Chapter 9

Man Bao runs with short legs to find her sister-in-law. Keke watches the whole process without saying a word.

Sister-in-law Zhou was obviously shocked. She repeatedly asked man Bao what Mr. Zhuang said at that time. After confirmation, she put her things on the stove and said, "go, sister-in-law, take you home first and clean up later."

Man Bao's memory is very good. It's what just happened. Of course, she said it clearly, but old Zhou tou asked three times. Then he squatted on the threshold, took cut tobacco from his waist pocket, stuffed it into the cigarette rod and didn't speak.

Everyone didn't speak. Qian said to Xiao Qian, "you work first. It's not a small thing. You can't decide until the boss comes back."

Little Qian answered and went to the school to continue working.

Qian glanced at Lao Zhou's head, took man Bao's small hand into the house and looked down at her.

Seeing her round face full of confusion, I knew that she probably didn't understand the meaning.

After thinking about it, Qian asked, "man Bao, do you want to read?"

Man Bao said, "I've been reading. I've learned the thousand character text. Mr. Zhuang said that I can teach me the Analects of Confucius. I can count to 100."

Qian touched her little head. "Do you like reading?"

Man Bao nodded and said happily, "yes, reading is fun. When I'm in a good mood, reading QianZiWen is like singing. I feel better; I'm not happy anymore. I also read the thousand word essay, and then I'm happy when I read it. "

Qian's eyes were a little empty, and he didn't know what he thought. Only after half a ring did he say, "what a pity..."

Man Bao climbed into bed, snuggled up to his mother, leaned back on his cerebellar bag and asked, "Mom, what a pity?"

"It's a pity you're not a boy."

Man Bao said, "I don't want to be a boy. Boys are dirty, smelly and not as beautiful as girls."

Qian couldn't help laughing, "yes, we are full of treasure, clean and fragrant..."

But boys can carry on their families.

Qian thought his heart was hard enough, but he couldn't help crying.

Man Bao looked so distressed that he quickly wiped her tears. His eyes turned red and asked with a cry, "Mom, why are you crying? Don't you like me to go to school? Well, I'll go less in the future. "

Qian couldn't help laughing. While wiping his tears, he twisted her nose and said, "what a little slick. Like your father, he can say nice words to deceive people."

Man Bao opens his mouth wide. It's hard to imagine that her father was such a father.

Qian was only sad for a moment, so he hugged her and said, "since you can read, there are many benefits of reading. Although you are a girl, you can read better than others. You won't be cheated or hurt in the future. You can live a better life."

Although Qian didn't know big words, even a village woman who had never been out of the county, she had her own experience. She whispered, "look at those men, those who can read are better than those who can't read, those who know numbers are smarter than those who don't know, and so are girls."

Man Bao nodded fiercely, "Sir said that reading can be reasonable. Bai Er is a fool. He said he didn't take the imperial examination and will inherit his father's land to collect rent in the future. Sir said he was. Explain that reasonable people will not feel guilty wherever they go. They act well and can... "

The latter words were a little difficult. Man Baodun reminded Keke that she could continue, "you can be invincible, heart invincible and people invincible."

Although man Bao didn't quite understand these words, she felt that Mr. Zhuang was so tall at that time. Her face turned red when she heard it. She wanted to run around the river at the entrance of the village three times and shout loudly, so she remembered it.

She looked at her mother brightly and said, "Mom, I want to read and be reasonable!"

Qian looked at her serious little face and almost had to deal with her. But considering the plight of her family, Qian still pressed all his words to the bottom of his heart and listened to the opinions of the head of the family.

Zhou Dalang and his family came back at the time of the evening meal. At this time, the sun was just about to set in the west, but everyone was already very hungry. After all, there was only porridge for the morning meal.

Everyone simply washed their hands and sat down at the dinner table. Lao Zhou was not in a hurry to get down to business. When everyone finished eating, he sat in the yard and called the eldest, second and third to talk.

Little Qian looked out, frowned slightly, grabbed the rag and didn't speak. Sister-in-law Feng also looked into the yard and couldn't help whispering, "father-in-law doesn't really want my sister-in-law to study?"

He frowned and said, "no, how much will it cost, sister-in-law and mother-in-law will not agree?"

Little Qian grabbed the rag. She didn't really want her sister-in-law to go to school, but she took her sister-in-law home at noon.

In fact, when she heard the news at noon, her first feeling was that she was happy. Her sister-in-law would be more promising if she could be accepted as an apprentice by Mr. Zhuang.

But when she returned to school, she thought that reading costs money.

Even if Mr. Zhuang is a private apprentice and doesn't accept his sister-in-law's bundle repair, he can't pay less teacher worship. He also has to pay gifts during the new year's festival. These are small heads. You have to buy books after reading. Which can't spend money on pen, ink, paper and inkstone?

In fact, Mr. Zhuang's school didn't charge much for the repair, because most of it was paid by the white landlord. However, before Lang lost his money on Thursday, the Zhou family couldn't send any grandchildren to school. One of the reasons is that their family background is too thin to afford a scholar.

I couldn't afford it before, and I can't afford it now.

And their mother-in-law also has a medicine jar. They have to drink medicine every month, which makes the burden heavier.

These thoughts washed away Xiao Qian's joy at the beginning, and now there are only worries left.

Of course, what little qian can think of, of course, other men in the Zhou family think more comprehensively, especially old Zhou tou, the head of the family. He didn't want man Bao to go to school, but what his wife and man Bao said in the room in the afternoon made him hesitate again and again.

When he had dinner, he watched manbao holding a big bowl in his two small hands, almost burying his small head in the bowl, and eating a bowl of thin porridge with relish.

Looking at the three daughters-in-law who had just put down the dishes and chopsticks to clean the table, wash the dishes and clean up, Lao Zhoutou's balance slowly shifted to the other side.

His man Bao is weak, white, fat and cute. He is spoiled by his father and brother at home, but ten years later, fifteen years later?

At that time, would she also marry a farmer like her brothers and become a peasant woman like her sister-in-law?

Old Zhou took two puffs of smoke fiercely, choked for a while, then took out the cigarette gun and knocked. He said, "you know everything. Talk about it. What do you think?"

Zhou Erlang and Wednesday Lang looked at each other, lowered their heads and said, "we listen to dad and big brother."

Old Zhou glanced at them and looked at Zhou Dalang, "Dalang, you say."

Zhou Dalang gritted his teeth and said, "since Mr. Zhuang is willing to accept her, let's offer it. When she grows up, if she can marry into the town, she won't have to beg for food in the same place as us."

"Yes!" Old Zhou patted his thigh, "that's what I think. How many girls in the world can read and count. You all count. Who is man Bao smart among the children in the family? I can't figure out the big head of the egg at home. Man Bao can count it once. Our man Baochang is good-looking. When we grow up, we will certainly look better. Not to mention the town, we may be married in the county. "

Zhou Erlang tangled: "that's what I say, but it costs a lot of money to study. She's still a girl and can't be an official in the exam..."

Zhou Erlang's voice gradually lowered under his father's gaze, so he could only poke Lao San.

On Wednesday Lang said, "I listen to my father and big brother."

Zhou Dalang & amp; amp; Zhou Erlang: "

Old Zhou tou couldn't help taking another sip of smoke and said, "Mr. Zhuang will certainly not receive full treasure. We'll give a teacher worship gift or something."

Zhou Erlang said, "you have to buy that book, pen, ink, paper and inkstone. Mr. Zhuang can't accept man Bao as an apprentice. These things have to be paid by Mr. Zhuang. Dad, I don't know how much they cost."

No one at home has read books. They don't know the specific price, but books, pens, ink and paper are very expensive.

This is precisely one of the reasons why Lao Zhou was most hesitant. He smoked calmly and didn't say a word.

Zhou Dalang had a sharp vein in his hand, clenched his teeth and said, "Dad, man Bao is a good child. Mr. Zhuang also knows the situation of our family. I'll ask him. We can buy one of the books they want to learn now. Man Bao is still young and doesn't need to practice calligraphy with paper and ink. When she grows up a little later, her family should save some money. "

Old Zhou tou saw his eldest son speak, took a long breath, nodded and said, "OK, that's it. You and I will take man Bao to the teacher the day after tomorrow, and then discuss with Mr. Zhuang."

Zhou Erlang opened his mouth and said nothing else, but he was worried.

He was forty-six years old and was going to marry him. The original plan was to marry him a daughter-in-law for the new year and go to the ground together in the spring.

But he gambled and ruined his family's money. He also had a bad reputation. It is estimated that he will not be able to marry a daughter-in-law in three years.

But the fourth can get married a few years later. That's what he should do, but what about the fifth?

The old five can also be fourteen. They have to marry in two years. It costs a lot to get married, not to mention their mother has to take medicine.

The six brothers in the family don't count the three who didn't get married. The three who have already got married. Although the eldest brother is stable, he is not smart enough. The third brother is an honest man.

The second is a little smart, and because he often sells something in the market, he thinks and wants more than the first.

Once the gambling happened, he calculated it in his heart. In three or two years, how can the family save three or four hanging money? Then he will lend some to old five to tell him about his marriage.

After the fifth, it's the turn of the fourth and sixth. After the three little ones finish kissing, the family will have to live in poverty for at least another ten years, and then the big head will have to start kissing.

He had planned to work together at home. His parents were there and his brothers worked together. In fact, he made money faster than his own family.

Although his brother, nephew and his son will get married, he may not see any surplus money in his life, but at least he won't be short of food and clothing.

But if this plan is combined with manbao reading, the family will really have no more money.

Zhou Erlang scratched his head and finally said he had a headache. Forget it. Anyway, his parents are the ones who should worry. Now he just needs to be obedient and take good care of his small home.