Chapter 44 - 44: Not a Hint of Glory

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“The first thing you do every morning is to brush your teeth, wash your face, and wash your hands.”

“Hehe, yes, Mother.”

“There’s green salt on the windowsill. Dip your finger in the green salt and apply it to your teeth. Grind it back and forth a few times before rinsing your mouth. Remember not to swallow the salt water into your stomach.”

“Yes, Mother.”

She washed up with her two sons and then took them for a run in the yard.

When she practiced martial arts, she would let them watch from the side. After watching, they could try it out themselves.

After three sets of training, she was already sweating profusely. She washed her face again before starting the fire.

“Mother, I know how to cook. Let me cook. What do you think we should cook?”

There was not even a steamed bun at home. She thought for a while and said, “Let’s make some noodle soup. We don’t have any dry food at home. Mother will go out and buy some today.”

“Mother, we know how to steam buns. Do we have yeast at home?”

“How old are you guys?”

“We used to help our mother used to make steamed buns at home, so we know how to make it.

“I’ll borrow a steamer from the neighbor later. You guys can try steaming some.”

She heated up the pot and dug out a spoonful of pork fat. Then, put in some scallions, ginger, and garlic, filled half the pot with water, and then cracked six eggs In 11.

Only then did she finish making half a bowl of noodles and stir them up. “Which one of you is the older one?”

“Me, Qiao Fengyun.”

“Mmhm, Yun ‘er, you’re my eldest son and Feng’ er, my second son.”

“Mother!”

“In the future, Mother will raise you well. You have to listen to Mother. If you feel that Mother is wrong, you can bring it up. You don’t have to always listen to orders.”

“Yes, Mother!”

Qiao Mai smiled and saw that the pot was boiling. She put the noodles into the pot and stirred it gently. Then, she added half a spoonful of salt and finally cut a handful of green onion leaves.

When the soup was almost done, he threw the green onions in. “Turn off the fire. Perfect.”

The brothers were very diligent. When the soup was ready, they immediately set up a table in the courtyard and placed the bowls and chopsticks.

By the time Qiao Mai scooped the soup and brought it to the table, even the stool had been placed.

“Mother, you’ve worked hard!”

“Mmhm. Mother will have to cook the goods to sell later, you can just wash the pots and dishes and clean the yard. You don’t have to do anything else. You’re not allowed to go to the well, and you’re not allowed to get water from the well. Mother saved you and doesn’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Six eggs, two for each of them. The two brothers ate very contentedly. Seeing that they had gotten used to the place very quickly, she did not specially instruct them to do anything else.

She then started to boil the corn, peanuts, and quail eggs on the charcoal stove.

Now that the weather was not cold, there was no need to bring a charcoal stove. After cooking, she could just bring a big pot and put it on the table to sell.

Up until now, she had never used the scale. Eggs were sold by the piece, peanuts were sold by the package, and a square piece of oil paper was sold for five cents per package.

The corn was sold by the piece, the melons were sold by the piece, the strawberries were sold by the box, and the watermelons were sold by the piece.

She never wasted any effort if she could save energy.

Two hours later, all the goods were ready to be sold. She kept some of each item and placed them in a basin before bringing them to the table in the courtyard.

“After Mother leaves, you two will close the courtyard door. If it isn’t Mother, don’t open it no matter who it is. Mother has left some food for you on the table. If you are hungry, eat first. Mother will come back to see you at noon and bring some dry goods back.”

“Okay, Mother.”

“That’s more like it.”

Qiao Mai moved the goods to the cart and pushed it away. Fengyun and Yunfeng watched her walk away before closing the courtyard.

When they came back and sat at the table, the two of them looked at the table full of food, and tears flowed down their eyes again.

“This woman is really too good to us.”

“Then let’s treat her sincerely and be filial to her in the future.”

“Of course, we met a good person. Brother, look, the table is full of the goods she wants to sell. We walked around the town a few times and only the things at her stall were expensive. However, she prepared them just like that and placed them here for us to eat. It seems that she really treats us like her sons.”

“Brother, remember that she saved our lives. No matter how good or bad, we have to repay her, understand?”

“I understand. We’ll be her sons in the future. We have to treat her well and be filial to her for the rest of our lives.

“Yes, eat whatever you like, but don’t eat it all up. It’s too expensive.”

Qiao Mai naturally did not know what the two of them were talking about.

After the stall opened, many people asked her about what happened yesterday.

She smiled. “Those two children were starving to death. Looking at them is like looking at the old me. I can’t rest my conscience if I don’t save them.”

“Your heart is so good!”

Qiao Mai, who heard the praise, only grinned. Many people felt ashamed after hearing it. It was something that a little woman could do, but they ignored it and did not care about their lives.

Qiao Mai did not care what others thought. In any case, from this day onwards, more and more people came to her stall to beg for food.

As for her, she also gave it to the old, weak, sick, and disabled. If she gave them a copper coin, they could buy a steamed bun. The town was only so big, and there were only a few beggars. She knew almost all of them.

As a result, Madam Qiao became the town’s kindest person and news about how she always helped the poor spread.

When the Tian family heard the news, they gritted their teeth in anger, especially the old couple.

“I didn’t expect her to be so lucky. Not only did her business become so prosperous, but she also became famous in town?”

“That’s right. At that time, a piece of trash who was not even as good as a pig in our house actually changed her mind and became a completely different person. She even ruined our reputation.”

“She’s rich now, but our family can’t even get any glory.”

“If only my third son was here.”

“I regret letting her go. Damn it, I’m so angry.”

Not to mention the Tian family, Qiao Shicheng was so angry that he almost vomited blood. He gritted his teeth and said fiercely.

“This ingrate would rather raise two beggars than help her family. She would rather give money to the beggars than to our family. She really gave birth to her for nothing. This money-losing thing! I’m so angry. No, I have to go find her now.”

“Hubby, we, but…”

“Are you going?”

“If you want to go, I’ll go with you.”

“Let’s call them together. I’ll let everyone judge today. Let’s see how this little girl can argue.”

In order to find Qiao Mai as soon as possible to vent their anger, they were actually willing to spend money to take the ox cart.

When the driver heard that they were going to Tianshui Town to cause trouble for Qiao Mai, he immediately shook his head.

“Old Brother, I advise you not to go.”

“Why?”

“Breaking off ties is breaking off ties. You won’t be a family anymore. Whatever she wants to do is her business. It has nothing to do with you anymore. It’s too unreasonable for you to make a fuss like this.”

“Pah, even if she turns into ashes, she’s still my daughter.”

“That’s true, but that’s not the case in the law. If you cause a ruckus, the mayor will judge you for being unreasonable.”

“I don’t believe you. I want to talk to her personally.”

“Sigh, if you want to go, then go. Do you need me to fetch you back later too?”

“Wait for a while, maybe we’ll need you.”

The coachman pulled them to their destination. After the Qiao family got off the carriage, he quickly drove the ox cart not far away to watch.

When Qiao Mai saw them, she immediately stood up and put the embroidery into the basket.

“What are you doing here?”

Qiao Shicheng stepped forward and was about to slap Qiao Mai, but Qiao Mai blocked him with one hand.

She bent down to pick up the stick under the table and looked at Qiao Shicheng’s family with a cold face.

“Whoever is free can invite the mayor over. I’ll give you anything you want from my stall.”

“I’ll go, I’ll go.”

Qiao Shicheng looked at Qiao Mai and pointed at her with a trembling hand.

“You, you…”

Inadvertently, Shopkeeper Lu glanced outside. She was in a bad mood. She quickly put down his work and rushed over.

She blocked Qiao Mai behind her. “Your family is really shameless. You’ve already taken the silver and written a letter to end your relationship, yet you still come to cause trouble. How shameless..”