Three points are destined, seven points depend on face

Daxi Village is about six or seven miles away from Xiyang County. Every three days, the village's old man Zhengtou will drive the villagers into the city in an oxcart, charging per person, two pence per person for a round trip.

Lao Zhengtou's oxcart was neatly packed, the weather was still hot, and the cart was covered with mats. After waiting for people to sit down, Lao Zheng waved his whip, Lao Niu mooed, and the car began to move slowly.

Next to Xia Chuntao, a young and pretty woman sat, looking at herself curiously.

Xia Chuntao smiled at the woman: "Hello, sister-in-law."

Speaking of this, let me just mention by the way that Xia Chuntao was married to the scholar Chen Jinnian for six years, and she went out to the village every year when she returned to her parents' home during the Chinese New Year, and Chen Xiucai accompanied her there. Even in the village, he rarely went out. Whatever was lacking at home, Chen Xiucai would buy it in advance.

Xia Chuntao has a timid temperament. She often doesn't go out and doesn't even have any friends. She is a completely intimidating homebody. Her only support is Chen Jinnian.

So hearing the news of Chen Xiucai's death was a fatal blow.

In Xia Chuntao's memory, she had no impression of this woman. I have lived in the same village for several years and still don't know each other, which is a bit embarrassing.

The woman's eyes widened as if she had discovered that a rooster could lay eggs, "Are you a talented lady? Are you calling me?"

Xia Chuntao could only laugh.

The woman looked at Xia Chuntao with curiosity, like staring at a rare animal, "I rarely saw you before. You are so good-looking, and you look even better when you smile!"

"My sister-in-law is also good-looking, and she seems to be a refreshing person at first glance." Xia Chuntao's words opened up the conversation of the person next to her.

The sister-in-law turned to the other woman on her right and said, "The talented lady is talking to me!"

Xia Chuntao looked over. The woman looked a little shy. She met Xia Chuntao's gaze and smiled.

Xia Chuntao also nodded, and then asked the two of them, "I'm really ashamed. I didn't go out much before, and I don't know which family my two sisters-in-law are from? How do I call them?"

One sentence started a three-person oxcart symposium.

From everyone's conversation, Xia Chuntao learned that this talkative sister-in-law was named Li Yuee.

Li Yue'e's man works as a butcher in the county and his business is good. Li Yue'e himself opens a grocery store in the village, selling some oil, salt, soy and vinegar, needles, thread and brains. It can be said that Daxi Village is a well-off home.

As for the shy sister-in-law next to her, everyone calls her Shuan Zi Niang. Her family is an ordinary farming family in Daxi Village, but the family has a light burden, consisting of only her husband and her son. The son is about the same age as Alai. But she is a few years older than Xia Chuntao.

"Xiu Cainiang, this is the first time I see you riding a bullock cart to the county seat!"

"Sister-in-law Yue'e, just call me Chuntao. In the past, I didn't worry about anything when my husband was here, but now..." Xia Chuntao looked lonely and slowly lowered her head.

"Oh! Who says it's not the case!" Li Yue'e originally thought that Xia Chuntao was difficult to deal with, but seeing Xia Chuntao like this, she suddenly felt pity and said, "If you have any difficulties in the future, just come to see my sister-in-law!"

"Then I'll thank you sister-in-law first!"

In such an era, if a widow wants to support a family, she must establish her own circle of friends and let more people recognize her, so that the road ahead will be easier. Don't worry about whether this recognition is based on compassion. Let's talk about other things if we can survive.

"Mother Shuanzi and I are going to Jinlan Buzhuang to do some work. Do you want to come with us?" Li Yuee invited.

Shuanzi Niang didn't say much and smiled shyly.

"Okay, I was just about to pull some cloth, and I was worried. I didn't know which house to go to. Sister-in-law Yue'e, why do you think I'm so lucky? I just dug a well and found an artesian spring!"

"What do you mean?"

"It's just what I want!"

"The scholar lady deserves to be a scholar lady, she sounds like she has ink in her belly!" Li Yuee gave a thumbs up.

"No ink, lots of poop and urine."

Li Yue'e and Shuan Ziniang stared blankly at Xia Chuntao at the same time. After a breath, loud laughter broke out in the oxcart.

Li Yuee laughed and patted Xia Chuntao on the shoulder, "Oh, Chuntao, you are so funny!"

Mother Shuanzi was more restrained, covering her mouth and laughing, "Chuntao, you really don't look like a scholar."

After hearing this, Xia Chuntao nodded seriously, "I think you're right. I should be a landlord's wife!"

Xia Chuntao really felt that way. Anyway, she would be a landowner in the future! But Li Yue'e and Shuan Ziniang obviously didn't think so. I don't know which nerve this sentence touched these two people, and they laughed again.

With this laughter, Xia Chuntao quickly became familiar with the two sisters-in-law. Even the old Zhengtou who drove the oxcart would chime in with them from time to time. The atmosphere along the way was quite wowing.

The bullock cart bumped forward on the dirt road, and it became more and more bumpy in the middle. Xia Chuntao's stomach was churning, and she had a bad feeling.

Question: What was it like riding a bullock cart for the first time?

Answer: Let me finish vomiting first!

More than half an hour later, the ox cart entered the county town, and everyone got off one after another.

Xia Chuntao's face turned green when she got off the bullock cart. If she had known earlier, she might as well have skipped breakfast. What a waste!

Suddenly I want to cry, I miss her car so much, woo woo woo.

Jinlan Cloth Store is located on a commercial street in Xiyang County. It is medium in scale and sells all kinds of fabrics, including high, middle and low-end. It also sells some men's and women's ready-made clothes, but the styles are relatively simple.

Xia Chuntao followed her two sisters-in-law in and saw Mrs. Fang, the owner of Cloth Shop, sitting bored at the counter drinking tea. The two clerks were also listless and silently put away the fabrics.

"Ms. Fang, why is the store so empty today?"

After Li Yue'e and Shuan Ziniang finished their work, they chatted with Madam Fang.

"Oh, don't mention it! There is a new cloth shop on the street. The goods they buy are said to be popular colors and styles in the capital. The prices are about the same as mine. Many old customers have gone there to buy things."

Li Yue'e and Shuan Ziniang looked at each other. This didn't sound like good news.

Li Yue'e asked cautiously: "Then will you still accept our future work?"

Madam Fang smiled bitterly, "I don't know now, let's see what the business will do in the future. But as long as I accept it, the price for you two will remain the same. You can rest assured on this."

It can be seen that Mrs. Fang is a real person, and she did not deduct the craftsmanship fee from Li Yuee and the others just because the business in the store was sluggish.

However, in reality, people sometimes lack flexibility when doing business.

Xia Chuntao listened to the conversation of several people and gradually had an idea in her mind.

"Ms. Fang, if I can help you sell the goods in the store, can you give me a certain commission?"

"Can you help me sell the goods?"

Lady Fang expressed doubts about this talented lady whom she met for the first time.

It's not that she underestimated Lady Xia. She, a person who has been in business for seven or eight years, can't do anything. What can a lady like Lady Xia, who has never been outside the door, do?

Xia Chuntao also knew that Mrs. Fang didn't believe her, but it didn't matter. After the thing was sold, would she still believe it?

"Ms. Fang, how many pieces of cloth and garments can your store sell in a day?"

"On a good day, I can sell two or three pieces of cloth a day. It's not always the case for ready-made clothes. Sometimes I sell four or five pieces, and sometimes I don't."

Mrs. Fang is really a down-to-earth person and very practical!