Punishment

After Xiao Qian finished speaking, he casually grabbed Man Bao's clothes and pulled her up. When he touched her face, his expression couldn't help but change. He immediately pulled her up and felt her, asking angrily, "Man Bao, did you go play in the water?"

"No," Man Bao immediately denied, shouting, "I didn't play in the water; it was the water from the tree that fell down!"

Xiao Qian was not foolish and immediately understood. Furious, he dragged Man Bao back into the house to change clothes, and then came out and beat Big Tou and Big Ya.

Big Tou and Big Ya cried loudly, not necessarily in great pain, but they howled particularly loudly. Man Bao was also scared and rushed out of the house to stand in front of them, tearfully saying, "Big sister-in-law, it was me who shook the tree." I won't dare to do it again next time.

Qian Shi came out of the house and said, "Punish the two of them by making them stomp on the grass in the field tomorrow." If you dare to let your little sister do such things again, it won't just be stomping on grass; you will also be responsible for all the household chores.

Big Tou and Big Ya were not very afraid when they were beaten; they simply cried loudly. But now, when their grandmother came out and said that, they really cried.

Stomping on grass is very hard work because there are many men in the Zhou family; even their mother doesn't engage in this type of field work, let alone them.

Walking on the grass, gathering the raked grass, and either disposing of it or pressing it into the ground for fertilization. Now, in the fields, there are not only snails and stones, but also locusts.

The two children were really crying.

Man Bao also wanted to cry, but under her mother's gaze, she didn't dare to say a word.

Qian Shi calmly said to Man Bao, "Your health is not good." I taught you when you were young that you are not allowed to play in the water, get caught in the rain, catch a cold, or eat random things from outside. If you do it again, I will punish the person who takes care of you.

Man Bao lowered her head and wiped away her tears.

Qian Shi then turned and went back into the house.

The three children sat together in sorrow. Man Bao took out two candies from her pocket and gave them to the children, looking apologetic as she said, "Big Tou, Big Ya, when I finish school, I will help you in the fields."

Big Ya quickly said, "Little sister, you can't go." "If you go, grandma will punish us even more."

Big Tou also nodded.

Man Bao felt a little sad and bitter in her heart, so she reluctantly put a candy in her mouth that she didn't particularly like.

Zhou Xi, who was watching from the side, couldn't help but ask Qian Shi, "Mother, I've noticed that Man Bao always has a lot of candy." Where does she get it from?

Zhou Erlang brings candy for Man Bao every time he comes back from the market. However, Zhou Xi has noticed that Man Bao has more than just those candies. She has received several candies, and they are different from the ones that Zhou Erlang brings back.

Qian Shi said, "She got them from Mr. Zhuang." According to the fifth brother, Man Bao purchased a large quantity of candy from someone and then sold it in the county town.

Qian Shi couldn't help but smile and said, "This child probably learned it from the second brother's business." She is resourceful and can resell items independently. She can't save money, but at least she knows how much she has and spends accordingly.

"Do you just let her do as she pleases?"

"She is young, and she loves to eat." There's no need to restrict her in these matters. Besides," Qian Shi paused and lowered her voice, "when your younger uncle was involved in these matters, we did advise him extensively, but it only led to more trouble. Can you stop her?

Zhou Xi didn't say anything.

"This child is clever; we don't need to restrict her in these matters."

When Man Bao first took the candy out of her pocket, everyone in the Zhou family was surprised. After some investigation, they assumed it was a gift from Mr. Zhuang. Consequently, Qian Shi sent a gift in return.

The requests were minimal, either asking Xiao Qian to send some radishes and vegetables or to help with cleaning the yard.

Mr. Zhuang thought that this was a "bribe" from the Zhou family to have Man Bao sit by the window and listen to the lessons, so he accepted it.

Since then, Mr. Zhuang has consistently received small gifts from the Zhou family, and Man Bao has always managed to bring home one or two candies.

After more than two years, the Zhou family had grown accustomed to Zhou Xi's infrequent visits to her mother's house.

The candy soothed the wounded hearts of Big Tou and Big Ya. The next day, they were coaxed out of bed and brought to the field to stomp on the grass.

Of course, Zhou Dalang couldn't bear to let the two children really work in the field all day, so he allowed them to go to the field for two quarters of an hour. When they were tired and frustrated enough, he permitted them to go to the field ridge.

After all, they were the eldest grandson and granddaughter, and Lao Zhou was very fond of them, turning a blind eye to what he saw.

Qian Shi's punishment was still very effective. Man Bao was very obedient today. After school, she neither went out to play nor visited Bai Shanbao's house to study. Instead, she obediently went home with her little school bag, reading by herself while waiting for Big Tou and the others to come back.

When they returned, she looked at them earnestly. To show her sympathy and apology, Man Bao even gave them her favorite candy to eat.

Zhou Sirlang's mouth twitched as he watched them, revealing the two individuals. He remarked, "They only spent two quarters of an hour in the field before sitting on the field ridge." "Man Bao, you care so much for them. Why don't you care for me?"

"Care for you?" How can I care for you? "You're an adult, how can I compare with us children?"

"Can't compare?" Why not? When I was their age, I was already working in the fields. "Look at how well they live."

Big Ya was not convinced, "Uncle, your fields were opened by us."

Big Tou added, "We helped plant the yams and ginger."

Big Ya hummed, "If you talk about us again, when it's time to weed your fields, we won't help you."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Sirlang immediately reached into Man Bao's pocket, took out the candies hidden inside, and distributed them to the group, smiling and joking, "Uncle is just teasing you." In fact, when I was your age, I was just walking in the fields, even worse than you.

Man Bao widened her eyes.

Zhou Wulang: "Shameless!"

Zhou Liulang: "Shameless!"

Man Bao turned around and shouted at her father, "Dad, Fourth Brother stole my candy!"

Zhou Sirlang ran away, and Lao Zhou's shoe followed closely, thrown out into the yard, while his scolding voice echoed, "Lao Si, are you still young?" "You even stole your sister's candy..."

Zhou Sirlang was very angry and squatted outside the gate for a long time before returning. He decided that the next time he weeded the fields, he would definitely take Man Bao with him and not let her sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Zhou Sirlang and Zhou Xi both planted ginger. Zhou Sirlang was knowledgeable about the prices of ginger and yams, so he paid close attention to them. He didn't have to worry about the farm work at home; he just had to listen to his father and brothers and do the work.

But for that piece of wasteland, he was very attentive, and he visited it almost every day. The yams in that area grew better, and he remembered that the ginger there was slightly worse than the ones next to it.

Even Zhou Xi, who was originally not very attentive, was influenced and went to see it twice.