The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 486 - 475: Let’s Do It Together

Chapter 486: Chapter 475: Let’s Do It Together

Old Zhou grumbled, "What do you need so much money for?"

But having already given twenty-one yuan, his heart ached for the remaining five, yet he wouldn’t break the rules. He could only turn to Ms. Qian and say, "Take out six yuan to give to her."

Ms. Qian smiled and agreed.

Manbao, having divided the money, was filled with joy and waved to her group of little friends, "I’m off tomorrow, Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, let’s take Daya and the others to the city for fun."

Zhou WuLang happily agreed.

Old Zhou was about to refuse, "Going to the city just after getting your money, Manbao, do you know you need to save and spend carefully? There will be many more things for you to spend on in the future."

"I know, Dad, don’t worry," Manbao answered nonchalantly.

Zhou SiLang, feeling left out because she didn’t invite him, protested, "Manbao, what about me?"

"You already have a wife, you should spend time with your wife and child."

Zhou WuLang nodded in agreement, "Exactly, exactly."

Suddenly, Old Zhou remembered something, "Five, you’ve been running outside too much lately. Take care of your complexion, and don’t just save your money; buy some nice-looking fabric for your mother to tailor clothes for you. You’ll be going to see potential brides before long."

Ms. Qian glanced at Zhou WuLang’s dark face and couldn’t help sighing, "This child’s skin is like his grandfather’s."

Old Zhou also fretted, "Isn’t it? With so many kids in the family, most have skin like their grandmother’s—they prefer not to tan. Only he takes after his grandfather."

Zhou WuLang protested, "Dad, you’re dark too. Everyone in the village says I look like you!"

"You’re comparing yourself to me? You should see how old I am, how many years I’ve spent in the sun. Ask your mother, was I as dark as you when I was young?"

"That, that’s because you were lazy!"

"Nonsense, Even if I were in the sun all year, I wouldn’t get as dark. Don’t believe me? Ask your mother."

Curious, Manbao looked at her mother; Ms. Qian pushed her head gently and told Zhou WuLang, "Carry your sister’s book chest back to her room. Since you’re going to the county town tomorrow, you should go to bed early tonight. Eldest, go and cook."

Junior Ms. Qian happily complied.

Zhou WuLang made a request, "Mom, can we take the ox cart tomorrow?"

"No way," Old Zhou refused before Ms. Qian could reply, "The ox has been working hard all year. Now that the harvest is over, shouldn’t it rest properly?"

Ms. Qian nodded in agreement.

The rest could only sigh in disappointment.

Zhou WuLang carried Manbao’s book chest back to her room while she followed, hopping and jumping. But Old Zhou caught her by the arm, "Manbao, since you are going to the city, help Dad buy some things. The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching; we need to buy sweets and some meat. Also, your mother has been complaining about her blunt needles, buy her some as well, and about the jars for pickling vegetables..."

The family of the Zhou household...

Dad wants to spend all of Manbao’s money...

Sure enough, Old Zhou only listed what to buy and had no intention of giving money for it.

Manbao didn’t think too much about it, finding her father had said too much for her to remember all at once, so she took out paper and pen to note it down.

Seeing Old Zhou even tasked Manbao with buying seeds, Junior Ms. Qian couldn’t hold back, "Dad, the kids won’t be able to carry all that stuff back. Maybe buy less."

Old Zhou went silent for a moment before saying, "Alright, you might as well take the ox cart after all."

Everyone: ...

Manbao cheered joyfully, and Datou and the rest cheered too. They didn’t think too much about it; all they knew was they could ride the ox cart there and back without walking.

"You must take good care of the ox on the way," Old Zhou fretted, afraid they would lose the ox.

Zhou ErLang immediately said, "Dad, I’ll be going too. Why don’t we let sister-in-law soak the beans tonight, and I can take some baskets and tofu to sell in the city tomorrow, and I can keep an eye on them as well."

"Go ahead, you do that."

Zhou SiLang immediately said, "Dad, I want to go too!"

Old Zhou looked down on him, "What for?"

"I’m good at haggling," Zhou SiLang argued, "Not to mention, you’re having them buy seeds; do they even know how to choose seeds?"

"And you do?"

"I do, Manbao, wouldn’t you say Silang knows how?"

Manbao: "Better than me."

"What do you mean better than you? I may not be as good as my three sisters-in-law, but I’m on par with Eldest and the rest when it comes to picking seeds."

Old Zhou, annoyed, waved his hand, "Alright, alright, if you want to go, then go. But make sure you take good care of your brothers, sisters, nephews, and nieces."

Zhou SiLang happily agreed.

The next morning, Junior Ms. Qian was particularly generous, making stuffed pancakes for everyone, with various vegetables inside and smeared with her homemade sauce.

After just one bite, Manbao couldn’t stop.

Even after finishing one and feeling full, she still wanted another.

Junior Ms. Qian wrapped up a piping hot one in a dry lotus leaf for her to take on the road.

"Don’t play too late and come back early, you hear?"

They all agreed, and then Zhou SiLang brought out the ox cart, lifting the youngest, Sanya and Second Son, onto it first while Manbao and Third Son climbed up themselves.

In the middle, there were Zhou ErLang’s things to take to the town, with just enough space on the sides for Datou, Daya, and Second Son, Erya.

Zhou SiLang and the rest walked regretfully alongside the ox, "Such bad timing, if only we were a few years younger."

Unable to help himself, Zhou ErLang gave him a kick.

After more than three months, the county town was still bustling.

It was mainly because the harvest was over, and everyone had time to come out and play.

Moreover, this year Luojiang County had a good harvest, and as long as there wasn’t too much idleness or other misfortunes at home, no one should be starving. So, shouldn’t everyone come down to the county town to celebrate?

But even among the celebratory crowd, there wouldn’t be a family as large as Manbao’s.

The gate guards didn’t remember Manbao but they recognized the Zhou brothers, and immediately when they saw them they knew who they were.

Taking a glance at the people on the ox cart, one couldn’t help but jokingly ask, "Zhou Er, you’re not selling tofu today but humans instead?"

Zhou ErLang jokingly replied, "Officer, you jest. These are all my relatives, I’m just bringing them to the city to see the excitement after the harvest, so the kids can also have a bit of fun."

Now the guard took a careful look, astonished, "They’re all your kids?"

Zhou ErLang squinted with a smile, "Yes, indeed."

The guards let them pass and then turned their heads to watch the departing ox cart, remarking to their colleague, "That family is truly prosperous."

"Jealous?"

"Have to be."

"Feeding such a big family is no easy feat, no wonder we see him setting up his stall in town whenever it’s not the busy farming season."

Zhou SiLang led the ox cart to Zhou ErLang’s regular stall, parking the cart and ox behind it so Zhou ErLang could sit or lean if he needed to.

Zhou ErLang didn’t need their help and just warned Zhou SiLang, "Don’t wander off too far, and come back after you’ve bought what’s needed. It is not easy moving around with so many kids."

"Got it, Second Brother, the big ones can look after the little ones. Besides, the county town isn’t that big; we couldn’t get too far even if we wanted to."