Shu Botong looked Xiaoguo up and down, then picked up the teacup and took a sip with satisfaction.

It would be best if he wasn't left behind, otherwise he would go find her to settle the score even if he was walking.

"Do you remember it?"

Xiaoguo looked at him helplessly. She had repeated it several times but he didn't say anything. She was really angry.

"Remember, I will definitely go."

Shu Botong stopped pretending and finally nodded in agreement.

Although he appears to be as calm as an old dog, he is actually very anxious inside.

I'm going there tomorrow, and I haven't prepared any gifts yet. I can't go empty-handed on my first visit. Besides, it's his birthday, so what should I prepare?

Xiaoguo stretched out her hand and waved in front of him, but he still looked absent-minded. After waiting for a while, seeing that he was still in a daze, Xiaoguo left quietly.

Shu Botong was immersed in his own world, still thinking about what gift to give. As for Xiaoguo's departure, he didn't care whether he saw it or not. He would see it anyway, so it was just a small matter. If she left, she would leave. Just don't disturb his thinking.

But the moment she stepped out of the door, she opened her mouth and said, "Goodbye~"

"Yeah." Xiao Guo didn't even stop. He responded and left.

–

"If you throw me a peach, I will give you a jade in return. It is not a reward, but a token of our everlasting friendship!"

"You gave me the peach, and I gave you the jade in return. It's not to thank you, but to cherish our friendship forever."

"People's feelings often have tokens of love. It's not that the tokens are good, but the love is strong."

Confucius was sitting in the main seat and talking animatedly, but Zhuangzhuang, who was sitting below, seemed a little absent-minded and kept looking outside.

He naturally noticed this phenomenon and gently put the book down.

The gentle sound of the books placed on the table slowly gathered my scattered spirit.

"Master?"

Confucius nodded and said, "Let's stop here for today's morning class. Go back to your room, pack up, and get ready for your mother to pick you up."

Zhuangzhuang lowered his head embarrassedly, feeling a little guilty.

There are three states of mind when reading: environment, state of mind, and state of meditation.

There are six hearts in reading: a pure heart, a thirsty heart, a quiet heart, a clear heart, a focused heart, and an observant heart.

Normally he would obey everything, but today he...

"I'm sorry, Master."

Confucius shook his head. After all, he was still young and it was just his first time, so it was no big deal.

"By the way, this is for you."

Confucius also knew that tomorrow was his birthday, but he also remembered to keep it a secret and cooperate with the secret surprise action, so he took out a red bag from his pocket in advance and handed it to him.

Zhuangzhuang took it and was about to open it, but Confucius stopped him and said, "Don't open it now, open it tomorrow."

tomorrow?

Zhuangzhuang looked at Kong Fuzi in confusion. Why did he have to open it tomorrow? Tomorrow was his birthday. Could this be his birthday present? But why didn't the master tell him clearly?

"good."

No matter what, Zhuangzhuang's eyes were filled with joy. This was probably his birthday present. He was so happy.

"Go ahead."

Zhuangzhuang smiled and nodded, then ran back to the room with brisk steps.

Confucius looked at the cheerful little figure, shook his head and laughed. He finally smiled. It was not easy.

Zhuangzhuang returned to the house, put on his small schoolbag that had been packed long ago, put the gift from Master Kong in his pocket, closed the doors and windows carefully, and then ran impatiently towards the main door of the house. When he met Mrs. Kong on the way, he took the time to say hello.

When I arrived, I sat on a small stool and, like the baby bird, stared at the door, expecting Xiaoguo to push the door open in the next second.

Mrs. Kong followed behind him and smiled secretly as she looked at his straight little back.

"Zhuangzhuang, please go inside and wait for a while."

Normally, the small bench at the door is exclusively for Zhuangzhuang, because it is right opposite the door, and he always sits there waiting for Xiaoguo to pick him up. But now it is winter, and the little man Dong's face has turned red, but he still insists on sitting outside.

Mrs. Kong couldn't bear to watch this and felt so distressed that she invited him in.

Zhuangzhuang hesitated for a moment, but then he didn't want to worry his master's wife, so he got up and went back into the house.

Just after warming up for a while, there was a knock on the door. Zhuangzhuang, carrying a schoolbag that was half the size of his body, ran to open the door first.

He ran and shouted, "Mom? Mom? Mom?"

"Oh, so strong!"

Xiaoguo saw Zhuangzhuang through the crack in the door, and also saw the anxiety on the little man's face, so he hugged him the moment the door opened.

He paused for a moment, his eyes instantly became moist, and then he wiped them casually. The little man didn't want his mother to find out that he was crying.

Xiaoguo let him go, took the schoolbag and put it on his back, then patted his little butt, causing him to laugh.

"Wait a moment, I'll give this to your master's wife first."

Xiaoguo pointed to the clay pot in her hand. This was the preserved eggs she pickled last month. There were quite a few duck eggs, so she pickled some more and brought them to the old couple to eat with their meal.

Zhuangzhuang nodded happily and followed her obediently.

Mrs. Kong took a few slow and strong steps, and when she walked out of the house, Xiaoguo and his mother were already approaching her.

"I'm old, and my legs and feet just aren't as flexible anymore."

Mrs. Kong looked embarrassed. By the time she took three steps, there were already enough people to run three meters.

Xiaoguo smiled and didn't continue the topic. He just took out the preserved egg and handed it to her.

Mrs. Kong's face was full of joy. She loved the pickled food she made. It tasted good no matter how she ate it. Although it tasted strange, it was delicious.

"Come on, go inside and rest for a while."

Mrs. Kong was about to pull her upstairs, but Xiaoguo had things to do at home, so she waved her hands and said goodbye.

It’s not that I don’t want to invite the two elders of the Kong family to celebrate my birthday together, but their legs and feet are not very strong, and taking a car back and forth is not tiring enough. Health is more important, so I have to give up.

"Mom, are we going home?"

Zhuangzhuang looked at her expectantly.

Xiaoguo pinched his cheek and said, "Don't go back yet. Mom will go buy some food."

Zhuangzhuang doesn't like people touching his head and face, but if that person is his mother, it's a different matter. He can be touched or pinched by his mother, and he likes it very much.

"Is there nothing left at home?"

"Yes, but not enough for tomorrow... There's not enough food, so I need to buy more."

Xiaoguo almost told what was going to happen tomorrow, but luckily he changed the subject and covered it up.

Zhuangzhuang narrowed his eyes, then forced down the smile on his lips and said "oh" as if he hadn't heard anything.

"Hmm~Hmm~~Hmm~Hmm~Hmm~"

Xiaoguo secretly glanced at Zhuangzhuang. Why was he so happy all of a sudden? Did he know about the surprise party tomorrow? Did he let the cat out of the bag?

Zhuangzhuang noticed that Xiaoguo was looking at her, so he gave her a huge smile in return and continued his out-of-tune singing.

Her calves were still hanging down, swaying with the rhythm, looking so happy.

Xiao Guo silently blocked her ear that was closest to him. Even though it was her son's singing, even though it wasn't beautiful, as a mother she should pretend to enjoy it, but she couldn't do it.

Son, please be gentle with your words, my ears are burning...

–

Jiang Shanhe hurried to Yonghai County.

I first went to the noodle shop to say hello to my brother-in-law, and then went to Confucius' house to pay a visit to the two elders.

Mrs. Kong looked at him in surprise, "Zhuangzhuang and Xiaoguo just left this morning. If you had come back earlier, you would have run into them."

Jiang Shanhe laughed when he heard it. His eldest brother-in-law had just said the same thing. It was really a coincidence. Fortunately, he didn't run into it, otherwise the surprise would have been ruined.

As he was eager to go home, he put down the gift and said goodbye immediately.

Not long after I walked out of the door, I came across two very low-key carriages waiting there.

Jiang Shanhe took a look and happened to meet the curious gaze of the little man inside. He chuckled and said, "Let's go."