Bamboo Ball
Xiao Qian and his two sisters-in-law were making tofu. Due to the upcoming Chinese New Year, there has been a rise in the number of people buying tofu recently. Xiǎo Qián made tofu daily and regularly delivered it to the Bái family.
As she was cutting tofu, she looked up to see the young master of the Bái family and Mǎn Bǎo carrying her precious box into the house. After greeting them, she asked, "What are you carrying?"
Mǎn Bǎo replied, "We're carrying my treasure box, sister-in-law." Today, we have more and better toys than anyone else.
Upon learning that it was a children's game, Xiǎo Qián lost interest. She smiled at the young master of the Bái family and said, "Young master, we are making tofu today." Later, you can take some back for your grandmother and mother to taste.
Bái Shàn Bǎo nodded. After all, the Zhou family often sent tofu to his family, and he was accustomed to it.
The two of them carried the box back to Man Bao's room. Bái Shàn Bǎo had been to Mǎn Bǎo's boudoir before, but he couldn't help but look around curiously every time because her room was always different.
The differences were mostly due to the items Zhōu Erlang had added to her room.
For example, the original bamboo bookshelf had only three layers. However, now there is an additional four-layer shelf next to it, with no books on it, as Mǎn Bǎo only had a few books.
A single bookshelf was enough.
The new shelf had a bamboo-woven vase on top, filled with wild grass.
Bái Shàn Bǎo: ...
When Bái Shàn Bǎo observed her vase, Mǎn Bǎo inquired, "Do you like it? I asked my second brother to make it for me."
She was somewhat proud, as she had seen it while browsing in the mall. However, the required materials were expensive, so Mǎn Bǎo drew the design and asked her second brother to make it for her.
She had considered selling the vase to Kēkē, as long as Kēkē gave her half of the money from the sale. However, Kēkē said it didn't have that function. The mall was only accessible to hosts. If she wanted to become a merchant, she couldn't afford the transportation costs for the goods.
Mǎn Bǎo half understood, but she realized one thing: apart from being able to transport objects to the encyclopedia, she couldn't give things to others because the transportation costs would be too high.
Mǎn Bǎo could only regretfully place the bamboo vase made by her second brother in her room.
On the next level, there was a large bamboo ball that Mǎn Bǎo had seen in the mall and asked her second brother to make. Since she had discovered many beautiful bamboo weavings in the mall, she enjoyed searching for them and having her second brother make them.
Zhōu Erlang believed that crafting bamboo balls was much easier than creating vases, so he made several at once.
Mǎn Bǎo placed the largest one on the bookshelf, and the smaller one, which she often played with, had been bought by Bái Erlang.
At that moment, Bái Shàn Bǎo couldn't take his eyes off the large bamboo ball; he longed for it.
However, Mǎn Bǎo didn't sell it because she also liked the ball. But following the principle of sharing good things with good friends, she was willing to lend the bamboo ball to him.
On the next level, there was a lotus-shaped bamboo basket filled with various sundries. It was also made by Man Bao's second brother, inspired by what he had seen in the mall.
Bái Shàn Bǎo couldn't help but admire, "Your second brother's craftsmanship is really good."
Mǎn Bǎo was proud, "Of course, my second brother said there's nothing he can't make with bamboo."
It is unfortunate that few people nowadays appreciate these things as much as future generations will. Since the bamboo weavings in the mall were expensive, Mǎn Bǎo had her fifth brother take the bamboo weavings made by her second brother to the county to sell. However, the items were brought back the same way they were taken.
Obviously, bamboo sieves and dustpans were more popular compared to bamboo vases, bamboo balls, and bamboo baskets.
Bái Shàn Bǎo expressed that those people did not know how to appreciate good things. At least he really liked the large bamboo ball.
So he expressed his intention to buy one, saying, "I'll pay for it." Can your second brother make a bamboo ball as big as this one for me?
"How much are you offering?"
"You sold a bamboo ball to Bái Erlang for ten coins, so I'll offer twelve."
Mǎn Bǎo thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright, it's a deal."
Zhōu Erlang wasn't particularly busy at the moment, so he accepted the business that came to him. Moreover, making bamboo balls was not difficult, and he had experience. So, when Mǎn Bǎo mentioned it, he went to the thatched house where the bamboo strips were stored.
Since Zhou Sirang and the others had moved into the new house, their previous thatched house stood empty. Since the room was spacious, Zhōu Erlang cleaned it up and relocated all his valuable bamboo inside. When the weather was cold, he no longer did bamboo weaving in the courtyard but inside the house.
Well, although the thatched house wasn't much warmer, it was still better than being outside in the cold wind, right?
After a while, Zhou Erlang quickly made the bamboo ball and handed it to Man Bao. It was about the same size as the one on her bookshelf. Then he said, "Tell the young master of the Bái family that he doesn't need to pay for these small bamboo weavings in the future." "If he likes them, he can just let me know, and I'll make them for him."
This time, Mǎn Bǎo had already received the money in advance, so it wouldn't be right to return it.
However, Mǎn Bǎo insisted, "Business is business, second brother." You must take the money. In the future, there may be a growing number of individuals interested in purchasing bamboo balls from you.
Zhōu Erlang laughed heartily, "Only children like these things." Who would spend money to buy them? Furthermore, you have set the price quite high, at twelve coins.
But as soon as he finished speaking, the next day Bái Erlang rushed to the Zhōu family, asking Zhōu Erlang to make a bamboo ball for him. He even suggested that it would be better if the ball were larger.
Mǎn Bǎo asked him, "Don't you already have one?"
But as soon as she mentioned it, he couldn't help but complain, "Yours is too small." You clearly have a larger one, but you won't sell it to me. "Hmph, I won't do business with you anymore."
Mǎn Bǎo: ...
Bái Erlang continued to insist that Zhōu Erlang make a bamboo ball for him.
Mǎn Bǎo rushed up to stop Zhōu Erlang and said, "Hmph, if you won't do business with me, then I won't do business with you either." I'll tell my second brother not to make one for you.
Zhōu Erlang: ...
In the end, Zhou Erlang still accepted Bai Erlang's money and crafted a large bamboo ball for him.
The next day, several children gathered outside the Zhou family's door, eager to purchase bamboo balls with their money.
As Zhōu Erlang made the balls for them, he asked, "Do your parents know that you're spending money on these things?"
He felt that if the children dared to spend money on these non-essential items, he would definitely give them a good beating.
The children confidently stated that the money was their New Year's gift.
Zhōu Erlang was speechless. However, these children were all students from the school, and their families were well-off, so obviously they didn't care about the twelve coins.
In the following days, Zhou Erlang received several orders from children in the village and even from nearby villages. They either came to the village or sent someone to place orders.
This surprised Zhōu Erlang, so he made a batch and took it to the market to sell. Strangely, not a single bamboo ball was sold at the market.
In the end, he brought the balls back home. It was only when children from other villages asked the village children to help them buy the balls that the entire batch was sold.
Not to mention Zhou Erlang, even Man Bao found this phenomenon very strange.