Chapter 64: Not Doing Household Chores

  "It's not like I've done it before, but with things like this, what can you do?"

  A man with martial arts skills can't even chop firewood properly? That's truly humiliating.

  Xue Lengyu smiled and didn't stop Shu Li's enthusiasm, she moved a small stool to sit a few steps away from him, her hands under her chin watching him. The handsome guy chopping wood was also a delightful scenery.

  Xue Lengyu's tranquil and contented expression as he took in the scenery made Shu Li shake his head with a smile, feeling an unusual warmth in his heart. This was what they meant by "men plowing and women weaving", a harmonious and warm scene. The only difference being that he wasn't truly the master of this household yet.

  Quietly watching him chop firewood, such a rough task, but in his hands, it's still effortless and calm, with an air of composure that can't be concealed.

  It's also unknown whether it's because of his martial arts skills or not, but even when holding an axe, he has a certain feeling. Or perhaps it's due to his calm and composed nature that makes him elegant and refined, even when doing very ordinary things.

  Xue Lengyu silently watched as Shi Lei silently chopped firewood, both of them lost in their own thoughts and not saying a word.

  Before long, the pile of firewood was divided into small pieces. Xue Lengyu came back to her senses and quickly stood up, smiling and saying: "You've worked hard."

  Shu Li put down the axe, dropped his sleeves and patted himself on the body: "It's too exaggerated to be tired, if Xue Niang can sympathize with him, Shu Li would be willing to work harder, it's sweet as honey."

  He didn't have a single drop of sweat on his forehead, and his breathing was steady. Indeed, such things were truly effortless for him. The only difficulty lay in the fact that he was willing to lower himself.

  The atmosphere was a bit awkward for a moment, it's time to leave, but I didn't want to, and there was no reason to stay.

  Xue Lengyu also smiled somewhat awkwardly: "If nothing happens at the Wang Manor today, you can eat lunch at my place before leaving. However, a family like ours probably doesn't have anything good to eat."

  Xue Lengyu's gaze was fixed on him: "You know I don't care."

  "Alright then." Xue Lengyu could only say: "Then stay for lunch, although the food isn't great, but my mother's cooking is really not bad."

  Shu Li Dao: "I thought you would cook for me."

  Xue Lengyu smiled: "I'm really sorry, Master Shu. Although I'm not a young lady from a wealthy family, I have four idle limbs and can't tell the five grains apart. I find washing clothes and cooking to be tiring, and I don't know how to play the piano or paint. If you're looking for someone virtuous and talented who can take care of her husband, then it's best if you look elsewhere."

  Shu Li also smiled: "Although Shu Li is not talented, he won't marry a wife just to do household chores."

  From the past two days of interaction, it's clear that Shu Li hasn't been able to get Xue Lengyu to lean towards being virtuous and moral. Just by looking at her slender and delicate white hands, you can tell she's someone who doesn't like to get her hands dirty. Not wanting to do chores like laundry and cooking isn't unexpected either.

  To be honest, Xue Lengyu believed that although he was not a high-ranking official or a wealthy man, if they got married, there would probably be ten or so maids and servants in the household, and it wouldn't be right to expect his wife to do the housework.

  However, when it comes to household chores, Xue Lengyu frowned.

  Household chores, no need to mention, laundry and cooking, all were shouldered by Mrs. Xue alone. Now that Mr. Xue is ill, Mrs. Xue's body isn't well either, she returned home, definitely can't avoid sharing some of the burden. If it were her generation, with modern tools like electric rice cookers, it wouldn't be a problem. But now... what to do?

  Must she also roll up her sleeves and be covered in dust and dirt every day by the stove?

  No, no, this is not the life Xue Lengyu wants. Even if it's difficult now, she can't give in.

  Xue Lengyu thought for a moment before saying: "Shuli, I have something to ask you."

  Keeping quiet and waiting for her to ask.

  Xue Lengyu said: "How much does it cost to hire a maid? The kind that takes care of food and lodging, and is responsible for doing household chores."

  "Are you kidding me?" Shu Li raised an eyebrow: "You're willing to give it up so easily?"

  "So I'll ask, how much is the monthly salary of a maid? Let's see if I can afford it or not." Xue Lengyu said: "To be honest with you, since I got hurt that time, my impression of many things has been blurry. And I don't dare to tell Father and Mother, afraid they'll worry."

  Xue Lengyu said that he had lost his memory, and Shu Li went back to think carefully. Although losing one's memory is a mysterious thing, looking at Xue Lengyu's appearance makes people have no choice but to believe him.

  It's not difficult for Xue Lengyu to be a maid in the Wang Mansion. The wages are different, and the high-ranking maids like Mei, Lan, Zhu, and Ju get five taels of silver per month. The lower-ranking ones get two or one tael per month. There are also those who sell themselves into servitude, only getting food and lodging without receiving any wages.

  Xue Lengyu nodded and said: "In other words, one is a monthly subscription, and the other is a one-time purchase. How much does it cost to buy a maidservant?"

  What's the price for buying a maid. Although Shu Li didn't understand these words, she could also understand Xue Leng Yu's meaning, and said: "Buying a servant girl also has more or less. Ten taels, eight taels, twenty to thirty taels, there are all kinds."

  The span is really big, Xue Lengyu thought for a moment and said: "Then I'll hire one first, let's see how it goes."

  Looking at Xue Lengyu's meticulous calculation, Shu Li couldn't help but say: "Actually, it's not necessary to be so troublesome. There's no one here to do chores, and after I return to the Wang Fu, I'll send two maids and a servant over. Chopping firewood and carrying water are physical tasks that need to be done by someone. The Wang Fu has many servants, this is not a big deal, and the silver can be provided by the Wang Fu as well. If you're not at ease, you can also provide it yourself. It's just one or two taels of silver per month, nothing significant."

  "Is that okay?" Xue Lengyu's eyes lit up: "A few taels of silver a month I don't care about, but I really worry about where to hire someone."

  "Provided you don't mind parting with your silver, it's all right."

  Xue Lengyu smiled and said: "Since ancient times, money has been earned, not saved. If money can't make more money, no matter how much you have, there will come a time when it's all spent."

  Xu Xiuzhi looked at Xue Lengyu in silence, this profound truth, when she said it, was as if it were a trivial matter. This woman, could be educated by Xu's father and mother, such an honest and simple couple?

  Xue Lengyu stretched out his hand in front of him, waving it back and forth, and drawled in a low voice: "Soul...back..."

  He smiled slightly and gently brushed off her hand: "I was thinking, since it's like this, why don't I take you back to the Wang Fu now, and let you choose two servants that you like to follow and serve you."

  "No need, no need." Xue Lengyu hastily said: "I believe you. The people you choose, which one is not satisfactory? As long as they are diligent and honest, that's enough."

  It's not that I don't want to be with Shu Lei, it's just that I really don't want to go back to that Wang Fu.

  Shu Li nodded: "Alright then, I'll choose for you."

  After taking a look around the house, although he was reluctant in his heart, he still said: "It's not necessary to wait until tonight. I see that your mother is also very tired. Don't hurry her up. I'll go back to the mansion now and have the maid come over soon. Otherwise, you might not even be able to eat lunch yourself."

  "That's the best." Xue Lengyu said: "Shuli, thank you so much."

  "It's nothing." Shu Li Dao said: "It's just a matter of lifting one's hand, it doesn't count as anything."

  Xue Lengyu smiled and said, "Still, thank you for your help. Your timely assistance has solved a huge problem for me. You know that at this time, Father is injured, Mother is an honest person and she's also old. In this family, relying solely on me to hold everything together is somewhat difficult."

  Shu Li stretched out his hand and gently stroked Xue Leng Yu's face: "A woman who has to hold up a family naturally suffers hardships. If at any time you feel tired, you can come find me. Even if things change, I will still do my best to protect you."