After transmigrating into the body of a wicked old woman with an empty stomach, Shen Cuihua looked at the shabby courtyard with nothing but bare walls and clenched her fists. Time to hustle! She had to hustle!
She cleaned pig intestines and simmered them in spiced broth, earning her first fortune with a single pot of braised dishes. She repaired irrigation channels and set up workshops, leading the entire village from going hungry to eating fine white flour. She built a school and taught the children to read, giving even poor kids the chance to hold a pen and keep the books.
Tiezhu went from a taciturn man to a workshop owner who could shoulder responsibility. Xiaoman grew from a wary little girl into a teacher who could stand on her own. Even Liu, the widow at the village entrance, built a new tiled-roof house by growing spices.
When an imperial plaque was hung on the workshop wall and Shenjia’ao became a prosperous town, Shen Cuihua smiled as she fanned herself. Hustle? We’re turning hard times sweet, so everyone willing to put in the effort can live well!
Later, Xiaoman stood outside the school with her children in her arms and spoke just like her: Grandma was right. Hard work brings wealth, and learning gives you a place in the world. You have to keep striving, generation after generation, and move forward together!
