Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 417 - 417 418 Unreliable_1

Chapter 417: Chapter 418 Unreliable_1 Chapter 417: Chapter 418 Unreliable_1 Huang Bin roared, “Nonsense! Change the time? Isn’t that openly bowing to Mei Garden? If anyone should change, it’s them!”

The manager simply didn’t know what to say, “Boss, we can’t afford this any longer, if we keep losing money like this, we can’t even recoup the costs.”

Grinding his teeth, Huang Bin had no choice but to say, “Change it!”

But he had thought that by changing the showtimes, they could win back some patrons. However, the audience members ultimately couldn’t stand this kind of play any longer. After enduring a few acts, they lost all patience and indeed, nobody was willing to waste time and spend silver on such things.

Seeing New Moon House declining day by day, Huang Bin was so infuriated that he fell ill and lay in bed.

These days, Muniang had been busy as well. The performance of “The Condor Heroes” had a very good effect, and preparations were quickly underway in the surrounding areas. She could leave Mei Garden without worry now, considering its popularity remained quite impressive.

She entrusted everything to Zhong Yulang, while she herself comfortably nestled in Tupo Village to study how to make money from the peripherals of the play.

Just yesterday, she had drawn the portrait dolls of the male and female protagonists and had them immediately sent to the embroidery room.

The embroidery room had been specially renovated a few days earlier, providing better working conditions for the villagers. Now, virtually all the women in Tupo Village were working in Muniang’s Embroidery House, and their wages were naturally ensured. The business at the Embroidery House was booming more than ever, and they would certainly not shortchange these townsfolk.

“You’ve come? I was just saying I was about to go and get the designs from you myself,” Madam Liu greeted Muniang as soon as she saw her.

Muniang replied with a smile, “It’s no trouble at all, I was just coming to check on the situation.”

“Yo, Muniang, it’s been a long time since you last visited. What have you been busy with?” a woman asked.

“The business in town always keeps one busy. You think everyone has the time to idle around the house like you?” another woman joked, laughing.

“Why don’t the men handle the business matters? Erliang’s brain is all better now, isn’t it? Women should really stay at home, looking after their husbands and teaching their children. Back when your family was poor, you had no choice but to show your face in public, but now that your days are better, you’re still busy outside every day. I’m not the one to say, but your husband might just feel uncomfortable about it.”

With a smile, Muniang responded, “Thank you, Aunt, for the advice.”

She brushed off the comment lightly and nonchalantly, not agreeing with the woman’s view. But why should she argue with a native of antiquity? She just laughed it off, and naturally, she didn’t take the words to heart.

The woman could hear Muniang’s perfunctory tone, but could not press further. After all, Muniang had thanked her, what more could she do?

Madam Liu tugged at Muniang’s sleeve and whispered, “This is Wang Cai’s new bride, Madam Li, from another village who married into ours, and she’s been married before. You might not have seen her before. She always speaks like that; don’t take it to heart.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not so fragile,” Muniang smiled and said. She had endured harsher words over the years; such remarks were nothing in comparison and naturally, she wouldn’t dwell on it.

As they were speaking, a pregnant woman came in. Muniang looked up and saw that it was indeed Dabao’s Mother!

“How big this belly has gotten, you’re not in the early months anymore, are you,” Muniang immediately assisted her.

Dabao’s Mother chuckled, “It’s almost six months now; come next spring, I’ll probably give birth. Why do you have time to come here? Isn’t the business in town keeping you busy? I haven’t seen you for quite a few days.”

“The busiest period is pretty much over, and now I’m preparing new designs. I just popped by to check on the progress,” Muniang felt Dabao’s Mother’s belly, “If there’s anything inconvenient, just let me know. Working while pregnant isn’t easy.”

“What’s the big deal? Which woman in our village isn’t working the fields while pregnant? I have it easy. To tell you the truth, I should thank you. It’s because of the Embroidery House that the women from our village can avoid field work, earning easy money here every day. I even regret not having a daughter who I could teach to embroider and make money—probably more than what the men in the family earn.”

Dabao’s Mother’s words were not empty compliments; since the women in the village started earning more money at the Embroidery House, their status at home skyrocketed. More importantly, embroidering, which was initially just a way to supplement the family income, now brought in what they could make in a whole year, lifting nearly every household in Tupo Village out of poverty.

Muniang chuckled, “Then you better hope for a girl this time and start teaching her embroidery when she’s young. If she can match my aunt’s skills, I’ll have to pay her even more.”

“That’s exactly what I’m hoping for!” Dabao’s Mother said contentedly.

But then an incongruous voice interfered, “We still don’t know what status this child will be born into. Isn’t it too early to think about these things?”

The speaker was none other than Madam Li, who, after marrying into the village, had heard about Dabao’s Mother’s situation, as well as the “origins” of this child.

The color drained from Dabao’s Mother’s face, “My child—how could I not know what status he is? He’s from the Xu Family!”

Madam Li awkwardly responded, “I was just speaking casually. Why the overreaction? In my opinion, a woman’s reputation is the most important thing. Since there’s some uncertainty about the child, you shouldn’t have kept it from the start. Giving birth isn’t going to stop people from gossiping.”

Dabao’s Mother trembled with anger, “My child, why shouldn’t I want him?”

Muniang directly interjected, “Madam Li, perhaps you should say less. Dabao’s Mother is pregnant. If she gets upset and harms the baby, you’ll have to worry about the Xu Family coming after you.”

Madam Li then shut her mouth.

Muniang, shaking her head helplessly, exchanged a few more pleasantries with Dabao’s Mother before leaving. Encountering such women, she really preferred not to stay.

As Madam Liu escorted Muniang out, she began to complain, “Madam Li is the worst gossip—she can’t see someone without spinning some tale. It irks me on a normal day, but it’s also hard to say too much. The key issue is that some of what she says does make sense. If it turns into a quarrel, outsiders might say that we in Tupo Village can’t accommodate foreign daughters-in-law.”

“Never mind her, Auntie. Just ignore her,” Muniang said indifferently.

“I might let it go, but Dabao’s Mother is the one suffering. To endure the hardship of pregnancy only to be looked at with such disdain—it’s truly pitiful. May the heavens damn Qilian Kingdom for its treachery! But once the child is born, all will be well. I believe Dabao’s Mother; the child is definitely from the Xu Family. Then let’s see what they have to say!”

Muniang frowned slightly; the blood test for kinship was unreliable. Some blood is compatible, and some is not. Even between a parent and child, they may not have the same blood type. What if the blood doesn’t mingle as it should when the time comes?