Jun Jiuli brought Xiaochun into the only fabric shop in town. The shop assistant did not show favoritism, nor did they enthusiastically introduce their wares to them.
In the end, they purchased mid-grade fabrics: four bolts of deep green and two bolts of goose yellow. After paying, Jun Jiuli neatly folded the cloth and packed it into the burlap sack they had brought.
Leaving the shop, they bought a lot of snacks. Zhao Xiaochun was extremely happy, her eyes fixed on the burlap sack as if fearing someone would snatch it away.
"Brother, why does the bag look empty even though it's full of so many things?"
"Because Brother folded them well, so they don't take up much space. Everything is inside; we'll take them out when we get home."
"Okay, then if we have new clothes, will Grandpa and Grandma say anything?"
"It's okay, we can have Mother make new clothes for Grandpa and Grandma too."
"Then what if they ask where we got the money?"
Xiaochun hesitated before speaking, not wanting anyone to know that her brother had a huge sum of money.
"We can just say we found it and have already spent it."
"Okay."
During her free time, Xu Dahua specifically picked bamboo leaves and, mixed with scrap cloth, made many shoe soles.
This time, they could also make a few pairs of shoes. Xiaohong's pair of shoes had long been unwearable.
Xu Dahua: "You're finally back. I've been waiting for you. Your Grandma has already started urging us. Let's go home quickly."
Xiaohong quickly leaned towards Xiaochun to gather information. Xu Dahua mysteriously said to Jun Jiuli.
"It seems your paternal aunt found something good, and your Grandma is rushing home. She's afraid the owner will come looking for it. I don't know if doing this will cause trouble."
"Even if trouble arises, it's none of our business. We should just live our own lives and not worry about other things."
"You're right. What is that you're carrying?"
"I'll tell you when we get home."
"Hahaha, Xiaochun and Xiaohua don't know what they're talking about. All of you have secrets from Mother."
Upon returning home, Zhao Jiaojiao began to boast about going to study with Madam Xu. It turned out she had found two taels of silver on the street.
She waited there for a while, but the owner did not come to claim it. It was only after Zhao Laotai's persuasion that she agreed to go home.
Shui Wa: "Jiaojiao's character is quite good."
Jun Jiuli: "What if she wanted to have an encounter with the owner? By the way, who dropped the money? People in town aren't that wealthy, are they? If they lost it, they should have been frantically looking for it by now."
"Let me see, it was the son of that old landlord."
"Then we don't need to worry about it."
Li suddenly wailed, "Mother, why should our aunt go to study? Ju'er and Xing'er are also daughters, they should also learn, so they can find better husbands in the future."
Zhao Laotai slammed the table and glared at Li.
"What are you wailing about? If you want to learn, pay for it yourself. Jiaojiao found this money, and she can use it however she wants."
"Hmph, I'm not convinced. Da Gui's wages, more than half of it, have to be given to the family. Why shouldn't our aunt's found money be given to the family? This money doesn't belong to our aunt alone; it belongs to the whole family. I disagree with spending it this way."
"Do I need your consent for decisions I make? Who dares to cause more trouble?"
"Mother, you are too authoritarian. Your daughters are daughters, but my daughters are not? If they are to learn, they should all learn together. Otherwise, none of them should learn."
She crossed her arms, unwilling to back down at all.
"I think you've gone too far. There isn't enough money for them to learn together. Later, Jiaojiao will teach them when she returns. I think I've been too kind lately, allowing you to become so presumptuous."
Li dared not retort for a long time, glancing at Zhang Shi with her eyes.
"What are you looking at, fidgeting? Speak if you have something to say!"
Zhang Shi: "I will follow Mother's arrangement. Xue'er is still young and won't learn much even if she goes."
Li's expression remained unchanged, but she inwardly cursed Zhang Shi for being timid.
Zhao Laotai: "Good, since everyone has no objections, Jiaojiao will go to study tomorrow."
Jun Jiuli: "Grandma, is money found considered one's own? And can it be allocated as one wishes without giving it to the family?"
"Yes, money found can be spent as one wishes."
"Okay, I understand."
In the evening, in the first room.
"Xiao Wei, where did you get the money to buy so many things? Although our family is poor, we must not do bad things."
Seeing her brother being misunderstood, Xiaochun quickly explained, "That's from brother selling the herbs he dug. He sold them for five taels of silver. Mother forbids me from telling anyone. She said to say we bought these new clothes with found money."
Xiaohong stared at her elder sister with wide eyes, wondering why this was different from what she had been told.
Xiaochun winked at her, and Xiaohong immediately understood, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Five taels of silver! And it's all spent?"
"Yes, it's all spent. Brother bought good fabric, and I've been craving these snacks for a long time."
"It's good that it's all spent. Xiao Wei can support this family. Xiaochun and Xiaohong are also very capable. Mother will have to rely on you for care."
The two children smiled.
Xiaochun: "When things are less busy at home in a few days, we'll go to the mountain to collect the eggs. Mother won't have to live a hard life anymore. Chickens lay eggs, and eggs hatch into chickens. The chickens I and Xiaohong raise are very good. Our family won't lack food anymore."
"Our Xiaochun is truly smart. Whoever marries you will be fortunate."
"Why is Mother saying this? I'm still young."
"Thinking about that day makes Mother reluctant."
Jun Jiuli: "It's okay, we can find a son-in-law. I'll think of more ways to make money in the future. Xiaochun and Xiaohong can do whatever they want later."
"Good children, it's Mother's inadequacy that the burden of this family rests entirely on you."
"Mother, you shouldn't say that; it's what I should do. Mother should think about what styles of clothes to make. The two bolts of goose yellow fabric are for Xiaochun and her sister, the dark ones are for me and Mother, and the rest are for Grandpa and Grandma, one set each."
"Making these few clothes won't use up so much fabric. Especially for Xiaochun and Xiaohong, one bolt of fabric won't even be enough for a set each."
"We can make more with the remainder. I see Mother has made so many shoe soles, we can make two pairs of new cloth shoes."
"Alright, I'll do as you say. This goose yellow fabric is so beautiful, but it's a pity it's not dirt-resistant."
"What's the pity? We can wash them when they get dirty. We can buy new ones if they get ruined. It's good as long as young girls look good."
Xu Dahua, who had been thrifty and endured hardship for most of her life, had never heard such words. She was stunned yet happy. Her children didn't have to follow in her footsteps; they were getting better and better.