Yun Que'er understood and gave Zhang YingYing a smile. She didn't mention the embarrassing things and simply asked,
"Sister YingYing, I remember you're really good at handicrafts. Can you draw some patterns for me?"
"Sure. Just tell me what you want."
Zhang YingYing thought Yun Que'er wanted to embroider a handkerchief or something, so she readily agreed.
After Yun Que'er described what she wanted, Zhang YingYing sensed something was wrong.
"You want to do carving. I can't do that," Zhang YingYing said with a troubled look. "I can embroider a handkerchief or make a dress, but I've never learned carving."
"It's okay, sister. You just need to help me come up with the designs," Yun Que'er said with a smile. "By the way, sister, I actually want to carve these into finished products and sell them in the market. Once you've drawn the patterns, I'll ask big brother to pay you."
"Ah?" Zhang YingYing was a bit confused. "I'm not really good at this, and we're all from the same village. How could I take your money?"
Yun Que'er shook her head. "This is business. We should pay when it's due, just like you charge for your tailoring work. Moreover, sister, your handicrafts are the best in our village. No matter how much we pay you, it's worth it."
Hearing Yun Que'er's words, Zhang YingYing's eyes turned a bit red.
"I don't deserve such praise... I used to make clothes for others just as a favor. You're the first person, sister, to say that my handicrafts are valuable."
Yun Que'er knew Zhang YingYing was a kind - hearted person. But there were always some unreasonable people. Even though the Zhang family was in a difficult situation, they still asked Zhang YingYing to make clothes for them from time to time without paying her. It was really excessive.
"Sister YingYing, you deserve it," Yun Que'er said. "I came to you because there's no one in the whole village with better handicrafts than you. Sister YingYing, you must help me. If our business takes off, we'll still count on you in the future."
The Yun family was the best at making money in the village. When Zhang YingYing heard this, she knew the Yun family had found a new way to make a living.
"Will it really work?" Zhang YingYing asked doubtfully. "I'm just afraid my skills aren't good enough. What if I delay your family's important business?"
"Don't worry, sister," Yun Que'er said with a smile as she took Zhang YingYing's hand. "I trust you. And this is a good thing for both our families. We're counting on your skills, and if you earn money, then auntie will have money for her medical treatment."
Hearing this, Zhang YingYing was quite tempted.
Her family now relied solely on the income from the land. But since the household - contract responsibility system was implemented, Zhang YingYing couldn't handle all the work alone. And they could no longer earn work - points as before. They really had a hard time making ends meet.
This was actually the reason why Aunt Zhang was so eager to urge her to get married.
"I understand..." Zhang YingYing nodded thoughtfully.
If she could find another way to make money, she wouldn't have to worry about her family's livelihood, and she wouldn't have to rush to marry someone in a hurry.
Thinking of this, Zhang YingYing felt a surge of excitement.
"Then I'll draw some good patterns for you."
After reaching an agreement with Zhang YingYing, Yun Que'er rushed back home.
It was very hot. She was sweating all over after the round - trip.
Yun FuJin cut a piece of watermelon chilled in well - water for her. "Running outside on such a hot day. Aren't you afraid of heatstroke? Did you really go to see YingYing? What did she say?"
"Of course she agreed," Yun Que'er said with her mouth full of watermelon. "By the way, big brother, quickly get those small trinkets left from last time. Let's go to the market quickly."
"Now?" Yun FuJin looked around. "It's the hottest time of the day. You probably won't meet those merchants that Xiao Xuan mentioned. Who would go out under the scorching sun?"
"Precisely because it's hot today and fewer people go, we should go out now," Yun Que'er said.
She quickly finished the watermelon, grabbed Yun FuJin and ran towards the storage room.
"Hurry up. It's now or never."
Unable to resist her, Yun FuJin had to follow her wishes. The siblings went to the market in the village under the blazing sun.
People in the village didn't like to go out in summer, so there were few vendors and even fewer customers in the market.
Yun FuJin held an oil - paper umbrella and sat on a small stool with Yun Que'er. Even though the sun was blocked, it was still extremely hot.
"Can you hold on?"
Yun FuJin looked at Yun Que'er's flushed face and was a bit worried that she might faint from the heat.
"Wait a little longer," Yun Que'er said as she tucked her small hands into the shade.
Yun FuJin looked at the deserted street and sighed.
If they kept waiting like this, they would surely be baked under the sun.
Suddenly, a person stopped in front of them.
"Are you from the Yun family?"
The siblings looked up and found it was an acquaintance.
Wasn't this Teacher Li?
After not seeing him for a year, Teacher Li was in much better spirits. He had gained some weight and looked very healthy.
"It's you," Yun FuJin said in surprise.
He quickly stood up, pulling Yun Que'er with him. "Xiao Que'er, do you still remember Teacher Li?"
The sudden reunion with an old acquaintance made Yun Que'er extremely excited.
"Of course I remember. I'll never forget Teacher Li."
"You have such a sweet tongue," Teacher Li said with a smile as he stroked Yun Que'er's head. "I remember you too. If it weren't for you, I might have really lost hope. But I'm no longer a teacher. You can just call me uncle."
Yun Que'er and Yun FuJin glanced at each other. It seemed that Teacher Li had completely left the education field.
Seeing that the two were sweating all over under the sun, Teacher Li took them to a nearby small restaurant. He ordered several dishes and they started chatting while eating.
"If it weren't for you back then, I might not be alive," Teacher Li said with emotion. "I remember every word you said. It's better to live on than to die. So after I left, I went back to my old home first."
At this point, Teacher Li's expression darkened a bit.
"I originally wanted to repair the house first. After all, there's no place like home. But I had no money. The house was almost completely burned down and needed to be rebuilt. I couldn't afford it, so I had to go to the town first and look for odd jobs."
"Maybe it was really true that there's always a way out. I met a person who came back to visit his hometown. He said he worked as a rickshaw puller in the city and rented the rickshaw. There was almost no capital involved. As long as you were willing to work hard, you could earn a living."
Teacher Li thought it was a good idea, so he went to give it a try.
At first, Teacher Li worked day and night, but he still didn't earn as much as others.
Later, he found that everyone went to the railway station at fixed times every day to pick up passengers.
Teacher Li thought that if everyone went there, he might not be able to earn much. So he set his sights on a small railway station in the suburbs.