Chapter 107

“Ran, didn’t we just plan to hire someone for help? Why did you buy someone back instead? And you’ve even bought two people. How much money did you have to spend? ” Liu Tong pulled Xu Ran and asked anxiously.

Xu Ran held Liu Tong’s hand and told him not to be too agitated Then he explained, “I didn’t spend much money. Tongtong, listen to me. It’s worth buying people to work for us. I didn’t know about it before until today Zhuo Yun told me so. I also think it makes sense to buy people.”

“What did he say to you?” Liu Tong asked.

“Zhuo Yun pointed out that it costs a lot of money to employ workers nowadays, and the employees were not as reliable as those to be bought back. After all, we still have the contract for the indentured workers, who will be more helpful to us. You know that we are busy now. We will have to harvest wheat and pick strawberries soon. We need working hands, so it’s convenient to buy the workers back.”

“Then why did you buy two? Isn’t it good to buy one only?”

Xu Ran touched Liu Tong’s hand and comforted him, “I planned to buy one, but I was not satisfied with those people. In the end, only Shao Yu was left and he has borne a child. However, he was sold with Gao Quan. I thought it made no much difference in buying one or two workers, so I’ve just bought both of them back together. I believe more people means more help. But Tongtong, are you worried that I can’t afford enough food for them both?”

Liu Tong gave him an angry stare, “I’m just worried that buying workers may cost a lot of money. You know that our family doesn’t have much money now.”

Xu Ran smiled, “Don’t worry about this. It didn’t cost much. You can set your mind at rest. From tomorrow on, Gao Quan will follow me to work in the field while Shao Yu will take care of you at home and do housework!

Liu Tong nodded, “Alright. Just follow your idea, but tell me why you bought these two people back.”

Xu Ran nodded and replied, “Well, let’s talk on the bed. Gao Quan and Shao Yu are poor people because their child was eaten by wolves…”

Here Gao Quan and Shao Yu had a good rest at night. The next day, Xu Ran assigned them different tasks.

It was too hot outside. Xu Ran wouldn’t let Mr. Hu, Tangtang or Guoguo go to work in the field. At most, he would let them cut grass in the morning.

As for the Ge’er, Shao Yu, Xu Ran felt that he was not as strong as a man, so he didn’t have to go to the fields to work when the weather was hot. He just needed to help with the housework at home.

Xu Ran took Gao Quan to the strawberry fields. Gao Quan had not done much farm work before and he was not skillful at all. However, Xu Ran didn’t say anything about it but slowly taught him how to do it. Gao Quan was actually a smart person, so he could get started well with his work soon.

His only shortcoming was that he couldn’t grasp his strength well. He often pulled down strawberries by accident which were growing big and round. Xu Ran really felt pity for all those fruits.

Gao Quan also felt sorry for all these. At last, he was able to manage his strength after pulling out more than ten of the fruits.

Both of them worked in the field for the whole morning and their working speed was more than twice as fast as when Xu Ran was working alone.

Gao Quan was a man of few words, but he still answered Xu Ran’s questions one by one.

From his tone and choice of his words, Xu Ran was even more certain that these two people were not that simple. They might not be some masters or someone important, but they were at least from some distinguished families, some really wealthy and influential families.

By the time they went back in the afternoon, Shao Yu had already prepared their lunch well, but he made himself dirty, especially his face, covered with soot.

Xu Ran was amused by his look, but he held himself back in front of Liu Tong. Liu Tong asked Shao Yu to go to wash his face. After Xu Ran and the others washed their hands, they would have dinner.

All the lunch had been made by Shao Yu alone with Liu Tong occasionally telling him something he didn’t know by the side. Shao Yu’s cooking skills were good, and everyone at the table today was satisfied.

After lunch, Xu Ran rushed the two children to go for a nap. He also let Gao Quan and Shao Yu rest for a while at noon. They would go to work again when it was not so hot in the afternoon. And, he and Liu Tong went to their bedroom hand in hand.

Mr. Hu would not tave a nap at noon. He had his own way to kill time, by chatting with those workers on the construction site, or wandering around the village. There he could find one or two people who were as free as him, or even he would go to catch fish by the riverside.

At first, Xu Ran used to suggest Mr. Hu to take a nap, but Mr. Hu was an old man after all. He didn’t sleep much. If he slept during the day, he would probably not be able to sleep at night. Later, Xu Ran just let him be and just asked him to arrange his own time.

After a nap, they all felt refreshed, and they continued to work in the afternoon.

After all the family matters were handed over to Shao Yu, Xu Ran was really relieved.

A few days later, Xu Ran took Gao Quan to the town to buy some clothes and daily necessaries for both of the new comers.

By the way, they also delivered two jars of pickled bamboo shoots to Mr. Chen.

From Mr. Chen,  Xu Ran also got the good news that he had found a market for the pickled bamboo shoots and let Xu Ran send him as many as possible.

It was really good news. After Xu Ran returned to the village, he immediately went to Xu An and the others. Soon enough, their ox-carts and carriage were all loaded with jars of pickled bamboo shoots and were sent to the town.

Because of Xu Ran, the price that Mr. Chen offered was not low. Each of the several families had made almost the same amount of pickled bamboo shoots, as much as two big jars. For this, they each earned 50 taels of silver in the end.

Upon receiving the silver, Xu Ran was fine, but the other three families were obviously shaking with so much money in their hands!

Xu Ran was complacent in his heart. He knew it was because of his leadership that they got this benefit.

However, he did not show his self-satisfaction but looked calm as usual and suggested them to put the money away. He told them if they wanted to spend the money, they should make them into small change, and that they should keep silent about this after getting back to the village.

Of course they all knew well about this even if Xu Ran did not mention it. Still they nodded in agreement. After all, Xu Ran was doing it for their good.

Because of the pickled bamboo shoots, Xu Ran had made some money, and now money was not so tight for him.

However, he was still busy, because there would be people coming over from He Shui Town to collect their products in the past two days, and they had to work overtime.

Xu Ran touched his head, feeling that making money was really hard.

…

By the time the people from He Shui Town indeed came to get what they needed, it was already the end of May.

After such a long time, the wheat was finally ripe. Although the yield was small, no matter how little it was, it was a harvest.

Xu Ran invited Wu Mei’s and the other two families to help get the harvest in during those two busy days.

Wheat was ground into flour to make noodles and other products. Xu Ran didn’t think they needed to grow too much wheat in the future. Maybe next year they could grow rape instead. In this way, they could not only sell rape, but also extract oil from it for their own family.

It was June soon after May. The mushrooms in the mountains were about to come out, the strawberries in the fields were going to be ripe, and there were all kinds of vegetables ready in the fields. They really had a good harvest in vegetables and fruits now.

The building of the new house was nearing its end. As long as its beams were set and its tiles were covered, the new house was made.

Xu Ran asked Xu An to help with the furniture. He had drawn a rough picture and Xu An slowly made it out.

Xu Zhen and Xu Fa would also come over to help whenever they had time. From Xu An, they had learned some skills.

In early June, Xu Ran went to the town to meet Qin Shuwu.

Qin Shuwu had told him before that he would sell his strawberry to him. As the strawberry was ripe, Xu Ran would naturally inform him about it.

Now that other people’s strawberries were almost sold out, Xu Ran just happened to catch this point, which was a good time for his business.

Fruits were rare in this era, and strawberries weren’t cheap either. When they were the cheapest in the market, they would be worth about eight pence for one jin. When they were dear, they would be sold at twenty pence for one jin.

Xu Ran discussed with Qin Shuwu. He didn’t know the exact amount of his produce in the first year. The price Qin Shuwu offered to Xu Ran was ten pence for one jin. As for how much he could sell, the extra money was his anyway. Xu Ran agreed with it. He knew a good cooperation was important for a good business.

Due to the fact that they had placed the strawberry fruits on their leaves earlier, with bright sunlight as well as plenty of rain during the passing days, the strawberries were growing big and red.

Such strawberries were very inviting. Qin Shuwu’s shop was not big. The strawberries were picked up every day so that they could be sold fresh. Besides, he didn’t need to pay someone to get in the fruit for him, which could save him a lot of money. Still, it was unknown how much he could sell for a day.

Xu Ran still remembered the strawberry jam he had eaten before. He thought that he could sell it together with the strawberries. If any customer bought a lot of strawberries, they could sell him strawberry jam too. The jam would taste better when some pastries or biscuits were eaten with it, so it should be very popular with some rich people.

On the fifth of June, Xu Ran’s family started to pick strawberries in the fields.

And then Xu Ran took some strawberries back to make jam.

By the time the sun rose from the east, two big baskets there were filled with strawberries. These two baskets were specially used to hold strawberries, as big as a pack basket.

Xu Ran sent the strawberry jam as well as the fruits to the town to Qin Shuwu.

Qin Shuwu’s fruit shop was in a good position. It was on the main street where crowds of people were hurrying to and fro. The waiters of the shop started yelling for sale after the strawberries arrived. To everyone who came to ask for the price, they would praise the strawberries first and then let them try one before introducing the strawberry jam.

Indeed, the fruits had attracted many people’s attention.

Xu Ran didn’t make much strawberry jam. He thought it might be too luxurious to eat pastries with the jam. On the first day, he only fried some French fries. In this way, not only would the strawberry jam be pushed out, but the chips could be sold out. Xu Ran thought that perhaps Mr. Chen’s restaurant could also add some desserts of this kind to his restaurant.

The result was obvious and amazing. As so many people liked it, those who couldn’t buy it on the first day felt a little regretful. They said that they would come back the next day. Those who didn’t buy much or had tasted strawberry jam even asked to put down deposit for tomorrow’s shop.

However, Xu Ran did not agree with it, saying that it was better for them to come back tomorrow to buy fresh ones.

The strawberry business was really very good for the first day. At night, when they went home, the whole family gathered together to count the coins they had earned. Xu Ran was laughing even when he was sleeping. After struggling for so long, he at last got his work paying off .