Chapter 71 The Moon of Yesteryear
It's back-to-school season again, but this year is a little different.
Today, a new teacher arrived at the private school. Hanwazi and his friends peered out the window and saw a tall man in a long robe wearing gold-rimmed glasses strolling down the corridor. Hanwazi made a point of comparing himself to the teacher; he was a little taller than Liuzi and a little shorter than Xiaoyang.
However, the gentleman was fairer than them, though of course, not as fair as Teacher Xie!
The simple-minded boy thought that Teacher Xie was the most handsome person he had ever seen. He liked Teacher Xie very much because his older sister also liked Teacher Xie very much.
He really liked it when Teacher Xie picked him up from school because she would tell him stories. But unfortunately, Teacher Xie only came to pick him up when his older sister went to help out at the restaurant. Teacher Xie's palms were warm and her hands were very white, but they weren't as delicate as his older sister's.
Teacher Xie's palms have many calluses and small scars, all from doing handicrafts. He didn't understand why Teacher Xie had to do such hard work. Running a restaurant is quite profitable. Wouldn't it be better for Teacher Xie to help expand the restaurant?
"Yunhexing, come and read the poem I just taught you."
Suddenly called on, the simple-minded boy snapped out of his reverie and realized that he had been lost in thought and hadn't been paying attention in class. Somewhat embarrassed, he said, "Teacher Shi, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention in class just now."
Teacher Shi didn't make things difficult for him, but instead taught the simple-minded boy to read it again.
When school is over, the little boy waits obediently in the classroom. There is only one classroom, and eighteen big and little children study together. The children who live nearby go home by themselves, while the children who live far away wait for their parents to pick them up.
Suddenly, the boy's eyes lit up, "Teacher Xie!"
Xie Ning bent down slightly, took Hanwazi's hand, and handed him the still-warm sesame seed cake. The sesame seed cake sold on the street looked quite fragrant, but the taste was just average, and it was a bit burnt. It was obviously not made by an experienced person.
The simple-minded boy's palate had been spoiled by Aunt Liu's excellent cooking skills. "Teacher Xie, these sesame cakes aren't from Grandpa Hu's family, are they? Can this person really make money selling these kinds of sesame cakes? Even if her skills aren't as good as Grandpa Hu's, who has been making sesame cakes for decades, they should at least be better than Aunt Liu's."
Look, even a child could spot this flaw.
She had been feeling uneasy whenever she went out these past few days. She asked Aunt Liu to have someone outside the courtyard follow her, and that's when she discovered who had been following her. Unfortunately, her counter-surveillance skills were limited, so she had to ask someone for help.
It seems someone has come knocking, but it's unclear which side they're from. If it's Japanese, they probably won't dare make a scene, but if it's the Blue Shirts Society, they could just arrest them all without anyone questioning it. Judging from the fact that the person was secretly following them today, it's more likely to be Japanese.
But no matter which side it is, this place is no longer safe to stay in.
When they got back, Aunt Liu and Xiao Yang were already slowly packing their things. Xie Ning had someone book boat tickets for tomorrow afternoon, and they would leave as soon as the time came.
That night, Xiao Yang read the letter by the light of an oil lamp. Although he was not very good at writing, he still recognized quite a few characters. The more he read, the bigger his smile became. Xie Ning had previously helped him get a leave of absence, and when he returned, he immediately met Guihua on a blind date arranged by his mother.
Because of the rush, the wedding was very simple. He felt sorry for Guihua, since he would have to leave in a few days and Guihua would have to help take care of his parents. So he secretly left Guihua most of his savings, so that at least when he was not by his wife's side, Guihua would have money to rely on and could live more comfortably.
Even when he was away from home, he still sent money and letters home quite often. In a letter Guihua sent a few days ago, she mentioned that their son, Abao, could already call him "Dad."
Xiao Yang felt both happy and bittersweet. He was happy that he had only been home once and had not only found a wife but also a child. However, the thought that he hadn't been there to help his wife or watch his son grow up made him feel bitter.
Liu Zi, sitting next to him, tossed and turned, his eyes unconsciously glancing out the window towards the second floor, a conflicted and sad expression on his face.
"Six!"
ah!
Liu Zi was startled by Xiao Yang's sudden voice, and Xiao Yang was also startled by Liu Zi's panic, a suspicious look on his face. "Liu Zi, what are you thinking about? I've called you several times and you haven't responded. Could it be...?"
Xiao Yang drew out his words, which immediately made Liu Zi's heart jump.
"You're not still thinking about that girl, are you?"
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Xiao Yang earnestly advised, "Liu Zi, you should give up. It's not that the girl is bad. My mother also said that not all girls in brothels are bad. Many of them only do that kind of work because they can't survive. Otherwise, who wouldn't want to be clean?"
"I've heard that the girl you like was taken from a brothel by that merchant as a concubine. If you continue to associate with her, you might end up hurting both of you. You should break it off as soon as possible. Besides, whether she's a concubine or someone's wife, you shouldn't try to ruin things."
Liu Zi looked embarrassed. He wanted to say no, that he didn't like that girl, but when he opened his mouth, he couldn't say it.
He could only manage a weak reply, "I understand, Brother Yang."
Xiao Yang patted Liu Zi on the shoulder to comfort him, "Alright, didn't you say your mother was sick? I have some extra money here, you can send it back to your mother for treatment."
Liu Zi is a pitiful child. His father and mother do not love him. He has many brothers and sisters, and he is in the middle. He is always ignored. Only his mother loves him.
"Okay, thank you, Brother Yang."
Liu Zi stared at the blue curtains on the bed with his eyes wide open. He didn't want to do it, but he wanted to save the Empress.
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