Chapter Fourteen Big Feet and Little Feet

  Zhou's wife finished wiping the chicken's buttocks and went back into the house. Lian Xiuer, Lian Hua'er, Lian Duo'er, and Gu Shi all followed her in and closed the door behind them. After a while, several people giggled and headed towards the west wing of the house. Zhou's wife came out of the upper room and called to the few girls playing in the courtyard.

  "Go dig a few baskets of wild vegetables back, good for feeding chickens and pigs." said Zhou.

  The several daughters-in-law in Lian's family take turns doing household chores, including cooking for the whole family and feeding pigs and chickens. All these trivial matters are taken care of by the children of the house that is on duty. Today it was Gu's turn, so Lian Hua and Lian Duo went to dig wild vegetables.

  The Zhou family had just been trying to take advantage of the Gu family, but now they didn't mention letting Lianhua and Lianduo work, instead they came to support them, what's the reason for that.

  "Second sister," Little Seven pulled on Lian Mian'er's hand.

  Lian Man'er lowered her head and saw that Xiao Qi seemed to have something to say, so she slightly bent down.

  "I saw Big Aunt giving Old Maiden an additional pair of silver bangles," Little Seven whispered to Lian Mian, "and then Old Maiden told Grandma not to let Hua'er and Duo'er do chores."

  So that's how it is.

  Zhou's words, if it were in peacetime, Lian'er would definitely not say anything and go to pick up the basket. But today, Zhang's and Lian's words, they all heard them too. The children naturally had their own thoughts as well.

  The Zhou family saw that no one was paying attention to her, and her face began to look bad. But this morning she was still talking loudly about rules, now doing so can be said to be self-contradictory.

  Zhou looked at Zhang who was doing needlework at the door of the house and explained unusually.

  "Fourth aunt, Flower is about to get married and still needs to embroider her dowry. She and Duan are both small-footed, how can they work in the fields? From now on, when it's their turn, let the kids at home help with this chore of digging wild vegetables."

  "Go ahead, mother." Zhang Shi readily agreed. She still had the same idea that hard work wouldn't kill anyone and she didn't want to be petty.

  Zhou's complexion improved a lot. She was very clear in her heart that when it came to diligence and not being lazy, Zhang was the one who really stood out. Along with the children of the four houses, they were all diligent and easy to manage.

  "Zhi'er, Wu Lang, Man'er, each of you dig a basket and come back. Ya'er, you go too." Zhou Shi caught sight of He Shi leading Lian Ya'er out and hurriedly called them back.

  "Daughter," Mrs. He stopped in her tracks, "Yuer is also going to bind her feet these two days, she can't go downstairs."

  "How old are the children now, can they still be spoiled?" Madame Zhou heard what Madame He said and glared at her, "In the past you always said to spoil them, but were afraid of the pain, every time it couldn't be done. You just don't want to work!"

  "Mother, this time I and Yu'er have agreed that she must bind her feet. Yu'er's elder sister is going to marry into the Sun family, and her uncle will become an official, so in the future Yu'er can also marry into a wealthy and noble family, of course she must bind her feet." said He Shi.

  "These two days just hurry up and wrap it up, this time I'll come to wrap it for her." Zhou Shi thought for a moment, then said. Apparently acknowledging He Shi's statement.

  For the past two days, Lian Piao has noticed that among the women in the Lian family, Zhou Shi, Gu Shi, Lian Hua and Lian Duo all have bound feet, while Zhang Shi, He Shi, Zhao Shi, Lian Zhi, Lian Ye, Lian Ya and she herself do not. According to He Shi's words, it seems that women from wealthy families are supposed to bind their feet.

  Wrapped feet were for wealthy families, while unwrapped feet were for ordinary farm families. Lian Man'er chose the latter without hesitation.

  She didn't bind her feet before, but now that even the eldest of the Lian family wants to be an official, the Zhous must think that the Lians' social status is higher and won't let her off without binding her feet. Even Zhang Shi would think that it's a good thing for her daughter to bind her feet so she can marry into a good family in the future. But she doesn't want to, who can save her? Lian Man'er was terrified in her heart and wished she could hide her two feet away.

  Lian Man'er's movements became more obvious, and instead attracted Zhou Shi's gaze towards her two feet.

  "Lian Miao's feet..." Mrs. Zhou's gaze lingered on Lian Miao's feet for a moment, and if it was said that among the several granddaughters of the Lian family, Lian Miao's appearance was the best, this was also why Gu had chosen her to be his adopted daughter-in-law. Lian Miao is now ten years old, and binding her feet was a bit late, but fortunately, her feet were not big, and now they could still be bound into a pair of small feet, which would be essential for marrying into a wealthy family in the future.

  Zhou Shi was about to suggest that Lian Man'er also bind her feet, but then thought better of it. It wouldn't do, not until Lian Dajia became an official, who knows when that would be? Most of the household chores relied on the fourth family doing them. If Lian Man'er were to bind her feet too, there would be one less person to help with the household chores. In the past, they had married a small-footed woman to their eldest son, and later, several daughters-in-law were also deliberately chosen for their large feet, all in consideration of sharing the household work.

  "Man'er is too old now, even if she wraps her feet small it's no use, let's just forget about it." said Madame Zhou.

  Lian Man'er was overjoyed, almost to the point of tears. She had no idea about Zhou Shi's plan and saw a few more grateful glances in her eyes.

  "I heard it from my mother." Lian Man'er said crisply.

  Zhou looked at Lian Mian'er's clear eyes and somewhat uncomfortably turned his head away.

  Zhang lowered his head gloomily on one side.

  Zhou's faction assigned several baskets of wild vegetables to be taken out, and the children were about to leave when they were called back into the house by Zhang.

  "Everyone wear a straw hat, the sun is scorching now." Zhang took out straw hats for several children and looked at Lian Mian'er, "Mian'er's head injury hasn't healed yet, don't go."

  "Mother, I'll go with brother and sister, on behalf of second sister." Little Seven said voluntarily.

  "I and Wu Lang can dig a bit more, Xiao Qi is at home playing with Man Er." said Lian Zhi Er.

  Lian Wulang also nodded.

  The children are all sensible and diligent, and they get along well with each other. Zhang felt very relieved.

  "That's okay." Zhang nodded.

  "Mother, I'm going." But Lian Muer didn't agree. She didn't want to stay cooped up in the house. She wanted to go outside and take a look around. Moreover, she also didn't want the few kids to do chores for her.

  Afraid that Zhang would not agree, Lianpang added: "Mother, I don't have a headache anymore. It's stuffy in the house, I'll go out for a walk, maybe it will get better faster."

  Zhang thought for a moment, digging wild vegetables wasn't hard work, and with Lianzhi'er and Wulang taking care of Lianmeng'er, she nodded in agreement.

  "Man Er, sit on the kang, Mother will bandage your feet." Zhang Shi called out to Lian Man Er.

  What? Even Lian Man's face turned white with fright, and she quickly hid behind Lian Zhi.

  "Mother, I don't need you to bind my feet," said Lian Wan. She thought Zhang Shi didn't want her to lose at the starting line and wanted to bind her feet herself.

  Lian Zhi'er, Wu Lang and Xiao Qi all burst out laughing.

  "Second sister, you're still so afraid of being wrapped up, haha......" Little Qi's big eyes narrowed into a smile.

  Foot binding is crippling, and you're still laughing! Lian Man's heart is filled with grievances.

  Lian Zhi'er smiled and pulled Lian Man'r over.

  "Don't be afraid, Xiaoman, it's not that kind of foot binding, it doesn't hurt."

  Are there different types of foot binding, and is there a painless one? Even Lian'er doesn't believe it. This must be the case - telling children that medicine isn't bitter is just to trick them into taking their medicine.

  "I don't want foot binding." Lian Man'er looked at Zhang Shi holding a roll of gauze walking towards her, she felt like crying.