The happy little days of the Ye family

Father Ye and Ye Donglin came to Lijia Oil Shop.

As soon as the father and son entered the yard, Boss Li, who was drying soybeans in the yard, came forward to greet them warmly. "Boss Ye, how much soybean oil do you want this time?"

Father Ye used to buy soybean oil from Lijia Oil Shop and sell it to restaurants in the county. Both of them made a lot of money. When Boss Li saw Father Ye, it was like seeing the God of Wealth.

It's a pity that the business of delivering soybean oil has been robbed. Father Ye sighed: "Boss Li, I used to deliver soybean oil to the county's food mill. It's a pity that this business has been robbed by the county's oil mill. I have no power." You can only consider yourself unlucky."

"I won't need so much soybean oil in the future. Just give me 30 kilograms of soybean oil." People in the county like to eat soybean oil, and they can sell some by setting up stalls in the market.

Ye's father has already decided that he and his eldest son will go to the county to set up a stall in the future. He will go to the dock to set up a stall, and Ye Donglin will go to the market to set up a stall selling soybean oil and groceries.

When Boss Li heard Father Ye say that he wouldn't be able to get so much oil in the future, the smile on his face immediately fell.

Father Ye remembered that there was not much oil residue at home, and there was no pigweed to beat in the winter. They relied on oil residue and sweet potatoes to feed the pigs, and the oil residue was consumed very quickly.

"There are also 400 kilograms of oil residue."

Although the amount of soybean oil taken by Ye’s father has decreased a lot, Ye’s father can still buy oil and sell it at the oil shop. This is also a blessing among misfortunes.

Boss Li suppressed the sadness in his heart and quickly moved the soybean oil and oil residue to the donkey cart with a man who helped in the oil mill.

叶父：“30斤豆油一共是750文，400斤油渣40文，总共是790文。”

Father Ye took out the silver from his wallet, counted it once, and handed it to Boss Li.

After the father and son came out of Lijia Oil Shop, they bought 20 kilograms of rice wine at Boss Li's father-in-law's house.

Ye's father originally wanted to buy more, but Uncle Li's house didn't have much rice wine, so Ye's father had to order another 50 kilograms of rice wine and made an appointment to pick it up in 20 days.

Aunt Li was very hospitable and brought hot tea to Father Ye and Ye Donglin, as well as a plate of melon seeds.

Father Ye drank half a cup of hot tea and his whole body felt warm. He was in a good mood and asked Aunt Li if there were any specialties nearby.

"Aunt Li, I wonder if our Crescent Town has any other famous specialties? It doesn't matter whether it's for food, drink or use."

Aunt Li sat down on the stone bench in the yard, holding a handful of melon seeds in her hand, "It's a special product, let me think about it."

Aunt Li suddenly laughed loudly and said: "There is a family in Kaoshan Village not far from here who specializes in making oil-paper umbrellas. This craft has been passed down for several generations."

"The family that makes oil-paper umbrellas is named Yang. I heard that they have made a living by making oil-paper umbrellas for several generations. Although this craft is not very good, it is well-known in eight villages in this area."

"This oil-paper umbrella sounds good. We, father and son, will go over and inquire about it later."

People in the village use coir raincoats to work, but wealthy people in the county and town generally like to use oil-paper umbrellas. This oil-paper umbrella is pretty good.

"Also, Kaoshan Village is close to the mountains. Many people in the village make a living by hunting. The hunters should have a lot of rabbit skins on hand."

Aunt Li suddenly whispered: "I heard that some people have beaten tigers and wolves. The wolf skins and tiger skins are always valuable, but I don't know if the tiger skins and wolf skins are still there."

Father Ye and Ye Donglin thanked Aunt Li and hurried to Li Erzhu's house to order a batch of ceramic gadgets that had been selling well before, and then rushed to Kaoshan Village.

Father Ye inquired all the way, and soon came to Kaoshan Village, a small village at the foot of the mountain.

Most of the villages are made of mud brick houses, with a few tall and elegant blue brick houses mixed in. On the slopes on both sides of the village, the branches and leaves of the trees were withering one after another, and the yellow-brown dead branches and leaves were swept up by the north wind.

Under the big tree at the end of the village, there were several aunts and ladies holding shoe soles sitting. The two strangers were discovered by the villagers as soon as they entered the village, and Ye's father was forced to stop at the entrance of the village.

"You two are strangers, who should I look for?" asked an aunt with a slightly mean face.

"We are from Taohua Village in Luohe Town next door. I am a salesman. I heard that there is a family in Kaoshan Village that specializes in making oil-paper umbrellas. Come here to have a look and buy some oil-paper umbrellas to sell."

When she heard that the two of them were here to buy oil-paper umbrellas, the aunt suddenly lost interest and sat back down to continue collecting the soles.

An aunt whose clothes were washed white and covered with pudding asked in a low voice: "This salesman, I wonder if you can collect the soles? The soles I make are both beautiful and strong, and they only cost 4 cents a pair." "

The aunt was a little timid, so she mustered up the courage to take a pair of freshly made shoe soles and handed them to Father Ye.

Father Ye quickly took the sole and looked at it carefully. The needlework was indeed well done and the sole was very thick.

Father Ye nodded with satisfaction and handed the soles to Ye Donglin to see.

"Auntie, I'll take these soles, just as you said, four cents a pair. I'm going to Yang's house now. You go home first and take the things you want to sell to the entrance of the village. I'll pick them up later when I leave the village. Are you sure you want it?"

Then Father Ye said: "I usually collect some special local products that are durable in the village and sell them in the county. If you aunts have any special specialties at home, you can bring them to the entrance of the village. If appropriate, I will collect them together."

As soon as Father Ye finished speaking, several ladies suddenly exploded.

"Should we accept rabbit skins and wolf skins? I have some rabbit skins and a piece of shredded wolf skin at home."

"Will you accept the embroidered handkerchief? The embroidered handkerchief made by my wife is very beautiful."

"Will the mats and bamboo stools be collected?"

"Would you like bacon?"

The aunts were shouting at each other, making Father Ye and Ye Donglin's heads explode.

Father Ye said patiently: "As long as it's durable, good and reasonably priced, we can accept it. You bring your things here first. I'll go to Yang's house first and make sure I want them when I leave the village later." Don’t accept it.”

The father and son spent a lot of time at the entrance of the village, and finally found out about the Yang family who made oil-paper umbrellas.

The Yang family's house is made of blue bricks. As soon as they entered the yard, they saw several exquisite oil-paper umbrellas hanging in the corridor.

"Uncle and brother, do you want to buy an umbrella?" A chubby little girl with braids raised her head and said.

Ye Donglin squatted down and said to the little girl, "Yes, where are your adults?"

"Dad and grandpa are making umbrellas in the house, while mother and little brother go to the small vegetable garden." The little girl pointed to the vegetable garden not far from the door with her chubby little finger.

A young woman was digging in the vegetable garden with a seven or eight-year-old boy. The woman happened to look up and said with a smile: "Want to buy an umbrella? Just go inside. There is someone in the house."

Father Ye called Ye Donglin to go inside, and the little girl followed him into the house with her short legs.

Father Ye entered the hall, where an old man with half-white hair and a middle-aged man were making umbrellas.

Father Ye directly stated his intention to come. He was a salesman and wanted to buy oiled paper umbrellas and sell them back.

The middle-aged man enthusiastically brought the Ye family and his son to the warehouse where the oil-paper umbrellas were stored. "The plain ones cost 70 cents each, and the ones with paintings on them cost 90 cents each."

This warehouse is actually a small room, and there are not many oil-paper umbrellas in it. There are about 20 plain ones and about ten painted ones.

Father Ye also saw oil-paper umbrellas on West Street in the county. The plain ones cost 75 cents each, while the painted ones cost 95 cents. Father Ye thought they were too expensive and he never dared to buy them.

The Yang family's oil-paper umbrellas were better than those Ye's father saw on West Street, and they were also cheaper. Ye's father thought he could take a few back and try them out.

The plain-faced father Ye picked five handfuls, and the painter also asked for three.

After some bargaining by Ye's father, and the man also wanted to have a long-term cooperation with Ye's father, he gave Ye's father a profit of five cents for each oil-paper umbrella.