Chapter 6: Plan
The little friends worked until the sun was high overhead. Famished and unable to continue, they estimated it was time for an early meal, so they shouldered their tools to head back home.
Zhou Wulang still squatted down, intending to carry Man Bao on his back.
But Man Bao felt bad for her brother, who was now filthy, sweaty and rather smelly. So she insisted on walking back herself.
Zhou Wulang considered that it was mostly flat terrain from here to home, so Man Bao should be able to manage. Their mother likely wouldn’t scold him either, so he felt reassured taking Man Bao’s hand as they headed back.
Along the way, they encountered many fellow villagers returning home from the fields to eat their early meal. The Zhou family was currently the hot topic in the village, especially Zhou Silang.
Upon seeing them, people would first cast concerned looks at Zhou Silang’s rear end, then solemnly advise: “Fourth Lad, gambling is no good, that’s the path to ruining the family.”
“Fourth Lad ah, you’re still young. Don’t make mistakes like this again in the future.”
…
Receiving a lecture from each person they met, Zhou Silang’s face turned green. He didn’t respond, while Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang felt embarrassed. Only Man Bao, being too young to experience that sense of shame yet, sincerely felt these aunts, uncles and brothers were absolutely right in their admonitions.
So she wholeheartedly agreed throughout. “Uncle is correct, if you ever see my Fourth Brother heading to the gambling den again, you can beat him on my father’s behalf. When Dad finds out later, he’ll definitely treat you to a big meat feast.”
“Isn’t that right, Uncle Da Zhu? Next time you all go to the county town, keep an eye on my Fourth Brother. If he misbehaves, just tie him up and bring him back. Mom will absolutely reward you.”
Seeing her fourth brother remain sullenly silent, Man Bao even slapped him. “So rude! Don’t you see the uncles and brothers speaking to you? Are you still not truly repentant? Still thinking of gambling?”
Zhou Silang could only dejectedly thank each person who berated him.
The villagers felt that Fourth Lad had probably truly turned over a new leaf. He was still young after all, merely momentarily unable to resist temptation.
So some families that had previously dismissed the idea of betrothing their daughters to him began to reconsider.
If this Fourth Lad could really reform, he was actually a quite decent young man – strapping in build, diligent in his work, with many capable brothers.
Yes, the villagers unanimously felt the three married Zhou brothers were very accomplished – skilled at farm work and industrious, taking on odd jobs at the landowner’s estate whenever they had time to earn extra income. And looking at Old Zhou and Mrs. Qian, they were both extremely hard-working as well. It stood to reason that Zhou Silang should take after them.
So people’s gazes towards Zhou Silang held a bit more tolerance now.
Though Zhou Silang himself failed to sense this, as the moment he returned home, his mother immediately set him to chopping firewood.
With the autumn harvest now concluded, the family needed to prepare firewood for the winter. Previously, the three eldest married brothers oversaw these kinds of chores, with the heavy chopping work typically handled by the third brother thanks to his great strength.
The younger, unmarried brothers below were tasked with gathering kindling from the hills and carrying the chopped logs to the shed.
However, due to Zhou Silang’s gambling losses, after discussing with Old Zhou, Mrs. Qian reassigned the firewood chopping duty to him as punishment, while also making a statement to their sons and daughters-in-law.
With so many children in the family, favoritism was inevitable. But on the whole, Mrs. Qian aimed to keep things fair to avoid any one child making a fuss and disrupting the entire household’s peace.
Old Zhou sat hunched on the doorstep, a worried frown on his face as he watched his fourth son retrieve an axe, only letting out a snort and averting his gaze once the task began.
Spotting his youngest daughter, a smile broke across his face. “Man Bao is back. Did you have fun playing?”
Man Bao nodded happily. “It was fun! Dad, the hills are so enjoyable. There were lots of flowers and grasses up there. I want to go back this afternoon!”
“The afternoon sun will be too strong. You should stay home and nap. Let your fourth brother and the others go instead,” Old Zhou advised. “If you like flowers, have your nieces pick some for you. You can’t be out in the sun too long or you’ll need medicine if you get burned.”
Recalling the bitter black herbal decoction her mother had to take, Man Bao’s nose crinkled as her whole little face puckered, as if tasting something extremely bitter.
Old Zhou chuckled at the adorable sight, his mood finally lifting a bit. He instructed his daughter to go inside and sit, telling her the early meal would be ready soon.
For farmers, the “early meal” was eaten after completing the first round of field work, with only two meals consumed per day – one at around 9-11am, and the other at 3-5pm. After the evening meal and some chores, they could sleep once night fell.
This routine applied to adults. Children were the exception – in summer and autumn when days were longer, households typically boiled some porridge in the evenings to feed the children so they wouldn’t go too hungry overnight.
Man Bao scampered into the main room, where Mrs. Qian had taken ill the previous day after that dreadful shock and fright, remaining abed today.
Seeing her daughter covered in grass and grime, Mrs. Qian couldn’t help but smile. “Did you have a good time playing?”
Man Bao responded with a couple of affirmative hums, sitting obediently on the edge of the bed. “Mother, can I go to market with Second Brother next time?”
“What for?”
“I want to learn to do business too.”
Mrs. Qian laughed. “You just want to go play, don’t you?”
Thinking it over, Man Bao hadn’t attended the spring temple fair, and with the autumn harvest now concluded, if she didn’t go soon it would be too cold to venture out later.
With that in mind, Mrs. Qian agreed. “Your sister-in-law can take you. Da Tou and the others should go too after their fright yesterday. It’ll help settle their minds to go out and play.”
As for this business talk, Mrs. Qian paid it no mind, seeing it merely as childish rambling.
But Man Bao was quite serious about it.
So after the early meal, instead of going to study hall for lessons, she gathered Zhou Wulang, Zhou Liulang, and all her nieces and nephews to collectively brainstorm plans.
Zhou Wulang reached out to feel his sister’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever. Why are you talking nonsense?”
Zhou Liulang laughed. “What do we even have to sell?”
Man Bao shook her head. “We don’t, but there’s stuff outside!”
She pointed outwards. “There are so many pretty flowers and grasses out there. We can pick them all and sell them!”
Everyone: “……”
Even San Tou said, “No one will buy them!”
“Why wouldn’t they sell?” Man Bao reasoned that if the brilliant Ke Ke liked these wild plants and flowers, surely others would too.
Man Bao was quite dictatorial, waving her hand decisively. “It’s settled then, we’ll go pick flowers and dig up wild plants to sell.”
Zhou Wulang moved to dissuade her, but Zhou Liulang held him back. “Listen to Man Bao.”
“So our little sister has gone crazy, and you’ve gone crazy too?”
Zhou Liulang replied pragmatically, “I’m not crazy, but if we don’t listen to her, will we still get to go to market?”
Realizing the logic in this, Zhou Wulang agreed.
The market town was quite a distance from their village, at least half a day’s walk away. The last time they went was during the spring temple fair.
The two brothers immediately signaled to Da Tou, Da Ya and the others with their eyes. Everyone understood and happily assented to Man Bao’s plan of bringing lots of pretty wildflowers and grasses to sell at the next market day.
Why not? They could go to the market first and figure it out later.
