Chapter 234: Saving One’s Life
Build a partition between the back kitchen and front courtyard, inside which the bread kiln will be built, used for making baked bread.
There is also space for making other things.
This is confidential and requires technology, which a renovation worker like him cannot complete; he can only follow the blueprint to leave out the layout and space. Probably by then the owner will hire a professional brick kiln master to build it.
“Owner, probably in another half month, the renovation should be completed!” Foreman Wu knew that the shop’s rent was not cheap; delaying one day due to renovation would result in quite a loss of silver.
Inside this house, the owner said all the walls were to be fitted with solid wood wooden boards, and the floor as well…
“Owner, how do you have time to come to the shop today?” After Foreman Wu finished introducing everything to Luo Zhi’er and Li Sanmao behind her, he wondered if she had come to urge the construction timeline.
“Hehe, I have something today and want to trouble Foreman Wu.”
“Oh?”
“Actually, it’s also about building a house. I need to build a house near Luojia Village. I wonder if Foreman Wu can take on this job?”
Foreman Wu frowned tightly, “This…”
Seeing him somewhat troubled, Luo Zhi’er said: “Foreman Wu, if you have difficulties, just say so. I thought of you because we’re already acquaintances, rather than finding someone else.”
“Hehe, Wu Mou thanks the owner for the kind intention.”
Foreman Wu clasped his fists and said that he temporarily did not have enough manpower on hand; besides those working here, there was a batch of workers in town renovating Master Cao’s backyard.
“Is there something wrong?”
“I wonder what kind of house the owner wants to build?”
“Just a flat, about ten rooms or so.”
“Ten rooms?”
Hearing about the flat, he knew it was probably for servants or ordinary folks to live in, but ten rooms—that would be for how many people?
He, who had seen great storms, just blinked his eyes. This Luo Niangzi was truly not to be underestimated. However, this was the owner’s business; he could not pry into privacy.
“It’s like this: Wu Mou is of course willing to take this job, but my men currently have a job unfinished, probably needing another three to five days. If Luo Niangzi can wait on this side, Wu Mou will naturally take the job.”
“It’s like this…”
Luo Zhi’er looked at Li Sanmao; it seemed things could not be rushed. She did not know other foremen; three to five days could be waited.
“Foreman Wu, I only ask one thing: how long will it take to build those ten flat rooms? After how long can people live in them?”
“If we work overtime, about half a month. The first two days will definitely be for buying bricks and stones materials and transporting them. Afterward, it’s laying the foundation and stacking bricks and stones, which is quite fast—one room per day. For living, actually drying for three to five days allows moving in!”
Luo Zhi’er did not expect it to be quite fast. Because in ancient times, their building materials were solid wood, real bricks, real stones—not like now with chemical substances, formaldehyde and such. Hers was a flat; just air-dry it, and it could be moved into with bags.
“Good, it’s decided then.”
Foreman Wu was also straightforward; they agreed on the approximate number for building the house, with adjustments for more or less. As for the specific time to start building, they then left.
This time, if not doing it, then upon starting, several places would begin construction, spending silver and thoughts. Home still needed to make money; fortunately, she had outsourced it.
The two originally planned to buy people today, so they would wait half a month until the house was built, then buy. Remembering the man hired the day before, they felt a bit guilty for a moment; today they had to go dismiss him.
Have Li Sanmao take out the residential address registered by that man; looked at it— in town, no fixed abode. Last time they had only agreed on the work duration.
Similar to living wherever possible, under bridges, by streets—all possible.
Where to find him? The two unanimously decided to go to the marketplace human market to take a look.
The three bought some food on the road and went straight to the marketplace. Renting laborers and the human market were actually in the same place.
Just one side for renting, the other for buying.
Walking through the shouts of the agents selling, previously when she saw this scene, her emotions were greatly affected. She said they did farm work with low status, miserable days. Looking again at those bewildered, listless eyes, people sold like livestock, beaten and cursed at will—this world was so unfair!
Some were destined from birth for a lifetime of wealth and honor, while others lived at the very bottom, working hard and exhausting their lives yet unable to escape that cage!
These past few days here, she had already grown accustomed to seeing it. Miaomiao was scared and gripped her hand tightly.
This little maid, looking at these agents, nearly cried out, “Mother, they are so pitiful. There’s even a young woman, about Miaomiao’s age! That man actually whipped her!”
Li Sanmao covered her eyes.
Luo Zhi’er sighed; such a place originally should not be seen by a young maid.
But leaving her alone at home made her uneasy. Moreover, this society was survival of the fittest, classes clearly divided. She must see, understand, accept, and strengthen herself, gradually adapt and rapidly grow!
“So, Miaomiao, Mother wants to tell you that at any time, you must have the ability to protect yourself. For example, that young woman just now clearly could have avoided being beaten. Do you know why she was beaten?”
Miaomiao thought for a moment, “First, she was deeply trapped yet blatantly tried to escape. Second, she bit that agent.”
“Right, deeply trapped, she should keep a low profile and reduce her presence, but she stood out and tried to fight those much stronger than her with her weak body—naturally she got beaten!”
Even beaten to death. Do not openly anger someone more powerful than yourself; they can kill you as easily as pinching an ant.
“Mother… we…”
Luo Zhi’er shook her head; that agent did not seem very cruel, only beating her to vent after being bitten. From her observation, he still wanted to sell for money!
Seeing distress in Miaomiao’s eyes, Luo Zhi’er asked again, “Then how should she escape this place?”
Miaomiao thought quietly for a moment and said,
“Mother, Miaomiao thinks at first she should understand what kind of person the agent is. As for the current stage, she should observe the clients coming to buy servants, quietly observe and understand which households have good conditions, background, and kind treatment of people. Then seize the chance to show in front of that client the side they need or her own strengths, gain their trust, leave here first, and then plan further!”
“Mm, the child can be taught!”
Bide one’s time, show one’s value, and obtain what one wants.
Here, girls marry early, pulled into terrifying married life in their ignorant teens. Especially this world’s marriage system: after marriage, bearing children is her main task. After bearing, she is trapped, freedom restricted.
Feelings change in an instant; romantic love is the least reliable. When you are young and beautiful, you have value and he feels love—perhaps initially pretending to be good to you just to get you, spending the least cost for his family to carry on the line, giving him a retirement tool.
When you are ugly, old, sick, he despises and finds you disgusting. Love fades with looks, favoring the new and tiring of the old—that’s human nature. Once your only remaining value is consumed by them, what scene will it be?
At that time, you are too difficult; you start to grovel for his pitiful bit of help. Back then when you nearly died, he felt no gratitude. At that time, anyone could ignore the little children, except the mother—that was her flesh and blood born with her life. A man with money can have three wives and four concubines to satisfy his lust.
Women after bearing children have bodily changes, old, ugly, loose; one child after another, all sorts of bodily diseases. The bloody past makes you rejoice that you lived again, leaving you no time to breathe.
And at this time, you will discover your husband’s true face becoming more and more shameful.
He comes back from outside without listening to what you experienced today, directly saying you do nothing at home. With his family, they use your reluctance to part with the children to manipulate you, making you unconditionally obey and serve them. Ask yourself, how can you alone with young ones confront a whole family?
They can shirk everything; the children are your weakness. If you don’t nurse and cook, the child starves. If you don’t carefully care, she gets sick. If you don’t wash and sew clothes, she has no clothes to change. If you don’t constantly accompany, she gets lost, falls without support, doesn’t learn to lift head, roll over, crawl, stand and walk, speak—development delayed…
In the future, if grown not adapting to this society, if you don’t hold her to soothe to sleep or go out for walks, she wails. Of course, when they have no money, they command you anytime to earn money to subsidize the household; otherwise, you eat my food, drink my drink, it’s I who raised you. You are old, faded, no skills, can only do laborer work—regardless of if your body is good, if it’s work you like, if the child is safe with companionship and care. Best if you can bring one along to work; anyway, you must go home early to finish all housework, be filial to mother-in-law and father-in-law, otherwise you’ll suffer when he returns…
Women in their thirties and forties have the hardest time, enduring night after night, year after year; your children are still small, you are physically and mentally exhausted, yet worry how they, not yet fledged, will survive without you?
You are invisibly required to overload with sacrifice, dedicating your body, soul, and freedom to this family. He says this is what you should do as a wife; please do what you should do!
Why cry? Stupid pig, at home you are just an ironclad super machine, upon marriage a free big blood bag. You don’t deserve thoughts; outside, be clever for me.
Even a man like Li Sanmao, initially Luo Zhi’er suffered quite a bit.
Women marry for nothing more than someone to shelter them from wind and rain. Seeking money, how much do you have? And as her husband, you made her shed endless tears, endless grievances…
Coming from the bottom, she must let Miaomiao have the ability to choose for herself, have chips to make them fear her, able to escape the cage. Since men are unreliable, then carry on her own line and continue her own generation; let her know that at any time, she herself is the most precious—when necessary, preserve life!
Luo Zhi’er’s thoughts drifted far; walking along, she heard someone calling them. Looking fixedly, wasn’t that the man she hired that day?
A hint of surprise showed in that man’s eyes; he pushed through the crowd and came over, “Hehe, owner, I said you all should be coming to the human market today!”
“Oh? I wonder what you want from us?”
“Hehe, sorry, owner. Actually, I want to quit that job. I, I thought it over—life is still more important!”
He was also sincere. Li Sanmao and Luo Zhi’er exchanged a glance; it saved them the trouble of finding him to dismiss him.
