Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 205: Purchasing New Year’s Goods (1)

“There are two days left before the New Year, we should start to prepare! Let’s go to city and buy some new year goods.
We can wait until the 27th and the 28th to go again and buy more food.” Lian Fang Zhou discussed with Ah Jian.

Ah Jian nodded and smiled: “Aside from everything else, the money from selling charcoal is enough for a good celebration! Whatever you want to buy, I will get it for you.
There is also Che’er, he will go to school next year.
Pens, ink, paper, inkstone, and some books of enlightenment should also be bought! He should also have two more sets of clothes and socks.”

“That is exactly what I was thinking as well.” Lian Fang Zhou smiled: “It’s not only Che’er who will go to school, I think everyone in the family should learn to read and write.
This will always bring benefits in the future.
Ah Jian, I know you can read, will you teach us?”

Lian Ze, Lian Che, and the others thought that the limited words that Lian Fang Zhou knew were taught by Ah Jian and did not think much except to be surprised that eldest sister was so smart.

But Lian Fang Zhou could only read a little and couldn’t even write her own name, which was embarrassing.

She wanted to take the opportunity for everyone to learn, including Lian Fang Qing.

Ah Jian nodded: “Alright, that’s good.
We will study for half an hour every night.
After you study the Three Character Classics, the Hundred Family Names, and the Thousand Characters, it will be fine if you can simply recognize characters.
When I wanted to relearn, I brought a book and read it myself.”

Lian Fang Zhou smiled and agreed.

She told Lian Ze and the others that she was going into the city to buy New Year’s goods tomorrow.
The children were all very happy and talked about what to buy.

Lian Fang Qing and Third Aunt talked a lot about what food they wanted while Lian Ze and Lian Che did not have anything specifically in mind.
Lian Ze wanted a pair of leather boots suitable for walking in the mountain forests and a pair of hunter gloves and Lian Che wanted firecrackers and a puppy.

Lian Fang Zhou planned on buying new sets of clothes, footwear, and other daily necessitites for each of the family members, as well as some for the servants, and to buy a hand stove for Lian Che.
Otherwise, when he went to school after the Spring Festival, his hands would be too cold to write…

While everyone was talking about the excitement, Lian Fang Zhou looked at Ah Jian, who was smiling faintly, and asked: “Ah Jian, do you have anything you want?”

Lian Ze heard this and hurriedly added: “Yes, Brother Ah Jian! Just say what you want! It has been very fortunate having you in our house these months!”

Everyone agreed.

Looking at the warm faces that smiled from the heart, Ah Jian had an unexplainable feeling of warmth in his heart.
It was the kind of warmth had seemed to have been missing for a long time.

Although he still had not recovered his memories at the moment, he was sure that he had not felt this feeling for a long time before he had lost his memories.

He had nothing he wanted but suddenly he was interested in alcohol.
Smiling, he said: “Well, I have heard that the pear blossom win in Yuhe County is very famous—”

“That’s simple, just buy a few jugs later and you can drink your fill!” Lian Fang Zhou smiled.

Lian Fang Qing blurt out: “I heard Sister Zao’er say that they still have fruit wine at home! She said its very sweet and delicious and she can drink it!” As she spoke, she looked at Lian Fang Zhou eagerly.

“Okay! Let’s go to her house and ask if they will sell some to us! We can all try some after we buy it.” Lian Fang Zhou smiled at her.

Several people were happy enough to applaud after hearing this.

Suddenly, Lian Ze’s eyes darkened.
“When we go in, we should also buy some scented candles and paper.
We need to light incense for our parents during the Winter Solstice.”

As soon as his words fell, the cheerful atmosphere immediately dropped.
Lian Fang Qing’s little mouth was trembling and Lian Che looked depressed.

Lian Fang Zhou sighed softly: “This is natural, we won’t forget.
Don’t be sad anymore.
Our parents are happy and would bless us if they could see us in the Spirt of Heaven.
If we are sad, our parents will be unhappy!”

Lian Ze nodded and his face slowly returned to normal.

Lian Fang Zhou stood up and smiled: “By the way, I should bring Aunt Zhang and Ah Juan to see if they want to buy something as well.
It’s more lively with a crowd!”

Third Aunt hurriedly said: “Fang Zhou, if you invite Aunt Zhang, I want to go too! I have never gone to the city and want to open my eyes!”

Saying this, Third Aunt stared at Lian Fang Zhou nervously, worried that she would not agree.

Lian Fang Qing jumped in and said: “Yes, yes, Sister! Let Third Aunt go too, then there are many people!”

Lian Fang Zhou was secretly amused.
Third Aunt was more afraid of her than before!

However, thinking about it, what was she doing these days that was not frightening to death with resoluteness? Under her carrot and stick approach, it would be weird if Third Aunt was not afraid!

“Of course you can go!” Lian Fang Zhou said, laughing.
“When we go, Third Aunt, you will have to help take care of Qing’er and Che’er!”

“Okay, that’s natural, that’s natural!” Third Aunt was overjoyed and nodded cheerfully.

Lian Che muttered with dissatisfaction, protesting: “I am not a kid! Where does someone need to take care of me?”

“Oh, there are a lot of people crowding in the city, it’s not as good as our country and its easy to be kidnapped!” Third Aunt said.

Lian Fang Zhou smiled and went out.

At this point, the charcoal kilns were no longer burning and the Li family was all at home.

When Lian Fang Zhou arrived, Aunt Zhang, Madam Zhao, and Li Juan were sitting around a brazier with the soles of their shoes towards the flames.
The charcoal was naturally broken charcoal from their own kiln.

“Fang Zhou is here! Come, sit here, its warmer!” Aunt Zhang immediately waved her to her side when she saw her, looking very happy.

Madam Zhao and Li Juan always greeted her with a smile, asking her how she was free today.

Lian Fang Zhou greeted them with a smile and sat down next to Aunt Zhang, chatting lightly: “I think it will be the winter solstice in two days and I plan on going to the city tomorrow to buy some New Year goods.
I don’t know if Aunt Zhang and sister Ah Juan wanted to go? If you want, we can go together, which is more convenient and lively!”

Madam Zhao’s eyes lit up and she smiled enviously: “That’s conveniently, you have a donkey cart now! Mother, we also wanted to buy New Years goods… if you don’t want to go, why not let me go?”

Aunt Zhang thought for a while and then smiled at Lian Fang Zhou: “If it’s not too troublesome, then—”

“Mother, you and Fang Zhou are too polite! If it was troublesome, why would she come to our house to invite us! Fang Zhou, let’s agree! Whenever you set out tomorrow, call me!” Madam Zhao immediately said, cheerful and eager.

This year, their family had made a lot of money, enough for three or four years of expenses, and it was good to be live a little affluently.
In addition, the cotton that originally needed to be planted was no longer an issue, so there was even more money remaining in their hands.
Madam Zhao had already figured out what she wanted to buy for the new year.