Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Mrs. Xiao Li’s Thoughts
As the saying goes, a penny can trip up a hero.
Money is a man’s courage; with money, he’s a man; without it, a man struggles.
Yuan Zhaodi listened to Mrs. Xiao Li’s rebuttal and fell silent.
Those semi-cultivated lands are registered as lower-class fields, not newly opened wasteland, and thus require no land tax for three years.
"Didn’t we get some silver when the family divided?"
"And, Jiaojiao has always had good luck. Maybe in a couple of days, something else will come up!"
After a long silence, Yuan Zhaodi spoke somewhat hesitantly.
Mrs. Xiao Li snorted, saying, "Then we’ll talk when there’s something extra!"
"Also, I’m pregnant again!"
"What?!"
Yuan Zhaodi was dumbfounded, staring blankly at Mrs. Xiao Li’s belly.
Seeing Yuan Zhaodi’s expression, Mrs. Xiao Li snorted again, saying, "By spring, my belly will be showing, and I won’t be able to help much with the fieldwork. How will we manage then?"
Thinking about how there would be one more child in the family, Mrs. Xiao Li felt very anxious about the future.
Previously, her mother-in-law was in charge of family affairs, so she had nothing to worry about.
But now, they’re on their own as a family, and they have to plan carefully.
Since she was a child, her father used to say, you’d never go broke for lack of food or clothes, only by failing to plan.
Daughters are meant to marry off eventually.
Once married, they belong to someone else’s family; how much can they help their parental home?
Furthermore, if the parental family can’t stand on its own, counting on a married daughter is unreasonable.
Since this daughter is bound to offer little help, there’s no need to treasure her too much. Previously, they were clearly going overboard!
However, with her mother-in-law in charge, and seeing her father-in-law and mother-in-law so attentive to her daughter, she couldn’t say much. After all, her own son could also enjoy good food and drink.
But now it’s different. They are their own small household.
"I’ll find a job and earn some money!"
"With money, life will naturally improve."
Yuan Zhaodi sighed, looking at his wife, "Wife, do you not trust me as the head of the household?"
"I’d like to trust you, but how can I?"
Tears fell from Mrs. Xiao Li’s eyes, "We’ve just moved here, unfamiliar with the place. When we finally settled in Shiqu Village, we ran into issues."
"Parents always said our daughter is the Yuan Family’s treasure, but is she really a treasure?"
"After she was born, you lost your job at the dock, let alone nearly lost your life!"
"We’ve left our hometown, wandering far from home, and what my elder sister-in-law said wasn’t without reason."
"Back in Linhe Village, although life wasn’t perfect, it was stable and hopeful."
"But now? Do you understand? I’m afraid!"
"I’m afraid one day I’ll wake up and find we have to move again!"
"Sigh..."
Listening to his wife’s lament, Yuan Zhaodi wondered what to say; he didn’t know what to say.
"Alright, stop talking!"
After a long sigh, Yuan Zhaodi stood up, "I understand everything you’ve said. I get your worries too."
"Indeed, Jiaojiao will eventually get married, and once married, she won’t be able to help our family much. But still, I’d hope you could be a bit kinder to her."
"Fine, show me the money!"
Upon hearing Yuan Zhaodi’s words, Mrs. Xiao Li directly extended her hand, "If you have money, then even hiring a maid for her is fine; without it, don’t say anything!"