Lin Wan took the child to the inner room.
"Whatâs going on? Your relatives?" Shi Lan had always been at Lin Wanâs house, just now sewing cotton clothes for her goddaughter and hadnât gone out. However, she heard the conversation outside clearly.
"Itâs nothing, just two who donât like me. Iâll send them away in a bit." Lin Wan handed the child to Shi Lan, turned around, and went out. She canât let the two take advantage.
"Cousin-in-law, these two, and Momâs these two, weâre taking them. If you have any good clothes in the future, donât make us come again, just bring them directly to us." Lin Wan went to the west room, Shen Rong even gave Lin Wan a smile this time.
Lin Wan looked at the shameless behavior of the mother and daughter, her expression turned cold, "Why?"
Lin Wanâs words abruptly lowered the happiness brought by picking clothes.
Shen Rong furrowed her brows, a hint of sarcasm flashing in her eyes as she looked at Lin Wan, "You ask why? Just because Han Yi is my cousin, you, a Southern Barbarian from the countryside, marrying my cousin is already a blessing accumulated over eight generations. If my cousin were here today, he definitely wouldnât prevent us from taking them. This is what she should give."
"Xiao Wan, how are you being a junior? Iâve raised Han Yi to this age, watched him get married and have children. Itâs exhausting, and now that heâs good, heâs forgotten his mother after marrying a wife. Although Iâm not his mother, Iâm as good as half his mother. During the holidays, you donât visit us, and now that there are good things, you havenât thought of me, your grandma, your cousin-in-law, or even the neighbor next door, but forgot me, the big aunt. Tell me, doesnât that chill your uncle and me?" Zhang Huilanâs eyebrows moved, her eyes full of dissatisfaction.
"Big Aunt, Rongrong, what youâre saying is different from what Iâve heard. Han Yi followed Grandma since he was youngâhe was raised single-handedly by Grandma. During high school, if it werenât for Big Aunt, he probably wouldnât have run off to join the army himself. At that time, Han Yi went to the frontline. Didnât Big Aunt have any guilt then?"
Lin Wan paused, clearly sensing Big Auntâs body stiffen.
"Besides, last yearâs holidays, I went to Big Auntâs home quite a few times, didnât I? Itâs just this year, where taking care of the child alone is troublesome, and Grandma said I donât need to run around daily. Respecting Grandma is a matter of course, preparing clothes for Cousin-in-law is because of Grandma, as for Aunt Jin, she helps me daily with the child and clothes and never asks for a penny. If next time Big Aunt helps me with clothes or taking care of the child, I definitely wouldnât leave Big Aunt out. Isnât that right, Big Aunt? But today, you came without asking and just took clothes from my room. Isnât that inappropriate?"
Zhang Huilan turned slightly red from Lin Wanâs words, feeling a bit awkward. She didnât expect this niece-in-law to be so tough.
Last time, when the house matter happened, seeing her obediently move out, they thought she was soft-hearted.
Theyâre all relatives, often seeing each other, she couldnât speak too harshly. Then she smiled, "Han Yiâs monthly allowance is only that much, the familyâs savings were all spent on buying the house, I couldnât help it but sew some clothes to sell. Big Aunt also saw, the fabric I use this year is new and quite expensive, with high costs. I donât dare to add too much to the price. When familiar people come to buy clothes at home, itâs always at insider prices; the cost of this coat is as much as thirty. You can hardly earn anything. If Big Aunt and Rongrong like it, just give me the cost. These pants fit Big Aunt and Rongrong; Iâll gift Big Aunt one, and give Uncle a pair too." Such words made Zhang Huilan feel awfully embarrassed.
"You..." Shen Rong wouldnât extend gratitude to Lin Wan; she came today without bringing money, nor did she think of paying.
Beside her, Zhang Huilan pulled on Shen Rong, who was about to speak, awkwardly smiling at Lin Wan, "I was just saying, do you really need to take it seriously? Is Big Aunt such a person? We came today just to see the clothes, what my niece-in-law gives will always be cheaper than outside, right? Haha."
Lin Wan smiled, secretly admiring Big Auntâs face-changing skills.
After hearing Lin Wanâs words, Zhang Huilan realized she couldnât get free clothes from Lin Wanâs house today. At least she provided a way out, willing to gift a few pairs of pants.
Zhang Huilan picked a wool coat suitable for wearing, Lin Wan said the cost price was twenty-eight. This wool coat sold for forty outside.
Seems like Lin Wan wasnât earning little.
Shen Rong picked a gray-blue cotton coat, and also wanted a red down coat, one for forty, the other thirty.
Lin Wan gave them each a pair of cotton pants, and also gave Uncle one pair for free. These three pants amounted to over ten altogether.
Zhang Huilan, being shrewd, understood well.
"Rongrong, you havenât paid yet," Lin Wan unhesitatingly received Zhang Huilanâs payment.
Seeing Shen Rong heading out with the clothes without intending to pay, Lin Wan quickly called to stop her.
Shen Rong turned to glare at her, then said to Zhang Huilan, "Mom, help me pay instead."
Zhang Huilan was just packing the money with her handkerchief when she heard her daughterâs words, her hand paused, she incredulously looked at Shen Rong, "You want me to pay for you? The two pieces of clothing you wanted are almost a hundred bucks, I donât have that much. If you donât have money, then donât buy."
The two of them buying a house last time had emptied their savings.
Not being filial these days is bad enough, now buying clothes and even wanting them to pay.
Shen Rong was dissatisfied; they clearly said they came to take some clothes, sure that Lin Wan wouldnât dare to refuse.
Before saying two words, the direction changed.
"I didnât bring money."
Zhang Huilan wouldnât care about her daughter, firmly not paying for her, "If you didnât bring money, just come next time. After all, your cousin-in-law made it, telling her to leave them for you is enough."
"Mom..." Shen Rong stomped her foot unwillingly.
Lin Wan feared Shen Rong would just take the clothes outright. She quickly smiled as she took back the two pieces from her, "Since Rongrong didnât bring money today, then tomorrow, Iâll keep these clothes for you."
"Hmph, why are you in a hurry, itâs just two shabby clothes, taking a good care of them like this, do you think I would actually rob them?" Shen Rong glared unhappily as the clothes she liked left her hands.
"These two pieces are the treasures of our store, worth two to three monthâs wages for a family. Of course, I take care of them."
"You..."
"Rongrong, about these pieces, should I keep them for you or not? These clothes sell well; theyâre very scarce in the market. If you donât want them today, they might be gone tomorrow."
"...No need." Shen Rong hesitated, glanced at Zhang Huilan, and said, "Mom, help front me first, Iâll repay you tomorrow."
Zhang Huilan felt a slight tenderness, helplessly looked at her daughter, sighed, and took out her handkerchief, scattering a mere twenty dollars.
"Xiao Wan, look, will twenty do? For twenty dollars, just give Rongrong one piece."
Lin Wan showed a bit of a difficult expression, mustering a lot of resolve before nodding, "Since Rongrong likes it, hand over the pants, Iâll give this red down coat to Rongrong."
"Lin Wan, youâre stingy, isnât it just ten dollars short? A pair of pants is only a few bucks. You said youâd gift me one earlier, now regretting."
"Rongrong, ten dollars covers half a monthâs living expenses for me and the child," Lin Wan spoke truth, "Han Yi isnât at home, Iâm raising the child alone; earning money isnât easy. Little Star sometimes still needs formula. Selling clothes is just trying to earn some money for formula. Donât think the clothes are a lot; I wholesale to merchants, only earning fifty cents a piece. This pair of pants turns a profit of only a dime. For ten dollars, I need to sell a hundred pairs to earn back."
Zhang Huilan initially thought Lin Wan earned significant money, didnât expect ten dollars required selling a hundred pairs of pants to earn back.
Shen Rong hesitated, really liked the two clothes, unwilling to wait till tomorrow, eventually, having no choice, she took fifty bucks from her inner clothes pocket. She begrudgingly tossed them to Lin Wan.
Lin Wan didnât mind how she handed the payment; what mattered was not losing out, receiving payment was enough.
Zhang Huilan noticed the bundle in her daughterâs handkerchief wasnât just fifty bucks, it seemed to be two or three hundred at least.
Eyes wide, she pointed at Shen Rong, "Werenât you out of money? Whatâs all that?"
Shen Rong naturally wouldnât let her mother stare at her money. She packed up, carrying clothes, and pulled Zhang Huilan to head outside, "Mom, this money is what Li Chang gave me to buy furniture. Iâm not sure how to explain this to him when I return."
"Youâre daring enough to misuse money for furniture? Iâm telling you, if you run out of money, never ask us again; your father and I have none left."