"Grandpa, my mom doesn't earn money easily. She said she'd give us 50 cents for food, but we can't really spend that much. That's enough to buy a pound of meat," Wang Chuntao said with heartache.
They think that since the master doesn't manage the household, he doesn't know the cost of living and how can he spend money like that?
"But we have two mouths to feed," Old Master Wang said, still unwilling to give up.
"Then you can go out and eat with your 25 cents. I'll keep my 25 cents and bring my own food." Wang Chuntao stopped arguing with Grandpa Wang.
As he spoke, he put the rice into a lunchbox, which contained some shredded potatoes that he had stir-fried that morning.
"Chuntao, listen to your grandpa. It's cold. You and your grandpa should eat something warm." Tao Ying walked over and whispered her advice.
“Mom, there’s a stove in our shop. We can just put the lunchbox on it to heat it up. I’ll also bring two sweet potatoes,” Wang Chuntao replied without hesitation.
"Chuntao, Mom also bought food for lunch," Tao Ying said softly.
“Mom, how can that be the same? You earned the money, so it’s only right that you spend it. Besides, if you heat up food at your clothing store, won’t the clothes smell bad?” Wang Chuntao didn’t think there was anything wrong with her mother eating something nice.
Everyone thought it was easy for Mom to get into her clothes.
But I never thought about why others couldn't get in. Mom must have suffered, but she didn't want everyone to know.
"You're not as sensible as a child, how can you be so greedy? Otherwise, I'll go with the child." Zhou Daya couldn't help but scold Old Master Wang.
“I’ll go with the child,” Grandpa Wang immediately said.
I have no desire to stay with these two people who don't share my surname.
Living in constant fear is nothing compared to spending time with my granddaughter.
Although he's a bit stubborn, he's filial and hardworking.
Zhou Daya didn't bother with Old Master Wang.
After the family finished breakfast, Grandpa Wang rode Tao Ying's newly bought 26-inch women's bicycle and left with Wang Chuntao.
Wang Chunni rode her bicycle with Tao Ying on the back, while Wang Baomin took Zhou Daya and Tao Chenyang out together.
He dropped the three of them off at Qianse Clothing Store before going to work.
Tao Ying opened the shop door, Tao Chenyang wiped the cabinet with a rag, while Tao Ying and Zhou Daya ironed and hung up clothes.
Winter clothes are relatively expensive, so the daily customer flow is not very large.
After tidying everything up, Tao Ying picked up her notebook and started writing a proposal.
Zhou Daya, meanwhile, was learning to read from Tao Chenyang while holding a notebook.
Another thing is learning arithmetic. The old lady learns slowly, but Tao Chenyang teaches her diligently, so both grandmother and grandson have something to do.
Wang Chuntao and Grandpa Wang were getting along quite well over there.
The two of them are full of energy every day.
On January 12th, Wang Chunli took a bus home first during her holiday.
Wang Baoshan was given a holiday on January 18th.
Tao Ying handed over the clothing store business to Wang Baoshan and stayed home to laze around.
The clothing store has become relatively stable. Let's wait a few days while Chun Tao works there, and then see how Chun Ni handles the accounts.
If she can figure it out, Tao Ying plans to hire someone.
I've looked at a few more shops recently and plan to buy one after the Chinese New Year.
Then we started opening branches, since the city is quite large.
After two years of stability, Tao Ying plans to open a factory.
Wang Chunni and Wang Baomin both got a holiday on the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month.
So after the old couple returned home on the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, they asked Wang Baoshan to go to the general store.
Tao Ying was at the clothing store with Wang Chuntao and Tao Chenyang.
The clothing store had already posted a sign outside announcing its closing time.
Everyone is thinking about getting a nice outfit for the New Year to make a good impression, so these past few days have been quite busy.
Once the twelfth lunar month arrived, Tao Ying stopped shipping goods, and she didn't have much stock left.
During the Laba Festival, Tao Ying asked Wang Dashuan to collect roe deer and pheasant meat, which she then sent to Jiang Jiang.
Jiang Jiang also sent Tao Ying a lot of dried seafood.
After closing the store, I started planning for the Chinese New Year.
In the past six months, Wang Baomin has been traveling around and has expanded his network of contacts.
Tao Ying bought firecrackers in advance, ordered half a carcass of pork, two large carp, two small roosters, and various walnuts, peanuts, candy, and the like.
On the 23rd, sticky candy is offered to the Kitchen God.
On the 24th, sweep the house.
25. Grind tofu.
26. Cut pork (or stew mutton).
On the 27th, a rooster was slaughtered.
On the 28th, let the dough rise.
On the 29th, steam buns were made.
Staying up all night on New Year's Eve (keeping watch over the year).
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, twist and turn (to offer New Year's greetings).
These are all customs from earlier years.
Before Tao Ying could even speak, on the eve of the Lunar New Year, apart from Tao Chenyang, the children started getting up early in the morning.
Tao Ying had never experienced such a strong festive atmosphere before, and she couldn't help but feel very happy.
On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Wang Baomin and Wang Baoshan got up early and put up the couplets.
Wang Chunni and Wang Chuntao then began packing their things.
At ten o'clock in the morning, Wang Dashuan came to pick up the people in a mule cart.
There was no canopy on the mule cart, but there was an extra-thick cotton quilt placed on it. Wang Baohe jumped off the cart. "Aunt, I've come to pick you up."
"Baohe, come inside quickly! Dashuan, come inside and warm up! Baomin, Baoshan, move the things." Tao Ying warmly greeted Wang Dashuan and Wang Baohe.
When Tao Ying went to Wang Dashuan's house for the Chinese New Year, she prepared a pig's hindquarters, which weighed about 20 jin (10 kg), and also took the dried squid and frozen ribbonfish that Jiang Jiang had sent, as well as a crucian carp, a chicken, a bag of rice, and a bag of flour.
I also bought two bottles of Moutai, some snacks, hard candy, White Rabbit milk candy, and so on.
They also prepared a cotton-padded jacket for each of Wang Dashuan's family of four.
Wang Dashuan couldn't sit still any longer as he watched Wang Baomin and Wang Baoshan going in and out to get things.
"Sister-in-law, what are you doing? I'm here to take you home for the New Year. What are you doing here?"
"Da Shuan, we have to go back and stay until the fifth day of the new year. We're taking the quilts with us," Tao Ying said with a smile.
How can I go back home for the New Year with just two empty hands?
Actually, it looks like a lot, with meat, noodles, rice, chicken, fish, and so on. Even with so many people from my own family visiting, it might not be enough to eat.
Cigarettes and alcohol are things that should be bought for the elderly couple during the Chinese New Year.
Actually, the cotton-padded coats given to Wang Dashuan's family were considered an extra gift.
The quilts were genuine; after all, no family was wealthy at that time, so where would they find so many extra quilts?
"Sister-in-law, I'm not blind. You've prepared rice and meat for me. Guiying will scold me when we get back." Wang Dashuan paced anxiously.
"Alright, why are we arguing so much as family?" Tao Ying didn't even give Wang Dashuan a chance to refuse.
He called to the children to help them carry their things into the car.
The mule carts were almost full, and everyone was huddled together. It was midday, so it didn't feel too cold.
The moment Wang Dashuan left, Li Guiying didn't stop; she and Wang Chunli began packing.
Zhou Daya was in charge of heating the kang (a heated brick bed), while Grandpa Wang was in charge of kneading the dough.
Wang Dashuan's house has a total of four rooms and four large kang beds.
Each kang (heated brick bed) can accommodate four to five people.
In the summer, Wang Chunli can have her own room, but in the winter, Wang Chunli and Wang Baohe will move into the old couple's room.
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