Chapter 23
Once you try being lazy, you're likely to love the feeling.
Xue Shun struggled for a few days, but finally handed the homework to Shen Jiao.
After all, it wasn't a good idea to always wake her up in the middle of the night, and he just couldn't put pen to paper if he were to do it alone.
I get scolded anyway, but it feels better when I get scolded for doing other people's homework.
Shen Jiao was also happy about this. She did her homework, cooking all kinds of vegetables that were impossible to survive, and feeding Xuan Xiao's family. It was so relaxing and comfortable.
Occasionally, she would follow Xue Shun to class. Even if she dozed off in the back, Mr. Song would not care whether she, a servant, listened or not.
No matter how you shake your head or stretch the tune, it won't change a bit.
It's interesting to say that this person doesn't look vicious. His every move is like a scholar who has become stupid from reading too much. He looks very old, older than his parents. His skin is wrinkled like a walnut, there is not a single hair on his head, his mouth is full of rotten teeth, and he has a hunched back. He looks shriveled and skinny, as if there is no flesh and blood under his skin.
Some people even believe that it was a dried corpse that ran out of a tomb.
One day, Xue Shun caught a cold and felt dizzy. When he was walking out, he bumped into him. He stumbled back and bumped into the edge of the table. Shen Jiao was terrified, fearing that he would fall apart into a pile of bones. But he didn't. He was very good-tempered and said in a long tone, "Slow down... go back and find a doctor... to take a look..."
It was a rare moment of tenderness, and Shen Jiao almost thought he had some humanity.
But the next day, Xue Shun had a fever and couldn't get up. She asked her to ask for leave, but the old man refused no matter what. His brows were furrowed, more wrinkled than walnuts, and he said nonchalantly, "You're not dead..."
He made an exception and allowed Xue Shun to lie on the table and listen to him talk about the hardships of his early studies. He also wrote an article on the spot to encourage learning. The article was very well written and spread throughout Qishui County in a few days.
Xue Shun asked Shen Jiao to copy it and sell it in a bookstore, and she made a small profit from it.
Later, he had to copy books for Xue Shun. Mr. Song looked down on this practice and did not want a penny. It seemed more like they wanted to cripple his hands. But he did not know that Shen Jiao was unlucky.
Xue Shun probably still had some conscience, so he gave her an extra 10%.
He also rewarded the maids in the courtyard and told them to keep their mouths shut.
There's no benefit in telling others about this.
Although the amount given was not much, it was better than nothing, so they still cooperated to show their loyalty.
Xue Shun was also scolded by his mistress for this matter. As usual, she sent Nanny Zhang to talk to him, and punished him to kneel in the ancestral hall. She also prepared gifts and asked him to go to the ancestral hall to apologize.
To show his sincerity, Xue Shun didn't even have a carriage or horse, so he had to limp along, attracting many people to watch the fun. Shen Jiao felt embarrassed to support him, and Qiongzhi also lowered her head with a red face.
Xue Shun, who had a bad temper, acted as if it didn't matter. He even praised them, "You two are the best. They wouldn't be willing to accompany me on such a matter."
Shen Jiao was not happy either, but she didn't show it on her face and didn't say it out loud.
As for Qiongzhi... Shen Jiao had tried to persuade her, but she was determined to share the joys and sorrows with her. As soon as she went out, she became as popular as a shrimp, but she didn't back down.
Those who were holding gifts at the back were all sent by the Madam. They were all very far away from him, as if they wanted to distance themselves from him.
Mr. Song was still angry and didn't want to see them. It was his little grandson who opened the door.
Yes... he looked like an old kid, skinny, like a meatball that had been bitten twice, with sunken cheeks, but you could still see that he had a round face, and his hair was dry and frizzy, like dead grass.
On June 23rd, when Mrs. Song celebrated her birthday, Shen Jiao was sent to deliver gifts. Everyone he met looked very old and thin.
His personality is just like Mr. Song's, very strict and unkind. Mr. Song didn't let Xue Shun in and really closed the door.
Xue Shun had no choice but to wait outside until his legs were almost broken from standing. Mr. Song finally accepted the gift but still did not let him in. He only allowed his grandson to come and ask him, "Have you finished copying the book?"
"It's still a little short. Please give me a few more days, sir."
Xue Shun's voice was weak, but he didn't trick Shen Jiao.
The grandson was unmoved: "My grandfather said that when I finish copying, I will let you in. The class will continue as usual."
No matter how angry Mr. Song was, he did not skip a single day of class.
Xue Shun had to come on his day off to apologize.
This sounds hopeless, but fortunately there are two people copying the book and attending the class.
Mr. Song accepted the copied book and never mentioned the matter again. When Xue Shun came to apologize again, he was allowed in.
But from that face, it was hard to tell whether he had calmed down or not; he always looked miserable.
Mr. Song and Mrs. Song were the only happy people in the family. They were also good-looking, with rosy cheeks and smooth skin, except for a few wrinkles on their foreheads, which made them look like two big birthday peaches.
His hair is gray, quite a lot, and he's missing a few teeth, but otherwise his features look pretty white and strong.
He invited Xue Shun to dinner in a nice way.
She held his wrist, touched his hands and shoulders, and kept saying, "Why is this child so skinny? There's not even a bit of flesh on him. It's really pitiful."
He looked very distressed and blamed Mr. Song for being too harsh and not taking good care of his disciples.
Mr. Song actually laughed and explained, "I'm doing this for his own good."
The scene was a bit weird. Not only Xue Shun couldn't eat, but Shen Jiao was also feeling uneasy outside looking at those skinny servants who were also serious.
When they left, the master and servants all breathed a sigh of relief.
Qiongzhi whispered, "Mr. Song's house is so scary. Why are they all so thin? They're scarier than refugees."
Shen Jiao nodded repeatedly: "Who said it wasn't? It's like I walked into the wrong door and entered someone's ancestral tomb."
Qiongzhi was amused by this.
Xue Shun curled his lips, glanced at the servants following behind him, and said lightly, "Don't talk nonsense. That's the practice of Mr. Song's family. It says that they must be vegetarian all year round. Unless there are guests, they won't see any meat or fish."
"That would be too painful." Qiongzhi was most afraid of being hungry and loved eating meat the most. When she thought about a person who couldn't even eat meat, her face suddenly turned bitter.
Shen Jiao said: "Then the longevity peach..."
"What?" Xue Shun heard a sound and saw her shut up, so he turned his head to ask.
Shen Jiao spoke too quickly, so she could only bite the bullet and say, "Then why do Mr. and Mrs. Song look so blessed? They don't look like they're vegetarians all year round."
"They are just ordinary people. They don't practice those unique skills passed down by the Song family. They were taught by a wandering monk after Mr. Song was born."
That makes sense.
"In that sense, the two old people can be considered to have lived to a ripe old age."
Qiongzhi counted on her fingers but still couldn't figure it out, but she was very sure.
Shen Jiao also nodded. She thought so too. Every young man had been taught by Mr. Song. He must be quite old, and his parents must be even older.
Xue Shuncai didn't care about that: "Who cares? Just live as long as you want.
I live such a hard life that I want to die every day, but I am still alive, let alone others who are so happy."
He spoke the last sentence in a very low voice, probably because he was afraid that the servants would hear it and tell the mistress.
Shen Jiao and Qiongzhi looked at each other, not knowing what to say.
Xue Shun: "...Please give me some advice. Why are you all so dumb at this moment?"
"Don't be sad, be happy," Shen Jiao racked her brains and said, "Is there anything a servant can do? Otherwise, I will go and kill Mr. Song, and you can have a holiday."
Xue Shun: ...
"Okay, go ahead."
Shen Jiao rolled up her sleeves and was about to leave, but Qiongzhi grabbed her and said, "Sister, the young master was just joking."
Xue Shun looked at him coldly: "I don't have any."
"Okay." Shen Jiao broke free from Qiongzhi and walked farther and farther away, about to disappear in the crowd.
Xue Shun said angrily: "Damn liar, get back here!"
Shen Jiao came back and he didn't say anything again.
Qiongzhi: "How about...how about...let's go do something fun? I heard that they're going to offer sacrifices to the sea god tomorrow, so the streets are going to be bustling with activity today. There's also a mountain of lanterns at night, from the end of June to the seventh day of July. It's so rare to get out, so we should have some fun."
Xue Shunming has a rare day off tomorrow, so it's not impossible for him to go back later, but...
He touched his sleeves and looked up at the sky, but he didn't have a penny.
So poor...
Will silver fall from the sky?
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