When Zhao Guihua returned to the house with Xingxing in her arms, Zhou Laoda had already prepared breakfast, including a large pot of stewed meat porridge and a plate of stir-fried pork kidneys.
"Daughter, come and eat, Dad has served you some food." Zhou Laoda said, reaching for Xingxing on the table.
"No, I haven't washed my hands yet, I have to wash them first." Xingxing shook her head and ran to the eaves, where she cupped her hands to catch the water falling from the eaves.
"Daughter, it's still cold today. Let's not collect this rainwater. Let me take you to the kitchen to wash your hands." Zhao Guihua rolled up her sleeves, picked up Xingxing, and hurried to the kitchen to scoop hot water from the pot.
"My brothers aren't up yet, they're as lazy as pigs." Xingxing said proudly, tilting her chin up. She had gotten up very early and even helped plant the melon vines.
“It’s raining today, so we won’t go up the mountain. You usually get up early every morning to study, so it’s a good time to sleep in a little longer since you’re on holiday. After breakfast, we’ll take a nap too.” Zhao Guihua rubbed Xingxing’s chubby little hands together, washing them carefully, while still chattering away.
"Mom, Xingxing can recite the Three Character Classic, just as good as Ruru!" Xingxing nestled in her arms, rubbing her little head against her like a kitten.
After washing her hands, Xingxing went to the main room and insisted on reciting the Three Character Classic to her parents first. Then, she began to recite it in a clear and crisp voice, from beginning to end, without missing a single word.
"My God, why is Xingxing on vacation and still getting up so early to memorize the Three Character Classic? This is unbearable!" Zhou Erfu yelled and buried his head under the covers, not wanting to face it.
"Oh no, I'm too scared to go out for breakfast," Zhou Sifu wailed.
Zhou Wufu put on his clothes with a smile. "Luckily, I'm smart. I memorized the Three Character Classic before my vacation."
Among the quintuplets, Dafu and Sanfu are clearly academically gifted. Dafu is very hardworking, attentive in class, and diligent at home, making him a diligent and hardworking top student.
Sanfu was the smartest of the five brothers. He could memorize the contents of a book after reading it two or three times. He was a natural-born scholar.
Xingxing is young and not a quiet and reserved person. She often starts to daydream after listening to half a class. Sometimes she will secretly chat with Ruru next to her. The little girl covers her mouth when she talks, thinking that the teacher can't see her. When she does something naughty, her round eyes will dart around.
The teacher would often punish her by making her stand up and answer questions, or recite the day's lessons, but this little girl could recite them word for word.
In that case, the Master could not say anything, and could only issue a few verbal warnings.
But Erfu and Sifu weren't so lucky. When they sat up straight and listened attentively, they couldn't understand. When they were drowsy and about to fall asleep, they actually fell asleep lying down. The teacher would grab their ears and wake them up, then hit their hands ten times with a ruler.
Erfu and Sifu weren't afraid of being hit on the hand. They were thick-skinned and wouldn't feel anything even if they were hit ten times. Later, the teacher discovered this and punished them by making them squat in a horse stance while reading until they could recite it from memory.
Erfu and Sifu have the worst grades. They still can't memorize the Three Character Classic. They always remember the first line but forget the second. I'm really worried that their parents will scold them for their homework when they go out.
"So listen carefully to the teacher's lectures, don't just lie there and sleep, otherwise you'll have wasted your tuition fees." Dafu said a few words to his two younger brothers, feeling quite puzzled as to why his second and fourth brothers didn't like studying.
Reading will enable you to read and write, and even if you don't take the imperial examinations, you can find an easier job. Do my second and fourth brothers want to be peasants for the rest of their lives?
In the past, their family was poor, and even having enough to eat and wear was a problem. Now that they have the means, they must seize the opportunity to study hard. They started their education later than others and have already fallen far behind. If they don't work hard, they will really never catch up.
If Erfu and Sifu knew what their eldest brother was thinking, they would definitely tell him loudly that not everyone is suited to studying. They are not cut out for studying. They feel uncomfortable listening to the teacher reading, just like listening to monks chanting scriptures. They get a headache as soon as they hear it and always want to sleep after a short while.
The brothers wore masks of pain.
“Big brother, we also want to listen carefully, but the more we listen, the faster we fall asleep. I think if we finish this year, my fourth brother and I will simply not go to study next year. It’s such a waste of tuition.”
Zhou Erfu felt justified, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt he should talk to his parents. He and his fourth brother had already paid their tuition fees this year, so they would just have to make do for now, but next year they really shouldn't.
Studying is nothing compared to the fun of going up the mountain. Digging for herbs, bamboo shoots, picking flowers, hunting wild boars—anything is better than studying. We have plenty of energy.
As a result, when the five brothers came out for breakfast, Zhou Laoda and Zhao Guihua made them recite the Three Character Classic before they could eat.
Dafu and Sanfu were memorized without any difficulty, and although Wufu stumbled a bit in the middle, he still managed to memorize it smoothly.
Only Erfu and Sifu memorized the first part; after that, they scratched their hands and cheeks, stammering for a long time before finally being unable to memorize it.
Zhao Guihua told them not to eat yet, and not to do anything today but to sit in the main room and recite the Three Character Classic. They had to memorize it thoroughly. Erfu and Sifu immediately objected, saying that reciting a book all day would kill them.
The two brothers bargained for a long time, even saying they wouldn't go to school next year, that they weren't cut out for studying, and that their parents shouldn't waste their time and money.
"Bang!" Boss Zhou slammed his hand on the table. "You all have to read this book, whether you like it or not. You have no choice. You must read it carefully. If you still can't memorize it or write the characters when you come back from your next vacation, see how I deal with you."
"That's right, there's no room for discussion about studying. You have to study, at least for three years. If you still can't read and write by then, you'll have to keep studying until you can. Otherwise, you'll be drinking thin porridge every day and won't be allowed to eat meat," Zhao Guihua warned sternly.
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