Cutting Trees to Make Fences

Zhuang Zhuang broke into a smile. Seeing this, Xiaoguo pulled Zhuang Zhuang to look at the things she had bought. “Let’s go, Zhuang Zhuang. Let’s see what good stuff I bought.”

The first thing Zhuang Zhuang saw was the empty bucket. He looked at Xiaoguo happily. “Mother, have you sold them all?”

Xiaoguo nodded happily. “Yes, it was sold for a lot of money. Mother even bought you a lot of things.”

Zhuang Zhuang ran excitedly to Xiaoguo’s side to help her unload the cart. Xiaoguo released the chickens and ducks first. As soon as they were untied, the birds ran around the courtyard and started flapping their wings. Even the cows were startled and began running. The donkeys also cried out, adding to the commotion. The courtyard was instantly bustling with activity. Zhuang Zhuang had never witnessed a racket like this before. He ran behind Xiaoguo and hid himself in fright.

Once Xiaoguo had calmed Zhuang Zhuang down, she returned to the house and brought out the remaining grass they had. The flock of animals quieted down and they slowly gathered around to eat the grass—all was finally peaceful again. Xiaoguo and Zhuang Zhuang both let out a sigh of relief.

Xiaoguo moved the things she had bought into the house and handed the books to Zhuang Zhuang first. “Look at the books I bought for you. There’s also rice paper, pen and ink.”

Zhuang Zhuang was overjoyed. He hadn’t expected his mother to buy these for him. “Thank you, Mother.”

Xiaoguo rubbed his head in gratification. “You’re welcome. I’ll teach you to read sometime.”

The books in this era were basically all written in the clerical

script

. Xiaoguo was still able to read the characters and teach them to Zhuang Zhuang.

Zhuang Zhuang went back to the room and carefully put down the books. He touched the paper with his small hands. Although he did not understand the words that were written on it, he was still so happy. He could not stop looking at the books.

Xiaoguo had to call out to Zhuang Zhuang, asking him to come out. The boy said that he was going to keep the books, but he had not come out yet. She had bought so many things and wanted to show them to him. Zhuang Zhuang finally ran out and he saw the fabric that Xiaoguo had taken out. He touched it happily. “Mother, is that for me?”

“Of course. I will make some clothes for you.”

Zhuang Zhuang nodded his head repeatedly, and Xiaoguo showed him the meat she bought. Zhuang Zhuang exclaimed multiple times as he had never seen so much meat before. Mother was just too amazing.

Xiaoguo told Zhuang Zhuang to take the cloth shoes back to the house and she headed to the kitchen with the remaining items. The rice in the pot was still warm. Xiaoguo intended to eat this for lunch and would whip up something delicious for dinner.

While Zhuang Zhuang was still putting the shoes away, Xiaoguo quickly used the ring and stored the meat in the refrigerator on the ‘other side’, leaving only the lard behind. She will use it for cooking in the afternoon. Just as she was done, Zhuang Zhuang had come back into the kitchen. He helped to pour the rice into the vat. Xiaoguo was afraid that Zhuang Zhuang would be hungry by now, so she stopped unpacking and got ready for lunch.

Zhuang Zhuang and Xiaoguo finished all the rice in the pot. Xiaoguo let Zhuang Zhuang take a short break after lunch while she went out to return the donkey cart to Mrs. Li. She led the donkey out the door and walked towards Mrs. Li’s house. In fact, there was another reason for visiting Mrs’ Li. Xiaoguo grasped the three taels of silver in her pocket—she was going to make an offer for the donkey. Firstly, she would need to go to the market often, and secondly, it would also help to relieve the financial burden on Mrs. Li.

After Xiaoguo voiced out her intention, Mrs. Li agreed without hesitation. Three taels of silver was enough for her family to tide through several years.

Xiaoguo went home with the donkey, and gathered another cart-full of grass on the way. There were more animals to feed now, so she had to stock up more grass. When Xiaoguo got home, Zhuang Zhuang was still sound asleep. She took out the vegetable seeds she had bought and planted them. The seeds she bought were all for seasonal vegetables, and it was just the right time to plant them now. There wasn’t enough plot space, so Xiaoguo extended the perimeter of the plot.

Xiaoguo was quick with her hands and finished planting in a short while. Zhuang Zhuang had woken up as well. Xiaoguo called out to Zhuang Zhuang to go up the mountains with her. She was going to cut a few trees so that she could make a fence to enclose the chickens and ducks.

Zhuang Zhuang sat himself on the donkey cart with a basket and sickle in his small hands— looking like he was ready to cut some trees. However, Xiaoguo saw it and took it from him. She was worried that he might hurt himself, so she gave him a stick instead. Even so, Zhuang Zhuang was still happy.

Xiaoguo walked beside the cart and held the rope, leading the donkey to the foot of the mountain. There was no need to enter the mountain after all as there were many short trees with branches that were just the right thickness for making a fence.

The clerical script, sometimes also chancery script, is a style of Chinese writing which evolved from the late Warring States period to the Qin dynasty