Chapter 10: Getting a smartphone
Other than the two young children playing at the central courtyard, there is also Bai Yi Ling who already arranged the bamboo fungus and ear woods on a large canvas to dry.
It is already 4.00 pm but there are still sunlight, they cannot leave the mushrooms in the basket just like that, if not, they might go bad.
"Jiejie!" The two children ran to the entrance when they saw Bai Yi Yang returning.
"Hello.."
Bai Yi Yang pat Fang Fang head with her free hand.
"So many mushrooms? What is this white things it looks like animal fur? What is this mushroom, why is its head wrinkled?"
The two curious kids ask a lot of questions while Bai Yi Yang and Bai Yi Ling arrange the mushrooms on the canvas.
Bai Yi Yang patiently explain, what is the scientific name, what the local people call it. Then how does it taste and how to cook it.
"Jiejie, you know how to recognise mushrooms? I can only recognise these common one."
Bai Yi Ling point at the oyster mushroom and the ear woods.
They are common, she had also cook and ate them before.
"En. Not so much, I read a few books in the library at the last school and ask the teacher one or two things. I also don't know much." She smiled at Bai Yi Ling.
Now she doesn't even blink her eyes while lying and making up stories.
"Oh I see."
Bai Yi Ling really believe it.
She knows that the high school library has a lot of books and actually there are a lot of local who can recognise mushrooms, especially the common one.
She just doesn't know that her sister have the ability.
"Then can we go tomorrow? We also want to pick some mushrooms."
Bai Yi Fang asked, pleading.
Today, their oldest sister secretly leave when they were sleeping, so she may do it again tomorrow.
Bai Yi Ling also secretly look over.
She is actually more curious about the forest near their house now after seeing these mushrooms. She also wants to learn mushrooms foraging and familiarise herself with the mountain.
They have been living here for years but they only stay in the house, at most are the small vegetables farm behind the West house.
This didn't escape Bai Yi Yang eyes so she immediately agree.
She already clear the path and the forest is relatively safe since it is not that thick, so it is no problem with bringing her siblings along.
"But you must promise that you will listen to me and not run around, understand?"
Bai Yi Yang stated her condition early.
"Yes!" All three of them agree.
Bai Yi Yang smile and continue arranging the mushrooms on the canvas.
She took special care for the morels mushroom and especially warn her siblings that these mushrooms can pay months of their food expenses.
The younger one immediately stayed far away from that certain mushrooms while Bai Yi Ling lecture them some more. She have been telling them to stop messing around, only after hearing that the mushroom is expensive did they stopped messing around.
This merry sight is what enters Bai Yi Chen eyes when he enters the courtyard.
His siblings are arranging various mushrooms on a canvas that has been spread at the central courtyard.
"What is all these?" Bai Yi Chen ask.
He briefly head to the West House and left his things there.
"Mushrooms. I picked them when I explore the nearby forest around our house. All of these are edible, I won't dare pick mushrooms that I don't know about." Before Bai Yi Chen ask these and that, Bai Yi Yang already said her points.
Bai Yi Chen also found these mushrooms familiar, he have seen this sold outside and read about a few of them.
"Morels?" He look at the neatly arranged mushrooms, he looks quite impressed.
"Gege also knows? Jiejie said these mushrooms can feed us for months." Bai Yi Mo said.
"Know a bit. This is indeed quite expensive." Bai Yi Chen nod.
"This is not all for sale, we also need to eat this. Today is a bit late, tomorrow get a chicken so that we can eat chicken with mushrooms."
Bai Yi Yang said to Bai Yi Chen.
Bai Yi Chen nod. It will be very nutritious for the younger ones too.
What more, it has been long since they haven't eaten chicken, they have been living a difficult life, as long as they have something to eat then it is good enough. Where can they have money to eat meat many times?
Not long after, with Bai Yi Chen help, they finish sorting through the mushrooms and laid them on the canvas.
"Lets go to the kitchen to talk."
Bai Yi Chen took the things he bought from the East House to the kitchen.
The dining table has become their meeting place since there were nowhere to sit in the living room.
The younger children eyed the two white paper bags in Bai Yi Chen hands.
They were secretly hoping that it is delicious food.
"This is YangYang and this is Xiao Ling."
Bai Yi Chen hand over the two paper bags to the respective person.
Bai Yi Yang is calm, she knows that this must be her smartphone. So she grinned at the curious children and open it, she took out the box containing her smartphone and open it.
Inside, a shiny new phone is revealed.
"Wahhh!!"
The two little one eyes widened, they stick to Bai Yi Yang like glue but they didn't dare to touch the smartphone.
Their eldest brother Bai Yi Chen have one, but it was smaller and not as pretty as the one in Bai Yi Yang hand.
"This is the latest release from this brand, this brand is the best these years. I also bought Xiao Ling smartphone from the same brand. The function is quite good." Bai Yi Chen said.
"Thank you ge."
Bai Yi Yang grinned.
She then let Fang Fang sat on her lap and pull the other chair so that Xiao Mo can look too.
The first thing she do is turned on the phone, then she saw that the sim card is already inside. Then she put on the transparent phone cover and she notice that there is already screen protector.
Bai Yi Chen is quite good. It would be annoying if she have a phone but cannot use it because of no sim card.
She saw all those necessary apps are there, including Allpay.
They are still underage, so opening their own accounts need the guardian approval. Bai Yi Chen has opened an account long time ago, it was opened by their parents.
Then he started actively using it because of their parents insurance.
So Allpay is all that she can use. There are limit here and there but she doesn't need much money anyway.
She go straight to to Allpay, the widely used money apps in smartphones and saw the balance, there are some 44,600+ yuan left in it.
Bai Yi Chen surely do his job fast.
"You also transferred the money to my Allpay." Bai Yi Yang ask.
"That is your money, it's up to you to spend it. Xiao Ling phone is 960 yuan, she is going to use it for a long time so I picked a good one." Bai Yi Chen said.
Bai Yi Yang nod a few times.
If it were her, she would have also bought a similar one with hers.
Bai Yi Chen feels a bit awkward to see that her twin sister is already showing the younger one a few things.
His sister is really quite shocking these days, he was ready to teach her how to use the phone but she already checked her balance. What next, will she enter do online shopping next?
His guess was correct since Bai Yi Yang is currently installing all shopping apps, delivery services, social medias and so on.
She even install the video platform for kids so that the little one can listen to songs or learn one or two things.
Bai Yi Ling was still in disbelief. Does the paper bag given to her have smartphone too? It is quite similar to her sister's.
And her brother said that it was 960 yuan? That is too expensive right.
"Why are you not opening it yet? Me and your sister both agree that you need a smartphone too. It is easier when school will start. We are not in the same school, at least you can inform us if there is something." Bai Yi Chen said.
She understands the look in Bai Yi Ling face, she is usually the most sensible, she rather don't have these extra things.
"Gege, jiejie. I..I don't need it..I can just use public phone.." Bai Yi Ling said.
"It has been bought. I also register your number to Allpay, I already transfer 100 yuan for you to use. When school start I will transfer some more." Bai Yi Chen add.
"Xiao Ling, smartphone is also useful for your study, you can search study materials in the internet. You can also contact your friends. Take it. Later at night jiejie will teach you."
Bai Yi Yang said, all smiles.
"Er jiejie, open it quickly. I want to see it."
Bai Yi Mo and Bai Yi Fang urge.
Bai Yi Ling smile sweetly and open the bag, then took out the delicate smartphone.
She is so careful and hold it tightly.
"Turn it on, you press the button on the top for a few seconds." Bai Yi Yang said.
Bai Yi Ling did as she was told and the screen light up.
"Jie, a mobile phone is really interesting."
Bai Yi Fang comment.
"Fang Fang doesn't need a phone for now. When you start going to school, then jiejie will bought you one."
Bai Yi Yang caress her hair softly.
"Alright!"
Bai Yi Fang agree just like that.
She knows there are a lot of kids in school. Now she still cannot go to school so she and Xiao gege stay at Grandma Zhou place when their older siblings go to school.
"Right, ge. I also planned to buy a bicycle for Xiao Mo. Do you know any good brands? Should we buy it in shop or just order online?" Bai Yi Yang said to Bai Yi Chen.
"Bicycle? He never ride one, he doesn't know how." Bai Yi Chen said.
Hearing that they are talking about him now, Bai Yi Mo also listen carefully.
"Gege, I know a bit. I ride the other bicycle a few times." Bai Yi Mo said.
"Didn't I told you not to ride others before?"
Bai Yi Chen frown.
Uh oh. Busted! Bai Yi Yang secretly thought.
Bai Yi Mo look down. It was really his fault, he knows that bicycle is expensive, what if he broke other people bicycle. What more, if he is not careful, he also may fall.
"I am sorry, I will never do it again."
Bai Yi Mo said, tears threatening to falls.
The atmosphere suddenly become a bit gloomy.
"Xiao Mo is really wrong this time. Your gege doesn't allow you to ride bicycle, I am sure you know why. So next time, when you are not allowed to do something, you either accept and follow it or if you don't understand you should ask the reason. Jiejie and your gege is not unreasonable, if you can provide us with good points, of course there are adjustments for everything. Understand?"
Bai Yi Yang remind, especially to Bai Yi Ling and Bai Yi Mo who already understand a few things.
As for Bai Yi Fang, forget about it.
When she was talking, she was also listening attentively but she is sure that she don't understand most of it.
The two children nod, especially Bai Yi Mo.
He also admit that he is wrong this time.
"Fang Fang will listen to everything jiejie said."
Bai Yi Fang said earnestly.
Even Bai Yi Chen is moved with her twin words.
His thinking is also a bit wrong. He was looking at his point of view only, as the eldest, most experienced and the decision making in the family, he also thinks that his words should be followed no matter what.
But this two days, Bai Yi Yang start discussing and negotiating a lot of things with him.
She will tell him her defence, her opinions and suggestions.
If before he is like the parent of his siblings, now he feels like he should have treated them as the partner instead, he was really a bit too overbearing before.
"Xiao Mo did wrong but giving him a bicycle is beneficial. Our house is a bit too far from the village, it took at least 15 minutes by feet. The nearest grocery store is still at the village, as long as Xiao Mo promise to help around later that it is the best. What more when we return to school later, Xiao Mo and Fang Fang can go easily to Grandma Zhou house. Having a bicycle will save more time and the children will be less tired."
Bai Yi Yang said all her points, at the same time defending Bai Yi Mo.
Bai Yi Mo look at her sister like a kind angel, then turn to his brother with hopeful eyes.
What else can Bai Yi Chen said, when she said it like that, everything sounds beautiful but how can he not understand boys, when they are at home then Bai Yi Mo still can be controlled, wait until they start going to school again.
Won't he abandon his younger sister at Grandma Zhou house and go around going crazy with his friends?
"Let him have it, now you have a card against him."
Bai Yi Yang wink and whisper to Bai Yi Chen.
Bai Yi Chen sigh and smile.
"Alright. But if there are any accidents or any complaints from the village then I will sell the bicycle back. Do you agree?" Bai Yi Chen said.
"I agree. If I really cause trouble then I will sell the bicycle myself." Bai Yi Mo said.
"Good. I will take a half day off tomorrow after lunch, then we go to the town."
Bai Yi Chen said to Bai Yi Mo.
The children cheers happily. Fang Fang cheers to, she naturally think that she is going too.
"I want to go too."
Bai Yi Yang also a bit curious.
She want to look around town too.
There are too much things to buy. She will discuss it with Bai Yi Chen after making her list.