Chapter 357 Rules
Bai Shanbao and Manbao were frequent customers of the bookstore. As soon as they entered the bookstore, they took Bai Erlang to find calligraphy, and secretly urged him, "Hurry up and choose. After you've chosen, let's go out and play."
Bai Erlang was about to pick up a copybook, but Manbao had already opened it and asked, "What kind of handwriting do you prefer? A rounder one, or a longer one? It can't be a sloppy one, right?"
Bai Shanbao had already selected two calligraphy books from a pile and handed them to him. "These two are good. You can choose one yourself."
Bai Erlang then flipped through the calligraphy copybook like a duck on a shelf and asked quietly, "When we get home, can you help me copy the calligraphy?"
"No, your father will be angry if he finds out," Manbao said, "Just do your own thing, right?"
Bai Erlang pouted and said, "But I don't like writing."
Manbao said, "I don't like eating eggs either, and Datou and Daya don't like going to the fields to plant rice..."
Bai Erlang chose a copybook with a look of grievance. Manbao didn't understand what was so aggrieved about it. She had grown up without a copybook of her own.
They are all copies of Bai Shanbao's works.
Bai Erlang hesitated before making up his mind. Over there, Master Bai had already picked out several books in the bookstore and was waving at the three children with a smile, "Come and take a look at the books I picked out for you, Erlang, do you think there are any you like?"
When Bai Erlang saw the book in his father's hand, he couldn't help but open his mouth wide. He felt a little regretful. In fact, the county town was not that fun.
Bai Shanbao and Manbao came forward, flipped through it, and then they were not very interested.
One said, "I have this book at home and don't want to buy it."
One said, "I've read this book, but I don't understand a lot of it. I think I need to grow up a bit."
Mr. Bai looked at the two children in surprise. What he said was actually to scare them. This book was chosen by him for himself.
Mr. Bai was silent for a moment, then turned to look at his son.
Bai Erlang was also flipping through the books selected by Mr. Bai, but he found that he didn't recognize any of them, and even couldn't understand the titles. He couldn't help scratching his head.
Mr. Bai became more silent. Seeing the two children looking at the busy streets outside with shining eyes, he felt that he could not let the two children grow up freely like this. Since they were so smart and studious, they should be restrained.
Mr. Bai then forced a bright smile at the two children and said, "Do you have any books you want to buy? Pick them out and I'll buy them for you."
Bai Shanbao shook his head first, "Uncle, I have a lot of books at home. My grandmother always buys new books for us every once in a while. I don't lack books at home."
"Then there must be some books you want to read that you don't have at home, right? It's a rare opportunity for you to come to the county town, so your uncle will buy you some books. But you have to promise me that you will read them when you get them back, and I will even test you after you finish reading them."
Manbao felt it was inappropriate to accept such a valuable item, so he also refused.
Mr. Bai became even more kind to her and said softly, "This is uncle's encouragement to you. It would be a shame if children like you who are so good at studying didn't have enough books to read. So just go ahead and choose. Uncle will treat you."
Manbao still shook his head.
A book is not cheap.
And the books that Manbao likes are not ordinary books.
She had all the thinner books like the cheapest "Thousand Character Classic" and "The Analects of Confucius". Other common books were also available from her husband and Bai Shanbao, and she was basically allowed to read and copy them.
So the books that Manbao wants to buy are basically very expensive.
My mother said that there is no such thing as a free lunch. If it does, and you pick it up, you have to offer a chicken to God as a tribute.
Daddy said that while there are good and bad people in this world, 90% of them are profit-seeking. No one dislikes profit. If someone treats you well for no reason, it's because you're lovable. But if their kindness requires a lot of money, they must have ulterior motives.
Old Zhou had long ago set a rule for Manbao: "You can accept gifts worth less than 500 coins, but you can't accept gifts worth more than 500 coins. Your parents can't afford it."
So Manbao carefully took a look at the thick books on the bookshelf not far away and firmly rejected Mr. Bai's kindness.
She felt a little regretful. It would have been better if Mr. Bai had given her those nice toys from the street. She had asked the prices, and they were not very expensive.
Mr. Bai felt a little regretful when he saw that he couldn't send out a book, then turned to look at his son.
Bai Shanbao and Manbao can refuse, but his son can't refuse, right?
So Master Bai forced a smile at his son, waved his hand generously and said, "Erlang, go see if there are any books you like. Bring them over and Dad will buy them for you."
Bai Erlang was about to cry, and shook his head and said, "No, Dad, I think we have more books at home, so I can just use my eldest brother's old books."
"No, I treat you brothers equally. Whatever your elder brother has, you will have too."
Bai Erlang said weakly: "No, I, I think it's good to use big brother's old books."
Bai Shanbao and Manbao probably understood his pain and looked at him with sympathy.
In the end, Bai Erlang was unable to resist Master Bai, and under his pressure, he chose several books that he didn't like.
After walking out of the bookstore, not only Bai Erlang felt like he had survived a disaster, but Bai Shanbao and Manbao also breathed a sigh of relief.
The owner of the bookstore smiled so much that his eyes almost squinted. He diligently helped to deliver the books, pens, ink, paper, and inkstone bought by Mr. Bai to the carriage, and then stood at the door and happily waved goodbye to Manbao and others.
Manbao and his friends did not get on the carriage, but walked down the street.
The winter is long and everyone is bored, so there are more economic activities on the streets. Although an entrance fee is still required to enter the city, everyone still likes to go shopping in the city.
Of course, most of them are young men and women who are not married but can be said to be married. Others are people from relatively wealthy families who are not stingy with the few cents of money to go to the city and have families to support.
Therefore, most of the people on the street sell food, various accessories and toys.
Bai Erlang and Bai Shanbao have played with many toys and even have some at home, but they still can't help but want to buy them when they see them on the street.
If the two of them are like this, let alone Manbao.
All her toys were made by her family. The Zhou family never buys toys for their children, thinking that it would be better to use the money to buy food.
After all, food can still be eaten, but you won’t like playing with it after a while. It’s a pity.
So Manbao likes the windmill that turns in the wind, the wooden horse, and the wooden spinning top...
Although Mr. Bai is usually a bit stingy, he is still very generous when it comes to these small toys for children, mainly because these things are not expensive.
The cheaper ones could be bought for two or three cents, while the more expensive ones could be bought for about ten cents, so he generously told his three children that they could take whatever they liked and he would pay for it!
Manbao asked about the price and felt that it was within the rules given by her father, so she happily chose the toy she liked.
Bai Shanbao was even more impolite.
After walking less than two hundred meters, the three children were holding a lot of things in their arms. They were all very happy and finally felt that it was a good decision to come to the county town.
(End of this chapter)
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