Chapter 51: Stepfather?

Li Laoer took out ten copper coins from his pocket and placed them in Qin Fangci's palm. "Mom, these are the only ten I have. I gave them all to my younger brother when he bought paper. I want to save these ten for the bus fare."

Li Laoer smiled ingratiatingly at Qin Fangci, "Mom, we're fine today. Next time we can go into town and sell dried meat. I also want to earn more money for the family. This pig's head costs at least six cents a pound in town, so sixteen pounds is sixteen cents cheaper. And the seasonings are also more than ten cents cheaper. I also ground it at the grocery store, and it's finer than what I ground at home last time."

Although he spent twenty-three cents more on the fare, he saved it all back.

"As for these three piglets, you don't know. I asked on the ox cart and the village wanted 600 coins each. I've been biting you for half a month and you still won't let me go... It's not that I don't want to give you the ten coins, I'm just afraid you'll beat me. It was wrong of me to sneak to the county town. I was so nervous that I forgot about the money."

Qin Fangci snorted lightly and accepted the ten cents.

Li Laoer breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, his clever mother didn't use the family punishment. It would have been really painful to be beaten with a cane.

Li Baisong also gave the remaining money to Qin Fangci, and took the opportunity to explain today's expenses in detail. "Mom, my second brother really worked hard today. I also asked the son of the grocery store owner. The county town has been more secure recently. Those people should have left. We still have to take our dried meat to the city to sell."

Pens, ink, paper and inkstone are too expensive. If he wants to take the imperial examination, these are all indispensable. The few taels of silver his mother has are not enough for him to spend. He still needs to have some income.

Even if it's a small amount, it's good as long as it lasts.

"I know everything you said." Qin Fangci glanced at the sloppy old man who was peeking out. The sloppy old man coughed lightly and turned his head away to show that he was not eavesdropping. When he turned around, he saw Mrs. Du, a pregnant woman, going to get the pig offal.

I soaked two basins of wood ash in water, which weighed at least ten pounds.

"Hey, just leave it there and let me take it. You have such a big belly." The sloppy old man said as he snatched the basin from Mrs. Du's hand.

"I'm fine, I can do it." Mrs. Du was terrified. In her mind, the skill the old man had just displayed made her classify him as a scholar. How could a scholar do such a thing?

"Put it down. Go boil some water first. Then light a brazier in the yard. I'll roast the pig's head later."

Explaining to Mrs. Du in a gentle manner would only make her more panicked, so she had to give direct orders. In the past few days, Qin Fangci had also gotten to know Mrs. Du a little better.

When Mrs. Du heard her mother-in-law's instructions, she immediately stopped arguing with the sloppy old man, said "oh", and went into the kitchen to boil water.

The slovenly old man sensed something was wrong and looked at Qin Fangci and her son. "Where are you taking this? You guys, you're not really going to eat this, are you?"

Is life so bitter that I have to eat... shit?

Will he eat it or not after making such a big promise just now?

"We take it to the vegetable patch in the backyard, wash it, and then use the water directly to water the vegetable patch."

"Ah?" the sloppy old man asked in a low voice, "I don't know how to wash, what should I do?"

You don't want him to wash it?

This is beyond his ability.

"Big Brother, I'll go wash it with you. Just rub it twice with wood ash. It's okay. It tastes delicious when it's clean."

Qin Fangci was shocked again by the call of "Big Brother". Just now she wanted to drive the person away and let him say whatever he wanted, but now she wanted to keep the person to learn skills, she couldn't call him that anymore.

"What's your last name?" Qin Fangci asked.

"Ah, you're talking about me," the slovenly old man quickly put down the hot wooden basin in his hand and said with a smile, "My last name is Pan."

I was thinking about whether I should tell her my name when she asked me, and how to smoothly talk about washing pig intestines, which was beyond his ability.

"Xiao Wu, call him Mr. Pan from now on."

"I understand, mother." Li Bosong readily agreed, "Mr. Pan, let's go."

Pan Laita looked towards Qin Fangci, who was carrying Sandaner on her back and walking towards the kitchen.

ah.

Is that it?

Won’t you say a few more words?

My name is nice.

"Mr. Pan, let's carry it together. I'm injured and the doctor said I can't lift anything heavy during this period."

Pan glared, "I'm too old to carry it."

"So I said we should go together."

Pan Sloppy: “…”

After Qin Fangci cooked the pig's head, she gave it to Mrs. Du to clean it in the front yard. The two people in the backyard had not finished washing it yet.

Qin Fangci carried the child to the backyard. Li Laoer was carrying an empty bucket. Seeing Qin Fangci, he said flatteringly, "Mom, this is a waste of water. There's no water again. I think the water in the big vat at home is running low. I'll go get two buckets of water."

"Go ahead, pick up two more loads and fill both vats."

"Ah?" Li Laoer suddenly felt a slight pain in his shoulder.

If he wants to fill both tanks, he will have to make at least four trips.

Oh, five trips, and the bucket still has to be full.

However, the fact is that all the people who went to the fields have returned, but Li Laoer is still carrying water.

He picked here and used it there.

He picked out four jars of water from the two jars.

"Third brother, go fetch a load of water. I have filled the jar, so just fetch another load." Li Laoer handed the shoulder pole and bucket to Li Laosan.

Li Laosan put down the plow, picked up the empty bucket and left without saying a word.

"Second brother, you are lazy again. Mother asked you to fetch water, right?" Li Lao Da was picking on Li Lao Er. Seven taels of silver was a lot, but he couldn't look favorably upon Li Lao Er until he got the money.

"Brother, I bought three piglets. They are all in the backyard. Do you want to go and see them?" Li Laoer chose to change the subject.

"Didn't mother tell you to look after them first before buying them? Three for one ounce of silver?"

Li Lao Er didn't say how much it cost, "Well, I bought it because it seemed suitable."

The topic was successfully diverted. Boss Li went around to the backyard and happened to run into Qin Fangci and the other two who were washing the pig offal. The old man walking in front looked so unfamiliar.

What’s going on? ! !

Boss Li’s eyes almost popped out.

"Mother—who is he?!"

He worked in the fields for a whole day, and when he came back his mother found him a stepfather?

"What are you yelling about? This is Mr. Pan, the one who teaches Xiaowu."

Boss Li couldn't believe it at all. He was just doubting it just now, but now he is certain of it.

"Mom! You can't use my younger brother to stall me when you're looking for an old man! Mom, if you want to find me a stepfather, at least find a rich one, right? Why can't you find a beggar instead of a stepfather?"

Boss Li was heartbroken.

"I don't care, mother. I won't acknowledge this beggar even if I die! Send him back to wherever he came from."

Li Laoer and Li Yulan rushed over after hearing the scream: "..."

Other members of the Li family: "!!!"

"Fuck your stepfather!" Qin Fangci caught up with Boss Li and beat him up. "Try to yell again. I've already told you that I'm Xiaowu's teacher. You must have sat on your butt to be deaf. You won't listen, will you?"

Boss Li was beaten so badly that he ran away in panic. "Mom, if you want to lie to me, at least come up with a better excuse. How can a beggar like him be a gentleman?"

Pan Sloppy: “…” Very insulting.