Ran Er and Qinglian returned home, and after lunch, they sat in the grass pavilion, teaching Qinglian to read, write, and endorse, while waiting for Grandpa Li to come to the two acres of paddy fields in Li. It wasn't until the evening that I saw Grandpa Li driving a buffalo and carrying a ploughshare, slowly coming towards the small courtyard. The sisters hurried out.

"Grandpa Li."

"Wait, aren't you? Soon, you will be able to plow before dark. ”

Grandpa Li didn't rest, went directly to the ground, put on a buffalo, and began to plow. Grandpa Li was right, as soon as the sky was dark, the ploughing of two acres of paddy fields was finished. Before leaving, Ran'er packed twenty eggs for Grandpa Li, and when her mother was there, she always thanked Grandpa Li in this way. Like last year, Grandpa Li said nothing and said to Ran'er:

"You, a **-year-old fatherless and motherless child, know how to take care of the same lonely little Qinglian. Grandpa is so old, isn't it as good as Ran'er? ”

In a word, I can't say it anymore.

"Remember to go home in two days to get the seedlings."

After two days, before Ran'er went to Grandpa Li's house to pick up seedlings, Grandpa Li had already sent someone to send them to Ran'er. It was Grandpa Li's youngest son, Li Shun, who was ten years old this year.

"Ran'er, let's put the seedlings on the ground for you."

"Okay, Uncle Shun. How much will I go and get it? ”

As Ran'er spoke, she went to the house to get the money, and when she came out, Li Shun had already walked away.

"Uncle Shun, money."

Ran ran behind and shouted.

"Ran'er go back, your grandfather won't want it. Stop chasing and be careful of falling. ”

Li Shun walked a few steps, turned around the foot of the mountain and disappeared. Ran Er had to go back home, thinking about it, and always felt that this was not good. Qinglian also knew why Ran'er was worried, so she said to Ran'er:

"Sister, don't worry, when the sour bamboo shoots are pickled, send a jar to Grandpa Li."

Ran Er is right to think about it, a jar of sour bamboo shoots is forty yuan, although it is not much, it can barely express the hearts of the sisters. Ran'er knew that after the seedlings left the ground, they had to plant the seedlings quickly, otherwise they would die. led Qinglian to the ground, let Qinglian squat on the ground and divide the seedlings into handfuls of appropriate sizes, and planted the seedlings himself. Two acres of paddy fields is not big for adults, but it is still quite hard for Ran'er, who is more than eight years old. It took two full days to plug it in.

After planting the seedlings, the paddy fields were filled with water, and nothing could be done. Ran Er led Qinglian along the fence wall, planting loofahs, pumpkins, and lentils. In the open space on the other side of the Yuxie Grass Pavilion, more than a dozen sunflowers were planted. After all the qiē is finished, calculate the time, and the first batch of ten jars of pickled sour bamboo shoots has arrived. At dinner, Ran'er opened a jar and tasted it, and felt that the taste was the same as the original. Then he said to Qinglian:

"Sister, tomorrow we will go to Yangzhuang to deliver sour bamboo shoots."

"Okay."

The next day, the sisters had breakfast early, and like last time, Ran'er carried two jars of sour bamboo shoots with a hook and came to the Zhouji Wine Store in Yangzhuang. Shopkeeper Zhou went out for something, and only Chunshui was there.

"Father figured it was time for you to send a message. We'll pull the rest with you, and don't send it again. ”

Chunshui counted ten cents to Ran'er, poured two jars of sour bamboo shoots into his own jar, put on an ox cart, and drove Ran'er and Qinglian to the small courtyard to pull sour bamboo shoots. Although the ox cart is not much faster than a human walk, after all, it saves effort. Ran Er and Qinglian sat on the ox cart, and Chun Shui sat in front to catch the cart. The three of them talked as they walked.

"Last time, Ran'er said that your mother taught you to read, how many books has Ran'er read?"

"The Three Character Classic", "Hundred Family Names", "Thousand Character Text", as well as "Analects", and some miscellaneous books."

"I didn't expect Ran'er to be so young, but she read a lot of books."

"Qinglian is also learning to read with her sister. Does Big Brother Study? ”

"Qinglian is awesome, she knows how to read and write at such a young age. My brother has been studying in a private school for eight years. ”

"When will Brother Chunshui end?"

"Father and Mr. mean to try it out this year."

"When is this year?"

"The tenth day of the next month."

"Sister, what's the end?"

"The end is the abbreviation for participating in the imperial examination. This means taking the children's examination and the talent examination. ”

"Oh, the eldest brother and Uncle Zhou are both good people, and the eldest brother will definitely be able to pass the examination."

Qinglian's words made Chunshui laugh.

"To borrow Sister Qinglian's auspicious words, if it is really as Qinglian said, how about the eldest brother invite your sister to a banquet?"

"Qinglian, don't eat banquets."

"Then what does Qinglian want?"

"Qinglian wants pen, ink, paper, and inkstone."

"Qinglian is not allowed to talk nonsense, how can she ask her brother for something?"

"Qinglian is not asking for my brother's things, but things we lack."

Since Qinglian learned to write, she has never used ink and paper, and every time she sees white paper and black characters, she is very envious, and she always wants to be able to write on white paper one day. Therefore, when I listened to Chunshui ask me what I wanted today, I couldn't help but say it casually. Knowing that her sister was a little angry, Qinglian hurriedly explained like this.

"Don't blame Qinglian, when I get back, I'll give you the used writing paper, you can write on the reverse side, anyway, if you stay with me, it's also used to light the fire."

Hearing Chunshui say this, Ran'er didn't refuse, in fact, she wanted to write on white paper more than Qinglian, that feeling was really good, or when her mother was there, she occasionally bought some paper and ink, so that Ran'er enjoyed it.

After arriving home, Ran'er helped load the remaining eight jars of sour bamboo shoots onto the ox cart, Chun Shui handed Ran Er three hundred and two cents, and hurriedly returned in the ox cart. Because his father was not in the shop, he had to rush back to take care of it.

Sending away the spring water, Qinglian came to Ran'er, lowered her head, and said timidly:

"Sister, Qinglian is wrong."

"My sister doesn't blame my sister, my sister also wants pen, ink, paper and inkstone. My mother left my sister with pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, but my sister was reluctant to move. After the following sour bamboo shoots are sold, let's buy two sets back, one set for Qinglian and one set for sister, okay? ”

"Okay."

Qinglian didn't say that she didn't want to spend money indiscriminately this time, but agreed very simply. With an empty jar, Ran'er took Qinglian to dig bamboo shoots again, Ran'er knew that this was the last time, and there would be no new bamboo shoots in a few days, and the bamboo shoots would only be available from the beginning of March to the end of March every year. In April, there were almost none. Occasionally, there are one or two trees, and you can't do anything by digging them up.

In the evening of the next day, the two of them filled an empty jar with sour bamboo shoots again, sealed their mouths, and placed them on the edge of the grass pavilion, where the sun could reach every day. When she finished eating, Ran'er said to Qinglian:

"Sister, tomorrow is Qingming Festival, it's time to sweep my mother's grave. In the morning, we went to Xia Village to buy incense, candles, and paper money. ”

"Well, Qinglian also has to kowtow to her mother."

"Okay, tomorrow Qinglian and my sister will kowtow to my mother together."