章節 32: Collecting Beans
編輯: Atlas Studios
Zhao Daqing and his cousins also liked Zhao Zhitong very much. They felt that their little cousin was chubby and lively. Most importantly, she was especially kind. She would share delicious food with them.
They had eaten a lot of delicious candy with their little cousin today.
Zhao Daqing suddenly thought of something and suggested, "Father and Mother, you're going to Aunt's house in the afternoon anyway. Why don't I go to her house with my brothers and sisters?"
As soon as this suggestion was made, it was mercilessly rejected by Second Aunt. "That won't do. When your aunt and cousin go back, they have to go to school. If you go, no one will play with you. You'll actually cause trouble for your uncle."
Sun Kang, who was standing under the eaves and thinking, couldn't help but be stunned when he heard this. "You're sending the girl to school to study?"
Sun Mei and Zhao Dong were about to reply when Second Aunt Liu, who had already found out on the way to pick the lotus leaves, rushed to answer.
"Yes, Father. You don't know this, but Tongtong is a smart girl. Meng Xuejiu from the academy personally mentioned that he wants Tongtong to study in the academy. She'll be joining the academy in a few days."
When Sun Kang and Zhao Guifen heard this news, their first reaction was surprise. "Really? This is a good thing."
Second Uncle Zhao Youli's face was filled with pride as he said happily, "Hahaha, isn't that so? As the saying goes, a nephew resembles his uncle. Don't you know whose niece she is?"
Everyone was confused. Are you sure?
Sun Youcai joked, "Little Tongtong is really dangerous. Fortunately, Little Tongtong looks like her uncle. If she looks like you, Second Brother, she'll be a bad girl."
Sun Youcai was enraged. "Sun Youcai! You're asking for a beating!"
Everyone could not help but laugh.
At this time, Zhao Guifen urged, "Alright, alright. Don't stand there and chat. It's getting late. Don't delay the students' meal. If you have to leave, leave quickly."
As he spoke, he placed a package on the cart.
Sun Mei hurriedly stopped her. "Mother, you don't have to give us anything. We didn't bring anything when we came. I'll give it back to you."
Zhao Guifen secured the package and urged Zhao Dong to push the cart out. Then, she patted her daughter's hand and said, "It's not anything expensive. Your two sisters-in-law and I made clothes and shoes for Tongtong."
As she spoke, she sent the family of three to the door.
Zhao Zhitong waved goodbye to her grandparents in the car.
After bidding farewell to her grandfather's family, the three of them pushed the cart and slowly left.
—-
Not long after lunch, the two aunts, second uncle, and third uncle came with a bunch of little radish heads.
Eldest Uncle did not come because he still had to collect medicinal herbs.
When they arrived, Zhao Dong and Sun Mei had just finished eating.
When they entered the courtyard and saw the tools for making tofu, they felt that it was very novel.
Sun Youcai looked at the tofu basket and asked, "Sister, did you make tofu from this?"
Sun Mei nodded and introduced it to them with a smile. "This is for shaping, and this is for filtering soy milk…"
Eldest Aunt Xiao Zhao looked at these grinding tools and listened to the complicated steps Sun Mei was talking about. She was so shocked that she was dumbfounded. "You actually have to grind the beans into juice first. This actually takes so much effort. My hands are clumsy. I don't know if I can make it."
Sun Mei smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, you don't have to worry. Actually, it's not troublesome. It's very simple. When we make it later, I'll teach you. I guarantee that you'll know it at a glance."
Second Aunt Liu was a decisive person. She immediately slapped her thigh and said, "Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and do it."
As she spoke, she rolled up his sleeves and pointed at the tofu baskets and wooden buckets. "Little sister, do you have to wash these grinding tools and wooden buckets?"
Seeing Sun Mei nod, she started to wash up.
Seeing that Madam Liu had started to work, Madam Zhao hurriedly rolled up her sleeves, unwilling to fall behind.
Even the children helped.
Second Uncle took on the task of fetching water.
Seeing that they had come and were working without even drinking water, Zhao Dong and Sun Mei felt bad.
Sun Youli did not care at all. He picked up the pole and said casually, "Look at what the two of you are saying. Aren't we here to work?"
With that, he walked out of the courtyard.
As there were more people, in order to increase efficiency, Zhao Dong wanted to build another stove in the courtyard. This way, he could cook two pots at the same time.
As soon as the suggestion was made, it was unanimously approved by everyone.
Hence, Zhao Dong and Sun Youcai worked together to send the soybeans to the water mill before immediately returning to move rocks and live mud to build a stove.
The little fellows ran around, helping to lift rocks and deliver mud.
Everyone did not rest for a moment.
Soon, the first pot of soy milk was ready. Sun Mei was not in a hurry to add gypsum immediately. Instead, she called a few children in and scooped a bowl of soy milk for each of them. She even added white sugar as a reward for their hard work today.
"Thank you, Auntie!"
The children were overjoyed. They held their soy milk and ran out of the kitchen happily. They lay on the table in the courtyard and drank it.
The soy milk was sweet and flowed into their stomachs as if it was flowing into their hearts. They felt that today was their sweetest day.
After Zhao Dong and the others built the stove, the last pot of tofu on Sun Mei's side was already made.
At this moment, there was a knock on the door of the house. From time to time, the sound of the villagers chatting and laughing could be heard.
The villagers who wanted to sell tofu came to buy tofu wholesale.
As soon as they heard the commotion outside, Second Aunt Liu rushed forward and closed the kitchen. She even bolted the door inside and said warily, "Don't be discovered. We'll go out after we're done."
At this moment, Zhao Dong, who was in the courtyard, had already opened the door and was preparing to open for business.
"Brother Dong! Is the tofu ready? We're here to collect the tofu!"
As soon as they entered, they shouted happily.
Zhao Dong also chuckled and said, "Soon, soon. It'll be done soon."
Those people were not in a hurry. They waved their hands and said, "No hurry, no hurry. Come and take a look at the beans we collected first."
When they came this time, they had brought beans. They had bought them when they were selling tofu in the morning.
Zhang Qiang smiled innocently. "Brother Dong, take a look at mine first. I bought these when I was selling tofu this morning. They're all good beans."
Zhao Dong opened the sack and flipped through it. He smiled and said, "Not bad. How much did you charge?"
Zhang Qiang was an honest person. He smiled happily and answered truthfully, "I'm afraid that some villagers won't believe people like us who buy it off the market. I bought it at a price one copper coin higher than the market price. When they heard that, they were willing to give it to me."
Zhao Dong nodded. He had an idea of what was going on. After weighing it with Sun Youli, he accepted it at a price of 100 copper coins per one hundred and twenty pounds.
Sun Youcai recognized a few words and took on the responsibility of bookkeeping. Of course, he did not have a brush or paper. He used the most primitive method of writing on the stone with charcoal.
Seeing that the business was getting bigger and bigger, Zhao Dong decided to buy some paper and brushes for himself when he went to the market tomorrow.
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