Autism!

Zhou Wanwan looked at Gu Chaoyang and said, "That's up to you to decide, but once you're in our village, you have to listen to me."

Gu Chaoyang's wife scoffed, "You're not even fully grown yet! You think you can make us listen to you? What a dream!"

Gu Chaoyang looked at Zhou Wanwan and said:

"I can find a piece of land outside your village and live there."

This is good for the child. As for what you said about buying food, I think what you said is quite right.

I plan to spend 200 taels of silver to buy grain.

"Two hundred taels of silver for grain? Husband, are you out of your mind?"

"Grain prices are so high now, they'll naturally drop in the spring." Gu Chaoyang's wife said anxiously.

Gu Chaoyang looked at her coldly and said, "Chen Dongmei, since when did it become your place to be in charge of our family?"

Chen Dongmei didn't dare to utter a sound.

The most fundamental difference in families in ancient times was that men were in charge, and what men said went.

Gu Chaoyang went directly to the person who had previously wanted to buy his shop, only to discover that she was actually the county magistrate's wife.

The newly appointed magistrate's wife smiled at them and said, "It's 500 taels in total. I'll give it to you all at once. This bookstore has a pretty good location; otherwise, it wouldn't have sold for such a high price."

Gu Chaoyang looked at the magistrate's wife and said, "I'd like to exchange all 200 taels of silver for grain. What do you think?"

The magistrate's wife looked at him and said, "Grain prices are quite high right now, but it's certainly feasible. Zhao Zhou, why don't you take them to get the grain and silver?"

Zhou Wanwan observed for a while and then asked, "Are you the wife of the newly appointed county magistrate?"

The magistrate's wife's gaze fell on Zhou Wanwan, and she spoke in a calm tone:

"Yes, I am the wife of the newly appointed county magistrate. You can just call me Madam Cheng."

Who are you?"

Zhou Wanwan took out several pieces of turquoise inkstone from her basket and said:

"Hello, Madam Cheng, I have a few pine stone inkstones here."

I'd like to ask you to help me assess its condition.

Madam Cheng covered her mouth and chuckled, "Little girl, how old are you?"

She's about the same age as my little daughter.

Zhou Wanwan made a five-point gesture:

"I'm five years old this year! This pine stone inkstone was made in our village, but I don't know how good the quality is."

You must be from the Upper Capital, so naturally you're much more knowledgeable than us.

Madam Cheng said with a smile:

"This little girl is quite the smooth talker. Would you like to come to our house and be her study companion?"

My little girl has never been able to speak since she was little, so it would be a good thing if you could keep her company and help her pass the time.

Zhou Wanwan quickly shook her head and said, "I have a lot of chores to do at home, I don't have much time..."

It would indeed be a good thing if she were kept in the Cheng family mansion, but with the year of famine approaching, she still has many things to do.

Madam Cheng wasn't angry, and smiled:

"How much work can a little girl like you do?"

But if you can stay by my maid's side, I'll give you 50 taels of silver a month.

My little girl also needs to learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. You can learn them together with her. What do you think?

Zhou Wanwan pouted. Is it really that good? She seemed to be a little tempted.

Moreover, if one could actually build a good relationship with the county magistrate's daughter, that would be a good thing.

Madam Cheng looked at her and said:

"Actually, you only need to come to class at 9:00 AM every morning and you can go back at 1:00 PM in the afternoon, which won't interfere with your other things."

What do you think?

Then they saw the magistrate's little girl being carried over, and she looked at Zhou Wanwan and made a few "ah ah ah ah" sounds.

Madam Cheng patted the little girl's head and said, "Yueyao, look, your mother has found you an older sister to be your study companion. Do you like it?"

Cheng Yueyao's big eyes looked at Zhou Wanwan, and suddenly she saw Lingbao. She chuckled, "Sister..."

Madam Cheng hugged her and said, "Yueyao... Waaah... Did you just speak?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at Cheng Yueyao and said, "Autism! She's been like this since she was little?"

Zhou Wanwan never expected that she would actually see autistic patients in ancient times.

Madam Cheng nodded and said, "Wanwan, do you know what illness she has?"

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Autism means not liking to interact with the outside world or talk to others, but actually, she can talk."

Madam Cheng became anxious:

"My husband and I have been together for seven years, and we only have this one precious child. Wanwan, you absolutely have to help me."

Given her condition, there's no way to arrange a marriage for her. It's not like I haven't taken her out to banquets.

But the children in the Upper Capital looked down on her, laughed at her behind her back, and bullied her.

Later, the senior doctor in Upper Capital said she needed a better environment, so I decided to bring her here. Who knew she would actually speak up?

Cheng Yueyao giggled as she looked at Lingbao in her bag. Lingbao told her jokes, never expecting that Cheng Yueyao could see her.

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said, "Then, Madam Cheng, these are our Songhua inkstones from this batch. What do you think of their quality?"

Liu Dalang was standing nearby, took out a Songhua inkstone. Madam Cheng looked at it for a while and said:

"It looks just like the Songhua inkstone I saw in Upper Capital. My husband also really likes Songhua inkstones."

But the price was simply too high. A top-quality Songhua inkstone in the Upper Capital could cost over a thousand taels, and even an ordinary one would cost five or six hundred taels.

Zhou Wanwan was completely dumbfounded. "How much? Over a thousand taels?"

"Yes, I think you could sell this for seven or eight hundred taels."

Zhou Wanwan looked at Madam Cheng and said, "If a Songhua inkstone cost 50 taels, would you buy it?"

Madam Cheng laughed and said, "How could it be 50 taels? You mean this Songhua inkstone is only 50 taels? That's too cheap!"

Zhou Wanwan looked at Madam Cheng and said, "Do you have any sales channels? If so, I can supply you with the goods."

Madam Cheng sat up straight and said:

"Of course there are ways to sell them. I'll buy as many as you have."

However, 50 taels is too much of a loss for you. How about this: I'll give you 80 taels per piece.

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said, "What I mean is, we could sell them a little cheaper than other people's inkstones and focus on volume sales. What do you think?"

Looking at the Songhua inkstones, Madam Cheng said, "Alright, I'll buy them for 50 taels, and sell them for 100 or 150 taels."

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Yes, I think it's a good idea."

Zhou Wanwan thought Madam Cheng was really nice, and offered a gentle reminder: "There's been talk of a drought lately, I think you could stock up on some food."

Madam Cheng stood up abruptly and asked, "Where... where did you get this information?"

Zhou Wanwan coughed and said:

"I heard it from my master. My master can do some divination. He reminded us to prepare more food and water."

I think these things don't take up much space; you might want to consider them.