Chapter 156: Contribution
Sure enough, after dinner, before it got dark, Old Zhou gathered the whole family together for a meeting, formally announced the decision to build houses, and told everyone that seven houses would be built this time.
Their house has a total of six rooms, with three large rooms in the middle. One is the main room, the main room facing the sun is where Old Zhou and his family live, and the other two rooms are where Zhou Dalang and his family live.
Of the east and west wings, only the west wing has two complete rooms, while the east wing has only one. This is because the kitchen is built on the east side and is built down along the house.
Old Zhou was reluctant to use bricks and stones to build the kitchen, so he built it with mud mixed with thatch.
This time they planned to expand to the side, so they just had to tear down the wall of the yard.
Old Zhou originally wanted to open a small door to get in, but then he thought that if he opened a small door here, he would have to build a big door on the other side for convenient entry and exit, which would cost a lot of money. So after discussing with Qian, he decided to tear down the east wall of the courtyard, so that there would be only one courtyard.
The kitchen and woodshed are all here. There is enough space over there, so we just build seven rooms, three in the middle, without leaving a main hall, and two rooms each on the east and west wings, and we are done.
Old Zhou had a very good plan. "The place is big enough. Let's build a spacious house. It will be useful when Datou and his family get married in the future. It will save trouble."
Zhou Dalang and the others were very excited, but still a little worried. "Dad, is there enough money?"
Old Zhou was very straightforward, "Not enough."
Everyone: ...But what are they discussing here?
"So each of you has to contribute a portion of the money." Old Zhou said without hesitation, "Your youngest sister is only six years old. She gave me five hundred coins the other day to build a house."
Old Zhou didn't say anything else, but everyone immediately felt like a mountain had fallen on their shoulders.
Zhou Dalang looked around and asked, "Dad, how much more is needed?"
Old Zhou said while smoking a cigarette, "The house is built, but we still need to make the bed and prepare the bedding."
The brothers felt even more pressured. Zhou Dalang calculated the private money of their family and finally gritted his teeth, "Dad, I'll take out two taels of silver."
With Zhou Dalang setting the example, Zhou Erlang and Zhou Sanlang naturally had no choice but to follow suit. Zhou Erlang should have no problem, but Zhou Sanlang looked a little bitter. He earned the least among the brothers, and their private stash totaled only a little over two taels. They only had this money because they followed their eldest brother and took turns selling food to the laborers.
After paying 60% to the government and splitting it equally between the two of them, he could save 70 or 80 cents a day.
Zhou Sanlang felt it was difficult, but Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang agreed to take out two taels of silver without blinking an eye.
Then everyone looked at the silent Zhou Silang.
Zhou Silang wanted to cry. He stared back, he really wanted to give it, but he had to have it!
Old Zhou coughed lightly and said, "Don't worry about the fourth brother's share. He can pay it back after he pays off his family's debts."
What everyone actually wants to say is that it doesn’t matter if the fourth brother doesn’t give it, but since dad has said so, let’s just do it.
Zhou Xi said, "Dad, I'll give two taels too."
Old Zhou frowned and said, "Your brothers are all here, so you don't have to pay. When the fourth brother wants to get married, you can lend him some money for the wedding. He will pay you back when he earns money in the future."
Zhou Silang: ... Very good, I have one more debt.
Zhou Xi said, "I live at home too. Manbao has already gone out, so there's no reason for me not to go out."
Old Zhou blurted out, "You're not getting married?"
Zhou Xi said: "I won't get married."
Old Zhou was so angry that he knocked his pipe. Qian, who had been silent all the time, said, "Alright, just take what your daughter gave you."
Qian said to Zhou Xi, "Give me the money later."
Zhou Xi said "hmm".
Old Zhou was a little angry. When he returned home, he asked Qian, "Are you really planning to keep the child at home forever?"
It has been almost a year and Zhou Xi is still not married. Old Zhou doesn't think it is because his daughter can't get married, but it can only be because his wife has not put enough effort into finding a partner for her.
Qian said, "Wait until she's thought it through before getting married. Haven't you seen that she's gained weight and a rosy complexion over the past year? I've asked, and the doctor says she's almost recovered. I don't like any of the families the matchmakers suggest."
Old Zhou's eyes lit up and he asked, "Can you give birth?"
Qian said "hmm".
Old Zhou was happy and finally gave in. "Okay, then let's take our time and look for someone better this time. A widower is fine, but he can't take care of the children. It's not easy to be a stepmother."
When he heard that his daughter's illness was cured, Old Zhou's conditions improved. "And the elderly at home need to be taken care of carefully. Don't let them do the same as the Liu family."
Qian threw the thread all over his face and said, "Manbao is listening."
Old Zhou pulled the thread off and turned around to meet Manbao's bright eyes. He pressed her head down and said, "Go to bed quickly. You have to go to school tomorrow."
It seems that we need to build a house. It’s not even convenient to talk.
It is even harder to find a marriage for Zhou Xi than Zhou Silang. Old Zhou is prepared for a protracted battle, so he will not refuse her gift money. She will definitely stay at home for a long time.
After collecting the contributions from his sons and daughters, Old Zhou counted them and was happy. This way, there would be enough money to build the house.
At this time, Zhou Dalang was also talking to Xiao Qianshi, "I wonder how much money my parents have saved, is it enough to build seven rooms?"
Mrs. Qian was also worried and whispered, "Back then, building these six rooms, plus buying the things inside, cost 42 taels. Now they need new beds and new bedding, too. I'm afraid even 50 taels won't be enough."
Zhou Dalang nodded. "Yeah, I wonder how much of Lao Si's debt he has paid off. Oh, and he still owes us money, right?"
Xiao Qian then remembered that, yes, the fourth brother still owed them money.
The couple looked at each other, and Zhou Dalang said, "Old Four's money is not in his hands. We don't know how much he has paid back. Tomorrow, when you have time, ask Manbao. I asked her, but she refused to tell me."
Xiao Qian nodded.
Manbao and Xiao Qianshi have always been close, and their relationship is almost the same as Qianshi's, so after Xiao Qianshi prepared meals for the students, she found Manbao and took her aside to ask her.
As soon as she asked, Manbao told her everything, completely forgetting her words to reject her elder brother. Because in Manbao's heart, his elder sister-in-law was the same as himself, and she told the secret to herself, of course not to others.
"I've already paid back nine thousand seven hundred and ninety-five coins. Last year, my fourth brother paid back two thousand three hundred coins from work and business, so I still owe less than three ounces."
Xiao Qian blinked her eyes. That meant even their share had been returned. She began to count in her mind. It seemed that her mother-in-law did not have enough money. She might deduct the money that the fourth son had returned to them first. However, in this way, her mother-in-law would have at least thirty taels in her hand.
Adding the fourteen taels they gave me, I can still earn a little more during this period...
After counting the money, Xiao Qian was delighted and said, "This way, we have almost enough money to build the house."
If there are really too few beds, just don't add one.
(End of this chapter)
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