Chapter Eleven: The Foreman Makes Money

  "Alright, stop arguing. I'll let you see this stone for yourselves. Come here," a young and authoritative voice rang out, and everyone quieted down. The speaker was a 16 or 17-year-old young man who looked like he was in charge.

  "Oh, young master, it's good that you're here too." The thin man said with a flattering tone.

  Wang Zhen's disdainful face, with a slight curl of her lip, rolled her eyes, just in time to be seen by the young man, who flashed a hint of a smile in his eyes.

  "You, monkey, take a look yourself and see what kind of stone this little girl has picked up?" The young man pointed at the thin man.

  Haha, calling him a monkey, upon hearing this name, Wang Zhen thought to himself that it was indeed fitting.

  The man who called the monkey was also not polite, and he forcefully overturned the frame on the scale to the ground, and all the stones fell to the ground with a crash. The crowd also gathered around, wanting to see if they could pick out other stones from inside.

  A young man walked to the front of the crowd, picked up two stones and stretched out his hand. His eyes were calm as he stared at the person who had just spoken: "Look at the stones she picked, this color, white ash stone, you can see it at a glance, all the best ash stones are inside, in my opinion, even if there is half of another stone, it's not the best. The best thing is that what she picked are all the stones with the highest ash content, did you see?" The last two sentences were serious and cold.

  After finishing speaking, he looked at the crowd again, his eyes clearly filled with scrutiny, and a sense of majesty was revealed in his calm gaze.

  The people who just spoke all looked a bit embarrassed.

  "What's wrong, monkey, aren't you going to say anything?" The young man took a glance at the thin guy and continued, "You guys arrived at 7:00 this morning, but that little girl started picking up stones before 6:00."

  Everyone heard it and some of them lowered their heads in embarrassment.

  The young man hadn't finished speaking, and continued to say: "At noon, you monkeys went out to eat and drink on the street, right? You ate for a full two hours, didn't I say so?"

  The monkey's face turned red and he didn't say a word, lowering his head, as if he wanted to touch his toes with his head without speaking, in silence.

  "The little girl had already eaten two steamed buns at noon and started working again." He looked around at the crowd, and the young man continued: "Our kiln for burning ash doesn't care who picks up the stones, but like this little girl's pickings, we can't get enough. I'll say something unpleasant, which of your batches, Wang Huzi, didn't have any mixed-in stones?" He ended with a cold snort.

  "Just because of this, this girl's coming to pick up stones, we naturally welcome her very much. In the future, don't look for trouble! Otherwise, don't blame the several kilns in Wangjiacun village for not accepting the stones you picked!" The last few words almost came out from between his teeth.

  The monkey king nodded his head with a wry smile on his face.

  The young man finished speaking and turned to face Wang Zhen, who was still in a daze, smiled slightly: "You, come with me to get the money." After that, he turned around and walked towards an open shed.

  Wang Zhen was taken aback. Who is this guy? How does he know so clearly what time she comes and what she eats? This supervisor is too dedicated!

  Wang Zhen's IQ was a bit insufficient at this time, having grown up like this, it was rare to have someone maintain her in front of so many people, so her brain was obviously not enough, and she stupidly followed to take the money.

  "Four hundred and fifty catties, five cents per catty, twenty-two yuan and fifty cents." The young man said as he handed over the money, took out a notebook with the date, weight, and amount written on it: "Sign your name, everyone who receives money has to sign their name."

  "Oh, okay, thank you." Holding the 22.5 yuan she had earned herself, Wang Yan's eyes were slightly red as she wrote down her own name.

  "Are you Wang Zhen?" The young man asked: "I am Zhao Qing, look for me if you need anything in the future."

  "Ah? Oh, yes, my name is Wang Zhen." Wang Zhen's heart was a mess of emotions - excitement, thrill, happiness and sadness. This life would definitely be different from the last one. She could earn her own money now, even if it wasn't much, but at least it was hers. In her past life, she had never taken this step, but now she was starting to walk on her own.

  Wang Zhen didn't hear the other person's self-introduction at all, so he naturally didn't hear what his name was. He stared blankly at the little girl in front of him, and Zhao Qing rubbed her temples, wondering if her charm had decreased?

  "Thank you, I'll go first." Wang Zhen happily took the money and turned to leave, not caring what expression Zhao Qing had on his face behind him, and went home with Li Qingyao.

  That feeling is simply indescribable in words. How can I put it? I'm so happy I could fly! That's exactly how I feel.

  As soon as I got home, I started cleaning the house, feeding the chickens and ducks, and cooking dinner. But Zheng Shuirong hadn't returned yet, and the sky had already darkened. Rural people like to work in the early morning and evening, especially in summer, when it's not too hot, so Zheng Shuirong came back a bit late.

  Zheng Shui Rong returned home, took a look at the tidy and clean courtyard, the smoke floating in the kitchen, and her daughter sitting on a chair dozing off. She didn't know what to say, this child must be exhausted.

  Those who pick up stones are all men and women doing chores. This fourteen-year-old girl is really suffering.

  "Get up and have some food." Zheng Shuirong said softly.

  "Mom, I'm back. I'll go get the meal." Wang Zhen didn't think that he could fall asleep while sitting on a chair reading books, but he wasn't sleeping soundly and woke up immediately when he heard the sound, quickly getting up to serve the dishes.

  With a spirited face, it's hard to tell that he was just dozing off earlier.

  "Hey, mom, guess how much money I made today?" Wang Zhen's face rarely showed such a greedy expression, eating and laughing with her eyebrows curved. Zheng Shui Rong saw her daughter with this expression for the first time.

  "How much does it pay?"

  "Twenty-two yuan and fifty cents." Wang Zhen patted his flat chest, "Then, I'll give you ten yuan." He generously slapped the money on the table.

  Zheng Shui Rong was somewhat surprised, having heard that the big man who picked up stones could only make fifteen or sixteen yuan a day. How did her own child make so much? "How is it so much?"

  Wang Zhen immediately understood what her mother was thinking, so she replied: "I went with my sister-in-law at 5 o'clock this morning. At noon, others all went home for lunch, but I brought steamed buns, salted vegetables and water, ate well and continued to pick stones. Of course, I picked more than others. Those people, even eating lunch takes two hours, how can they compare with you diligent and clever daughter?"

  Zheng Shui Rong was surprised and heartbroken at the same time. This child, who usually didn't care about anything, had become so obedient and sensible all of a sudden. What could she do? "You keep this money yourself, mom can support the family by selling vegetables."

  "That's different, this is what I respectfully give to you. From now on, as long as I go pick up stones, ten yuan will be yours." Wang Zhen felt that being able to earn money through her own labor and give it to her mother was a great feeling, completely unlike in her past life when she gave her parents the man's money. Although this ten yuan wasn't much, it felt like pure positive energy!