"Little girl, do you want to hear a story?"
"Hear a story? Yes, yes!" She loved listening to stories, and Zhao Zhitong immediately perked up.
"Okay, then today I'll tell you a story about 'Helping the Shoots Grow'. It's said that in the Song Country, there was a farmer who planted seedlings in his field, but he always complained that his seedlings weren't growing tall.
So, he came up with a way to go into the field and pull each shoot up with his hands... In the end, all the seedlings died."
After telling the story, Old Mr. Bai paused and asked, "Little girl, what do you think this story tells us?"
Zhao Zhitong rested her little head on her hands, her eyes bright like stars, speaking softly, "The farmer wanted his seedlings to grow tall so he helped them himself, but instead of growing taller, all of them died.
Hmm, this shows, oh, I got it, it shows that the farmer was a bit foolish and used the wrong method because he didn't have the spring water from Old Mr. Bai's house, right?"
Old Mr. Bai paused in his beard-stroking motion: "...Well, you could interpret it that way."
"But today, Old Mr. Bai told this story to teach you another lesson. We mustn't be impatient. We can't go against the natural course of things; if we're too hasty, it backfires and we achieve nothing.
The spring water is like plant fertilizer. When you fertilize vegetables, you also have to wait for the plants to absorb it before they can slowly grow taller."
Zhao Zhitong, "Oh, is that so? I don't want my veggies to die, so I'll wait patiently. I'm not in a hurry anymore."
...
By the time evening approached, Zhao Dong, who had gone to the market, came back.
When he left, the cart was full of bamboo baskets, but it was much lighter coming back, indicating he had sold quite a few.
"Hey, Mr. Dong, been to the market?"
"Yes, sold some bamboo baskets to help with household expenses. Have you eaten?"
"Not yet. Hey, your skills are getting better. This basket is woven so tightly it could hold wheat directly. Save one for me, mine just broke."
"No problem, just take one back with you."
...
At this moment, hearing the voices of Zhao Dong and a neighbor outside, Zhao Zhitong leaped up and ran out excitedly: "Daddy, is Daddy back?"
When the door opened, Zhao Dong was outside talking to Zhao Shitou.
"Hello, Mr. Shitou."
Zhao Zhitong sweetly greeted Zhao Shitou and eagerly climbed onto the cart.
This cart belonged to her from the space, oh no, it should be said that the body of the cart was from her space.
In their past life, before their time travel, they were just in time for the wheat harvest, and Sun Mei decided not to sell that year's wheat but had Zhao Zhitong collect it all into the space.
Some of the grain bags were pressed on the cart, so when Zhao Zhitong collected them, she included the cart as well.
The wheels of modern carts are made of iron and rubber and couldn't be taken out for direct use.
However, they couldn't afford to buy a cart, and they often needed to use one, and couldn't always borrow from the village chief.
Zhao Dong thought for a moment and went to Wang the carpenter at the village head, spending some money to make wooden wheels.
So, that's how they have their current cart.
Zhao Zhitong climbed onto the cart like a little monkey, scaring Zhao Dong to quickly stabilize its body.
Shitou, "Whoa, don't fall."
Shitou hurriedly put down a basket and helped lift the little girl, placing her in a bamboo basket in the middle of the cart.
At this moment, Sun Mei walked out with floury hands, smiling, "Shitou, have you eaten? Want to come over and have some? Sister made some steamed buns."
"No, thanks, sister, Liuniang is cooking at home."
Zhao Shitou waved his hands repeatedly, said goodbye, and headed home: "Mr. Dong, I'll bring the basket money over later."
After speaking, he turned into his house.
Sun Mei glanced at the items on the cart board; some bamboo baskets were gone, and there were a few extra cloth bags. She didn't inquire immediately, just turned and opened both doors to let Zhao Dong push the cart inside.
"Stop standing outside, push the cart into the yard first."
As soon as Zhao Dong parked the cart in the courtyard, Sun Mei, who was closing the doors, asked casually, "How was the ancient collective? Was it smooth?"
"Not bad, it was quite lively." Zhao Dong smiled and lifted Zhao Zhitong off the cart, giving her a kiss on the cheek: "Oh gosh, I haven't seen my daughter all day, let me see if she's grown taller."
Sun Mei rolled her eyes at the daughter-loving father: "Did your daughter take growth hormones to grow taller in a day?"
Zhao Dong chuckled: "No, my daughter ate some cuteness, she gets cuter the more you look."
Zhao Zhitong giggled as she was tickled by Zhao Dong's beard, not forgetting to praise herself: "Yes, yes, I am invincible, the cutest in the universe."
The two narcissistic father and daughter, Sun Mei shook her head: "...I can't even look."
"Hurry up and wash up, dinner is almost ready."
With that said, she went into the kitchen.
Zhao Dong put Zhao Zhitong down, washed his hands, and slipped into the kitchen, moving close to Sun Mei: "Hmm, it smells so good. I could smell the fragrance before even entering the house. My wife's hands are so skillful, I'm so lucky to have a talented wife and such a cute daughter. I must have saved the galaxy in my past life."
Sun Mei rolled her eyes at him, pushing him away with disdain: "Go, go, don't get in the way. You're always being slippery-tongued, the daughter has been influenced by you. If you have time, help me put the buns on the steamer."
"Yes, ma'am."
...
"Time to eat, time to eat."
During dinner, it was usually nearly dark, it was quite open outside and also cooler, so they typically ate in the yard.
At the dining table, Zhao Zhitong sat on the stool, extremely happy.
Sun Mei, holding a bamboo basket covered with steaming cloth, placed it on the table mysteriously: "Tongtong, guess what's inside here?"
"What is it, steamed buns, big steamed buns." Zhao Zhitong blinked her eyes, cheerfully calling out.
"Ta-da."
When Sun Mei removed the steaming cloth, there were a few vegetable rolls inside the basket.
"Wow~ vegetable rolls, mommy is the best."
Sun Mei: "Are you happy?"
"So happy."
Sun Mei broke off a piece, handed it to Zhao Zhitong, and smiled: "Eat up, this is your reward for watering the vegetable garden today."
These vegetables were borrowed from Sun Liuniang, not many, steamed up to seven or eight.
Over there, Zhao Dong, serving porridge, exaggeratedly spoke upon hearing their conversation: "Wow, so it was Tongtong who watered the vegetables today, no wonder when I got back, I felt these veggies were taller than when I left."
Zhao Zhitong had a face full of pride: "See, it was me who watered them."
Sun Mei pursed her lips, glaring at Zhao Dong: "Don't always exaggerate like that, the child might believe it."
Saying that, she subconsciously looked at the vegetable garden, but she wasn't sure if it was her imagination; it seemed like the vegetables were indeed taller comparing to earlier.
016
After dinner, Zhao Dong pulled Sun Mei out into the courtyard.
He unloaded all the bamboo baskets from the cart and took a few cloth bags down.
Sun Mei stepped forward to help: "What did you buy? Were the bamboo baskets easy to sell?"
Zhao Dong placed two bags on the table and said: "Not bad, there were a few others selling baskets at the market, but the baskets your man weaved are of the best quality, so they sold quite well."
Boasting a bit, suddenly he changed the subject: "But this is only a temporary plan; selling baskets doesn't make money."
By making money, he naturally meant making big money.
"Then, after I closed the stall in the afternoon, I wandered around the market to look for money-making methods, and then discovered a great business opportunity."
Sun Mei was also intrigued upon hearing this: "What business opportunity?"
Zhao Dong opened a bag, showing Sun Mei: "This will rely on the skillful hands of my wife."
"Plaster?" Sun Mei was surprised: "What are you planning? You're not thinking of making tofu, are you? No way, it's too exhausting and doesn't make money."
Zhao Dong: "Wife, you are truly wise, it is indeed tofu."
Seeing Sun Mei's reluctance, Zhao Dong quickly persuaded: "Wife, haven't you noticed, in your memory, you've never eaten tofu?"
Sun Mei thought for a moment, and it was indeed so: "Could it be tofu is very expensive, and rural people can't afford it?"
"How could it be?" Zhao Dong shook his head: "Even if it were precious, there would be this kind of thing in memory. Also, I walked around the market, didn't see anyone selling tofu. I even asked two vendors, and they didn't know what tofu is."