Lin He looked at her elder brother, feeling a knot of worry in her heart. Fortunately, Da Bao, while not the sharpest tool in the shed, was diligent, capable, and resilient—the kind of person one could truly rely on. Given time, he would surely achieve something notable.

In this ancient era, a woman's fate was inextricably bound to men. At her paternal home, she depended on her father and brothers to hold up the sky for her; upon marrying, she relied on her husband to shield her from the storms. In old age, she needed her sons to be filial and successful. This was the life of an ancient woman, her destiny held firmly in the hands of others.

Lin He, a modern woman, disapproved of this notion, yet having arrived here, she had to follow local customs. For the moment, her desire to improve her family's circumstances was also a form of planning for her own future.

Returning home, Lin He and Da Bao informed Er Niu and Madam Huang about Boss Wen’s proposal to open a shop. Er Niu and Madam Huang were quite supportive, though they worried that their children were still young and they didn't truly know Boss Wen or if he might have ulterior motives.

Lin He urged them to relax, saying, "Boss Wen is a businessman; the most important thing to him is whether the business can make money. Furthermore, partnering with him is a benefit with no drawbacks. Although Boss Wen is shrewd, as a businessman, he seems decent. We’ve dealt with him several times; he’s sharp, but we haven't seen any malicious intent. He is upright. More importantly, the ideas are in my head. Even if Boss Wen had other plans, at worst, we simply stop providing him with the stuffed dolls. We wouldn’t suffer any significant loss." Er Niu and Madam Huang conceded that Lin He’s reasoning made sense.

Lin He continued, "Father, Mother, I plan to introduce several new toy doll designs every month. I will no longer appear in person; I'll have Brother handle the dealings with Boss Wen. Of course, for the initial preparations to open the shop, Da Ge and I will manage that together. Once the shop is open, I won't be there often, just checking the accounts at the end of every month. Brother will handle the deliveries. I think Brother should go to a proper school. Currently, no one in the family can manage accounts. If Boss Wen presents us with an account book, we won't understand it. Yesterday was just a casual suggestion, but even if I step back from the daily management, someone must be able to read the ledgers."

Er Niu nodded in agreement. In their youth, they had struggled for food; how could they have attended school? They barely knew a few characters. It was a good thing Da Bao could now study.

Madam Huang sighed, "Schooling? That is incredibly expensive! The tutor's fee plus the cost of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone amounts to one tael of silver a month—twelve taels a year! And there are always gifts to give the teacher. It costs a fortune."

Lin He understood that Madam Huang, having lived through such hard times, couldn't easily break free from that mindset. One tael a month was indeed a substantial expense. Before Lin He could speak,

Lin Er Niu stood up and declared, "Let Da Bao go to school. If we run out of money, we can always earn more, but education is vital. Even if the family were short on funds, Da Bao must go. It was my failing before, but now that circumstances have improved, it’s beneficial for Da Bao to know more characters. Besides, the family will only get better. In the future, he can help Er Ya. Not just Da Bao, but Little Bao will also be sent to school in a couple of years."

Lin He looked at her father with renewed admiration. She hadn't expected him to possess such foresight; his thoughts aligned perfectly with hers.

A moment later, Lin Er Niu added, "But it’s the dead of winter now. Schools don't usually enroll new students until the spring. What should we do?"

Lin He considered this and suggested, "How about we hire a tutor to teach right here at home? It might cost a bit more, but then all the children of age could attend—like Xiao Jun and Xiao Shan. San Ya and I could learn too. It wouldn't be a loss. It’s only for a few months until the schools open enrollment in the spring. When we hire the tutor, we can clarify upfront that they will stay for about four months until spring. Father, what do you think of this arrangement?"

Er Niu pondered it and calculated. Hiring a tutor to teach at home was feasible, especially with so many children. It was a good thing children like Xiao Jun and Xiao Shan could study, especially Xiao Shan, who was, after all, his nephew.

Since their third son was gone, Madam Zhou had no money to send him to school. Even learning a few characters over a few months would be beneficial. However, inviting a tutor would certainly increase expenses. The tuition alone might be four taels a month, plus the tutor's room and board. All expenses combined could easily reach over twenty taels for those few months.

After finishing the house renovation, hosting the banquet, and buying miscellaneous items, the family had a little over a hundred taels left. For Er Ya's venture, Boss Wen was funding the shop setup, but they would still have to shoulder some costs. They couldn't just pocket the profits without contributing to the initial investment. Besides the shop purchase, there would be decoration costs. After deducting these, there might not be much income coming in during winter.

Come springtime, they would need funds to purchase farming implements. After careful thought, Er Niu finally agreed to Lin He’s proposal to hire a private tutor. In the past, when they had no surplus grain, their yearly struggles were far harder than what they faced now. They had managed then.

Now, the family had necessities. Their children’s education was a good thing; spending a bit more money was acceptable. They owned their own land now, so even if all their cash was gone, they wouldn't starve come next year.

Lin Er Niu agreed, saying he would go out tomorrow to look for a tutor. He instructed Madam Huang to arrange the living quarters. They had spare rooms; Little Bao's room hadn't been used much, as he was too young and didn't like sleeping alone—he either slept with San Ya in Lin He's room, with Da Bao, or occasionally with his parents. They just needed to move Little Bao's clothes and playthings into Da Bao's room; no major restructuring was necessary.

Lin He also considered the financial aspect. With nothing much to do in winter, income was nil, yet expenses were mounting on all sides.

As for the doll shop, although Boss Wen provided the capital, they were entitled to a share of the profits. They couldn't simply accept the money without contributing to the setup costs; that wouldn't sit right.