"Fine, if you don't want to trade, then don't,"
Tian Jing could imagine the thoughts of those people. If she went to trade for cabbage now, she would definitely hear a lot of sour remarks. "A few spinach leaves will do. After breakfast, take the things you owe people to return, and by the way, call Sister Niu over."
"We'll make vermicelli this morning. We'll fill your stomach at noon, and then you can go do your important business on the mountain in the afternoon."
"Okay." Tian Jing took the heaping bowl of millet her elder brother had dug out. She thought about saying it was too much, then remembered it was pure congee, and they could just cook more.
By the time the family of four was stuffed, there was still a bowl left in the pot. Tian Jing nudged Li Min.
"With so many thoughts running through your head, can your brother dig out grain with accuracy? Can't you think for yourself?"
"I haven't eaten my fill in years. I don't remember how much a full stomach is, only whether it was enough for everyone to be half full."
Tian Jing admired her. "Alright, you have a point. That leftover congee will be for you to drink at noon."
"Great!" Li Min happily accepted this "punishment." "The congee in my stomach will be gone after a few trips to the toilet. I'll drink it before noon."
After this breakfast, it looked like it was eight or nine in the morning. Li Zhengguo filled the borrowed lantern with kerosene, then grabbed a wicker basket and a bamboo backpack to return them to others, and to see if anyone had ready lumber to borrow.
Li Min also went around returning what she had borrowed. Finally, when she went to Accountant Li's house to return the dark flour, she brought Sister Niu along.
"Sister Niu, will you come with me? My sister-in-law is preparing to make vermicelli and asked me to invite some close sisters to come and watch."
"Okay, wait a moment, I'll be right there."
Sister Niu untied her apron, told her mother-in-law, and then went out with Li Min.
Seeing Li Min, with her scarred face, come to return the dark flour, Hu Hongju felt a mix of emotions. She finally understood the difficulties of the Li family at the end of the village. With only over thirty yuan left in the family, she dared not think of anything.
Her husband's warning still echoed in her ears: "That Tian Jing calculated our family's assets based on our family's performance towards her in-laws. Otherwise, why would the proportion she asked for be similar to what her in-laws spent back then? And she said that after returning what we owe her family, it would be settled. Wouldn't that be revenge? Don't provoke her, including her family."
And her eldest daughter-in-law had also relayed the dissatisfaction of the commune members towards her husband as accountant, even wanting to change accountants during the election, just because Tian Jing could bring benefits to everyone.
After hearing this, her husband questioned why her family members had all become so arrogant. She was also startled and thought carefully. It seemed to be true.
Her sons and daughters-in-law were surrounded by sycophants, and even she had people flattering her. The family was slowly changing due to the praise.
And these subtle changes seemed to have started when Zhang Fangcao entered the family. After Zhang Fangcao entered, she was immediately surrounded by flattering people.
When they analyzed it that night before sleeping, her husband decided to divide the family and move out after the youngest daughter-in-law's confinement period was over.
A plot of land would be given upon division, and they would have to build their own houses. They would be given a six-month buffer period, and they had to move out immediately after spring. For these six months, they would eat separately and live in separate rooms. Since they weren't building houses, they wouldn't have to pay old-age grain for the first ten years.
She hadn't told the two sons about this yet. She couldn't imagine what kind of scene it would be at home if she did.
All of this was because of the Li family at the end of the village. Seeing Li Min now, she didn't know whether she felt hatred or resentment.
Li Min didn't care about her state of mind and handed her two heaping bowls of dark flour.
"Cousin-in-law, I've come to return your family's dark flour. Do you want me to call out your two daughters-in-law to see? They saw it when we borrowed it."
"My sister-in-law said that when people lend us things, we must return them with extra. If I could carry three bowls, I would return three level bowls."
"Even though it's three bowls' worth now, it's only two bowls. If your two daughters-in-law say I should have returned two and a half bowls, then I have nowhere to complain, especially since your eldest daughter-in-law manages everything in the village."
Sister Niu couldn't help but chuckle. Yesterday morning and this morning, everyone who went out to work or gather firewood on the mountain came to Accountant Li's house to ask Huang Suluan if their actions counted as taking advantage of the collective.
Huang Suluan couldn't refuse to answer. They wouldn't leave without an answer. Who knew if Huang Suluan would play dirty tricks behind their backs?
It embarrassed the Li accountant's family so much that they closed their courtyard gate in broad daylight.
That wouldn't do either. They knocked on the door, wanting to ask the accountant's eldest daughter-in-law if they should proceed with their tasks. If they didn't get permission and were held accountable later, their faces scratched and disfigured, would the Li family have another one hundred yuan to compensate? If so, they wouldn't come to ask for permission.
"Minmin, what you said is right. We should call Huang Suluan and Zhang Fangcao out to see, otherwise, one witness like me can't argue against two mouths."
Hu Hongju's face darkened. Was she still not letting go?
"This is my home, and I'm in charge. What are they? Where do they have the right to speak? Li Min, you've returned too much. Cousin-in-law can't accept it."
"Accept it, consider it as interest. After this is done, our two families will be even. My sister-in-law said that if we're hungry again, we'd rather die of thirst from drinking Ku River water than to borrow anything from here again."
Hu Hongju's face darkened even further. Fine, if they were willing to return more, then so be it.
She took the two bowls, went back to the kitchen, and poured the dark flour into the basin. She didn't even rinse the bowls before bringing them out.
Li Min took the bowls and turned to leave. Sister Niu glanced meaningfully at Hu Hongju and followed.
Soon, the village heard people spreading rumors that Accountant Li's family had lent out two level bowls of flour and received two heaping bowls in return.
When Accountant Li heard about it, he returned home and lectured his wife, almost making Hu Hongju spit blood.
Back to making vermicelli, Sister Niu made a round, called a few close sisters, and spread rumors about Hu Hongju's character before leading them to the Li family at the end of the village.
When Tian Jing saw her arrive, she immediately handed over the work. "Sister Niu, this is a job that requires strength. Let me first tell you how to do it. I guarantee that once I explain, you'll understand. First, you need to..."
After Tian Jing finished, the women clapped their hands. "So it's that simple."
Sister Niu disagreed with them. "The key is in mixing the starch. If it's not mixed evenly, there will be many lumps on the vermicelli."
"Yes," Tian Jing nodded. "That's why I'm waiting for you all to help. Mixing starch not only requires strength but also skill, even more skill than mixing dough."
"Alright, I'll direct. Sister Chrysanthemum, you tend the fire. Sister Ailan, you prepare a small basin, waiting for the water to boil to scald the starch..."
With Sister Niu's direction, the women quickly got busy. Li Min became anxious. "What about me? What about me? What do I do?"
"You just watch us do the first batch. Didn't your sister-in-law say that kudzu starch can also be used to make vermicelli? We'll make kudzu vermicelli for the second batch."
Sister Niu patted her shoulder. "Now, go find a gourd ladle and drill some holes in it for me."