??61: Chapter 50: Temptation (Additional updates for 20,000 recomnded votes from Yunqi)
61: Chapter 50: Temptation (Additional updates for 20,000 recomnded votes from Yunqi)
Zhou Wulang said, “Take our village, for instance.
From here to the county town, there are four villages along the way.
It usually takes two hours to walk there, so we must set out by dawn at the latest.
We’ll reach the next village around dawn plus two quarters.
If we arrive early, we must wait at their village entrance until dawn plus two quarters.
Before leaving, we shout to see if anyone responds.
If no one does, it ans no one else is coming with us, and we can leave.”
The kids listened very attentively.
Manbao, raising her little hand, asked, “Then why didn’t we wait for others the last ti we went?”
“At that ti, there were many of us going from our family, so we didn’t need to purposely wait for others.” When Zhou Dalang and Zhou Erlang, two adults, and Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang, who were also young lads, along with Daya and Erya, who were nearly grown-ups too, went – who would dare to ss with them?
But if you’re alone or there are just two or three people traveling, it’s more convenient to join others.
Continuing with this practice, there’s a brief stop at each village entrance.
Moreover, villagers from the other villages also tend to wait at the junction beforehand.
After all, just for today’s trip, Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang got to see how villagers coordinate with each other.
He excitedly told Manbao, “Liulang and I think we could go to the county market every day.”
Thrilled, Manbao ran back to her room, fetched a bag of sugar from Keke, poured it onto so oiled paper, rolled it up loosely, and handed it solemnly to Zhou Wulang, saying, “Fifth Brother, I entrust our great money-making plan to you.”
Zhou Wulang secretly opened the wrapped sugar, barely concealing his excitent, and held the oiled paper with both hands, saying, “Little sister, rest assured.”
Because the children, including Zhou Silang and Zhou Liulang, surrounded the two, the adults could only hear their conversation but not see their hand movents, let alone what they were holding.
Old Zhou thought that Wulang and Liulang were old enough to consider their futures and marriages, so he was willing to give them so leeway.
He let them venture out, reasoning that even if they weren’t successful, just gaining a bit of experience was worth it, especially since it didn’t cost any money.
Datou and the rest knew that they would also share in this business venture; any money earned by Fifth Uncle and the others was also their own, so they too were full of fighting spirit.
Only Zhou Silang seed endlessly despondent, as he could only watch everything from the side.
He couldn’t even join in the discussions, not to ntion getting his hands on it.
Knowing they shouldn’t let their parents find out about the sugar, Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang covered for each other and took the item back to their room to hide.
Once secured, they excitedly resud planning their money-making sche.
Manbao kept coming up with ideas, one after the other.
Regardless of their practicality, she’d throw them out for discussion.
The system couldn’t help but interject in her mind: “Host, your mall has opened.”
Manbao nonchalantly “Hmm-ed” in response and continued discussing tomorrow’s basket selling with Zhou Wulang and the others.
The system fell silent for a mont before suddenly projecting an image in her mind of a transparent bottle filled with green liquid.
Manbao found it quite pretty and finally paid attention.
She asked excitedly, “Keke, what is this?”
The system said, “It appears to be a dicine that can treat your mother’s illness—one dose should do.”
Manbao’s eyes widened, and she forgot about conversing with her brothers, exclaiming imdiately, “I want to buy it, I want to buy it, Keke, hurry up and purchase it.”
The system replied, “You don’t have the money.”
Manbao paused, hurried to check the price of the item, and found a string of zeroes.
She felt terribly disappointed and almost slumped in defeat.
But the system encouraged her: “Although the required points are high and seem far off, Host, if you work hard, there is a great chance you’ll succeed in purchasing it.
This is a recently added dicine to the store, and as far as I understand, it will be available for a long ti.”
Manbao brightened up a bit, “So you’re saying, as long as I can afford it, I can buy it at any ti?”
“Right!”
Manbao felt sowhat happier, “Keke, tell , how do I earn points?”
“Get your brothers to help.
Do you rember the privet we saw in the county town?
Ask them to bring a few branches back.
I estimate that by entering the privet, we could gain dozens of points.
Little by little, we’ll eventually succeed.”
The system persuasively added, “Imagine if you could enter a new species each day that’s never been entered before.
That’s at least fifty points daily, and if it’s an extinct species, you might get hundreds or even thousands of points.
There are 365 days in a year.
If you keep it up for a year, just think of how many points you’ll have?”
Manbao counted on her fingers, “A hundred days gives five thousand points, three hundred days gives fifteen thousand points…”
Her eyes popped with realization, then she began to giggle, her little body trembling, leaving everyone around her anxious.
Zhou Wulang carefully reached out to poke her.
Manbao grabbed his finger, her eyes sparkling as she said, “Fifth Brother, you have to promise
sothing.
If you agree, I’ll buy you a bag of sugar every day.”
Zhou Wulang’s heart fluttered and he asked, “What is it you want?”
“Help
dig up plants and flowers.”
Everyone, including Zhou Wulang, breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, “Sure, whatever you want, just tell Fifth Brother.
Even if it ans climbing mountains or leaping into seas of fire, I’ll dig them up for you.”
“Temporarily no need to climb mountains.
Just head to that mountain we passed on our way to the county town the other day.
Rember where we took a break?”
Manbao described the appearance and fruits of the privet, “Fifth Brother, tomorrow when you return ho, help
break off two branches, with the fruits intact.”
“Is that all?” Zhou Wulang asked.
“Not just that.
I’ll let you know when I think of new things for you to find.”
Zhou Wulang felt that gathering these plants and flowers was totally doable and pledged confidently, “No problem.
But, little sister, why do you need those branches?
I’ve told you, those fruits are not edible.”
“It’s a dicinal herb.
I have my uses for it.”
“A dicinal herb?” Zhou Wulang scratched his head, confused, but he nodded in agreent anyway.
Junior Ms.
Qian and the others had prepared the evening al again and brought it out to the table.
Old Zhou knocked on the table, urging the children gathered in the yard to co and eat.
“You said you wanted to learn to read, but all I’ve heard this afternoon is chatter.”
Manbao and the others then rembered they hadn’t practiced writing at all that day.
Manbao couldn’t help but look up and exclaim, “I’m really too busy!”
“Yeah, and you still need to heal,” Ms.
Qian said, noticing Manbao’s darkening forehead.
“You’re not allowed to fight anymore.
What if you crack your head and beco dull-headed?”
“That will never happen; I will never beco stupid!” Manbao declared with confidence.
After all, she still had Keke in her mind to protect her brain.
On this point, Manbao was particularly self-assured.
Reviews
All reviews (0)