As soon as Huo Jincheng finished speaking, Ding Youtian looked at him, his eyes lightly swept across his face, but he didn't say a word and smiled at him.
This look reminded Huo Jincheng of his previous stomach upset. After breakfast, Ding Youtian asked Qiaofeng to brew a pot of fragrant tea. When Qiaofeng finished, poured a cup for each of them, and handed it to him with both hands, his heart was alarmed.
He waved his hand, "Thanks, I'm not thirsty."
He didn't want to have to go to the toilet again and again.
"You ate the food at my master's house, but you refused to teach my second brother martial arts. You even refused to drink the tea I poured for you. How rude!"
Qiao Feng was so angry that she couldn't help but scold him.
Ma Xiaomai didn't expect that she would stand up for him. His depressed mood after being rejected suddenly improved. He was about to express his feelings when Qiaofeng glared at him.
She just disliked Huo Jincheng, not because she wanted to help Ma Xiaomai.
"A country girl doesn't know how to speak seriously, brother Huo, please don't be offended." Ding Youtian said indifferently.
Huo Jincheng was completely embarrassed. Ding Youtian's words only meant that Qiaofeng's words were careless, but he didn't think Qiaofeng was wrong. In other words, he also thought he was rude, and he was just teasing Ma Xiaomai. He wanted to win over Ma Fuquan, so why would he be unwilling to teach Ma Xiaomai kung fu?
He was angry, but he couldn't show it. If he did, it would seem that he was really arguing with a little girl.
"You little girl, don't be so disrespectful and ignorant in front of your elders."
"Yes, Master."
Qiaofeng glanced at Jian Ning secretly. Her master's words just now sounded like a rebuke to her, but there was no trace of blame on his face, so she felt relieved.
Even a child like her could see that Jian Ning wasn't really blaming her, so how could Huo Jincheng not see it? He couldn't help but overthink it. Was he the one who was ignorant?
He felt that he could not stay in this room any longer, so he stood up with a sullen face, glancing at Jian Ning and Ding Youtian, "If I teach him, will he become polite and sensible? I won't teach him!"
After saying that, he turned around and walked out.
Before he even stepped out of the dining hall, a burst of laughter rang out behind him, and he heard his own master laughing too.
"How come Jincheng has become like a kid?" Wei Dong said with a smile. He looked at Ma Xiaomai and said, "You are a good martial artist. Don't worry, if you want to learn our kung fu, he will teach you."
Ma Xiaomai's eyes lit up at first, then dimmed again. He shook his head, "Even if he teaches me, I won't learn from him. As long as I practice what my master taught me well, I won't be bad at it. My father said, you can't chew too much."
"The relationship between a master and his apprentice is also a matter of fate. If you don't want to learn, then don't learn." Wei Dong said as he glanced at Ding Youtian. Although he admired Ding Youtian's intelligence, he could see that he was indeed not cut out for martial arts.
This is what he meant by not being destined to be a master and a disciple.
Xiao Shi and Huo Ye had breakfast and said goodbye, while Wei Dong and Huo Jincheng went to the ancestral hall to find the clan leader and the village head. County Magistrate He and his men would come to Dingjia Village today, so they had to inform them so that the village head and the clan leader could be mentally prepared.
After they left, Master Ding San and his son arrived. Ma Xiaomi and Ding Sheng still had to go to school in town, so Jian Ning asked Master Ding San to take them to school and then ask for a few days off for Dabao. She and Master Ding San were standing on the porch talking when Tian arrived with Ma Xiaomi and Ma Xiaodou, and a moment later, Chang arrived with Ding Sheng.
Ma Xiaodou and Ma Xiaomai no longer had to go to school, as they would not go to the clan school until after the New Year. Tian asked Ma Xiaomai to stop running around for a while and help pull the bellows to learn how to brew wine.
"Ah?" Ma Xiaomai's hair was protesting. "I've already made an agreement with Qiaofeng. I'll accompany her up the mountain to pick herbs. We'll pick some for Senior Brother, and he'll pick us up to go to town for lunch. I'll go call Brother Qiu and have him help you pump the bellows."
"Your father ordered you to do that. Just go and call him. I'll beat you to death when I see you later."
"If my father knew I was picking herbs for my senior brother, he would definitely be happy and wouldn't beat me."
Qiaofeng was helping Ding Youtian clean up the dishes in the dining hall. When she heard their conversation, she came out and said to Ma Xiaomai, "How about you stay and help your mother? I'll go by myself."
"That won't work. You're not familiar with the hills here. What if you run into a bear or get lost? I'll lead you there. It'll be okay."
"You are not allowed to go." Jian Ning said, "How can I let you go to eat empty-handed? If you want to collect herbs, I will take you there in two days."
"Oh, if I had known this earlier, I would have gone to study in the clan school." Ma Xiaomai felt very disappointed.
"Sister Chang, don't be busy with your work. Come here for a moment." Jian Ning called Chang and then Qiao Feng. "Don't be busy either. Your master will wash the dishes. Come here first."
She brought Chang and Qiaofeng to her room, took out the kesi fabric, and asked Chang to help cut clothes for Qiaofeng and herself. Then she gave Qiaofeng some money and said, "I've told Uncle Ding San. You go to town with them. I'll have Uncle San take you to the clothing store. You can pick out clothes and shoes by yourself so you can change into them later."
"Master..." Qiaofeng was stunned for a moment, then threw herself into her arms, hugged her and cried.
"You little girl, why are you crying?" Chang's eyes were red. "You are lucky to have met a good master. In the future, you should study hard under your master and learn skills. Then you can marry a good family and enjoy a happy life. Just don't forget your master."
"Wuwu...I won't marry. I will stay with my master forever."
"You silly girl, you say you won't get married now, but you'll probably be jumping up and down to get married in the future." Jian Ning smiled and patted Qiao Feng's shoulder, "Okay, go wash your face, Third Grandpa and the others are waiting for you."
Qiaofeng turned her back, wiped her face, lowered her head and ran away.
Jian Ning understood her feelings perfectly. She'd wanted to cry too when Grandma Wu first took her to the clothing store to buy her clothes. It was just that she wasn't good at expressing her feelings. Back then, she felt the same way Qiao Feng felt now: to stay with her master forever.
But the master eventually left her.
If the master had always been by her side and Wu Dui had never married, when she reached the age, she would cry and make a fuss about getting married even if the master didn't allow her to.
Thinking about what Qiao Feng had just said, she couldn't help but burst out laughing. Seeing Chang looking at her, she waved her hand and said, "It's nothing. You go ahead and do your work. Just cut it. I'll sew it when I have time."
When she came out of the room, Mr. Ding had already harnessed the carriage. When he drove the carriage to the village entrance, he looked around and didn't see Blind Liu. If Blind Liu wanted to take a carriage to town, he would have been waiting at the village entrance in advance. If he wasn't there, he must have walked there.
A quarter of an hour ago, Blind Liu was indeed waiting here. Now he and Xiao Shi were riding together and were almost in town.
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