Extra: Changing fate 4
Sun Baogen put his fingerprint on the divorce papers and was punished with ten strokes of the cane. His mother paid a neighbor to carry him back home, and that was the end of it.
Yuan Meiniang and her two children were taken to the Women's Federation's resettlement housing by Lady Ma.
The Women's Federation used the funds it raised to buy a courtyard house with seven or eight rooms near each Women's Federation, providing free accommodation for women and children in need.
However, this is only a temporary arrangement; they will stay for a few days. During these days, they will arrange for the women and children to be taken to new places.
"Stay here for a few days and recover. Once you've rested, we'll discuss your future arrangements," said Lady Ma. "Don't worry, there are servants here who will bring you and the children meals on time. You can also tell them if you need anything."
Yuan Meiniang suffered a miscarriage after being beaten and has been through so much trouble; she is exhausted both physically and mentally.
But without settling down and unsure of what to do next, she couldn't find peace of mind to rest.
"I want to ask, what should I do next?" Yuan Meiniang asked.
Lady Ma had seen many women like Yuan Meiniang, who had left their husbands' families, were unsure of their future, and felt insecure.
Seeing that Yuan Meiniang insisted on asking first, she sat down on the edge of the bed and said, "You can go directly to the textile factory, get a few days of training, and then you can start working and earning wages; or you can go to the Women's Technical College to learn some skills."
"I suggest you spend some money to learn a skill. Having a trade will allow you to support yourself anytime. Once you've chosen a place, you can rent a house nearby, and we'll help you register your household there."
If Yuan Meiniang doesn't receive compensation from the Sun family, the Women's Federation will still provide her with a living allowance, enough for her and her two children to live on for a month. After receiving her wages a month later, she will be able to support herself.
However, Yuan Meiniang received fifteen taels of silver as compensation from the Sun family. Although living in the capital was not easy and everything was expensive, fifteen taels of silver, if spent sparingly, would be enough for her and her son to live on for a year.
Therefore, the Women's Federation stopped providing this funding.
The suggestion to her to attend Women's Technical College was also based on this consideration.
The Women's Technical College charges tuition fees, and students do not receive income during their studies. The Women's Federation cannot possibly cover all of these expenses.
People still need to be self-reliant. The Women's Women's Federation's money doesn't grow on trees; it should be saved and given to more people in need.
Ma explained the pros and cons of the two options to Yuan Meiniang in detail.
Yuan Meiniang knew that the tuition for the short-term training course at the Women's Technical College was only one hundred copper coins. If she passed the course and her skills were up to par, the college would need her and she could work in their workshops; if she couldn't get a job in a workshop, she could take on odd jobs on the side. This was better than working in a textile factory.
After thinking it over, she decided to enroll in a short-term training program at the Women's Technical College.
For the next ten days, Yuan Meiniang rested peacefully in the courtyard, recovering from her postpartum confinement. Ten days later, she took her child and Lady Wen by carriage to the Women's Technical College.
After touring the Women's Technical College with Lady Wen and learning about several majors, Yuan Meiniang chose to make clothes with a sewing machine.
She was skilled at needlework; both before and after her marriage, neighbors would come to her for advice when they needed clothes made. After marrying into the Sun family, in addition to taking on all the housework, she also made clothes for others.
However, sewing clothes by hand is too slow. The sewing machine designed by the Crown Princess is very magical. With just a little movement of the hands and feet, it can sew needlework that is twice as fine as hand sewing, and the speed is incomparable.
Yuan Meiniang heard that after completing her studies, in addition to working in the garment workshop of the Women's Technical College, she could also take on jobs at home. All she needed to do was pay a deposit to rent a sewing machine and then pay monthly rent.
During the month she was studying at the Women's Technical College, her two daughters were allowed to attend the Women's Technical College's daycare. But afterwards, she would have to take care of them herself.
She still had money; she could afford the ten taels of silver deposit. With the rented sewing machine, she could easily work from home.
Besides working in the garment workshop, she can also take orders from outside.
Hearing that Yuan Meiniang had made a quick decision and had a very clear plan for the future, Madam Wen breathed a sigh of relief.
She said, "Your family came to our place a few days ago, demanding that we hand over their daughter and granddaughter. What are your plans regarding them?"
Upon hearing the words "family members," Yuan Meiniang's eyes turned cold.
"If possible, could you please not tell them where I'm going?"
Worried that Madam Wen might misunderstand her as unfilial, Yuan Meiniang explained, "They never care whether I live or die; they only want to take advantage of me. Otherwise, the Sun family wouldn't have dared to torment me like that."
"That day, Sun Baogen beat me so badly that I miscarried. The neighbors told them that they came over just to ask for compensation. They took the grain as compensation and left without even looking at me. Now they're in such a hurry to find me because they want to take the fifteen taels of silver I have, and then marry me off again so they can get another dowry."
Seeing that Yuan Meiniang was perfectly clear-headed, Madam Wen was relieved.
The Yuan family had gone to the Women's Federation the day after Yuan Meiniang left with them. However, they knew about the Yuan family's situation and knew that they didn't genuinely love or care about their daughter.
To allow Yuan Meiniang to rest and recuperate properly, and also because they were worried that Yuan Meiniang might be too soft-hearted and give the money to her family, thus losing this opportunity and never being able to support herself again, the Women's Women's Federation members gave Yuan's family a scare and a lecture, delaying the process. They wanted Yuan Meiniang to come to the Women's Technical College to see how others supported themselves before telling her about the situation.
"Alright, since you put it that way, we'll take the blame for you," she readily agreed.
The Women's Federation's Federation told the Yuan family that Yuan Meiniang had left with her daughter after leaving the government office, and they didn't know where they went.
If the Yuan family comes again, they only need to stick to this story.
"Since you've decided to learn sewing, you can enroll after paying the tuition," the academy's teacher said.
Yuan Meiniang paid the money and, with the teacher's introduction, rented an extra room in the small courtyard that her classmates shared.
She gets up early to take her daughter to the college, drops her off at the daycare, and then attends a sewing class herself. She eats lunch and dinner at the college cafeteria, which is economical and affordable, and saves her a lot of trouble by not having to buy groceries, cook, or clean.
As the eldest Yuan Meiniang helped with household chores from the time she could walk; whether at her parents' home or her husband's home, she was always treated like a slave and never had an easy time.
Only then did she realize how easy and wonderful life could be. There was no endless work to do the moment she opened her eyes, and no constant complaints and beatings.
Moreover, her previous life was predictable and only brought her despair. She worked numbly and lived day by day, just getting through each day as it came.
But now, Madam Ma, Madam Wen, and the teachers at the academy have painted a bright future for her, and she feels that a bright path lies ahead of her. As long as she strives forward, not only she herself, but also her daughters can live a good life.
Therefore, she was full of energy.