Hastily letting Lady Fang and the others go with her would definitely not be acceptable. Pei Qin thought about it all night and concluded that she had to have money in hand; otherwise, with winter just around the corner, what would the family of five or six eat? Where would they stay?
They would still have to live in the Pei family home for a few more days. She had to find a way to earn some money, to make some silver as soon as possible.
The next day, breakfast was still prepared by Lady Fang. Lady Chen complained that she had been beaten so severely by Pei Qin that she couldn't even get out of the kang; she groaned in pain from her chest and back.
Pei Wenbo, too, clutched his chest, lying on the kang without getting up, crying out in pain from the kick to his chest inflicted by Pei Qin.
Lady Zhu cast a dark glance at Pei Qin. She saw that Lady Fang had not yet finished making the meal and had come back from feeding the cattle and chickens. Noticing Pei Qin standing in the courtyard, she couldn't help but scold, "Standing there like a stump, what's the matter? Do you really think you're a young lady, waiting for a nanny to feed you and take care of you!?"
Pei Qin gave her a cold look.
"Blind thing! You don't do anything around here, and yet you don't go peel the corn seeds! Do you expect my old lady to do everything for you!?" Lady Zhu shouted when she met Pei Qin's gaze.
San Ya, looking at Pei Qin's expression, was extremely worried that she might even hit their grandmother, so she quickly pulled her away, "Elder sister?"
Madam Fang, hearing the shouting, also came out worriedly, fearing that Pei Qin would beat someone again, even Lady Zhu.
Pei Qin felt a bit depressed; glancing at Madam Fang and San Ya, she frowned and went to drag the large winnowing basket, then she picked up a round-bottom whisker basket and went to the backyard shed to pick the corn tied in bundles or braided into strands.
Seeing that the siblings had gone to do their chores obediently, Lady Zhu withdrew her unsatisfied look, entered the kitchen, and got started on stir-frying the vegetables. She had to keep an eye on Lady Fang, that incompetent woman, to make sure she didn't use too much oil. They needed to make the little oil left in the jar last until the New Year; they would have to press more oil, after all.
For breakfast, because Pei Qin had eaten too many wowotou the night before, there wasn't enough left, so Lady Fang mixed some maize and millet flour, baked some flatbreads, and stir-fried a basin of chopped turnips.
After the meal was prepared, Lady Zhu saw that the corn seeds in the big winnowing basket were barely covering the bottom, and her face turned sour.
Seeing that the meal was ready, Pei Qin dropped the half-peeled corn cob she was working on, stood up to wash her face, and prepared to eat. Those two small wowotou and a bowl of maize batter from the night before didn't fill her at all, and she was already hungry.
"Eat, eat, eat, that's all you know! You do so little work in the morning and still have the nerve to eat! How shameless can you be!?" Lady Zhu, holding a broom, cursed.
Though she did not mention Pei Qin by name, Pei Qin knew the rebuke was directed at her, but she chose to ignore it. She was hungry, and today, she had to eat more. After eating, she would go out to find money! With money in hand, she would be more persuasive, then she could convince Lady Fang to take the Little Radish heads with her and leave!
San Ya, worried, didn't dare to get up. She hurriedly picked up the half-peeled corn cob that Pei Qin had left and quickly continued peeling it.
Si Ya's little face darkened with resentment towards her elder sister. By being so clueless, their grandmother's scolding not only targeted her, it made them all look bad in her eyes!
After washing her face, Pei Qin went straight to the kitchen.
The flatbreads Lady Fang made were covered in a basket, steaming. The maize flour was a golden color, with a bit of dark red due to the addition of millet flour.
"Hungry? Wait a moment; it will be ready soon and then we can eat!" Lady Fang, hearing her stomach rumble, said gently.
Pei Qin hummed a response, unceremoniously grabbed two flatbreads, took her bowl, and began to scoop up the stir-fried turnips.
Lady Fang took a deep breath.
Lady Zhu, who had followed out of concern, saw this and roared, "You wretched girl, you're going against the heavens!" She came over to hit her.
Aunty Pei had said more than once, "That tomboy of ours eats more than two boys put together! And yet she doesn't put on weight; it's all a waste!"