Chapter 356 Master
Not only that, Ji Youtian also felt that this "adult," who was so much taller than him, could be considered an adult, spoke to him in a manner and tone that completely lacked the condescending and instructive tone of adults. Instead, he seemed to be speaking to him like a peer.
This immediately elevated Ji Youtian's self-esteem.
He's a teacher now, and he can teach his own students.
"I can help you stay, but I need to verify if you really want to learn from me. What if you're just lying to me?"
After Ji Youtian finished speaking, he critically looked Qi Yuxuan up and down.
The other person was wearing his mother's old clothes, and his hair was tied up with a tree branch from who-knows-where. Although he looked disheveled and down on his luck, you could tell from his face and hands that he wasn't someone who was quick and efficient at working.
With her delicate appearance, would she really be serious about climbing trees? Ji Youtian was a little skeptical.
But since it was his first time being a teacher, he was still reluctant to give up this rare opportunity.
Qi Yuxuan nodded: "That's natural, that's how I used to take on students."
Upon hearing this, Ji Youtian was surprised: "You used to take on students? What did you teach? Reading and writing?"
After three consecutive questions, Qi Yuxuan knew he was genuinely curious, so she deliberately showed a nostalgic expression:
"Alas, that's all in the past. A hero doesn't dwell on past glories, so let's not talk about it."
The claim that he used to take on students is obviously fabricated. Without elevating his own status, how could the child feel a greater sense of accomplishment? Ji Youtian's first time as a teacher was to teach an adult, and someone else's teacher at that. If this were to spread among children of the same age, the other children would be green with envy.
Ji Youtian looked on with a solemn respect. The less he said, the more capable he was. Didn't he see those who often boasted and talked big, but in reality they were just half-baked and didn't know anything at all?
Only those learned and accomplished old scholars are truly humble, reserved, and refined.
However, since the death of Master Liu from the next village, Ji Youtian had never encountered such an old master again. He never expected to meet such a peculiar "adult" today.
He cleared his throat: "Then let's not just sit idly by. Come with me, I want to see if you really want to learn from me!"
After saying that, he took the lead and walked ahead.
Qi Yuxuan turned her head to glance at the small house where Qi Jun was before quickly following behind.
The two, one big and one small, came out from the back door and went straight up the mountain, where they found a tree that Ji Youtian often climbed.
Ji Youtian pointed to the marks he had specially carved on it and said, "These are the grooves I carved when I was a child so I could step on them. Try to see if you can climb up by stepping on those grooves."
"By the way, you're not allowed to act like those little girls, crying and whining when you fall, and then saying I'm bullying you!"
Qi Yuxuan looked at the tall tree, which was several meters high, and nodded seriously to the precocious Ji Youtian:
"Don't worry, Master Ji, I'll climb properly."
Ji Youtian's eyes lit up: "What did you call me? Say it again?"
Qi Yuxuan chuckled inwardly: "Master Ji, I will try to climb it."
After saying that, she indeed rolled up her sleeves and, with great seriousness, climbed the tree and took two steps up.
"Oops—" She pretended to lose her footing and quickly jumped to the ground. She tried several more times, but always failed.
Qi Yuxuan stepped back onto the ground with a troubled expression and said, "Master Ji, this is too difficult. Please teach me. I really want to learn how to climb trees."
Ji Youtian then hummed and took two steps forward, beginning to explain where to exert force and where to use his strength.
Ji Youtian kept learning until Qi Yuxuan could climb four sections before finally falling down, "lacking the strength." He finally believed that she was truly not afraid of hardship or fatigue and really wanted to learn some "skills" from him.
"Since you're so sincere in your desire to learn, I'll help you this time." Ji Youtian glanced at her. "So, how do you want me to cooperate?"
Qi Yuxuan then revealed what she had prepared to teach.
Ji Youtian spent the entire afternoon memorizing the words Qi Yuxuan had taught him, as well as those large characters. The words that he used to find incredibly difficult now seemed much easier to understand.
The mere thought that this was a help to his "students" filled Master Ji with motivation.
It wasn't until dusk, when Madam Ji returned to test the results of his teaching, that Ji Youtian finally managed to recite all those things from memory.
"Come here, what did you learn today?" Ji Niangzi waved her bamboo broom, and Ji Youtian couldn't help but tremble.
But when he caught a glimpse of Qi Yuxuan pleading in his eyes, his fear and resistance vanished instantly.
Like a little hero, he took two steps forward with his head held high and said loudly:
"Today I learned the Three Character Classic, Mother, I'll recite it for you! 'At birth, people are inherently good; their natures are similar, but their habits differ. If they are not taught, their natures will change...'"
Qi Yuxuan listened attentively. Although she still misremembered a few words and her pronunciation was somewhat inaccurate, it was already quite good that she could memorize them like this in half a day.
She only just learned that Ji Youtian had already studied the Thousand Character Classic and the Standards for Being a Good Student and Child, and had only learned the beginning of the Three Character Classic before he skipped school.
That wasn't all. Ji Youtian continued, "I've also learned a few new characters, and I've already written them down. They're in the house; Mother, if you don't believe me, go see for yourself..."
Lady Ji was completely stunned by this huge surprise. She felt dizzy and everything in front of her seemed like a dream.
"My son! My son!" She rushed forward and excitedly hugged her beloved son.
"I knew you were born smart! Your father is a scholar who was destined to become a high-ranking official. You are my son, you can't be any less capable than him, can you?! I knew it, I knew it!"
As she spoke, Madam Ji kissed Ji Youtian's dark and thin face, kissing the left side first and then the right, wishing she could cover her son's entire face with her saliva.
"Oh, Mother! You've said that so many times, I'm sick of hearing it!" Ji Youtian's face was dark red, clearly a little embarrassed.
He awkwardly pushed Ji Niangzi away and headed towards the main room, saying as he went:
“This teacher is quite good. Mother, don’t send her away. Anyway, we have enough to eat. Isn’t this cheaper than the tuition I get for teaching at school?”
Of course, Madam Ji didn't refuse. She hurriedly followed her son inside, saying repeatedly, "Of course, of course!"
So that night, Qi Yuxuan and Qi Jun's dinner consisted of two bowls of thick meat porridge.
Farmers rarely have fresh meat except for slaughtering pigs at the end of the year; they mostly have cured and smoked meat. This meat porridge is no exception. The cured meat pieces are mixed with rice in the porridge and have a light salty taste. At this time, for two injured people, being able to drink a bowl of this meat porridge is a rare treat to nourish their bodies.
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