Chapter 135: Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Chapter 135: Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Of course, one can sleep at home, but when you wake up, you're drenched in sweat.

How could it be as refreshing and comfortable as this?

Not to mention, after waking up, you can come to this cool alleyway for a breeze.

"Indeed, it's nice," Qin Xiaoyao replied.

After summer began, when they woke up, everyone in their family would come to this alleyway to work.

She herself was peeling century eggs, while Yun'er and her little sister were weaving straw shoes.

Even Y'eer would come here to play.

Only Grandma and her beautiful husband would stay in the room.

One reason was that it was hard to move the embroidery frame and they didn't want to dirty the embroidery.

The other reason was that it was difficult to move the table and they didn't want to go out.

Fortunately, their house was large enough, and the roof was tiled, so even staying indoors wasn't too hot.

"San Ya! Yun'er!" At that moment, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.

Just as Qin Xiaoyao was about to respond, he saw Song Yun answer first.

Song Yun came out of Liu's room, responding as she ran into the courtyard.

"I'm coming, Auntie!"

Yes, the person who came was their neighbor, Aunt Sun, and her daughter, Sun Xiaoyue.

Ever since seeing Liu's embroidery skills, Aunt Sun would often bring her daughter over to visit whenever she had free time.

In the morning, when it was cool, Aunt Sun usually wouldn't come over.

After lunch, once she had taken care of things at home and rested for a while, the mother and daughter would come over.

Coincidentally, Liu would have just woken up by then.

They could then do embroidery together.

Seeing Li Danni curiously looking into the courtyard, Qin Xiaoyao smiled and said, "That's our neighbor, Aunt Sun. In the afternoon, she often brings her daughter over to chat with my mother."

Seeing Song Yun welcome them in, both carrying sewing baskets, Li Danni nodded.

"Auntie is doing embroidery again?" She asked Qin Xiaoyao, looking puzzled.

How much money can one make from embroidery? It's not as good as weaving straw shoes.

Although their stall's business wasn't as good as before,

her stall's straw shoes always sold well.

Unfortunately, San Ya only gave her a small number of straw shoes.

"Yes. Making too many straw shoes hurts your hands. Since Mother has the skill to do embroidery, it's better for her to do that."

"Moreover, the embroidery work she's taking on now is a big project. It takes one or two months to complete a piece, and when finished, it can sell for ten taels of silver."

Li Danni was shocked.

"This—so much?!"

Qin Xiaoyao smiled and glanced at Li Danni.

"A lot, right? I was also surprised when I first heard about it."

"But it's true."

Facing Li Danni's curious gaze, Qin Xiaoyao continued, "This kind of embroidery work is rarely dispatched; most of it is given to the embroiderers employed by the Embroidery Shop."

"But my mother's skills are excellent, and she knows the owner of the Embroidery Shop."

"When she said she wanted to take on a big project, the owner agreed immediately."

Li Danni was skeptical.

"Why didn't Auntie do this before?"

If a piece of embroidery could sell for ten taels of silver and only took one or two months to complete, there would be no need to weave straw shoes.

But if such a good opportunity existed, why hadn't the Song family done it before?

"Before, the family's conditions weren't good; we didn't have an embroidery frame. The straw hut was messy, and sometimes dust would fall from the roof. We couldn't take on such work."

"Mother was like a skilled cook without rice." Qin Xiaoyao sighed.

Li Danni nodded, understanding.

Seeing Song Yun escort Aunt Sun and Sun Xiaoyue to Liu's room and then walk back,

Li Danni asked Qin Xiaoyao again, "With such good skills, why doesn't Auntie teach Yun'er?"

Their neighbor brought her daughter over clearly to learn the craft.

It wouldn't make sense to teach others but not her own daughter, right?

Qin Xiaoyao smiled, somewhat helplessly, and said, "Yun'er would need the talent for it, and she'd have to be willing to become an embroiderer."

Seeing Li Danni still puzzled,

Qin Xiaoyao continued, "Don't be fooled by that girl's delicate appearance. In fact—haha, her needlework isn't much better than mine!"

Li Danni was surprised.

"Really!" Qin Xiaoyao nodded with a smile.

"To be an embroiderer, one needs both talent and diligent practice to develop skills. For Yun'er, it's hard to make a living this way."

That was why her mother-in-law still made clothes for the family.

The little girl couldn't help at all.

Or rather, she didn't want to help.

She believed that spending time making more pairs of straw shoes would contribute more to the family.

Li Danni turned her head and looked at Song Yun, who was walking towards them with a smile. She began to see her third sister, Song Yun, in a different light.

Indeed, one can never judge a book by its cover...

Noticing Wang Xiaomei approaching from behind Song Yun, Li Danni started chatting with Qin Xiaoyao again.

"So, does your household only have Yun'er and Xiaomei making straw shoes now?"

Since Yun'er lacks the talent for embroidery, it's actually a good thing for her. Otherwise, wouldn't she be able to make even fewer pairs of straw shoes each day?

Yes, making straw shoes is better.

Make them, and they turn into money; the more you make, the more you earn, and they sell quickly.

"Yes, we mainly rely on them two. Of course, when I have free time, I occasionally make a few pairs myself," Qin Xiaoyao replied.

Li Danni frowned and looked at Qin Xiaoyao's busy hands.

"With how busy you are from morning till night, how often do you really have free time?"

"Have you ever thought about taking on an apprentice?" Li Danni asked, her eyes filled with keen interest.

Qin Xiaoyao glanced at Li Danni.

"How could I take on an apprentice? Making straw shoes isn't complicated, and rice straw is everywhere in the countryside. Teach an apprentice, and they might outshine the master?" she said indifferently.

While teaching someone to make straw shoes wouldn't necessarily lead to starving oneself, the skill is too simple and easy to learn.

Teaching others would bring little benefit but potentially significant loss.

Cultivating a talent only to watch them become a competitor or work for themselves after a short while?

Forget it, she'd rather earn less and do nothing.

Li Danni was taken aback.

"What if we paid and signed a contract?" she continued.

She understood her third sister's concerns, but she wanted to earn more money.

Moreover, if it didn't rain soon, she wasn't sure how long their business could last. It was best to plan ahead.

"What do you mean?" Qin Xiaoyao quickly noticed Li Danni's unusual behavior and asked.

Li Danni smiled awkwardly.

"Can my little sister and I come to learn how to make straw shoes from you?"

"The apprenticeship fee would be one tael of silver per person, plus a contract guaranteeing that all the finished straw shoes would be sold to you at two coins per pair, and we won't teach the skill to anyone else."

This way, she could also make straw shoes during her free time and earn some money.

Additionally, giving the finished straw shoes to her third sister would allow her to sell half of them at the stall, earning her more.