Chapter 411: Giving an Idea

Fu Mingxue had slept quite soundly.

When she finally woke up, she glanced at her watch and saw that it was already three in the afternoon.

That gave her quite a shock.

’Did I really sleep that long?’

She couldn’t help but press a hand to her forehead.

’Good thing I told them I wasn’t coming in this afternoon. Otherwise, I would have been so late.’

’But why didn’t Mom wake me up for lunch?’

Enjoying this rare moment of leisure, Fu Mingxue lay in bed for another five minutes before finally getting up.

She walked out of her room and saw her mother sewing.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"I’m making shoes for the two kids."

Fu Mingxue: ...?

"Why don’t you just buy them? Making shoes by hand is so much trouble."

Mrs. Fu rolled her eyes. ’She earns a little money and suddenly gets all high and mighty.’

’She’s forgotten that I’m the one who made every pair of shoes she’s worn since she was a child.’

"How could this be trouble? Store-bought shoes are nowhere near as comfortable as the ones I make. Besides, the children are easy to look after these days. The two of them can play by themselves, so I don’t have to carry them around at all. Now that I have some free time, it’s the perfect chance to find something to keep me busy."

At this, she looked up. "Do you know anyone who needs paper boxes pasted? I’m just sitting around at home with nothing to do anyway."

’It would be nice to earn a little extra money. Even if it’s just a few yuan, it could cover the electricity bill or buy the kids a piece of candy.’

Fu Mingxue was rendered speechless when she heard her mother was still thinking about pasting paper boxes.

"Mom, if you’ve got that much free time, you’d be better off making your shoes and selling them at the market."

"What? How could I do that? If I sell things, isn’t that considered speculation? What if someone reports me and it causes trouble for you?"

’This girl, can’t she come up with a single decent idea?’

"Mom, it’s not considered speculation anymore. The policies have relaxed, and people are allowed to sell things now. Haven’t you noticed? Just look at how many chickens you’re able to raise."

’If this yard weren’t so big, with that little courtyard in the back, the smell of chicken poop would have knocked me out.’

Mrs. Fu thought about it and realized she had a point.

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

Fu Mingxue nodded.

"Of course it’s true. Why would I lie to you? A daughter doesn’t lie to her own mother! If you’re bored, just make your shoes. I think you make excellent cloth shoes. Oh, and those little tiger-head shoes for kids are great too. If you make too many and can’t sell them, I’ll help you pitch them to places like the supply and marketing cooperative."

"But I have one condition: you can’t work too late, and you can’t work by candlelight with the lights off. Anything that strains your eyes is a no-go."

’If I don’t work at night, wouldn’t all that time be wasted?’

’Besides, if I turn on the light, what I earn won’t even cover the electricity bill.’

"All right, I know. Now, you go wash up. I’ll go make some dumplings for you."

"Make extra, I’m starving." Fu Mingxue really was hungry.

Having skipped lunch, she felt like she could eat a horse.

"Alright." Mrs. Fu got up and headed to the kitchenette.

Meanwhile, Fu Mingxue went to draw some water and wash her face.

When she returned to the main room, the two little ones saw her and came hurrying over.

The brother and sister could walk quite steadily now, no longer wobbling with every step.

"Mama!" her daughter was the first to call out sweetly.

"Oh, my treasure. Come here, let Mama give you a kiss." Fu Mingxue planted a smooch on the girl’s soft, rosy cheek.

In return, her daughter smeared a faceful of drool all over her.

Fu Mingxue: ...?

’So much for washing my face.’