Chapter 9 Consent

Man Bao ran to find her sister-in-law with short legs, and Keke watched the whole process without saying a word.

Sister-in-law Zhou was obviously startled, and repeatedly asked Man Bao what Mr. Zhuang said at the time. After she was sure, she put the things on the stove after a little thought, and said, "Go, sister-in-law will take you home first, and I'll clean up later."

Man Bao's memory is very good, and it happened just now. Of course, she said it clearly, but Lao Zhoutou still asked three times, and then squatted on the threshold and took out shredded tobacco from his waist pocket. , stuffed into the cigarette rod and did not speak.

No one said a word. Mrs. Qian said to Mrs. Qian: "You go to work first. It's not a small matter. We will have to wait for the boss and the others to come back before we can decide."

Xiao Qian responded and went to the school to continue working.

Qian shi glanced at Lao Zhoutou, took Man Bao's little hand into the house, and looked down at her.

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

After thinking about it, Qian asked, "Man Bao, do you want to study?"

Man Bao said, "I've been reading all the time. I've already learned "Thousand Characters". Mr. Zhuang said that he can teach me "The Analects", and I can count to one hundred."

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

Man Bao nodded and said happily: "I like it, reading is fun, when I'm in a good mood, reading "Thousand Characters" is like singing, and I feel better; when I'm not happy, I also read "Thousand Characters" Words", and then I was happy when I read it."

Qian's eyes were a little vague, and he didn't know what to think. After a while, he said, "It's such a pity..."

Man Bao climbed onto the bed, sat next to his mother, raised his head and asked, "Mother, what a pity?"

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

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

Qian couldn't help but smile, "Yeah, our treasures are clean and fragrant..."

But boys can pass on the lineage.

Qian Shi thought that his heart was hard enough, but at this time, he couldn't help crying.

Man Bao looked very distressed, and quickly wiped her tears, his eyes couldn't help turning red, he asked with a crying voice, "Mother, why are you crying, do you not like me to study? Well, then I Go a little later."

Qian Shi couldn't help laughing out loud, wiping her tears while wringing her nose and saying, "What a slick little guy, like your father, he can say nice things to coax people."

Man Bao opened his mouth wide, it was hard to imagine that her father turned out to be that kind of father.

Qian Shi was only sad for a moment, and hugged her and said, "Since you can read, then read, there are many benefits to reading. Although you are a girl, you are better than others when you read, and you will not be deceived or cheated by others in the future. Damn, you can make your life better."

Although Qian was illiterate, even a village woman who had never been out of the county, she had her own knowledge, she whispered: "Look at those men, those who can read are better off than those who are illiterate. Counting is smarter than ignorant ones, and so are girls."

Man Bao nodded fiercely, "Mr. said that reading can be sensible. Bai Er, that idiot, said that he didn't take the imperial examinations, and he would inherit his father's land to collect rent and live in the future, and the husband said that. The person who is reasonable. No matter where you go, you will not feel guilty, you will do well, you can…”

The next words are a bit difficult, Man Bao paused for a while, but Keke reminded her before she could continue, "You can be invincible, your heart is undefeated, and your people are undefeated."

Although Man Bao didn't understand these words very well, she felt that Mr. Zhuang was so tall and tall at the time, and she blushed when she heard it. Living.

She looked at her mother with bright eyes and said, "Mother, I want to study, and I have to be reasonable!"

Looking at her serious face, Mrs. Qian almost wanted to answer her, but thinking of the current predicament of the family, Mrs. Qian still kept all the words in her heart, so let's listen to the advice of the boss.

Zhou Dalang and the others came back at the hour of dinner. At this time, the sun was about to set, but everyone was too hungry. After all, there was only porridge for breakfast.

Everyone simply washed their hands and sat down at the dinner table. Old Zhoutou was not in a hurry to talk about business. After everyone had finished eating, he sat down in the courtyard and called the eldest, second and third to speak to him.

Mrs. Qian glanced out, frowned slightly, grabbed the rag and said nothing. On Tuesday, Mrs. Feng also glanced at the yard, and couldn't help but whispered, "Father-in-law doesn't really want my aunt to read, right?"

He frowned and said, "No way, how much will it cost, sister-in-law, will my mother-in-law agree?"

Xiao Qian was holding on to the rag. She didn't really want her aunt to go to school, but she brought her home at noon.

In fact, when she heard the news at noon, the first thing she felt was happiness. My sister-in-law could be accepted as an apprentice by Mr. Zhuang, and she would be more promising in the future.

But when she returned to the school again, she thought that it costs money to study.

Even if Mr. Zhuang accepts apprentices in private, and does not accept aunts' bridal repairs, the ceremony for apprenticeships cannot be neglected, and he has to take the ceremony during the festivals. These are all small heads. If you read books, you should buy books. ?

In fact, Mr. Zhuang’s school was not very well received, because the majority of the money was paid by the white landlords, but before the Zhou family lost in the bet on Thursday, the Zhou family had not been able to send any of their grandchildren to the school. One of the reasons was that they The family is still too thin to afford a reader.

This was unaffordable before, and it is even more unaffordable now.

In addition, their mother-in-law also has a medicine jar at home. She has to drink medicine every month, and the burden is even heavier.

These thoughts washed away Xiao Qian's initial joy, and now only worry is left.

Of course, what Xiao Qian can think of, the other men in the Zhou family are of course more thoughtful, especially the head of the family, the old Zhou Tou. He originally did not want Man Bao to study, but his wife and Man Bao said in the room in the afternoon. The words made him hesitate.

When it was time for dinner, he watched Man Bao holding a large bowl with two small hands, almost burying his little head in the bowl, and eating a bowl of thin white porridge with relish.

Looking at the three daughters-in-law next to him who were about to clear the table, wash the dishes, and clean as soon as they put down the dishes, the balance in Lao Zhoutou's heart 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 what about ten years later, fifteen years later?

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

Old Zhou Tou took two puffs of cigarettes, choked on it, and then took out the bong and knocked it. He said, "You all know the matter, tell me, what are your thoughts?"

Tuesday Lang and Wednesday Lang looked at each other, lowered their heads and said, "Let's listen to Dad and Big Brother."

Old Zhou Tou glanced at the two of them and looked at Zhou Dalang, "Dalang, you say."

Zhou Dalang gritted his teeth and said, "Since Mr. Zhuang is willing to accept her, then let's make an offering. When she grows up, if she can marry into the town, she won't have to beg for food like us."

"Yes!" Lao Zhoutou patted his thigh, "That's what I thought, how many girls in this world can read and count, and you can count, among the children in the family, who is the smartest? It's hard to count how big the eggs are, but Man Bao can count them once. We Man Bao are good-looking, and they will definitely look better when they grow up, not to mention the town, maybe even the county can get married."

On Tuesday, Lang tangled: "That's what I said, but it costs a lot of money to study. She is still a girl and can't take the exam to become an official..."

Under the gaze of his father, Zhou Lang's voice gradually decreased, and he could only poke the third child.

Wednesday Lang said: "I listen to my father and elder brother."

Zhou Dalang \u0026amp; Tuesday Lang: "..."

The old Zhoutou couldn't help but took another puff of cigarette, and said, "Mr. Zhuang will definitely not collect a bundle full of treasures, so we will give a teacher or something."

On Tuesday, Lang said: "Then the book and pen, ink, paper and inkstone have to be bought. Can't Mr. Zhuang accept Manbao as his apprentice. These things have to be provided by Mr. Zhuang. Dad, I don't know how much these things cost."

No one in the family has read books, and they don't know the exact price, but books, pens, ink, and paper are very expensive.

And this is precisely one of the reasons why Lao Zhoutou was most hesitant. He smoked with a calm head and said nothing.

Zhou Dalang had blue veins protruding on his hand, gritted his teeth and said: "Dad, Man Bao is a good boy, Mr. Zhuang also knows the situation of our family, I will ask him, which book they want to learn now, we will just buy a copy. She is still young now, and she doesn't need to practice calligraphy with paper and ink, and when she grows up a little later, she should save a little money at home."

Seeing the eldest son speak, Old Zhou took a long breath and nodded, "Okay, just do it like this. You and I will go to apprenticeship with Man Bao the day after tomorrow, and then discuss it with Mr. Zhuang."

On Tuesday, Lang opened his mouth and didn't say anything else, but he was worried.

He was forty-six, and he was about to say kiss. The original plan was to marry him a daughter-in-law for the New Year, so that he could go to the ground together in the spring.

But he gambled money and ruined the family's money, and his reputation was ruined. It is estimated that he will not be able to marry a wife within three years.

But the fourth child can get married a few years later, which is what he deserves, but what about the fifth child?

The fifth child is also fourteen, and in two years' time, they will have to say marriage. The cost of marriage is a lot, not to mention that their mother has to take medicine.

Of the six brothers in the family, the three who are not married are not counted, the three who are married, the eldest is stable, but not smart enough, and the third is the most honest person.

The second child is a little more clever, and because he often goes to the market to sell some things, he thinks and wants a little more than the first one.

Originally, as soon as the gamble happened, he made a calculation in his heart. After three or two years, how could the family save three or four hanging money, and then borrow a little more for the fifth to talk about marriage.

After the fifth, it is the turn of the fourth and sixth. After the three little ones have finished talking, the family will have to be in extreme poverty for at least another ten years, and then the big head will have to start talking.

He originally planned to work well together at home. His parents were there, and his brothers worked together. In fact, he could make money faster than his own.

Although his younger brother, nephew, and his son will marry each other, he may never see any spare money in his life, but at least there will be no shortage of food and clothing.

But if Man Bao reading is added to this plan, then the family really has no money left.

On Tuesday, Lang scratched his head, and finally said with a headache, forget it, anyway, the family is run by the parents, and they are the ones who are bothered. Now he just needs to be obedient and take care of his own little family.