CH 62

Chapter 62 – There is a house of gold in the books

Bai Shanbao angrily announced, “I’m not going to befriend her.”

Madam Liu and Zheng,…

The two women didn’t want to laugh, but Shanbao looked so cute that they couldn’t help it.

Bai Shanbao became angrier, so he ran up and asked Zheng, “Mother, give me all the money.”

Zheng obviously didn’t expect that her son would suddenly demand for money. She was flabbergasted for a moment. Then, she smiled and asked her maid to take some money for him, asking, “Why do you want money?”

Madam Liu also looked at him seriously.

Bai Shanbao replied, “Nothing much, I just want the money.”

He became unhappy when he saw the maid returning with just a handful of copper coins, “Mother, I want all the money.”

Zheng was stunned, “What do you want so much money?”

She didn’t find the situation funny anymore. Is someone trying to deceive her son?

However, Bai Shanbao just insisted, “I just want all of it. Mother, quickly give me all the money.”

Madam Liu frowned slightly, and Zheng was also worried. She hugged him and asked, “Shanbao, have you been tricked?”

Bai Shanbao was totally bewildered by his mother’s question. Who tricked him?

He thought for a moment and recalled that he quarreled with Man Bao today. Since he didn’t have time to talk to other classmates, that meant no one tricked him. So, Bai Shanbao shook his head and continued to demand for all his family’s money.

Zheng almost burst into tears. She wiped her eyes and said, “My son, why do you want all the money? You are demanding for all the money without telling me the reasons. Obviously, someone is trying to trick you.”

Bai Shanbao replied, “I really don’t have any plans. I just want the money.”

How would he know what he is going to do with the money?

He was just asking his mother to see whether she would give him all the money. If she did, he would laugh at Man Bao tomorrow. She was the stupid one. How dare she laugh and call me, stupid? In reality, who is stupid?

So, Zheng started to cry.

Madam Liu glanced at her daughter-in-law, then got her grandson to stand in front of her. She asked, “Why would Shanbao suddenly ask for money?”

The little boy angrily shared that he quarreled with Man Bao today. He regaled her with the tale from the very beginning i.e. from the time they wanted to look for a Chinese medicinal herb processing book.

When he finished, he felt thirsty and took a sip of water. Then, he continued, “Grandma, quickly ask mother to give me all the money in the family. I will show it to her tomorrow. Humph, let’s see who’s the erroneous one!”

Zheng didn’t know whether she should laugh or cry.

On the other hand, Madam Liu laughed out loud, stroked his hair, and said, “Silly boy, your classmate is right. You are a fool. How can we give you all the family’s money?”

Bai Shanbao was stunned. He turned around and looked at his mother.

Zheng also smiled and said, “Yes, Shanbao, the money is used for many things. How can we bring it all out just because you are peeved?”

Tears quickly pooled in Bai Shanbao’s eyes. He felt so wronged that his heart ached. He burst into tears and shouted angrily at his mother, “You lied to me! You lied to me! You clearly said the family’s money is all mine! It’s all mine!”

Madam Liu did not expect her daughter-in-law to privately teach her grandson such things. Her face tightened, but she quickly relaxed again, and she made eye-contact with her daughter-in-law. She allowed Bai Shanbao to cry, waited for him to vent all his frustrations before holding his hand and said, “My child, what your mother said is not wrong.”

Although her daughter-in-law has taught him wrongly, she obviously can’t be forthright with her grandson. Otherwise, he would treat whatever his mother says in the future with skepticism.

So, Madam Liu suppressed the dissatisfaction in her heart, smiled and gently explained to Bai Shanbao, “Shanbao, your snacks, tea, meals, school, and new clothes all cost money, right?”

Bai Shanbao nodded.

“Where did the money come from?”

Shanbao, “Home!”

“That’s correct, home. In the future, you will go far away to study, you will get married and have children. All these will cost money, and all the money will come from the family, including in the future, when your mother and I are gone, you will inherit the family business. So, do you think that all the money in the family will be yours?”

Bai Shanbao nodded.

“But you see, grandmother and your mother also have to eat, we also need clothes, and all these need money. Where does the money come from?”

Bai Shanbao did not hesitate, “Home.”

“Yes, also from home. If you take all the money, what will happen to your mother and I?” Madam Liu hugged him and said, “In the future, if you want to use the money, as long as it is for serious purposes, such as buying books, gifts and so on, you can ask the family for money, but such a ridiculous thing as taking out all the money from the family and taking it to school to show your classmate is not allowed.”

Madam Liu could see that Bai Shanbao is listening very carefully, and she knows that he understood what she has just said.

She was very pleased, and felt her grandson was as smart as her son.

She took him by his shoulders and said, “Child, in fact, what Man Bao said is not wrong. If you want to be able to do anything with your money, it’s best that you earn the money yourself.”

Bai Shanbao was distressed, “Then, do I have to pull liverwort to exchange for money?”

When Zheng wanted to interrupt, Madam Liu glanced at her and smiled at her grandson, ” It’s good that you have the perseverance to do so. However, liverwort would only make a small sum of money. You can make a lot of money only by studying and excelling in your studies. Have you heard of this saying?

“There is a house of gold in the books, and there is a face like jade in the books. There is gold in the books, so you have to find it yourself.” (Translator: The saying means if you study hard, you will definitely be successful in the future.)

Bai Shanbao’s eyes brightened, and he asked, “If I find it, would it be considered that I earned it?”

Madam Liu nodded, “Yes!”

Bai Shanbao turned around and ran off, “Grandma, mother, then I’m going to find the house of gold.”

The two women watched him stomped off towards the study, before smiling with relief.

Madam Liu turned her head and looked at Zheng with a slight smile, “Don’t say such things in the future. Many children have been spoilt by such words. Do we have a thousand kilogramme of golden millet, or 10,000 taels of silver? This meagre family fortune is only enough to support Shanbao, he has to rely on himself to get ahead, understand?”

Zheng got up and bowed her head sheepishly in response.

Only then did Madam Liu wave her hand and let her go.

Man Bao also stomped home angrily but as soon as she saw the big rooster which was wandering around the yard, she forgot all about Bai Shanbao and immediately reached out to grab the rooster’s tail.

The petrified Da Tou obstructed her, and exclaimed, “Little aunt, be careful! The hens might peck you.”

Yeap, the hens!

Their hens are particularly protective of the rooster and have been fighting over it over the past two days. They are not even afraid of people anymore. If the humans dare to chase the rooster around, the hens will chase after the humans and peck them. Such overbearing and hateful hens!

As Man Bao watched the fat rooster, she started to drool. Then, she ran into the house and said, “Mother, we will eat the rooster tomorrow.”

Mrs Zhou was sitting in front of the window, tying the soles of their shoes.  She smiled and asked, “Is there a chicken?”

Man Bao, “I’ll go and buy another one!”

Mrs Zhou asked, “Do you have enough money?”

Man Bao nodded vigorously, “Enough!”

“Then, go ahead.” What’s the point of Man Bao keeping so much money? It’s best to spend it all.

Mrs Zhou thought for a while and said, “Stop buying roosters, buy egg laying chickens or those which are about to lay eggs.”

Buy them back and they’ll continue to raise them.

Man Bao smiled happily. Of course, she wasn’t going to obey her mother. She is not stupid. She knew that if she bought egg laying chickens, her mother would not bear to eat the hens. 　

– End of this chapter –