Chapter 220: Days
Yang PeiMin quickly finished her meal, helped tidy up the dishes, and hurried back to her own room, not wanting to get involved in the squabble between Shen Yiqiu and her sister-in-law.
She organized her homework, then took out a piece of paper and made a plan for herself. The situation was gradually improving, and there were some things she could start doing, like making clothes, which seemed to be a viable option.
After setting aside the plan, she picked up the clothes of Miss Hu Meilan and pondered over them. Since she was not very skilled at tailoring, it would take more time, and it wasn’t the only thing she had to do. As Shen Yiqiu had mentioned, she could ask for help when there were many orders, but currently, with only one or two items, she had to do it herself.
She spent an hour cutting the fabric and another hour sewing half of the dress. As her biological clock was running out, she applied a face mask and went to bed.
The next day, she went to class on time and didn’t bring lunch; it seemed too troublesome to prepare in the morning, so she decided to eat in the school cafeteria instead. If the food tasted bland, she’d go to a nearby restaurant for a bowl of noodles or something, which was a bit of an improvement. In the evenings when she went to Shen Yiqiu’s house to share meals, aside from bringing back some grains from home, she occasionally bought some meat or eggs, not a lot, but enough for everyone to have a bite or two, satisfying their cravings. Though this was the case, the children from the An Family really liked her and wished she would stay forever. Shen Yiqiu, annoyed, scolded them, "With meat in your mouths, you don’t even recognize your own mother."
Her deskmate, Gao Qiayu, felt somewhat superior and looked down on rural people, always calculating in her interactions. Once she learned that Yang PeiMin was from the countryside, her enthusiasm cooled a bit; however, it wasn’t completely extinguished. When she noticed the Swiss watch on Yang’s wrist, she curiously inquired, "Is PeiMin married? Is that watch an engagement gift from your family’s loved one?"
After Yang PeiMin nodded in acknowledgment, Gao’s warmth increased slightly, and she continued to ask, "What does your husband do? Does he work in a textile factory too?"
Turning her head to look at her, Yang PeiMin felt slightly displeased. She could clearly see the ulterior motives in her expression and thought it obvious. Her demeanor immediately became a bit distant, "No, what’s the point of asking these questions? My husband is just a fellow villager like me; there’s not much to talk about. I still haven’t finished these problems; I need to concentrate."
Gao Qiayu, hearing this, immediately lost the last bit of her enthusiasm, nodded slightly, and turned her head away, not bothering Yang with further questions.
During this period of school, Yang PeiMin didn’t feel the youthful impulse to mingle eagerly, so coming here to study meant limited interaction with classmates, most of which were simply nodding acquaintances. She could barely remember some familiar faces, but most names were unknown, as everyone was focused on studying with no time for socializing.
This life was replenishing yet simple; upon returning home from classes, she would help cook and then study. She managed to ignore the noise from the landlord, Aunt Fan, who often quarreled loudly with neighbors. After two days, she finished and delivered Hu Meilan’s skirt, which to her satisfaction, prompt payment for the remainder one yuan was made.
Hu Meilan didn’t have any more clothing orders soon after, and the weekend arrived. Upon returning to Daji Village, Yang learned from Shen Yiyue that instead they had received five or six orders, each costing 50 cents for labor, to help make their style of skirts. At home, Chen Guizhi led the effort, but the two sisters, due to academic commitments, hadn’t taken much part, tasting success after making a few, they eagerly awaited Yang PeiMin’s return to develop new designs.