Chapter 34 Daiyu Doesn't Want to Go to School

The bamboo pole was still hanging on the coconut tree, and Yuan Hongqu was holding onto it with both hands.

Because she used too much force and didn't step firmly on the ladder.

The moment the coconut fell, the ladder also wobbled and collapsed.

Yuan Hongqu, on the other hand, was holding onto a bamboo pole and hanging precariously from the tree.

The bamboo pole couldn't support her weight at all, and with a slight "crack," Yuan Hongqu fell to the ground.

Yuan Hongqu's folding ladder, when unfolded, was more than nine meters long, almost the height of a three-story building. She couldn't believe that she could fall from a height of three stories and be completely unharmed.

Yuan Hongqu, quick-witted, shouted loudly,

"go back!"

In an instant, Yuan Hongqu returned to the world of Dream of the Red Chamber, looking at the bamboo pole she was still tightly gripping in her hand, still feeling lingering fear.

She patted her chest, composed herself, and listened to the still quiet outside.

The coconuts in the courtyard are still on the ground. If we don't pick them up quickly, they might take root in the ground soon.

Yuan Hongqu, holding the bamboo pole, returned to the space.

She first dragged the large bunch of coconuts into the house, and then went to tidy up the ladder.

She looked at the bunch of coconuts and there were probably more than a dozen of them. It was such a big bunch. She didn't know where she had poked the bamboo pole, but by sheer coincidence, she managed to knock the whole bunch down.

Yuan Hongqu looked at the two large bunches of coconuts still on the coconut tree, but she didn't have the courage to climb up and pick them all.

After tidying up the ladder, Yuan Hongqu cut the coconuts off the branches one by one and put them into a burlap sack.

She bought this burlap sack yesterday; it's a typical antique.

There were eighteen coconuts in total, and she filled two sacks with twelve of them.

She planned to put these twelve coconuts in the small shop next time she went out, to serve as a storefront.

Coconuts are exceptionally durable and have a rather unique appearance. Placing these coconuts in a shop could probably serve as a gimmick for two or three months without any problem.

Of the remaining six, she opened four and kept the other two in her spatial storage.

Opening a coconut is quite challenging for most people, but for Yuan Hongqu, it's no problem at all.

She once used a kitchen knife to cut open twenty coconuts in order to film a video.

From initially being clumsy and almost cutting my finger, I eventually mastered the skill of perfectly opening a coconut in just one minute.

Yuan Hongqu took the sharpest kitchen knife, first peeled off the green outer skin of the coconut to reveal the white mesocarp inside, and then cut off the pointed end of the mesocarp until the hard coconut shell was exposed at the top.

She turned the cleaver upside down and used the back of the blade to tap the three ridges at the top of the coconut shell repeatedly. After tapping around it once, she easily lifted the coconut shell with her hand, revealing the clear coconut water and milky white coconut meat inside.

Yuan Hongqu poured coconut water into a cup and drank more than half of it in one go, feeling extremely satisfied!

She cracked open the remaining three coconuts one by one in the same way, poured the coconut water into a porcelain basin, and planned to take these out to stew chicken later.

As for the coconut meat, Yuan Hongqu plans to process it tonight.

Looking at the time, according to Daiyu's habit, she would soon be waking up from her afternoon nap, and there was still an hour of class in the afternoon.

I heard that the female teacher in the afternoon class has some connection with Li Wan. If she teaches Daiyu something like "Admonitions for Women" or "Instructions for Women", Daiyu won't learn it. It's better not to have this class in the afternoon!

Therefore, Yuan Hongqu insisted on going along to see what was going on and to listen to the female teacher's lecture.

Yuan Hongqu finished tidying up and came out, and Daiyu also woke up.

The weather was a little warm in the afternoon, and Daiyu wore a spring outfit with a short jacket over it, making her look very lively.

Yuan Hongqu resisted the urge to pick her up and spin her around, and instead reached out to straighten the slightly crooked beaded hair ornament in her hair.

"Daiyu, let's go."

Yuan Hongqu extended her hand, and Daiyu naturally gave her hand to hold.

"Granny, I heard from my second sister that the teacher who will be giving us lessons this afternoon is a female teacher from the family of the Director of Studies at the Imperial Academy. She is very strict."

The girls of Rongguo Mansion had regular morning classes taught by the same teacher, while the afternoon classes were taught by different teachers, rotating every ten days.

There are calligraphy and painting, musical instruments, needlework, chess, etiquette, etc. This afternoon's class is on women's virtue, which has been offered for a few months.

The concept of "female virtue" encompasses far too much!

Did Miss Yingchun say what this gentleman would specifically teach you?

"Second Sister didn't mention this, but the teacher comes from a family of scholars, so he must be very learned. Second Sister said that if you don't study well, you'll get a beating on your hands." Daiyu tilted her head up, a little scared.

She had never heard of a teacher hitting a student's hand with a ruler before!

However, after arriving at my maternal grandmother's house, I heard that my second brother had been beaten by my second uncle several times because he was not enthusiastic about going to school.

It's normal for the second brother to be disciplined by his father by having his hands slapped.

But why would a teacher also hit someone's hand with a ruler?

Shouldn't a teacher be like Granny Yuan, patiently guiding and persuading students?

Daiyu felt a little scared.

Yuan Hongqu clearly felt that Daiyu's hand gripped her tighter, which meant she was somewhat afraid.

"If Daiyu doesn't want to go, then we won't go."

Yuan Hongqu stopped in her tracks.

“Daiyu, although today is the first time you’re taking this teacher’s class, it’s okay if you don’t want to go.”

"If you want to give the lady a chance to get to know you, I'll accompany you to the class."

The issue of teachers physically punishing students has been common throughout history.

Yuan Hongqu herself has no children, and has never had any dealings with teachers because of children.

Therefore, she has virtually no experience in this area.

However, she is protective of her own.

And Daiyu is her weakness.

If Daiyu is a naughty child, then Yuan Hongqu might be the parent of that naughty child.

But could such a clever and adorable girl like Lin Daiyu be a naughty child? Absolutely not!

Yuan Hongqu's words gave Daiyu renewed courage.

As they spoke, the two arrived at the school. Tan Chun and Xi Chun were already waiting for Daiyu at the door, waiting for her to come in together.

"Has Second Sister already gone in?" Daiyu asked.

Tan Chun's face was strange.

"Second Sister hasn't arrived yet, let's go inside first!"

"Let's wait for Second Sister before we go in together," Daiyu said earnestly.

Although Yuan Hongqu had just comforted her and reassured her, she was still unwilling to face a man who would slap her hands so soon.

Tan Chun hesitated, but Xi Chun, being straightforward, spoke directly.

"My second sister doesn't want to come to Teacher Zhong's class. She says her stomach hurts... um..."

Tan Chun tried to cover Xi Chun's mouth, but she couldn't stop her, and the woman who came out from inside overheard everything.

The woman had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and a rugged appearance; she was clearly not someone who spoke gently.

Although the woman was also wearing makeup, it wasn't the kind of makeup that most people would wear nowadays. Her eyebrows were curved, her lips were small, and her features were modified to suit her facial characteristics.

Having grown accustomed to the delicate eyebrows and cherry lips of the women in the Rongguo Mansion, Yuan Hongqu found this woman's makeup quite unique and took a second look at it.

Before she could look away, the woman glared at her, and Yuan Hongqu, caught in the eye, could only give the woman an awkward smile.

As soon as Tan Chun and Xi Chun saw the woman come out, they quickly bowed and said...

"Teacher Zhong."

"Miss Tan Chun, have your people invite the Second Miss over! The homework I assigned her ten days ago should be handed in by now!" Teacher Zhong's tone was unfriendly.

Having no other choice, Tan Chun instructed the old woman beside her to go and fetch her second sister...

So she's the teacher Zhong who hits students' hands with a slap. Hmm, you can tell, she seems like the kind of teacher who hits students' hands.

Yuan Hongqu secretly grumbled to herself.

But then Teacher Zhong stepped back up the steps and, addressing Daiyu haughtily, said:

"You are the new student, Lin Daiyu?"

With just that one sentence, Yuan Hongqu could tell that the teacher had ill intentions.

She had just been wondering what kind of teacher could make even the submissive Yingchun complain of a stomachache and skip class, and now she had seen it for herself.

This female teacher not only had an unkind face, but also spoke in an arrogant and conceited tone, seemingly revealing a sense of superiority. I wonder where that sense of superiority came from.

It's truly baffling how the Rongguo Mansion could allow someone like that to teach the girls in their household!

"Student..." Daiyu had just opened her mouth when Yuan Hongqu interrupted her.

"Daiyu, let's learn something else this afternoon. Now that we've met the teacher, let's go back first, and we can have the lessons here later."