stingy landlady

Chapter 149 Gui Xiang Comes of Age (1)

Guizhi quickly echoed Guihong's words:

"Okay, okay! I won't get married! Now you won't cry, right?"

Gui Hong burst into laughter after crying:

"Big sister! Third sister said she's not getting married! From now on, we sisters will live together like this! We'll ignore those stinky men!"

Gui Xiang stopped crying and said shyly:

"Second sister, third sister is so good!"

Seeing that the two had stopped crying, Guizhi then said:

"Second sister, eldest sister is just having her period! Every woman at this age has it. It's not something that only happens when you're pregnant or giving birth!"

Gui Hong said in disbelief:

"You're younger than me! Who told you that? I've never heard of it before!"

"Why don't we go ask Mother? I heard it from two older sisters in Huanghua Village! They used to be ladies from very respectable families!"

Gui Xiang and Gui Hong were skeptical, but they still went to find Li Shi! Li Shi's reaction exceeded Gui Zhi's expectations:

"I thought it was something serious! Guixiang! This is really bad luck! It's so messy! I only started menstruating after I got married, and I got pregnant with you right away! I haven't had my period many times, and when I did, I got pregnant with you and your sisters!"

Why are you here so early! It's so annoying! I've never asked anyone about this before! Many people dislike women having their period, saying it's bad luck if you happen to be on it. They all have to secretly handle it themselves!

"Sigh! You're still so young! Don't go talking about this anymore! This is really something! Mother will pretend I didn't hear anything! Go back to your room!"

Guizhi was stunned. How much must Li Shi dislike Guixiang for having her period!

"Mother! Aren't you going to tell my eldest sister how to handle this? Aren't you going to tell her what she should be careful about?"

"What do you mean, how do you deal with it? Find two corn husks to put on it, then throw it away! Or you can weave a straw mat yourself, use it and then throw it away, that's much easier!"

"What's there to be careful about! Nobody told me anything back then! I just watched how the older girls did it, and I just haphazardly did it myself!"

Guizhi tentatively asked:

"Mom! Are you still using straw mats or corn husks?"

Li blushed even more and said:

"Things are better now, aren't they! Mother sewed two of them herself out of old clothes, filled them with wood ash. After using them, she just poured out the wood ash, washed them clean, and we used them alternately! They could be reused many times!"

"Big sister! Did you understand? Let's go back! Big sister! My second sister and I will help you!"

Guizhi felt that her understanding of the Li family had been refreshed once again!

"What are you two young girls doing getting involved? Let her figure it out herself! Who wants to bother others with this! You two are still young, you don't know this is a dirty job, a bad omen, don't tarnish your luck!"

Guizhi couldn't help but ask:

"Mom! Is this how my grandmother taught you?"

"Your grandma never taught me anything! I have several older sisters! Don't I know how to secretly read things myself? Do I need someone to teach me?"

Guizhi could tell that Li Shi truly didn't understand! She couldn't argue with her about right and wrong! Her two older sisters were completely bewildered!

"Eldest sister, second sister! Let's go back inside first! Didn't Mother say that since I'm having my period, I shouldn't go near her? Let's go back inside first!"

Gui Xiang glared at Li Shi resentfully, then turned and ran away.

"You two should stay away from her these next few days! This unlucky period will pass in a few days!"

Guizhi was helpless, and Guihong asked Guizhi with some doubt:

"Third Sister! Is what Mother said true? Is this really bad luck?"

Guizhi pulled Guihong along and said:

"Second Sister, let's go! We'll talk about this when we get back!"

The two arrived at Guixiang's room. Guixiang was holding her old clothes, unsure what to do with them. Seeing her two younger sisters, she couldn't help but say with a touch of grievance:

"Mom says I'm going through a period of bad luck right now, aren't you two afraid?"

Gui Hong said nonchalantly:

"What unlucky period?! Mom has lived with us all these years, how come I've never heard her say anything about it? I've never heard her say she's having a bad time either. Just stay away from her! Humph! I don't care!"

Guizhi felt she should teach her two older sisters some basic physiological knowledge.

"Eldest sister! Second sister! The older sisters in Huanghua Village say that this is something every woman goes through around the age of twelve or thirteen! It happens normally once a month. Don't listen to Mother's talk about it being an unlucky period! That's what she believes, and that's what she teaches us!"

This isn't an unlucky period! It's your period! It happens every month! Everyone knows that! You can't eat cold food, avoid contact with cold water, and don't wash your hair during your period! It will get better on its own in five or six days!

"Big sister! If your stomach hurts, drink some brown sugar water! If the pain is severe, you should see a doctor! Sometimes Mom is wrong, we have to be selective in what we listen to!"

Gui Xiang's trust in Li Shi also diminished significantly.

"Hmph! Even my mother despises me so much! She's afraid I'll bring her bad luck! She wishes I were as far away from her as possible!"

Gui Hong pointed to the old clothes and changed the subject, asking Gui Xiang:

"Big sister! Have you figured out how to do it?"

Gui Xiang indeed looked at the clothes in her hand and said:

"I haven't figured it out! I don't know how to do it!"

Guizhi hadn't seen it before, but she had used sanitary napkins before. It should be about the same as before!

Guizhi gestured with her hands and said:

"Big sister! It's this long from here to here. Two layers of fabric are sewn together, leaving a piece in the middle unsewn. Put cotton inside! It'll be soft and cozy!"

Guizhi touched her old clothes with her hand; they were coarse cloth clothes she used to wear for work. She said with disdain:

"Eldest sister! Don't want these old clothes! Second sister, go and get some more fine cotton cloth! It's so soft! How can this stiff stuff be comfortable?"

Gui Hong spread her hands, sighed, and said:

"Oh dear! There was only one bolt of fine cotton cloth, I don't know where Mother used it, it's all gone! All that's left are silks and satins! Do you want it?"

Guizhi thought for a moment and said:

"I'll go ask Aunt Zhou!"

Upon seeing Jinxiu outside, I quickly told her to go and ask Aunt Zhou:

"Jinxiu! Have Aunt Zhou come over. Tell her that we need fine cotton cloth and cotton to make a menstrual belt for the young lady! She has some with her! If she knows how to make a menstrual belt, she can come and teach the young lady!"

Gui Xiang and Gui Hong looked at each other in bewilderment. As soon as Gui Zhi entered the room, Gui Hong asked:

"Is Aunt Zhou going to be as disgusted as Mother?"

Guizhi smiled and said:

"No! Aunt Zhou used to serve in official families, she's experienced everything! She's different from Mother! Mother didn't go to school, and no one taught her!"

Besides, this is a woman's private matter; even if Mother is ignorant, there's nothing she can do!

The three of them were pondering how to prepare the menstrual belt when Zhou Niangzi and Jinxiu arrived with fine cotton cloth and cotton.

"Young Miss! Second Young Miss! Third Young Miss!"

Gui Xiang blushed and said:

"Aunt Zhou! My mother says I'm going through a period of bad luck right now!"

Madam Zhou was taken aback for a moment, then smiled:

"Young Miss! Congratulations on growing into an adult!"

This unlucky period doesn't just affect us! It's that some women are irritable and prone to outbursts during their periods! Whoever gets close and ends up getting yelled at for no reason—that's the unlucky one! Haha!