"You silly girl, are you up to something again?"
Zhang Xiu noticed that Baili Wanwan was constantly chattering around him, like a little sparrow. He couldn't help but ask her a question.
Having her secret exposed, Baili Wanwan became anxious but instead laughed.
It showed a pair of sharp little tiger teeth, so cute!
"Grandpa said that going to sea is dangerous and he wants you to do some other work."
If this were Baili Wanwan's own idea, Zhang Xiu naturally wouldn't take it seriously, but since the old man had come along, she thought for a moment before saying:
"Rice, flour, oil, and other food all cost money. If we don't go to sea, are we going to starve?"
She knew that going to sea was dangerous, but it was for the sake of making a living, so how could she give it up?
"I won't drink the wind! I won't drink the wind!"
Baili Wanwan got anxious, gesturing wildly with her chubby little hands: "Grandpa said we're going to eat... at a restaurant!"
It took her half a day to finally recount what the others had discussed, and she looked at Zhang Xiu with anticipation.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Xiu only sighed and shook his head helplessly after hearing this.
“Opening a restaurant isn’t easy. Not only do we lack the skills, but where will we get the money to rent the shop?”
She didn't believe deep down that Baili Wanwan really had such mysterious abilities, and thought that opening a restaurant was just something the old man said to coax Baili Wanwan, and shouldn't be taken seriously.
Unexpectedly, these words caused Baili Wanwan to panic.
Her eyes immediately filled with tears, and she clung to Zhang Xiu's clothes, unwilling to let go.
"Wanwan wants to be open-minded, but Wanwan doesn't want you to go to sea."
The girl was like a dumpling, her skin smooth as jade; even the bright moonlight at night couldn't match the luster on her face. She didn't look like a seaside doll exposed to the sea breeze and sun all day.
When she gets upset, her bright eyes seem to speak volumes, and when she pouts, ten people would soften their hearts.
Zhang Xiu naturally couldn't bear to see her wronged, but the livelihood of this family couldn't be decided at will.
If you lose money opening a restaurant, not only will you lose all the money you've worked so hard to save, but you'll also have to worry about other fishermen taking your spot when you go out to sea in the future.
After struggling with her thoughts for a while, she finally calmed herself down and said resolutely, "It's no use arguing with me. I go out to sea to feed my family. Children, don't cause trouble."
After saying that, he lowered his head and went about his work, no longer looking at Baili Wanwan.
Baili Wanwan hadn't expected Zhang Xiu to be so difficult to persuade. Her big eyes darted around, and instead of wiping away her tears, she came up with a plan.
She stopped using her usual tantrums and throwing tantrums.
Instead, she lowered her head and obediently replied, "Okay."
His tone was filled with endless disappointment and grievance.
The little girl's voice made Zhang Xiu's heart tremble slightly. He turned his head and saw only a small figure of Baili Wanwan from behind.
Suddenly I remembered that this child was found on the beach, and that his/her relatives probably perished in the sea as well…
That's why I'm so afraid of her going out to sea, right?
As Zhang Xiu thought this, her heart tightened, and she opened her mouth as if to call out to Baili Wanwan.
However, in the end, I held back.
When it was time to eat, there were two more dishes than usual. Zhang Xiu carefully observed Baili Wanwan's expression, and seeing that she was still pouting and silent, she felt a tightness in her chest.
He nudged his eldest son with his elbow and gave him a wink.
"Little sister, eat some vegetables!"
Wan Yuekui immediately understood and placed a piece of food into Baili Wanwan's bowl.
However, Baili Wanwan, who usually eats without a care in the world and eats like a calf, still couldn't muster any energy today.
Even when my favorite things are right in front of me, I can't muster any interest in them.
He shoveled his food into his mouth, completely devoid of energy.
Others might not know what was going on, but Zhang Xiu did.
She lowered her eyes and struggled inwardly for a while, but finally gritted her teeth and said, "Wanwan told me today that you want to open a restaurant?"
As she spoke, she looked up at Wan Suizhou and saw the old man nod. For some reason, she felt a little relieved.
"Since the old man approves of this, then I have no objections."
After she finished speaking, Baili Wanwan, who had been looking dejected, immediately looked up. Her eyes were as bright and dazzling as the stars in the sky.
"Great! Great! This time Auntie won't have to go out to sea!"
She clapped her hands happily, which livened up the atmosphere at the table.
Seeing that she was in better spirits, Zhang Xiu, who was standing to the side, smiled for no apparent reason.
Thinking that the little girl was sulking and refusing to eat, he pretended to be angry and tapped her head with the back of his chopsticks:
"Silly girl, if you don't eat, you'll just starve yourself! Now that I've agreed, you have to eat all this fish and rice!"
"Um!"
Baili Wanwan blinked, then immediately picked up her bowl and chopsticks and started munching on a big mouthful of rice.
God has no idea how much she was craving it!
However, in order to prevent Zhang Xiu from going to sea again and to allow her family to live a peaceful life, she tried her best to endure it!
While she was eating, Wan Suizhou also went to the study.
When he finally emerged, trembling, he was carrying a cloth bag.
The fabric had a yellowish tinge under the moonlight, and it certainly looked quite old.
"Since we're going to open a restaurant, we'll need money for all the purchasing and preparations," he said slowly, opening the cloth bag.
The loose silver coins inside were revealed.
“At a time like this, I, as your elder, can’t bear to see a woman like you struggling over money. It was my idea to open a restaurant, so I’ll contribute the majority of the profits.”
Although the silver was broken, it was still a considerable amount.
Zhang Xiu saw it, and her eyes also became a little wet.
However, he wasn't one to be sentimental, and immediately accepted the cloth bag, saying, "I'll definitely work hard and won't lose your life savings."
Wan Suizhou stroked his beard and smiled, "Don't talk about losses or not, I'm still waiting for you to make me double!"
The two men chatted casually, while the two older brothers ate their food in silence. It was Baili Wanwan who looked up and curiously peeked into the cloth bag.
Upon seeing that it was all loose silver, her little brows immediately furrowed.
Earlier in the kitchen, Zhang Xiu seemed to have mentioned that opening a restaurant would require a lot of money.
Is that not enough?
Thinking this, she put down her chopsticks and hurried away to the back, avoiding people.
Others assumed she had a stomachache and needed to use the restroom, so they didn't pay any attention.
But when Baili Wanwan arrived at the backyard, she pinched her arm hard with her chubby little hands, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes.
Under the moonlight, rows of beads rolled down her face as if a string had broken.
It is crystal clear, embedded in the mud, and glows softly.
When it was almost time, Baili Wanwan carefully picked up the beads, held them in her arms, and ran back home.
As she ran, she excitedly shouted, "Auntie, look what Wanwan found!"
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