noon.
The sun is shining high.
There were not many people in Lao Zhao's yard.
Zhao Youcai, Zhao Youyin and Mrs. Zhao all went to work at Cheng Wanwan's place.
Wen and Sun took a few girls up the mountain to dig wild vegetables, and picked up some dry firewood and hay on the way back.
Two brothers, Zhao Dawang and Zhao Erwang, teamed up to drive thirty ducks into the rice fields to eat locusts. The two brothers had little experience and called Si Dan for help.
In the yard, old man Zhao was sawing wood, and Cheng Zhao was helping.
Although Old Man Zhao did not learn any crafts back then, he did have all the tools he needed. Over the years, he used these tools to make the tables, chairs, stools, and bed frames at home. Although they are not as beautiful as the ones he bought back, they are better. It is cheap, and the wood used is the best wood in the mountains, so it is not afraid of insects and damage.
"To make an abacus, the best ones are sandalwood and huanghuali. However, these good woods are hard to find. You can also use cypress." Mr. Zhao said while sawing the wood, "Is it possible to make such a big abacus?"
Cheng Zhao nodded repeatedly: "Make it smaller so it's easier to carry around."
Old man Zhao sawed the wood a little shorter.
The two divided the work and worked together, and soon made a square frame. Next, they made beads, which was the most meticulous process.
Saw the wood into small square shapes, and then polish it with a foot turning machine. This was bought by Mr. Zhao at a large price many years ago when he was an apprentice. He put it away in less than half a year and later made it. Carpentry work does not require polishing bead-like decorations. This thing has been stored for thirty or forty years. When it was taken out, there was dust everywhere.
There is a small iron blade on the top of the foot turning machine, and there is a pedal at the bottom. Use the blade to hold the wooden block and step on the pedal. Under the action of high-speed rotation, the wooden block will gradually be ground into a rounded shape.
After grinding out the shape of the beads, it is not enough, they still need to be polished.
Old Man Zhao said: "My master said that you need to use fine cloth to polish. This thing is too expensive and you can't afford it. Just use burlap. Play with it for a few days and it will gradually become smooth and round."
Without saying a word, Cheng Zhao lifted up his robe and tore off a piece of cloth from his inner garment: "This is silk cloth. I wonder if it's possible?"
Old Man Zhao stared at him: "Why are you such a tough kid? How can you wear your good clothes if there is a hole in them?"
Cheng Zhao looked unconcerned: "I noticed that no one was wearing underwear, and I don't have to wear it in the future."
"Can this be the same?" Old Man Zhao was anxious. "You are a scholar and will be a scholar in the future. How can you compare with us who are digging in the fields? You are not particular at all! Put this piece of cloth away. Go back and ask your second aunt to sew it up for you, using white thread so no one can see it."
Cheng Zhao looked a little sad.
People here respect him because he is a scholar.
But in fact, he was no longer there. He was even deprived of the qualification to study.
He wanted to explain something, but he swallowed all the words.
He lowered his head and tore the cloth in his hand into two halves again: "After polishing the beads, these pieces of cloth can be used as rags for washing your face and feet. The second aunt's family is short of this."
"You kid, you..."
Old Man Zhao sighed.
Once again, I understand why the eldest daughter-in-law prefers this nephew. An unrelated old man likes this nephew and wishes he could conjure up a cotton lining and give it to him.
When they got busy, Old Man Zhao asked, "What are you doing with so many abacuses?"
Cheng Zhaodao: "Give it to my four cousins. They all like to learn arithmetic. I want to teach them everything I know."
Old man Zhao's eyes widened, and he wanted to ask if he could follow him to learn.
There are three things that he regrets the most in his life: first, he did not learn carpentry; second, he did not learn abacus; third, he did not see his eldest son return victorious.
Three regrets, one of which seems possible.
But Old Man Zhao is thin-skinned. He is a very old man, and he is learning abacus with a group of idiots. If word spreads, will he still have this old face?
He sawed off a piece of wood and asked, "Don't you still want to take the scholar exam? Why do you have time to come to your second aunt's house to teach?"
Cheng Zhao didn't know how to respond to this, so he evaded the important points and said, "My second aunt has helped me a lot in studying over the years. I owe a lot to my second aunt, so I can only pay off my debt by teaching."
Old Man Zhao's eyes flashed: "Can I let the brat at home follow me to learn? But don't worry, I will definitely not take advantage of you. I happen to have some corn at home. How about using corn as a bundle?"
Cheng Zhao quickly waved his hand: "Dawang just wants to learn it. There is no need to pay for the repair. Second Aunt has already paid for it."
"It's your second aunt's business to give you. Our family can't take advantage of it in vain. We can't get out the extra money, but we can still afford a few kilograms of corn." Old man Zhao said, "Just ten kilograms of corn a month. Let's give it to you." Dawang went alone and came back to teach his younger brother after learning."
Cheng Zhao waved his hand again: "There's no need for millet. You can let Dawang and Erwang come together. Just bring an extra stool."
Old Man Zhao shook his head seriously: "Just let Dawang go."
Dawang came back after learning how to teach Erwang, and he could learn a little from the sidelines, so that he could keep his old face.
There was no harvest yet, and old man Zhao couldn't bring out ten kilograms of corn. He agreed to send it to Cheng Zhao after the harvest. Cheng Zhao refused with all his strength. He couldn't refuse at all, so he could only reply with a red face. Second aunt's house.
When he returned, the four cousins at home all stared at him with dark eyes.
He touched his face: "Is there something on my face?"
Zhao Sidan blinked: "Where is the abacus, have you finished it?"
Zhao Ergou's throat rolled: "Cousin, sit down first."
He had never been so polite before. When he heard that Cheng Zhao specially made abacus for them, he was excited for a long time.
Even Zhao Dashan and Zhao Sanniu, who are not interested in abacus, are looking forward to it. After all, for them, abacus is something only scholars and business people have, and they actually have an abacus of their own. This matter It's unbelievable.
Cheng Zhao took out the abacus wrapped in cloth in his hand: "The abacus can only be made after the last process is completed."
Zhao Sidan leaned over and said, "The bead is actually ready. It's small and as big as my cousin's bead, but it's not very smooth."
Cheng Zhao tore off all the cloth on the hem of his inner clothes and gave each one a piece: "Keep rubbing and polishing with the cloth until these beads become smooth."
What he made was a slightly smaller abacus, with seven gears, two up, two down, five, with forty-nine beads in one abacus.
Each of the four boys held a large handful of beads, found a corner, and polished them carefully, as if they were treating the most precious jade.
