Li Yu continued, "You all know Ah He's parents. He's a smart kid. Although he never went to school, he knows almost all the characters.
It's me who delayed him all these years. Lately, I've been lucky, and my snack business is doing well in town, so I'm thinking of sending him to school. I believe he'll be successful."
Li Yu's words were intended to dispel the old man's family's doubts. As she expected, the whole family believed her words without a doubt.
But what she didn't know was that her words also caused earth-shaking changes in the hearts of her three sons.
Studying is a good thing. Who doesn’t want to send their children to school? For ordinary farmers, studying is like climbing to the sky. It is also the only way for farmers to cross classes.
The fact that Fourth Uncle Lin Hai, a student who failed the imperial examination, was regarded as the most promising person in the village shows how difficult and arduous studying is for ordinary people.
It's not just about being smart. In ancient times, studying was very expensive, and pens, ink, and paper were so expensive that many people were discouraged.
Uncle Lin said to Li Yu, "It's a good thing to send a child to school, but you should understand, sister-in-law, that this requires long-term support for the child's food and lodging, as well as school supplies. You've just saved a little money. Is it enough?"
Then he turned around and asked Lin Hai and Lin Jiang, "Your mother has had a hard time too. Your family's life has finally improved, and your mother wants to send you, the third brother, to school. What do you two brothers think? Do you think your mother is partial? The eldest brother has a wife and children, and the second brother is about to start a family. Do you have any objections to your mother's behavior?"
Li Yu immediately realized that this was a warning to his two sons. Uncle Lin didn't know that they had already discussed it at home, but Uncle Lin had good intentions, so Li Yu didn't interrupt him.
Lin Hai first expressed his opinion, "Uncle, no, none of what you said will happen. I believe Ah He will not let my mother down. Besides, he is our biological brother. I will be proud if he succeeds. Ah He is smarter than Ah Jiang and me. He was born to study. I will definitely support him to learn."
Lin Jiang also said, "Uncle, don't worry. I will work hard with my brother to set up a stall to make money to support Ah He. Mom said that she would find me a better wife when my family's conditions are better, so I am not in a hurry."
Since the two brothers had made such a promise, Lin Ziming would not say anything else.
Mr. Lin then asked Li Yu, "You didn't come here just to tell us about Ah He's studies, did you? Is there anything we can help with?"
Li Yu then got down to business. "Ah, you see, I almost forgot about the main thing. It's like this. I asked his fourth uncle to help find out about the school. It's not appropriate for the younger generation like Lin Hai to go, and I, a widow, am not suitable either. So I thought I'd ask you to go there tomorrow. I'll have Lin Hai drive the ox cart to take you there. We won't be setting up the stall for the next two days until Ah He's matter is settled."
This was not a big deal, so Old Man Lin agreed on the spot to go with Lin Hai tomorrow.
Seeing that the problem was solved, the four of them got up and went home.
Zhong saw them out, and when they reached the door, Li Yu stuffed a paper bag into Zhong's arms.
She stuffed it into Zhong's arms and walked away quickly. As she walked, she said to Zhong, "I made it myself. There's not much. Sister-in-law, take it back for my parents and the children to taste."
Mrs. Zhong thought it was the same kind of pancake as last time, so she didn't refuse. She went into the kitchen and planned to save it for tomorrow's breakfast. As soon as she opened the paper package, she cried out in surprise, "Oh my, mother!"
Inside the paper bag was about half a pound of braised pork belly and five eggs.
The two sons and daughter-in-law thought something was wrong and rushed into the kitchen to ask.
"Mom, what happened? Did a mouse get into the rice jar?" asked the youngest son.
Zhong was so angry that he hit her on the back and said, "You can't spit out ivory from a dog's mouth, and a mouse can get into the rice jar. What will you eat in the future?"
The eldest son, Lin Fei, saw the meat and eggs on the chopping board and asked, "Mom, did you secretly buy meat to eat for yourself?"
Mrs. Zhong wanted to beat him to death. "What do you think of me? When did your mother buy meat for you to eat? You speak without thinking. Don't you even consider whether I have been to town recently?"
It was the eldest daughter-in-law, Cui, who understood. "Mom, this is from Second Aunt. I just saw Second Aunt holding a paper bag when she came in."
Mrs. Zhong nodded and was about to say yes. Lin Ziming came into the kitchen and said, "What are you women whispering about? It's been taking so long."
Seeing the meat on the table again, he said, "Wow, so much meat, it smells so good, when did you develop this skill?"
Zhong glared at him and said unhappily, "His second aunt brought it here, saying that parents and the children should try it. I've cut it up, so come and have a taste. Although we've already eaten, I know that if I don't give it to you now, you'll all be too greedy to sleep tonight."
When Mrs. Zhong cut the meat and eggs and brought them out for everyone to eat, the old couple realized that it was Li Yu who brought them.
The old lady sighed as she ate, "It's a good thing. If the second son were still alive, this family would have lived a very happy life. The second son is not so lucky."
Seeing that the old lady was thinking of his second son again, the old man also advised, "Eat quickly, it's in the past. They are living well now, and the children are grown up. The second son can only say that he has bad luck."
It was not until Lin Feng's daughter Lin Tiantian exclaimed, "Grandma, great-grandma, the meat cooked by Second Grandma is so delicious," that everyone came back to their senses from the heavy atmosphere.
They all changed the subject and exclaimed: Why is the food cooked by their second aunt so delicious?
It turns out that eggs can be eaten like this.
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