Chapter 12. Buying Tiles
Translated by Maggie Edited by Simple
The Cart took a little more than an hour to reach the stone quarry.
They passed from the edge of the stone quarry village and took a turn at the fork in the road. After walking for a quarter of an hour, they saw a large field in front of the exposed loess.
The middle was wide and flat. One side is the entrance, on the other side was a big pile of well-made brick. The other two sides had seven large and small kiln entrances that were dug alongside the mountain. Next to the kiln entrance were piles of yellow clay, brick mold, wood kiln fire, barrels, tubs, shovels, small carts and other objects. Five to six workers wore patches of brown and were busy.
Seeing them come over, the owner, Old Villager Shi was smiling with both hands covered by the sleeves and greeted them. "This brother, are you here to buy brick or tile, ah?" 1
Li Da Mu then laughed, "my neighbor wanted to repair their roof and specifically came here to buy some tiles."
"Oh, this way please, please! Here we have good mud, the kilns are also great, we create the best quality of tiles, they are durable and the price is also fair!" Old Villager Shi smiled and led them to one side, where the pile of tiles was placed.
Lian Fang Zhou smiled saying, "we have three rooms, one and a half need new tiles. I'm afraid the other one and a half need to be changed some. A total of two rooms will be about it! Probably a total of 50 squares; can you calculate how much we need?"
She shyly smiled as she spoke: "We do not have much, I am also embarrassed to talk about the price! You tell me what's a fair price and that's fine! When we build a new house in the future, we'll come here to patronize you!"
Lian Fang Zhou spoke very clear, fluent words; like a flowing water as clear as day. Making the Old Villager Shi that heard it actual feel startled.
Old Villager Shi couldn't help but narrow his half-lidded eyes while looking at the girl in front of him. Fourteen years old, a slightly thin physique; she wore old and clean coarse red floral clothing, had a clear thin face, a pair of pupils that are bright and piercing. Compact little lips wearing a slight smile with hair that was combed into common rural girl style, she looked completely neat. Her whole person revealed a spirit of vigor and the people that met her for the first time couldn't help but have a good feeling inside.
Old Villager Shi couldn't help laughing, he looked at Lian Fan Zhou and said a few "good" words, with his thumbs up and smiled. "This girl is really clever and refreshingly smart, oh, I don't know which family is so blessed. To have such a good daughter! It's settled, with your words, this old man hearing it felt really comfortable. The price I give you will be the lowest, I will also give you the best!"
"Then many thanks boss Shi!" Even Lian Fang Zhou laughed as she nodded.
Lian Ze, for the past two days, has gotten used to how Lian Fang Zhou spoke; so he didn't feel anything, however, Li Da Mu and Old Village Shi was stunned!
Lian Fang Zhou's performance just now overturned his impression of her in his mind.
If not a person, then was she still a human and the same person as before? Her appearance didn't change, she also had Lian Ze by her side, didn't he have suspicions if the girl in front of him was really Lian Fang Zhou?
Li Da Mu secretly sighed, it seems that that the Yang family dissolving the engagement and the Hua family's daughter-in-law creating a scene really affected this girls motivation!
Old Village Shi smiled as he said, " You're welcome." Suddenly he was in a teasing mood, he to turned to face Lian Fang Zhou again and smiled. " Little girl, ah, my tiles are this big, if you can figure out how many pieces are needed, I will give you another two percent discount, how about it?"
Lian Fang Zhou eyes flashed but still smiled. "How can I actually calculate that accurately, don't make fun of me."
Old Village Shi waved his hand and swept that not long nor short beard of his and laughed. " I am not joking, I'm serious! In fact, those who can calculate are not bad; as long as the difference isn't too big, then you win!"
Seeing the interest in Old Village Shi's eyes, Lian Fang Zhou thought for a moment, then nodded politely with a chuckle. " That being the case, then I'll give it a try, and if I am not accurate Uncle, you cannot laugh at me!"
Old Villager Shi laughed. " I won't, I won't, you go count for us to see."
The workers who were working heard this and saw Lian Fang Zhou was such a small young girl. Could she actually count, they couldn't help but be curious. They stopped the labor they were doing and gathered around to watch the spectacle while gossiping quietly.
Lian Fang Zhou took a tile, estimated it with her finger while calculating the estimate length and width of the good and computed area. the floor was a thin layer of loess, she readily folded a thin branch and squat down, drawing on the ground.
All the workers have never seen the Arabic numerals before. ( ie 1234...) Seeing her on the ground to count, they could not help mutter a "huh?" As if seeing something strange. One couldn't help asking the Old Villager Shi, "Boss Shi, what is this little girl writing?"
"Ain't that right, never saw it before."
" I say, is this even a word? Why do I feel that this is like the five cloud view of Master Zhang's painted character, ah!"
Everyone hearing this, could not help start laughing.
Lian Ze Saw them laughing at Lian Fang Zhou and could not help but blush. He exclaimed, "since my sister dares to try, then it'll work. What are you laughing at? What's so funny!" (TL/N: So cute <3 wish I had such a cute bro.)
Everyone heard this and laughed more loudly while laughing they also teased Lian Ze.
Old Village Shi coughed twice, making them stop.
Lian Fang Zhou smiled, neither defending herself nor did she feel embarrassed. But like the flow of water, she continued working on it.
In fact, this was very simple math; she just needed two or three sentences of work, she has already finished calculating and smiled as she reported a number. At the same time she stood up, she conveniently erased the numbers on the ground with her foot.
"That fast?" Old Villager Shi was stunned, everyone else was also shocked.
Calculating without an abacus and was also very fast, this was very frightening!
"Boss, is it right, is it right?" Everyone talked over each other, filled with impatience.
Old Villager Shi stared. right or not right, how was he to know? He also needed to calculate to know!
Without waiting for his order, a worker had already speedily run off to bring the abacus, handing it to him with both hands. Countless pairs of eyes watched him.
"Sister, did you count it accurately, ah?" Lian Ze could not help whispering to Lian Fang Zhou. Li Da Mu was also concerned and looked over.
Lian Fang Zhou neither fast nor slow glanced at Boss Shi who was on an abacus with the beads flying away, she smiled and said: "Wait until Boss Shi finishes counting then we will know it!
Her leisurely look and tranquil smile made the uneasy Lian Ze suddenly settle down, Lian Ze blurted out, "I believed that her sister must be right."
"Oh?" Lian Fang Zhou laughed, "Why?"
Lian ze stubbornly said, "I do not know, anyway, I believe my sister."
Lian Fang Zhou was satisfied nodded and smiled, "Good brother."
"Amazing! Really amazing!" Old Villager Shi looked at the figures on the abacus, and he was shocked speechless.
“It is accurate!”
“No way! It’s right!”
All the workers were also surprised.
Li Da Mu and Lian Ze‘s hearts fell to the ground; the two of them looked at each other and laughed while smiling. Both were happy for Lian Fang Zhou.
Someone could not help but say, "Boss, how about you count it again?"
Old villager Shi slapped the back of that person’s head, his eyes glaring, "you ability killer. What? You suspect that I counted it wrong!"
"No, no..." The man's face turned red and hurriedly denied, which attracted everyone's laughter.
"What are you laughing at! What is there to laugh at! Still not hurrying to do your work!" Old Villager Shi glared at everyone.
Everyone answered, but could not help but look at Lian Fang Zhou a few more times and left while gossiping. (ED/N: What are they, housewives?)
"Boss Shi, does what you said still count?" Li Da Mu laughed.
"Of course! Of course, it counts." Old Villager Shi simply nodded; toward Lian Fang Zhou he put up a thumb: "Miss Lian is really the most intelligent girl I have ever seen, really! But, Miss Lian, just now the drawing on the ground. What were those things?”