Educated Youth in the Countryside: She is the Village's Embroidery Queen!-Chapter 497: Dark Circles Under Her Eyes

Wen Shi’s voice was hypnotic. Listening to it, Yi Chichi fell asleep.

The baby moved a few times after he finished reading, then settled down quietly.

Though she didn’t have leg cramps in the middle of the night, she did wake up multiple times due to an urgent need to pee.

Waking up so frequently meant she didn’t sleep well. When Wen Shi woke up, she also got up from the bed.

Wen Shi was surprised, "Did I wake you?"

"No."

She shook her head, got out of bed to stretch a bit, and then started tidying up his shirt collar, "Are you going straight to the port or stopping by work first?"

"To the port."

"Not having breakfast?"

"I’ll take it to eat on the way. I need to catch the first ferry."

Yi Chichi checked the time and realized there were about forty minutes left until the first ferry departed.

It seemed ample, but actually wasn’t that much time.

The civilian port where the ferry docks was quite some distance from the family quarters.

Even if Wen Shi walked fast, it would still take about twenty minutes to get there on foot.

Thinking of this, she said, "Let Mom take you."

No room for discussion, her tone was firm.

Wen Shi, "..."

Whatever the wife says goes.

So, after washing up, he rode his bike with Wen’s mother.

About twenty minutes later, Wen’s mother returned with breakfast on her bike.

"Chichi, come eat breakfast. Today we have pig liver congee and big steamed buns."

The pig liver congee wasn’t prepared well; the blood wasn’t soaked out, so it tasted strong and was tough, with poor texture.

The big steamed buns were made from cornmeal mixed with white flour, large but somewhat coarse in texture.

Because the cornmeal was ground too coarsely, unlike the finer kind found in later times.

Taking a bite, it felt uncomfortable in the throat.

She didn’t complain and continued eating earnestly.

But Wen’s mother noticed her struggling, sighed, and took away both the congee and the bun from in front of her.

"If you can’t eat it, don’t force yourself. I’ll make you something else."

"No need to trouble yourself, I can eat it."

"I can’t bear to see you eat that."

Women have a hard time during pregnancy, and having been through it herself, she understood.

The physical discomfort she couldn’t help with, but in terms of food and clothing, she could make sure her daughter-in-law ate and dressed well.

"Tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it. It’s not hard."

After all, the stove at home was never out of use, and there was hot water in the pot, so making dough or other food was quick.

Yi Chichi paused, seeing Wen’s mother’s insistence, and decided not to make it difficult for herself anymore, "I’d like some mixed noodles."

"Scallion oil mixed noodles?"

"Yes."

She nodded, suddenly craving something spicy, and added, "With a bit of spice."

"Okay, I’ll make it for you."

"Mom, have a portion too."

Wen’s mother’s eyes fell on the table, "I’m fine with this."

Afraid she wouldn’t agree, she said, "We shouldn’t waste food."

Yi Chichi reluctantly complied, but insisted that Wen’s mother finish breakfast before making scallion oil mixed noodles for her.

Wen’s mother agreed, and half an hour later, she had scallion oil mixed noodles with spicy oil.

Ji Jian had the late shift and only returned home after getting off work at nine in the morning. By that time, Yi Chichi was walking circles in the yard, getting some exercise.

Seeing her come back with panda eyes, Yi Chichi called out to her sister-in-law. Ji Jian answered, carrying some fabric, yawning as she said, "Chichi, can you do me a favor?"

Yi Chichi didn’t agree immediately and asked what the favor was.

Ji Jian tugged at her work clothes, worn and patched several times, a bit embarrassed as she spoke, "I need to replace my work clothes. Can you help me tailor them?"

"Sure."

It wasn’t a big deal, and since she had free time, Yi Chichi was happy to help with this favor.

After all, whether it was before or after she joined the army, Ji Jian had always been good to her.

But, "I’ll only help with the tailoring, you’ll have to sew it yourself. I can’t sit for too long right now."

"Alright."

Getting help with the tailoring was already a blessing, she didn’t expect Yi Chichi to do everything.

"At your place or mine?"

Ji Jian replied that either was fine, whatever was more convenient for her.

Yi Chichi agreed, turned, and headed inside, "I’ll do it here."

Inside, Wen’s mother, holding scissors and trimming diapers, cleared the table and got her sewing tools, then commented on Ji Jian’s panda eyes, "Xiao Ji, your eyes are a bit dark."

Ji Jian touched her eyes and laughed.

"Having gone two days and nights without sleep, it’s bound to be dark."

Yi Chichi, "??? You worked two night shifts and two day shifts consecutively?"

Ji Jian’s workplace at the seafood factory operated in three shifts, with one day off a week. Normally, shifts were staggered, only working consecutive shifts meant not sleeping for two days and nights.

She nodded, "My colleague who was supposed to swap with me had a family issue, so we traded shifts."

While speaking, she followed Yi Chichi’s instruction, placing the fabric from under her arm onto the table, spreading it out for easier line drawing.

Wen’s mother asked with concern, "Has your colleague’s issue been resolved? Hopefully, they won’t need to swap shifts again?!"

If it continues, let alone managing at home, even her body couldn’t take it.

"It’s resolved. Today and tomorrow, I only need to do a mid-shift tomorrow."

That’s a relief.

Yi Chichi relaxed and began drawing lines with chalk. Ji Jian watched intently, puzzled at how her hands were so steady.

Every time she drew a line, it was perfect, unlike the squiggly lines she’d draw that resembled worms.

Watching, she couldn’t help but remark, "If I mastered this skill, I’d quit my job and open a small mending shop next to the service center."

The idea was tempting, Wen’s mother was intrigued.

She exclaimed in surprise, "You can do that?"

Yi Chichi, recognizing her intention, quickly dismissed the idea, "Whether you can or not, don’t think about it, Mom."

"Why not?"

For what reason indeed, naturally because opening such a shop would be labor-intensive, unrewarding, and not very profitable.

But that couldn’t be stated outright.

"I’m about to give birth, if you open a shop, who’s going to help with the baby?"

That made sense as well.

Compared to opening a shop, a granddaughter was naturally more important.

Wen’s mother’s fleeting interest quickly dissipated, and she suggested to Ji Jian, "Watch Chichi and learn, once you do, you can open it."

Ji Jian smiled wryly, "Auntie, haven’t we tried learning from her before? We just can’t grasp it."

Everyone’s different, and talent doesn’t follow any logic.

Either you have it or you don’t.

What Yi Chichi found simple, like cutting lines, embroidering, tailoring, designing clothes, she did effortlessly.

But when they tried, it felt like they were inept with their hands.

Not only did Yi Chichi find their clumsiness exasperating, they themselves did too.

However, "We can make shoes and do weaving with vines and leaves, she can’t."

Yi Chichi, whose hands didn’t pause, found this both amusing and exasperating, "What’s there to compare? Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, there’s lots I can’t do."

That was a fact.

Ji Jian wholeheartedly agreed, "Everything requires a bit of talent, like Old Li at my place, he’s brilliant at political work, but can’t handle teaching kids."

Both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law recalled the lively scenes at their house when the start of school led to a mix of admonishing from both parents over their child’s studies and homework.