Chapter 41 - 41 30 Managing Money

Words : 1542 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

41: Chapter 30: Managing Money 41: Chapter 30: Managing Money Zhou ErLang was calling out to customers about the baskets and bamboo baskets while he pulled Manbao and Erya over and said, scowling, “What are you running around for? Don’t you know there are so many people in the county? What would you do if you got lost?” After browsing for a bit, a customer felt that Zhou ErLang’s bamboo baskets were of decent quality, and they were one coin cheaper than others, so they took out money and bought one. Once this group of customers left, Zhou ErLang was free and finally had time to ask the others, “Wulang, where were you running off to just now?” Zhou Wulang placed the carrying basket on the ground and proudly showed the big rooster inside to his second brother. “Look, this is what we earned back.” Zhou ErLang looked at the rooster, which was hunched up with most of its feathers fallen out and its body pecked red. He couldn’t help but roll up his sleeves, “Are you saying you spent sixty-five coins on a big rooster just to exchange it for this plucked one?” Zhou Wulang dodged behind Dalang, grabbed his sleeve and said, “Big brother, look, Second Brother is going to hit me again. Did I bring disaster upon myself?” Zhou Wulang peered out from behind Zhou Dalang, still looking a little proud, “We even made money!” He opened the cloth bag he was hugging to show Zhou ErLang, almost tilting his chin skyward. “See that, see that, Second Brother, can you make this much money?” Zhou ErLang was dumbfounded, “Where did you get all this money?” “You call this a lot?” Zhou Wulang took the piece of broken silver from Manbao’s hand to show Zhou ErLang. “See, this is what we earned with that big rooster. Manbao still has copper coins in her pocket.” Zhou Wulang attempted to pry the copper coins from Manbao’s pocket too, but could Manbao be outdone? Not only did she snatch the broken silver back, she grabbed the cloth bag and tucked it under herself, tilting her head and saying, “This money is mine. We’ll divide it according to our contributions when we get back.” Zhou Wulang and the others didn’t contribute anything at all and obediently handed over all the money to Manbao. Of course, Manbao couldn’t possibly carry all that money, so Wulang still ended up as the packhorse. But Zhou Dalang and Zhou ErLang felt it was unwise, “Manbao, what do you need all this money for?” Zhou ErLang squatted down to coax her, “How about Second Brother keeps it for you, and later I’ll buy you meat and candy?” Manbao considered herself already grown up, and since she had experience keeping track of her own points, she was most enthusiastic about planning for her money. How could she possibly want to hand it over to them? So, she stuffed the silver lump into her small cloth pocket and covered it, saying, “No way, I’ll keep my own money.” Zhou Dalang and Zhou ErLang glared at Zhou Wulang. Zhou Wulang also clutched the bag tightly to his chest. If the money was in Manbao’s hands, they might still get a bit, but if it fell into the hands of the big and second brothers, they wouldn’t get a single coin. Zhou Dalang felt a headache coming on, “What do you need the money for exactly?” If it were just four or five coins, it would have been alright for Manbao to hold onto them but there were several hundred coins this time. Manbao started to count on her fingers for him, “I’m going to buy medicine for mom, chickens, meat, clothes, oil paper, books, paper...” When Manbao realized that her two palms weren’t enough to count them all, she drew a circle and said, “I want to buy lots and lots of things.” Zhou Dalang was startled and hesitated before saying, “Then how about you give your money to Big Brother to hold for you, and you can ask Big Brother when you want to buy something later, okay?” Zhou Dalang said, “What if you lose the money?” “I won’t lose it,” Manbao confidently replied. “Right now Wulang is holding it, but when we get back home I’ll hide it in the room. I know where mom hides her money and where dad hides his, so I can just hide my money in another place.” Zhou Liulang exclaimed, “Dad has money?” “Yes, I found it. He even told me not to tell mom.” Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang exchanged looks, as if they realized something significant. Zhou Dalang and Zhou ErLang exchanged a look too. As married men, they knew all too well what their father was up to. The two men cleared their throats and didn’t press Manbao any further, only reminding her, “Since dad told you not to talk about it, let’s not mention it again.” “Eh, dad didn’t tell me not to talk about it, just not to tell mom.” Zhou Family members: ...So you think it’s okay to tell us, right? Zhou Dalang glanced at Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang warningly and said, “Don’t mention this when we get back either.” Then he and Zhou ErLang took their respective daughters to one side for a word of caution, and that seemed to settle the matter. Zhou ErLang’s business wasn’t great, but he did sell several bamboo baskets and baskets. He would have considered the income adequate before, but compared to Manbao and the others, Zhou ErLang felt it was too little. Since it was still early, they didn’t rush to head back; Manbao continued to lead her two brothers and two nieces around on the streets. Of course, Zhou Dalang made a requirement that they could only walk on this street and were not allowed to go outside it. There was no helping it. Their youngest sister was too bold, daring even to go gamble on one street. Who knew what she might do if she ran off? Manbao didn’t mind. The street was full of agricultural products, which she browsed with interest. Of course, she preferred playing in the shops on both sides behind the stalls even more. Luckily, there were both grain and general stores here. She led the way first to pick out a roll of good oil paper, then stopped at a grain store to buy some millet. When she heard Zhou Dalang calling to head home, she slowly made her way out. Zhou Dalang glanced at the things they had bought and decided to discuss it with mom once they got back. They had to take all the money from Manbao. The child was too good at spending money. They had come to sell grain in the first place because they were short on money, and now she was buying millet from a grain store. But Manbao had a very valid reason, “I asked, millet is for soothing the stomach and boosting energy. I want to buy it for mom to eat.” Zhou Dalang sighed repeatedly, “We also have it at home. We could mill it when we get back, why buy it?” Manbao looked confused and asked, “We have it at home? How come I’ve never eaten it?” Zhou Dalang looked down at the cloth bag in Liulang’s hand and pursed his lips, saying nothing. Zhou Liulang grinned and said, “Yeomei, you’re so silly. We eat millet with the husks at home, and with your small throat, of course, you can’t eat that.” Zhou Dalang settled Manbao on the wooden cart and said, “That’s saved for next April and May during the lean times to make porridge with. Tell Big Brother next time you want to buy something. If we have it at home, there’s no need to buy it.” Manbao sat still, “Don’t we know how to hull it at home? Why do we eat it with the husks?” Daya and Erya were also curious, as they didn’t recall ever eating hulled millet either. “With the husks, we can cook more of it, and it also fills the stomach better,” Zhou Wulang also sounded a bit resentful. “I told you we had it at home, but you didn’t believe me. Now, see? You’ve wasted money.” Manbao just hummed, “Who told you to lie to me so often? With such low credibility, of course I don’t believe you.” Zhou Wulang was stumped and asked indignantly, “Did Liulang teach you to say that?” “Wulang, don’t wrong me. How could I teach Manbao to say such things? I don’t even know what credibility is. But you’re right, Manbao, you used the word well. Wulang really has no credibility, no, let me correct that, he has none.” The brothers joked and jostled each other, and Zhou Dalang didn’t bother with them either. He lifted Daya and Erya onto the cart and, pushing the cart, hurried out of town. They needed to make it home before sunset.

Chapter 41 - 41 30 Managing Money

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