Chapter 125 Meeting
After seeing Shen Jinyuan off, Old Lady Wan returned with her children and grandchildren.
Old Mrs. Wan convened an impromptu meeting.
She gathered all her sons and daughters-in-law together, and in front of everyone in the main hall, she took out the one hundred taels of silver given by Shen Jinyuan.
“You all saw it, this is the one hundred taels of silver given by Master Shen, originally intended to pay us wages, but how can we ask for so much silver against our conscience?”
"I'm going to use this incident today to teach you a lesson. From now on, no matter whether our family is rich or poor, you must remember one thing: take things that you shouldn't, and keep your hands and hearts in check. Don't damage our family's fortune. Do you understand?"
After saying this, Old Lady Wan glanced at the people who were sitting or standing in the main room.
Boss Wan was the first to speak out: "Mom, don't worry, we won't do that. We are blessed to have little Fubao in our family. We can't do anything against our conscience. But if someone dares to bully us, we are not easy to mess with and will definitely fight back."
Old Mrs. Wan nodded with satisfaction. She felt that Boss Wan had changed a lot now.
Others followed suit and expressed their opinions.
"Then let's talk about this hundred taels of silver. This is a silver note. I am an old woman and I can't read. Si'er, take a look. Can this silver note be exchanged for silver in town?"
Old Mrs. Wan picked up the banknote and handed it to Old Fourth Wan to see.
Wan Laosi has worked as an accountant for several years and has come into contact with silver bills. He is the only one in the family who can identify silver bills.
Wan Lao Si hurried forward and took it with both hands. After carefully identifying it, he slowly said, "Mom, this is indeed the universal banknote of HSBC Bank. There is such a bank in our town, but the bank usually does not open for business until the eighth day of the first lunar month."
After saying this, Wan Lao Si returned the banknote to Wan Lao Tai.
"Then wait until the eighth day of the first lunar month, and then you and your elder brother will go to the town to exchange the banknotes."
"All the things we use for the Shen family in the future will be withdrawn from this one hundred taels of silver. Fourth brother, you will keep an account. This one hundred taels of silver will be kept with you. When Mr. Shen comes, you will be responsible for handing it over to him. Don't let people think that we are only doing superficial work and playing tricks, understand?"
Wan Lao Si nodded quickly, "Mom, don't worry, leave this matter to me. I will make sure everything is clear and every penny will be accounted for."
Old Mrs. Wan still had great confidence in Wan Laosi's abilities. After all, he had worked as an accountant for several years and had never made any mistakes.
"Also, the burden of taking care of Shen Shi falls on the second and third sons' wives. You will take turns to look after Shen Shi one by one every day. Your wages will be deducted from the two taels of silver given by the village chief. The expenses of buying medicine and seeing a doctor in the town today can be deducted from the one hundred taels of silver. Second son, you will tell the fourth son about the detailed expenses later."
"As for the wages of the second and third wives, we will charge them fifteen cents a day. What do you think?"
The wages offered by Old Lady Wan were completely based on the market conditions in their town when they were in Yangliu Village. She had no idea what the wages were like at the border.
But no one had any objection. Fifteen cents was quite fair, and it was just helping Shen wipe her body and serving food and drinks. For Wan Ersao and Wan Sansao, it was like picking up silver.
"Mom, I have no objection. I think fifteen cents is a bargain. It's just a matter of doing something. Besides, the doctor said that Shen should be able to wake up tonight, and she won't need anyone to help her wipe her poop and pee. She's not a coward."
Wan Ersao had an excited smile on her face. She could earn fifteen cents by just working hard, which was better than staying at home doing nothing and living off the savings.
Wan San's wife had no objection at all. She needed money right now, so how could she mind the amount? As long as they gave her the money, it would be fine. Besides, it was obvious that her mother-in-law would not take their money.
The two sisters-in-law looked at each other and saw smiles in each other's eyes.
Only Mrs. Liu felt a little disappointed. She looked down at her big belly, thinking that it was this belly that affected her ability to earn money. Now only their first and second wives had no income.
"The fourth brother is the accountant, just like your two sisters-in-law, earning 15 cents a day. Although it's not as much as before, it's good to have less time. Do you have any objections?"
Old Mrs. Wan saw the expression on Liu's face at a glance, but since she was in the meeting, she had already made up her mind.
Wan Laosi didn't expect such a good thing to happen. It was really nothing to him. Compared with his second and third sisters-in-law, his job was really just manual work.
However, Liu looked at Wan Laosi anxiously, fearing that this fool would refuse.
Wan Laosi glanced at his wife and could feel her anxiety. After thinking about it, he decided not to refuse.
"Thank you very much, mom. I will do my best."
"You all have no objections, right?" Old Mrs. Wan looked at the others and asked.
Of course, everyone has no objection, and everyone makes money based on their own ability.
When Mrs. Wan saw that everyone was shaking their heads, she looked at Boss Wan.
Boss Wan also had a faint smile on his face. He felt that his younger brothers were living well and he was happy for them.
But Old Mrs. Wan shook her head in her heart.
The eldest son of this old family is already twelve years old and is about to reach the age of marriage. Money is needed everywhere in the family and the eldest son doesn't know how to worry about it. It is up to her, the old woman, to plan ahead.
Mrs. Wan said to Mr. Wan: "Boss, you can also make money. Although it is hard to hunt prey in this cold winter, it is not impossible. You can think of a way to get some prey to replenish Shen's body. Even if I buy it from you, you can still make some money. Save it well. Your son Wanquan is about to get married, and you, as a father, have to worry about him."
Boss Wan scratched his head embarrassedly.
"Mother, I've been thinking about this. We've just settled down here, haven't we? Next spring, I'll go back to my old job and hunt more to prepare money for Quan'er to marry. Mother, you can just enjoy your life and don't worry about the first wife."
Having said that, without a woman to support the first house, it is impossible for Old Mrs. Wan not to worry.
"Besides, why would I charge any money for getting some prey to help Shen replenish his body?" Boss Wan had no intention of charging any money.
Old Mrs. Wan sighed and did not continue talking about the first wife's matter. You have to eat one bite at a time and do things one step at a time, and don't be impatient.
"Alright, let's do it this way. Everyone just need to do what we just said. It's getting late, so hurry up and get busy. I'm going to go check on Xiao Fubao. I don't know how these brats are taking care of their sister."
Old Mrs. Wan put away the banknotes, and the little old lady walked towards the east room with her hands behind her back.
As soon as I entered the door, I saw little Fubao riding on his brother Wanwen, his little hands tightly grasping Wanwen's clothes. He was screaming nervously and excitedly, and his saliva was flowing onto the front of his clothes, wetting a large area.
The other boys were cheering him on, and the older ones were standing under the kang with their arms outstretched to protect him, fearing that little Fubao would fall.
Old Mrs. Wan had a smile in her eyes but a stern expression on her face as she scolded the boys.
"You little brats, your sister is so young, if she falls on the kang, you will get beaten up."
When the boys saw Old Lady Wan coming in, they were so scared that they all ran out. Only Wan Wen was still lying on the kang, carrying his sister on his back, feeling a little uneasy.
Old Lady Wan went up and took Little Fubao down, spanked Wan Wen on the buttocks, and scolded him with a smile: "I asked you to look after my sister, and you let her ride on you like a horse? If you make my sister fall, a bump on your head would be the least of your worries, and I'll see if your mother won't skin you alive."
Wan Wen rubbed his butt, climbed down from the kang with a smile and ran out.
Soon, the sound of children playing and laughing could be heard in the yard.
Little Fubao also broke free from Old Lady Wan's hands and got off the kang. Wearing tiger-toe shoes and with two little buns on his head, he was eager to go out and play with his brother.
Now that he can walk, little Fubao can’t stay on the kang anymore. He always wants to run outside and is not afraid of the cold.
Old Mrs. Wan followed behind Xiao Fubao, watching the small red man moving crookedly towards the door like a red duck.
The tender little white hands held the door frame, watching the brothers running and playing in the yard, with a pair of big eyes and a small mouth, shouting: "Big pot, Fubao, play, hug."
Xiao Fubao's crisp little baby voice was very penetrating, and several children immediately noticed that their little sister had come out.
They swarmed over and surrounded little Fubao in an instant.
Little Fubao smiled with joy, opened his pink little mouth, revealing a few white teeth, raised his little head, looked at this brother, then looked at that brother, and finally reached out to the oldest brother, Wan Quan.
This time, Old Mrs. Wan didn't say anything. She watched the children carry little Fubao into the yard to play "Eagle Catches Chicken". They held little Fubao as if he were the leader, and his laughter like a silver bell echoed throughout the yard.
Old Mrs. Wan felt peaceful when she listened to the laughter of Xiao Fubao and her grandchildren, as well as the sound of firecrackers coming from the village from time to time.
At this time, snowflakes as big as goose feathers suddenly floated in the gloomy sky.
"Oh! Oh! It's snowing!" The children's surprised voices spread in the yard.
The adults also popped their heads out to look at the snow flakes falling from the sky, their faces filled with expectations for the coming year.
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