Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 56

Ying Su still hadn’t figured out what to use as a substitute for the sponge inside the mattress. She knew that natural sponges existed in this world, but they grew in the sea, harvesting them was costly, and without modern industry, producing sponges was simply impossible.

Her idea of making a modern Simmons-style bed had to be put aside. The stools and wooden chairs here were made purely of wood, with no such thing as cushioned sofas.

Ying Su wanted to use cotton instead of sponge to create a kind of chair similar to a sofa.

After much research, she discovered that cotton could also be made into mattresses. While it lacked the elasticity of sponge, it was still very soft and comfortable to sleep on, much better than lying directly on hard wooden boards covered only with bedding.

After finishing the tables, chairs, and tea tables, Ying Su went around Shili Town and Fengyang City to find fine lacquer for painting.

Ten days later, Liu Chuncao hired embroiderers to sew pillows, quilt covers, cushions, and throw pillows for Ying Su.

On the twentieth day of the sixth month, in the eleventh year of Jiaqing, the furniture shop opened. Its name, Weixuan Home Textiles, was taken by combining a character each from Huzi’s and Dazhuang’s full names.

Dazhuang’s formal name was also given by Ying Su, Li Jiaxuan.

Before opening the shop, Ying Su spent some money advertising in Shili Town. On opening day, even wealthy families in Fengyang County had heard about it. With the added promotion of “buy one and get a free gift,” many people were drawn in.

The first day’s business was quite good! Everyone had only ever heard of woodworking shops, never a furniture store, and the items sold inside were exquisite and appealing. Most of the shoppers were women and young ladies.

The saying “A woman’s money is the easiest to earn” was true in any world.

Many men also came along with their wives to look at furniture. The store’s unique items, unlike those found elsewhere, were well liked by many.

By the end of the first day, demand already felt greater than supply. Li Dalang, Wang Guaizi, and Shi Fei had been working overtime in the backyard to keep up.

(Note: Wang Guaizi is Wang Limp, I decided to just stick with Guaizi for better readability.)

Ying Su had already anticipated this, so she told customers that the shop could take preorders. Since the craftsmanship was so delicate, slow work produced fine results. Many people placed orders right on the spot.

Liu Chuncao alone couldn’t handle everything, so Ying Su hired another helper.

Weixuan Home Textiles was bustling with business, while across the street, Shopkeeper Li’s woodworking shop was deserted. The contrast was so stark that Shopkeeper Li nearly fainted with anger.

To manage the store, Li Dalang and Liu Chuncao decided to sleep at the shop for the next few days. The backyard was spacious, with three rooms. One was used by Ying Su as a reception area, while the other two were made into bedrooms with bedding, ready when needed.

The early days of business were certainly tiring, but it was a joyful kind of hard work. With good sales, everyone could earn more.

A month later, Ying Su calculated the income. After paying wages to Wang Guaizi, Shi Fei, and the other two helpers, she also gave each of them a half-tael red envelope.

Even after subtracting the startup investment, they had netted more than one hundred eighty taels of silver. Ying Su wasn’t entirely satisfied with this number, but Li Dalang and his wife were overjoyed!

Liu Chuncao was so happy that tears welled in her eyes. As she wiped her tears, she said emotionally, “Before, I never dared to imagine earning this much silver. Your big brother and I would be lucky to make ten taels in a whole year, and that was already more than most families in the village. But now…”

She was nearly crying from joy.

Li Dalang was also full of excitement. In the past month, he had been rushing back and forth between the backyard and the shopfront, losing some weight, but he looked more spirited than ever, like he had suddenly found his drive.

They decided to celebrate, buying food and wine before heading back to Dongjun Village on an ox cart. 

The villagers all knew that Li Dalang’s family had opened a furniture shop in town, and they couldn’t help but look at them with more respect. 

Ying Su had discussed with the couple that they should tell others the furniture shop was opened by Li Dalang, while she was only helping out.

Many people speculated where Li Dalang got the money to open a shop. Some even tested them with questions, but both Li Dalang and Liu Chuncao kept their lips tightly sealed. Only Heizi’s family, who were closer, knew that Li Dalang had earned fifty taels earlier by making a wheelchair, but they never suspected Ying Su’s involvement.

When the ox cart reached the village and they neared Li Dalang’s house, they could already hear shouting from a distance, mixed with the sound of children crying. A crowd had gathered at the gate.

Seeing this, Liu Chuncao hurriedly jumped off the cart in a panic. Ying Su quickly followed, and the two of them pushed through the crowd.

When the onlookers saw them return, they made way, letting Ying Su and Liu Chuncao through.

Inside, Madam Li and Li Jinfeng were each holding onto a child. Huzi and Dazhuang both had scratches and blood on their faces, their clothes filthy. Both boys glared stubbornly at the two women standing at the courtyard gate, shouting curses.

One of the women was Wang Lanhua, holding her wailing son. The other was Li Guihua, infamous in the village for her shrewish temper. As soon as she saw Liu Chuncao and Ying Su, she started yelling even louder.

“So you’re finally back! I thought you’d turtle up and hide forever! Your sons beat my son at school! Just look at the state they left him in! Brats with no mother to teach them are nothing but hooligans!”

Although Liu Chuncao didn’t know exactly what had happened, she could guess. She was about to lower her stance in case Huzi and Dazhuang had misbehaved, but the moment she heard Li Guihua’s insults, she couldn’t help but put her hands on her hips and retorted.

“Who are you calling motherless hooligans? Our Dazhuang never fights with others, so why would he suddenly pick a fight with your kid?”

Wang Lanhua’s son suddenly cried out, “It was Huzi who hit first! Dazhuang only joined in after!”

Ying Su walked over to Huzi, her expression calm, and asked, “Was it you who struck first? Why did you hit him?”

Huzi continued to glare fiercely at Wang Lanhua’s son, ignoring Ying Su’s words entirely. His neck stiffened, stubborn like a little wild beast.

Ying Su frowned. She knew Huzi well, he wouldn’t hit someone for no reason. He might not show off much usually, but she knew he was full of mischief, often playing tricks in secret when he disliked someone. But this time, he had directly beaten someone, so there had to be a reason.

“If you don’t give us an explanation today, we won’t leave! A bastard with no parents’ discipline, if he dares to hit people now, who knows if he’ll set fires and kill later? Heaven will strike him down! Just look at how they beat my son!” Li Guihua shouted like a performer on stage, her mouth spewing filth nonstop. She even gave her son a look.

Catching the signal, her son immediately started crying even harder.