Chapter 23: Da Bao Wants to Read Books (Seeking Collection and Recommendation)

  Lin He looked at his brother and was also worried, fortunately, Da Bao was not the most intelligent person, but he was down-to-earth, capable, and could endure hardship, such a person was the most reliable, with time, he should still have some achievements.

  In ancient times, a woman's fate was completely tied to that of men. When she was at her natal home, she relied on her father and brothers to support her; when she got married, she would be respected by others because of her husband, who would shield her from wind and rain; as she grew older, she would rely on her son's filial piety and good conduct. This was the life of ancient women, whose fate was controlled by others.

  Lin He, a modern person who doesn't agree with this idea, still has to follow local customs when she comes to this place. Now, rather than saying that she wants to go home and live a good life, it's also for her own consideration.

  Back home, Lin He and Da Bao told Er Niu and Huang Shi about Lao Ban's proposal to open a store with them. Er Niu and Huang Shi were also very much in favor of this matter, but they felt that their children were still young and didn't know what kind of person Lao Ban was or if he had any other ideas.

  Lin He told them to rest assured, "Old Master Wen is a businessman, what he values most is whether this business can make money. Besides, our cooperation with him is beneficial and harmless. Although Old Master Wen is shrewd as a businessman, he seems like a good person. We have also had dealings with him several times before, he's indeed sharp but doesn't seem to have any ill intentions, and he's straightforward. Moreover, the idea is in my head, even if Old Master Wen has other plans, at worst we just won't provide him with the puppet, and we won't suffer much loss." Er Niu and Huang Shi also thought Lin He's words made sense.

  "Father and mother, I plan to launch a few new toy plushies every month from now on. I won't be showing up in person anymore, let my brother take care of contacting Old Man Wen. Of course, for the preparations before opening the store, I'll still go with big brother. Once the store is open, I won't go there anymore, and just check the accounts at the end of every month. Letting my brother handle the delivery and other matters, I think it's better if he learns how to keep accounts too. Now that no one in our family knows how to keep accounts, Old Man Wen just brings an account book and we can't understand it. Yesterday I only said so casually, but even though I won't be managing the store, I still need to know how to read the account book myself."

  The two oxen nodded, and indeed they were. When they were young, they couldn't even eat their fill, let alone attend school. They didn't recognize a single character, not even the word for "big". Now that Dabao can go to school, it's actually good.

  Huang said, "Going to school is quite expensive. A month's tuition for a teacher plus the cost of stationery and inkstone can be one or two silver coins. In a year, it would be twelve silver coins. And usually, you have to give some gifts to the teacher from time to time, which also costs money."

  Lin He knew that Huang Shi had been used to the poor days before, and it was normal for her to jump out suddenly. The expenditure of one or two silver coins a month was indeed very high. Lin He hadn't spoken yet,

  "Let Dabao go to school and read books, money can be earned later, but reading is still important. Don't say that the family can afford it now, even if we lack money, let Dabao go. In the past, his father was not capable, but now the family's conditions are a bit better, so it's good for Dabao to learn more characters. Moreover, in the future, the family will get better and better, and later on, he can also help Er Ya. Not only Dabao, but also Xiao Bao, who will be sent to school to read books after two years."

  Lin He couldn't help but look at her father with new eyes, she didn't expect that her father's vision was so far-sighted, his thoughts coincided with Lin He's.

  After a while, Lin Er Niu continued to say "But now it's the depths of winter, and the school is not accepting students either. If you want to attend, you'll have to wait until next spring. What can be done?"

  Lin He thought for a moment and said, "Why not invite a teacher to come to our home to teach? It's just spending a bit more silver, but this way all the children in the family who are old enough can come together to listen, like Xiao Jun, Xiao Shan and them. I and San Niang can also learn, it's worth it. It's only for a few months, until spring arrives, when the school starts recruiting students again, we can send Big Brother there. When inviting the teacher, let's make an agreement that it will be until spring, about four months' time. Father, what do you think?"

  The two cows thought about it and calculated the account, inviting a teacher to come home to teach is also possible. With so many children, it's good that some of them can read books, like Little Jun and Little Shan. Especially Little Shan, after all, he is his own nephew.

  The old third master is gone, and the Zhou family doesn't have the money to send him to school. Learning for a few months can recognize some characters, which is good. However, inviting the teacher back will definitely cost more. Just the salary alone is at least four taels of silver per month, plus the teacher's food and lodging, and all the expenses for coming here, adding up to at least over 20 taels of silver in a few months.

  At home, after the house was built and the wine banquet was held, plus some expenses for buying things, there were still over 100 taels of silver left. On Er Ya's side, Mr. Wen is preparing to open a store, which will also involve spending money. Although Mr. Wen is providing the funds, they will still have to bear some of the costs themselves. They can't just take the profits as their own and leave the expenses for others. Apart from buying the shop, it will also need to be decorated, and after deducting these expenses, there may not be much income left by winter.

  When spring arrives, the family needs to purchase some farm tools and other things, which also requires some silver. After thinking about it, Er Niu finally agreed with Lin He's proposal to invite Mr. back home. In the past, there was not a single grain of surplus food at home, and every year was more difficult than now, but they still managed to get by.

  Now at home, there's nothing that isn't available. The children studying is a good thing, spending more money doesn't matter. At least now the family has its own fields, even if all the money is gone, there's no need to worry, next year the family will have enough food.

  Lin Er Niu agreed, saying that tomorrow they would go out and take a look. They would invite a master to come back and arrange the rooms in the house. The house did have some rooms, but Xiao Bao's room had never been used much. Xiao Bao was still too young and didn't want to sleep alone at night, so he either ran to Lin He's room to sleep with San Ya or slept in Da Bao's room. Occasionally, he even slept with his parents. To make space for Xiao Bao, they only needed to move some of his clothes and toys into Da Bao's room, and it would be ready to use without needing a big rearrangement.

  Lin He also thought about this silver money problem. In the winter, there's nothing to do, so naturally there's no income, and now everything is just expenses.

  On the side of the cloth shop, although it is said that Mr. Wen invested, but after making money, he also has a share of the money, and he can't just let others take all the profits when he invests his own money, and then feels at ease to contribute according to his share of the profits, this is always a bit unreasonable.