Thanks for the invitation: In ancient times, people shared children

After the fifteenth day, the Chinese New Year is almost over.

Liu Renben and Pei Zhu decided to send Changsui to Xianlu Academy in Peijia Town to start his education.

In the morning Shuanzi would carry him to the town and back in the evening. He was not only his sedan bearer, but also his servant and book boy, so he had no time to take care of many household chores.

Originally, Cuimei and Aunt Yu were still available.

However, it was cold in early spring, and the usually strong old lady Liu Lianhua caught a cold accidentally. She coughed every day and always felt that it was the retribution for her eating the dragon egg. She was sick for six or seven days and not only did her condition not improve, but became worse. She was drowsy and could hardly take care of herself. Liu Tongsheng followed suit in a daze. The more he wanted to take care of others, the more trouble he caused them. Aunt Yu was already overwhelmed just taking care of the two of them.

Cuimei was the only one who could do the work, but she wasn't superhuman and couldn't do it.

With the additional expense of tuition, the Liu family was reluctant to buy another person.

Master Liu Renben and his wife Pei Zhu had no choice but to take off their good clothes, put on coarse linen clothes, roll up their sleeves and work hard.

Pei Xiaohai and Baifu still follow their mother Pei Zhu, doing some housework within their ability. The difference is that Pei Xiaohai has to feed the chickens, ducks and geese, while the skinny and small Baifu is still a child. She can be praised for handing over needle and thread, and no one expects her to really do anything.

It was not until grass grew in the fields and the Liu family hired a few children in the village to herd cattle that Pei had some free time.

When the children were herding cattle, they would take the chickens, ducks and geese out with them and bring them back in the evening. Their wages were 100 wen per month plus two meals a day.

The money given was not much, but children like this could not do much at home, and there were no ways to make money in the village. It would be better for them to come to the Liu family, so that the family could save some food rations, and herding cattle was not a very tiring job. If they only ate half full, they could bring back two cakes for their younger brothers and sisters.

Thinking in this way, those families will not only be happy to send their children here, but will also tell their children to be more diligent.

These children are also obedient and always take good care of the cows. When they grow up, the Liu family will continue to hire their younger brothers and sisters to herd cattle, which can be considered a long-term livelihood.

Pei Xiaohai, who was free, thought he was free and rested happily for seven days while hugging Pei Nangua.

Then on the eighth day, Pei Zhu pulled him to the backyard where livestock were raised.

Little Pei couldn't believe his eyes.

But there are indeed one, two, three, four more...

There are five little creatures with pink noses, soft ears, and clear eyes. They are so small, but they are not shy. When they see people, they hum and come over. They have soft and fleshy bodies and round heads.

"This is a pig..." Little Pei was a little unhappy.

Pei Zhu put her hands on her hips and smiled: "Yes, it's a little piglet, it's fun, isn't it?"

Little Pei looked at the group of piglets humming and surrounding her, and had a bad feeling in her heart.

Sure enough, Pei Zhu immediately said, "From now on, these piglets will be left to you to feed. When they grow up and sell for money, I will give you some, okay?"

Pei Zhu always has some wonderful ideas, but they often fail to meet her expectations.

For example, last year she sold small items made of cattail, but there was a disaster last year and few people were willing to spend money on these useless things.

This year she wanted to raise pigs again, so she bought five cheap piglets from Pei Xiaohai's godfather, Hu, who sold pork.

She calculated clearly:

"We have plenty of rice bran and wheat bran at home. We can go to the mountains and collect some wild grasses and vegetables. In a few months, the leaves will grow out. It's free. When they grow up a bit, we'll take them to the wasteland near the water. They'll find food on their own and be fat and strong by autumn..."

Then kill and sell.

Little Pei finally didn't have to take care of the chickens, ducks, and geese, but now she was tied up with five little pigs that were bound to die. This made her a little discouraged.

She really loves meat.

But she doesn't eat the ones she raises, nor does she want to sell them.

The nuns in Sansang Temple could accept her letting go of the chickens they had raised with great effort, but would Pei Zhu let her do that?

Seeing his godmother's face light up when she mentioned money, Pei Xiaohai no longer had any hope. She had already planned to use the money to buy some cloth and pens.

Baifu also jumped up and down and said, "Mom, I can help too!"

Little Pei squatted down and touched the fur on the piglet.

They were still purring and pushing their heads into her hands, completely unaware of how delicious they would be in the future.

The Liu family is in the grain business. They raise chickens, ducks and geese for their own consumption, and use cattle for plowing and transporting goods. In their spare time, they can rent out both the cattle and the cart.

As for the pigs, although there is a pigpen, they haven't been raised for a long time and the smell is too strong.

Pei Zhu wanted to raise a pig, and Liu Renben didn't want to get involved, but she was determined not to pay to hire someone for the pig, so she had to turn her attention to Pei Xiaohai.

Pei is already eight years old. At her age in the village, feeding pigs is no problem, especially with her help.

Pei Zhu felt that this was definitely not a problem.

There was really nothing wrong with Pei Xiaohai. Although pigs' urine was very smelly, chickens, ducks and geese were not much better. All he had to do was cover his face and clean it from time to time.

The piglets themselves don’t have any smell, and sometimes Pei will take them back to the house and give them a bath.

Wipe it dry, warm it up and send it back.

It's just that they like to bark all the time, which is a bit annoying.

However, Pei Xiaohai discovered that as long as she shouted louder than them, they would quiet down and stand aside obediently but a little awkwardly.

Ignoring the issue that they might die, Pei Xiaohai thought it was still fun to raise them.

But Pei Zhu didn't think so. She endured it again and again and finally came to find Pei Xiaohai.

With an indescribable expression, she watched Pei Xiaohai skillfully shovel the pig manure into a basket and drag it out, then flush the pigpen with water and lay some new straw.

Then drive the pigs out of her house and back into the pigsty.

Pei Zhu finally spoke: "Kid, are you busy?"

Pei Xiaohai looked at her in confusion and thought: Isn't this obvious?

"Godmother, what's wrong?"

"Well," Pei Zhu tugged at her clothes, "it's not a big deal. But why don't we just stop raising this pig? What do you think?"

"Ah, why?"

"Because..." Pei Zhu clenched her fists, loosened and tightened them again. She gritted her teeth and said,

"Because you hang out with pigs every day, they are pigs!"

"You let them into your house and sleep in your bed."

“Eat at them.”

"Mom knows you keep them very clean, but... they're pigs!"

"Pigs don't need baths, and you don't have to talk to them all the time."

"What on earth are you thinking? You don't play with Changsui, you don't play with Baifu, you don't play with the children in the village, and you always talk to the pigs.

Do you really think they understand? You even gave them names.

Which child in this village is as strange as you? Do you know what they are saying about you now? They say you are possessed by a demon.

Pei Zhu looked furious, her face flushed with anger. It was unclear whether she was angry at Pei Xiaohai or at those who spread the gossip.

Little Pei pointed at the pigs: "Pig stomach, pig liver, pig blood, pig heart, pig lungs, are those also names?"

Of course not, but—

"Why do you always talk back, kid? Fine, fine, just go with your pig, no one's going to bother you!"

Pei Zhu was so angry that she pinched her face hard, causing Pei Xiaohai's head to tilt.

Looking at the big red mark on the child's face, she left in a panic again.

Pei Zhu didn't understand why she was so angry.

Little Pei rubbed his face, picked up the dung basket and went to the Liu family's manure pile.