stingy landlady

Chapter 231 Gui Xiang's New Life (3)

Gui Xiang continued to persuade Li Shi:

"Mother! Back then, I had to return home to do needlework just to find a husband. To uphold the rules and precepts for women, I couldn't go anywhere, and dared not go anywhere! I was afraid of doing something wrong and being ridiculed by others!"

Mom! I'm going to sell vegetables in the county town. Nobody knows me, and nobody will come to our house to gossip!

Mom! Look how great my second sister is now! She can do whatever she wants! My second sister has always been independent and doesn't care what others say!

And then there's my third sister! I can't compare to her shrewdness. Although she's young, she's always poised and graceful in front of others!

Mother! Your daughter also wants to be a free and unrestrained woman!

Li wanted to say something more, but Guixiang took her leave!

"Mother! Manager Han is still waiting for me at the gate to harvest the vegetables together! Mother! Don't worry! From now on, your daughter will take good care of herself!"

Mother! You must take good care of yourself too! Mother! Your daughter is going out now!

Gui Xiang turned and walked out. When she got to the stove, she had the maid fetch water to wash her face before heading to the front door. She watched Steward Han and Old Zhou picking out cucumbers, green beans, and other vegetables.

Gui Xiang quickly knelt down with her two maids to help. Steward Han pulled Gui Xiang up and said to Gui Xiang's maid:

"Get a stool for your young lady to sit on!"

He then said to Guixiang:

"Gui Xiang! Now that you're in charge, it's not about doing everything yourself. You need to build good relationships with the villagers and understand how various vegetables are grown."

Gui Xiang! You sit down and watch slowly. If anyone tries to cheat or cheat, you have to point it out! Hahaha!

Gui Xiang had no choice but to obediently sit down and watch people choose their vegetables.

Unexpectedly, the village chief's second daughter-in-law sidled up to Guixiang and said with a smile:

"Gui Xiang! It's been quite a while since you've come back, hasn't it?"

Gui Xiang nodded.

"It's Aunt Jiang! I've been quite busy lately, and it's been a long time since I've been home! Aunt Jiang, you must grow a lot of vegetables, right?"

Aunt Jiang, who was not very old, said awkwardly:

"Guixiang! We haven't separated! No matter how many vegetables we grow, it's all for the whole family! Hmm! Guixiang! Auntie wants to go to the county town to sell vegetables with you, can you help me out?"

Gui Xiang was stunned. She had only just joined today!

After Aunt Jiang spoke her mind, she immediately started talking non-stop.

"Guixiang! When your grandfather and father came to my house, they said that if anyone in our village wanted to sell vegetables, you would take them to the county town!"

My aunt wanted to go back then! But all this time, it's just this male manager here, and there haven't been any women around. I was just too embarrassed to go!

Now that I've finally seen you, I've shamelessly come up to you!

Gui Xiang! Your aunt had no other choice but to beg you!

Sigh! Let me tell you! My aunt gave birth to three rascals, and now my eldest brother's family also has two sons! Although my father is the village chief, he doesn't have that much property to divide among our second branch of the family.

My three rascals need food and drink, and they need to be dressed warmly. In the future, we'll need to build houses and help them get married! Money will be needed for everything!

Gui Xiang, I've been worried about this for so long! Luckily, Gui Zhi said she could lead the people in our village to do business. Our family doesn't expect our children to pass the imperial examinations and become scholars!

We don't expect our children to become officials or get rich. Your uncle and I have discussed it. As long as our three kids grow up healthy and we, as their parents, can find them wives, we'll be content!

Don't wait until after my father passes away and we're separated from the family. We'll have trouble even getting food and clothing; that would be terrible!

My aunt wants to do as much work as she can while she's still young and able. Since this opportunity has come up, she'd like to go and give it a try.

Gui Xiang didn't know whether to agree or not, and after thinking for a while, she said:

"Aunt Jiang! This is my first day learning how to do business from Manager Han. I don't know anything yet. Should I ask Manager Han for his opinion?"

Manager Han said to Gui Xiang and Aunt Jiang:

"I know about this, and I've heard the landlord mention it. But no one has ever suggested going to the county town together! Aunt Jiang, right?"

Aunt Jiang, if you want to go, then go and give it a try! It's just a matter of food and lodging..."

Aunt Jiang hurriedly said:

"I'll take care of my own food and bring my own provisions! As for accommodation, I have relatives in the county town. If it doesn't work out, I can stay at a relative's house for the night."

Gui Xiang opened her mouth, but Gui Hong had a place to stay in the county town. Although they were from the same village, Gui Xiang still didn't help Gui Hong find work.

“Alright! Aunt Jiang, if you want to go, go home and discuss it. We’ll harvest the vegetables today, stay in the county town tonight, and go sell them tomorrow morning.”

Aunt Jiang went home to discuss it. Gui Xiang said to Steward Han:

"We should set up a shop in the county town, so we can live there and sell vegetables!"

Manager Han smiled and said:

"Yes, yes! Our young lady is right! The boss has been to the county town several times and has already bought a shop near our wholesale vegetable market."

This shop was only used for storing vegetables at night and for our accommodation; it was never used during the day!

The eldest young lady stayed overnight at the second young lady's place the last few times she visited, not at our place. That's why I didn't tell you.

Gui Xiang scolded:

"Brother Han! You called me 'Miss' again! You forgot to call me by my name, didn't you? Remember to call me Gui Xiang next time!"

Gui Xiang's feigned anger revealed a charmingly girlish demeanor, which stirred something in Steward Han's heart. However, he still smiled and nodded in agreement.

When Guixiang and Steward Han arrived in the county town, they discovered that what they had bought were two houses, one in the front yard and one in the back. The back house was where people actually lived.

The room in front has been converted into a storeroom, with the main gate widened and heightened so that horse-drawn carriages can drive right in. There's no kang (heated brick bed) inside, but there are two long benches and a table for easy bookkeeping.

The houses in the back were also ordinary three-room houses, with two rooms and a stove in the middle for cooking. Steward Han and his two attendants lived in one room, and the other room was empty.

Manager Han pointed to the empty room and asked Guixiang:

"Guixiang! This room has never been used before. Are you planning to stay here tonight, or should we take you to the Second Miss's place?"

Gui Xiang had already made up her mind, so she said without hesitation:

"Let's stay here! It's inconvenient to go to Second Sister's place, and you'd have to drive us around! Besides, we have to get up early to sell vegetables in the morning, while Second Sister doesn't have to get up early at Lirenfang!"

We won't bother her! Besides, it's not like we're staying just once or twice, or even just for a day or two! I'll be staying in another room with the two girls.”

Manager Han's eyes and brows were full of smiles:

"Aren't you afraid of what people will say? You're a man and a woman alone together, and you're not even married yet. Won't this affect your marriage prospects?"

Gui Xiang raised her eyebrows and said:

"Brother Han, you're joking! There's no such thing as a lone man and woman. There are three of you, and three of us women, okay? Besides, Brother Han knows my situation. I have no plans to get married again!"