Two days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wei Nian brought back several bottles and jars from outside. Chen Xuan saw that they were all good porcelain. Chen Xuan also said, "Where did you get so many things?"
Wei Nian sat at the table on the kang, took it out and showed it to Chen Xuan, with a smile on his lips, "It's a big festival, some people are short of money, so they can sell some home decorations and make some money for the festival."
Chen Xuan carefully put them away for Wei Nian. Wei Nian also gave Chen Xuan two books and said, "This is a bonus. Books are not valuable nowadays. Take them and read them."
Chen Xuan quickly took it and saw that they were two old books. She opened them and saw that the paper had turned yellow. In addition to the printed words, there were also many ink annotations. Chen Xuan said, "That day, I spent five dollars to buy those two dictionaries. Although these two books are thin, they still cost one dollar."
"You don't know, the man selling that Doucai flower and butterfly jar kept haggling with me. I had originally not planned to buy from him, but he came to me again. This was because the later offer was not as generous as mine, and I didn't want to buy it, so he simply gave me these two books as a bonus. How much can this book sell for? Foreigners don't recognize our Chinese characters. You can keep it and read it. The ancestors of that family were officials. Although they are now in decline, I guess the books in their house are still good." Wei Nian casually told the origin of the book.
Since it was a bonus, Chen Xuan happily accepted it and said to Wei Nian, "Brother Nian, next time you go to collect these bottles and cans, it's not bad to have them like this."
Wei Nian smiled and raised his eyebrows, teasing Chen Xuan, "Not bad, huh?"
Chen Xuan smiled and said, "I'll go get some water for Brother Anian. Brother Anian, you must have been busy all day. How about washing your face and taking a rest first?"
Seeing Chen Xuan carefully put the book away in the drawer and then ran to get him some water for washing, Wei Nian couldn't help but smile.
The next is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the reunion wine for the Mid-Autumn Festival is naturally rich. In particular, Chen Xuan was lucky enough to taste the two canned fruits that Mrs. Wei said were extremely expensive, one canned lychee and the other canned loquat. Although Chen Xuan only got a shallow spoonful of each, she still got to taste the slippery flesh and the sweet soup. Chen Xuan originally wanted to taste it carefully, but somehow, as soon as it entered her throat, it went into her stomach without being chewed carefully.
It’s really delicious.
Chen Xuan thought to herself, Beijing is indeed an extraordinary place. There are such precious and delicious things here.
After eating these two canned fruits, Chen Xuan actually lost interest in the chicken, fish and pork elbows on the table. That night, she couldn't help but ask Wei Nian, "Brother Anian, the canned fruits today are very expensive, right?"
"It's not that expensive as you think." He imitated Chen Xuan's speech.
"How much does it cost?"
Wei Nian asked, "Do you want more? What else do you have at home?" Wei Nian had no idea what his mother's temper was. It was a big festival, and there were seven or eight cans of food at home, but Old Lady Wei was only willing to take out two, so everyone got a bowl of food. If it was up to Wei Nian, he would take out all of it and everyone would eat to their heart's content.
"I heard from the old lady that this stuff is very expensive. It's all shipped from the south by train. It's a great blessing to taste it." Chen Xuan was not a greedy person. She poured two glasses of water and brought them to the small table on the kang. She handed one to Wei Nian and asked, "How expensive is it? At least fifty cents each, right?"
Wei Nian smiled and took a sip of water, then told her, "Lychees are one yuan each, loquats are cheaper, 70 cents."
Chen Xuan was dumbfounded, thinking that this was too expensive, and couldn't help but say, "If you know it's so expensive, you might as well buy some fresh fruits."
Wei Nian said, "Lychees are summer fruits, and loquats are earlier than lychees. Now, apart from canned ones, where can you buy fresh fruits?"
"That's true." Chen Xuan thought about it and said, "I read in a book that lychees have been very famous for a long time and have long been eaten by rich people. Brother Anian, it will definitely be a decent gift for you to give during the Mid-Autumn Festival."
"Of course." Wei Nian said to Chen Xuan, "Foreign goods are becoming more and more popular outside, or these new things. Giving gifts is not about being decent. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, if you always give the same old things and spend the same amount of money, people may not be interested. It's better to buy some fashionable food. We give it beautifully and the recipient can also eat something new. If you have to spend money, you have to spend it wisely."
Chen Xuan felt that what Wei Nian said made sense.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival reunion wine, on August 16, Old Lady Wei hurriedly asked her second son Wei Nian to go to the Zhao family to pick up Wei Jin. As soon as Wei Jin returned to her parents' home, she brought a lot of complaints about her husband's family. Taking the water poured by Li, Wei Jin drank it in two gulps, and asked Li to pour her another cup. After drinking two cups of water, Wei Jin sat on the kang of Old Lady Wei and started talking, "From the middle of July to the middle of January, our sister-in-law is really capable. She always talks a lot about how capable she is. But when I went back, she hadn't even started preparing winter clothes for the servants for the Mid-Autumn Festival. During this month, I did housework during the day, first for the ancestor worship, then for the Mid-Autumn Festival. I had no free time, and at night I had to light a lamp and work hard to do needlework. Our old lady refused to install electric lights, saying that electric lights waste electricity, and she was used to using kerosene lamps. She doesn't have to work at night, and doesn't care about other people's lives at all."
Old Madam Wei pushed the snack box towards Wei Jin and said, "She has been like that for a long time. You know that. Your husband's family is also a big business, but how come they live worse than a shopkeeper's family?"
"What can I do? I just want to save money." Wei Jin took a mooncake with a golden rose filling, took a bite and asked, "Mom, is there anything else to eat at home? During the entire Mid-Autumn Festival, I didn't even have a bite of hot food, let alone chicken, fish, and pork."
Old Mrs. Wei smiled and said, "I'll save some for you. There are pork elbows, roast chicken, stewed fish, and fried meatballs."
Wei Jin smiled, "Do you have any mutton? Make me some mutton patties tonight. I'm at my in-laws' house and I'm craving this."
"Yes, we have everything. Even if we don't have it, just ask your sister-in-law to buy it now and she will have it." Old Mrs. Wei felt very sorry for her eldest daughter who had to suffer in her husband's family.
When Wei Jin returned to her parents' home, things immediately became more complicated. Without mentioning anything else, Wei Jin glanced at Chen Xuan, and when no one was in the room, he quietly asked Mrs. Wei, "Mom, why is my second brother's wife wearing a new cheongsam?"
Old Madam Wei said, "It's only Mid-Autumn Festival now. You sisters-in-law and sisters-in-law should all wear new clothes. I've put the fabric for your clothes away for you. It's in the cupboard. You can take a look at it later and make some yourself."
"Ah, no one loves their daughter-in-law more than our family." Wei Jin didn't look at the fabric. After eating the mooncakes, he picked up a piece of jujube paste square cake and started eating. At the same time, he said, "Let's not talk about the eldest sister-in-law. At least she had some dowry. What do you think about the second sister-in-law? When she came, she had a lot of boxes, but in the end, she only got two sets of clothes as a dowry! Food, clothing and shelter are all provided by our family! It's because our family is so honest. Otherwise, try another family. Twenty dollars in cash as a betrothal gift, but she only gets two sets of tattered clothes. Whoever wants it will do it!"
"She doesn't have any biological parents. If she had them, she wouldn't be like this," said Old Mrs. Wei.
"That's right." Wei Jin curled his lips, "Now that she's in our house, she can be considered lucky."
Chen Xuan, who had fallen into a lucky nest, was holding up Wei Nian's suit and was worried. She took it to show Wei Yin, "I was just talking about washing clothes, and I didn't see it, how come there is a hole burned on it."
Wei Yin took a closer look and saw a bean-sized burn mark on the hem. Wei Yin said, "This might have been caused by accidental burning while smoking. It needs to be fixed."
When Chen Xuan heard that it could be mended, she was very thankful. Wei Yin turned around and took out his sewing box, "Put it down, sister-in-law. I'll mend it for my second brother." Wei Yin was the best at sewing in the family. Chen Xuan thanked him quickly. Wei Yin smiled, "I have never mended a suit before. This time I can try my hand at my second brother's clothes."
Thinking of something, Wei Yin reminded Chen Xuan, "Second sister-in-law, this suit cannot be washed in water. When it gets dirty, just take it to a dry cleaner."
Chen Xuan hurriedly asked where the dry cleaning shop was, and after hearing Wei Yin talk about how expensive a suit was, Chen Xuan felt very lucky, "Fortunately, I haven't put the basin there yet, otherwise, I would be in trouble."
Wei Yin was also happy.
After Wei Yin finished mending the suit, Chen Xuan even went out of her way to talk to Wei Nian, praising Wei Yin for his skillful hands. Wei Nian took a look at it but was not very satisfied. He said, "What does this mending look like? It's too obvious. Hey, I told you to take it to a ready-made clothing store. There are tailors who specialize in mending clothes there. You guys are really quick."
"This is not bad. If you don't look carefully, it won't come out."
"I can tell it's obvious that the color is darker after it was mended." Wei Nian has always been particular about what he wears, so the next day he took the clothes to the ready-made clothing shop to have them mended.
Chen Xuan felt very sorry for Wei Yin, but Wei Yin was fine. After Wei Nian brought the clothes back, Wei Yin told Chen Xuan that he wanted to go take a look. Chen Xuan said, "Just come over and take a look. There's no need to say anything."
Wei Yin smiled, "This is my second brother's clothes, so of course I have to tell my second sister-in-law about it."
Chen Xuan thought Wei Yin didn't know that she and Wei Nian were just a fake couple, so she didn't point it out and asked Wei Yin to come over and look at the suit. Wei Yin took it in his hand and carefully examined it, nodding, "It's indeed better than what I mended." Then, after a closer look, Wei Yin took a pair of small scissors and ripped open the patched part of Wei Nian's clothes. Chen Xuan was shocked and whispered, "Oh my god, why did you rip it open! I heard from your second brother that it cost fifty cents to mend such a small place!"
"Let me see how they mend it. How can I know if I don't take it apart?" Wei Yin pondered the needlework for a while, put the clothes down, and said, "I know. Second sister-in-law, are you free this afternoon? Come with me to get some thread."
"Then you have to tell the old lady."
In Beijing, Chen Xuan only knew Wangfujing, Dong'an Market, Dongcai Market and Liuguo Restaurant, and no other places. She accompanied Wei Yin, mainly because Wei Yin was young and she was worried about him. Old Mrs. Wei also thought so, so she let Chen Xuan go out with Wei Yin.
Wei Yin took Wei Nian's suit with him. They went to a shop that specialized in sewing and had the same color embroidery thread matched. After returning home, Wei Yin mended the suit again. When Wei Yin finished, Chen Xuan couldn't help but say, "It's better than last time."
"Of course. Old tailors in these clothing shops have their own mending methods. They can't just ask others to learn. I've never mended a suit before, so they have experience. This time I'll take it apart and learn from them. Next time someone in my family has a torn suit, I won't have to spend money to go to a clothing shop." Wei Yin mended the suit and ironed it with an electric iron. The whole suit was straight and beautiful. Chen Xuan said, "Yin, you have a really skillful hand."
Wei Yin handed the suit to Chen Xuan, who took it back to the house and hung it in the closet for Wei Nian.
When Wei Nian was about to put on the suit the next day, Chen Xuan took out the suit for him. Wei Nian put on the suit and glanced at Chen Xuan. He noticed that Chen Xuan looked different. Wei Nian didn't point it out, but said to Chen Xuan directly, "Okay, I see. Seeing how worried you are, I really care about you."
"Ah, you figured it out!" Chen Xuan was always honest. She immediately looked at the hem of Wei Nian's suit and said, "I think it's well mended. I can't tell at all. How did you figure it out?"
Wei Nian raised the corner of his lips, still calm, "Okay, tell me."
Chen Xuan was sincere and didn't think much about it. She looked at Wei Nian's expression and told Wei Nian about Wei Yin's learning of mending technology. She also repeatedly spoke well of Wei Yin, "A Yin just wanted to learn it. Otherwise, this is the skill that the old tailor relies on for a living, and he would never teach her. A Yin is very smart and learned it after watching it once. Speaking of which, I think A Yin's smartness is just like you, Brother Nian."
Wei Nian almost burst out laughing and nodded, "Oh, is that so?" So that's how it is. No wonder Chen Xuan looked so nervous when she saw him wearing a suit.
"Is it? That's it!" Chen Xuan swore. Wei Nian looked in the mirror and asked Chen Xuan, "Is it really like this?"
"That's absolutely true!" Chen Xuan was so anxious that she was about to raise her hand and swear to prove the credibility of her words. Wei Nian couldn't help laughing out loud, and ignored Chen Xuan's confused look, and walked out with a smile.
Wei Jin felt that she had only been back to her husband's house for more than a month, but her parents' house had changed so much. Wei Jin was surprised and asked her mother, "Oh, how come my second brother and his wife are so close? Look how happy my second brother is."
"You don't know, I've been like this lately. I don't know what I'm happy about. I go out happily every day." Old Mrs. Wei curled her lips.
Wei Jin lowered his voice, "Don't say that my second brother's wife is from the countryside, she is really a thoughtful person. In just a few days, she has won over my second brother and made him obedient."
"Your second brother is also ignorant."
Wei Jin was not at her parents' home, and no one was gossiping to Old Lady Wei. With Wei Jin's return, Old Lady Wei was no longer lonely.
Chen Xuan had no idea what the mother and daughter were thinking. She told Wei Yin about it, and Wei Yin laughed, "Second sister-in-law, you are so honest. You didn't realize that Second Brother was lying to you. He didn't see anything at all."
"I can't?"
"I don't know him. He is very vain and won't wear clothes if they are not good at all. If he sees traces of mending, he won't be able to go out in his suit today. It must be you, sister-in-law, who asked my second brother to find out."
"Hey, I didn't tell him a word about you mending his clothes again. Maybe I took a few extra glances at him when he put them on this morning, and I was worried that he would see and get angry." Chen Xuan thought about it and laughed again, "No wonder he laughed so happily when he left the house. It turns out he felt that he had made a fool of me and was happy."
However, even though she was fooled, Chen Xuan was not angry. It was just a small matter. Besides, Wei Nian had just given her two books a few days ago. Even if it was a bonus, Wei Nian didn't give it to others. Chen Xuan knew Wei Nian's kindness very well. She thought that since the weather was getting cold, the old lady had some fine silk cotton cloth. Should she get some and make two new cotton-padded clothes for Wei Nian to keep him warm
The author has something to say: ps: The second update is here, good night~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~