Chapter 30 Managing Money
Zhou Erlang, while asking someone to look after the baskets and bamboo baskets, pulled Manbao and Erya over to him and said sternly, "What are you running around for? Don't you know there are so many people in the county? What if you get lost?"
After selecting them, the customer felt that Zhou Erlang’s bamboo basket was of decent quality and one penny cheaper than others, so he paid for it.
After this group of guests left, Zhou Erlang was free. He finally had time to ask a few people, "Wulang, what were you running for just now?"
Zhou Wulang put the basket on the ground and showed the big rooster inside to his second brother. He said proudly, "Here, this is what we got back."
Zhou Erlang looked at the rooster, its neck hunched, its feathers mostly shed, its body covered in red skin, and couldn't help but roll up his sleeves. "You mean, you spent sixty-five cents to buy a big rooster just to exchange it for this featherless rooster?"
Zhou Wulang dodged behind his eldest brother and grabbed his sleeve, saying, "Brother, look, second brother is going to beat me up again. Do I have any money to pay for it?"
Zhou Wulang popped his head out from behind Zhou Dalang and said with some pride: "We are making money!"
He opened the cloth bag in his arms and showed it to Zhou Erlang, his chin almost dropped to the sky. "See, see, second brother, can you make so much money?"
Zhou Erlang was stunned. "Where did you get so much money?"
"That's not even a lot," Zhou Wulang took the silver coin out of Manbao's hand and showed it to Zhou Erlang. "See? This is what I earned from that big rooster. Manbao still has some copper coins in his pocket."
Zhou Wulang wants to take out the copper coins from Manbao's pocket, but will Manbao give in?
Not only did she snatch the silver coins back, she also pulled the cloth bag under her buttocks, tilting her head back and saying, "All this money is mine. We'll divide it up according to our contributions when we get back."
Zhou Wulang and the others had no objection and obediently gave all the money to Manbao. Of course, it was impossible for Manbao to carry so much money, so Zhou Wulang still had to do the hard labor.
Zhou Dalang and Zhou Erlang felt something was wrong, "Manbao, what do you want so much money for?"
Zhou Erlang squatted down and coaxed her, "Second brother will keep it for you, okay? I will buy you some meat and candy in the future."
Manbao thinks she is already an adult, and she also has experience in keeping points. She is most interested in money planning. How could she be willing to give it to them?
So she stuffed the silver into her small cloth bag, covered it and said, "No, I have to take my own money."
Zhou Dalang and Zhou Erlang glared at Zhou Wulang.
Zhou Wulang also held the cloth bag tightly in his arms. If the money was in Manbao's hands, they might be able to get some, but if it fell into the hands of his eldest and second brothers, they would not be able to get a penny.
Zhou Dalang had a headache, "What do you want the money for?"
If it was only four or five coins, Manbao would have taken it, but this was several hundred coins.
Manbao counted on his fingers and told him, "I need to buy medicine for my mother, chicken, meat, clothes, oil paper, books, paper..."
Manbao realized she couldn't count with two hands, so she drew a circle and said, "I want to buy so many things."
Zhou Dalang was stunned, hesitated for a moment and said, "Then you give the money to me and I'll hold it for you. You can ask me for more money when you want to buy something in the future, okay?"
Zhou Dalang said, "You have the money. What if you lose it?"
"It won't be lost," Manbao said confidently, "Fifth brother has it now. I'll hide it in my room when I get home. I know where mom's money is hidden, and I also know where dad's money is hidden. I'll just hide mine somewhere else."
Zhou Liulang exclaimed, "Dad still has money?"
"Yes, I found it out, and Dad told me not to tell Mom."
Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang looked at each other, as if they knew something important.
Zhou Dalang and Zhou Erlang also looked at each other. As married men, they knew very well what their father was doing.
The two of them coughed lightly and stopped forcing Manbao. They just reminded her, "Since Dad asked you not to tell anyone, then don't talk about this matter anymore."
"Hey, Dad didn't tell me not to tell anyone, he just told me not to tell Mom."
The Zhou family and others: ...So you think you can tell them, right?
Zhou Dalang gave Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang a warning look and said, "You are not allowed to tell anyone about this when we get back."
Then he and Zhou Erlang pulled their daughters aside, gave them some instructions, and the matter was over.
Zhou Erlang's business was not very good, but he still sold quite a few baskets and baskets. He used to think this income was okay, but compared with Manbao and the others, Zhou Erlang felt it was too poor.
Because it was still early and everyone was not in a hurry to go back, Manbao continued to take his two brothers and two nieces shopping.
Of course, this time Zhou Dalang made a request that they could only walk on this street and were not allowed to go outside.
There is no way. My youngest sister is so brave that she even dares to go to the gambling street. Who knows what she can do if she runs away?
Manbao didn't mind. Most of the items sold here were agricultural products, but she still enjoyed shopping there. Of course, she preferred to visit the shops on both sides behind the stalls.
There happened to be both a grain store and a grocery store here, so she took people to choose a roll of better oil paper, and then went to the grain store to buy some millet. When she heard Zhou Dalang calling her to go home, she staggered out.
Zhou Dalang took a look at what they bought and decided to go back and discuss with his mother to take all the money from Manbao. This child is too good at spending money. They came to sell grain because they were short of money, but she turned around and went to the grain store to buy millet.
But Manbao's reason was very good. "I asked, millet is good for the stomach and qi, I want to give it to my mother."
Zhou Dalang sighed repeatedly, "We already have it at home, so we can just grind it at home. Why would we need to buy it?"
Manbao was stunned and asked, "Do we have it at home? Why have I never eaten it?"
Zhou Dalang looked down at the cloth bag in Liu Lang's hand, pursed his lips and said nothing.
Zhou Liulang said with a smile: "Little sister, you are so silly. In my family, we eat millet in the shell. Of course, you can't eat it with your little throat."
Zhou Dalang carried Manbao to the cart and sat him down. He said, "That's for making porridge in April or May next year when the harvest is scarce. If you need anything in the future, just let me know. Don't buy anything that's already at home."
Manbao was stunned. "Is it because we don't know how to grind the shell? Why do we have to eat it with the shell?"
Daya and Erya were also very curious because they seemed to have never eaten millet with shells.
"With shells, you can stew more and it's more filling," Zhou Wulang also complained a little, "I told you we had some at home, but you refused to believe me. Look, now you've wasted money, haven't you?"
Manbao snorted, "Who told you to lie to me so often before? Your credibility is so low, of course I don't believe you."
Zhou Wulang choked and asked angrily, "Did Liu Lang teach you these words?"
"Fifth Brother, please stop accusing me. How could I teach Manbao to say such things? I don't even know what credibility is. But Manbao, you used the word well. Fifth Brother's credibility is indeed very low. No, it is nonexistent."
The two brothers were fighting and making noises, but Zhou Dalang ignored them. He carried Daya and Erya into the cart and pushed it out of the city quickly. They had to get home before sunset.
Guess who this one is for?
(End of this chapter)
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