"Books are too expensive. Country people like us can't afford them. If you must buy one, buy a cheaper one. They're all the same characters anyway, so you can recognize them all."
"Mom, I know. It's a good thing that Shuwen wants to learn to read. Look, even doing small business requires knowing how to count. If he learns to read, he'll have many options in the future, which is better than farming all day long."
"I understand what you said. A scholar in the family brings honor to the next three generations. Otherwise, I wouldn't have married you off in the first place. I was just thinking that if I had children in the future, they would share the honor. Others now only think that you got such a great deal by marrying into the family, and don't care about the hardships involved," Zhou clapped her hands. "Mom, you've gone off topic. I said all this to say that it's not easy to support a scholar. You should know after four years in the Zhou family that one person's education affects the whole family. We don't have that condition, so we shouldn't think too much about it. At least you can recognize some words now. Teach them to recognize some. It's better than others. It's better to be able to make a name for yourself by recognizing words than not knowing any at all.
Yes, given their current financial situation, they really couldn't afford to support a scholar. She could first educate them and then consider it when she had the means. One bite won't make a person fat. She undressed and got on the bed, snuggling up to Zhou. "Mom, I will find a way to make you live a good life."
"I'm already half buried in the ground, what's the point of hoping for those things? If you can live well, I'll be at peace even if I die. Our life now is already the best. The most gratifying thing for me in my life is that my children get along well with each other, unlike those families in the village who are always fighting over a few copper coins. Now that you are like this, I don't have to worry anymore. We have more land now, and every day in the future will be a good life."
"Mom, please don't mention the word death so often. I don't want to hear it." Chunxiao suddenly felt a lump in her throat.
"I won't say any more. If you don't like me, then I won't say any more. Your father and I will live forever. How can I see you getting better and better if we don't live?" Zhou smiled and patted her arm under the quilt. "You're such a grown-up, and you still cry at the slightest thing. Okay, I won't say any more. Go to sleep. We have to go to the market tomorrow."
Chunxiao was half asleep when she heard voices outside. She touched the place beside her and found that Zhou had already gotten up. The air outside the quilt was chilly, and there was a faint light in the sky. "Mom!" she shouted outside.
Zhou came over quickly, followed by her two sisters-in-law.
"You sleep a little longer. We will take the ox cart and leave at dawn." Zhou tucked the quilt for her.
Both sisters-in-law came in, and she couldn't continue lying down, so she simply pulled the quilt and sat up, "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, I'm going to trouble you again today."
Tian looked at her and smiled. "What do you mean by hard work? I feel so happy making money with my husband. Mother is right. It's still early. You can still sleep for another half an hour. The position of the ox cart was agreed yesterday. You and mother will take half of it with the children. But there are so many children, so you have to be careful on the road."
"Why do I still hear Dad's voice?"
"Your father is here too. He said he's going to town with your eldest brother and the others. I'll go back and settle the little ones down first. You can go directly there after you've had a good night's sleep."
"Mom, I don't want to sleep anymore. I'm not sleepy now." Chunxiao lifted the quilt. "I'll go with you after I'm done washing up." Seeing her get up and put on clothes, several people closed the door and went out to do their own things.
After carrying over a hundred pounds of charcoal today, there were only more than 200 pounds of wood left at home. Chunxiao glanced at the wood in the utility room and felt a little regretful. A good business was gone just like that. It was a business with no capital because she didn't have her own wood. Fortunately, she bought land with the money she earned, and she would definitely not starve to death in the future.
After locking all the doors and windows at home, Chunxiao followed Zhou to her eldest brother's house.
When we arrived, the children had already gotten up, wearing new cotton-padded clothes and newly made cotton shoes. When we saw them, we happily called them "Grandma" and "Auntie".
"Why are you all up so early?" Zhou smiled as she looked at the five children in a row. "You probably didn't sleep all night because you knew you were going to town."
"Sleep, grandma."
"When Dad and Mom get up, we get up too."
"Grandma, Mom said we're riding an ox cart today, right?"
"Aunt, Dad said he would buy us whatever we want to eat today."
Several children were chattering excitedly.
"Go find whoever made the promise. It's still early. First, help grandma get out the pig feed for the pigs on both sides. Later, your grandma will help us feed the pigs. The food for the chickens needs to be cut out as well."
After Zhou finished speaking, several younger ones quickly gathered around to help.
Chunxiao helped turn over the clothes hanging in the yard, and then went to the river to fetch two buckets of water. She didn't know what time she came back, as water had to be prepared.
After they had prepared everything that needed to be prepared at home, the day began to brighten. Zhou took Chunxiao and the five children, locked the door and went out. When they passed by Aunt Fang's yard, they gave the key to the house to Fang. It was already agreed. Aunt Fang did not ask any more questions. She just saw that they were all wearing new cotton-padded clothes, and her eyes were full of envy. "Your family is really generous. You bought a new set of clothes before the New Year."
"We've been busy all year just to have enough food and clothes. We haven't bought anything new in years, so we gritted our teeth and bought a new set this year. We can save more if we run out of money." Mrs. Zhou felt a little proud.
"You guys are smart. I'll make some for my kids too when I get the chance. They look so lively."
After the two exchanged greetings, Zhou led people to the village entrance. The ox cart had been waiting there for a long time, but today there were many people. The ox cart, which usually had only a few people, was now filled with several people. Once Zhou and the others got on, the cart was full.
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