Chapter 50: Enticement
Zhou Wulang explained, “Take our village for example. To get to the county town, we pass through four villages along the way. The typical travel time is two hours. So we need to set out by the latest at the Mao hour(5am-7am). We’ll reach the next village around two subdivisions into the Mao hour. If we arrive early, we wait at their village entrance until that time subdivision before calling out – if no one responds, it means no travel companions and we can proceed.”
The little companions listened intently. Man Bao even raised her little hand to ask, “Then why didn’t we wait for others the last time we went?”
“We had many adults going from our family that time, no need to deliberately team up. Your eldest brothers Zhou Dalang and Zhou Erlang were adults, while Wulang, Liulang were youths. Even Da Ya and Er Ya were bigger kids – who would dare accost us?”
But for solo travelers or just two or three on the road, teaming up was convenient for both parties.
Continuing this way, they’d pause at each village entrance while villagers from other villages would also arrive early to wait at intersections. Just on this one trip, Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang witnessed how the villagers coordinated with each other.
Excitedly, he told Man Bao, “Liulang and I felt we could go to the county town market every day!”
Delighted, Man Bao ran back to her room and took out a bag of sugar from Ke Ke, simply wrapping it in oiled paper before bringing it out to Zhou Wulang with solemn words, “Fifth Brother, I’m entrusting our money-making plan to you.”
Zhou Wulang snuck a peek inside, barely containing his excitement as he cradled the oiled paper. “Little Sister, have no worries.”
Since they were surrounded by Zhou Silang, Zhou Liulang and the other children, the adults could only hear their words but not see their hands or the object they held.
Old Master Zhou felt his fifth and sixth sons were growing up and could consider their prospects and marriages, so he was willing to give them some leeway to go out and experience the world. Even if unsuccessful, gaining some worldly experience at no cost was fine.
Da Tou and the others knew they had a stake in this business venture too – their uncles’ earnings were theirs too, filling them with determination.
Only Zhou Silang felt endlessly melancholic to only watch from the sidelines, unable to even join the discussion, let alone participate.
Aware the issue of sugar shouldn’t be known to their parents, Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang covered for each other to take the item back to their room and hide it before coming out again, excitedly planning their money-making endeavors.
Man Bao kept pitching one idea after another, plausible or not – just saying them for everyone to discuss.
The system couldn’t help but say in her mind, “Host, your shopping mall is now open.”
Man Bao replied indifferently with an “mm” before continuing to explain the plan to sell flower baskets to Zhou Wulang and the others the next day.
The system fell silent for a moment before suddenly projecting something in her mind – a transparent bottle containing a green liquid. Man Bao found it quite pretty, finally catching her attention.
Full of interest, she asked, “Ke Ke, what is this?”
The system replied, “Estimated to be a medicinal cure for your mother’s illness, effective in one dose.”
Man Bao’s eyes widened as she immediately said, “I want to buy it, I want to buy it. Ke Ke, quickly purchase it!”
The system said, “You have no money.”
Man Bao paused before hurriedly checking the price, seeing rows of zeros.
Nearly deflated with disappointment, Man Bao sighed heavily.
But the system then encouraged her, “Although the required points seem extremely far for the host, as long as you persist, there’s still a high chance of eventually purchasing it. This is a newly listed medicine in the mall that I understand will be available long-term.”
Man Bao’s spirits lifted. “So as long as I can afford it eventually, I can buy it anytime?”
The system replied, “Yes!”
Finally cheered up, Man Bao asked, “Ke Ke, tell me how to earn points?”
“Get your brothers to help. Do you remember that ligustrum tree we saw on our county town trip? Have them collect a few branches with the berries. I estimate recording the ligustrum would earn dozens of points. Little by little, there’s a chance of eventual success.”
The system gently enticed, “Think about it – if you could record one organism never recorded before every day, that’s at least fifty points each. For already extinct species, it could be hundreds or thousands of points. There are 365 days in a year – if you persist for a year, calculate how many points that would be?”
Man Bao counted on her fingers. One hundred days was five thousand points, three hundred days fifteen thousand points…
Her eyes widened as she became excited, her little body quivering as everyone looked on nervously. Zhou Wulang carefully reached out to poke her.
Man Bao grabbed his finger, eyes shining as she looked at him. “Fifth Brother, you have to promise me something. If you do, I’ll buy you a bag of sugar every day from now on.”
Zhou Wulang’s heart pounded as he asked tentatively, “You…you want…”
“Help me dig up flowers and plants.”
Zhou Wulang and everyone else finally relaxed with laughter. “Okay, whatever you want, just tell Fifth Brother and I’ll dig them up for you even if I have to climb mountains and cross seas!”
“No need for mountains yet,” Man Bao said. “Just the hill we rested at on our county town trip will do. Don’t you remember?”
She described the ligustrum’s appearance and berries. “Fifth Brother, help me collect two branches with the berries on your way back home tomorrow.”
“Just this?”
“No, I’ll tell you if I think of anything new to find later.”
Zhou Wulang saw no issue with some flowers and plants, thumping his chest. “No problem. But Little Sister, what do you want those branches for? I told you the berries are inedible.”
“Medicinal herbs, I have a use for them.”
“Medicinal herbs?” Zhou Wulang scratched his head, not understanding but still nodding in agreement.
Xiao Qian Shi and the others reheated the dinner dishes to serve. Old Master Zhou rapped the table, calling the children over from the courtyard to eat.
“You said you wanted writing lessons, but all I heard was idle chatter all afternoon.”
Only then did Man Bao and the others remember they hadn’t practiced writing yet that day.
Unable to resist, Man Bao tilted her little head in lament, “I’m really too busy!”
“Yes, busy recuperating too.” Qian Shi glanced at her forehead, now blackened, and said, “No more fighting from now on. What if your head gets cracked and you become a fool?”
“That won’t happen, I’ll never become a fool.” Man Bao was full of confidence – she had Ke Ke in her mind who would surely protect her intellect.
On this, Man Bao was especially confident.
