Chapter 39: He's Family Visits

  The two of them chatted for a while, and the carriage arrived home. When they got home, Xiaobao and Chen'er came out from the yard to greet them. What was surprising was that Yuer also followed behind. Seeing that it was them who had come down, Yuer's eyes were filled with surprise. Although she had seen horses in town before, she had never ridden a carriage.

  Yu'er is already ten years old. Although she usually lives in the town, she is also a person who doesn't go out of the main gate and doesn't step over the threshold of the second gate. Madame He plans to marry her daughter into a wealthy family in the future, even if it's just as a concubine. So she always keeps Yu'er at home, not letting her do anything, saying that she is afraid of making her hands rough, only allowing her to learn how to dress up beautifully every day. She doesn't let her go out and play either, saying that frequently showing off her face will make it hard for her to find a good husband in the future.

  But after all, Yuer was just a child, and the outside world still had a certain appeal to her. Seeing Lin He following Da Bao everywhere, there was a hint of envy in her eyes, as well as disdain. She thought that a country girl who went around showing off would definitely not be able to find a good husband's family, and couldn't compare with herself.

  Lin He saw Yu'er standing in her own courtyard and walked up to her, smiling and calling out "Yu'er sister, what brings you here today?"

  Yu'er replied, "I came with Mother, and she's talking to Second Aunt in the house right now."

  Lin He nodded and walked into the house, where Mrs. He was indeed talking to her mother. Lin He and Da Bao went over and called out "Auntie." Da Bao then left, and Lin He sat down beside Huang Shi, watching as she embroidered.

  Lin He secretly took a look at He Shi, seeing that He Shi seemed to have something to say, but never opened her mouth. Thinking about it, it's not like there's anything good happening, don't blame her for being narrow-minded. Normally, He Shi wouldn't come to her house without a reason, every time she comes there's always something going on. Lin He also didn't speak up, sitting quietly on the side, waiting for He Shi to start talking.

  As expected, Mr. He sat for a while and couldn't sit still, so he opened his mouth and said, "Second brother and sister, in a few days it will be Laba Festival, how do you plan to celebrate?"

  Lin He came to know that La Ba was a significant festival in this era, and every family had to give gifts to relatives and neighbors. If there were elderly people, they also needed to show respect to the elderly.

  Huang didn't know why He asked this, and was stunned for a moment before answering "I don't know yet, the child's father hasn't said either, probably to prepare some things to give to relatives and neighbors."

  "What's the point of even talking about it? These days are really tough, we have to give gifts to relatives during holidays and respect our elders, but we can't even afford food for our own family. I don't know what to do. Yesterday, I went to my mother's house to borrow some money, but she's also struggling financially. I don't know how we're going to get through this holiday."

  Lin He finally knew the purpose of He's visit, which was probably to borrow money. The Laba Festival was just an excuse. Huang also seemed to have understood He's intention and didn't respond immediately. After a while, he sighed, "Yes, life is really tough now. Our family has many people, no income, and winter is even harder."

  He's face changed, and then quickly recovered, saying "Second brother and sister, your family's life is much better than ours. Look at this house, it's bright and clean, it makes people envy. Your few acres of good land, looking at it makes one feel relieved. By next year when the harvest comes, the grain will fill up the warehouse, unlike our family, where we don't know if we'll have food for the next meal. I'm also a daughter-in-law of the Lin family, why is my life so worrisome?"

  Huang's wife smiled helplessly and advised, "Elder sister, don't worry, your family has just encountered some difficulties recently, but it's only temporary. After a few years, when Qing Shan is old enough to get married, he'll find a good wife to take care of you. And by then, Yu'er will have grown up too, and she can marry into a good family. Isn't that great? It's not like our family, where the children are still so young, just raising them is a worry."

  He heard Huang boast about his own children, and actually laughed, but still said "Our family's Jade can't compare to your family's He'er, your family's He'er is a golden nest, she knows how to make money. Last time I heard from my younger brother and sister that He'er and Da Bao went to the town to sell things and got a lot of silver coins. Second sister-in-law, I won't beat around the bush, today I have something to ask for your help with, you must help me out."

  The Huang family looked up at her, just about to speak, when the He family had already spoken and said: "There's no rice in this house, I want to borrow some money from you to buy some grain back to cook porridge. It can barely hold on for a few days. After a few days, I'll go back to my mother's house to take a look."

  The Huang family's face was also very difficult, borrowing or not borrowing is not good, if borrowed, the family really can't borrow several times, besides, last time they borrowed such a large sum of money for their family, if not borrowed, He said so pitifully, it's indeed worrying, and can't ignore one's own sister-in-law.

  Just then, Yu'er walked in, presumably she also knew about He's visit to borrow money today. She had been standing there for a long time, seeing Huang still not speaking up, so she spoke up too: "Second Auntie, please lend some to my mother, our family really has no money left, Father goes out every day to look for work but can't find any, we've been eating porridge at home for many days already. Once we have money, I'll definitely return it to you."

  If it was an adult's request, Huang Shi could have refused, but when it came to the child's plea, she couldn't bear to refuse and had no choice but to lend He Shi two hundred taels of silver. With the money in hand, He Shi and Yu'er returned home.

  Actually, He's family has been living a pretty good life, Lin He knows that their family is much better off than Lin He's used to be, although they don't have anything either, but from time to time someone helps them out, many villagers say that now their family, except for Lin Dajiang, can barely make ends meet.

  People at home still wear silk clothes brought from the town, never wearing rough cloth, and eat white noodles every day, even the worst is corn flour, so money is used up quickly. However, it's not their turn to say what kind of life other families live, but this can't go on like this either. It seems that a solution must be thought of, otherwise, I don't know how many more times He will have to borrow money.

  Huang sat for a while before remembering to ask Lin He, how are the shops in town, have they been renovated? Lin He thought of the shops in town and was particularly happy, and also told Huang about Uncle Wen's affairs.

  Huang said, "Wen Shu is really a good person, it's rare that he doesn't look down on us as farmers and is willing to help us like this. We've really met a noble person. You must do your best to help him run the store well in the future."

  "After some thought, he said, 'Since they're so good to us, why don't we send them some gifts during the Laba Festival?'"

  Lin He also thought it was necessary, but what to send is good? Wen Shu's family should have everything, and the things at home are indeed not worth taking out. It's better to think of a way, best to send something that doesn't cost too much money, but can express one's intention, if it's unique, even better.