The New House is Completed
Mr. Zhou sighed and said, "Both the Eldest and Second Miss are getting older." Especially the Second Miss; in a few years, she'll be of marriageable age.
The Zhou family does not divide the family property, and the dowry for the grandchildren's marriages naturally comes from the family's shared funds. Mr. Zhou is not very worried about his eldest and third sons, but he is concerned about his second daughter because she is a girl. When the time comes, they will need to provide a substantial dowry for her to be considered suitable.
Mrs. Xiao Qian thought for a moment and said, "Let's wait until next year and see if the family can handle it." If possible, we can also choose a more suitable location for cultivation. By next year, the eldest and second Miss will be a year older and will be able to assist more in the fields.
Mr. Zhou could only agree.
The land that has been allocated has specific regulations regarding what can be planted. For example, the permanent farmland can only be used to grow grains. Even if the county's regulations are lenient, at least eighty percent of the land must be used for growing grains.
Therefore, it is not possible for them to use too much good farmland to grow ginger and yams, as these crops cannot be used as grains.
Furthermore, Mr. Zhou is very cautious. This year, ginger and yams have indeed brought a lot of profit to the family, but that's because they were planted in small quantities. If they were planted in larger quantities, would they be able to sell all of them?
Not to mention, ginger and yams are not foods that need to be consumed daily, so he is already taking a risk by using a few acres of land to grow them.
So, he is not very happy about his third son's decision to clear the land and plant ginger.
"There is a lot of work in the fields." If not done carefully, grain production will definitely decrease. "It's fine for the younger ones to mess around, but why is the third son also joining in?"
However, Mrs. Qian said, "Eldest Son is good at cooking, and with his job at the school, there is income every month." Not to mention Second Son, his bamboo weaving skills earn him no less than the Eldest's income every month. But what about the third son? He doesn't have any other skills besides farming. Now that Fourth Son is three years old, if they have another child, it won't cost much to raise them.
"Providing food and drink for the children is not the only expense," Mrs. Qian scolded. "Making clothes doesn't cost money?" Not to mention, if he wants to cook a bowl of brown sugar water for his wife, does he have to ask Eldest Son's family for it? Let him do it, and he can make a profit for himself.
"What about the land?" "Mr. Zhou asked."
Mrs. Qian closed her eyes and didn't say anything.
This matter was not discussed at the moment, so they did not express any dissatisfaction. Mr. Zhou was unaware of it and took the opportunity to walk in the mountains. In the end, not far from the wasteland near Zhou Xi's place, he selected a piece of land.
He marked it and decided to come back to clear it when he had time.
However, he wouldn't have time in the near future because the Zhou family had already started digging the foundation for the house.
The stones collected from the mountain were gradually brought down, and the construction of the Zhou family's house began.
Zhou Manbao was ecstatic. Every day after school, he would walk around his house before going to the Bai family's house to do his homework.
With sufficient materials and manpower, the construction of the house progressed rapidly. The Zhou family not only constructed numerous houses but also excavated ponds in the courtyard, resulting in the completion of the seven brick and stone houses in less than eighteen days.
After settling the wages, Mr. Zhou looked at the remaining money in the cash box and felt a bit distressed. "We still need to prepare the bedding."
"And beds!" Zhou Manbao had just visited his new room and ran in, asking his father, "Dad, I want a new bed."
"Can't you still sleep on your small bed?" Mr. Zhou frowned.
"I don't want it anymore." "I'll give it to the Third Son," Zhou Manbao said. "I've already promised Third Son that when I move to the new room, I'll give him my small bed." "Dad, please make me a new bed."
Mr. Zhou looked distressed and said, "We don't have enough money."
"I have some," Zhou Manbao ran back to his room and soon came out with two strings of money, handing them to his father. "Dad, could you please make the bed bigger for me?" I want to invite my friends over for candlelit conversations.
Mr. Zhou was taken aback. The money Zhou Manbao had was far from enough. However, he didn't say anything and went to the village the next day to find a carpenter to add another bed.
After the new house was built, they did not move in immediately. Firstly, the bedding was not ready, and secondly, the new house was always a bit damp, so it needed to be heated with fire.
Zhou Manbao was very enthusiastic about heating his new house and volunteered to hold a torch and move around inside every day. Bai Shanbao also liked it, so they fought over it. This scared the Eldest Son, who took away both of their torches and then chased them out, saying, "Playing with fire will make you wet the bed at night!"
Zhou Manbao retorted, "Nonsense, what does playing with fire have to do with wetting the bed?"
"That's right, I've never heard of playing with fire causing bedwetting."
"All the adults say so," Eldest Son extinguished the torch and said, "Anyway, you're not allowed to play." Grandpa said that heating the house is the adults' responsibility. Little sister, if you don't listen, I'll tell Grandma and Mom.
Zhou Manbao dared not speak out in anger. She was most afraid of her mother and sister-in-law.