**

"Oh, what brave thing did you do?"

Gu Chunzhu put the broken basket aside and sat on the wooden pier to listen to An An.

"Second aunt came today but An An and brother didn't let her in." An An's little chin lifted, imitating Gu Chunzhu's tone. I told Second aunt what Mother told me "Be good at home, don't let anyone else inside."'

Gu Chunzhu laughed out loud.

Qiu shi must be so frustrated her nostrils smoked.

She gently pinched An An's cheek, "the clever little ghost knows how to look after the house, but you must be bored since you can't play outside. Next time, take the lock on the mahogany box and lock the door."

She thought of her dowry. The silver hairpin has been pawned but there's still a lock on the mahogany box. It would be better to use it to lock the door instead.

Thinking of this, she took the lock on the mahogany box and placed it on the wooden door, so as not to forget it again.

Xiaocheng stared at the lock and Chunzhu asked, "what are you thinking? This is your home, Xiaocheng can also speak his mind."

His Little hand pinched the hem of his pants, he pursed his lips and said,

"The lock should be used for money."

The kid looked dull, but he was actually clever.

Gu Chunzhu patted his little back and said, "the most important thing is to lock the door first so that others can't get in. Your mother has already put the money in a very safe place."

When combined, the money they earned for selling game and her hairpin added up to 5 silvers.

She wrapped it in oil paper and hid it at the edge of the hut, she dug a hole and covered it with soil. If a thief entered, he/she would not come to this dirty hut.

Also, Gu Chunzhu's recent earnings of 100 copper plates were stuffed in a mouse hole.

"Is Xiaocheng Niang at home?"

A voice came from the door.

Gu Chunzhu touched Xiaocheng's face, this kid's face was very smooth, it matched An An’s baby fat face.

Gu Chunzhu was pleased to hear this address. People in the village call every woman using their child's name in front.

She hurried to open the door and saw the person who sold her shrimps yesterday.

Gu Chunzhu counted the bowls of shrimp and settled the money.

Several of them came one after another and Gu Chunzhu took note of them.

Suddenly, she saw Qiu shi not far away, Qiu looked at her with daggers in her eyes.

Gu Chunzhu saw her pulling a shrimp seller. She went out to have a look and heard her saying: "sister-in-law, my cousin also sells river shrimps. If that woman doesn't accept yours, then sell them to us. It's also three coppers per bowl. A fair price."

"This..." The woman who had just settled the money with Gu Chunzhu felt embarrassed.

"Shouqin's wife, that's going too far! Aren't you digging your sister-in-law's business, who said that his son would be a future official and they look down on businessmen, how can you actively help your cousin with his business?"

Sister Fu pointed at Qiu shi with dissatisfaction.

"Hmph, can she not let others take it if she doesn't want it herself?"

Qiu's cheekbones raised even more, she said in a strange way: "I say Sister Fu, be careful who you associate with. She has a bad reputation. Your Dafu is always away from home, you have to be careful not to be talked about."

"Shut your trap! That's bullshit." Qiu's insinuation pointed out that Sister Fu, like Gu Chunzhu, would have an affair with someone.

(T/N: LOL Qiu shi 🤣Chunzhu never had an affair)

Sister Fu turned around and took a broom in the yard and pummeled it on Qiu's leg.

"Ouch! I'm just reminding you for your own good."

Qiu was beaten and stepped a few meters back.

Sister Fu's face turned green with anger, she pointed at the heavens: "I gave birth to Zhao' family's three sons. No one dared to say that to me. Do you want me to grill your mouth like Dajin's wife?!"

Gu Chunzhu found out that after Qiu framed her and the man named Daijin that day, his shrewd wife, after returning from her maternal family, confronted Qiu shi and fought with her.

"Bitch," Qiu shi cursed and ran away like a gust of wind.

Gu Chunzhu patted Sister Fu who then threw the broom away.

Several shrimps sellers also followed Qiu shi.

"You can't take all the shrimps in this village but someone else with a good business will." Those people didn't have a conscience, chasing Qiu like flies around shit. Sister Fu was not reconciled and said a few more words "How can you do business if you can’t get shrimps."

Gu Chunzhu really didn’t take Qiu seriously, now that the market was almost saturated with shrimps, selling one barrel a day was already good.

She told her that Zhao Dafu helped Su Wangqin find a job in town and Sister Fu was happy for her.

"Chunzhu, your days will definitely get better and better." Sister Fu said affirmatively.

"About the shrimps you sent yesterday, let me settle the money for you," Gu Chunzhu said

Sister-in-law Fu had embarrassedly declined a few times and finally accepted it. The money was supposed to be taken anyway.

Gu Chunzhu asked her the way to Lao san's home and Sister Fu showed her the way.

She also told her that she would only collect their shrimps every day, the others will be collected once every three days.

**

On her way to Lao san's home. Gu Chunzhu saw a thin man named Niu Buping, he was the man selling shrimps on the opposite side of her stall. He was pushing a cart while Qiu shi helped him load his bucket.

"Isn't this great? it's not impossible for your family to sell shrimps!" Qiu shi said with satisfaction whilst waving her sleeves.

Niu Buping's vicious eyes were the same as arrows.

Gu Chunzhu isn't in the mood to care... She accelerated her pace and walked faster. Seeing Qiu's resemblance to Niu Bu, no wonder they're cousins.

She soon arrived at Lao san's. Knowing she's here to deliver the money, an old lady asked for an extra copper.

It took a copper a day for Lao san to go fishing in the next village. Thinking of Su Wangqin's craftsmanship, Gu Chunzhu gave the extra copper.

(T/N: because it was Lao san who taught Wanqin how to hunt).

She went home and bought a piece of tofu in the village. The pig offals had already been eaten except for the pig skin so Gu Chunzhu stewed the tofu and the pig skin in one pot.

She stewed it for a long time and placed it on a wooden pier under the eaves to cool.

The two children will eat the "savy" pig tofu soup mixed with brown rice.

Gu Chunzhu tasted a little and went to see the vegetable garden she had cultivated.

The garlic clove and other vegetables had sprouted. Those vegetables that were originally pulled out and replanted had also survived.

(T/N: Savvy which means broth cook with meat)

**

Shout out to the editing team.

Thank you for helping out with this novel!

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