CH 30

Chapter 30 – In charge of the money

Er Lang called out to the market goers to head over to his stall and take a look at his wicker and bamboo baskets.

At the same time, he pulled Man Bao and Er Ya in front of him, and sternly admonished them, “Why are you running around? Don’t you know there are many people in town? What if you get lost?”

The customers felt the quality of Er Lang’s bamboo basket was good. It was also one wen cheaper than the other stalls. So, they paid for the basket they wanted.

After they left, Er Lang finally had a breather and asked, “Wu Lang, where did you guys go?”

Wu Lang took off his pack basket and placed it on the ground so that his second brother could see the big rooster inside the basket. He proudly announced, “This is what we got.”

Er Lang looked at the cowering and half bald rooster which had been badly pecked. He couldn’t help rolling up his sleeves, “You mean, you bought a big rooster for 65 wen, and exchanged that rooster for this bald one?”

Wu Lang quickly ducked behind his eldest brother, grabbed his sleeve and said, “Big brother, look at second brother! He wants to beat me again. Am I in trouble?”

Wu Lang poked his head out from behind Da Lang, and somewhat proudly said, “We made money!”

He opened the money bag and showed it to Er Lang whose jaw dropped from shock, “See this? See this? Second brother, can you make so much money?”

Er Lang was stunned, “Where do you get so much money?”

“Actually, that’s not a lot of money.”

Wu Lang took the silver nugget from Man Bao’s hand and showed it to Er Lang. “See this? We made this with the big rooster, and Man Bao still has copper coins in her pocket.”

Wu Lang wanted to take out the copper coins in Man Bao’s pocket, but would Man Bao agree?

Not only did she snatched back the silver nugget, she also seized the cloth bag and hid it behind her buttocks, and proudly proclaimed, “All mine! I’ll divide the money according to your contributions once we get home.”

Wu Lang and everyone else had to agree. They obediently gave all the money to Man Bao. Of course, it was impossible for her to carry so much money, so Wu Lang still had to be her coolie.

Da Lang and Er Lang felt this wasn’t appropriate, “Man Bao, why do you want so much money?”

Er Lang squatted down to her level to coax her, “Let second brother keep the money for you. I’ll buy meat and sugar for you in the future.”

Man Bao considered herself an adult, and she had the experience of keeping her own points from the Encyclopaedia. This was the most exciting time in her money-making schemes. How would she be willing to give them the money?

So, she stuffed the silver nugget into her small cloth pocket, covered it and said, “No, it’s my money. I’ll hold on to my own money.”

The two men glared at Wu Lang.

Wu Lang also held on tightly to the money bag. They might be able to get a share of the money that was in Man Bao’s hands. If the money ended up in the two oldest brothers’ hands, they wouldn’t even receive one wen!

Da Lang felt a headache coming up, “What do you want to do with the money?”

If it was just four or five wen, it wouldn’t matter if Man Bao took it, but the little girl was holding on to several hundred wen.

Man Bao started finger-counting, “I want to buy medicine for mother, chicken, meat, clothes, greased paper, books, paper…”

She found she didn’t have enough fingers to list all the things she wanted to buy, so she drew a circle and said, “I want to buy many, many things.”

Da Lang was taken aback, and hesitated for a minute, “Why don’t you give the money to older brother, and I’ll help you keep the money. When you want to buy things in the future, you can just ask me. Is that ok?”

“You’re holding so much money. What if you lose the money?”

“I won’t lose it,” Man Bao said confidently, “Fifth brother is holding the money now. When I get home, I’ll hide it in the room. I know where mother’s money is hidden, and I also know where father’s money is hidden. I’ll just hide my money in another place. It’ll be fine.”

Liu Lang exclaimed, “Father still has money?”

“Yes, I found it. Father told me not to tell mother.”

Wu Lang and Liu Lang looked at each other, as if they knew something extraordinary.

Da Lang and Er Lang also looked at each other. As married men, they knew what their father was doing.

The two coughed lightly and decided not force Man Bao to give up the money. They just advised her, “Since father asked you not to talk about this, then don’t talk about this again in the future.”

“Hey, father didn’t tell me not to tell other people. He only asked me not to tell mother.”

All the people in Zhou’s family…was this why she could tell them?

Da Lang gave Wu Lang and Liu Lang a warning look and said, “You’re not allowed to tell anyone about this when you get home.”

Then, the two men took their daughters aside, and advised them to keep quiet about the matter.

Er Lang’s business wasn’t doing very well, but he did manage to sell several wicker baskets and bamboo baskets. Initially, he thought the income was acceptable, but when compared with the amount of money Man Bao and others made, Er Lang felt the great disparity.

As it was still early, they didn’t have to rush home. So, Man Bao went shopping with her two brothers and two nieces.

Of course, this time Da Lang stipulated that Man Bao could only shop along this street. She wasn’t allowed to go elsewhere.

They didn’t have a choice. Man Bao was too courageous. She even dared to go to the gamblers’ street. Who knew what she would do if she wondered off?

Man Bao didn’t mind. Most of the items on this street were agricultural products, but she had a wonderful time shopping. She went to the shops on both sides of the street behind her brother’s stall.

It just so happened that these were grain and grocery shops. She took someone to choose a good quality greased paper, and then went to the grain shop to buy some millet.

When she heard Da Lang calling them to go home, she leisurely stepped out of the shops and walked towards Er Lang’s stall.

Da Lang glanced at the things they bought and decided to discuss the matter with his mother once they get home. They must take all the money from Man Bao as she was just too good at spending money!

They originally came to town to sell their grains as they lack money. However, Man Bao went to the grain store and bought millet!

But, Man Bao had very good reasons for buying millet, “I’ve asked, millet nourishes the stomach and vital energy (qi). I want to give them to mother to eat.”

Da Lang sighed repeatedly, “We have millet at home, just go home and grind them. Why buy them?”

Man Bao was stunned, “We’ve millet at home? Why come I’ve never eaten them?”

Da Lang looked at the cloth bag in Liu Lang’s hand, pursed his mouth and kept quiet.

Liu Lang grinned and said, “Youngest sister, you’re so stupid. We eat unhulled millet. Naturally, you can’t eat it because you’re still young.”

Da Lang carried Man Bao onto the cart and said, “It’s reserved for April and May next year, when we have finished consuming the autumn grains but the spring crops are still growing. Then, we’ll use the unhulled millet to make porridge.

“Just tell me what you want to buy in the future. Don’t buy things that we have at home.”

Man Bao was dumbfounded, “We don’t know how to hull millet? Why do we want to eat unhulled millet?”

Da Ya and Er Ya were also very curious because they didn’t seem to have eaten unhulled millet either.

“If it’s unhulled, you can stew more and it’s more filling,” Wu Lang grumbled, “I told you we’ve millet at home. You didn’t believe it. Look, isn’t this a waste of money?”

Man Bao snorted, “Why did you often lie to me in the past? You’ve such a low credibility. Of course, I don’t believe you.”

Wu Lang choked up and asked angrily, “Did Liu Lang teach you to say these things?”

“Fifth brother, don’t accuse me. Why would I teach Man Bao to say such things? I don’t even know what credibility is, but Man Bao, you use the term well. Fifth brother’s credibility is indeed very low. No, that’s wrong. He has zero credibility.”

The two brothers were horseplaying around, and Da Lang couldn’t be bothered. He also carried Da Ya and Er Ya onto the car, and speedily pushed the cart out of town. They had to get home before sunset.