Chapter 36: Rice is too expensive
The days are passing by in a tight and anxious manner, it's really helpless.
Shen Sisi can only look at the white noodles now, but she really doesn't want to buy them to eat. The money she earns now is really too little. In the future... she must work harder and strive to be able to afford white noodles and big rice with white flowers, at least have meat to eat every day.
But rice is really expensive, it costs eight cents a catty, and this is the cheapest poor-quality rice.
Sighing silently, after all, there is little rainfall here, no rice production, and transportation from the south increases costs, so prices are naturally higher. Helpless.
However, the black-faced ones were really cheap, one cent per catty, Shen Sisi didn't hesitate and directly bought 100 catties. The boss even gave them a sack to carry it in. One hundred catties was quite heavy, at least for the four of them. So, Shen Sisi carried an empty basket frame, while the three brothers worked together to move the sack. The four of them quickly found Niu Laogen's donkey cart and asked him, he didn't make things difficult and agreed readily, only expressing surprise that they could sell chestnuts.
Shen Sisi was very grateful, and asked them to wait a bit longer. She turned back to the market, spent 20 cents on a catty of meat and some unwanted bones, then bought a catty of white sugar for 25 cents, and also spent 5 cents on a piece of osmanthus cake.
He hastily returned, and Niu Laogen smiled: "Can we set off now, Tuni?"
"Here, Uncle Niu, this is the Osmanthus cake we bought. Please take it back for Xiaohua and the others to eat. Thanks for your trouble today..." Shen Sisi said as she handed over the cake.
"Come on, I couldn't possibly accept your osmanthus cake, and helping you carry things is just a small favor, don't make too much of it. In the past, when villagers met, they would bring a little something as a matter of course, now..."
He had no choice but to accept it, and he was actually very happy in his heart. Although it was a bit embarrassing to take something from several children, this was osmanthus cake after all, and he couldn't bear to buy it himself. Moreover, in the past when he brought things for the villagers, they would only give him some local specialties in return, but this child was so considerate that he even bought gifts specifically for him. Niu Laogen secretly admired the child's ability to interact with people, and his smile grew even brighter.
Dabao followed behind Shen Sisi, gradually understanding a bit more, and with Sanbao's words to him, he wasn't a blockhead either, and slowly began to understand. Not wanting to understand, but still able to see it clearly.
A few people walked and chatted along the way, and when they returned to the village, it was not yet noon. Niu Laogen drove the donkey cart to their door and helped them move the black-faced sheep into the house before smiling and leaving.
Shen Sisi looked at the 100 jin of dark noodles, let out a sigh of relief, and thought that at least they could eat more at home now. Although it wouldn't be delicious, at least they would be full. As for their standard of living, they could improve it gradually later on.
Actually, 100 jin of coarse grains is not very palatable, but with many mouths to feed at home and everyone growing up, they can all eat it. Having some is better than having none, and being full after each meal is also a wonderful thing.
"Tudou, how much money is left?!" Da Bao hesitated and said: "Let's save some money from now on..."
Shen Sisi nodded, not that she didn't want to save, but there were just too many expenses in this household. She bowed her head and calculated: "Today I earned 170 coins, plus the 1 coin from yesterday, making a total of 171 coins. The sugar gourd cost 5 coins, the black flour 100 coins, the city gate fee 4 coins, the meat 20 coins, the sugar 25 coins, and the Osmanthus cake 5 coins... now there are only 12 coins left..."