Chapter 21

Learning Etiquette

Manfah pedaled her bicycle, carrying a bucket along. Soon, she was riding alongside Mafueang to the fields, which took about fifteen minutes.

Along the way, the villagers greeted her warmly. Some were kind enough to offer her snacks and treats.

“How are you, Little Manfah?”

“Have you eaten yet, dear?”

“Are you going to collect snails, Manfah?”

“Mafueang, do you want some snacks, dear?”

“Mafueang, could you take this to Village Headman Phin for me? Last time, your father gave me money to see the doctor. Tell him I’ll return it in two days.”

Manfah and Mafueang happily gathered apple snails together.

“Hey, look at this one. It’s huge. It’s going to be so chewy.”

“Yeah, we just need to wash off the mud and get rid of the smell. Then it’ll be delicious.”

“Manfah, have you gotten closer to your grandpa?”

“Hmm, I think so, maybe…” Manfah replied uncertainly.

Mafueang said, “Dad mentioned that in two years, you’ll be moving to the Capital of Siam.”

Manfah noticed the sadness in Mafueang’s voice.

“Yeah, but I’ll still have to come back during the holidays to take care of the garden. We’ll see each other then. Or you could visit me there during the break. I’ll scout out all the cake shops and take you to try them. How does that sound?”

“Hehe, that sounds exciting.”

“By the way, for high school, will you study in the city of Singkhon Province or in the Capital of Siam?”

"I don't know. Part of me wants to explore further, but another part is afraid I'll miss my parents."

"If you study in the Capital of Siam, you can stay at my house. I'll ask my parents."

"Wouldn't that be too much trouble?"

"Not at all. Why? Are you scared of them?"

"Well... aren't you?"

"That's my grandpa. He just looks stern, but he spoils me rotten."

"Isn't it that he can't handle you?" Mafueang teased with a knowing smile. Well... everyone already knows.

"You always see through everything," Manfah gave Mafueang a playful glare, as if she were a mischievous child.

She was actually a sweet and adorable girl.

It's just that every breath she took cost money! That's all there was to it!

And in her past life, she ended up single for this very reason...

Thinking about it made her sad. Sniff, sniff. By the time she started looking for a partner, she found out her womb couldn't have children anymore. She worked so hard that her health suffered, leaving her to watch others enjoy warm family lives.

"Hehe, I know you so well. Even when we were kidnapped by bandits, you stayed calm. I was the only one crying and panicking."

Manfah made a funny face. "If I'm not scared of bandits, why would I be scared of my grandpa?"

"So, what are you most afraid of?"

"The day when no money comes in."

Mafueang “…”

Shouldn't have asked!

When the two girls had gathered enough snails to fill their bucket, they sat down to crack the shells and get to the meat.

Since they were already messy, they might as well go all out.

"Planning to make snail curry today?" Grandma Tan asked as she walked over.

"You're here too, Grandma?" Manfah was surprised.

Grandma Tan rolled her eyes. "I had nothing else to do."

"…"

Grandma Tan's life was just... perfect...

Mafueang giggled. "Grandma Tan, you can't sit still, can you?"

Grandma Tan nodded. "Little Man, take mine too. I sell them for ten baht. I've already cracked the shells."

Mafueang smiled awkwardly, thinking Grandma Tan was too lazy to take them back home.

She knew Grandma Tan came to collect snails just to chat with her friends.

Manfah didn't say anything. She washed her hands and handed a ten-baht coin to Grandma Tan. If she dared to sell, Manfah dared to buy.

"Here you go! Ten baht."

"Thank you, Little Man," Grandma Tan beamed, her face lighting up like a full moon.

Then others came to sell to her as well. She asked the uncles and aunts to help crack the shells, offering an extra five baht if they cleaned them too.

Everyone eagerly dove into the water to collect snails, their faces filled with determination!

The apple snails were on the brink of extinction.

A moment of silence, please∼

Seeing everyone busy collecting snails, Mafueang worried. "We don't eat that much, do we?"

"Think of it as helping them out. I have a lot of workers at my farm, and the cafeteria has a fridge and freezer. They can be stored for a long time."

"That's great."

"Heh heh. I'm sure they'll be gone soon. If there's too much, you can sell them at my shop. We have a refrigerator there too. Selling snails with cracked shells is easier; it's more convenient for cooking."

"People with money will buy them. Most people with money like convenience," Mafueang nodded.

"Got it. Anything can be sold," Manfah raised an eyebrow.

"I'll remember that!"

Grandma Tan and the other grandmas sat together chatting.

"Hey, Sister Tan, things have been disappearing from my house a lot these past three days."

"Same here. I left my food on the table, and when I turned away for just a moment, it was gone. Only the soup was left," Grandma Samorn said.

Grandma Tan nodded. "I've lost things too. Several of my rice bags have been punctured with big holes. I have no idea who's behind it."

"My house too. My dried fish keeps disappearing."

"And my nuts and grains. Sigh… It's hard to believe we have a thief in our village. Even if they're just stealing small amounts of food, it doesn't feel right."

Mafueang, hearing this, chimed in, "My house has been robbed too. My mom thought Mafai was sneaking snacks all the time. The sun-dried pork you gave us had bags full of holes."

Manfah furrowed her brow in confusion. The more she listened, the stranger it all seemed. The thief must be out of their mind, right?

Manfah said she would pay everyone and asked them to bring the snails to her house in the evening.

"Uncle Somyot, who lives at my house, will handle the payments. I've already left the money with him, so there's no rush for you all."

"And what about other days? Can we still gather snails and sell them at your place, Little Man?"

"That's right, there are still plenty of fields left."

Manfah smiled, saying, "Yes, we're still accepting them. Don't worry, just make sure to crack the shells and clean them properly. If they're not clean, I'll have to reduce the payment."

"Got it, that's easy enough. No need to worry, Little Man."

After finishing her conversation with the villagers, Manfah and Mafueang headed to Village Headman Phin's house first, as they needed to store the items given to them by the villagers. It wasn't far, after all. Her house, on the other hand, was quite a distance away, heh heh.

Mafueang gave some snails to her mother and told her she wouldn't be home for dinner today. She planned to spend the whole day out with Manfah.

Aunt Kwan said, "Be careful riding your bike, Mafueang. Don't make too much noise and disturb Phraya Decha."

"I understand, Mom."

Manfah giggled, "Don't worry, in front of Grandpa, Mafueang is always so well-behaved!"

Manfah's teasing tone made Mafueang playfully hit her friend, and the two girls started a playful chase around the house.

Aunt Kwan watched them with a gentle smile, "Now that's more like kids. Pipop, Jitlada, your daughters are smart and good kids. There's really nothing to worry about."

The two girls chased each other until they were exhausted. Realizing it was well past noon, they quickly hopped on their bikes and raced to Manfah's house.

"Oh no, Grandpa's going to complain for sure."

Upon arrival, Manfah saw Phraya Decha Damrongsak sitting in the house, looking quite annoyed. She received two taps on the head before swiftly turning to start cooking.

"This child never knows how to be on time. After lunch, you'll be learning manners for two hours."

Manfah's face fell, "Two whole hours?"

Phraya Decha Damrongsak turned back to the TV, indicating there would be no negotiation.

Somyot, Mafueang, and Manfah hurriedly prepared the meal, aware that it was already very late and Phraya Decha Damrongsak was likely sitting with a growling stomach and a foul mood.

The table was beautifully set with spicy apple snail curry with betel leaves, three-flavored fish, omelet, chili paste, and fresh vegetables. Seeing the spread, Phraya Decha Damrongsak was pleased and sat down to eat in a good mood. Manfah attentively served the dishes, while Somyot and Mafueang ate happily, watching Manfah cater to Phraya Decha Damrongsak.

"Everything from your fridge is truly delicious, young miss. The ingredients from the garden here taste far better than those in the Capital of Siam."

Mafueang added, "I think the vegetables and fruits here are tastier than anywhere else."

Somyot agreed wholeheartedly, "Miss Manfah really has a knack for growing vegetables and fruits."

Mafueang smiled slyly, knowing the reason behind Manfah's talent.

Manfah, oblivious to the underlying meaning, beamed with pride.

The system was hers, and ultimately, it was her achievement.

Mafueang pursed her lips, thinking her friend was more thick-skinned than cement.

After they finished eating, as Phraya Decha Damrongsak had mentioned earlier, Manfah had to learn manners for two hours. Knowing she couldn't escape, she dragged Mafueang along to join her.

Ha-ha, if I'm suffering, my friend should suffer with me too.

That's what true friendship is all about!

Mafueang scowled, twisting Manfah's waist several times in annoyance.

Why are you dragging me into this?!

Bad friend!

Mafueang could only curse inwardly.

Phraya Decha Damrongsak was happy to teach Mafueang as well, and thus the ordeal began.

"Walk straight, don't hunch your back."

"Keep your face forward, shoulders back but not tense."

"Legs, walk properly, not like you're stumbling around."

Thud!

Manfah ended up with a few lumps on her head, swelling up. Ugh... am I stupid or what?

When gardening, you have to bend over; your back is always hunched.

"Very good, Mafueang. Your back is straight, and your posture is graceful. Manfah, look at your friend. See? In just a few minutes, she got it right."

"Now, let's try sitting. Keep your legs together, don't spread them like that. Look at Somyot as an example, Manfah."

In the end, she was the one who got the most criticism, while Mafueang barely received any, only praise.

“You tend to hunch over in the garden, Miss, so you’re just not used to this. If you make it a habit every day, it will improve. You're still young, so it's easier to adjust."

Mafueang chimed in, "Sitting, standing, and walking should be graceful. Do it often, make it a routine. When you go to stay with Phraya Decha in the Capital of Siam, you won't be looked down upon. Sister Prae mentioned that people there tend to judge based on social appearance."

"Who's Prae?" Phraya Decha Damrongsak asked.

" Sister Prae is the sister of the cake shop owner," Mafueang replied.

"As she said, being born into a high-ranking family means you must carry these traits."

Somyot added, "Young Miss, being noble doesn't mean acting arrogant or looking down on others. You must develop yourself to know what is appropriate and have a sense of propriety."

"Training in sitting, walking, and speaking is just the basics."

Mafueang asked, "So, can I become a graceful noble? My father is just a village head."

"Of course, Miss Mafueang. Nobility isn't limited to any one class. Manners and etiquette can be learned by anyone, regardless of their background. The details and purposes might differ slightly, but even villagers need to show respect and courtesy to one another, don't they?"

Both children nodded.

Somyot smiled and said, "Villagers don't have many social rules because they don't need to interact with high-ranking individuals often. At most, they need to know how to live harmoniously and show respect to save face. But families that work in the palace for the His Majesty must be meticulous and highly cautious. We have numerous customs and protocols. Our words and actions are like a river that never flows backward. If a mistake is made, it might be too late… to fix it. These practices help train the mind to be calm, to think before speaking, and to observe rather than rush into things. A society that is more strict and meticulous means we must be even more careful about the consequences of our actions."

"Wow... that's deep," the children were impressed.

"In the palace, even a small mistake can lead to execution."

The children started to sweat. "Working in the palace must be really tough."

Phraya Decha Damrongsak added, "Even though you two might not need to enter the palace or meet high-ranking individuals, having these qualities will help you be cautious with the people you encounter, wherever you may be. Before taking any action, you'll learn to assess the situation first. Prudence and carefulness are crucial. Smart people often meet their end quickly because they lack prudence."

Mafueang showed determination. "Can I come and learn with Manfah often? I want to be smart and not meet an early end."

Phraya Decha Damrongsak nodded—fitting indeed for someone who’s a friend of Manfa. "Of course."

Manfah held her head, sighing... Ouch, it hurts. Before she can develop such a personality, she wonders what her head will turn into first.