Xingge’s mother-in-law would say behind their backs, how could a parent be so cruel? Li Er and Li Zhengren are the sons of the old couple of the Li family, so couldn’t Li Da be one too?

　　Even with such bad dry land, Li Da managed to grow crops.

　　How much was the harvest this year?

　　Xing Ge’er knew about it, and quickly said that this year Li Zhouzhou’s family had produced four shi of dry land per acre.

　　So Xingge’er’s father-in-law smoked a pipe all night, gritted his teeth, and applied fertilizer to ten mu of paddy fields. His family had more than twenty mu of paddy fields in total.

　　I was worried and looked at the fields every day, and finally the harvest time came.

　　Needless to say, Xing’er’s mother-in-law now thinks highly of Xing’er, praising him for being bold and able to speak up. She did not dare to say a word when the old man asked her for her opinions on the crops at home.

　　Now Xingge’er holds a high position in the Wang family.

　　”When you have nothing to do, go visit Zhou Zhou and play with Yuanyuan for a while. There’s not much to do at home now.” said Xing’er’s mother-in-law.

　　Xing Ge’er didn’t hesitate and responded happily, then took Yuanyuan to play with Li Zhouzhou.

　　”This year our family is a little more financially comfortable. I plan to go to town in a few days to buy some red cloth and some new cotton to make new clothes for Yuanyuan. Don’t look at him as small. He changes every day and grows up very fast.” Xing’er put his son on the ground, supporting him with one hand.

　　Yuanyuan can walk now.

　　According to the saying at that time, Yuanyuan would have been two years old after the Lantern Festival last year, but in fact he was only one year old. Now he is actually one year and eleven months old. The old people would say that the child will be three years old after the Chinese New Year.

　　In ancient times, many children died young, especially those in villages, so they were given mean names. Reporting a child’s age as old as one year old was also an attempt to appease the little ones, meaning that the child is a grown-up and strong, and should be stopped from pestering them.

　　”Then let’s go together.” Li Zhouzhou agreed.

　　Yuanyuan was walking unsteadily, so Xing Ge followed behind him, supporting him, afraid that he would fall. He asked, “What do you want to buy?”

　　”Buy a piece of candy. My in-laws are building a house and they will probably come to tell you the good news soon.” Li Zhouzhou wanted to prepare in advance so as not to be in a rush when the time comes.

　　After Xing Ge’er finished speaking, he remembered something and said, “My parents are going to take Guangzong to the prefecture and county to deliver grain.”

　　”Are my second uncle, second aunt and Guangzong all going this year?” Li Zhouzhou asked.

　　Last year, Li Zhouzhou got married, and Li Er had just delivered grain from the prefecture and county a few days ago. Every November, when the farming season was slack, Li Er’s family would not sell the rice, but would pound it clean and pack it in sacks to send to Li San, Li Zhengren, in the prefecture and county.

　　All rice, no wheat.

　　Liu Huaxiang said that her brother’s wife was from the county town, and was extremely spoiled, not like her farm family. She seldom ate whole grains, but only white rice every day, and used small bowls, so she had to eat eight bowls…

　　This was something that Liu Huaxiang had seen earlier. After seeing the world, they came back and taught the villagers. They could talk for a whole day about what people in the prefecture and county wore, ate, and used bowls. The villagers were very excited to hear them talk, as they had never seen anything like it.

　　Li Zhouzhou had heard Xing’er learn about it, and he only remembered that the prefecture and county were very big.

　　The Li family did not send the grain for free, they charged for it, according to the official price of eight cents per liter. They drove the ox cart to the prefecture and county before dawn, because the ox cart was loaded with grain. The only time Xing Ge’er went there, he and his younger brother Guangzong took turns riding. Guangzong rode more, and he walked most of the time.

　　When they arrived at the prefecture, it was already evening and the city gates were closed. They had to sleep outside all night and could only enter when the city gates opened in the morning.

　　When Xing Ge’er came back that time, he didn’t mention the hardships and cold he suffered on the way, but only spoke well of the prefecture and county. Now that he is older and married, his family has a good harvest and he has money in his hands, he is much more open when talking about his trip to the prefecture and county.

　　”It’s really tiring. Guangzong is already fourteen years old this year. I don’t believe that his parents will let him sit all the way.”

　　”In fact, there is nothing fun about going to the prefecture and county. My feet are so tired from walking all the way that they are blistered. I slept outside the city wall at night. Fortunately, my father had experience and brought blankets, but it was still cold. Finally, I got in and still had to walk. My uncle’s yard is also very small, not as spacious as the yard in the village. If I eat one more bowl of rice, my aunt will cough…”