Chapter 44: Can't even touch a bit of light

"The first thing you do when you get up every morning is brush your teeth, wash your face, and wash your hands, keeping yourselves clean."

"Hehe, yes, Mother."

"On the windowsill, there is green salt. Use your fingers to dip in the green salt, apply it to your teeth, grind it back and forth several times, and then rinse your mouth. Remember not to swallow the salt water."

"Yes, Mother."

She and her two sons washed themselves clean together and then ran several laps in the courtyard.

She practiced boxing, and let them watch from the side. Once they learned it, they could learn to practice it themselves.

After three sets of boxing, she was already dripping with sweat; she washed her face before starting to light the fire.

"Mother, I know how to light the fire. Let me do it. What shall we make for dinner?"

There wasn't even a steamed bun in the house. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Let's make dough-drop soup. There's no dry food in the house, so Mother will go out to buy some today."

"Mother, we know how to steam buns. Is there any old sourdough starter in the house?"

"How old are you two to know such things?"

"When Mother steamed buns at home, we would help out on the side. We've watched and learned since we were small."

"I'll borrow some starter from the neighbors later, and you can try steaming them then. Let's just make do this morning."

She heated the pot, scooped in a spoonful of lard, sautéed the green onions, ginger, and garlic to flavor the pot, filled it halfway with water, and then cracked six eggs into it.

Only then did she scoop out half a bowl of flour to mix into dough drops. "Which of you two brothers is the eldest?"

"Me, Qiao Fengyun."

"Mm, Yun'er, you are my eldest son, and Feng'er, you are the second son."

"Mother!"

"From now on, Mother will raise you well. You must listen to Mother. If you feel Mother is wrong about something, you can bring it up; you don't always have to act like you're just following orders."

"Yes, Mother!"

Qiao Mai smiled. Seeing the pot boiling, she sprinkled the dough drops into it, stirred gently, added half a spoonful of salt, and finally cut in a handful of chopped green onion leaves.

When the dough-drop soup was almost ready, she tossed them in. "Turn off the heat, perfect."

The brothers were very diligent. Knowing the soup was ready, they immediately set up the table in the courtyard and laid out the bowls and chopsticks.

By the time Qiao Mai ladled the soup and brought it to the table, even the stools were already set.

"Mother has worked hard!"

Outside, Zihan, who smelled the fruit fragrance, was unhappy. "Sister, Sister, eat fruit, I want to eat fruit."

"Yes, Mother."

Six eggs, two for each; the brothers ate very contentedly. Seeing them integrate so quickly, she didn't feel the need to give any special instructions.

First, she lit the charcoal stove and began to boil corn, peanuts, and quail eggs.

It wasn't cold yet, so she didn't need to bring the charcoal stove; she could just boil them, put them in a large basin, and set them on the table to sell.

Up until now, she hadn't used a scale. Eggs were sold by the piece, peanuts by the bag—a square piece of oil paper, one bag for five wen.

Corn was sold by the ear, sweet melons by the piece, strawberries by the box, and watermelons by the slice or piece. She never exerted herself when she could save effort.

An hour later, all the goods to be sold were ready. She set aside a portion of everything, placed them in a basin, and brought it to the table in the courtyard.

"After Mother leaves, you two must bolt the courtyard gate. Don't open it for anyone but Mother. I've left a little of everything on this table for you. If you're hungry, eat first. Mother will come back to see you at noon and buy some dry food on the way."

"All right, Mother."

"That's a better way to answer."

Qiao Mai loaded the goods onto the cart and pushed it away. Fengyun and Yunfeng watched her walk far away before bolting the courtyard gate.

Returning to sit at the table, the two looked at the table full of food, and tears flowed uncontrollably again.

"This woman is truly too good to us."

"Then we shall treat her with sincerity and be filial to her in the future."

"Of course. We've met a good person. Brother, look, the table is full of the goods she intends to sell. We've circled the town several times, and only the items at her stall are precious. Yet she just prepared them and left them here for us to eat. It seems she truly treats us like her sons."

"Little brother, remember, she saved our lives. Regardless of whether she is good or bad, we must repay her, understand?"

"Understood. From now on, we are her sons. We will treat her well and be filial to her for the rest of our lives."

"Mm, eat whatever you like, but don't finish it all; save some. These things are too expensive."

Qiao Mai naturally didn't know what the two brothers were saying. After setting up her stall, many people asked her about what happened yesterday.

She just smiled. "Those two children were nearly starving to death. Looking at them was like seeing my former self. I wouldn't have had peace of mind if I hadn't saved them."

"You have such a kind heart!"

Hearing the praise, Qiao Mai just grinned. Many people felt ashamed after hearing this; a young woman could do such a thing, yet they had seen it and ignored it, disregarding life. Truly, sigh!

Qiao Mai didn't care what others thought. In any case, from that day on, more people came to her stall to beg for food.

As for her, she gave based on the person. For the old, weak, sick, and disabled, she would give a copper coin, enough to buy a steamed bun. The town was only so big, and there were only so many beggars; she knew almost all of them.

Thus, "Lady Qiao" became the town's great philanthropist, and word spread that she was always helping the poor.

The Tian family heard the rumors and were so angry they gnashed their teeth, especially that old couple.

"To think she actually had such good luck! Not only is her business booming, but she's also become a famous philanthropist in town?"

"Indeed. That good-for-nothing who didn't even eat as well as the pigs in our house has suddenly transformed into someone who is fragrant for eight hundred miles against the wind, while making our family smell foul."

"Now that she has money, our family can't even get a share of the light."

"If only our third son were here."

"I regret giving her that divorce letter. Damn it, I'm so angry!"

Not to mention the Tian family, Qiao Shicheng was so angry he nearly vomited blood upon hearing this. He gritted his teeth and said fiercely:

"That white-eyed wolf! She'd rather raise two beggars than help her maiden family, and she'd rather give money to beggars than to us. I raised her for nothing! That money-losing goods, that bastard, I'm so angry! No, I'm going to find her right now."

"Father of the children, we are, we are..."

"Are you going or not?"

"If you're going, I'll go with you."

"Call them all together. Today I'll let everyone judge and see how this little girl can still argue!"

In order to find Qiao Mai and vent their anger as quickly as possible, they were actually willing to spend money to take the village's ox cart.

When the driver heard they were going to Tianshui Town to cause trouble for Qiao Mai, he immediately shook his head.

"Old brother, I advise you not to go."

"Why?"

"Once the kinship is severed, it is severed. You are no longer one family. What she does is her business and has nothing to do with you anymore. It is very unreasonable for you to go and cause trouble like this."

"Bah! Even if she turns to ash, she is still my daughter."

"That may be so, but the law is not like that. Once the kinship is severed, there is no relationship at all. If you go to cause trouble, the Town Chief will judge you as unreasonable when he arrives."

"I don't believe it. I want to reason with her personally."

"Sigh, go if you want to. You won't give up until you go. Are you still taking the cart back?"

"Wait a while; we might."

The driver took them to their destination. After the Qiao family got off, he quickly drove the ox cart a short distance away to watch.

Seeing them, Qiao Mai immediately stood up and put her embroidery into the basket.

"What are you here for?"

Qiao Shicheng stepped forward and swung his palm to hit Qiao Mai, but Qiao Mai blocked it with one hand.

She bent down, picked up a stick from under the table, and looked coldly at the Qiao Shicheng family.

"Whoever is free, go invite the Town Chief. I'll give away any item from my stall as a reward."

"I'll go, I'll go."

Qiao Shicheng looked at the unyielding Qiao Mai and pointed at her with a trembling hand. "You, you..."

Shopkeeper Lu happened to look outside and saw the situation. It was terrible! She quickly put down her work and rushed over.

She blocked Qiao Mai behind her. "You family, you are truly shameless! You've already taken the silver and written the kinship severance document, yet you still come to cause trouble. You really have no shame."

(End of this chapter)