Xu Zhijin was stunned when he saw Zhao Rongsheng and Shen Yibei behind him.
"This is mutton soup, freshly served. Drink it while it's hot to warm your body. Today is the Winter Solstice, so eating some dumplings will be enough to celebrate the festival." Zhao Rongsheng said.
"Please light the kerosene lamp. We'll leave it for you in the room and then leave." The room was too dark, and Zhao Rongsheng said this because he was afraid that he would accidentally drop the bowl in his hand.
Xu Zhijin turned back inside and lit the kerosene lamp, which gradually brightened. Zhao Rongsheng and Shen Yibei carried the bowls in and placed them on the table nearby.
It was only then that Xu Zhijin reacted and quickly said, "No need, I've already eaten, you can keep these for yourselves." As he said that, he was about to return the bowl to Zhao Rongsheng.
"We've eaten too." Zhao Rongsheng said, "You don't have to be so polite. It's fate that we met. Besides, today is a festival, so eating some dumplings is a good way to celebrate the solar term."
Although Xu Zhijin claimed to have eaten, Zhao Rongsheng could easily guess what they could eat in this cowshed. Life had been tough for the three of them here before; they'd never even had dumplings during the winter solstice. Now that they'd met Xu Zhijin, and he was alone in the cowshed, their situation was even more difficult. So they'd left him a bowl of dumplings and mutton soup and brought it to him.
Maybe it's because I've experienced it myself, so I don't want to see others go through it.
"Eat it while it's hot. It will warm you up so you can sleep more comfortably at night." After saying that, Zhao Rongsheng took Shen Yibei away.
Xu Zhijin stood at the door, watching them leave. After a long moment, he turned and went back inside. He looked at the mutton soup and white flour dumplings on the table, still steaming. The heat seemed to drift all the way to him, then burn his chest.
Xu Zhijin never thought that he could feel the warmth of human kindness in this cowshed.
He slowly sat down at the table, picked up the dumplings with his chopsticks and began to eat. The pork dumplings were fresh and fragrant, and seemed to be better than anything he had eaten before.
Xu Zhijin didn't eat very fast, but it didn't take long for him to finish his bowl of dumplings. Then he took a sip of the mutton soup beside him. The hot soup went into his stomach, warming him up.
Although dinner has already
Although he had eaten, Xu Zhijin still finished off the dumplings and mutton soup that Zhao Rongsheng had brought him. This was the most filling meal he had ever had in the few months since he came to the cowshed, or even longer.
After finishing the hot meal, Xu Zhijin felt that his whole body temperature had risen a little. He was still cold when he was lying on the bed just now, but now he felt warm.
He lay down on the bed and soon fell asleep in the comfortable temperature.
Have a good night.
.....
After delivering food on the winter solstice, the two sides felt closer. Although they still didn't communicate much, just nodding and greeting each other when they met, they could clearly feel the difference in their hearts.
After the winter solstice, the younger Song children went back to school, doing their final revision, waiting for the exams to finish before the official start of winter break. Every afternoon after school, Shen Yibei began tutoring Wenjie and Wenzhi.
Although he hadn't studied in school for a long time, he had already mastered the knowledge thoroughly, so it was easy for him to teach the second-grade students Wenjie and Wenzhi. Sometimes Bowen and Boyu would ask Shen Yibei if they had questions, and he would always explain them thoroughly in a more convenient way.
A week passed in the blink of an eye, during which time the Song family celebrated the Little New Year together.
After Sunday, on Monday, the school arranged final exams for each grade. After the exams, the children gathered together and started to walk home.
Those who had taken the exam tacitly agreed not to ask each other how they performed. The exam was over anyway, so they just happily spent the winter vacation waiting for the results.
Especially to Wenjie and Wenzhi, Bowen Boyu and the others were afraid that asking would make them unhappy, so they just skipped this matter.
However, after arriving home, Yuanbao couldn't wait to run over and ask his brothers: "Big brother, second brother, have you finished the exam?"
"Third brother, fourth brother, how did you do on the exam?"
After all, it was he who recommended Shen Yibei to tutor them, so Yuanbao really wanted to know how they did in the exam, so as to prove that his brother Yibei was particularly good. Of course, even if his third and fourth brothers did not do well in the exam, his brother Yibei was still good!
Wenjie was asked and thought about it.
Then he said conservatively: "It should be okay. I was able to solve several questions that I couldn't solve before. It shouldn't be too bad."
"At least I won't be spanked by my dad anymore." Wen Zhi said happily while covering his butt.
"When the results come out, if I do well, I'll have to thank Brother Yibei very much. If I don't do well, then... that's because I'm too stupid."
"Fourth brother, when will the results be out?" Yuanbao asked.
"Next Monday, grandma and my mom will go over to pick up the admission notice. If you do well in the exam, the teacher will give you a certificate."
"Then I want to go too! And little sister Xiaobao, let's go together!"
"Okay, let's go together."
Feng Guizhi was cooking in the house. When she came out to get some water, she heard the children talking and couldn't help but smile. She didn't force her children to have good grades, but after all, learning more would be of great benefit in the future, so she still hoped that they would study hard.
She had seen how hard they had worked recently, and when the results came out in a few days, she would have to give them some rewards. And Shen Yibei also helped a lot this time.
......
Zhao Rongsheng and Jiang Qiuli also knew that Shen Yibei was tutoring Wenjie and Wenzhi these days. However, this matter made them feel a little uncomfortable.
Because Shen Yibei was about the same age as Bowen and Boyu, they were all studying in school, but he hadn't been to school since he came to the cowshed. In the beginning, he and Jiang Qiuli could still teach him some textbook knowledge, but gradually, they could no longer teach him more.
As the days passed, they felt more and more guilty.
However, Zhao Rongsheng didn't feel sad for long. He remembered something he had heard others say before. It seemed that Xu Zhijin from the cowshed next door was a university teacher?
This thought gave Zhao Rongsheng a glimmer of hope. If...
"I seem to have heard someone mention before that Lao Xu was a university teacher. Do you think we can ask him to teach Xiaobei?" Zhao Rongsheng whispered to Jiang Qiuli in the evening.
"University teacher?" Jiang Qiuli was a little surprised when she heard this, but then some joy surged in her heart.
"I'm not sure, but I heard someone mention it. If so, do you think it's okay?"
Zhao Rongsheng and Jiang Qiuli are not the kind of people who like to trouble others, but if it is for Shen Yibei, then they are willing to put down their pride and give it a try. They themselves can work harder, but they don't want Shen Yibei to lose the opportunity to study at such a young age.
"It's a bit of a hassle for Mr. Xu..." Jiang Qiuli also hesitated, especially given their current status. Asking for this would also bring potential trouble to Xu Zhijin.
However, she didn't want Shen Yibei to go to waste like this, so she said, "Go and ask tomorrow. If Lao Xu is willing, then we will repay him more in the future. If he is not willing, we won't force him."
Zhao Rongsheng also meant this and nodded in agreement.
The next day, after dinner, when it was getting dark, Zhao Rongsheng went to the cowshed next door with a bowl of egg soup. When Xu Zhijin saw that it was him, he quickly welcomed him into the house and lit the kerosene lamp.
The room brightened up. He looked at the egg soup Zhao Rongsheng had placed on the table and quickly said, "Why did you bring more food? You three are here, so keep it for yourselves, especially since Xiaobei is still growing. I won't eat this, so take it back and give it to Xiaobei."
"We all have it. This is an extra bowl made especially for you. If you don't drink it, none of us can drink it."
Xu Zhijin knew he couldn't persuade Zhao Rongsheng, so he gave up. However, facing the ingredients Zhao Rongsheng and his men had that didn't belong in the cowshed, Xu Zhijin didn't think too much about it. Or rather, the answer was already there, without much thought.
However, it was enough for him to know that they were all good people.
Because he had something to ask for, Zhao Rongsheng didn't leave immediately after putting his things away. He had a hesitant look on his face, not quite sure how to start.
Xu Zhijin noticed that he seemed to have something to say, so he took the initiative to ask, "Is there anything you want to say?"
Zhao Rongsheng paused, then expressed his innermost request: "I heard that you used to be a university teacher, right? If so, I'd like to ask if you could teach Xiaobei. Qiuli and I are limited in our abilities, so we really don't have the energy to do it."
Hearing this, Xu Zhijin quickly understood. After all, a child like Shen Yibei's age should indeed be studying in school, instead of starting to shoulder heavy responsibilities like an adult.
He is serious
After thinking for a while, he said, "I did work as a teacher in a university before, but I don't have experience teaching students of this age, and the conditions here are limited, so I'm not sure if I can teach well."
Xu Zhijin paused and then said, "However, if you don't mind, I would be happy to have a student like Xiaobei."
Hearing him agree so easily, Zhao Rongsheng was a little stunned, and then he thanked him excitedly: "We certainly don't mind. We are so grateful that you are willing to teach Xiaobei."
"If I have to say thank you, I should be the one thanking you." Xu Zhijin waved his hand and said, "Let's not talk nonsense anymore. You can first tell me about Xiaobei's current level. By the way, if there is no textbook, teaching him might be..."
"Textbooks are available. If you need any books, please tell me and I will find them." Zhao Rongsheng then told Xu Zhijin about Shen Yibei's previous learning experience and his current level.
After listening, Xu Zhijin had a general understanding in his mind and felt that he had made the right decision. Shen Yibei was able to skip two grades, and he was also able to draw inferences from one example. Now he has a junior high school education. He is lucky to be able to teach such a student.
After the first day, Shen Yibei finally had his own teacher.
The author has something to say: Check in at 500,000 words!
Looking forward to a row of little red flowers this month~
And our Xiaobei finally has a teacher
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