Only after a thousand sails would one be calm and relaxed.
Only when you had weathered the storm, could you be fearless.
When they got home, it was afternoon.
At the sound of the cart wheels at the entrance, the courtyard door was opened, huala ~ the whole family hailed out.
"How did it go? Did someone buy?" Before they reached the front, Grandma Liu asked anxiously.
"Hahaha! Do you still have to ask? Look at these two brats grinning ear to ear, they must have sold them!" Grandpa Liu laughed with certainty, but his heart was still suspended.
There was no way to get it down unless he heard it with his own ears.
Chen Xiulan and Du Juan were standing beside the two oldies, both looking at the med on the ox cart with eyes wide open.
Liu Dalin stretched out his hands: "Father, Mother, give me a hand. I don't dare to move. I'm afraid that if I move, the silver will fall out!"
"…" Grandpa Liu breathed a sigh of relief and his smile widened genuinely. He whacked Liu Dalin on the head and said, "Bastard, you still also have to fool your parents, get up!"
"Grandma, Mother, Aunt! We sold all the wine! We made money!" Liu Yusheng drilled from Dalin's lap and grinned toothily: "We also took the deposit, and they want all the fruit wine we have at home!"
"Really, you're not kidding? They'll take it all?" Grandma Liu's voice trembled.
Grandpa Liu's beard even trembled.
"Father, Mother, let's go inside first." Chen Xiulan reminded them softly. Neighbors left and right had run out to watch when they heard the commotion.
"Right!"
With the doors closed, the family sat together in the hall.
Dalin pulled out a cloth bag from his bosom and carefully revealed the contents.
A silver banknote and five silver ingots.
Because he had guarded it tightly all the way, the cloth bag which was pressed against his chest was soaked in sweat, even the silver banknote was somewhat damp and moist.
"Father, mother, these five silver ingots are the payment for the 100 jars of wine today. And this silver banknote, amounting to 500 Taels, is the deposit of the Young Boss of Wanjin Restaurant. He wants all our 2000 catties of wine!" Liu Dalin's eyes lit up. The joy of this success magnified even more when facing his family, because he wanted to share it with them.
"So a jar of wine really sold for 500 Wen?"
"Yes! 500 Wen! Not a penny less!"
"Oh, my heart!" Grandma Liu suddenly pounded her chest, feeling short of breath: "I mean, when the wine wasn't sold, I was panicked. But now that it was all sold out, why is my heart still beating so fast?"
Grandpa Liu sniffled and scolded with a laugh, "An old woman is an old woman. You've never seen anything like it."
"If you've seen something like it, why is your nose sour?"
"Who's got a sour nose?"
"You!"
Liu Yusheng giggled beside them. Her grandparents' reaction was so cute.
Her little hand grabbed a silver ingot, and bit it with her millet teeth, aaaaah: "Grandma, look! This silver is real! Can you relax now? We've sold all our wine. It's real, not a dream."
"You devilish girl. You're just like your grandfather, poking fun at me!"
"Hahaha!" The family cooed and laughed, their laughter sour at the same time.
They were the only ones who knew what they had been through this period of time.
They've been uneasy and sleepless, not just in fear fear of losing money, but also in fear that the dream they've been holding on to would be shattered.
Fearing the blow and failure that would result from their family's hard work.
Wiping the corner of her eyes with a trace, Grandma Liu picked up the silver banknote and scrutinized it under the light: "I have lived most of my life, but it's still the first time I've seen a banknote. So it actually looked like this."
Liu Erlin chuckled: "We're glad that Nannan tagged along this time. She was the one who asked for a deposit from the Young Boss. Otherwise, Big brother and I, we poor clods, wouldn't have thought about it! Nannan is the biggest contributor to the success of this sale!"
"What exactly has happened? Tell us!"
When it came to storytelling, Liu Erlin was invigorated, adding oil and vinegar to the process which he heard from his elder brother. He spoke so eloquently and dazzled the family.
At times, peals of laughter erupted in the hall.
When Liu Zhixia and Liu Zhiqiu came back from the school, they saw a lot of people sneaking around in front of their house, frequently craning their necks to look into their yard.
When the brothers entered the house, Liu Erlin has just finished his storytelling.
"Grandpa, Grandma, Father, Mother, why are there so many people in front of our house? What's going on?"
"Is it because Dad went out with Uncle to sell wine today and failed?"
The brothers both spoke out at the same time.
"Little brat, don't you have confidence in me?" Liu Erlin laughed and scolded Liu Zhiqiu, "Anyway, from now on, our family won't have to worry about your stipends!"
The two boys looked at each other and suddenly burst into cheers.
It was sold!
Their family's wine was bought! Finally, their parents didn't have to worry secretly!
They could also study in peace!
After cheering, they both ran towards Liu Yusheng and worked together to carry her up: "Nannan, you're wonderful!"
"Gegege!" The crisp laughter of the little toddler, mingling with the cheers of the boys, escaped from the hall and out into the courtyard.
The people strolling outside immediately shut up and perked their ears up, then talked it over.
"They're so happy. Things must have worked out!"
"Definitely. I vaguely heard Nannan saying in front of the house that it was sold out. I didn't hear it clearly, so I dare not drop in for a visit."
"Aigoo, it's sold out. So why are we still here worrying? Let's go, go in! Let's ask Old Chap Liu for a drink!"
Bangbang – The courtyard door was immediately slammed: "Brother Liu, Liu Dalin, open the door! You're hiding in the house and having fun by yourselves!"
Fortunately, they've stayed worrying outside for long before dropping in.
Otherwise, the Liu family would think they came to make fun of them when their business failed.
But their worries were in vain. The family was joyful!
In the house, they heard the voice of Grandpa Liu laughing and scolding, "Do you guys give congratulations likes this? If I didn't know, I would have thought you came to the door to collect debts!"
Liu Dalin gathered the silver banknote and silver ingots together and pushed them in front of Grandma Liu: "Mother, keep these away. Don't let anyone see them."
"Okay, I'll put them away for now. We'll total it up when all the wine in the house is sold."
The two daughters-in-law, Chen Xiulan and Du Juan, have no objections, feeling no jealousy or complaints, now that the family has a lot of money. Both parents wouldn't mistreat them badly as daughters-in-law.
Compared to other families, they were blessed to have married into the Liu family.
Only after Grandma Liu hid the money and banknote did Grandpa Liu pat his trousers' legs and went to open the door.
"If you bang again, my gate will be broken. You'll have to pay for it!"
"Hey old chap, isn't it because we're worried about you so we stayed outside the door and wandered around? Did you think we're all idle!" The people outside weren't deterred and yelled back.
Once the gate was opened, a large crowd of people hooting and hollering squeezed in with eyes shining and fired up for gossip.