Expanding Ambitions

Zhou Erlang left two portions of food and soup for the two constables, instructing Zhou Wulang to deliver them and share some kind words.

Zhou Wulang agreed and left. Zhou Erlang poured the remaining food into a bowl for Manbao and brought her to sit next to Lao San to eat.

Manbao called for Baishanbao and Bai Erlang to join them.

After playing for a while, Baishanbao and Bai Erlang became hungry. They ran over and found mold in their food boxes.

Zhou Erlang smiled as he reheated the food for them. The three children gathered together to eat.

Zhou Erlang took out four large bones from the pot, each with plenty of meat on them. He gave one to each of the three children and one to Lao San.

Zhou Erlang carefully avoided people and said to Lao San, "There are a few pieces of meat left inside." We won't cook any more dishes for dinner. "You can eat the meat with some water and dry rations."

Lao San agreed and asked, "Will you come back tomorrow?"

"I will." "If I don't, Lao Wu and the others will come," Zhou Erlang whispered. "I originally thought that everyone's families were not well-off, and this business would be difficult." Who knew it's not bad at all.

Zhou Sanlang whispered back, "These days have been tough, and everyone is struggling." "Even if I had some money, I would buy some food."

Zhou Erlang nodded and whispered to Zhou Sanlang, "That's why I think there should be more than just us earning money." I want to go back and discuss this with our parents. Tomorrow, I'll take you and your sister-in-law to explore a different area of the city. I'll leave this side to Lao Wu and the others. There are still about fifty days left until the end of our service. If we can earn two hundred wen a day, that's four hundred wen for two groups of people. In ten days, that's four thousand yuan. In fifty days, that's…"

Zhou Erlang couldn't calculate it, and Baishanbao quickly said, "Twenty thousand wen."

Manbao, a step behind, also exclaimed, "Our family is going to make a fortune."

Zhou Erlang couldn't help but smile and squint his eyes. "I hope we can have a successful business like this every day."

Zhou Sanlang's heart also warmed up. "You shouldn't stay here in the afternoon." "You should go back and discuss it quickly."

"No need." We've made a promise to others, so we must fulfill it well. Otherwise, who will drink your soup and eat your food next time?

Zhou Erlang only ate a piece of dry ration with the hot soup and didn't eat the meat.

He removed all the bones from the meat and placed them in a small pot, reserving them for Zhou Sanlang to have at dinner. He also added water to the large pot and let it simmer slowly.

When it was time for dinner, Bai served everyone a bowl of lightly seasoned hot broth before tidying up and departing.

He didn't calculate the money, but he knew they had earned more today than yesterday.

He instructed Zhou Wulang, "Don't make too much food." Please remember to make this payment in the future. The laborers are unwilling to eat vegetables daily.

"Except for the portions for Lao San and the constables, we only sold about twenty servings." There are over a hundred people. How can this amount of food be enough?

Zhou Erlang insisted, "It's enough." "Trust me, anything in excess is worthless."

Manbao nodded, "Meat and vegetables are too expensive." Just now, a man mentioned that saving money is very challenging for his family.

"Did you give him the meat to eat?" Zhou Wulang got angry when this was mentioned. "I didn't even get to eat it."

"I didn't give him meat, I gave him radishes," Manbao complained, turning to look at Zhou Liulang. "The meat was eaten by Sixth Brother."

Zhou Erlang patted Zhou Liulang's head and said, "You stole your little sister's meat."

Zhou Liulang grumbled, "She gave it to me; I didn't steal it."

"You were drooling over her bowl." Manbao licked her lips and said, "Second Brother, let's go back from the market and buy some meat to eat."

"What meat do you want to buy?" You already ate some today. If you want to eat, go with your fifth brother tomorrow and have a meal with him.

"But Mom doesn't have any, Dad doesn't have any, and the sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews don't have any food to eat." "We should buy some food to eat together at home," Manbao suggested. "Mom needs to nourish her body."

Zhou Wulang also felt a bit greedy and suggested, "Second Brother, let's still buy some to take back."

Zhou Erlang looked at him and asked, "Are you going to pay?"

Zhou Wulang hesitated, "Didn't we earn money today?"

"We have to take it back to Mom to keep track," she said. "You earned a lot of money today, but you can't even spend it on meat."

Zhou Wulang couldn't bear it because, in addition to the money he had entrusted to Manbao, all the money he had on him had been taken by his father.

Zhou Liulang was the same.

Manbao reached into her pocket and took out the money she had actually taken from Keko. She said happily, "I'll pay!"

Zhou Erlang thought the girl was too naive and advised, "Manbao, if someone approaches you asking for money on the street, they are likely not trustworthy." "You can't just give away your money." Do you understand?

"Is Second Brother a bad person?"

"Of course, the Second Brother is not a bad person."

"Then Second Brother, you pay!" Manbao took back her money.

Zhou Erlang choked a bit, but he still nodded and went to the market to buy some meat.

It wasn't pork, but mutton.

Manbao was overjoyed. She thought mutton was better than pork.

Zhou Erlang noticed that his little sister was maturing and becoming more intelligent. There were many things that he couldn't fool her about now. Given her current pampered state, it seemed that he would have to earn more money to support her.

When they returned home and Mrs. Qian saw the meat, before she could say anything, Zhou Erlang said, "Mom, I plan to part ways with Lao Wu tomorrow and form a new team of workers to continue this business with my sister-in-law."

Mrs. Qian frowned and asked, "Why?" "Can't you do it together with Lao Wu?"

"It's not that, Mom." Today, we sold all the soup and dishes we cooked. I just thought, if we can sell them here, there's no reason we can't sell them elsewhere. If we separate and do it, won't we earn double the money?

After a moment of thought, Mrs. Qian furrowed her brow and asked, "Have you checked the location thoroughly?"

"Have I," I asked the constables in charge of Lao San. They said that in their section, ten miles away, there is also a group of people similar to ours. They are as far from Bai Ma Guan Town as we are, and they are not close to the county town either. They also eat cold bread and drink cold water. After the inspection, the most challenging position is theirs and ours.

Mrs. Qian nodded, "Since you have checked, then go and try." But, we only have this pot at home. How will you divide it? Only the village head's family has a cart. How will you go?

Zhou Erlang hadn't considered this and was troubled for a while.

Manbao called out from the side, "Let's buy another large pot and a cart."

Mrs. Qian glanced at her daughter and said, "We haven't even started this business yet, and you want to spend so much money…"

"It's not much, not much." Sharpen the knife before cutting wood, right? Second Brother has calculated it. We can earn twenty thousand yen.

Mrs. Qian couldn't help but laugh, "Silly child, the future is unpredictable." What if something happens in the middle? What if the business doesn't go well? How can you calculate future earnings based on today's income?