Chapter 155, exclusively published on Jinjiang Literature City: Why should education suffer?
Looking at the floating bridge in front of him, which was wide enough for seven or eight able-bodied young men to walk side by side with ease, Lu Xuan smiled and said, "Why can't we play like this? There are similar floating bridges in the water park's amusement facilities. Mine is just a little longer."
【Can those be the same?】
[Is the difference just a little? The floating bridge in the amusement park is only a few dozen meters long, while yours is several kilometers long!!!]
Lu Xuan casually replied, "More or less."
Audience: !!! That's way too big!
Lu Xuan said, "Since it's just sitting there anyway, we might as well put it to use."
Ever since I first got the 'large inflatable water platform' in the blind box, it's like I've stirred up a hornet's nest of inflatable products. Almost every day, three to five similar items appear in my blind box shipments.
There are large, medium, small, and inflatable tents available.
Sometimes they release not only gold blind boxes, but also silver ones, with up to ten items released in a single day at most.
Even when you're refreshing the daily discount page for Evolution Fluid, it keeps popping up with the lowest discount every time, giving you the feeling that you'll lose out if you don't buy it, but you'll also lose a lot if you do.
Then, Lu Xuan bought it.
Lu Xuan: "..."
People always find it hard to resist the temptation of clearance sales and half-price discounts.
Even though he was once a rich second-generation, it was no exception.
There's no rule that says rich kids can't pursue cost-effectiveness.
He had bought it, but how to use it... Lu Xuan had no clue before.
The villagers now have better kayaks in every household; a simple inflatable platform is not as useful as a kayak.
In modern times, these types of platforms are mostly used when people are enjoying leisure activities, vacations, or sea fishing at lakes or beaches.
But to try this during a flood is just plain crazy.
Now that the floodwaters have subsided, Lu Xuan felt it was time to take the items out for a spin.
With the floating bridge, villagers can at least save on the energy consumption of motorized kayaks.
To be honest, regardless of whether the audience was amazed or speechless, the villagers were genuinely happy after realizing the usefulness of the pontoon bridge.
Zhang Chengming tried stepping onto the inflatable platform and found it surprisingly stable; even when he jumped around on it, he didn't feel any significant bumps.
Seeing this, others also stepped onto the pontoon bridge and walked back and forth, feeling the convenience of the bridge more and more as they walked.
"Great! With this inflatable bridge, we won't have to use our kayaks every day to go up the mountain."
"The new kayak we got is manual, so it doesn't consume any energy, but paddling with oars in the flood is too tiring for my arms. Every time we come back, I have to ask Dr. Lin to give me a massage. With the pontoon bridge, I don't have to exert myself like that!"
That very day, everyone put the pontoon bridge to use.
Not only hunting and gathering teams used to walk on it, but children also loved to run around on it.
Because the water flow nearby was not rapid, even if someone fell in, they could be easily pulled back, so the elders did not stop them, but at least one adult would watch over them each time.
In addition to the pontoon bridge, Lu Xuan also took out a large inflatable tent and placed it on the water. He then invited several families he was close to to have a barbecue party in the middle of the water.
The tent, with its curtains drawn around it, looks like a gazebo, offering views of the surrounding scenery. A large grill sits in the center of the tent, and even with a dozen or twenty people bustling around it, it doesn't feel crowded.
Lu Xuan also released the travel videos that others had eagerly requested.
A group of people were enjoying barbecue skewers and fruit wine, chatting and watching videos of natural scenery – it couldn't have been more pleasant.
Viewer in the live stream: It's quite pleasant, but it doesn't look like what you'd expect from surviving a natural disaster.
Lu Xuan disagreed.
What should it look like to survive a natural disaster?
Displaced and suffering from hunger and cold?
That's someone else.
His survival strategy during natural disasters involved indulging in lavish meals and never experiencing hardship.
Haven't we suffered enough during the apocalypse over the past ten years?
It's time for him to start enjoying life again.
While eating and drinking, the conversation, besides about the floating bridge, revolved around the ever-popular topic of longing for grasslands, deserts, and oceans.
While everyone was saying they looked forward to seeing it for themselves someday, Chen Rong kept getting distracted, occasionally glancing at him with a hesitant expression.
Lu Xuan sensed that the other party wanted to talk to him about something, but since the other party didn't say anything, he pretended not to notice anything.
At this moment, Chen Rong was thinking about what had happened two days ago.
...
Two days ago.
In an empty passageway of ship number 2.
Chen Rong looked at Ji Xiuling, whose skin had become even fairer and more radiant after eating and drinking well, and then looked away somewhat embarrassed.
He coughed lightly and said, "You should be able to guess what I want to tell you, right?"
Ji Xiuling's eyes flickered slightly, but she remained silent.
Seeing this, Chen Rong didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "I think you've figured it out too, I want to marry you and make you my wife."
Ji Xiuling was surprised by his directness. She looked a little awkward and said, "I've already been married and have children."
Chen Rong said, "Your husband is gone, aren't he? Are you going to remain a widow for the rest of your life? What's the point of living like that?"
She was the same age as Li Tuo, in the prime of her life, and it wasn't worth it for her to be a widow raising a child alone.
Chen Rong, unusually, was not as glib as usual and said seriously, "I will treat the child as my own. Although my abilities are not as good as Lu Xuan's, nor as good as Wu Yang and Xiong Mao's, it is still no problem for you and the child to live a life without worrying about food and clothing."
She paused for a moment, then added, "Of course, I don't mean to force you. If you don't want to, you can refuse me. My mother told me that you come from a good family and might not look down on someone like me who comes from a poor background. I understand."
His mother said that before the disaster, Ji Xiuling was the daughter of a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations; she was a lady from a prominent family.
Before the catastrophe, he probably would have been disliked even for glancing at her, and he wouldn't have dared to even think about marrying her.
But the catastrophe brought him to her, and he truly loved Ji Xiuling. The thought of giving her up made him feel unwilling no matter how he thought about it.
After thinking it over and over for several days, I decided to give it my all.
If it really works out, wouldn't he be able to live a life of comfort and happiness with his wife and children?
Ji Xiuling frowned slightly, opened her mouth as if to say something, but quickly closed it again, slowly lowered her head, and remained silent.
Chen Rong's heart skipped a beat, and he felt a chill run down his spine.
No way? Could it be that she really doesn't like me?
During this period, he would send some supplies to Ji Xiuling and her daughter every few days. At first, she would refuse, but in the last two days she has gradually become willing to accept them. He thought that she also had some feelings for him.
Was he just imagining things?
Chen Rong's smile was somewhat forced. Just as he was about to find a way to back down, he heard Ji Xiuling say in a low voice, "You have superpowers, and your future is boundless. I am just a penniless widow who can't help you at all. I'm afraid I'm not good enough for you."
Chen Rong's words caught in his throat, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Not good enough for him? How could that be!
If he could get Ji Xiuling to become a daughter-in-law of the Chen family, it would be an incredible stroke of luck; he'd be overjoyed.
"How could you not be a good match—"
Ji Xiuling spoke first: "If you only care about my body, you don't need to marry me. I'm willing to repay your life-saving grace with my body."
In Fuyao Town, women who had no one to protect them and no ability to support themselves could only rely on men for survival; she had seen too many similar cases.
Chen Rong was stunned for a moment before he understood what she meant. His burning heart felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured on it. His expectant face instantly darkened, and a hint of anger appeared in his eyes.
He suppressed his anger and said, "I may have been a scoundrel in the past, but I would never do something like this, taking advantage of someone's kindness. Even if it wasn't you, I would have saved someone else. I didn't expect anything in return."
He's looking for a wife, not a prostitute.
A woman who cannot survive a famine may be forced into prostitution, but she is perfectly capable of supporting herself in the village.
By saying this, Ji Xiuling essentially trampled all his affections underfoot.
Chen Rong said curtly, "I told you you don't have to force yourself if you don't want to. Forget it, just pretend I didn't say anything today." After saying that, he turned and left.
Ji Xiuling subconsciously reached out and called out to the person, wanting to say that she was not forcing them.
She genuinely believed that with Chen Rong's abilities, he could find a better girl—a pure, unmarried girl with no children to burden him.
But watching Chen Rong's departing figure, Ji Xiuling ultimately said nothing.
...
Chen Rong stormed back to his cabin.
As soon as he closed the door, his tense expression crumbled, and he looked dejected. He paced back and forth in the narrow hallway, sighing as he walked, then sighing again as he walked.
Sitting on the bed weaving baskets, Aunt Chen couldn't take it anymore and said, "Why are you sighing like that? You're sighing away all your good fortune. Just say what you want to say."
Chen Rong immediately moved to sit down next to Aunt Chen, sighed, and said, "Oh, Mother, you don't understand."
Aunt Chen looked at her with disdain, "I don't understand? I can tell what you're talking about just by sticking your butt out."
Chen Rong's eyelids twitched, and he looked incredulous. "Then tell me, what am I worried about?"
Aunt Chen continued working, calmly saying, "You're always trying to curry favor with Xiuling. I'm not blind, am I? Look at how dejected you looked when you came back, you got rejected, didn't you?"
Chen Rong blushed, his thoughts exposed, then widened his eyes and gave his mother a thumbs up: "You really are my mother, you saw right through me!"
Grandma Chen proudly raised her chin, "Of course! I've lived to this age, and I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice."
While saying this, I thought to myself, "You're so obvious. It's not just me, but almost everyone in the village noticed."
Chen Rong chuckled and said, "Aren't you tired of eating such salty food?"
"Stop being so cunning," Aunt Chen glared at him. "I don't know who said they wanted to find a virgin, but instead they've taken a fancy to a pretty widow who just had a baby?"
At this point, she couldn't help but scrutinize him from head to toe, her tone dangerous: "You're not just after that girl's beauty, are you? You don't intend to take responsibility, do you?"
Chen Rong shouted, "How could that be! Am I that kind of person? I genuinely like her!" It was clearly Ji Xiuling who didn't want him to take responsibility.
Aunt Chen glanced at him sideways: "She's not a virgin, she doesn't meet your requirements."
Chen Rong grinned and said, "Back then, I didn't expect to meet someone I liked so much. It's a good opportunity for you to get a granddaughter for free. You don't mind?"
Aunt Chen: "Of course I won't mind."
She just felt that if she had known his standards were not to be taken seriously, she would have broadened her search for potential partners back in the county town.
However, now that a better candidate has emerged, there's no need to be too disappointed.
Although it's still uncertain whether this good thing will actually come to fruition.
Aunt Chen warned Chen Rong with a stern face, "Don't think you can bully or force her just because she's an outsider. If you dare to do anything reckless, I'll break your legs!"
Chen Rong cried out that he was wronged, "I would never force her. Don't I understand the principle that forced love is never sweet?"
After marrying a wife, you're constantly met with indifference and coldness; life must be so frustrating.
Aunt Chen thought to herself, "Some people don't care whether a forced melon is sweet or not; once it's picked, it's theirs."
She asked her son curiously, "So what exactly happened? Did she really refuse? Was it because she thought you came from a poor family? Or because she thought you were ugly?"
Chen Rong's lips twitched violently. "Where am I ugly! How can you talk about your own son like that?"
He argued, "She didn't explicitly reject me; she just hadn't figured it out yet. I think she still has some feelings for me."
Aunt Chen chuckled and said, "What use is it if you think it's useless? It's up to her to decide."
Chen Rong still insists, "I'm pretty sure she at least doesn't dislike me."
Aunt Chen rolled her eyes: "Stop talking nonsense."
After all, Chen Rong saved Ji Xiuling and her daughter's lives and even sent them a lot of supplies. If Ji Xiuling still dislikes Chen Rong after all that, wouldn't she be an ingrate?
But not disliking him and being willing to live with him are two different things.
Chen Rong was still muttering to himself: "This is the first time in my more than 20 years of life that I've liked someone so much. If I can't marry her, I feel like I'll be destined to grow old alone."
Aunt Chen was quite skeptical, but still said, "So what do you want? To keep pestering me?"
"Isn't that annoying?" Chen Rong waved his hand and told Aunt Chen what Ji Xiuling had said to him, analyzing, "I think she might still be insecure because she came later. Mother, what do you think of me doing this... and then doing this...?"
After hearing this, Aunt Chen couldn't help but look at her son with new respect, never expecting that he could come up with such a brilliant idea.
“I don’t know if it will help you marry her, but it’s a good idea. If it works out, other people in the village will also benefit, and you’ll have done a good deed.”
Upon receiving approval, Chen Rong's spirits lifted, and he rubbed his hands together with delight, saying, "Then I'll find an opportunity to talk to Lu Xuan about it."
...
Back to the present.
After finishing their barbecue, Zhang Chengming and the others returned to Ship No. 2, each slightly drunk, except for Chen Rong, who went to find Lu Xuan.
"Um, well, I have something I'd like to discuss with you."
Seeing this, Lei Yan said to Lu Xuan, "I'm going to find your sister." Then he left first.
Lu Xuan gestured for Chen Rong to follow, and they returned to the lounge on Ship No. 1.
Lu Xuan sat on the sofa with his legs crossed and asked, "What is it?"
The viewers in the live stream also perked up their ears in curiosity.
Chen Rong sat down opposite him and said, "Actually, it's about Miss Ji, it's about my feelings for her... you know what I mean, right?"
Lu Xuan said calmly, "You've taken a liking to her."
Chen Rong nodded, "Yes! I want to marry her."
[Ha! I told you so! Chen Rong really has his eye on her!]
[I figured it out long ago. Sending them food and supplies every few days, offering unsolicited favors—he's either up to no good or a thief!]
[It's only been a short time and you've already fallen for her? Frankly, it's just because she's good-looking, tsk tsk.]
[In ancient times, many people had never even met before marriage; Chen Rong's situation was already considered good.]
So, what did he say to the livestreamer when he fell for Ji Xiuling? Was it to show off their relationship? Or was he asking the single livestreamer for advice on pursuing her?
Lu Xuan asked Chen Rong the same question.
"If you like her, you can go and talk to her."
Do you expect him to act as a go-between for them?
Does he look like someone who enjoys matchmaking?
Chen Rong scoffed, "Of course I've already said that, it's not... cough."
Chen Rong hid the painful details and continued, "My mother said that her father was a scholar who passed the imperial examinations, and she learned to read from him since she was a child. I was thinking, could I have her teach the children in the village to read and write, and then let her receive a monthly stipend like Doctor Lin?"
Lu Xuan looked at Chen Rong with some surprise.
The audience was also surprised.
I thought Chen Rong would talk about love and romance, but I didn't expect him to talk about something so serious.
Chen Rong remembered that Xu Wenze in the village was also literate, and quickly added, "If it's inconvenient to teach all the children, I think it's good to teach the girls in the village to read."
[He was surprised that he even thought of teaching the girl to read; suddenly, he looked at Chen Rong with new respect.]
【I also……】
It's somewhat surprising that ancient people didn't have any preference for sons over daughters.
"That's not necessarily true. Can't you tell? His main concern is finding Ji Xiuling a proper job!"
He specifically mentioned Lin Qingfu, probably wanting Ji Xiuling to also become a skilled worker, skipping the probationary period and becoming a formal villager.
Although the motives weren't pure, it's still a good thing that they thought of letting the children in the village go to school.
Lu Xuan also thought it was a good thing, as it coincided with his recent idea of giving Lu Chen his early education.
However, he did not think it was necessary to distinguish between men and women when studying. What shameful things could they possibly do if they were mixed together?
When it comes to studying, there is no distinction between men and women, only between those who study well and those who study poorly.
Besides, there's no rule that says there can only be one teacher.
On the contrary, the more teachers the better, and it would be even better if they could provide one-on-one service.
Sensing a familiar silence, Chen Rong's heart leaped into his throat, fearing that Lu Xuan would object to his suggestion.
After a moment, Lu Xuan said, "Since she can read, she really shouldn't be overlooked."
Chen Rong was overjoyed, "You agree?"
Lu Xuan nodded: "I've discussed it with the village chief. We'll wait for his instructions on the specifics later."
Chen Rong was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Great!"
·
"Knock knock." Ji Xiuling gently knocked on the cabin door of the village chief's house.
"Is that Xiuling? Come in." Miao Jinfeng's voice came from inside very quickly.
Ji Xiuling took a deep breath before opening the door and found that besides the village chief and Aunt Miao, Lu Xuan was also inside.
Because the Li family had a large number of members, they occupied two adjacent rooms: one for the women and children, and the other for the men.
Li Tie's room was one of the few business rooms on Ship No. 2. In addition to four beds, there was also a small living room.
It wasn't that Li Tie was abusing his power; it was mainly because people from the village would come to him from time to time to discuss things, and the room was too small for them to fit.
Li Tie said to Ji Xiuling in a friendly manner, "Please sit down."
Ji Xiuling sat down awkwardly in an empty seat in the small living room, feeling somewhat nervous.
She had just had a falling out with Chen Rong yesterday, and today the village chief summoned her. She couldn't help but worry that the village chief was going to kick her out.
She would have been dead long ago if it weren't for Chen Rong. It's already a blessing that she can live a good life here for a while. Even if she is driven away, she will not have any complaints.
But her child is still young...
Ji Xiuling bit her lip, thinking about how to beg the village to let her child stay.
Li Tie noticed her nervousness and reassured her, "Don't worry, I called you here to tell you some good news."
Ji Xiuling was stunned for a moment, "Good news?"
Li Tie nodded and said, "Yes, your father is a scholar who passed the imperial examination, and you can read. Would you like to teach the children in the village to read and write? Don't worry, you won't work for free. The village will pay you a monthly wage."
Ji Xiuling opened her mouth, then froze completely.
She was first surprised that the village chief would still teach the children to read and write during such a famine-stricken year, and then she was even more surprised when she realized that he wanted her to be a female teacher.
Li Tie asked her, "Are you willing? As long as you nod, your probationary period can be waived. From the day you officially start teaching the children, you and your daughter can enjoy all the benefits you are entitled to."
Lu Xuan also spoke up, "Teaching doesn't require you to spend too much time, no more than two hours a day." Too much time isn't good for the kids.
Ji Xiuling quickly replied, "Of course I'm willing!"
If she could earn a living by teaching, she could have more time to take care of the children herself, gain the gratitude and respect of the villagers, better integrate into the village, and be regarded as one of them.
Thinking about all these benefits, Ji Xiuling couldn't help but feel a little envious.
"Thank you, Village Chief, thank you, Brother Lu, thank you for giving me this opportunity. I will definitely teach you well."
Li Tie's face lit up with joy as he said, "Not many people in our village are literate. It's a blessing for the children in the village that you're willing to teach them. I should be the one thanking you."
Lu Xuan said, "If you want to thank someone, thank Chen Rong. It was he who came to me and suggested it to the village chief."
Although he couldn't ignore Lu Chen's other friends since he was going to teach Lu Chen, and he would probably ask Aunt Miao to talk to Ji Xiuling after he learned that she could read, since Chen Rong brought it up first, the credit should go to Chen Rong.
Li Tie praised him, saying, "It's rare that the kid did something serious."
Ji Xiuling was taken aback.
Li Tie hadn't paid much attention to what was going on between these young people; right now, his mind was full of thoughts about how all the children in the village could read and write.
He chuckled and said to Lu Xuan, "Besides Ji Yatou, Xu Wenze can also teach the children, but what exactly should he teach them? They don't have any books. Ah Xuan, can you exchange these with an immortal?"
Lu Xuan nodded and said, "I can prepare the teaching materials and paper and pen. I will let you know tomorrow."
He needs to go back and carefully consider the teaching content.
Li Tie patted him on the shoulder and laughed, "Then I'll wait for your good news."
·
On her way back from leaving the village chief's house, Ji Xiuling ran into Chen Rong, who was waiting nearby.
Ji Xiuling said softly, "Thank you."
Before Ji Xiuling could even look at him, Chen Rong suppressed his concern and said indifferently, "It's nothing. Just teach the village children well. I have other things to do, so I'll be going now."
Then, without waiting for Ji Xiuling to say anything more, he quickly brushed past her.
Ji Xiuling sensed the change in his attitude and felt a pang in her heart. She stood there for a moment before returning to her room.
Chen Rong's expression fell when he heard the cabin door open and close.
Liu Chun, who happened to witness the whole thing, teased, "What's wrong with you? Did you try to be nice to someone and get rejected? Could it be that you've already been rejected?"
Let me tell you, there's more than one guy in the village who's interested in Miss Ji right now. The only advantage you have is because you saved his life. If you give up…”
Chen Rong's expression changed, and his eyes turned fierce as he said, "Who gave up! Who was rejected? None of that happened! Let's see who dares to compete with me!"
As long as he is sincere and persistent enough, he will eventually find a wife!
·
On ship number 1.
Lu Xuan was searching through the space beads where the blind boxes were stored.
Viewers in the live stream who were quite interested in early childhood education offered a variety of suggestions.
What does the streamer want to teach? It can't be those ancient feudal dregs, right?
[Absolutely not! You'll only spoil the children. If you're going to teach them anything, teach them something useful.]
[During a cataclysmic period, there are many dangers. Simply knowing how to read isn't very useful, is it? It would be better to teach them combat skills; you never know when that might come in handy.]
Aren't adults the ones who need to learn combat skills?
Children will grow up someday, but from elementary school onwards, every one of them is a strong individual!
Lu Xuan said, "Chinese and math will definitely be taught, and combat can certainly be added as well. However, we need to think carefully about how to teach them and which subjects to choose."
Lu Xuan took out all the books he had drawn from the blind box.
From the very beginning of unlocking the blind box game, you would occasionally pull out one or two books from regular blind boxes, and sometimes you would even get silver ones.
By now, he has accumulated hundreds of books.
These books cover a wide range of genres.
There are various literary works, fashion magazines, travel magazines, biographies of historical figures, dictionaries of the languages of the indigenous people of a certain planet, encyclopedias of mutated animals, children's picture books, art books by a certain famous painter, the history of spacecraft evolution, detailed explanations of the geology of a certain planet, natural encyclopedias, 100 common questions about the universe, children's science books, children's enlightenment books...
He would look at some of them when he had free time, and learned a lot about the Star Alliance from them.
But today we're looking for children's textbooks.
Lu Xuan picked out books with "children's" in the title, as well as natural encyclopedias, popular science books, etc., and then categorized these books according to their type.
During the classification process, Lu Xuan gradually developed a clearer idea of what kind of courses to give the little ones.
Half an hour later, Lu Xuan looked at the stack of teaching books in front of him and nodded: "That's about enough."
Once Ji Xiuling and Xu Wenze are familiar with the course content, we can start classes for the kids.
Education should not suffer hardship.
Since the village has become more well-supplied with supplies, it has gradually returned to its pre-disaster state. It's time for the children, who only know how to play all day, to tighten their belts a bit.
The kids who were having a blast at the water park/inflatable playground suddenly felt a chill down their spines, a bad feeling creeping over them.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Special thanks to: Changyushan for throwing a landmine.
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