A Little Jade in Goddess Gorge

Chapter 20: Women's Friendship

It was another beautiful day. The lovely, bright sunshine poured in through the window.

Waking up from slumber, Yu Xiao sat up and lazily stretched her waist as she pushed open the window while still on the bed. A gentle wind blew in and brought in the special freshness of mountain air that made people feel invigorated.

The vegetables that had been growing in the backyard looked like they were doing much better than before. The row of string bean vines had climbed up the frames, and the beans had already formed. In a few days, they would be ready to eat.

Xiao Bing and Xiao Xue already ran off with Big Hei to the mountain early in the morning. Yu Xiao sighed. She feels like an old mother whose kids just ran off after growing up. It is probably a good thing that they become independent and don't need her anymore, but she can't help but feel a bit sad.

She picked up the embroidery that she worked on since yesterday. Last night she finished a couple of handkerchiefs and started on some pillowcases until her eyes can't take it anymore. She knows that selling some animal skins won't get her a lot, so she chose a couple of projects that are easy to sell. If one day her siblings don't want her anymore, she needs a stable income if she wants to stay in the village.

"Yu-er, you didn't go to the mountain today?" Li Mo knocks on her doorway.

"The three naughty ones already disappeared so early in the morning. So I'll just stay at home this morning, later I might go to town again with third-brother."

Li Mo looked at her as she kept her head lowed and focused on stitching. As she moved, her hair slipped out from behind her and blocked half of her small face. He fights the urge to tuck her hair behind her ear and move his gaze elsewhere. "Shen family in the village needs some help at their home today, so third-brother went with second-brother over there to help. I will go there as well shortly. If you want to go to town I could take you tomorrow?"

"Ah? Is that so. Then don't worry, there are many things I could do at home."

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After embroidering the whole morning, Yu Xiao followed Xiao Wu to the pond while carrying the basket of clothes. At this time of the day, there were already clusters of women in twos and threes by the pond. They were chatting and joking around as they washed the clothes. Perhaps, something amusing was recently said. Several women were chortling. There were several ponds at the foot of the mountain. The pond that they had stopped at, which couldn't be any clearer, was where the villagers would wash their clothes.

She washed the clothes very quickly. It didn't take long before she had finished washing half of the clothes. 

Just as she was about to turn around and leave, she saw a kindly-looking middle-aged woman. She also had a basket of clothes and was heading over here.

"Oh, you're... Li family's wife, right?"

She remembers the woman from the first day she returned to the village. "Aunty Li, right? Long time no see."

"Aiya, Li family's wife. I heard strange rumors about you, one saying Li family had married a celestial maidens their wife. Another saying, you are not their wife and then some bad words about you. From what I see, you are nothing like those bad people said."

Yu Xiao chuckles, "I never care about rumors, Aunty Li. But it's partly true, I'm not their wife. My debt to their family is almost done, so I'll be leaving the village shortly."

Aunty Li is shocked by her straightforward answer. Surely, this girl is not simple. She took out Chinese leeks from her basket and started plucking the leaves. 

Just as Yu Xiao had gathered up the clothes and was about to leave, Aunty Li stopped her. She took out a large handful of Chinese leeks from her basket and insisted that she take them home. Then, she warmly told Yu Xiao to come visit her when she had free time. She had two daughters that were about the same age as her. They would definitely find something to chat about.

Yu Xiao nodded her head in agreement. There was a trace of joy in her heart as she thought how nice it was to be the recipient of kindness in this strange world.

By the time she finished washing clothes, returned home, and hanged up the clothes, it was already noon, and time to prepare lunch.

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The next day, she went to the embroidery shop in Songfeng town again. Li Mo accompanies her today as Li Shu was still busy, but after dropping her in the embroidery shop he needs to go somewhere else. He told her he will come back soon to bring her home.

She showed her work to the owner, handkerchiefs embroidered with various flowers and pillowcases embroidered with good luck symbols, like mandarin ducks or koi fish.

"I know from looking at you the other day that your work can't be simple." Sister Fang touch the stitches gently with her finger. 

"You bought uncommon thread and chose colors that most people wouldn't dare to use. I was wondering what sort of embroidery you were working on, but didn't expect your technique is also splendid."

She then invited Yu Xiao upstairs for a private chat. She has an urgent order for a wedding set, quilt cover, a pair of pillowcases, and a small curtain for 6 silver, but if it's done well there might be extra rewards. With Yu Xiao's talent, she has no doubts that it will be done really well. 

When she came down with the red fabric for the order, she saw a familiar gloomy looking girl waiting in the shop. 

"QiQiao! What do you have for me?" Sister Fang quickly comes over and gets her money for her embroidery. She also didn't forget Yu Xiao's money for her share.

After leaving the store, QiQiao glances at red fabric in Yu Xiao's basket. "Li family's wife, you are making a wedding set for your home? Are you having a wedding celebration soon?"  

"No, this is the order from the shop. And no, I'm not Li family's wife, don't you hear the rumors?"

QiQiao feels complicated and could only timidly said. "But I heard you made shoes for Li's third son, he was showing it proudly to everyone." 

Yu Xiao is confused, "It's just shoes, is there anything wrong?"

"Ah, don't wives made shoes or clothes for their men?" 

Yu Xiao is shocked at this revelation, she has forgotten that this is ancient time and simple things would have more meaning than modern time. 

"I didn't consider that. You were right, I thought that it's fine to help them with things. Aren't neighbors usually help each other? But anyway, there is nothing between me and third brother." She remember hearing that this girl seems to like Li Shu?

She was actually planned to buy some cloth to make the brothers new clothes, but maybe it won't be appropriate. 

"Thanks, QiQiao. If not for your reminder I wouldn't know these things. Ah right! Earlier I saw you use the satin stitches for your peony, if you like I can show you other stitches, it might look better." 

QiQiao is amazed at how quickly she changes the subject. She is calm and decisive, the rumors didn't seem to bother her at all. QiQiao feels envious at how strong she is, if she spends more time with her could she become stronger? 

Most people told her how annoying she is and she can't do anything right. No one ever told her how to improve herself. She grips the moneybag in her hand and decided to hug this big thigh.