CHAPTER 82: CHAPTER 81: MEETING AND DIVIDING THE MONEY

At noon, Lin Wanwan and little Yu’er were in the glass greenhouse planting mushrooms. It was entirely a playful parent-child activity, using ready-made shiitake mushroom logs bought from a poor county supported by an agricultural expert introduced by Lu Shouyue.

These mushroom logs were professionally made before being sold, targeting city dwellers who desire a pastoral lifestyle. Once in the hands of the buyer, they only need to follow the simple instructions for cultivation.

Lin Wanwan and little Qingyu were now engaged in this straightforward cultivation process, having a lot of fun with it. Lin Wanwan specially commissioned a wooden rack from her third granduncle to hold the mushroom logs, setting up hundreds of them. After removing the modern packaging, it was directly brought to the Great Tang.

Every day, she would take little Qingyu over at regular times to lift the damp cloth covering the mushroom logs and spray water on their surfaces with a spray bottle, both young and old were full of enthusiasm.

"Mommy, why haven’t the mushrooms grown yet? When will they grow?" Little Qingyu would ask Lin Wanwan this question every day, eager to plant today and harvest tomorrow.

Lin Wanwan patiently replied every time, "Soon, soon, if we water them every day, they will grow quickly."

"Oh, they grow so slowly," little Qingyu said, rubbing her finger on the mushroom log, "It would be great if they could grow right away."

Lin Wanwan was amused by her little expression. Just as she was about to speak, the glass door was pushed open, and Yun Shang came in: "Lady, Qin Lady is here to see you."

"Okay, I know," Lin Wanwan put down the spray bottle and took little Qingyu’s hand to walk out.

"Achoo!" As soon as they came out, the cold air hit them, and little Qingyu couldn’t help but sneeze. Lin Wanwan quickly took the cloak from Yun Shang and wrapped it around little Qingyu.

Lin Qinshi was already waiting on the pebble path and smiled when she saw Lin Wanwan, "Wan Niang, the clan is distributing money soon, let’s go together."

Lin Wanwan said, "So early? Then please wait for me a moment."

"Sure, take your time, no rush."

"Yun Shang, take little Yu’er inside, it’s cold outside," Lin Wanwan handed little Qingyu to Yun Shang and took her own cloak from her, putting it on. Inside the glasshouse and outside felt like two different seasons.

"Sure." Yun Shang led little Qingyu away, but the little girl’s feet were rooted to the ground, unwilling to move. She tugged on Lin Wanwan’s cloak and pouted, "Mommy, I want to go too, take me with you."

Lin Wanwan laughed and hugged her, gently coaxing, "Mommy is busy, you can play at home with your brothers and sisters, okay?"

Lin Qinshi also chimed in, "Yes, yes, play with your brothers and sisters. Auntie will call Big Sister Yaya and Brother Little Crab over for you."

Little Qingyu thought for a moment and decided it wasn’t a bad idea, immediately letting go of Lin Wanwan’s cloak, "Alright, I’ll play at home. Mommy, can I have Big Sister Yaya and Brother Little Crab water the mushrooms?"

Lin Wanwan said, "No, if you water them too much, they’ll drown. You can water the flowers inside."

Little Qingyu sighed with an old soul, "Oh well, okay then."

Lin Qinshi curiously asked, "Wan Niang, are you growing mushrooms? Can mushrooms be grown by oneself? Aren’t they all wild?"

Lin Wanwan casually said, "It’s just for fun. Do you want to go in and take a look? They’re growing inside."

Lin Qinshi quickly shook her head, "No, no, this Crystal Palace is full of treasures. I’m a simple person, better not go in. Wan Niang, do you need to bring anything else? If not, let’s go, they’re distributing money at the ancestral hall’s entrance."

Lin Wanwan said, "Let’s go, I’ll just wear a cloak, nothing else is needed, it’s too cold outside."

Lin Qinshi shivered reflexively at the word "cold" and smiled wryly, "It really is cold, the sea breeze cuts to the bone. Thankfully, the mountain blocks some of it, or it would be even colder."

The two talked as they walked to the ancestral hall, encountering many clan members who greeted Lin Wanwan warmly along the way.

"Hello, Teacher Lin."

"Wan Niang, you’re here too."

"Teacher Lin, I have a bag of dried pomfret for you. It might not be worth much, but it’s tasty, a good chew. Don’t disdain it," said Mrs. Shen, the wife of Lin Guomin and the mother of Lin Mengli.

Lin Wanwan graciously accepted, smiling as she took it, and tasted a piece from the wax paper, "Oh, it really is good. Would you like some?"

Everyone shook their heads; this kind of dried fish wasn’t something they cared for.

Seeing Lin Wanwan enjoying the dried fish, Mrs. Shen grinned widely, delighted that Lin Wanwan appreciated her handmade treat like she had stumbled upon treasure.

Although Mrs. Shen was only in her early forties, years of hard work made her look over a decade older, with gray streaks in her hair.

Since Lin Wanwan saved her grandson, Mrs. Shen had been eternally grateful, always trying to repay her kindness.

While these dried pomfrets weren’t valuable to Lin Wanwan, they were indeed valuable to Mrs. Shen’s family. Though they didn’t personally enjoy eating them, they could sell them for household expenses, every cent counts.

But knowing Lin Wanwan enjoyed seafood, Mrs. Shen kept some dried pomfrets to give to her, rather than selling them.

By the time Lin Wanwan reached the open space at the ancestral hall, her wax paper was filled with various fish and shrimp dried by clan members, given to her with overwhelming enthusiasm.

Clan Leader Lin stood on a high platform in the open space, beaming with pride. Since the clan took up the steamed bun business, the communal funds had steadily increased. Even though they had only been selling for a little over a month, the profits exceeded what they’d make from over two months of fishing.

"I have good news for everyone. This time, selling steamed buns earned us 61 guan! And from the few times we sold fish, we earned 59 guan! Altogether it’s 120 guan!"

"Wow! There’s that much this time!"

"How much can each family get? Gosh, I can’t calculate it."

Upon hearing the amount, the crowd erupted in excitement, discussing eagerly.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!" The clear sound of copper gongs was rung, gradually quieting the bubbling crowd below.

The person ringing the gongs was Lin Mengzhong, who was responsible for the clan’s bookkeeping. He called out, "Clan Leader Uncle still has something to say, quiet down, quiet down!"

Clan Leader Lin gave Lin Mengzhong an approving glance, pressed his hands down for silence, and continued, "Right, I haven’t finished. We can’t distribute all the money today. I’m thinking it’s time for the clan to purchase a donkey cart. For future trips to Xiaoxi Town, we can’t always borrow Wan Niang’s horse carriage. That’s not a long-term solution."

"Clan Leader Uncle, buying a donkey cart is a good idea, I agree!" someone immediately echoed from below.