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Jiang Sheng was woken up by her own puzzlement. She yawned and opened her eyes to see deep, damp darkness speckled with a few yellow sesame-sized bits.
Ugh, drooling and eye boogers, even if they're my own.
Jiang Sheng turned her head in disgust towards the sunlight peeking in. She saw a simple, almost shabby little house, Jiuzhen Store pastries on the table, plain cotton clothing, and unadorned canvas shoes with their soles made of a thousand layers of fabric.
In a flash, she realized this wasn't the Jiang family home, but the second courtyard.
This was her home.
A joyful feeling welled up in her. She put on her thousand-layer sole shoes, got dressed in the cotton skirt and blouse, jammed her messy little buns askew on her head, and dashed into the front yard.
Eldest brother had already gone to the National Academy, second brother was doing business, and fourth brother was seeing patients.
Only Chang Yan was left, sprawled over the table, blowing gently to send wood shavings dancing into the air.
Sensing movement, he turned to see the formerly elegant young miss now transformed into a chubby little girl. Unable to restrain his amusement, he said, "Oh, you're up. Auntie left you some food. Second brother said to go take a look at the workshop. He left Jiang San to accompany you."
Jiang Sheng was quite indignant. "What are you laughing about? You don't do proper work all day, just play with wood. Remember to make me two little stools, small ones."
That way the aunties won't have to painfully squat when dividing up lychees.
Chang Yan crossed his arms, speaking solemnly, "I obey, little sister."
They couldn't help but laugh.
After Jiang Sheng washed up and ate, she prepared to set off for the workshop.
But first, she needed to do something about her messy hair.
Usually Auntie Zhang helped her. At the Jiang household there were special little maidservants. Now all that remained were...Jiang San and Chang Yan.
The two youths looked at each other, each demurring politely.
"Young master, you should do it. You can even carve wood, so you must be able to." Jiang San bared his big white teeth.
Chang Yan pondered. "Back then, third brother always praised what a clever little thing you were with your hands and mind. Over the years you must have improved quite a bit."
Damn his clever hands and mind! He was nimble at fighting, not at braiding hair—hey now!
But since Chang Yan was the young master, Jiang San could only grit his teeth and stand behind Jiang Sheng, clumsily picking up the wooden comb and undoing her little braids.
The owner of said braids sucked in breath after breath just at this step.
And when he started combing her hair, she was gnashing her teeth in pain.
"Brother Jiang San," Jiang Sheng said plaintively, "That's a person's head, not a donkey's tail."
Even if it was a donkey, if you hurt it, it would kick you and send you flying two li away.1
Jiang San was filled with remorse. "Miss, it's my fault for being so clumsy. I'll be more gentle and careful."
But the result of being careful was that after combing for half the day, he'd only combed out half the strands.
Jiang Sheng gave up. "Let's just leave it like this. When we were begging, we'd often go without combing our hair. It's fine."
That was exactly why beggars were dirty, sloppy, and pitiful wrecks that made people avoid them by three blocks.
She wasn't a beggar anymore, so there was no reason for her to stay messy.
Chang Yan knitted his brows. In the end, he still took the comb from Jiang San's hand and patiently, gently combed through her hair strand by strand, clumsily gathering it into little buns.
Lacking experience, one bun was large and one small, absurdly uneven.
Chang Yan was unsatisfied. He undid them and divided Jiang Sheng's hair into approximately equal sections before bunning and tying again.
After two or three repetitions, the youth's technique had clearly become defter, and the sizes of the buns more similar.
Jiang San watched in amazement as he handed over hair ribbons. Chang Yan tied up the little buns, leaving a section artfully dangling by her ear.
When the wind blew, the ribbon fluttered lively. It couldn't be called stunning, but it had its own vibrant charm.
"I really wouldn't have expected Fifth Young Master to have such a skill." Jiang San was flabbergasted. "If I'd known earlier I wouldn't have bothered and just pulled out more of Miss's hair for nothing."
Indeed, who could have expected it?
Chang Yan regarded the little miss currently preening smugly. His confidence in carving out the six little people2 had greatly increased. "You two go on about your business. Remember to come back for meals."
The carriage carried master and servant to the workshop where they met up with Zheng Ruqian.
All that remained in the quiet second courtyard was Chang Yan, wholly concentrating on wielding his carving knife.
There were a total of three workshops the siblings had established.
Two for cured meats, one in Fengjing and one in Anshui Prefecture. And there was a workshop for sweet spring pancakes that specially supplied the You Ran House. Although the prices weren't low, the head manager was quite capable, selling several dozen catties 3 worth every month.
Adding up the three workshops, there were over forty long-term and short-term workers, all women.
Especially at the spring pancake workshop, the workers were all widowed women, usually with young daughters—solitary and destitute women struggling to survive. If Jiang Sheng hadn't generously provided food and shelter, they might have thrown themselves and their children into the river.
Not everyone in the world was grateful or kind, but most normal humans were usually filled with gratitude towards a helping hand extended to them in hardship and misery.
Every time Jiang Sheng went, she received the aunties' warm welcome, all kinds of snacks stuffed into her arms until she was hugging a pile. Sometimes there were even things they couldn't bear to eat themselves.
Everyone knew the young miss of the household was a cute little girl with chubby cheeks and a sweet smile.
So when Zheng Ruqian stepped inside, all the workers tensed warily without a peep, even using their bodies to block the sweet spring pancakes they were making.
"Xiao Ying, who's this?" A slightly plump woman called out in her raspy voice, "The young miss hasn't mistreated you, so some things can be done and some things can't!"
"That's right Xiao Ying, you mustn't lead our eldest young miss astray." Another skinnier woman warned.
That was also an advantage of unified management—everyone living and eating together got to know each other far too well. If anyone harbored ulterior motives, they could be reported to the young miss straight away.
Zheng Ruqian was just delighted that Jiang Sheng's people were so loyal to her. There was no jealousy, only pleasure.
Speak of the devil.
Right when he finished talking, the carriage rolled up and stopped. Jiang Sheng hopped off nimbly, "Second brother, Auntie Miao, why are you standing outside?"
Upon hearing the reason Zheng Ruqian had been blocked, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She immediately entered the workshop first.
The busy workers raised their heads. Seeing it was the young miss, they smiled and greeted her. Some stuffed snacks at her while others gave handkerchiefs they had personally embroidered or shoe inserts they had sewn.
Jiang Sheng had entered empty-handed but soon had an armful.
She shoved everything into Zheng Ruqian's arms and introduced everyone, "This is my second brother. He's the owner of Jiuzhen Store. Don't be afraid everyone, he's not a bad person." The previously wary aunties regained their affability. Some apologized, some gave more snacks, some brought tea.
No one knew why, but people who had endured hardship seemed more able to focus on their work as well as more loyal and sincere.
Zheng Ruqian filtered the tea sediment through his teeth while discussing with Jiang Sheng, "I want to expand this workshop."
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