Chapter 38 Tablemates
Early next morning, while the family was busy, Zhou Wu Lang and Zhou Liu Lang sneaked into the room to abduct Man Bao. Each holding one of her hands, they carried her to the backyard and secretly gave her the money earned from selling candy yesterday. “It was forty wen total, just right with the deposit. That Miss Fu quite liked them and said she’d buy from us again next time. Little Auntie, could you ask Teacher Zhuang where he buys his candy and if it’s expensive?”
Zhou Wu Lang had clearly thought of resale. Man Bao took twenty wen for herself and split the remaining money between the two brothers, saying, “I already asked Teacher. He introduced that person to me and we’re friends now. Don’t worry, I’ll buy lots and lots of candy for you guys later. We’re the only ones with this candy. Next time you sell, tell her it’s one wen per piece.”
Zhou Liu Lang felt it was too expensive. “What if it doesn’t sell?”
“It will definitely sell. Miss Fu’s father is the county magistrate. Look how many people enter the county town daily, how much has he earned already?”
Zhou Wu Lang felt Man Bao made sense and whispered, “When I left the city today, I chatted with the city guard soldiers for a bit. They said the county magistrate will release new rules again. From now on, anyone entering the city has to pay an entry fee of one wen, whether they’re carrying baskets or not.”
Man Bao clicked her tongue.
Her eyes spun as she said, “If we enter the city empty-handed, we’d be losing money. You guys should find some nice flowers in the mountains. Have Second Brother make you little bamboo baskets, then put a candy inside each one to sell for five wen each. They’ll definitely sell.”
Zhou Wu Lang felt this idea was great. From the twenty wen she gave, he counted ten wen to give back to her. “Man Bao, buy more candy to bring back. Consider this ten wen as mine and Sixth Brother’s share.”
Man Bao didn’t feel any pressure, generously accepting it while patting her little chest. “No problem!”
He Shi took the egg drop soup she beat out but couldn’t find Man Bao so she called out, “Man Bao, where did you run off to?”
Then Man Bao lifted both her little arms. Zhou Wu Lang and Zhou Liu Lang each held one side and swiftly carried her over.
Man Bao happily giggled and even called out, “Faster, higher!”
Seeing the two brothers carry Man Bao like this, He Shi couldn’t help slapping their backs for them to quickly put her down. “It’s still early morning with mist outside. Teasing her into big laughter, if she breathes in the cold air and gets sick, beware of Father beating you.”
Zhou Wu Lang and Zhou Liu Lang dropped Man Bao and ran.
Man Bao thought it was great fun and spoke for them. “I actually really liked it. Third Sister-In-Law, stop scolding them.”
He Shi had her drink the egg soup and said, “Sister-In-Law went to make your breakfast. Go to teaching hall after eating. Bring the characters you wrote yesterday.”
Man Bao assented before running back to find last night’s masterpiece, a large piece of blackened paper.
It was Man Bao’s first time touching ink to paper to write words. Before this, she would use a stick to draw characters on the ground.
Since it was a stick, thick and long, of course she held it however was convenient. Man Bao saw people hold brushes many times so she knew how they were held. But it was still somewhat difficult holding it herself for the first time.
Most importantly, she didn’t grind the ink well last night. She fumbled with it for a long time before making ink.
But she still had full confidence in her words. She felt that being able to write words on the first day of school made her extremely talented, unmatched by others.
Man Bao admired her ink treasure then carefully tucked it between two hand copied books before going to eat breakfast.
By the time she got to teaching hall, the sun had risen quite a bit. Many students had arrived and were reading books in the classroom.
Man Bao trotted inside hugging her books. At first glance she saw someone sitting at her seat in front of her desk – Bai Shan Bao.
Man Bao planned to rush over to chase him away. But thinking back, it was her who was wrong yesterday. She had promised Mother and Ke Ke to apologize so she couldn’t chase him away either.
She could only walk over to greet him first.
Seeing Man Bao approach, Bai Shan Bao immediately straightened his back, placing his hands on his knees. After kneeling so much last night, his knees still ached a bit now.
Bai Shan Bao glared at Man Bao but he knew Grandmother and Mother must still be next door in Teacher’s yard. He didn’t dare hit her again nor argue verbally.
Unexpectedly, Man Bao trotted over saying to him, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have hit you yesterday.”
Bai Shan Bao: …Is this still the same nasty person from yesterday?
Seeing him glare without speaking, Man Bao thought he was still angry. So she took out a candy wrapped in oil paper from her pocket, lifting it to him, “Here, I’ll treat you to candy. Don’t be angry anymore, alright?”
Bai Shan Bao looked at the candy in her palm without speaking.
The scene appeared in the eyes of people outside the window as Bai Shan Bao lacking grace. The young girl took initiative to apologize yet he still wouldn’t accept.
Liu Shi’s face looked somewhat unpleasant. Zheng Shi watched her son in the classroom somewhat anxiously.
At the side, Elder Master Bai quietly explained for Bai Shan Bao, “Shan Bao is still young with a big temper. It’s also possible he’s too shy to speak to a little girl.”
Too shy to speak yet bold enough to fight. What nonsense!
Seeing him not speaking, Man Bao assumed he accepted. She unwrapped the oil paper and directly stuffed it into his mouth, saying, “This is my favorite candy. It’s not too sweet yet not cloying while also fragrant.”
Tasting the sweetness, Bai Shan Bao finally came back to his senses. He lowered his head to glance at the book before him then raised his head to look at Man Bao before lightly grunting out an “en”.
It took Man Bao a good while to react that he was answering her earlier question.
Man Bao couldn’t help sighing. “Your reactions are so slow!”
Bai Shan Bao just humphed.
Man Bao placed her book on the desk and looked at him.
Bai Shan Bao also looked at her. The two children stared with big eyes until those watching outside couldn’t stand it and prepared to intervene. Then Man Bao said, “Since you forgave me, shouldn’t you be leaving now?”
Bai Shan Bao was puzzled. “Leave for where? I came to study!”
“I also came to study! This is my seat!”
Bai Shan Bao became unhappy, putting his hand on the desk. “Clearly this is mine. Teacher told me to sit here.”
Man Bao also placed her hand on the desk, indignantly saying, “Teacher also said for me to sit here. I came first. This is my seat!”
A classmate at the side couldn’t stand it anymore and said, “There’s two people at each desk. One person per side. This is specially arranged by Teacher.”
Bai Shan Bao and Man Bao both looked at the other student. Only then did they realize every desk really sat two people. They said in unison, “I don’t want to sit with him/her!”
That student said, “There’s no helping it. You’re the shortest in class and the youngest. If you don’t sit together, who would be willing to sit with either of you?”
The two looked at each other again before reluctantly accepting with pouting mouths.
After Man Bao sat down, she placed the Analects on the desk then put Thousand Word Text and her homework to the side. Only then did she notice a box at the corner of the desk.
She said to Bai Shan Bao, “Move your box away. This side is my spot.”
Bai Shan Bao took a look before saying, “That’s not my box.”
Man Bao’s eyes instantly lit up. With an adventurous spirit, she dragged the box over and curiously opened it only to see over ten bugs heaped inside.
Man Bao was dumbfounded.
Bai Shan Bao also stretched his neck to take a curious look, then was also dumbfounded. The two children were stunned for a moment before both going “ah!” and closing their eyes to loudly cry.
The adults outside the classroom were shocked and rushed in at the same time.
