Too high to reach

Chapter 168: Nature is hard to change

"Life must be tough at home, right?" Mo Yi sighed.

Upon hearing this, Ji Dahua sighed, "My grandparents didn't like my parents, and since they only had daughters, they were afraid they would be a burden, so they kicked them out. Even after we got married, we still had to work to support my younger brother's education. We all endured the hardship together, and there was no one to complain about. Fortunately..." She patted the chores.

"They are all quite diligent."

Mo Ruhai was a man of strong emotions, and he looked at his daughter with warm eyes: These people are pitiful, let's take them!

"Are all eight of you sisters about the same in terms of cooking skills?"

"More or less, but for example, shoes. Third Sister is good at sewing, so she makes more."

That's pretty much what Aunt Yun said.

"If I didn't need you to imagine the design... I have the design, the pictures, and I'll explain the details to you. Would you be able to do that?"

"Of course! As long as you have the look and the materials, we guarantee we can make it exactly the same!"

"Are you working together, or are you each staying at home separately?"

“All, all of them…” Ji Dahua didn’t understand what Mo Yi meant.

“My work has to be extremely clean; something like this… it can’t be done if it comes out dirty.”

"No way! These things... we just didn't pay much attention. When working for the young lady, we make sure to wash our hands thoroughly before we start!"

Do you live nearby?

"None of us sisters marry far away; we have to go back to our hometown to help with things."

"I will provide the materials, the design, and the tools. You just need to do the work. However, the work you do for me must be kept secret. You cannot keep it to yourself, discuss it with outsiders, or show it to others. Once you have done work for me, you cannot do it for anyone else."

Ji Dahua blinked; she didn't quite understand.

When they do their work, they always create something new and interesting, and everyone passes it around to see.

"Don't you understand? The things I make are meant to be sold or given as gifts. And they're all for people of high status. If they use them and find that everyone on the street has one, what's the point of their prestige?"

"Oh, I understand. Don't worry, young lady, I'll talk to them about this when I get back, I guarantee there won't be any problems."

"Well... I'll give you a few samples and materials in a bit. Take them back, and I'll check them when you're done! If you're satisfied, we'll sign a contract. Then, I'll find a small courtyard near your home, set it up, and you can go there to work every day."

"Not making it at our own home?"

"Yes. The materials are delicate and expensive, so we need a place to store them. Also, it's already autumn, and when it gets cold, the house gets smoky and filthy from the fire."

"Well, we still have work to do at home..."

"I will take this into account in the wages I pay."

"Okay, okay, that's fine!"

"Go back and think about it today. Do you have any other demands regarding your wages? Next time, everything must be in writing, with your signatures and fingerprints. If you are not paid enough, you can sue me. But if you lose something, spread rumors, fail to deliver the work on time, or do not do a good job or cut corners, you will face legal action."

Ji Yunqiu, you're already in school. Although you haven't achieved official rank yet, you surely know what it means to keep your promises. If you sign a contract and then break it, you'll be punished. And you can't just sit on the ground crying and making a scene to get away with it. Understand?

Ji Yunqiu was a little worried. Unlike his older sister, he didn't just pat his chest loudly whenever someone said something.

The women in the city make a living by fighting and arguing; they don't always have the final say; they argue even when they're in the wrong, and they're unforgiving even when they're in the right. These kinds of things happen every day.

Signing a contract like this with a shop like this...

He didn't dare to answer for a moment.

Ji Dahua was puzzled, and winked at her younger brother, urging him to agree quickly!
“Miss…we’ve never done any of these things before. Normally, it’s only right that you name your terms if you’re hiring us. But I don’t understand: once we make them and sell them in the shop, if someone sees them and likes them, they’ll want to learn how to make them. It shouldn’t be too difficult, but I’m afraid my family might not be able to explain it clearly.”

Surprisingly, this young boy has some brains.

Ji Dahua also realized, "Yes, Miss, once you wear it, others will copy you. You can't blame us!"

"Don't worry about that. I'll only do one batch of work, and the quantity won't be large. By the time they understand it, I'll have sold almost everything. Then let them learn it if they want. Before they even realize it, my new design will be out again. Just one thing: when business is good, people will come to ask you. At that time, you have to keep your mouth shut. You can't say anything, and you're strictly forbidden from doing it for them."

"That's right, we won't change our minds once we've agreed. You really are a young lady from a wealthy family, so thoughtful!" Ji Dahua flattered without any principles.

"This bag contains several patterns, and this bag contains fabric and needles and thread. Go back and try to make them. If you don't understand something, you can take the patterns apart to look at them. It would be best if you sisters discussed how to make them quickly and well. Also, write down how long it takes to make each one."

"Okay, I understand now that you've explained it. I promise I'll do a good job!"

"Ji Yunqiu, you've come at the right time. Count the things and write me a receipt." Mo Yi said in a businesslike manner.

……

Upon returning home, as soon as I entered the door, someone said that the second wife had invited me.

This hasn't happened in quite a long time.

Mo Ruhai frowned upon hearing this.

Upon entering, one would find Wang sitting there, fuming.

“Mother.” Mo Yi bowed.

Wang glanced at Mo Yi, then noticed Bai Mei following behind her, and her expression softened slightly.

Turning to look at Mo Ruhai, her tone became provocative again: "I heard you've started a big business outside?" Mo Ruhai washed his hands on the water stand next to him, sat down, and took a sip of tea.

"Not big, just a small business."

Wang was surprised by his frankness... "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why should I tell you?" Mo Ruhai's voice turned icy cold again.

"You...we're husband and wife, this is clearly a good thing, why are you hiding it?"

"I'm not hiding, I just don't want to talk about it, I don't want to be disturbed. I want to do what I want! What, is that not allowed?"

Wang, cornered by her husband, turned to Mo Yi and said, "Mo Yi, you were involved from beginning to end, weren't you? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Father, I need to speak with Mother for a few minutes. Why don't you go talk to Uncle first?"

Mo Ruhai refused to leave, saying, "I'll stay right here."

Is she worried about me? Now that things have come to this, what can I do to Mo Yi? Wang Shi got agitated and was about to cry again; lately, her tears came easily.

"Father, you go first!"

"Alright, if you need anything, come to the front and call for your father." After saying this to Tong Moyi, he turned to Wang Shi: "Let's talk this out!"

Mo Ruhai left, and all the maids in Wang's room also went out.

Mo Yi said earnestly, “Mother, we’ve been doing this business for over two years now. In the beginning, Father had no money and had never done business before. You must know how difficult that was. He didn’t use your money, and he didn’t squander the money he earned. You should be happy to know that. But the moment you walked in, your face was ashen. Put yourself in his shoes, how would you feel if you were Father?”

“You talk about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, so let me ask you this: how do I feel when you and your daughter keep this from me?” Wang said assertively.

"That's the problem, Mother. You always think like this. You tie the knot the way Geda died. Now that things are like this, what do you want to do? Force Father to close the shop?"

"Who asked him to shut it down..."

"Should he hand over all the money he earns to you?"

"I don't care!"

"So, you just want to have a big fight with him, and end up both of you getting really angry?"

"If he had told me, why would I have argued with him?"

"But the problem is, he just doesn't want to talk about it!"

"Why?!"

"There's no reason why, I just don't want to."

Looking at the calm Mo Yi, Wang blinked... How could she talk to her like this?

“When my sister got married, Father gave her most of the money he could afford. When my brother passed the imperial examination and had a son, there were many happy events in the family, and he gave some of the money to my uncle. You always complained that your husband was not capable, but now that he has some ability, you are still angry.”

“But why didn’t he discuss it with me? Even if he had, I wouldn’t have cared about it…” Wang’s tears flowed down her cheeks.

“Mother…” Mo Yi was helpless. “Don’t you know yourself? You will definitely take charge! You will decide whether to do it or not, and how to do it. Where to choose the shop, who will be the employees, how much to pay them, and where to get the materials.”

You'll find fault just for the sake of finding fault... and you'll keep pestering your father for the money he earns each day. Then, how he spends it is no longer his decision.

“I…” Wang was taken aback when her secret was revealed.

"Mother... For example, if your bracelet gets accidentally knocked and cracked, how would you treat it?"

Should I be extra careful when wearing it again? Avoid bumping it or wearing it while doing heavy work? Or should I have a craftsman fix it or have it encased in gold?
But what about you? You're the kind of person who, the more cracked the hole, the harder you keep hitting it…

Wang remained silent, her thoughts unspoken.

"Mother, I'm very tired and want to go back to my room."

As she was about to leave, Wang asked from behind, "Where's your shop now? How much have you made in all this time?"

Alas, old habits die hard...

Some people complained that I didn't respect the readers, so I quickly put down my writing.

Actually, please don't compare me to platinum authors; I'm not worthy, really.

To be honest, we really can't compare.

Because although I write books, I am also a reader... while updating my own, I am also following other people's updates.

I spend a lot of time sitting in front of the computer every day, and I really want to write tens of thousands of words... but this isn't something you can just write if you have a lot of time or want to.

There are many times when I pull so hard my scalp hurts.

That year, I traveled to the United States. One of my companions was a professional editor. We sat drinking and chatting, laughing and joking. He took out his laptop and started typing while we were talking, easily producing tens of thousands of words a day.

I simply can't compare...

However, I will try my best not to let everyone down!

(End of this chapter)