Chapter 386: Fever
Chapter 386: Fever
Zhou Li had some complaints in her heart, but she didn't show it on her face. She knew that she had acted too hastily, as the rumors grew louder, and in her haste, she had spoken up.
"You're right, it's just a rumor, why am I worrying? When the notice actually comes, Xia Xia, you help me speak up, okay? I'll be going now, I still need to go back to the office to clean up."
After saying this, Zhou Li started walking out.
Jiang Xia quickly called out to stop her and took the things she had brought, returning them to her, "Wait!"
Zhou Mu took them and chased after Zhou Li, stopping her and giving the items back, "The neighbors brought these over, you should take them! We have plenty at home! Look, there's meat hanging in the kitchen, and the cabinets are full of food, we can't finish it all."
"No need, thank you, Xia Xia, for helping Wan Wan..."
Jiang Xia said, "Helping Wan Wan is just a matter of a few words, we just called an ambulance, I can't accept these things, people will talk behind my back if I do. If you don't take them, I'll personally return them to your house later, and next time, I won't dare let you in."
"That's right, as neighbors, we should help each other when we can, and when we can't, there's nothing we can do." Zhou Mu stopped her and stuffed the items into her hands.
Their refusal was clear, and Zhou Li couldn't help but understand.
Since they didn't want to help, she decided not to insist on sending the items. She would take them back to feed the dog, who would wag its tail at her! After being neighbors for so many years, they wouldn't even help with a simple request. Would they feel ashamed if others knew?
Thinking this, she took the items with a smile, "You brought all this and now you don't want it? I'll come visit you again when I have time!"
After Zhou Li left, Tai Nainai and He Xinghuan came over.
He Xinghuan held out a few pieces of paper and handed them to Jiang Xia, "Xia Xia, these are from the school's snack shop, take a look and see if you need to order more supplies."
Jiang Xia took the papers and smiled, "Have you decided on the date? Can we place the order?"
Tai Nainai laughed, "We've chosen the sixth to open, the shop is all cleaned up, and the display window and shelves are bought. With a month left until winter break, the rent is paid, so we might as well open as soon as possible. Every day we can earn is a day, and every month is a month."
Jiang Xia smiled, "That's right, we might just earn enough for the New Year."
She carefully looked through the papers, and there were many types of snacks, but also many typos. However, Jiang Xia could understand them, as they were common snacks sold at the snack shop, with retail and wholesale prices written on them.
These were very cheap snacks, all under two cents, along with some exercise books, erasers, pencils, ballpoint pens, rulers, and other school supplies, all affordable for children's pocket money.
Among the items on the procurement list, the most expensive was instant noodles, with a retail price of five cents per pack, and some even at seven cents.
Instant noodles were a luxury for children.
However, instant noodles did have sales, as some parents who were too busy to make breakfast would give their children five cents to buy a pack of instant noodles for breakfast.
Jiang Xia took a look and saw that everything was quite complete. She added, "We can also add rice pudding, I think it's quite tasty. And we can make our own dried fish, and I'll order some small packaging bags. We can package a few fish in each bag and sell them for five cents each, I think many children will buy them."
He Xinghuan smiled, "That's right, we should add rice pudding and dried fish, I forgot about those. Many children like them."
Tai Nainai said, "I can also make some pickled radish and pickled papaya to sell, for one cent each, I think people will buy them."
Jiang Xia nodded, "We can do that. The village store also has it. Actually, as long as it's edible, there will be buyers. We can start by making a jar first and see how many people buy it."
Grandmother agreed, "That's right, we can't make too much, it won't keep for long."
...
The four of them discussed the village store while making clothes for the children. After talking for over an hour, they agreed to gather at Grandmother's house on the opening day for a celebratory meal. Only then did Grandmother and He Xinghuan leave happily.
At noon, Jiang Xia and Zhou Mu prepared the meal together. Zhou Mu didn't need Jiang Xia's help, so Jiang Xia was only in charge of stoking the fire, while almost everything else was done by Zhou Mu.
Tian Caihua had gone out to sea, and the Guangzong Yaozu brothers were also eating here.
Zhou Wenzu, seeing such a bountiful lunch, couldn't help but say, "Little Aunt, you must eat at home every day! Don't go out to sea, when you're not home, Grandma only steams fish for us."
Zhou Mu glared at him, "Can't you be satisfied with the food we have? Isn't fish good enough for you? Why do you eat so much of it every day if you don't like it?"
Usually, only Zhou Mu was at home with the children, so she would only steam some fish, make a mixed fish stew, and stir-fry some vegetables, keeping it simple for a meal.
But with Jiang Xia at home, now Jiang Xia was eating for four people, so Zhou Mu went to the dock to buy some fresh seafood.
She made braised shrimp, steamed sea bass, steamed egg custard, fermented black beans with steamed fish, stir-fried vegetables, and a yellow croaker tofu soup.
Jiang Xia smiled, "Usually, only Grandma is at home, doing all the housework by herself. You guys should help Grandma with some chores, so she won't be so tired, and then she can make more dishes for you."
Zhou Mu, not going out to sea, had a lot of housework to do at home, and it was all physically demanding.
Jiang Xia could only help with lighter tasks, like stoking the fire, washing vegetables, and chopping food to cook pig feed.
The children laughed and agreed, each vying to say that they had done chores, like tending to the geese and cattle... Jiang Xia praised them for their efforts.
Suddenly, Zhou Zhou asked, "Little Aunt, what is pig mumps?"
Jiang Xia was puzzled, "What's pig mumps?"
Zhou Mu frowned upon hearing this, "Where did you hear about that?"
"I heard it from a classmate. His younger brother caught pig mumps, and his face looked like a pig's head."
Jiang Xia guessed that pig mumps was probably mumps.
Zhou Mu said, "Stay away from that classmate of yours! Pig mumps is contagious. Which village is your classmate from?"
Zhou Wenzu replied, "I know, it's from Dashicun."
Dashicun was relatively far from their village, and Zhou Mu said, "Don't go to Dashicun to play! And don't play too much with the kids from Dashicun, understand? Otherwise, you'll all end up with pig heads too."
The children were scared and nodded in agreement.
Jiang Xia also reminded them, "At school, don't rub your eyes with your hands, and don't touch your nose or mouth. When you get home, you must wash your hands before eating, right?"
"We know!" They didn't want to end up with pig heads.
Zhou Mu wasn't overly worried about the children getting mumps; she was more concerned about them catching it and spreading it to Jiang Xia.
Jiang Xia couldn't take many medications, so it was best to avoid catching a cold or fever.
Fortunately, it was Saturday in a couple of days, and they would have a holiday.
As a result, the children didn't catch mumps, but on Saturday night, the second son's family returned, and in the middle of the night, Zhou Ying developed a fever.
(End of Chapter)
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