I'll Raise Pigs to Support You - Chapter 16
The tavern hired another helper today, also a woman.
The newcomer greeted Song Yugui, “My name is Shen Cui. I’m also from the countryside. Let’s look out for each other.”
Song Yugui nodded slightly and exchanged names with her. “Song Yugui.”
“You’re called Song Yugui? Your name sounds familiar. Are you from the neighboring Song Village?”
Hearing this, Song Yugui suddenly remembered—this woman’s surname was Shen. Could she be from the same village as the major antagonist?
“Mm.”
Taking advantage of the early morning lull with few customers, Shen Cui pulled Song Yugui aside while cleaning the tavern. “Hey, by the way, I heard there’s a woman in your village who’s into women and even married the sister of Old Shen’s family from our village. Do you know her?”
Song Yugui’s hand, wiping the table, paused.
An involuntary look of embarrassment crossed her face. Probably, perhaps, she was the only woman in the village who liked women?
So… they must be talking about her.
Song Yugui forced a nod. “I know her.”
“What’s she like? I heard she treats the woman from our village terribly, always beating and scolding her. Old Shen’s family doesn’t even bother to intervene.”
Shen Cui’s face was full of disdain.
Song Yugui: “…”
Though this was the truth, it was the original owner’s doing. Today, she would clear her own name!
Without hesitation, she declared, “That’s false. She treats her wife very well. They might argue occasionally, but she never hits her.”
Shen Cui was stunned, clearly hearing this for the first time.
Still skeptical, she asked, “She… treats her wife well?”
“But wasn’t she a rogue who loved harassing decent women?”
Song Yugui kept a straight face as she salvaged her reputation. “She’s turned over a new leaf. She’s got a job now and isn’t a rogue anymore.”
“Oh…”
Shen Cui was half-convinced as she moved to wipe another table.
A while later, the tavern owner, Lanxiang, emerged from the kitchen. Seeing her, Song Yugui tightened her grip on the rag.
She had decided to ask the owner for an advance on her wages—there was no other choice, as her household was truly penniless. But she felt deeply embarrassed. She had never lacked money growing up, and even when she first started working, she was financially comfortable enough to never ask for an advance. To her, the request felt somewhat rude—what if she didn’t last the month? What if she ran off with the money?
Yet now, forced by circumstances, she had to make this request.
Her face flushed red.
Lanxiang had come to inspect the cleanliness of the main hall, ensuring it wouldn’t disrupt customer service. But as she passed by the helper, the young woman hesitantly called out to her.
“Boss… sister.”
Hearing herself addressed as “sister,” Lanxiang covered her lips with her fan and chuckled. “Little one, your name is Yugui, right? What is it, dear? Is there some rule you don’t understand?”
The tavern naturally had its own rules, and she assumed the new girl was simply young and unfamiliar.
Song Yugui suppressed her nervousness and lowered her head sheepishly. “No, I understand the rules. It’s just… I have an unreasonable request.”
Lanxiang was surprised. Such formal speech—was she educated?
If she was educated, why not work as a scribe? That would be much easier than the grueling work of a tavern helper.
Unaware that Song Yugui was illiterate when it came to ancient script, Lanxiang studied her with curiosity, her voice gentle. “What request? Go ahead and say it.”
Summoning her courage, Song Yugui looked up earnestly. “Sister, could I get an advance on half a month’s wages? My… my family…”
She scratched the back of her head and pursed her lips. “My family has no money left.”
Lanxiang blinked. “You mean an advance on half a month’s pay?”
“Ah, yes, yes, wages.”
Lanxiang laughed heartily, waving her fan. “I thought it was something serious! Just half a month’s wages—that’s no trouble at all.”
Song Yugui stared blankly before quickly expressing her gratitude.
Lanxiang tilted her chin. “Alright, back to work now. Make sure to wipe down the private rooms again later.”
The private rooms were reserved for wealthy patrons and had the strictest standards.
Song Yugui nodded and immediately threw herself back into her busy tasks.
By the time dusk fell, she stepped out of the tavern with her advance of 150 copper coins.
Beside her was Shen Cui, the girl from the neighboring village.
She insisted their paths home aligned and wanted to walk back together.
Unable to refuse, Song Yugui let her tag along.
“Hey, where are you going? The road back to the village is this way!”
“I know. I need to buy something first. If you’re in a hurry, go ahead without me.”
Song Yugui didn’t look back as she spoke.
“Hey, don’t be like that! I’m scared walking home alone. Let’s go together!”
Shen Cui hurried after her, only to see Song Yugui stop in front of a pastry shop and point at the treats.
“I’ll take two pieces of water chestnut cake, please, and some sliced rice cakes.”
“Coming right up! That’ll be 18 coppers, miss. Here you go.”
Shen Cui gaped in astonishment behind her. As Song Yugui took the pastries, she immediately crowded close. “Eighteen coppers? That’s daylight robbery! How could you spend so much?”
Her eyes were glued to the pastries as she swallowed hard.
Pastries were delicate luxuries, usually only bought by well-off families. She had never tasted them before.
“Money can always be earned again. What’s there to hesitate over?”
There was still an angry antagonist waiting at home. If she didn’t hurry to appease her, a funeral might be held tomorrow.
Song Yugui took a deep breath, not daring to gamble on the antagonist’s mercy.
Shen Cui had never heard such a carefree, money-is-trash response before and was even more shocked, her eyes wide and round. “Y-you don’t have to give your earnings to your parents?”
Her envy grew. In families like theirs, earnings were supposed to be handed over to the parents, who would then distribute allowances. Who would dare spend so freely?
Song Yugui looked puzzled. “Why should I give my money to my parents?”
“Uh…”
Shen Cui struggled to comprehend such a question, her lips twitching helplessly as she muttered, defeated, “Because your parents raised you. You owe them.”
“Oh, that’s true. Then you can give yours if you want. Mine never asked me for money.”
Her family was decently well-off, thanks to her father’s profitable butcher business. She had never wanted for anything growing up, and even as an adult, her family still gave her money. She had tried to contribute back, but they always refused, insisting that young people had it hard and should spend on themselves.
“But you don’t have to hand over everything, right? What would you use for yourself?”
Song Yugui frowned.
Shen Cui’s heart withered. How could another country girl live so comfortably?
“My parents give me an allowance every month.”
“How much?”
“Thirty coppers.”
Song Yugui: “…”
She barely suppressed the urge to call this insanity.
“Heh, as long as you’re happy.”
Earning 300 coppers and getting 30 in return? If this were her life, she’d jump into a river immediately.
But she didn’t want to interfere in others’ lives.
Shen Cui stared at her resentfully.
She had been fine with her life—until she learned about Song Yugui’s.
Night had fallen, and cooking smoke rose from every household in the village. After a long day’s work, she was starving. At the village entrance, she parted ways with Shen Cui and hurried home.
On the small earthen slope stood their courtyard. Inside, Shen Xizhi sat with a piece of clothing on her lap, quietly sewing, her demeanor serene.
Seeing her, Song Yugui felt a pang of nervousness. She wondered if the other woman had cooled off after a day.
But she hadn’t been wrong in the first place. Was she supposed to apologize?
What was she supposed to apologize for? Warning the antagonist to stay away from the male lead wasn’t wrong.
As she agonized over how to smooth things over, Shen Xizhi noticed her.
Her eyes instantly brightened. She… she had been waiting for her wife to return.
That morning, she had misunderstood her wife and upset her. She needed to apologize properly.
Before Song Yugui could even step into the courtyard, a soft, sweet voice called out, “Wife… you’re back.”
Song Yugui: Shocked!