Page 28

Mother Su scowled. She had heard from her daughter that her mother-in-law was extremely partial to an adopted little girl, even going so far as to alter her own grandson's new clothes for that child to wear!

Now she saw it firsthand!

Mother Su was displeased: "Granny Wei, isn’t this going too far? Taking Ju Geer’s clothes to give to someone else—is that any way for a grandma to act?!"

Xingxing suddenly found the focus shifting back to her, and she squirmed uncomfortably, her small hands instinctively tugging at the hem of her dress.

Wei Pozi sneered, "Mother-in-law, I asked Ju Geer about these clothes—he didn’t want them. Besides, it was my cloth to begin with. If Ju Geer didn’t want them, what’s wrong with giving them to my granddaughter? And anyway, something as small as clothes are our Yu family’s business. What does it have to do with you? What business is it of you Su folks coming here to meddle? Or would you prefer the Qian family to come over and start dictating how your Su family should run things?"

Mother Su was left gaping.

The Qian family was her daughter-in-law’s side, and they were no easy bunch either—real pains.

Su Rouer unhappily cried, "Ma!"—this time addressing Wei Pozi.

Holding Ju Geer in her arms, Su Rouer pouted, "How can I go back with you when you’re arguing with my mother like this?"

"Exactly!" Mother Su, having recovered, nodded in agreement. "No offense, Mother-in-law, but you really went too far scolding my daughter before! And then your third son even raised a hand to her?! Has he lost his mind?! We Sus won’t swallow this insult so easily. There’s no way we’ll let Rouer go back with you just like that!"

Wei Pozi immediately saw where Su Rouer and Mother Su got the wrong idea.

She scoffed, taking Xingxing’s hand. "Suit yourself. Like I care? Su Rouer can stay with you as long as she likes. You’re town people, we’re just country bumpkins—how could we ever be worthy of a city girl like her!"

With that, Wei Pozi turned and walked away, Xingxing in tow, marching off without another word!

Mother Su and Su Rouer stood dumbstruck!

By noon, Wei Pozi was waiting at the city gate when Bai Xiaofeng arrived, a little winded.

Bai Xiaofeng was beaming—clearly, her embroidery had fetched a good price.

As for how much, Wei Pozi didn’t bother asking.

Bai Xiaofeng’s gaze landed on the bag of rice Wei Pozi was carrying, and her eyes lit up in surprise—she never figured Mother would splurge on rice.

Eagerly, Bai Xiaofeng offered, "Mother, that sack looks heavy. Let me help you with it."

She quickly took the bag of coarse rice.

Wei Pozi let her take it without a word.

Though Wei Pozi asked nothing, Bai Xiaofeng volunteered the details: "Mother, this time I brought four finished embroidery pieces, and Sister-in-law gave me three of hers… But as you know, my embroidery is better, so the fabric shop offered more for mine. I got forty-eight coins, while Sister-in-law only got thirty."

Wei Pozi nodded indifferently. "Your embroidery has always been good. It’s only right you earned more than your sister-in-law."

Flushed with pride, Bai Xiaofeng habitually reached to hand over part of her earnings to her mother-in-law.

But Wei Pozi glanced at her and said, "Never mind. You’ve had a hard time lately—keep it all for yourself."

Bai Xiaofeng stood frozen. When the words finally sank in, her heart hammered so hard she thought it might leap out of her throat!

Her mother-in-law… was letting her keep it all?!

Was this a test, or was she serious?

Bai Xiaofeng’s hands trembled.

Wei Pozi shot her a look and frowned slightly. "If you can’t carry that bag properly, I’ll take it back. Don’t go wasting good food!"

Bai Xiaofeng jolted at her mother-in-law's familiar scolding tone and quickly said, "Mom, I can carry it, I can carry it!"

She gripped the top of the rice bag tightly, bursting with excitement!

Her mother-in-law truly meant for her to keep all the money she had earned from her embroidery!

"Ah, Mom, this... this..." Bai Xiaofeng stammered in exhilaration.

She could make four embroidered pieces a month, earning a clear forty-odd wen. Over a year, that would add up to nearly half a tael of silver in personal savings!

After a few more years of saving, it would be quite a substantial sum!

Wei Pozi could understand Bai Xiaofeng's excitement.

As the boys grew older, it must be hard for a mother to have no personal savings to fall back on.

In the lean years, the whole family had to pull together all their resources to survive.

But now that things were getting better, she wasn’t the kind of tyrannical mother-in-law who would take even their embroidery earnings.

"Alright, let’s head back," Wei Pozi said calmly.

"Right away!"

Bai Xiaofeng was now itching to get home and carefully stash away the forty-eight wen that belonged to her!

Chapter 21: Take Some Gifts to Your In-Laws'

After returning from Mapo County, Wei Pozi took Xingxing to rest in the house. Though Bai Xiaofeng was exhausted, she was too excited to sleep and went straight to find Li Chunhua.

Li Chunhua was squatting in the kitchen, sorting through vegetables.

With weeds sprouting in the fields, the Yu family men were out hoeing all day. She needed to prepare food to bring to them later.

Bai Xiaofeng handed Li Chunhua an old coin pouch, winking. "Elder sister-in-law, have a look."

Li Chunhua wiped her hands on her apron and took it, immediately noticing something odd.

"Why's it so heavy?"

She hurriedly opened it and counted—thirty wen in total! She gasped in surprise, "Wait, why so much? Didn't you give Mom her cut yet?"

Feeling uneasy, she added, "No, I should take this to Mom in the main house—"

Bai Xiaofeng grabbed her arm, whispered excitedly, "Elder sister-in-law, Mom said that from now on, we can keep the money we earn from embroidery!"