bookcurios Chapter 158 The Unfortunate One
Chapter 158 The Unfortunate One
"That's how it is, Miss Yu."
The old man with the dental expertise nearby couldn't help but offer an explanation.
"This Wu Guidi redeemed herself; she had just been released from a wealthy family. She had saved up her savings for many years, but it was all gone. With nowhere else to turn, she registered at our brokerage, hoping to find a kind-hearted family to take her in."
"I felt sorry for her, and since she was good at embroidery and literate, and I thought, Miss Yu, weren't you looking for female embroiderers? So I brought her here for you to see?"
Qiu Cui, standing to the side, couldn't help but roll her eyes at the old man.
What's so pitiful about it? The other party just thinks their master is kind-hearted and is looking for a sucker!
Wu Guidi was quite old and clearly unable to work anymore. Her eyesight was also failing, making it impossible for her to make a living through embroidery. Therefore, she sought a master craftswoman to work for, hoping he would take care of her in her old age.
How wonderful that idea is!
The master's money doesn't come from thin air.
Yu Wanran hesitated for a moment: "Is there no one left in Granny Wu's household?"
Wu Guidi sensed that she was trying to shirk responsibility, and her expression darkened.
"The old woman was sold into the embroidery workshop of a wealthy family when she was young. She worked day and night to earn money by completing embroidery for her master. When she got a little older, she was betrothed to a servant. When she became pregnant, the servant forcibly beat her so she would miscarry..."
"Fortunately, Heaven has eyes. That servant made a mistake and was beaten to death by the master. I seized the opportunity to redeem myself and leave the master's house..."
Looking at the stunned crowd, Wu Guidi smiled bitterly and lowered her head.
"Therefore, the old woman really has nowhere to go!"
At her age, she's practically useless as a laborer. Her only redeeming quality is her embroidery. She doesn't need to constantly watch the embroidery frame; she could easily teach students.
But if the master of the house thinks she is too old and just wants to live a life of idleness, there is nothing she can do.
No one wanted her even if she sold herself, so she had no choice but to go out and find a rope to hang herself. Rather than suffer piecemeal, she preferred to die sooner and be reborn. Therefore, she remained neither humble nor arrogant. When Yu Wanran questioned her, she refused to kneel and beg.
Why should someone who is a complete stranger offer help?
Yu Wanran pondered for a moment, then smiled and said to the old broker, "Thank you for recommending Granny Wu. My family can try Granny Wu out for a month. If she is suitable, we will sign a long-term employment contract. If she is not suitable, please ask the broker to look for someone else for me."
Her family needed a female teacher, not a charity. Wu Guidi explained that no matter how pitiful the woman was, she was not related to her, and she could not simply take her in and care for her in her old age.
People should earn their living through their own abilities.
If Wu Guidi is not qualified to be a female teacher, a month's wages will be enough for her to survive for a short time and have the opportunity to find another job.
The old broker stood up and accepted the fifty coins that Qiu Cui handed him with a smile.
He knew that this Miss Yu was generous and kind-hearted. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to bring people here so casually.
Logically speaking, Wu Guidi is younger, and with her skill in embroidery, many people would be willing to take her in.
It's a pity... he's a person with a tragic fate!
The old broker shook his head inwardly and left the Yu family. He hoped Wu Guidi would have the foresight to seize this opportunity; finding her another client would be difficult!
Suddenly, things took a turn for the better, and Wu Guidi was overjoyed.
He quickly clutched his small bundle and respectfully greeted Yu Wanran: "Master, thank you for giving me this opportunity! I will definitely pass on all my knowledge to the young ladies!"
Yu Wanran was too young; she didn't seem like someone who had been married and had children. She guessed that the other party wanted her to train the maids standing in the hall. Wealthy families usually paid attention to training their subordinates, which seemed normal to her.
She was chosen by a wealthy family's matron to teach her because of her talent. Unfortunately, she was sold into slavery and her remaining value was squeezed dry, leaving her with a miserable and lonely old age.
Yu Wanran smiled and told Wu Guidi to get up. She then instructed Qiu Cui to take the woman to the backyard and give her two new sets of clothes. Wu Guidi's clothes were so worn and tattered they were unrecognizable. As a female teacher, even if she was only temporarily hired, she deserved the respect due to her.
Before leaving, she told Zhong Yeliu and Qiu Cui to observe Granny Wu closely over the next month. If she proved useful, they could keep her on.
As long as Granny Wu can wholeheartedly help her teach her niece and maids, she wouldn't mind taking care of her in her old age.
Poverty is not scary; what's scary is lacking ability, integrity, and ambition!
The two women nodded repeatedly, completely convinced of their master's virtue. Their master had even saved a woman of lowly status and bestowed upon her the utmost trust and position; how much more so would he spare a destitute old nanny?
After giving instructions to her family, Yu Wanran took advantage of the early hour and quickly rode her horse out of the city, heading straight for Mingshui Village.
Ji Chunhua and the others had been waiting at the gate for a while, looking around.
Yu Wenrong specially asked the private school for half a month's leave to go back to the old house together. Otherwise, digging for Dendrobium officinale on the cliff was such a dangerous thing, and she was afraid that her father and eldest brother would not be able to protect her third sister.
Yu Wanran dismounted and handed the gifts she had brought back from the capital to her elder brother, Yu Wenbin, to take inside. She patted Yu Xiaoxiang's head and smiled as she looked at Yu Wenrong.
"Has my little brother grown taller again? I see a bit of his clothes peeking out from under his sleeves."
Ji Chunhua glanced at him and couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. She had been particularly busy since moving to the new house. Her eldest son's wife was pregnant, and her youngest son was studying away from home and rarely came back. She had unconsciously neglected her youngest son.
As a result, her daughter noticed it immediately, making her seem like an incompetent mother.
Yu Wenrong knew his mother was prone to overthinking, so he quickly changed the subject and said with a smile, "Third Sister, I'm eating a lot and growing fast these days! The clothes you bought me before are too small. Next time you buy me clothes, buy me a size too big so I can wear them for a few more years!"
Yu Wenbin came out after packing up the things, laughing and scolding, "You little rascal, I'm already being generous by buying you these things, and you still dare to complain!"
We used to be poor, and we lived in rags, showing our bare bottoms, but we still managed, didn't we? Now life is much better!
The family happily walked into the main room and sat down.
Ji Chunhua knew her daughter was coming to take her two sons back to Qingping Village to dig for Dendrobium officinale. She hadn't slept well the night before because of the good news her eldest son had brought back, and she was still wide awake with excitement last night!
The second branch of the Yu family is about to enter into a wealthy family.
Now, all the neighbors eagerly call her "Madam," showing her the utmost respect. She spends her days beaming with joy, leaning on her cane as she inspects her fertile fields and tenants. Her back, which hadn't been straightened for decades, is now exceptionally upright.
This is no longer the time when she worried about whether she had enough to eat! Now she keeps a close eye on her daughter-in-law's belly, hoping that one day she will have a grandson so that she can send him to study hard.
If they were fortunate enough to pass the imperial examinations and become a scholar, then the second branch of the Yu family would truly have changed their social standing.
Unfortunately, the youngest son is a good-for-nothing; he only managed to learn a few characters and will probably have to work as an accountant in the future.
Yu Wenrong was chatting animatedly with his third sister, his face beaming with excitement. He didn't notice his mother suddenly glaring at him, leaving him completely bewildered.
The family hired a tenant farmer's wife to help with cooking. Zhu Xiaozhen, with her newly pregnant belly, set out the bowls, chopsticks, table, and chairs, and invited everyone to eat.
During the meal, Yu Wanran asked her family, "The backyard only has about three acres of vegetable garden. Where do you plan to plant the Dendrobium officinale you harvested?"