After selling several batches of rabbits, the mother rabbits were reluctant to sell, and many families were having trouble keeping up with demand. Therefore, the date for the next rabbit sale in the prefectural city is undecided.
However, the schoolhouse was built, and it was made of bricks and tiles. Even though it hadn't been plastered with lime powder yet, it was still clean and bright compared to the mud-brick houses, and the children in the village were already very satisfied.
Unable to buy lime for the time being, the men turned and said goodbye, joyfully preparing to start tending the fields and planting the medicinal herbs they had been longing for.
Fan Qian spat and followed him, recounting the story after returning home.
"Husband, how much did you contribute?" Sun Jinhua stepped forward and asked anxiously.
Mother Fan also stepped forward, watching nervously.
Fan Dazhu figured out that his father couldn't possibly contribute too much, but as long as it wasn't the least, it would be fine. After all, his children would need to learn to read and do arithmetic in the future, and it would be embarrassing for his family not to contribute.
The child will feel inferior when talking about it in the school.
Fan Qian replied irritably, "I contributed nothing! I was supposed to pay for my second brother's medicine shop by the price of an ox, but it took him more than ten days to build it."
Then they went to build a schoolhouse, saying that if anyone didn't build one, their children wouldn't be able to go in. It was one thing for the four girls, including Dazhu, but what about their son? Wouldn't he be blamed by his grandson? So, for the sake of his grandson's literacy, they worked hard for three more days.
Today they're doing this damn plastering again? Is this edible or usable? It's a waste of money and effort. Whoever wants to pay can pay, I'm not paying!
He and his second brother had both attended private schools for their early education, but he was naturally averse to studying, while his second brother was diligent and hardworking and often received praise from the teacher. He was quite jealous of his book-loving second brother for several years. Fortunately, his second brother turned out to be nothing special, which made him deeply realize that studying was useless and that diligence was also useless.
His life is even better than his! His education and literacy are nothing special.
However, his younger brother's life has become increasingly prosperous lately, which has made him hesitate. He thinks it would be better to let his grandson learn to read and do arithmetic in the future, since it doesn't cost any money and he won't lose anything.
But building the study was unavoidable; he had to put in the effort to build it. Plastering the walls with lime wasn't necessary, so why should he contribute?
When Fan Dazhu heard that his father hadn't sold a single pound, he immediately became anxious. "Dad, how could you not sell a single pound? What if my son and your grandson go to the academy and their classmates talk about these things and they look down on us?"
His son will be the eldest grandson of the Fan family in the future, how could he put up with this?
Sun Jinhua nodded vigorously in agreement.
Mother Fan wanted to nod, but then she realized that she controlled all the family's money, and if they needed to produce lime, she would have to pay for it. Her wrinkled face was full of conflict.
Fan Sizhu thought his older brother was overthinking things, but since his father never left the village, people would definitely look down on him.
He could imagine that Zhang the Bald was probably the only one in the village who wouldn't leave.
His family didn't use his second uncle's donkeys and oxen, so there was no need to pay off the labor costs. He had also made it clear before that he wouldn't build a schoolhouse, saying that his children and grandchildren would have their own blessings, and he wouldn't suffer for it!
In the end, Zhang Xiaogou went by himself. He was so thin, like a corn stalk, what could he do? Only the old village chief took pity on him and gave him a share.
Their family used to be one of the wealthiest in the village, but now they're just like Baldy Zhang...
Fan Erzhu and Sanzhu felt their father was right; they were all used to poverty, why were they being so fussy? Plastering the walls with lime was just a waste!
"Alright, alright, who knows if anyone will even remember if we've shown up by then?" Fan Qian took out his pipe and waved it off dismissively.
Fan Dazhu was about to complain a few more times when Erzhu interrupted, "We'll talk about the future later."
Fan Sanzhu followed up with, "Dad, Second Uncle has taken the cow back. What do we do now?"
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