Unstoppable Thoughts
After the laborers had rested and eaten, they were ready to start working.
The workers were accustomed to feeling drowsy after lunch, but with the cold wind howling and no shelter in sight, they couldn't take a nap.
Upon Zhou Wulang splashing cold water on their faces, the three children yawned and instantly felt refreshed.
Zhou Wulang chuckled and asked, "Have we returned home?"
"No," Manbao finally remembered the task at hand, "we haven't finished questioning the people yet."
Zhou Wulang scratched his head and said, "Alright, then we'll stay here with you."
"Brother Wu, why don't you go fetch water and start a fire," Manbao suggested. "We can simmer the leftover bones for added flavor..."
Zhou Wulang was taken aback and quickly responded, "Manbao, we can't be so unkind; we've already simmered them once."
"We're not selling the soup; we're giving it to them for free," Manbao explained. "They've already had their lunch, and they'll need dinner later. We can't let Brother San have cold water for dinner." "Besides, boiling a bowl of soup and a pot of soup both require the same amount of effort, so just go ahead and make it for them."
Zhou Wulang sighed in relief, "That's not difficult." "I'll fetch the water and start the fire."
After all, it was just firewood; once ignited, it would burn.
However, he was reluctant to use salt because it was expensive.
While Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang went to gather firewood, Manbao and Baishanbao continued their questioning. They had taken copious notes and intended to sort them out upon their return, seeking guidance from their teacher on how to compose an article.
After questioning the people, Manbao finally had time to observe the workers. She was curious about the purpose of digging ditches on both sides of the main road, where the water from the ditches would drain, and what they would do if the excavated soil was insufficient to fill the holes on the road.
She had many questions. When she found out that they would be working on irrigation the next day instead of road digging, she was excited to learn and observe.
Zhou Wulang filled the pot with water, covered it, and started the fire. Manbao and Baishanbao sat in front of the stove, warming themselves and discussing how to organize their notes.
Manbao suggested, "It's best to write them as individual stories so we can read them as bedtime stories."
Baishanbao disagreed, "I've already written them down; I don't want to read them again." Let's write the article directly.
"We've written them down, but our teacher hasn't seen them yet."
"Just give the notebooks to the teacher, why bother organizing them?" Baishanbao complained. "I'm the only one writing, and my hand gets tired."
"Let Baier help you."
Baier immediately refused without thinking, "I won't help!"
Manbao felt a little disappointed and said to Baishanbao, "Don't worry, when my handwriting is ready, I'll write with you."
"When will your handwriting be ready?"
Manbao confidently replied, "Soon, very soon."
She had plenty of paper from her last visit to the market, so she decided to practice her handwriting seriously when she got home. With her intelligence, she believed she would learn quickly.
Baishanbao was skeptical because he had practiced handwriting every day for a long time before learning.
Zhou Wulang ignored the two children. Once the soup had boiled, he extinguished the fire, leaving some embers at the bottom of the pot to keep the water hot.
When the dinner bell rang, Zhou Liulang went to inform everyone that the soup was ready. The laborers were delighted to hear that the soup was free, and they eagerly brought their bowls to be filled. Some even ran back to their thatched huts to pour out the cold water from their bamboo tubes and refill them with hot water.
They decided to stuff the bamboo tubes into their quilts, hoping to have warm water to drink later in the night.
Zhou Sanlang also had a bamboo tube.
Zhou Wulang filled it to the brim and whispered, "Brother San, we'll come back tomorrow." Leave some dry rations for one meal, and I'll take the rest back. "Tomorrow, I'll have my wife reheat them and bring them to you."
Zhou Sanlang agreed and brought out all of his remaining dry rations, leaving only one pancake for himself. The rest was taken back by Zhou Wulang.
Since they had a donkey cart, they returned to the village early that day. Manbao handed the box containing the notebooks and writing materials to Baishanbao, saying, "After I finish dinner at home, I'll come to find you, and we can discuss it together."
Baishanbao didn't want to write, but he nodded, "Okay."
Looking around, he whispered to Manbao, "Remember to bring some candy. "I like the red ones."
Manbao also whispered back, "Don't tell anyone."
She only ate that particular kind of candy, and the ones she gave to others were a different color. It didn't seem like the type of candy that could be produced in this era.
Fortunately, Baishanbao was not very knowledgeable, so he didn't understand, and Manbao was happy to share good things with her good friend.
Manbao also asked Baishanbao in a low voice, "Remember to bring osmanthus cake and chestnut cake; they're both delicious."
Baishanbao replied, "You can only choose one."
Manbao hesitated but finally made up her mind, "Then let's have osmanthus cake today and chestnut cake tomorrow."
"In that case, I won't ask for red candy tomorrow. Do you have yellow?" "I want yellow candy."
"Yes, I'll bring it for you."
So, both little friends were satisfied and bid each other farewell.
Daji stood under the cart, smiling as he watched the two children whispering to each other.
After finishing their secret conversation, Zhou Wulang picked up his sister and waved goodbye to the two young masters of the Bai family.
The three sisters-in-law heard the commotion at the door and ran out to see. When they saw that the group had returned, they went to help carry the pot and asked, "Did you sell it all?"
Zhou Wulang nodded excitedly.
The entire Zhou family locked themselves in to count the money.
Zhou Wulang took the bags out of the wooden barrel and poured the copper coins onto the table.
The whole family looked in amazement at the small pile of copper coins. Xiao Qianshi exclaimed, "Did you really make money?" How much did you spend on buying meat flowers?
Zhou Wulang explained the expenses. After deducting the radishes and scallions they brought from home, they had earned a total of 178 wen.
Even Zhou Siliang couldn't help but feel envious and wanted to back out of his promise to help build the house for the Bai family.
He looked at Manbao, feeling that she was favoring her fifth brother, even though they used to be very close.
Manbao didn't realize her fourth brother's resentment. She happily set aside the money for her fifth brother for the next day. When she set aside 100 wen, leaving only 60% of the money, Qianshi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and ask, "Why do you need so much?" Wasn't it just 20 when?
Manbao reasoned, "Since we know how to make money, we should buy more tomorrow, Mother." You don't know how pitiful they are. The government only provides them with a plain bun, and they have no vegetables to eat. "My friend said that people will get sick if they don't eat vegetables."
Qianshi found her reasoning sound, "Alright, then tomorrow we'll buy more." Why do you need so much? "Don't you have enough?"
Manbao was confident, "We'll need it soon, very soon."
Since she had plenty of paper, she decided to practice her handwriting seriously when she got home. With her intelligence, she believed she would learn quickly.
Baishanbao was skeptical because he had practiced handwriting every day for a long time before learning.
Zhou Wulang ignored the two children. Once the soup had boiled, he extinguished the fire, leaving some embers at the bottom of the pot to keep the water hot.
When the dinner bell rang, Zhou Liulang went to inform everyone that the soup was ready. The laborers were delighted to hear that the soup was free, and they eagerly brought their bowls to be filled. Some even ran back to their thatched huts to pour out the cold water from their bamboo tubes and refill them with hot water.
They decided to stuff the bamboo tubes into their quilts, hoping to have warm water to drink later in the night.
Zhou Sanlang also had a bamboo tube.
Zhou Wulang filled the container to the brim and whispered, "Brother San, we'll come back tomorrow." Leave some dry rations for one meal, and I'll take the rest back. Tomorrow, I'll have my wife reheat them and bring them to you.
Zhou Sanlang agreed and brought out all of his remaining dry rations, leaving only one pancake for himself. The rest was taken back by Zhou Wulang.
Since they had a donkey cart, they returned to the village early that day. Manbao handed the box containing the notebooks and writing materials to Baishanbao, saying, "After I finish dinner at home, I'll come to find you, and we can discuss it together."
Baishanbao didn't want to write, but he nodded, "Okay."
Looking around, he whispered to Manbao, "Remember to bring some candy." I like the red ones."
Manbao also whispered back, "Don't tell anyone."
She only ate that kind of candy, and the ones she gave to others were a different color, as it didn't seem like the kind of candy that could be made in this era.
Fortunately, Baishanbao was not very knowledgeable, so he didn't understand, and Manbao was happy to share good things with her good friend.
Manbao also whispered to Baishanbao, "Don't forget to bring osmanthus cake and chestnut cake; they're both delicious."
Baishanbao replied, "You can only choose one."
Manbao hesitated but finally made up her mind, "Then let's have osmanthus cake today and chestnut cake tomorrow."
"In that case, I won't ask for red candy tomorrow." "Do you have yellow?" "I want yellow candy."
"Yes, I'll bring it for you."
So, both little friends were satisfied and bid each other farewell.
Daji stood under the cart, smiling as he watched the two children whispering to each other.
After concluding their secret conversation, Zhou Wulang lifted his sister and bid farewell to the two young masters of the Bai family.
The three sisters-in-law heard the commotion at the door and ran out to see. When they saw that the group had returned, they went to help carry the pot and asked, "Did you sell it all?"
Zhou Wulang nodded excitedly.
The entire Zhou family locked themselves in to count the money.
Zhou Wulang took the bags out of the wooden barrel and poured the copper coins onto the table.
The whole family looked in amazement at the small pile of copper coins. Xiao Qianshi exclaimed, "Did you really make money? How much did you spend on buying meat flowers?"
Zhou Wulang explained the expenses. After deducting the cost of the radishes and scallions they brought from home, they had earned a total of 178 wen.
Even Zhou Siliang couldn't help but feel envious and wanted to renege on his promise to help build the house for the Bai family.
He looked at Manbao, feeling that she was favoring her fifth brother, even though they used to be very close.
Manbao didn't realize her fourth brother's resentment. She happily set aside the money for her fifth brother for the next day. When she set aside 100 wen, leaving only 60% of the money, Qianshi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and ask, "Why do you need so much?" Wasn't it just 20 wen?
Manbao reasoned, "Since we know how to make money, we should buy more tomorrow, Mother." You don't know how pitiful they are. The government only provides them with a plain bun, and they have no vegetables to eat. "My friend said that people will get sick if they don't eat vegetables."
Qianshi found her reasoning sound, "Alright, then tomorrow we'll buy more." Why do you need so much? "Don't you have enough?"
Manbao was confident, "We'll need it soon, very soon."