126 Chapter 126: Servant Became Long-term Worker
As soon as he said that, everyone immediately stared at Qin Xiaoyao’s tummy.
Yup… that tummy was indeed very big.
However, it seemed that before they got married, this daughter-in-law, aka sister-in-law’s belly, was already quite big.
When everyone stared at her, Qin Xiaoyao’s chubby face turned bright red.
She really felt like scolding her little brother-in-law and telling the child not to spout nonsense.
She… she was still a virgin, and she couldn’t reproduce asexually, so how could she have a baby in her tummy?
However, faced with the burning gazes of Madam Liu and the others, Qin Xiaoyao couldn’t open her mouth.
Madam Liu looked at Qin Xiaoyao’s belly with a smile and then raised her head and said to Qin Xiaoyao, “Ahem… Then we’ll come here to eat when there’s a happy occasion!”
Her eldest son and daughter-in-law had been married for more than three months. If everything went well, her daughter-in-law might be pregnant for all she knew.
In the past, she didn’t dare to think about this, but now…
Her eldest son had obviously changed his opinion of her daughter-in-law, and the two of them seemed to get along quite well.
Many things would take their natural course sooner or later.
Thinking of this, the smile on Madam Liu’s face widened.
Compared to having a grandson or granddaughter, what was a meal at Fortune Mansion? If her daughter-in-law wanted to eat here, then let her eat!
Qin Xiaoyao was utterly speechless…
It was already late when they returned home.
Everyone washed up and went back to their respective rooms.
As usual, Qin Xiaoyao was lying on the outer edge of the bed, trying to sleep as close to the edge of the bed as possible, not daring to occupy too much space on the bed.
However, this bed was much bigger and sturdier than the bed she and Song Que had slept on in the thatched hut back in Brook Falls Village.
Hence, Song Que spoke up and told her that she could sleep further in a little.
Then, Qin Xiaoyao’s whole head turned red as she kept recalling the scene where her mother-in-law was staring at her tummy.
Her attractive husband and her…
Could they really have a baby in the future?
If she could have a baby with her attractive husband, the baby would definitely be very attractive, right?
Just the thought of it made her blood rush through her whole body…
However, the phrase ‘In me the tiger sniffs the rose’ was most apt to describe Qin Xiaoyao now…
Wait, no. She didn’t even dare to turn her head.
She only shifted her body further in clumsily.
Seeing this, Song Que subconsciously frowned.
However, he didn’t think too much about it and instructed Qin Xiaoyao to continue telling him the tale of ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms.’
The flaming passion in her heart was instantly extinguished. Qin Xiaoyao cleared her throat and began to tell the story.
At the same time, the Song family’s mother and two kids were lying on their respective soft beds in their own rooms. They breathed in the fragrance of the straw and bedding and felt so comfortable that they were bubbling with joy.
From today onward, they would be living here.
They could sleep in such a soft and spacious bed every day and no longer had to worry about the wind and rain.
It was so nice…
Meanwhile, in Wang Xiaomei’s room…
Looking at the decorations in the room while lying on the bed, Wang Xiaomei felt that everything in front of her was so wonderful that it seemed unreal.
Could she really live here? To live for a long time, forever…
The next day.
This was the first day after the Song family moved into their new home.
As usual, Qin Xiaoyao woke up early.
Much to her surprise, the moment she stepped outside her room and into the courtyard, she heard the sound of clothes being washed.
Qin Xiaoyao walked toward the well and saw Wang Xiaomei.
When she saw the basin of clothes beside Wang Xiaomei, Qin Xiaoyao immediately realized that the little girl had probably been up for quite a while.
“M… Mistress,” Wang Xiaomei noticed Qin Xiaoyao when she reached out her hand to wipe off her perspiration.
“I’ll go and cook after I’m done washing these two pieces of clothes. Don’t worry, Mistress!” She quickly added.
Just then, Qin Xiaoyao heard the sound of the door opening again.
Then, she turned her head and saw that her mother-in-law and sister-in-law had also emerged.
“Sanya…”
“Sister-in-law…”
When the mother and daughter saw Qin Xiaoyao, they smiled and greeted her.
“Mother, Yun’er! Why don’t you sleep a little longer?” Qin Xiaoyao asked with a smile.
“I’m used to it. I’ll get up and make breakfast. It’s easier to do things after breakfast,” Madam Liu replied with a smile.
“I’ll help Mom!” Song Yun said with a smile.
In the past, she used to cook breakfast with her mother at home, and then she had to do the laundry.
Right, laundry…
Song Yun looked towards the kitchen door.
She realized that the dirty clothes she had left on the steps below the roof eaves last night were gone.
Qin Xiaoyao noticed Song Yun’s gaze and looked in the direction of the well.
“Xiaomei woke up earlier than us, and she’s almost done washing all the clothes,” she said.
Song Yun was shocked, and she immediately ran toward Qin Xiaoyao.
Then, she saw Wang Xiaomei, who was still washing clothes by the well, from where Qin Xiaoyao was standing.
“Sister Xiaomei…” she exclaimed and walked toward Wang Xiaomei with Qin Xiaoyao.
Wang Xiaomei quickly stood up.
“You mustn’t! Young Miss can just call me by my name!” she said urgently.
She had already thought it through last night. From now on, she would stay with the Song family and not leave.
Even if she stayed here as a slave, it would be better than going back to the Wang family to be tortured.
“Pfft…” Song Yun covered her mouth.
“What Young Miss? What kind of young lady am I? Sister Xiaomei, don’t make me laugh. No one in our family really treats you as a servant.”
Wang Xiaomei felt very touched.
Just as she was about to say something about the difference in status between master and servant, she heard Qin Xiaoyao speak.
“Yun’er is right. Three days later, regardless of whether your big brother can bring money to redeem you, you don’t need to treat yourself as a servant in this family in the future.”
“Our Song family don’t practice such things.”
Wang Xiaomei looked at Qin Xiaoyao in disbelief.
Qin Xiaoyao laughed. “If your big brother can’t gather enough money, you can stay in the Song family from then on. You can just take it as a long-term job at my house. However, I’m afraid I can’t pay you much in terms of salary.”
“M… Mistress…” Wang Xiaomei almost cried.
Qin Xiaoyao stepped forward and patted the little girl’s shoulder.
“Why are you crying? When you’ve saved enough money, you can come to me to redeem your indenture. Of course, in terms of time, it can only be five years from now, at the very least. In addition, the redemption price will be adjusted according to your situation in the future.”
“Hmm… And also, if you want to get married, I’m afraid you will have to delay it at least three years.”
In this era, when a girl turned 14 years of age, she could discuss marriage.
Although Qin Xiaoyao felt that it was a little cruel, she could not change the social norm.
Of course, she could not interfere in the affairs of outsiders. In the future, when her little sister-in-law was due to discuss marriage, she would have to interfere. She had to at least hold her little sister-in-law back until she was seventeen.
As for Wang Xiaomei, Qin Xiaoyao had seen the little girl’s performance these past two days.
In the end, she was still an acquaintance, so it was better not to treat her like a servant.
Firstly, Qin Xiaoyao was not used to it. Secondly, her family was also not used to it.
As long as she had the little girl’s indenture, it would be good to hire her as a long-term worker.
Five years should be enough for her to earn a lot of money and take care of the family better.
Wang Xiaomei’s face turned red instantly.
“I won’t get married! I… I’ll stay in the Song family! Thank you, Mistress!” she said hurriedly.
Qin Xiaoyao chuckled.
“Which young lady doesn’t marry?”
After teasing Wang Xiaomei for a while, she allowed her to continue with the laundry.
Qin Xiaoyao then went to fetch some water to water the Chinese Toon trees that were planted yesterday, while Song Yun went back to the kitchen to prepare breakfast with Madam Liu.