Tian Erfu gripped the water cup in her hand tightly and said hurriedly:
"I can sleep in the Woodshed with Si Jin."
That was how she used to sleep.
Tian Sijin smiled and said:
"Second Sister, there is no Woodshed for you to sleep in at home anymore."
Tian Erfu's fingernail scratched the wall of the cup, leaving a faint white mark.
A married daughter is like splashed water; she had been sold, and there was no longer a place for her in this home.
Tian Sijin continued:
"Now Little Five sleeps in the Woodshed."
Tian Erfu looked up in surprise; Mother doted on Little Five the most, how could she let Little Five sleep in the Woodshed?
No, it must have been Little Five's own request, otherwise Mother would never have agreed.
"Then what about you? Where do you sleep?"
Tian Sijin said happily:
"Eldest Girl and I both sleep in Mother's room."
Tian Erfu's mouth hung open, unable to speak for a long while.
Although she didn't understand why Mother would agree to let Little Five sleep in the Woodshed and let Eldest Girl and Si Jin sleep in Mother's bed, thinking carefully, there was still no place for her to stay.
She put the teacup back on the table and stood up:
"I... I'd better go back to town."
As she spoke, she was about to walk out when Qin Sang called out to her:
"The sun is so strong, do you want to die of heat on the road?"
Tian Erfu stopped in her tracks; she didn't dare anger Mother.
Qin Sang commanded:
"Wen Mo, go get paper and a brush."
Tian Wenmo did as told, and soon, paper and brush were brought, along with an inkstone of ink.
Qin Sang spread the paper on the table, then took the brush, dipped it in ink, and began drawing straight lines.
Tian Wenmo, Si Jin, and Eldest Girl all leaned in to look, but they couldn't understand it at all:
"Mother, are you drawing a box?"
Tian Sijin retorted:
"I don't think so, why would a box have this extra section?"
Qin Sang finished quickly, added a few more strokes, then put down the brush and explained:
"This is a single bunk bed I thought of. Eldest Girl, go call your father and Third Uncle over."
Unable to contain her curiosity, Tian Erfu walked over and saw the paper on the table, seeing what kind of bed Mother had drawn.
Once Eldest Girl called the men in, Qin Sang handed the paper to San Gui:
"Go to your father-in-law now and have him make two bunk beds according to this drawing. Take the mule cart and bring them back once they're finished this evening."
Tian Sangui held the drawing and turned it around for a long time without understanding:
"Mother, what's a bunk bed? For sleeping? Won't someone fall off if they sleep on top?"
Qin Sang pointed at the lines on the drawing and said:
"These are the bed legs, this is the first level, and this is the upper level, made one person wide. This is the ladder; when it's time to sleep, the person on top climbs up. This is the railing to prevent the person on the upper level from falling off."
"It doesn't need to be exquisite, but it must be sturdy. Look, these triangular braces are for increasing stability."
"The family needs them urgently, two taels of silver per bed. Take the money with you, and while you're at it, bring the final payment for the Drying Racks we made before, plus five catties of flour."
Her father-in-law's whole family were carpenters; Qin Sang believed that as long as the money was right, they could certainly finish two bed frames in a day.
Following Qin Sang's explanation, everyone suddenly realized that a bed could actually be made with two levels.
Tian Sijin followed up with a question:
"Then Mother, where will these beds be placed once they're finished?"
When Qin Sang had the idea to bring Tian Erfu home, she had already planned it out in her mind:
"Move the wood from the Woodshed to the Shack where your Eldest Brother and his wife sleep, then move the bed from my room to the Woodshed for your Eldest Brother and Eldest Brothers Wife to sleep in."
"Your Second Brother's arrangement remains the same; both bunk beds will be placed in my room."
"Si Jin and Eldest Girl are small, so they'll share one bed. With me, Wen Mo, and Er Fu, that makes exactly four beds."
Tian Wenmo was actually even smaller, but with the difference between genders, they definitely had to sleep separately.
With Qin Sang's explanation, everyone was so surprised they were speechless.
Especially Tian Erfu; everything she had experienced since returning home today was beyond anything she could have imagined before.
Mother was actually giving her a separate bed.
Mother no longer scolded or berated Eldest Brother and Eldest Brothers Wife, nor Si Jin and Eldest Girl.
Such a gentle voice, such patient explanations.
Mother was also so clever, solving the problem of lack of space so easily.
Was this still her Mother?
Qin Sang took a few pieces of broken silver from her cloth bag and handed them to Tian Sangui:
"When you get to your father-in-law's house, explain it well. Just repeat what I said; your father-in-law is an experienced carpenter, so he'll surely understand once you explain it."
"Also tell him to make them so they can be disassembled and reassembled, making them easier to transport."
"Leave the mule cart at your father-in-law's house. Once they're done, let them lead the mule and use a flatbed cart to transport them back, so your brothers-in-law don't have to struggle carrying them."
After Tian Sangui nodded, Qin Sang added:
"Da Zhuang, teach your brother how to drive the cart on the way."
"Remember, don't let him touch it yet, no matter what he promises, don't agree."
"Also remember to bring fodder and water, feed the mule once you arrive, and be careful on the road."
Qin Sang was truly afraid San Gui would drive the cart into a ditch, so she gave specific instructions to Da Zhuang.
With San Gui's schemes, if Qin Sang didn't point it out, Da Zhuang would surely be sweet-talked into it.
Eldest Brothers Wife brought out the midday meal:
"Why not go after eating the midday meal? It won't take that much time."
Third Brothers Wife hurriedly pushed Tian Sangui toward the door:
"Better go quickly, go quickly. It's just the neighboring village, it won't take long. Just save some food for them."
"These beds need to be made urgently, otherwise Mother won't have a place to sleep tonight."
Two taels of silver for a bed; such a good business deal couldn't be delayed.
What if Mother changed her mind if they delayed?
As Zhao Huan pushed her husband out, she kept winking at Tian Sangui.
Tian Sangui understood perfectly and hurriedly agreed:
"Wife is right. Eldest Brother, let's go quickly. Let's not waste time, we still need to come back and move things."
Qin Sang watched them leave the courtyard gate and sat back down:
"Save some food for them. Everyone else, sit down and eat the midday meal."
Eldest Brothers Wife responded and went to get bowls to serve the food, while Third Brothers Wife placed the rice bowls in front of everyone one by one.
The midday meal consisted of a pot of Pumpkin porridge, a bowl of stir-fried potatoes, a bowl of rabbit meat, and a bowl of dried vegetables braised with lard residue.
Tian Erfu sat at the lower end of the table, looking at the dishes that they might not even have during the New Year in the past; her mouth watered uncontrollably, and she swallowed repeatedly.
Si Jin handed the chopsticks to Tian Erfu: "Second Sister, eat quickly."
Tian Erfu looked at Mother sitting at the head of the table, then at Eldest Girl, Si Jin, and Third Brothers Wife who were gulping down porridge, and she also carefully picked up her chopsticks.
"Er Fu? Do you think the dishes aren't good enough?"
"You're a grown adult, why act like a stranger in your own home?"
"Do you still need Si Jin to serve you food?"
As soon as Qin Sang spoke, Tian Erfu's nerves tensed up, but upon hearing the end and realizing Mother meant for her to eat, her tense body finally relaxed.
Soon, Si Jin and Eldest Girl put a lot of food into her bowl:
"Second Sister, eat some rabbit meat."
"Eldest Paternal Aunt, this lard residue is so fragrant, give it a try."
Tian Erfu held her bowl, swallowing her tears along with the Pumpkin porridge. It was sweet.
After finishing the midday meal, Qin Sang arranged for the room-moving. Fortunately, there were many people in the family and everyone was very capable. Once Eldest Brother and San Gui returned, the pace became even faster. Da Huang also ran back and forth, and everything was a bustle of activity.
Once the rooms were moved, Qin Sang didn't let them rest.
Mainly, she didn't want Er Fu to rest.
This child needed to perceive the changes in this home and in her, her Mother, through being busy.
If she were allowed to sit in the room and rest alone, it would instead cause her to overthink.
Working together would help her reintegrate into the family; only when she truly realized that the family was her support would it be appropriate to have her speak her true thoughts.