Chapter 144 A Geng Looks Familiar
Guo Ning and several aunts had already finished embroidering the cross-stitch pieces they had brought back, and now Shen was examining them one by one.
"You know what, this embroidery method is really simple, and the embroidered paintings are really beautiful." Shen said as she watched.
Aunt Zhang also said, "That's right, my flowers are also beautiful."
Everyone was chatting, feeling uneasy as to whether they could get the money later.
At this time Shen Zhi came in with a bag, greeted everyone he saw, and distributed the cakes in the bag to everyone.
While everyone was eating cakes, Shen Zhi took the cross-stitch from Shen's hand and examined it.
This pastoral landscape is well embroidered, but there are a lot of loose threads on the back, but it's not a big deal, anyway, you can't see the back when it's framed. This is embroidered by Aunt Zhang. After checking it, Shen Zhi took out a tael of silver from his purse and handed it to Aunt Zhang. Aunt Zhang took the silver, tears welled up in her eyes, and asked if she could take one back with her daughter Huaer later.
Of course Shen Zhi agreed. In the past, Aunt Zhang had often given her food behind Liu's back, so she understood the principle of repaying a drop of kindness with a spring of water.
Next, Shen Zhi checked them one by one. They all embroidered well and kept the cloth clean. Especially the two pieces that Guo Ning brought back. The stitches were fine and dense, and even the reverse side was neat and tidy, without a single thread. Shen Zhi gave each of them one or two taels of silver, because they all chose the largest size before.
These aunts have lived a tight life all their lives, and have never handled a tael of silver. This is a huge sum of money for them. Now, in less than a month, they can get a lot of embroidery, which was unimaginable in the past.
An aunt kept thanking him with red eyes. Shen Zhi was not familiar with this person. He only knew that she was a widow who lived in seclusion and barely made ends meet by relying on two acres of thin land. There was also a 60-year-old mother-in-law and a 14-year-old daughter at home. The daughter was also of marriageable age, but the family was very poor.
"This is your Aunt Guihua. Her family is also from Shenjia Village. She and mother are good friends who grew up together. You have seen her sister Yan Zi. You can give one to your Aunt Guihua later and ask your sister Yan Zi to embroider one as well to save up some for her dowry." Shen said.
"Okay, but everyone should try not to embroider at night. This cross-stitch is too tiring for the eyes." Shen Zhi reminded.
Aunt Guihua nodded in agreement.
With them in the lead, others also suggested taking one more to embroider, and Shen Zhi agreed one by one, but only asked them to keep it well. Everyone promised to treasure them as if they were their lives and would never lose them.
"This is your Aunt Guihua. Her family is also from our Shenjia Village. She and I have been good friends since childhood. You should have also seen her sister Yan Zi. I will give one to Aunt Guihua later so that your sister Yan Zi can also embroider one and save some for her dowry." Shen introduced with a smile.
"Okay, no problem. But try not to embroider at night. Cross-stitch is too tiring for the eyes." Shen Zhi advised seriously.
Aunt Guihua quickly nodded and agreed: "Don't worry, we all know it."
With Aunt Guihua taking the lead, several other women also asked to take one more to embroider. Shen Zhi naturally agreed happily, but at the same time reminded them to keep it properly.
"This is my one and only thing, you must take good care of it!" she said with a smile.
Everyone hurriedly promised that they would cherish these cross-stitches as if they were their own lives and would never lose them.
"Don't worry, we will cherish it!" Aunt Guihua patted her chest and promised.
"Yes, who would lose such a good thing?" another woman echoed.
Seeing everyone so enthusiastic, Shen Zhi was also very happy. She knew that these cross-stitches were not only a tool for them to make money, but also a reflection of their life value.
After returning home this time, Guo Ning said hello to her mother-in-law, Aunt Cuihua, and went back to her parents' home carrying a basket of eggs that her mother-in-law had saved for her.
The Guo family lived in a shabby alley in the town. Over the years, her father, Mr. Guo, had barely raised two daughters by teaching. The younger daughter, in particular, was frail and sickly, and had to take medicine all year round, making life even more difficult.
Although life was poor, fortunately the daughters had grown up. The yard was very clean, and there was a mature crabapple tree in the yard. At this moment, the father and daughter were playing chess under the tree during their rare free time.
"Dad, Ru'er," Guo Ning pushed the door open and shouted happily when he saw the two of them.
"Sister," Guo Ru ran over and hugged Guo Ning's arm and acted coquettishly.
Scholar Guo took the basket from his eldest daughter and said, "I'll leave the eggs for you to eat. Tell your mother-in-law not to be so polite."
"My mother-in-law asked me to give it to Ru'er to replenish her body. Dad, today I am here to give Ru'er her wages. Our Ru'er is now a person who can earn money." Guo Ning smiled and took out a tael of silver from his bosom and stuffed it into Guo Ru's hand.
Guo Xiucai and Guo Ru were both shocked. They didn't believe Guo Ning when he said there was one or two taels of silver. Even now that the silver was handed to them, they still didn't believe it.
"Ning'er, tell me the truth, do you really have so much money, or did you contribute it yourself?" Mr. Guo frowned.
Guo Ning didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She said, "Dad, you think too highly of your daughter. I don't have the money even if I want to help. Don't worry, this is true. They also praised Ru'er for her good embroidery. This time I brought back two for Ru'er. But Ru'er, you must do it within your ability. You are weak, so you must not stay up late to embroider."
When Guo Xiucai heard his daughter say this, he felt relieved. "Don't worry, Dad will take care of her. Money is good, but it's not as important as life."
As he was saying this, the gate was pushed open again and a man came in carrying two buckets of water.
Guo Ning was stunned, and then asked: "Dad, who is he, and why is he here in our house?"
Mr. Guo waved to the man to come over. When the man came over, Guo Ning found that he looked familiar, but he could not remember where he had seen him before.
"His name is A Geng. He injured his head and can't remember anything before. He has been carrying heavy bags at the dock for the past two years. He would find a corner on the dock every night to spend the night. But he twisted his foot while moving goods at the dock last month, and the manager there fired him when he saw that he couldn't move the goods. He had nowhere to go so he just stayed at the entrance of the alley. Some time ago, I twisted my waist when I went out to fetch water, and he happened to see it and helped me fetch water. Later, every time he saw me fetching water, he helped me fetch water. Ning'er, I can see that he is a good boy, and I want him to marry into our family." Guo Xiucai introduced the man's background, then turned to the man and said, "A Geng, she is Ru'er's sister."
The man politely called her sister.
Guo Ning glanced at his sister, only to see her lowering her head with a smile on her face. It seemed that his sister liked him.
"Are you A Geng? Do you remember whether you were engaged before?" Guo Ning felt that A Geng's background was unknown and was afraid that her father was being too hasty. If he woke up in the future and found out that he was already engaged, wouldn't that harm her sister?
Scholar Guo said, "Don't worry. I have discussed this with A Geng. We will let him live in our house first and announce to the public that he is my distant relative and is temporarily staying with us. If he recovers his memory after three years and has not yet married or engaged, he will marry Ru'er. If he still has not recovered his memory, we will let him go."
Guo Ru nodded, "That's right. Brother Geng is homeless now. We'll take him in, but we can't use this as a threat to him."
Guo Ning felt relieved. Her sister was open-minded and she didn't need to worry about her getting stuck in a rut. But the familiar feeling from A Geng made her feel uneasy.