strictlysupreme Chapter 465 Protecting the Best Sister 7
Chapter 465 Protecting the Best Sister 7
The weaving and embroidery workshop targets the middle and low-end customer groups and takes the approach of small profits but quick turnover.
When business is good, the net profit can be one or two hundred taels a month, and in normal times it can be several dozen taels.
The five hundred taels that Li Mingzhu took out was not a small amount.
Qiu Bailing was surprised: "Where did you get so much money?"
The Qiu family is now headed by Qiu's mother, and the keys to the account books are in her hands. She only gives the original body one or two taels of silver and one or two taels of cosmetics every month.
Qiu Bailing would occasionally give some money privately, but it wasn't much, and Li Mingzhu would return it to Qiu Bailing when she packed her luggage.
Qiu's mother was also surprised and looked at Zhang Rulan, suspecting that the money was given by Zhang Rulan.
Hua Niang has to receive customers every day, so it is normal for her to have some savings.
Li Mingzhu waved her hand: "Don't worry about where the money comes from, just take it!"
After saying that, without waiting for Qiu Bailing to react, he pulled Zhang Rulan and Li's mother onto the ox cart.
Qiu Bailing was at a loss holding the banknote. Qiu's mother felt a little disgusted with the dirty money, but she couldn't bear to refuse it. Finally, she turned her head and pretended not to see it.
The Li family and the Qiu family are both in the east of the city, but the Qiu family is closer to the imperial city, while the Li family is on the eastern edge of the capital, and beyond that is the suburbs.
The Li family lived a decent life, otherwise Li's father would not have been able to afford an ox cart.
After entering the house, there was a small yard at the back. Everyone worked together to unload the luggage.
Of course, the main person doing the work is Li Mingzhu.
Mother Li started crying again as she watched Li Mingzhu moving things.
"Child," Mother Li hugged her and sobbed, "How could you have had such strength before? Did the Qiu family treat you badly?"
He must have done a lot of work in the Qiu family, which is why he has such nimble hands and feet.
Look at her, now she has the strength to lift two big boxes in her hands, how can she look so weak as to be unable to even tie a chicken before?
Father Li also noticed it and glared at them: "Well, we married our daughter to them, and the Qiu family actually dared to humiliate you! I'm going to find them!" As he said that, he was about to rush out.
Li Mingzhu quickly stopped him: "Dad, I'm fine in the Qiu family, I haven't suffered any loss!"
Although Qiu's mother is serious in her work, she is definitely not an evil mother-in-law, and Qiu Bailing has never done anything to let down his original self.
Li Mingzhu tried her best to persuade the angry father and sad mother.
Oh, and there is also Zhang Rulan who feels extremely guilty.
Ever since Li Mingzhu received the divorce papers, Zhang Rulan has been silent, overwhelmed by immense self-blame. She was in a bad mood and just kept moving things with her head down.
Li Mingzhu saw this and hugged her: "Sister, we can finally be together again!"
Zhang Rulan couldn't help shedding tears as she looked at Li Mingzhu's bright smile.
After temporarily putting the things they brought in the small warehouse next to the yard, Li Mingzhu took Zhang Rulan and Wuliang back to her room.
Xiu'er was the maid that the Qiu family found for the original owner, so Li Mingzhu naturally couldn't take her with her when she returned to the Li family.
Although Wuliang is free, she is an orphan and has nowhere to go if she leaves here.
Besides, Wuliang felt that Zhang Rulan had done her a favor, and she would never let her leave.
At night, Li Mingzhu and Zhang Rulan squeezed into one bed, while Wuliang slept on the floor next to them.
"Xiaoxuan," Zhang Rulan worried, "I'm a brokenhearted woman, and you're divorced. We're both old now. How am I supposed to live from now on?"
Li Mingzhu is the kind of person who can fall asleep as soon as her head touches the pillow, and now she is drowsy.
Hearing Zhang Rulan's words, she yawned and muttered, "Just live the life as it has to be..." Her voice became smaller and smaller until it was silent.
Zhang Rulan found it funny. She looked at Li Mingzhu's sleeping face lovingly and whispered, "What a little kid!"
Well, kids in their twenties.
On the other side, Mr. and Mrs. Li also suffered from insomnia.
The two elders received so much information today that their brains almost crashed.
"Old man," Li's mother kept saying, "What do you think we should do in this situation?"
The daughter returned home after the divorce, and brought her sister who had been a prostitute. The two old people did not care about reputation, but
If this matter gets out, it will be difficult for Li Mingzhu to remarry.
Father Li was also worried: "Yes, Mingzhu is still young, and we can't stay at home every day to watch over her. But this Hua Niang... uh... Miss Zhang, it's not easy to deal with!"
According to what Li Mingzhu said, Zhang Rulan is indeed a very good sister and is completely devoted to Li Mingzhu. If they just refuse her, they are afraid of hurting their relationship with Li Mingzhu.
However, Zhang Rulan has been in the building for so many years, and they are also afraid that Zhang Rulan will act carelessly and lead Li Mingzhu astray.
For the two elders, the feelings they had for so many years were not fake. Even though they knew that Li Mingzhu had deceived them, they were reluctant to blame Li Mingzhu.
What they are worried about now is still Li Mingzhu's future.
"Actually," Li's mother hesitated, "Miss Zhang is also a pitiful person..."
Given a choice, who would want to be a prostitute?
"Ah~"
The couple sighed at the same time.
Now, we can only take one step at a time.
The next day, Li Mingzhu and the other two got up early.
Zhang Rulan's main task in Zuichunlou was to receive guests, while Wuliang was responsible for serving Zhang Rulan. Neither of them had ever done any rough work.
However, they were not idle either. When Li Mingzhu went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, Zhang Rulan took a broom to sweep the yard, and Wuliang took the dirty clothes to wash.
When Li's mother got up, she saw Zhang Rulan, wearing coarse clothes and a headscarf, waving a broom with a dusty face, stirring up a cloud of dust.
Even the old cow sneezed several times out of excitement.
"Hey, just stay still, I'll do it!"
Mother Li hurried over and took the broom from Zhang Rulan's hand.
Zhang Rulan stood in the middle of the yard, somewhat at a loss, her face covered in dust.
She watched as Li's mother drew a bucket of water from the well and scattered it on the ground, then began to sweep the floor.
The dust that had originally rebelled against her became obedient under Li's mother's broom.
Zhang Rulan took note of it and decided to do the same thing tomorrow.
Li Mingzhu came out and saw this scene, and couldn't help laughing.
Zhang Rulan is really a very strong person, like ivy, with tenacious vitality.
Father Li came out of the room only after Zhang Rulan and Wuliang had breakfast and returned to their room.
There were two girls coming to the house, and although they came from brothels, Father Li still had to avoid suspicion.
Mr. Li had to go out to transport goods for someone later, so Li Mingzhu specially made coarse flour buns and a piece of smoked pork, wrapped them in oil paper, and asked him to take them with him to eat on the road.
I helped Father Li clean the cow, harness the ox cart, and hang the water bag on the cow's neck for Father Li to use.
After seeing off Li's father, Li Mingzhu took Li's mother and Zhang Rulan to start packing the luggage they brought.
The days in Zuichunlou were a nightmare for Zhang Rulan, so when she left, apart from the clothes she was wearing on the first day she entered the building, some jewelry and silver, and a small box of books.
Zhang Rulan read each of these books countless times, accompanying her through the long dark years.