I Became a Medical Genius in the 80s

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Going to Bao Niang Embroidery Workshop

Mrs. Qin couldn’t stand people talking in a mushy way. As soon as she heard Beisitian’s tone, she gave her a glance, pursed her lips, and quickened her pace.

Luo Anping hurriedly caught up, turned his head and smiled at Beisitian, ”Sis, hurry home. We’ve got some cracklings to eat today!”

Beisitian wasn’t someone who liked sentimentality either. Seeing Mrs. Qin’s expression, she smiled broadly, thinking, this mother-in-law is quite adorable!

The three of them made their way home, and by the time they arrived, the sun was directly overhead, and every household had already had lunch.

Luo Anguo stretched his neck out through the open window, looking outside, hoping for the three of them to return.

Upon hearing the door sound, he immediately looked over and saw the three come in, talking and laughing. He finally felt relieved, as this trip to the market took a bit longer than usual.

”Dad, we’re back!”

Entering the courtyard, Luo Anping let go of Mrs. Qin’s hand and ran inside the house.

Mrs. Qin had taken the basket from the cart halfway home. Now, she put down the basket, and Beisitian started picking out the items one by one.

Mrs. Qin went inside the house, feeling exhausted from the journey, especially with the basket on her back. With one old and one young at her side, she carried most of the load.

Beisitian was also tired but considerably better off compared to Mrs. Qin. After putting down the items, she went to the west wing’s firewood room to fetch firewood. She brought back a bundle of firewood, stuffed it into the stove, struck a match, threw it in, and quickly operated the bellows a couple of times.

The fire in the stove immediately came to life.

She had cooked before, but there was always someone to assist her with the bellows. When she first started cooking by herself, it took her a few tries to get the hang of it.

Beisitian stewed some cabbage, and when it was almost ready, she took down the dried food hanging on the beam and placed it on the pot rack, covering the lid again to heat it together for their meal.

Once it simmered for a while, Beisitian served it on the kang table and went out to dish up the food: a small basin full of stewed cabbage, a small bowl of pickled vegetables, and each person got a steamed bun. This would do for lunch.

”Old woman, didn’t you buy a jacket?” Luo Anguo asked, while rolling a cigarette.

”Why buy one? Isn’t this coat still fine?” Mrs. Qin replied, twiddling her braid.

The tobacco in his hand was newly purchased by Mrs. Qin today. He had been quite pleased, but paused upon hearing her words.

The coat on Mrs. Qin had been worn for five years, patched and mended, entirely different from its original appearance. Luo Anguo always said to buy a new one, but she never did.

Beisitian, who was also twiddling her braid beside them, paused as well. Mrs. Qin bought tobacco for Luo Anguo, new pants for Luo Anping, colored threads, yellow paper, and ink for her, but nothing for herself!

A complexity welled up in Beisitian’s heart. She had never worried about household essentials before. Even when traveling with her master in her prime at twenty, as a Mystic Doctor, the wealth flowed abundantly. Despite their master’s odd temper and initial struggles, they eventually amassed enough savings to stay in top-tier inns and savor fine delicacies!

Yet now, Mrs. Qin managed a large family, considering everyone but herself, or perhaps she never intended to buy anything for herself.

Beisitian paused, then continued twiddling her braid. To live well, she had to quickly recover her health.

Recovering her health required money as well!

Beisitian focused her first money-making goal on Baoniang Embroidery Workshop.

Luo Er’s family had little land, just the small vegetable plot behind the house. They once relied on Luo Anguo hunting in the mountains for food, later sustaining themselves with five or six sheep and Mrs. Qin’s craftsmanship.

Eventually, even Mrs. Qin’s skills fell short, and when tragedy struck Beisitian, the home couldn’t make ends meet. Two months without going to the market left them without even pocket money. The family of four lived two months mostly on pickled vegetables.

Beisitian knew all this, and this time Mrs. Qin sold a total of eight dollars and fifty cents, considered a good sum. After buying necessities, only twenty cents remained, leaving the family penniless once again.

”Mother, where is Bao Niang Embroidery Workshop?” Beisitian asked.