Chapter 153:
“I didn’t expect these coconut crabs to be quite expensive. I bought them at 18 yuan per jin, though Dayun Restaurant’s price was certainly a bit high.”
18 yuan per jin, two coconut crabs totaled 12.6 jin, selling for 226.8 yuan.
I’ll just hand this money over to Granny Yun.
Granny Yun divided it into three portions, this time it was an equal split.
She still saved a portion for Jiaojiao.
“Mom, let’s divide it into four portions.”
Lin Hai suddenly spoke, “Including the money from buying fish today, and today’s pearls, divide them into four portions too. You two elders, take one for yourselves.”
Lin He nodded, “Exactly, this money was earned by everyone together today, you two should take some too.”
Jiaojiao, with her mouth full of food, couldn’t speak, but nodded in agreement.
At everyone’s strong insistence, the money was not divided now; it would be split together after selling the pearls.
Granny Yun suddenly took out a few yuan.
“Everyone worked hard today, you few come here.”
She called her grandchildren over and gave each of them one yuan.
“This money, take it and do as you please, whether you want to spend it or keep it.”
Holding the ‘huge sum’ of one yuan in their hands, the younger ones like Xiaowu felt like they were dreaming.
The four brothers, East, West, South, and North, were old enough to have some self-control. Eldest, Second, and Fourth could all earn money.
Although the money they earned had to be returned, Shen Yunlian and Wang Mei only took half, letting them keep the other half.
The younger ones below Xiaowu, apart from the New Year’s money, basically had no money at other times.
That little bit of New Year’s money wouldn’t last two days in their hands before it was taken away.
You must know that their pocket money never exceeded two mao!
Now, to suddenly have one yuan, it was no different than dreaming.
Jiaojiao was already a proper little rich woman at home, although that money wasn’t on her person right now.
But Granny Yun still gave her one yuan, treating all her grandchildren, regardless of age, equally.
Xiaowu and the others were so happy they were jumping around the room and shouting, as if they had regressed to being monkeys.
Only after being reprimanded did they quiet down, but the happiness was still visibly apparent on their faces.
Xiaowu even kissed the one yuan in his hand a few times.
“Even I am a rich person now!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Hai hit him on the head a few times, and he finally settled down.
The lively and happy atmosphere ultimately affected the others; the whole family was joyful.
Having money in the family doesn’t require flaunting it ostentatiously; knowing it themselves and being happy is enough.
“Tomorrow, Eldest and Second, you two take your wives and children to your father-in-law’s house to help harvest the rice.”
It was also the season for harvesting rice.
Both of them nodded.
“Jiaojiao, you don’t need to go. The awns from harvesting rice are prickly, and your skin can’t handle it. Plus, you’d have to work in the sun all day in the fields.”
Jiaojiao imagined herself miserably working in the rice field under the scorching sun, and even without working, she couldn’t stand it.
That would indeed be miserable; she would turn into dried fish.
She nodded; it was more comfortable by the seaside.
After finishing dinner, the electric fan was on, and listening to the chirping of insects and the calls of birds outside gave a feeling of peace and liveliness.
The moon was huge, and in the courtyard, there was light even without lamps.
The only drawback was the abundance of mosquitoes.
“Slap…”
This was already the umpteenth time Jiaojiao had heard the sound of a slap hitting someone.
Everyone was used to it, but it was still itchy.
In just a few moments, Xiao Jiu’s body had developed a red and swollen mosquito bite.
He carried his small stool and moved closer to Jiaojiao.
“Jiaojiao, the mosquitoes don’t bother you at all.”
He was envious.
Jiaojiao leaned towards him, “Brother, get closer, get closer, and there will be fewer mosquitoes.”
Actually, burning mosquito repellent indoors wouldn’t attract too many mosquitoes, but the room was too stuffy in this weather, and chatting in the courtyard was more comfortable.
However, burning mosquito repellent outside wouldn’t be very effective.
Jiaojiao was like a walking mosquito repellent; not only were insects not attracted to her, but insects around her were also few when she was close.
But there were too many brothers, and they even fought over Jiaojiao.
Of course, it was a playful kind of fighting.
The next day…
Jiaojiao woke up, but Mom, Dad, and her brothers were gone.
Now there were only she and her Ninth Brother, two children, at home.
Early in the morning, Jiaojiao and Xiao Jiu busied themselves with feeding the chickens, ducks, and geese, then ate breakfast before going off to play on their own.
Xiao Jiu took her toys, and Jiaojiao also took her wooden carved small animals, bringing Cat Leader along, and went to the big banyan tree at the entrance of the village.
The banyan tree’s canopy was very tall and wide, providing shade underneath. It was a place that adults liked to visit, and children also enjoyed playing there.
“Jiaojiao, over here.”
The person calling her was a friend from the village who played well with Jiaojiao, Xiao Hua.
She was Uncle A’wang’s child, only two years older than Jiaojiao.
The two families had a good relationship, and Jiaojiao and Xiao Hua also had a good relationship.
Jiaojiao walked over, Cat Leader stretched lazily, used the tree as a scratching post, scratching it with a few ‘kacha kacha’ sounds, then agilely climbed up the tree and lay down.
Over there, besides Xiao Hua, there were other young girls.
“Jiaojiao, is it just your Ninth Brother accompanying you today?”
Jiaojiao nodded, “The other brothers went to help Grandma and the others harvest rice.”
“Jiaojiao, the hair clip in your hair is so pretty.”
Some children looked at Jiaojiao with envy.
Not only was Jiaojiao’s hair clip pretty, but the clothes she was wearing were also nice and didn’t have any patches.
Jiaojiao shook her head, “My Fourth Brother made this for me. He made many hair clips for me.”
The others were even more envious; why didn’t they have such a skilled and loving brother?
The sun was strong now, and most of these young girls who came out were going to cut grass for the poultry, pigs, cows, or sheep at home.
Or they were going to gather firewood.
For now, they were just resting under the big banyan tree.
Jiaojiao shared her small toys with them to play with together.
Apart from her most favorite one, she was quite generous with the others, as long as they didn’t snatch her toys.
However, they had to take care of them while playing; if they got dirty and she got angry, she wouldn’t let them play anymore.
“This wood carving has clothes too.”
“So cute.”
The tiny wood carvings were only a little larger than their palms. Chen Bei had painted different colors on each one.
He had also used scraps of fabric from home, or scraps from his master, to make small clothes and skirts.
The little girls loved changing the dolls’ small clothes and skirts the most.
They even used leaves or plastic bags to make little skirts for them.
They could play quietly for quite a while.
“Jiaojiao, does your brother have any more dolls like this? Does he sell them?”
Xiao Hua sidled up to Jiaojiao and asked in a low voice.
She really liked these wooden carved dolls and wanted one.
If she had one, she could use many things to mix and match different clothes and skirts for the doll.
Jiaojiao replied, “I’ll ask him when Fourth Brother gets back.”
Fourth Brother seemed to be collaborating with Third Brother to sell things.
However, they weren’t selling them in town; instead, Third Brother was taking them to school to sell to some of his classmates.
It was a small-scale venture.
