Ye Qian didn't leave after washing the dishes; Gu Yi poured the peanuts into the pot, and she went over to help with the fire.
Gu Yi waited for the pot to boil, added salt, sugar, five-spice powder, and some dried chili peppers, then covered it to let it cook.
After doing all this, she found a bucket, placed some dried mugwort inside, and poured the hot water from the stove into the bucket. This way, when the water cools down a bit, they could soak their feet.
Watching Gu Yi do all this, Ye Qian felt that Gu Yi was truly different. Was it really because the rock had knocked some sense into her?
She didn't know and didn't want to dwell on it; as long as she stood up for herself and wasn't bullied by others, that was enough.
"What are you doing with this water?"
"Soaking feet to get rid of dampness and cold. Don't be fooled by my weight; in winter, my hands and feet are ice-cold. A doctor once told me to soak my feet in mugwort, and you can also use it for bathing. My mom's house just happened to have some, so I brought it back to try. Why don't you soak it yourself tonight? Mugwort is really good for girls."
Gu Yi remembered that Ye Qian had menstrual cramps, but people are generally shy about discussing this with doctors. Maybe soaking in mugwort could help alleviate it. Gu Yi added a bit more water to the bucket.
The peanuts were almost done, so Gu Yi removed the open flame and let them simmer over a small fire.
The water was also cool enough. Gu Yi, feeling tired and not wanting to fuss, brought over two stools and invited Ye Qian to soak their feet.
Ye Qian didn't hesitate, sat on one side with Gu Yi, and put her feet into the bucket.
It was a bit warm, and after soaking for a while, Ye Qian couldn't take the heat and went for a bath before heading to her room.
Gu Yi thought summer was the best time to treat winter ailments, so sweating was good. She persisted for 15 minutes until she was drenched in sweat, then washed off with some water.
At this time in the village, bathing was really inconvenient; one could only use a wooden tub in the room, which was especially heavy, making it troublesome to fill with water.
Gu Yi thought of earning money to first build a proper bathroom.
When Gu Yi got back to her room, she felt quite exhausted today but still persisted in doing some yoga on the bed.
While Gu Yi was very good at yoga in her past life, this was the first time doing it in this body, and she soon felt exhausted.
Gu Yi wiped herself with some water and fell asleep as soon as she lay down, dreamless through the night.
The next morning, Gu Yi got up early again. Ye Family's parents knew Gu Yi was going to deliver the peanuts today, so they also got up early to see if there was anything they could help with.
Gu Yi had them weigh 10 pounds of peanuts into a ceramic basin, and she added more to it.
Ye's mother told Ye Fu to go along so they'd have someone to take turns carrying the load on the way.
When Ye Fu and Gu Yi arrived at the liquor store, the owner had just opened the door.
Gu Yi then realized that the owner and Ye Fu knew each other, and the owner was particularly enthusiastic with them.
He hurried to pour water and arranged stools for them, and Ye Fu quickly said there was still work at home, so he wouldn't sit.
The owner was straightforward, weighed the peanuts for them, raising the scale high, and realized Gu Yi was quite capable, thus holding her in higher regard.
He promptly gave them three yuan and suggested that if he still needed more, they could send a message, and Gu Yi could deliver more the following day.
On the way back, Ye Fu found it truly incredible that in just a short time, they earned three yuan.
The price of dry peanuts was 1.5 cents per pound, yet since every household planted them, they couldn't sell them.
But the daughter-in-law boiled them with some seasoning, and now they sold for 3 cents a pound.
Hearing her speak with the liquor store owner today, she was graceful and considerate, and everything was well thought out and comprehensive.
Compared to before, it seemed like she had become a different person. Ye Fu didn't think much, just felt happy, realizing that this daughter-in-law was quite impressive.
When they got home, Gu Yi placed two yuan on the table.
"Mom, Dad, I calculated the other day: one pound of dry peanuts boils down to about two and a half pounds. With the seasonings, the cost of 10 pounds of peanuts is roughly one yuan. I'll keep covering the cost, and we split the profit in half. What do you both think?"
Gu Yi wanted to make everything clear with the Ye Family's parents and Ye Qian, so there would be no issues in the future.
"The money you earn, you keep. Anyway, it's from the household, and it's not worth much. It's great that you can sell them to earn a little money."
Ye's mother said, trying to push the money back to Gu Yi. But Gu Yi quickly refused.
"Mom, I've already set aside my share of what I've earned. I plan to keep doing this in the future; even though the earnings aren't much each time, it's nice to have some pocket money. If you don't take it, I won't continue."
Ye Fu realized Gu Yi genuinely wanted to contribute to the family, so he nudged Ye's mother.
"Dear, just take it and save it for your grandson."
"Alright then, I'll save it for him."
Ye's mother cheerfully went inside.
Gu Yi listened to the couple talking about a grandson, remembering that she had given the Ye Family a daughter. The two elders genuinely treated their daughter well, and they were nice to her too, which strengthened her resolve to give them a good life.
"Mom, did Gu Yi really sell the peanuts and earn money?" Ye's mother had just entered the room when Ye Qian pulled her to ask.
"Yes, who would have thought? She's usually so quiet, but she really knows how to get things done. Boiled some peanuts and sold them, and even gave me money."
Ye's mother also sighed but was genuinely happy. The more capable the daughter-in-law, the better her judgment seemed, indicating that her son's future wouldn't be bad either.
"Yes, I feel like she woke up after getting hit on the head. The current her, I actually quite like. Previously, she was so unresponsive, couldn't even get a word out, and couldn't compare to Yang Lin. My brother was against this marriage, and she couldn't stand up for herself. It was so frustrating. But now, she's able to stand on her own and might slowly win my brother's heart back."
"True, Yang Lin is good in many ways, but she's like a princess raised at home. If your brother was with her, wouldn't it be your brother taking care of her? Considering how tiring it is in the army every day, coming home to serve someone and if she has a temper, how would your brother live? I thought it was better to find someone from the village for him, who could take care of him if they followed him after marriage."
The two chatted in the room for quite some time, maintaining an optimistic view about Gu Yi's change, hoping she wouldn't revert to her old self one day.
The Gu Yi being discussed was in the kitchen preparing lunch. In the village, the vegetables used were all seasonal, with occasional purchases of tofu and meat as a treat.
The Ye Family, like the Gu Family, had a vegetable plot, but it was not as close to the house as the Gu Family's.
The Ye Family's plot was at the foot of the hill behind the house, about a five-minute walk away. Gu Yi gathered some cucumbers and peppers, dug out some potatoes, and picked some scallions. The beans had started sprouting and would be ready for picking in a few days.
Gu Yi cooked lunch, with Ye Qian helping to wash the vegetables. Although Ye Qian didn't say much, Gu Yi could clearly feel a change in Ye Qian's attitude towards her. Everything was progressing positively.