Chu Qingning quickly cleared the table and set the table up.
Today’s dishes were mushroom stewed chicken, braised pork ribs, double-cooked pork, and cabbage soup. The fragrance of the food quickly filled the entire central room.
Li Qingyu and Granny Chu doted on their children. Seeing that they had been working all morning, they specially prepared good dishes.
The few children helped scoop the rice for the elders, brothers, and sisters. They were sensible and obedient. This was also one of the reasons why Chu Qingzhi liked the young ones so much.
If her family was full of brats, she would definitely be annoyed.
Everyone sat down and started eating.
After dinner, Chu Qingzhi started talking about serious matters.
“Mother, we need to wrap the zongzi tomorrow morning, but we don’t have enough helpers. Why don’t you find ten aunties to help us?”
Li Qingyu agreed readily. “Alright, leave this to me.”
Chu Qingzhi then said to Chu Rong and Grandpa Chu, “Father, Grandpa, go to the corner of the courtyard and set up two stoves. Buy two pots and we’ll use them to cook zongzi tomorrow.”
They could make about 500 zongzi with one hundred catties of glutinous Three pots were enough.
Chu Rong agreed. “Alright, I’ll do it tomorrow morning.”
After Chu Qingzhi finished speaking, Shen Ruyue began to speak. “I’ll tell everyone about our income today. We earned a total of 137 taels today. In addition, we spent 30 taels of silver today, including the money for buying things and wooden sticks at home. Now, our family has a total of 450 taels of silver.”
Li Qingyu nodded affirmatively. “This number is right.”
Chu Qingzhi patted the back of Shen Ruyue’s hand and thanked her sincerely. “Ruyue, thank you for your hard work.”
If it weren’t for Shen Ruyue, she would have to do all the work, including keeping accounts.
Shen Ruyue shook her head with a faint smile. “Qingzhi, you don’t have to thank me in the future. I like doing these things, and it’s my duty.”
Chu Qingzhi smiled and suddenly said suggestively, “We’ll be family sooner or later. There’s indeed no need to be so formal.”
These words made the eyes of the elders of the Chu family light up. It would be great if Shen Ruyue could marry Chu Xuhua.
With this thought in mind, Li Qingyu took care of Shen Ruyue even more in the following days and treated her almost as her future daughter-in-law. The other elders were not bad either and treated her extremely well.
After Chu Qingzhi brought this up, Shen Ruyue blushed and said shyly, “Qingzhi, don’t make fun of me.”
Chu Qingzhi glanced at Chu Xuhua. There was no change in his handsome face. Was he a blockhead? She had already made it so clearly, but he still didn’t understand?
Forget it, she would go and explain it in detail to him later.
After the talk, everyone dispersed and went to rest for a while.
Chu Xuhua went to the stable to feed the horse soybeans. The horse was strong and hard-working. He liked this horse very much.
A moment later, Chu Qingzhi walked over.
When the horse saw her, its eyes immediately lit up. It rubbed against Chu Qingzhi like a child.
Chu Xuhua turned his head and looked at Chu Qingzhi with a gentle gaze. “Fifth Sister.”
Chu Qingzhi touched the horse that kept rubbing against her and said meaningfully, “Brother, don’t you understand what I was implying?”
Chu Xuhua really did not think too much about it. His mind was now focused on working, earning money, and building the house. The previous engagement had dealt him a huge blow. “Fifth Sister, I don’t understand what you mean.”
What a blockhead… Chu Qingzhi lowered her voice. “Brother, what do you think of Ruyue?”
Chu Xuhua thought about it seriously. “She’s an especially good girl. She’s knowledgeable, gentle, and business-minded. Even I’m not as good as her.”
This evaluation was quite high… Chu Qingzhi asked softly, “Then do you like her?”
Chu Xuhua was stunned and quickly said, “Fifth Sister, what are you talking about?”
Chu Qingzhi was puzzled. “Since you think so highly of Ruyue, why don’t you chase after her?”
Chu Xuhua shook his head. “With my condition, how am I supposed to chase after her?”
Chu Qingzhi understood that Chu Xuhua must have been dealt a blow by his ex-girlfriend and had lost his confidence. “Is our family’s condition bad?”
Chu Xuhua said dejectedly, “It’s not our family’s condition that is bad, but mine.”
Chu Qingzhi urged, “Brother, if you don’t chase after her, what if Ruyue marries someone else in the future?”
Chu Xuhua’s expression was calm. “Then 1 will give my best wishes to her.”
Chu Qingzhi was speechless.
This matter required time and interaction. It must be that the two of them did not have enough interactions. In the future, she would create more chances for the two of them to be alone.
“Brother, it’s time to get the workers to start work.”
“Okay, I’ll let you feed the horse.” Chu Xuhua passed the basin to Chu Qingzhi and went to the central room.
Chu Qingzhi grabbed a handful of beans and fed them to the horse..