As usual, Clara divided the pot of soup into five bowls, making sure each bowl had three or four pieces of egg flower.
The taro was already roasted—she had buried it in the fire early while cooking. By the time the vegetables were ready, the taro was perfectly cooked too.
Using just a bit of oil, Clara stir-fried the half handful of leftover greens from yesterday. It was a small bowl, but the vibrant green color made it look appetizing.
Food with oil and salt really made all the difference. Clara announced, "Dinner's ready." Inside the house, aside from the sounds of eating, there was nothing else to be heard.
After dinner, Adam took it upon himself to clean the bowls and utensils.
Clara moved the straw rope to the doorway, and by the light of the torch outside, she continued weaving straw sandals.
The children licked the oil off their lips, eagerly doing what they could, hoping tomorrow would bring another good meal like this.
Motivated by the encouragement food brought, everyone worked with renewed energy.
The next morning, Clara took Adam and Ben up the mountain to chop firewood and stockpile supplies.
By noon, they stayed home weaving straw sandals. In the afternoon, when the villagers returned from the fields, Clara set up a stall by the village well to sell the sandals.
Every two days, she made a solo trip to the southern mountain to dig enough taro for three days. When not weaving sandals or selling them, that was how her time was spent.
The first buyers found Clara's sandals comfortable and durable, and wanted to buy pairs for their families. Since sizes didn't fit everyone, they placed several orders.
Thanks to Clara's skill, her straw ropes were tighter and stronger than others'. She used more material, making the sandals sturdier.
Peddler Liew took the four pairs Clara had entrusted him to sell to the town. Sharp-eyed farmers immediately bought two pairs at once.
At five copper coins a pair, Liu made a fair profit. He quickly sold the remaining two pairs too.
Others who missed out asked when he'd return because they wanted some as well.
Soon, Clara received orders for five pairs each for men and women from Peddler Liew, and he settled the payment for the previous four pairs—a total of ten copper coins.
Business in the village had been steady over the past two days. Including orders and stock sold, Clara had sold twelve pairs, earning thirty-six copper coins.
Adding the ten from Liu and the five left over before, Clara now had a total of fifty-one copper coins.
Fifty-one copper coins sounded like a lot, but it still wasn't enough to buy even a thin cotton blanket.
Although Peddler Liew opened up a sales channel, Clara should have been happy, but the reality was she only had enough raw materials left to fulfill the ten pairs order.
Payment came only after delivery, and Liu had to sell the sandals first before paying her.
The trip from Liew Family Village to the nearest Goldstone Town took three hours one way if you walked fast. If Clara carried the sandals herself, it would waste a whole day.
Weighing the options, it was better to let someone else earn a bit more.
After seeing Peddler Liew off, Clara handed Ben six copper coins. "Peddler Liew is back. Go to his place and buy two jin of brown rice."
Could meals improve again?!
All four siblings' eyes lit up with hope.
Ben excitedly took the money and bolted toward Peddler Liew's house.
"Wait!" Clara called out.
No clay pot in hand—how was he planning to carry the rice back?
She gave Adam a look, and Adam quickly fetched a clay pot filled with water and handed it to his brother.
Still a bit worried, Adam glanced back at Clara and quietly asked, "Auntie, can I go with Ben?"
Clara waved him off, "Go quickly and come back quickly."
Chad and Deb sat on the chopping block Clara used for splitting firewood, resting their chins on their hands, watching their brothers' backs as they left, licking their lips in anticipation.
They were still too young—looking even younger—so Clara didn't let them work, wanting to raise their health a bit more.
If conditions allowed, Adam and Ben should be well cared for too, but for now, the situation simply didn't permit it.
These past few days, she was grateful for the two little helpers; otherwise, she would have been at a loss, with no one to ask when she wanted to get something done.
Adam and Ben quickly bought the brown rice and happily ran home. With full stomachs these days, the color in their faces had visibly improved.
When Brandon Liew came home from the fields with his son Ryder, he barely recognized the two boys rushing toward him.
He called out tentatively, "Adam? Ben?"
The boys stopped and turned. Ben even tightened his grip on the clay pot, wary.
Seeing it was their uncle, they relaxed.
Brandon came over suspiciously. "Where have you two been? It's going to rain in a couple of days. Have you finished sowing the wheat seeds?"
The boys didn't say a word. They glanced at him, then at Ryder, then turned and ran off.
Brandon sighed helplessly. He wanted to discipline the poor nephews but their silence made it feel like his efforts would be unappreciated.
Forget it. Let them be. Their own father doesn't care about them anyway.
Ryder asked, "Dad, we don't need to go to the fields tomorrow, right?"
Brandon nodded, "No more work. The sowing's done. After all this, we can finally rest."
Ryder was overjoyed—no more fieldwork!
The father and son duo had worked all day in the fields. Although Ryder only helped a little, most of the labor was Brandon's. Still, it was exhausting for an eight-year-old.
Famished, they returned home where the women had just prepared the meal. Old Water Liew, Caleb and Logan, who worked another field, came back soon after.
Without a word, the whole family picked up their bowls and started eating.
Just as they ate, the door knocked.
Everyone was surprised by the visitor.
Clara stood at the door, pushing Adam and Ben out from behind her, patting their backs. "Call everyone."
The brothers shouted out the names one by one: Grandpa, Grandma, eldest uncle, eldest aunt, second uncle, second aunt, youngest uncle, Ryder and Rosie.
Those eating at the table finally realized and all stood up in unison.
Mdm Zhang, the mother-in-law, cautiously asked, "Have you eaten?"
Clara replied, "Yes."
As soon as she spoke, a breath of relief was heard.
Good, they weren't here to mooch dinner.
Clara took the opportunity to put names to the unfamiliar faces at the table.
The round-faced, short woman was eldest aunt Mdm Doreen He, the tall, pointed-faced one was second aunt Mdm Kate Qiu.
The middle-aged woman who asked the question must be mother-in-law Mdm Zhang.
Clara led the two children inside and smiled at those at the table, "Please continue eating, don't mind me. I want to talk to the parents for a bit, then I'll leave."
The elders' hearts stirred. Finally, the third son's family remembered to borrow money to ransom someone?
Feigning confusion, the elders gestured for the family to continue eating and invited Clara and the kids into the main room.
Unexpectedly, Clara's first words were, "I would like to buy two acres of wheat seed from you."
The elders were stunned in unison: The third son's family isn't asking for help anymore?
(End of chapter)