Bai Shuhua could not help reaching into her clothes pocket again. There was a clear little roll there, the money was still there, and she could finally relax for ten minutes.
Don’t blame her for being spineless, but that was more than one yuan, even more than the money in her mother’s pocket.
Of course, this money was not given by Grandfather Bai and Grandmother Bai. It was the money she was supposed to use to buy books.
Wasn’t she going to buy third-grade textbooks? Bai Dad and Bai Mom had to go to work, so there was no way they could accompany her to school. On top of that, because she studied well and was increasingly reliable, they directly gave the money to her.
Teachers always favored students with good grades a little, so the teacher had proactively offered to help her borrow a set of third-grade books.
Then what was there left to buy?
Later, she would bring the teacher a few tomatoes to thank her, and that book money would naturally go straight into her pocket.
Today, since she had finally gotten out and come all the way to the town, she brought all the money with her.
Bai Mother came with her, and even took half a day off for this.
Bai Father actually wanted to come too, but was scolded by Grandfather Bai and Grandmother Bai, so he could only go unwillingly to the fields to earn work points, and failed to slack off.
“Eldest girl, hurry up and go, what are you dawdling for?”
Bai Mother in front turned back and shouted at her.
Bai Shuhua jogged a few steps. “Coming, coming.”
The supply and marketing cooperative in town was very easy to find. It was the first building at the head of the most bustling street.
This was Bai Shuhua’s first time here, so she inevitably looked around a few times, and the only thing she could say was that it was plain and unremarkable.
But it was still better than the house at home. After all, it was a red-brick, tile-roofed house.
The mother and daughter went straight to the counter.
Bai Shuhua looked at paper and pens, while Bai Mother had already taken out bottles and jars to buy salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.
These were naturally for the family, which was also why Bai Mother could take half a day off, because the seasonings at home needed to be bought.
“Mom, I want two large exercise books, two pencils, one eraser, and one ruler.”
The ruler was added at the last minute, since she only remembered it when she saw one.
But she was not asking for it blindly. Third grade would use it.
“Mom, next year I’m going to fourth grade, so I’ll need a fountain pen.”
This counted as giving advance notice.
Bai Mother did not care at all. “Then let your father and your grandparents ask for money.”
Anyway, it would not come out of her pocket.
“Mom, wait for me a bit.”
Bai Shuhua took out one mao and bought five fruit candies.
This one mao was a reward given by Bai Father and Bai Mother.
Only then did Bai Mother feel a little heartache. “If you want candy, buying one or two pieces would’ve been enough. Why did you buy so many all at once? I gave you money, and you don’t even know to save it, you spent it all.”
Bai Shuhua grinned, peeled one open, stood on tiptoe, and stuffed it into Bai Mother’s mouth. “Mom, sweeten your mouth a little. One for everyone in our family.”
So five candies really were not many.
Eating someone’s mouth is soft, Bai Mother stopped nagging. She even said, “You should eat one too, it’s pretty sweet, sweeter than malt sugar.”
Bai Shuhua naturally had to eat one. “Mom, I want to go to the junk collection station.”
“What for? It’s dirty.” Bai Mother was already preparing to go home.
She had to get back early, because she was the one who had to make lunch.
If she did not go to the fields and still did not cook, her mother-in-law would scold her.
“I want to buy some old newspapers. The teacher told me to read some extracurricular books. I learn too quickly, and the teacher said I should come into contact with more knowledge.”
At this time, the teacher’s words were more useful than her own.
Besides, she had not lied. The teacher had really said something like that.
Bai Mother was especially attentive when it came to her eldest daughter’s studies.
Now, who in the whole production team did not know that her eldest daughter had a clever brain, just like her? She was really making her proud!
Besides, old newspapers were not worth much, so buy them!
Bai Shuhua rummaged through the junk collection station for a long time, found a stack of newspapers, and the old man at the gate weighed them. It was a full five jin and then some.
This kind of town junk collection station really had nothing good in it. Fortunately, Bai Shuhua did not have any intention of treasure hunting either. She really was single-mindedly looking for newspapers.
“Eldest girl, isn’t that a bit too much?”
Bai Mother listened as the old man calculated the bill. Eight fen a jin, five jin and a bit came to… forty fen, rounded down.
Bai Shuhua naturally did not think it was too much. She still did not know whether she could find any useful information. “I read fast, if there’s too little it won’t be enough.”
Bai Mother muttered as she paid the money, then rolled up the newspapers and stuffed them into Bai Shuhua’s back basket. “Carry it yourself.”
Bai Shuhua: “………” She had no objection.
The mother and daughter walked home much faster.
By the time they got home, Bai Shuhua’s forehead was covered in sweat.
Bai Mother felt a little sorry for her. “Go into the room, drink some water, and rest for a while.”
Bai Shuhua immediately said, “I want boiled water.”
Bai Mother wanted to glare again. “Why are you so fussy? Drinking cool well water in this heat would be so much more thirst-quenching.”
Bai Shuhua insisted stubbornly. She was afraid of eating a belly full of bugs.
Bai Mother could not win against her. “Wait until I wash the pot, then I’ll boil you two ladles of hot water.”
Bai Shuhua immediately sent over sweet words. “Mom, you’re so good!”
Bai Mother poked her on the forehead and turned to go light the fire.
Bai Shuhua said, “Mom, I’ll wash my face and then go call my little brother back.”
Bai Mother did not care much. “Call him for what? Is he not going to know to come back when it’s time to eat?”
Bai Shuhua complained in her heart. No wonder children in this era were all raised in bunches. They really were left to grow wild!
Although her family did not have many children, they also did not seem to be raised with much care.
Bai Shuhua did not argue. She washed her face and hands with well water, immediately feeling much more comfortable.
Then she went to the street and called her little brother home.
“Jie, my mud jia still isn’t done.”
Little Brother Bai was obviously playing too wildly and did not want to go home at all.
Bai Shuhua only wanted to ask one thing, whether that mud jia had been mixed with urine.
Forget it, she would not ask. If the answer turned out to be yes, it would ruin her appetite too much.
“I bought candy.”
Those four words settled Little Brother Bai immediately.
When Bai Shuhua saw Little Brother Bai about to pounce on her, she quickly snapped, “You filthy little hands, don’t touch me. Wash your hands when you get home, and then I’ll give you the candy.”
The charm of candy was still very strong. Little Brother Bai was rarely this obedient.
Bai Shuhua checked his clean little hands before giving him the fruit candy.
By then, the water was also boiling, and Bai Mother was very thoughtful. She had even cooled it down by using a gourd dipper to scoop the hot water into the water vat. After a short while, the hot water reached room temperature and could be drunk.
Bai Shuhua gulped down more than half of it, then grabbed Little Brother Bai and had him drink the rest.
“Go stay in our room. It’s hot here.” Bai Mother chased them away.
Bai Shuhua wanted to stay. “I’ll help Mom tend the fire.”
But Bai Mother did not need that. “The stove is burning wood. I don’t need you.”
Bai Shuhua tried again. “Mom, what good food are we making for lunch?”
She wanted to see where she could help.
“What good food? We’ll steam cornmeal rice, then stir-fry some greens. Your eldest sister and the others should have gone to dig wild vegetables, and then there’ll be one more cold dish.” Bai Mother waved her hand. “Stop getting in the way here.”
Only then did Bai Shuhua take her little brother and leave.
“Xiaojun, be good. As long as you keep listening this whole week, I’ll buy you another candy.”
Little Brother Bai nodded his little head hard. “I’ll be good, Xiaojun will be good.”
Bai Shuhua rubbed the fluffy top of her little brother’s head and praised him, “Good.”
One candy = seven days of good behavior.
If that worked on every child, there would be no naughty kids.
“Play in the room.”
Seeing Little Brother Bai start to entertain himself, Bai Shuhua moved the newspapers onto the kang.
She really had bought these newspapers to read, but she also had another purpose.
She wanted to see whether there were any suitable projects.
She wanted to eat meat too, and she wanted her family to have money too.
But the national situation was special now. The best way was for the production team to set up a factory, for everyone to earn money together, and for everyone to become prosperous together.
She had never expected that one day, she would become so noble too.
Had she been influenced by the times?!