After the first movie ended, during the intermission, Lin Shu ran to find Chen Chunhua with a pursed mouth.
"What's wrong? Why is your face so sullen? Is your brother being naughty again?" Chen Chunhua stretched and pinched her son's face. She would not let him pinch it in two years, but now she had to do it while she had the chance.
Dani helped Erni go to the toilet. Now the seats were empty. Chen Chunhua patted the stool beside her and motioned him to sit. Lin Shugan shook his head.
"Mom, Erniu said he doesn't want to study anymore."
"Why?" Chen Chunhua frowned instantly. "He's only 12 years old. What else can he do if he doesn't study?"
Lin Shu rushed to Chen Chunhua's side and huddled closer. "I don't know! I told him the same thing, but he said he could find a master to learn a craft, like carpentry, masonry, or tailoring. Before he finishes his apprenticeship, even if he doesn't make any money, the master will provide food and drink."
Chen Chunhua rolled her eyes. "He thinks becoming a disciple is like going to school and taking classes. He pays the money and leaves after finishing his studies. The master only provides him with food and drink for a few years, but he has to provide for the master for his whole life, doesn't he know?"
The practice of apprenticeship today is similar to the old days: once a teacher, always a father. The teacher is like a half-parent. If you eat and drink with the teacher now, he will have to eat and drink with you when he gets old. Master Jia is a chef who learned to cook from an apprentice. Even though his grandson is already grown up, he still has to go to his master to pay his respects during festivals.
In the past two years, his apprentice has been traveling around various villages to take on banquets for weddings and funerals. No matter where he goes, he always brings Master Jia with him. Master Jia is old and no longer cooks, so he just helps out. However, his apprentice always shares his food, drinks and money with him.
This is truly a lifelong thing. Most people would not easily send their children to become apprentices. Lin Erniu was studying well, so why did he suddenly want to become an apprentice?
"He said that there's no one in his family who earns money right now, and he needs money to study, and his grades are average, so he might as well become an apprentice and have some food left over."
"Nonsense!" Chen Chunhua was furious. If this was her own child, she would have beaten him first! What kind of logic! Did his father know?
"Did he tell you? Does his family know?"
Lin Shugan shook his head. Erniu told him this just to ask him how to tell his family so that they would agree.
There's no way Lin Fuqiang would agree to that.
Chen Chunhua thought for a moment and asked again, "Did he tell you not to tell anyone else?"
Lin Shugan shook his head. "He also asked me, 'If I told my family I didn't want to study anymore, how would you react?'"
"I will give you a beating." Chen Chunhua answered truthfully, and Lin Shugan touched his nose silently after hearing it.
However, since Lin Erniu didn't ask Lin Shugan to keep it a secret, and even asked how Chen Chunhua and Lin Guoqing would react if it were him, then Chen Chunhua could almost figure out Erniu's thoughts.
I just don't dare to do it myself, so I want someone to pass on the message.
"I see. Go back and sit down first. I'll talk to his father later. You guys just watch the movie first."
Lin Shu nodded a few times and ran back. Chen Chunhua shook her head. These kids nowadays are more worried than each other. They are not like them back then, who only care about whether they can have enough food.
Lin Shuchao picked up a long wooden stick from somewhere and started swinging it back and forth. He finally came to the back of Chen Chunhua and the others. Just then, Da Ni was helping Er Ni back, and they were almost hit on the foot by the stick.
Chen Chunhua put down the basket and rushed over to pull him away, "You little bastard! Your second cousin is pregnant! Why do you deserve a beating?"
Lin Shumei was not far away, laughing and shouting, "Mom! Third brother said his skin is itchy again!"
Chen Chunhua:... See, she said one child is enough!
***
On the way back, the children were still chattering about today's movie. Shumei sighed and said that since her elder sister was not around, she couldn't watch any movies for two days, which was a pity.
Qi Ni: "Fifth sister said that high schools also seem to show movies for students."
"Really?"
"Really? We'll be able to see it when we go to high school."
Lin Shumei started counting on her fingers again. "In another five... six years, I'll be able to go to high school... Then I must go to high school! And then I can go to the movies!"
Chen Chunhua: ...What about your future?
She first sent the three Ma sisters home, and then asked the three boys who were walking slowly behind to get on the bike and ride to Lin Fuqiang's house.
It was already very dark, and the village was quiet. Most families had gone to bed. Lin Fuqiang sat alone at the door of his house, smoking and daydreaming under the light bulb under the eaves, waiting for his son to come back.
The brake wrench on Chen Chunhua's tricycle squeaked, bringing Lin Fuqiang back to his senses.
"You're back?" Lin Fuqiang put out the cigarette with his fingers, stood up and greeted with a smile, and reached out to touch the head of his son who jumped out of the car.
"Could you please take Erniu with you today? Did he cause you any trouble?"
Chen Chunhua snorted, "Just go watch a movie next door, what trouble can it cause?" She winked at Lin Fuqiang and nodded at Erniu with her chin.
Lin Fuqiang was stunned for a moment, then asked Erniu to go in and say hello to his mother first, saying that she was also waiting for him. Lin Erniu quickly said goodbye to Shen Chunhua and the three siblings and went in.
Chen Chunhua also signaled Lin Shu to take his younger brothers and sisters and walk back slowly first, while she talked to Uncle Fuqiang.
Lin Fuqiang didn't know what Chen Chunhua was going to say, so he asked what was wrong. Chen Chunhua then repeated to Lin Fuqiang what Lin Shugan had just said to her.
Lin Fuqiang's expression changed again and again. First he was stunned, then angry, and then a little bit at a loss.
"This brat, what's wrong with him? He's the only child in his family, and he wants to go out and find a master?!" As he spoke, Lin Fuqiang wanted to find a stick to beat the guy, but Chen Chunhua quickly stopped him.
"Brother Fuqiang, don't be angry with the child. They are all good children. He must have thought of this because he felt sorry for the adults at home."
Chen Chunhua shook her own hands and blurted out all the thoughts that had just been circulating in her mind.
"I won't bother being polite with you about the relationship between our two families. Erniu was also spoiled growing up. You can't say you gave him everything he wanted, but you can be said to be completely obedient to him. Your family's current situation is like heaven and earth to the child. He will definitely be sad."
"But he's a filial son. I'm afraid he thought the family couldn't make ends meet, so he wanted to share the burden for you."
"Brother Fuqiang, even though Erniu is only 12 years old, I think you can still have a good talk with him. If your family isn't in any particular difficulty, you should still let the child know that at least there's no problem supporting his education, right?"
"Otherwise, if the child grows up living in guilt, it will have a negative impact on his mentality in the future."
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